If you match your communicating style with the personality style of those you speak to, you may improve your communication skills. To do so, you need to understand the personality and behavioral styles of the audience. What are the personality styles?

The most mutual break down is into four types. Using the CAPS principle, persons will tend to be dominant in one of the four types, Controller, Analyst, Promoter, Supporter.

Controllers, likewise known as Drivers seldom listen to others around them, focusing on the task at hand. They tend to only need to recognise ‘what,’ commonly may figure out how and why. So when speaking to them, they will tend to only need to know “What is the occupation to be done.”

Promoters tend to not like isolation and will tend to vie for attention. They will tend to overstate and or leave out facts and details. To best reach their personality, a speaker needs to address “Why the occupation needs to be done.”

Supporters are the worker bee of an organization. They tend to yield rather than deal with a possible confrontation. Have the capacity to blend into any circumstance well. They may appear wishy-washy at times. One mutual trait is a difficultness with making firm decisions. Many are music, poetry, and art lovers. They will be grateful for the ‘what’ and why of the occupation to be done being explained. However their biggest need is “How to do the Job to be done.”

The Analyst is a logical, and detail oriented person. They will tend to withdraw themselves and quietly gather data rather than make a quick decision. To make a decision without all the facts may be difficult. They tend to be the accountants and engineers. You may note tendencies toward being highly critical in this group. They will also tend to be pessimistic in nature. They are very perceptive. To reach them will require giving what, why, how, and when in regards to the occupation to be done.

Personality styles are ways persons act or react in given circumstances. People will tend to change and even adjust depending on the circumstance and their purpose. A controller could turn into a altogether subservient supporter when faced with a health care crisis with in the family. A supporter could turn into a controller if a lack of quality health care is perceived.

It is necessary to mirror the personality style with the type of communication.

To establish rapport with the dissimilar personality styles

1. Determine the tendency of your own personality.

2. Determine the personality style of those being spoken to.

3. Increase or decrease the calibers within your self to match those you are speaking to.

When Speaking to an Audience

If speaking to an audience, undertake to speak to each of the personality styles. This may be done by matching your communication style to the personality or listening styles of those in your audience.

How Can You Know?

How may you recognise which types you’re talking to? Think of the audience globally. Are they managers, employees, business persons or local residents? The intent of the talk must give a lot of clue to the motivation for those coming to hearing it. Within that motivation, consider which personality type would distinctively be interested.

Then focus your speaking to match their listening and personality style. You may undertake to reach all four but focus the biggest venture to reach the dominant personality of the group.

Try This

If you often times give speeches and in your one on one communication, now and again leave out or decrease your coverage of one of the four “What, Why, How, When” and look at what kind of feed back you get and consider the personality types that are giving it.

One occasion I gave a lecture concentered toward controllers. My most eminent praise came from a Pharmaceutical rep. I received closely no feedback from the supporters.

The next time speaking to the same group, I concentered on the supporters and got rave reviews from them to have the controllers tell me it was a bit boring.

Observe the compliments and complaints at the end and the personality types that they come from. This will be a good indicator of your speech and communicating strength and weaknesses.

Once you recognise how to reach the respective types you may adjust your communication style to reach the entire audience. By learning to reach the four types, you will be capable to attain speech mastery. more importantly, you will attain rapport with your audience, be they one or one thousand.

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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
Farscape comes into its prime
By WTDK
The third season of “Farscape” captures the show in its prime; the various story arcs developed here are better than anything that came before. The writing and character development is, for the most part, top notch. Season three features the unusual episode “Revenging Angel” where the bulk of the episode occurs in a Looney Tunes Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote type of cartoon with Crichton and D’Argo. “Infinite Possibilities” another two parter features one of the Ancients appearing in the form of John’s dad. They unlock the secrets of wormhole technology in Crichton’s mind to prevent the Scarrans from escaping with a dangerous new weapon.

The stand out episodes in my mind that signify this development is the two part “”Into the Lion’s Den” from the conclusion of the season. Crichton agrees in this episode to help Scorpious achieve his dream of wormhole technology. Scorpious plans on using it to develop a weapon of mass destruction that can be used against the Scarions. In return, Crichton and the crew of Moya will receive diplomatic immunity. Things sour very quickly when Crichton realizes what will become of this new found weapon.

Picture quality is pretty sharp throughout most of the discs. To answer one question–why isn’t this in widescreen? Because it was shot in fullscreen format. It is, however, a high definition transfer. The usual extras are included such as commentary tracks, deleted scenes,interviews with the various actors and behind-the-scenes glimpses of props, the creation of various villains, etc. The only thing missing here is any extra discs or information. ADV essentially took the fans twice here–buying the individual titles cost more than this boxed set does. If you purchased this expecting extras not on those discs, you’d be disappointed.

A terrific season of “Farscape” only surpassed by season four and the conclusion chapter “Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars”.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
As great a season as any in the history of television
By Robert Moore
Warning: Spoilers galore! Free roaming discussion of the season story arcs!

First, before proceeding to heap excessive amounts of praise on this extraordinary season, I have to express my extreme anger at the ongoing refusal of the owner’s of the series copyright to make it available to the public at a reasonable or even affordable price. I do not own this set on DVD and do not plan on doing so as long as they continue pricing it as such absurd levels. I’ll struggle along with my tapes for now. I’m not angry only because their price means I can’t afford it; I am angry because the price keeps a host of would-be fans from discovering this remarkable series. There is simply no excuse for the way they have gone about the DVD releases for FARSCAPE. I thoroughly encourage anyone who loves Sci-fi or quality TV to explore this series-I promise you will be delighted with it-but I also encourage everyone to avoid purchasing this set at this price. As consumers we need to let the companies know that they have a responsibility to make their products available at a reasonable price.

Season One of FARSCAPE saw the debut of a new and superb Sci-Fi series. Season Two saw a marvelous development of all of the main characters, increasingly complex relationships between them, and the expansion of the many story arcs. But absolutely nothing in either Season One or Season Two prepared viewers for how extraordinary the show would become in Season Three. This season is unquestionably one of the greatest seasons any series has enjoyed in the history of television, and is in my opinion the greatest season any Sci-fi show has ever enjoyed. What makes the season so spectacular is that they take a huge number of extraordinary risks, and manage to pull all of them off. To cover merely some of the highlights, how many shows will begin a season by raising one character from the dead, killing off one of the main characters for good, savagely end a romance between two of the principal characters, create a clone of the show’s main character, have the other main character embark on a torrid love affair with one of the clones, kill that clone off, and then savage the potential romance she might have with the other clone? Then, to make matters even more interesting, kill off two more major characters in the season finale while suddenly and inexplicably inserting a new character from nowhere? Sound complex? It is! But complex can be great when you assemble a team of great writers, great producers, great designers, and great actors. This was an exceptionally ambitious season, and the miracle was that their ambitions were all realized.

Season Two ended with the death of Aeryn Sun and the removal of the implant that Scorpius inserted into John Crichton’s brain. Towards the end of Season Two, John and Aeryn seemed finally to be moving towards the fulfilled romance for which they seemed destined. In a way, the challenge facing the writers in regard to John and Aeryn reminds me of the famous Monty Python cheese shop sketch. In that skit, John Cleese enters a cheese shop to buy some cheese. As he asks for each kind of cheese, none of which the shop possesses, the shop owner tries to concoct a new excuse for why they do not have that particular kind. The game is to continually invent new excuses for why they don’t have any cheese. Similarly, the writers over nearly four seasons had to create a host of reasons for why Aeryn Sun and John Crichton weren’t a couple, all while creating an overwhelming desire in all the show’s viewers that they end up with each other. So, each season presents a series of hurdles for John and Aeryn to leap over, all while maintaining a high degree of interest in one another. The first hurdle is, of course, Aeryn’s death in Season Two, just after she has declared her love for John and at the hand’s of John, though temporarily possessed by the personality of Scorpius via the implant. Aeryn is saved by Zhan, which eventually leads to her own death a few episodes into the season. I have read varying accounts of the reason why Virginia Hey left the show, though all agree that it was her decision. The essence seems to be that she was tired of the physical demands that the role made on her. She not only had to put on blue body make up that generated allergic reactions, but she had to wear contacts that bothered her eyes, and had to shave both her head and her eyebrows. Zhan leaves the show after a double sacrifice, first saving Aeryn’s life but leaving herself in a condition that will eventually lead to death and later in intervening in a situation that costs her life immediately.

Shortly after Zhan’s death, our heroes encounter a villain who clones individuals to produce food for consumption, leading to our seeing both D’Argo’s and Chianna’s clones being killed, but John’s survives, which sets off a chain of events that colors everything else that happens this season. After a couple of episodes in which the two Johns make everyone feel exceedingly awkward with their presence, Moya’s crew gets splits for several episodes, a few going with Crais on Talon, and the rest on Moya. Most significantly, the two Johns are split, and Aeryn goes with one of them onto Talon. Of course, this John and Aeryn finally allow themselves to fall passionately in love, and give it the fullest possible expression, to the extent of the two of them talking of staying together even if John can get back to earth. Unfortunately, this John dies after extensive exposure to radioactive material, which leaves Aeryn devastated. When she eventually returns, she finds it impossible to face the other John. The situation is unprecedented in Sci-fi, in that the man that Aeryn loves has both died and is yet still alive. It is an impossible situation emotionally, and one can both sympathize with her pain and agonize over John’s heart break as he realizes that the woman he loves has given her heart to him, but not this particular “him” but the “other” him. The season ends shockingly with an emotional confrontation between John and Aeryn, with their flipping a coin to determine whether she is going to stay on the ship or leave, her departure when the coin doesn’t bounce John’s way, and finally the shocking revelation that she is pregnant, presumably with the other John’s child. It could have been a terribly silly story arc, but instead it was handled magnificently. In my opinion, it was one of the truly great seasons in the history of TV. For my money, during the 2001-2002 television season-with apologies to BUFFY, ANGEL, 24, and ALIAS-it was the best show on TV.

There was much, much more to the season. John’s struggle with Scorpius reached epic proportions. Crais, a villain in Season One and a grudging ally in Seasons Two and Three, dies along with Talon in a heroic death. D’Argo and Chianna fall apart as lovers. There are a host of spectacular single episodes. All in all, it was a remarkable season. By all means see it, but rent it, borrow it, watch it in rerun. Just don’t encourage the DVD industry by buying it at such absurd prices.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
I love Farscape as much as anyone…
By scapermoon
…but who in their frelling mind could afford the season sets?! This is one of those things that will be put on my wish list and may never come off of it – not unless my family and I decide to forgo eating for a month. And while 22 episodes of Farscape would be a great deterrant from the hunger pangs, it would ultimately be a bad idea. It’s bad enough that the show was canceled, but to charge that much for the DVD’s? That’s just not right.

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Many of us are always thankful for our each day usage of today’s modern technology. Every day, we get to carry out our daily tasks posing no difficulty because we have the helpful materials and widgets that keep us at ease. Life will never be as easy as we look at it now without the progression of technology. Think of how ancient persons back then struggle just to fabricate fire. Now, we may make one with just a click. Recall how transportation was done back then and see how much it has bettered now. We are all living a better and more comfortable life because of our technology.

Even altho we go on with our daily lives with such ease and ease, there are things that we sacrifice for it. Because of the on-going technical demands, we have without disturbance taken for granted the effects it will cost us, and now we tardily observe them coming. Just for instance, the machines that we are using are not all there is. We use them very effectively, but are tardily demolishing our planet because of them. Machines uses up a lot of heat energy. We use fuel to accommodate this need. It will then dispose wastes that are turned into smoke. It pollutes our air giving us insalubrious environs to breathe in. Mountainous areas have been turned into industrialized sites. Now even rain forests are being endangered. Trees are being logged to be made into furniture, and for constructions. We now have bare mountains.

There are submarines, ships of the largest, best ones. They all add up polluting our ocean. The cars and land vehicles we are using as well. They support us go from place to place having little impact and faster, but the polluted air it gives rise to is devastating.

We have produced the use of plastics because it will cost having little impact production so that one may develop more in just a fraction of time. They are disposables so that we may buy them cheaper. But when we throw these, they add up to the mountains of wastes being dumped onto a waste disposition area each day. Just imagine how much rubbish s single person may gather in just one day, and multiply that to billions of people. Waste disposition has been one of the biggest difficultnesses of our society today. We have built so galore things that we end up throwing after just one usage.

Maybe there are reasons for us to be thankful having all these innovative equipments, and they are sure to help us in galore ways. But the fact that we are all demolishing our environment. It may have in truth good effects on us, but it likewise produces a ravaging effect to our environs that destroys our health and living.

Bad English 2

At the age of twenty-five you have your whole life in front of you. When you’re forty-four years old, forty pounds overweight, and laying in bed with a broken hip, what do you have? Depression, red wine and no future, or so Suzie Ivy thought.

An advert on a drugstore bulletin board changed Suzie’s thinking and lands her in the police academy. Was she out of her mind? No, and she decisive to live up to the challenge. The greatest question; is the Police Academy ready for Suzie Ivy?

This story is filled with determination, full body muscle pain and laughter. Did you know, to pass the new polygraph testing, you sit on butt plates because your butt cheeks clench when you lie? Or how a normal person feels after being administered the stringent psychological testing with the end result for passing being low pay, enormous amounts of stress, and the pleasure of working graveyard shifts? The advertizing will have to have read, “Crazy People Wanted.”

The Bad Luck Cadet is Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, from Full Metal Jacket, training both Thelma and Louise wrapped up in one five foot three inch package. The test of wills begin, but who will survive?

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Tenacious, Enthusiastic, Unfaltering, Exuberant Read. Fantastic First Effort
By glen cantrell
This is One Book that is fun to read. Sheer Determination from this Witty Author who’s been there, seen it and done it. ‘The Bad Luck Cadet’ gives you a look and feel of a female following her fortitude. Excellent book for young and middle-aged ladies alike who are deciding what to do with their futures. Author Suzie Ivy delivers on all accounts. Highly Recommended Read for Everyone.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Truly inspirational… and a great laugh too!
By Elizabeth Marshall
I loved this book! The week by week account of the police academy had me crying, laughing and grimacing the whole way through. I connected with Suzie and felt every push-up! This book had a main theme of breaking barriers and pushing yourself to your limit and then some.
I loved how Suzie wasn’t the fittest or strongest cadet at the academy but sheer determination, grit and heart got her through. It was her drive, ambition and heart that gained her the friendship of other cadets and also earned the respect of the sergeants. She battled through as her fellow cadets and friends stood by her and supported her.
She transformed, not only physically, but mentally too, into a crime fighting machine when all the odds were against her. Overall, a story of great courage where you are completely absorbed in every situation and routing for the underdogs as they strive for a career in one of the most honorable professions in the modern world.
This is a story of friendship, courage and utter determination that is written in an almost autobiographical style and shows that you are never too old to chase your dreams and if you want it enough, you can achieve anything. Truly inspirational… and a great laugh too!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Bad Luck Cadet – humorous and poignant!
By mcdoidge
I first stumbled across Suzie Ivy via her blog, Bad Luck Detective, and last week I was happy to see that she had released her first book, Bad Luck Cadet, which I believe is a collection of her early blog posts. I immediately bought and then, very soon after, read Suzie’s book.

I really liked it.

I knew I would, but still I am glad that that was the case, because — if you hang out with me at all regularly or if you’ve read any of my writing — you will already understand how unusual it is for me to like and follow a writer who is, in this particular incarnation, a memoirist.

Suzie Ivy is the Bad Luck Detective. She chose to become a police officer at the age 45 – it was a tough, male-dominated road (read her book). I don’t even know her and I think she is an amazing person. I really do love her stories. Actually, some times, I can’t believe they are “real life”.

So what exactly do I like about Suzie Ivy, and, in particular, the Bad Luck Cadet?

Beyond appreciating her as a person for the difficult lifestyle choice she made when becoming a police officer, I love how she has taken her police work and simply shared it with us all. She is insightful and humorous. I have actually laughed and then teared-up in the same chapter. Her writing is personal, but not overly dramatic. She details her real life in a completely accessible, and even charming, manner. She lets the poignant moments be, so you almost stumble upon them, rather than dressing everything up in flowery “look here” language.

The Bad Luck Cadet is a new, fresh character in the “cops & robbers” world, and I look forward to reading many more of her adventures.

Suzie’s next book is due out January 13, 2012!

The Bad Luck Cadet is currently .99c on Amazon!

(review via my blog, [...])

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Does omega 3 fish oil have a laxative effect is a question most ofttimes posed when beginning any fish oil supplement. Luckily omega 3 fish oil doesn’t have some side effects unless you have an allergy, and before we get into swallowing innumerable tablespoons of fish oil, we ought to look at the gains and answer the question, does omega 3 fish oil have a laxative effect?

Undoubtedly you’ve heard with regards to the gains of omega 3 fish oil and the vast health effects it has on the body. This product is very essential to the body in that it delivers you all the necessary fatty acids that you need and since you don’t create it, you are going to need to get it through your diet or through a supplement. Diet is a tricky choice for various reasons; fish that are found today are found in principally polluted waters do not integrate the proper omega 3 necessary acids that they once did and this is a direct result of our industrialized world.

One of the big gains that outweigh the question of does omega 3 oil have a laxative effect, is that it helps remainder out our systems after bombarding then with chemicals and other preservatives that are in our feed today. Showing us that though there may be slight laxative effects, does omega 3 fish oil have a laxative effect are in truth to say no more than any other nutritional supplement that helps remove toxins from the body.

Does omega 3 fish oil have a laxative effect, well yes in a manner of speaking in that the side effects of omega 3 fish oil are the mutual ones when adding a supplement that is high in any kind of nutritional supplement. Another potential side effect of omega 3 fish oil are that heavy metal poisoning may occur.

Fish comprise high levels of heavy metals such as mercury, nickel, lead as well as a great deal of more as well as displaying amounts of PCBs and other toxins like dioxin found within fish oil productions when it is not processed properly. There are a few other sensations or changes based around the question of does omega 3 fish oil have a laxative effect like slight laxative effects and foul breath. Often foul breath happens but if this has occurred, it is more likely you have purchased rancid oil and need to find a provider that may supply you with fresh fish oils.

You need to be looking in to productions that have the purest oil and that have both essential fatty acids, EPA, and DHA, a lot of of the merchandise sold today have oils from all over the world and are beauteous much sold as rancid, although, the suppliers themselves in all likelihood aren’t even conscious of this, never mind you, the consumer. Moreover, some merchandise have exceedingly low levels of DHA which leaves numerous of the therapeutic gains out of that fish oil.

In that same vein, it is important that you make sure that the product you are getting is not contaminated with toxins and other pollutants from the environs or rancid and rotten as fish oils may spoil very quickly. New Zealand is a prime provider because they have pristine conditions in the water for the hoki fish that are harvested there for fish oil, and are free of pollution and toxins. The minute amount of toxins and pollutants found are got rid of through a routine called molecular distillation and is the only effective way to procedure fish oil.

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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
Nirvana Nevermind Super Deluxe Boxset
By Manic Nirvana
Having listened to Nevermind in this remastered form (Super Deluxe Boxset), I must say it is quite good. The sound is very clear when compared to the 1991 CD. The volume has been slightly increased but it luckily is not a victim of the loudness wars. The Smart Sound Sessions tracks show the band’s beginning and are decent sound quality but those versions are hardly essential. You won’t find yourself using the repeat button. The Boombox Rehearsal tapes, although recorded on what appears to be a crappy tape deck, are cool to hear. There is something genuinely amazing about hearing the band in such an intimate yet powerful way. You wouldn’t necessarily put those songs on repeat either but within the context of the boxset, they are a welcomed addition. The finest part of this boxset is perhaps the most anticipated, The Devonshire Mixes a.k.a. The Butch Vig Mixes. This is basically the version of the finished record before mixer Andy Wallace got his hands on it, or the way the band thought it should sound. To be honest, the results aren’t all that different. They’re the same songs with the polish scrubbed off. If anything they sound less focused and more grungy. I was expecting these to sound radically difference but they really don’t. You won’t hear it and have a “second-coming-of-Jesus” experience because in truth it wasn’t the production that made Nevermind so good. It was the songs and if you need three hours of them to make you realize it then you probably weren’t listening closely enough in the first place. The Paramount live tracks are awesome. What I appreciate about this CD is that this time there was no fake crowd noise added in like they did on the Live At Reading cd. The blu-ray isn’t the highest quality which is understandable given the film’s age and it is anamorphic, meaning that it’s technically widescreen but there are two-inch black bars visible on the left and right sides of the screen. It’s not too distracting though. If it bothers you, a zoomed-in full widescreen view can be selected from the disc menu but the picture quality is slightly reduced. The sound is amazing. Both the 2 channel stereo and 5.1 surround sound are excellent. To conclude, in truth, I believe the Andy Wallace mix of Nevermind, as originally released, is the essential version. So, while this collection is impressive, unless you are a hardcore fan who needs to have everything, your original version of Nevermind or the remastered single disc version will do just fine.

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Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882) was a poetical and painter, and a leading spirit in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, which was an try to fetch the Romantic spirit into a realm of art still eclipsed by a decadent classicism. This second Romanticism he applied to poetry, highlighting the sensuous touches which had been the hallmark of Keats. Rossetti, combined spiritual vision with sensuality very deftly.

The peculiarity of this “Fleshly School of Poetry” is the effect gained by close attention to detail. In spite of his being too much of a Victorian with preoccupations with intellectual and moral considerations, the result of Pre-Raphaelitism was the down pedaling of the moral element. Aestheticism of Oscar Wilde was the child of Pre-Raphaelitism.

The atmosphere of the poem featured here is one of the ‘religiosity’ than that of religion. The influence of Keats is apparent everywhere. The poem may be equated with numerous Pre-Raphaelite paintings to a good vantage of the reader.

Let me present to you the text of the poem before I say a few words regarding the pictorial quality of the same.

The Blessed Damozel

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

The blessed damozel leaned out (Ah sweet! Even now, in that bird’s song,

From the gold bar of Heaven; Strove not her accents there,

Her eyes were deeper than the depth Fain to be hearkened? When those bells

Of waters stilled at even; Possessed the mid-day air,

She had three lilies in her hand, Strove not her steps to reach my side

And the stars in her hair were seven. Down all the echoing stair?)

Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem, “I wish that he were come to me,

No wrought flowers did adorn, For he will come,” she said,

But a white rose of Mary’s gift, “Have I not prayed in Heaven?–on earth,

For service meetly worn; Lord, Lord, has he not prayed?

Her hair lay along her back Are not two prayers a perfective strength?

Was yellow like ripe corn And shall I feel afraid?

Herseemed she scarce had been a day “When round his head the aureole clings,

One of God’s choristers; And he is clothed in white,

The wonder was not yet rather gone I’ll take is hand and go with him,

From that still look of hers; To the deep wells of light;

Albeit, to them she left, her day As unto a steam we will step down,

Had counted as ten years. And bathe there in God’s sight.

(To one, it was ten years of years, “We two will stand besides that shrine,

…Yet now, in this place, Occult withheld, untrod

Surely she leaned o’er me — her hair Whose lamps are stirred continually

Fell all when it comes to my face ….. With prayers sent up to God;

Nothing: the autumn-fall of leaves, And see our old prayers, granted, melt

The whole year sets apace.) Each like a little cloud.

It was rampart of God’s house “We two will lie in the shadow of

That she was standing on; That living mystic tree

By God built over the sheer depth Within whose mystery growth the Dove

The which is Space begun; Is occasionally felt to be,

So high, that looking downward therefore While each leaf that his plumes touch

She scarce could see the sun. Saith His Name audibly.

It lies in Heaven, all over the flood “And I myself will instruct to him,

Of ether, as a bridge. I myself, lying so,

Beneath, the tides of day and night The songs I sing here; which his voice

With flame and blackness ridge Shall pause in, hushed and slow,

The void, as low as where this world And find a great deal of cognition at each pause,

Spins like a fretful midge. Or a lot of new thing to know.”

Around her, lovers, newly met (Alas! We two, we two, thou say’ st!

‘Mid deathless love’s acclaims, Yea, one wast thou with me

Spoke eternally amid themselves That once of old. But shall God lift

Their heart-remembered names; To endless unity

And the souls, mounting up to God, The soul whose likeness with thy soul

Went by her like thin flames. Was but it is love for thee?)

And still she bowed herself and stooped “We two,” she said, “will seek the groves

Out of the circling charm; Where the lady Mary is,

Until her bosom must have made And her five handmaidens, whose names

The bar she leaned on warm, Are five sweet symphonies,

And the lilies lay as if asleep Cecily, Gertrude, Magdalen,

Along her bended arm. Margaret and Rosalys.

From the fixed place of Heaven she saw “Circlewise sit they, with bound locks

Time like a pulse shake fierce And foreheads garlanded;

Through all the worlds. Her look with fixed eyes still strove Into the fine cloth like flame

Within the gulf to pierce Weaving the golden thread,

Its path; and now she spoke as when To fashion the birth-robes for them

The stars sang in their spheres. Who are just born, being dead.

The sun was gone now; the curled moon

Was like a little feather

Fluttering far down the gulf; and now

She spoke through the still weather,

Her voice was like the voice of stars

Had when they sang together.

Continued to the right……

The power of picture painting came to Dante Gabriel Rossetti naturally as he was not only a poetical but likewise a painter. His poem has justifiedly been equated with Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Throughout, Rossetti has painted pictures after pictures with words rather of a brush and has lent to his art bright colors balanced in an impeccable manner

He was the leading poetical who brought the romantic spirits into a realm of art giving adept, sensuous touches to the same. He combined spirituality with sensuality and his poetic imagery has the same definiteness of color and form as his paintings. The master artisan as he was, he eminently succeeded in conveying an intense mystical and spiritual impression through the very precision of his images.

This is one of the finest and best known of Rossetti’s poems in which pictorial imagination, rich language, a wealth of concrete detail, mystic medieval atmosphere and tender passions have all been developed and painted not with the master strokes of a painter’s brush but with precise and magical words.

An estranged lover (The Blessed Damozel) in Heaven longs to be merged with her lover who is not yet dead. She fervently hopes that God shall grant her wish that her lover’s soul ought to join her in heaven after he dies. Hence, she stands at the bulwarks of heaven looking towards the world under and longing for her lover’s soul to float up to join to her.

Let us now consider Rossetti’s power of rendering myriad images in his poem. For example, in stanza one, Heaven is pictured as a castle high above and beyond the scheme of the world. The way Rossetti has described the periphery of Heaven is also quiet picturesque. The phrase ‘Goldbar’ is such an imagery very efficaciously describing the golden barrier which surrounds Heaven. In stanza two, the poetical has described Virgin Mary’s hair, saying that it is yellow like the color of ripe corn and the comparison stimulates our senses like a pretty painting. In stanza four, when Rossetti describes to us the mental state of the estranged lover on the earth, he does so very strikingly. His choice of words makes us see the whole romantic scene happening, as it were, in front of our eyes.

“Surely she leaned o’er me – her hair

Fell all when it comes to my face . … … … …

Nothing: the autumn-fall of leaves.”

In stanza nine, the poet’s words captivate us by it is power of creating mysterious images in our mind.

“From the fixed place of Heaven she saw

Time like a pulse shake fierce

Through all the worlds. ..”

As we read the above lines, time appears to be throbbing like a feverish pulse in the body of the universe.

The rich and graphic description of the Virgin Mary and her five attendants in the groves is striking; they are weaving the golden threads into a flame like white cloth to make the birth-robes for those who are just born into a new life in Heaven. The painter-poet has used the word ‘White’ with great signification in the sense that this color has lent an eternal milieu to the entire poem.

Beyond Hell Above Heaven 2

Volbeat have refined their highly basi mix of enthusiasti riffs and haunting melodies even more, getting straight to the point. Mind you, the band has pursued the idea of transporting the values and attainments of the Fifties into our times ever since the beginning of their career. Band mastermind Michael Poulsen may have been a fellow member of death metal act Dominus, but has concentrated on Volbeat since 2001. The group’s success speaks for itself: their 2005 debut “The Strength/The Sound/The Songs” was still considered an insider tip, but the breakthrough arrived in 2007 with “Rock The Rebel/Metal The Devil”. The music press was delighted, showering the band with top marks. In addition, the quartet made the top of the Danish charts, even garnering a platinum award in their native country. This fact did not stay concealed from the giants of the rock industry. When Metallica were looking for an act to open their 2007 gig in Aarhus, they opted – at James Hetfield’s request – for Volbeat! This kick-started the band’s career – one tour followed the other, the venues getting larger and bigger.

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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful.
Volbeat puts out one of this year’s best albums
By Jack Treese
Ah, Volbeat. I remembered I had no idea who these guys were until I had seen them with Lamb of God and Metallica back in November of 2009. Immediately after the show, Volbeat had earned themselves a hardcore fan of sorts. I now have each of their albums, and not a single ounce of regret comes with it. This past week, their newest album dropped on us.

Not only is it probably their best record, but it’s probably one of the best hard rock/metal albums of the year.

For those of you who follow Volbeat’s story-telling, this album is a sequel to Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood. For the rest of us, it’s just another album of pure awesomeness. No weird intros to build up into it, the album takes off with the energetic “Mirror and the Ripper”. With this album, it’s clear that Volbeat take a lot of different ideas from the rock spectrum for use on this album. “Who They Are” is sort of reminiscent of Slayer in the beginning of the song, “Fallen” takes a Foo Fighters ‘Everlong’ approach but doesn’t come off as copycatty. Then the album begins to get hard and heavy. “7 Shots” will surely be appreciated by old school thrash fans, old and new. “16 Dollars” is a punk-rock throw-down of its own.

However, if you’re a metal-head like me, then you’ll probably absolutely fall in love with “Evelyn”, a very catchy song that features the vocal talents of Mark “Barney” Greenway from Napalm Death. While a questionable choice, it happens to fit perfectly in place, so it’s alright. Fans of Volbeat will deeply appreciate hearing “Thanks”.

Matter of fact, there’s only one thing I don’t like about the album and even so it’s a mild complaint compared to the problems with a lot of newer hard rock albums… that is, I’ll never understand why Volbeat decided to put “A Warrior’s Call” on this album. As good of a song as it is, it was out last year and it was written for a boxer. The song just doesn’t fit with the story-telling. They’re lucky Warrior’s Call is a good tune.

Overall, Volbeat has put out a very fantastic album that you owe it to yourself to check out if you have the chance.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
INCREDIBLE! A MODERN CLASSIC!
By Explorator
It is with immense relief that I can say after listening to the new Volbeat album for the second time…it actually EXCEEDED my expectations and emerges as possibly their best album so far! It’s really exciting when the newest album from a band is this good because it makes you wonder if they’ve even reached their peak yet. ‘Mirror and the Reaper’ is a great opener and immediately sets the tone for the astonishing tour through musical bliss you are undertaking. Ripping right along you will witness track after track of sheer energetic / melodic mastery, including the unforgettable ‘Fallen’, the ripping thrasher ’7 Shots’ and the melodic / haunting “Evelyn” with its occasional shocking and awesome death metal vocal bursts. ‘Being 1′ is an ultra-melodic romp that sounds like a hit single ready for radio play, while ‘Heaven Nor Hell’ features some of the meanest harmonica playing you’ll ever hear before breaking into a 50s style groove fest complete with razor edge guitars and rockabilly lust in overdrive! While many bands tend to put their best songs toward the beginning of their albums Volbeat ends this modern classic album with possibly their best song yet – ‘Thanks’ is my favorite track on the album (a barroom anthem if ever there was one) because it’s the one that’s been playing over and over in my mind the most.

Volbeat’s uncanny ability to clearly pay homage to their influences without sounding like a shameless rip-off of those influences is simply amazing. It is a VERY fine line to walk and this band does it with a rare combination of confidence, grace and honor. While some sections of their songs continue to sound like newly discovered tracks from Metallica and Slayer when they were at their peak (that’s certainly not a bad thing as far as I’m concerned), and the rousing catchy ‘Misfit’ style vocal melodies are still on full display, Volbeat continues to craft an overall unique style that is almost impossible to describe. In this album they have managed to include even more of the best influences of rock ‘n roll, rockabilly, punk & metal (including brilliant nods to such diverse influences as The Ramones, Social Distortion, Johnny Cash, and Mercyful Fate) without sounding disjointed in any way. Every song flows with a melodic mastery and raw energy that is a rare treat to behold.

I can wholeheartedly say that there isn’t a single weak track on the entire album. Not since “Dark At Dawn”s self-titled album (back in 2006) have I been able to say that about a band. ‘Beyond Hell / Above Heaven” is truly an incredible musical gem which proves that Volbeat is a consistent, rapidly rising force in modern music. If future albums are of this calibre (or better, if that’s possible) the band will certainly achieve legendary status.

All fans of solid, powerful, energetic, melodic, ripping, catchy, confident music should have this album in their collection.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Volbeat is just one hell of a band.
By B.S.M.
The only real way to describe Volbeat is that they are a combination of Master of Puppets era Metallica, Social Distortion, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley…sort of. They’re great and they continually put out great music. If you’re a rock fan, a metal fan, or both-Volbeat is your band. I think Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil is still their best work, but Beyond Hell/Above Heaven is still a great friggin album!

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Beyond Hell Above Heaven 2 Photo

Beyond Hell Above Heaven 2 Picture

Beyond Hell Above Heaven 2 Photo

Beyond Hell Above Heaven 2 Picture

Beyond Hell Above Heaven 2 Picture

Beyond Hell Above Heaven 2 Pic

Psalms 119:58-60: I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word. 59. I thought in regards to my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies. 60. I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

The Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words defines “favor” as favor, goodwill, acceptance, will, desire or pleasure.

Another definition is a kind or friendly attitude or act, an indulgence privilege or friendly regard or approval shown to one by a superior; partiality. It may also be specified as the condition of being held in regard or approval or support.

Because we belong to God through Christ Jesus, we now have received God’s favor.

God is partial to us, because we are His children. He shows us His goodwill and friendly regard.

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with each spiritual benediction in the heavenly places in Christ,

We are blessed with each spiritual benediction in Christ. Because God loved us sufficient to send Jesus to die for us, I now have His favor. This Psalm is fulfilled because we no longer have to entreat God for His favor. No, we already have it through Christ! We will have to walk in that favor. Amen! And yes, because of Jesus, God is always merciful and good to us! We have to walk in faith and receive that favor or blessing.

God loves you and looks with favor on you! He has a friendly attitude toward you; He performs kind acts toward you and indulges you with His blessings! Hallelujah!

When you are born again, you are not only a son and heir but you are likewise God’s friend.

John 15: 13-15: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14. “You are My friends if you do whatsoever I command you. 15. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not recognise what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Jesus called us His friends. He makes known to us the promises of God.

I think back to my childhood and do not forget the words to an old hymn.

“I go to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I listen calling in my ear, the voice of Jesus calling.

And He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own.

And the joy we percentage as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”

The joy you part as you tarry with Jesus, spend time with God is unspeakable. It is hard to in truth define. It is a joy finish and does not depend on “feeling up”. It is there because it is in you spirit and not in you mind.

Look at verse 59 of our Scripture: I thought in regards to my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies. If you genuinely want to experience the peace and joy of God’s favor then you have to valuate your life. Look at it closely and prune out the areas that are not delighting to God. You have to think with regards to your ways and turn you feet to God’s Word. He does not do it for you. If you let Him, He will show you areas to be pruned, but it is you decision, to do the pruning.

This is a decision that I made closely 6 years ago. I looked at my life, not an evil life, but a worldly life. A life full of the world’s idea of peace and pleasure and realized that was not enough. It was empty and full of need. I chose to turn my feet back to God and His ways. It is a conscious decision on our share and ought to be made. We cannot “sit on the fence” and undertake to live in two worlds. It will not work.

In verse 60 the psalmist goes on to say he made haste and did not delay to be obedient.

Once you reach the point in your life to chance. Don’t wait, just do it! It opens up an entire new world to you full of God’s favor and blessing. When you reach this point, when you determine to hurry after God, God will meet you and fill your heart.

This need to change in not only for the unsaved. It is also for the believer. Many times in our walk, we wander off the path. We forget were we are going and what God’s plan for us is. We concede the enemy to get over us with debt, sickness, worry and fear. We have to make a decision to stay victorious in these situations just as we made a conscious decision to receive Jesus as Lord of our life.

Psalms 119:61-62: The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law. At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments.

“The cords of the wicked have bound me.” I think this is an interesting statement. So a heap of of us, as Christians grant the enemy to bind us or tie us down with our problems.

We let our health, debt, jobless or family difficultnesses overwhelm us to the point we are so tangled up in the mess, we can not even see God, much less keep our eyes on Him.

This was my circumstance recently. I became so overwhelmed by my problems, that I lost my focus. I forget that I personally know the one person with all the answers, Jesus Christ!

Psalms 119: 37-38: 37. Turn away my eyes from looking at unworthy things, And revive me in Your way. 38. Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is committed to fearing You.

We have to turn our eyes away from unworthy things. Not to belittle your situation, but in essence, all those difficultnesses are despicable things to God. Why? Because he sent the answer! He sent Jesus Christ and fulfilled verse 38. He conventional his word to His servant.

Jesus passed away and rose again and we are now victorious through Him.

As a born again believer, a follower of Jesus Christ you already have the answer.

You are the healed, not the sick waiting to be healed!

Matthew 8:16-17: 16. When evening had come, they brought to Him a heap of who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,

17. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”

God has already met you needs you have no wants.

Matthew 6:31-33: “Therefore do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ 32. “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33. “But seek firstborn the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Philippians 4:19: And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Malachi 3:10-11: Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be feed in My house, and prove Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such benediction That there will not be room sufficient to receive it. 11. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not ruin the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts;

You have the peace of God, you do not worry or have fear.

1 Peter 5:7: casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I recognise these are verses that have been cited a lot in the past. However, I feel we need to have them brought to our attention again. It is the simple things of God that we need to dwell on. Just because you have heard something over and over again, does not mean it is worthless. I urge you today to reread these verses, write them down fresh for your reference and stand on these promises. God will keep his promise to you!

Several months ago as I studied and meditated on this very subject a “verse or psalm” came into my spirit and I wrote it down. I would like to portion it with you here and hope it blesses you as it did me.

The Lord is my strength and salvation,

In Him I have my being.

He sent me the Comforter to guide my ways

and He recalls God’s Words and Ways to me.

When I am weary, tired and forlorn, I lean on God’s strength and mercy.

When heaviness and fatigue invade my soul

It is God through the Holy Spirit that keeps me strong.

I think on my ways and trust in Him, the joy of my soul.

And then I recognise without a doubt that God is in control. Amen.

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to be a joint heir with Christ?

If so, I urge you to earnestly pray the following prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, “…and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (Jn.6:37),

So I recognise You won’t cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Ro. 10:13).

I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.” (Ro.10:9,10).

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, “… with the heart one believes to righteousness…” and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!

I may now truth fully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

Most helpful customer reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Wonderful, Dreamy Psychedelia
By andreas
This album is one of the most unique I have ever listened to. With its dreamy, reverb drenched atmosphere and trippy, psychedelic arrangements, this album truly is a cool experience. Starting off with the simple but wonderful opening riff of Porpoise Head, it travels everywhere from ballads (Kimberley Austin), to psychedelia (Thick of it All), to raunchy punk (Dogs Rule the Night), to the dreamy and lazy (Bali Eyes), that makes you feel like you’re on a tropical island. Other highlights include Tahitian Moon, Good God’s Urge, and Wishing Well, but overall, every song is good. The album is perfect to listen to on a warm, hazy afternoon when you are feeling lazy and sleepy. The production is excellent, and the songs don’t take long to absorb. The album is extremely listenable to most people. Anyways, I strongly recommend buying this album, it is sure to be a rewarding purchase.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Pleasing, Consistent And Low-Key
By Michael Topper
After becoming an icon of alternative rock with Jane’s Addiction and Lolapalooza, most fans ignored Perry Farrell’s followup work with Porno For Pyros. Which is a bit odd, since “Good God’s Urge” finds Farrell at his most relaxed and experimental, having a good time cooking up new sounds, composing pleasing melodies and enjoying the Tahitian sun. Although nothing on the album scales the emotionally dramatic heights of the best Janes material, “Good God’s Urge” proves that Farrell has honed his songwriting skills to create tasty psych-pop that is weird and catchy at the same time (check out “100 Ways” or “Wishing Well”). The album has a predominantly acoustic tone which might upset some fans, although the old punk-metal Perry pops up on “Dogs Rule The Night”, “Tahitian Moon” and the title track. As an overall statement, it is the peak of Porno’s short-lived output; the artwork and liner notes are exquisite. As so few musicians these days actually want to create *art* in their music, let’s hear it for the few who do.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
ONE WORD< ZEN!!!!
By A
This album is not has hardcore as their first album, but for anyone who likes Jane’s Addiction’s slow stuff like Jane Says and Pets and such, this is a great album. Each song is its own individual experience, there is a song for everyone. THE album in a whole will leave you with a serene zenful experience. I have even fallen asleep to it because it is so hypnotizing. Even the lyrics are great. Buy this album, its a TRIP in a Cd Case!

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Good Gods Urge 2 Image

Good Gods Urge 2 Image

Good Gods Urge 2 Image

Good Gods Urge 2 Picture

Good Gods Urge 2 Image

Good Gods Urge 2 Image

A Peek at the 2009 Golf Digest Hot List

Whether you’re a golf instrumentation fanatic or just a casual observer of the latest offerings and trends in golf clubs and accessories, the 2009 Golf Digest Hot List is a golf instrumentation smorgasbord. From drivers, fairway woods and hybrids, to irons, wedges and putters-oh, and bags and balls, too-the instrumentation gurus at Golf Digest break it down in their standard annual instrumentation ranking.

The Process

If you’re marveling how golf instrumentation experts rate, for example, Callaway drivers or TaylorMade irons, think Excel spreadsheets with thousands of selective information points, hundreds of pages of technical data from golf instrumentation manufacturers, scientists, a four-part judging criteria, and a two-week visit to a San Jose, California, resort for field testing.

The routine is, in a word, exhaustive. Golf Digest evaluated the “universe” of golf clubs-471 entries, to be exact-and judged them all over four weighted criteria: 1) performance (40%), 2) innovation (30%), 3) look/sound/feel (20%), and 4) demand (10%). 

After all the facts and info were collected, the judges engaged in nine days of meetings that included 800 argues to arrive at the 116-club Hot List. Along the way, they ate a lot of take-out food.

 Following is a peek at this year’s list. 

Drivers

Golf Digest breaks down the golf drivers category into two parts: drivers over $350 and drivers beneath $350. Then it splits the two categories into gold and silver winners.

Three of the gold winners in the over $350 category are the Callaway FT-9, PING Rapture V2 and the TaylorMade r7 Limited.

No one is better than Callaway at using multiple materials, said the judges with regards to the FT-9. Players like the look, remainder and carry of the PING Rapture V2, which has a similar look to the PING G10. The TaylorMade r7 Limited has movable weights and features an Ozik shaft. Some said it gives rise to the best feel of any club on the market. 

Gold winners in the underneath $350 category included Adams Speedline, Callaway Big Bertha Diablo, PING G10 and TaylorMade Burner. 

Irons

Irons were broken into three categories that correspond with playing capacity and interests: game improvement, super game betterment and players irons.

Gold winners in the game-improvement category included Callaway X-22, PING G10 and TaylorMade Burner. One player said he could hit the Callaway X-22 irons blindfolded. Sign me up, he said. Callaway X-22 led in the Demand category, which is an assessment of reputation, interest, intrigue and excitement. The PING G10 is a long-time category leader, and the TaylorMade Burner irons actually shined, leading in three of the four judging categories: performance, innovation and look/sound/feel.

TaylorMade likewise had a gold winner in the super game betterment category: the Burner Plus, which features an oversized clubhead and hefty offset to support get the golf ball in the air.

In the players irons category, Titleist AP2 rose to the top, along with TaylorMade Tour Preferred, Callaway X-22 Tour, Callaway X-Forged and PING S57 models, four among the total of six gold winners.

Putters

Arguably, there’s no golf club more necessary than the putter. Golf Digest took a close look at two main categories: blade putters and mallet putters.

Gold winners in the blade putter category over $200 included the Odyssey Black Series I #6, TaylorMade Daytona TP-KIA MA and Titleist Cameron Studio Select, which led in three of four criteria: performance, look/sound/feel and demand.

In the blade putter category underneath $200, top picks were the Odyssey White Hot Tour 1, two PING Anser models and the TaylorMade Daytona.

Gold winners in the mallet putter category included the Odyssey Black Series I 2-Ball, PING iWi Craz-E and TaylorMade Itsy Bitsy Spider. And leading mid-mallet putters were Odyssey, Titleist Cameron and MacGregor models.

Bags

Hot List judges took a look at lightweight carry bags and “do it all” cart bags, selecting their 21 favorites. Leading the list of gold and silver winners were models from Callaway, PING, TaylorMade, Titleist, Bag Boy, Nike, Ogio, Sun Mountain, Wilson and Izzo.

What Tour Pros Play

What do the top tour pros play? Following is just a sampling.

Callaway: Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Annika Sorenstam

TaylorMade: Kenny Perry, Sergio Garcia, Paula Creamer

PING: Angel Cabrera, Lorena Ochoa, Hunter Mahan

Titleist: Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, Adam Scott

The Odyssey 2

After twenty years of fighting monsters, angering gods and goddesses, and surviving versus the odds, Odysseus is more desperate than ever to return to his family. But initial he will have to explore yet another strange land. And when he in the long run does return home, he will have yet more dangerous oppositions to face.

This is the stimulating conclusion to the series by best-selling author Mary Pope Osborne, retelling Homer’s Odyssey, one of the most thrilling adventure stories of all time.

 This volume includes:

Book Four: The Gray-Eyed Goddess
Book Five: Return to Ithaca
Book Six: The Final Battle

About the AuthorMary Pope Osborne is the author of the best-selling series The Magic Tree House. She has also written numerous acclaimed retellings of myths and folktales and works of historical fiction.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Part 2 includes:

Book Four:

The Gray-Eyed Goddess

Book Five:

Return to Ithaca

Book Six:

The Final Battle

Most helpful customer reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful.
If you are having trouble buying a complete set for a reasonable price, please read this review
By amazonbuyer
I have spent weeks trying to purchase a complete set of Osborne’s rendition of the Odyssey. I do not need to reiterate what a wonderful job she did in making this appropriate for younger children without ruining the true spirit of the story. You can find that in the many reviews you will find for each book.

What I am trying to do is save others from spending two weeks trying to find out how they can purchase this set without having to pay $125 for a new paperback copy of one book (The Land of the Dead). There are other books in this series that are also way too expensive. I didn’t think I needed to break the bank for books that originally sold for $5.99.

So here’s the scoop:

The Osborne rendition of the Odyssey was originally sold in separate books as follows:
Book One: One Eyed Giant
Book Two: Land of the Dead
Book Three: Sirens and Sea Monsters
Book Four: Gray Eyed Goddess
Book Five: Return to Ithica
Book Six: Final Battle

I was going crazy trying to find Book Two (Land of the Dead), Book Three (Sirens and Sea Monsters), and Book Six (Final Battle) for reasonable prices.

So, after much research, I discovered the following:

In 2010 the publisher, Hyperion, combined books 1-3 (now called “Tales from the Odyssey, Part One”) and 4-6 (now called “Tales from the Odyssey, Part Two”).

“Tales from the Odyssey, Part One”: ISBN 978-1423128649 $5.99
“Tales from the Odyssey, Part Two”: ISBN 978-1423126102 $5.99

I had no problem finding “Part One” on Amazon, but “Part Two” was another story. If you type in the isbn it will take you to their listing but it does not have a picture. It says “Part Two” is in stock but will take up to 2 weeks to get to you. Due to past experience, I didn’t want to order “Part Two”, wait the two weeks and end up with nothing or another “Part One”. If you want to experiment & find out if Amazon can actually get the correct book, please do so and let us know how it works for you.

Here is how I got my hand on both books at the reasonable price of $5.99 each. I ordered “Part One” from Amazon and then went to their competitor for “Part Two”. The competitor does not have “Part Two” available online either, but you can type in the ISBN to see if any of their physical bookstores have copies available on the shelves. A few bookstores in our area had the book. I called and asked them to physically get the book while I was on the phone & please hold it for me. They happily did this for me and told me they were willing to hold it for up to three days.

The publisher (Hyperion) is a division of Disney Book Group. Disney is well know for having strange practices with regard to making their old classic movies available. I didn’t know this practice applied to recently published and “in demand” book series. Maybe that’s not the case. The copies I purchased are “trade copies”. Maybe they’re testing the market & the mass market publication will soon be released. I really don’t know how the book publishing process works so this is just surmising. Maybe someone versed in the book publishing process can enlighten us. I would love that!

Anyway, if you really want a copy of Osborne’s “Odyssey”, I hope this helps you find it without your having to spend hours on the computer or running from bookstore to bookstore.

Cheers!

Edited to add this important note:

I listed my review for “Tales from the Odyssey, Part One” and when I went to list my review on “Tales from the Odyssey, Part Two” I received a note saying, “Ooops, you are not allowed to review the same book twice”. This tells me that within the Amazon system “Part One” and “Part Two” of these books are considered the same book. This is a huge “caution”, in that if you order “Part One” and “Part Two” from Amazon, you will probably get two of the same book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
My second-grader loves these!
By Jessica Hazlewood
My son, a second-grader, loves action. And he loves the two Tales from the Odyssey books by Mary Pope Osborne. While I feel a little thrilled as a literary-minded parent that he is getting an introduction to the classic tales of the Odyssey, he reads them because of the action. And that is fine by me.

Both of the books in the series seem to follow the tales of the Odyssey pretty closely, but Osborne has rewritten it in an accessible format. The writing is straight-forward and clear. Each section is a good length for an independent reader. I’d guess the reading level is appropriate for anywhere from a first-grader to a fourth grader, depending on their reading level and/or interest in Greek myths. There are no pictures in these volumes (except for very small chapter heading illustrations). It is important to note that the font is larger than typical chapter books, making these 200 page books a quicker read than other 200 page books–this can be quite a confidence builder for a struggling or emerging reader.

I haven’t read them myself (besides the odd peek over his shoulder), but I can report that my son, who loves comics and has little interest in many chapter books, found these books hard to put down. And whether he is reading them as an introduction to tales that will resurface in many other books, or just for the action, I’m glad to have found a book that he enjoys.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Three books in one – contains original Volume 3, 4, 5
By J.G
Just for those who are looking for separate volumes of the books – this part 2 contains THREE volumes (3, 4, 5) all in one binding. Great read and great for the price !

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The Odyssey 2 Picture

The Odyssey 2 Picture

The Odyssey 2 Photo

The Odyssey 2 Picture

The Odyssey 2 Photo

The Odyssey 2 Photo

Did you ever wish you wouldn’t have sinuses to worry about? Or, perhaps, asked yourself: What are these sinuses good for besides creating all this watery or thick stuff? If you did you are one of us. These are questions each person living on the planet has asked herself or himself more than once. So, let’s take a brief look and see what they are like, what they are there for and what we may do to keep them from annoying us.

Let’s start out by describing them. They are four pairs of cavities or hallow places in the head bones. Their names and locatings follow:

• The frontal sinuses, they are located in the bones over the eyes, in the forehead
• The ethmoid sinuses, which are marvelous honeycomb like labyrinth and are located amidst the eyes
• The sphenoid sinuses, located behind the eyes and nose, close to the center of the head
• The maxillary sinuses are underneath the the eyes and the cheekbones area

But, what are they, really, for? They carry out various crucial functions:

Filtering system

They invent mucus, which flows from the sinuses into the nasal cavity–which acts like a corridor interconnecting the sinuses. Through this nasal corridor flows the mucus. Its function is to trap bacteria, pollutants, dust, viruses, etc., from the air as it goes through this corridor, before they reach critical organs such as the bronchi, lungs, etc. In others words, the sinuses and their mucus manufacturing membranes are like a filtering scheme for the air going through. Without this marvelous filter–though at times irritating if we neglect it–we keep our breathing mechanism functioning well

Resonance

Without the resonance the sinus gives to the voice–by virtue of the air filled chambers that the sinuses become–our voice would sound as if we would be talking through the nose.

Head weight lessening

It is nice that we do not have to carry the extra weight that the head would have were it not for the fact that the sinus cavities, being hallow, are just filled with air and not further and added bone mass.

Air warmer and humidifier

The sinuses provide the humidity and warmth the air needs before it reaches the rest of our breathing apparatus.

Protectors of the brain and eyes

Were the skull to receive a severe blow the sinuses would function as a crumpling area to protect the brain and the eyes. Much the same as a delicate item in a box is protected for the duration of shipping by the packaging material that yields to absorb a blow to the box.

When the air is too arid and the sinus membranes are not capable to sufficiently moisten the membranes lining them they will swell. If this condition is permitted to subsist for long they will at long last block the sinus openings to the nasal corridor. The mucus will not flow, but stagnate and a bacterial infection will very likely follow. When the air is very dry, specially at night while sleeping it is good, therefore, to keep a humidifier going to aid maintain our sinuses healthy.

Corridors 2

CORRIDOR is a fast-paced action-adventure and will keep you hooked from the very firstborn page.

“If you are a fan of the HUNGER GAMES or THE MAZE RUNNER you will love CORRIDOR!”
-Aaron Patterson, bestselling author of SWEET DREAMS and AIREL

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS TO RUN.

On the eve of his seventeenth birthday, Troy Goggin finds himself inexplicably transported to an impossibly huge, miles-long structure called the Corridor. But what is the Corridor, and why was he brought to it?

It’s a place of mystery, wonder, and heart-stopping danger. It will test him and push him both mentally and physically. His only associate is the girl whose voice he hears inside his head, explaining the rules he must follow if he hopes to escape.

But there is much more to this extraordinary place than Troy could ever imagine. The Corridor’s unfeigned aim — the biggest mystery of all — is revealed only to those who make it to the end.

REVIEWS

“Robin Parrish is a keen-eyed, passionate pop cultural savant, whose writing is as incisive and perceptive as it is entertaining.”
—Allan Heinberg, Executive Producer, Grey’s Anatomy

“The moral dilemmas that the characters find themselves engaged in are palpable; the setting of a faltering America seems almost too real… and the final conclusion rushes to a crashing and unexpected crescendo. Vigilante is a story well told that touches on themes worth thinking when it comes to in this day and age.”
—Joshua Olds, LifeIsStory

“Parrish’s cinematic, visual writing has again devised an action packed movie in book form with strong samenesses to comic book superheroes. His characters show great depth as they struggle with moral and ethical issues that could be torn from today’s headlines… Parrish’s strong characterizations and perceptive writing make [Vigilante] not one to miss.”
—Gail Welborn, Washington Christian Book Review Examiner

“Once again, [with Nightmare], Robin Parrish proves he belongs in the ranks with Frank Peretti and Mike Dellosso, telling a creepy story with a powerful underlying purpose.”
—Eric Wilson, author of Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy

“With the tightly paced and plotted storyline, the magnificent characterizations and the attention to story details made [Nightmare] one of my bestloved reads of all time. In suspense fiction, it stands without apparent effort next to Dean Koontz and Stephen King.”
—Paul A. Rose, Jr., actor

“Parrish writes so cinematically [in Offworld], each scene comes to life. The action rips all over the pages, and the characters would make stars of the actors in the roles. Parrish keeps the suspense taut by giving more questions than answers and keeping the characters perpetually on the run for their lives. The chase scenes are phenomenal, specially Trisha’s leap with two jeeps throughout the sky into a skyscraper. On the screen, it’s the kind of scene that would earn a cheer of awe from the crowd, on the page, it made my jaw drop and I wanted to portion it with someone else!”
—Christina Lockstein, Christy’s Book Blog

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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
Parrish at his best
By Kyle Shultz
At long last, Robin Parrish’s eagerly anticipated new sci-fi thriller hits our e-reader screens. And what a thriller it is. Parrish’s first foray into young adult fiction is a genuine success; well worth reading (and re-reading, due to a number of great plot twists).

Troy, a self-described “nerdy” seventeen-year-old, wakes up in a bizarre structure called the Corridor on his seventeenth birthday. His only companion as he navigates this mysterious place, composed of different-colored rooms with various types of nasty death traps in each one, is a girl whose voice he hears in his head, who introduces herself only as his “Conduit”. The tension ramps up as he escapes room after room, both because of the increasing degree of deadliness in the Corridor and the startling revelations he’s given over time about the nature of the structure and why he’s been brought here in the first place. This roller-coaster ride ends in a massive pay-off just when you’re afraid the author is about to leave you hanging in some sort of European ending. Don’t bother trying to guess what the solution to the mystery is – you won’t be able to do it.

As many fans may already know, Parrish is a Christian author. However, he possesses the rare and remarkable ability to drive home a Christian message through the medium of story with no preaching and very few references to Christianity within the story. In “Corridor”, there is no direct mention of faith at all. Yet the story is a beautiful analogy (one might even call it an allegory) about life and its trials which young people can benefit from immensely. This book inspires one to higher things without bashing the reader over the head with an allegedly inspirational message. So I would heartily recommend “Corridor” both to Christian readers hungry for quality fiction without gratuitous immorality and to non-Christians who just want a good sci-fi story. Give it a try. There is great wonder at the end of the Corridor – if you survive.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Good Start to a New Series
By Melissa
Troy awoke to bright lights and a voice in his head. The command was simple-RUN. But run to where? Run from what? Where was he and how did he get there? With his environment crumbling around him he had no options except to obey the voice. However, as he soon learned, the spectacular room he awoke in was unlike any other in existence, for it knew his weaknesses and adjusted accordingly. Alone, with only the voice, Victoria, Troy began the arduous task of trying to escape the device known only as the corridor.

The first thing I noticed about this book was its length. It’s very short, at only 182 pages. Even for a young adult novel, that seemed incredibly short to me. I was a bit concerned that perhaps some character development or descriptions were omitted in order to fit the plot into such a condensed space. That turned out not to be the case. It’s short because the plot limits the length of the novel. This book is an excellent launch-pad for a new series; like a warm up to a much bigger story. However, because of the overall design, Corridor had to be short in orders to keep it interesting.

Like most of Parrish’s books, Corridor follows a single storyline. In this case, the events are limited to Troy and Victoria inside the corridor. My personal preference leans towards multiple plots and a wide variety of characters. However, Parrish manages to pull off this story even in the limited setting and with only two characters. The story works exceptionally well, but I think I would have liked it even better with a couple of extra storylines and the ability to know some of the characters `personally’ rather than through Troy’s telling of them.

Two chapters into Corridor, I became concerned that trying to escape the corridor was going to be the extent of the novel. Fortunately, the next chapter proved to give a much needed break and provided some much needed answers. I can only accept the `what’s going on’ suspense for a limited amount of time and though this book somewhat pushed my patience in this area, it did start providing answers before I became frustrated.

For the most part Corridor relies on action and thrills, but given the difficulty of maintaining interest through physical challenges, this book needed strong characters. I had to like Troy or otherwise I wouldn’t care what happened to him. Parrish does a nice job of making both Troy and Victoria interesting so that they are able to add depth to the story. While there were some characters mentioned `off screen’ that I wanted to know about, this book was able to meet my need for character development.

Overall I’m pleased with Corridor. I think it makes an excellent beginning to a series, but I am hoping for more plot diversity in future books. While the ending makes it obvious that there are more books planned for the series, it doesn’t leave the reader completely hanging, but there are plenty of questions left to be answered. I’m looking forward to seeing how this series progresses. It looks to have some great potential.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Couldn’t Put This One Down
By waxingpoetic75
Corridor plays like a movie in your head. The imagery is brilliantly written without being too wordy. Vonnegut would be proud because every word of this book either tells you more about the character or advances the action. With the bookstores full of zombies, vampires, wizards or dragons, Corridor is fresh. It’s unique and unlike anything I’ve read in quite a while. This one is good ol’ sci-fi mixed with fantasy that’s a wholesome read for anyone. While the main character is on the brink of 17, I still found Troy’s thoughts interesting as well as the cinematic surroundings he found himself jerked into.

Corridor is a little Back to the Future mixed with The Temple of Doom. Get ready for plenty of pop culture references and delve in a work by a talented writer who’s put something fresh on the bookshelves. I’d recommend this book to anyone no matter age, background, etc.

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent reproduction
By William J. Austin
I’ve been wanting to get the Melanie / Gather Me album on CD for 10 years now, and my patience has finally paid off. This is actually a double CD package (as opposed to a double-length CD). The Gather Me disc is identical to the original recording, and the The Good Book disk includes all the original tracks, plus the bonus track We Don’t Know Where We’re Going.

All in all, a well-executed effort, a good value for the money, and a great additon to my library.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
It’s about time
By A. Evans
Gather Me, released in 1971 and featuring her most popular, (and probably least important), hit “Brand New Key” has been an elusive find on CD. About 7 years ago I dumped the l.p. into my recording studio software and got rid of the cracks, pops and other anomalies associated with vinyl just to have a copy on cd along with lots of her other great songs like the full length version of “Candles in the Wind”. Unfortunately, my LP had been played so much the “Steppin’” was un-savable so the hunt continued.

I was elated to find Gather Me being made available again. This is Melanie at the top of her craft and considering the importance of “Brand New Key” in the history of popular music, I was surprised that the LP was so hard to find. Now if I could just replace my 12″ version of “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?” from 1985, I’ll be the happiest queer alive!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Well worth waiting for
By Tolu2
Melanie is one of the truly great entertainers. Although she has sold millions of albums/cds, she has not had the wider public recognition such a powerful voice and such amazing song writing prowess deserves. This double CD is better than the original vinyl. A whole new generation should be listening to this amazing artist.

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Since music is my background and has been since the age of 9 and that I have been a comedian since 1980, I felt it only fitting that I do a Top 10 list of my bestloved comedy songs. There have been so numerous novelty songs on the charts and in movies over the years and I hope I may do not forget all the ones that I have enjoyed. I will surely do my best to cover all of them. If I forget any of yours, let me recognise I and will update my list. I will just go through most of them and then put them in my list. With all that being said, here we go:

Monty Python has provided galore songs that I have loved over the years; Sit On My Face, Brave Sir Robin, Look On The Bright Side Of Life and of course their notorious The Lumberjack Song. I likewise loved the theme song from their old television shows, Monty Python’s Flying Circus. It was said by George Harrison that he had felt that when the Beatles broke up, Python had taken the baton, so to speak, and continued with the same aura and spirit. I agree totally. Their shows, movies and songs are classics and so was the play Spamalot, which I thought was utterly hysterical and brilliant.

Mel Brooks has been terrific at providing us with outstanding comedy songs and theme songs. Blazing Saddles and I’m Tired from the movie Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety from the movie of the same name, Springtime For Hitler and Prisoners In Love from The Producers, and Putting On The Ritz from Young Frankenstein. Mr. Brooks never ceases to amaze me with his talent and sense of humor.

Ray Stevens has written and performed many, some outstanding comedy songs all around his illustrious career. Please Mr. Custer, The Streak, Ahab The Arab, Harry The Hairy Ape and one of my favored titles of all time that they in truth were competent to fit on the label of the old 45′s, Jeremiah Peabody’s Polyunsaturated, Quick Dissolving, Fast Acting, Pleasant Tasting Green And Purple Pills. I am still astonished at that the record company went for that title and consorted to print it on the cover. That’s a lot of extra ink per record.

Allen Sherman, in the 50′s & 60′s, employed to do a lot of parodies of classic songs. His most widely known and esteemed one was Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah. It was in regards to the tribulations of a kid at camp. Very funny and relatable for kids and adults alike.

The Playmates did a great comedy song in the 50′s that got more quickly and rapidly and without delay as the tune went along called Beep Beep (Little Nash Rambler). I loved that song as a kid. It was very distinctive and was in the rotation on radio stations for a good deal of weeks.

Sheb Wooley had a great song in the 50′s called Flying Purple People Eater. I rememebr all of the visuals that song conjured up as a young boy. I mean, how could you perhaps escape from a Purple People Eater that could fly too?

Dave Seville had loads of huge hits with his widely known and esteemed chipmunks back then. Simon, Theodore and ALVIN! “OKAAAAAY!”. The Chipmunk Song and The Witchdoctor were the basi songs to use the engineering of raising a person’s voice mechanically and making it sound like that. Dave’s real name was Ross Bagdasarian and his son at last took over the occupation later on.

Spike Jones was such a novelty act of his time and his songs were merely hysterical and distinguishable sounding due to all of the sound effects they applied and performed live, I might add. Cocktails For Two and You Always Hurt The One You Love were superb and always made me laugh and still do until this day.

It seems to me that the 50′s was a very big era for comedy and novelty songs. I don’t genuinely know why they seemed to have disappeared over the years. They’re still a good deal of but not in rather abundance as before. Maybe because the world was much more innocent back then and people aren’t as effortlessly amused these days. I don’t know the reason but I think it’s a shame that more aren’t made today. I think humans need more humor in their lives in these crazy times we live in.

So, here we go:

My Top 10 Favorite Comedy Songs 1. Springtime For Hitler

2. Sit On My Face

3. The Lumberjack Song

4. Brave Sir Robin

5. You Always Hurt The One You Love

6. Please, Mr. Custer

7. Beep Beep (Little Nash Rambler)

8. High Anxiety

9. Look On The Bright Side Of Life

10. Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah

My honorary mentions are anything by Weird Al Yankovic, He Had It Coming from the Broadway play Chicago, Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer by Dr. Elmo, Hooray For Captain Spaulding from the movie Animal Crackers with the Marx Brothers and Lydia The Tatooed Lady likewise with the Marx Brothers from the movie At The Circus, King Tut by Steve Martin, The Chanukah Song by Adam Sandler, Rappin’ Rodney by Rodney Dangerfield, Blue Christmas sung by Porky Pig, They’re Coming To Take Me Away by Napoleon XIV (aka Jerry Samuels), songs by Stephen Lynch, I Can’t Stop My Leg and Colonoscopy by Robert Klein, Everything by John Valby, and Whose Your Little Whosey? from The Stooge with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

If I didn’t mention one of your favorites, let me know and I will add it to my honorary mentions list or update my favored Top 10 list if I agree with it. I am sure that I have forgotten so a lot of over the years. Until then, thanks again for reading, THE COMEDY TORNADO!

Here Is My Song 2

Digital Sheet Music of Out Here On My Own

Composed by: Michael Gore

Performed by: Irene Cara

From the show(s): Fame (Movie 1980)

FHID:125740

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The 70′s what a outstanding decade for music and for music lovers too. Music of the 70′s has had a lot of influence on the music we listen to today and of course there are galore of us who still have numerous of our bestloved 70′s records and listen to them still. Some of the genres that in truth came into their own in the 1970′s are Classic Rock, Disco, Southern Rock, Punk Rock, and the birth of Heavy Metal even though it was in the first place known as Hard Rock as well. No matter if you were born into a younger generation there is more than likely a 70′s song or album that you listen to so lets look at galore great albums of the 70′s.

More than likely, in regards to the music of the 70′s the music genre most closely affiliated to that American decade is Disco, which genuinely came on strong in the mainstream after the film “Saturday Night Fever”. The soundtrack from that movie went on to become one of the biggest merchandising albums of all time too. Rolling Stone magazine in 2003 placed the album on their 500 biggest albums of all times list, and in the same year, VH1 called it the 57th biggest album of all time. With songs like “Staying Alive”, “Night Fever”, “If I Can’t Have You”, and “Boogie Shoes” it is no surprise that this album soared to the top.

Another genre that actually increased in popularity for the duration of the 1970′s is Southern Rock. There were a whole slew of Southern Rock bands in the 70′s that genuinely exploded on to that music scene too. Bands like the Allman Brothers, The Outlaws, and Molly Hatchet made some outstanding music, but the ones who set the usual of Southern Rock music of the 70′s is none other than Lynyrd Skynyrd. Lynyrd Skynyrd had four platinum albums in the 70′s, three of which went double platinum. Street Survivors however, showcased the 3-guitar attack of Gaines, Collins, and Rossington behind Ronnie van Zant that other bands try to copy today making Street Survivor their most indispensable album in the 70′s.

The genre of Progressive Rock is another style of music that while born of Psychedelic Rock in the 60′s, in truth made it is bones on the back of earlier artists in the 70′s. Bands like ELO, Utopia, Kansas, and Rush moved into the forefront of the genre sustaining the core of their listeners, while making Prog Rock Top 40 friendly as well. Of all the bands cited Rush genuinely is the popular by which all other Prog Rock bands are measured by. Perhaps their most significant contribution in vinyl to music of the 70′s is the bands album “2112″, and the boss track on that album “Passage to Bangkok”

The last of the genres we are going to talk in regards to is of course Heavy Metal, which assaulted Rock and Roll and went mainstream in the 70′s Motorhead, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden found a home within the genre making fantastic music, but the band that made it all possible is of course Black Sabbath. The album “Black Sabbath” is the unquestioned father of Heavy Metal music of the 70s as well as Heavy Metal 70′s records. The three tracks that everyone mentions when talking about this musical masterwork are “N.I.B.”, “Black Sabbath”, and “Warning” and all agree that this album is the greatest ever of the 1970′s Metal scene.

Album DescriptionImport only two CD collection from the Southern Rock greats. From their modest beginnings in Jacksonville, Florida up through the plane crash that took three band members in 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd were THE extreme American band. With hits like ‘Free Bird’, ‘That Smell’ and ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, their musical bequest has reached throughout generations and touched millions of lives. 25 tracks. Spectrum.

The members of Lynyrd Skynyrd played by their own set of rules. Fiercely defensive of their Southern heritage, Ronnie Van Zant and company reflexively lashed out when they thought they’d been slurred. Hence “Sweet Home Alabama,” their retort to Neil Young’s shame-on-Dixie “Alabama.” (Young loved Skynyrd’s screed, even though it lambasted him by name.) On the other hand, “Saturday Night Special” took on handguns; it’s hard to imagine a contemporary band with a redneck-rock following taking a similar pro-gun-control stand. This two-disc overview presents a band with a broader agenda than one might imagine. Yes, this is state-of-the-’70s electric boogie, but it’s three-guitar-strong rock with authenti subject matter. Fans will already have the likes of “Free Bird” (here staged in studio and concert settings) and “I Know a Little,” but baubles such as the antecedently unreleased “Comin’ Home” and the rare B-side “Mr. Banker” add to this collection’s appeal, as does the lengthy liner essay. –Steven Stolder

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56 of 58 people found the following review helpful.
Very Much Essential
By Bill R. Moore
This album pleasantly surprised me. Although I have always liked Skynyrd, I have never been a big fan of Southern Rock. Thus, I approached this collection with less than full optimism, thinking it might not be that good. I was wrong. This is an excellent retrospective. Indeed, this is perhaps the best non-boxed-set “best of” collection that I have ever come across, in terms of thoroughness and song selection. Truly “The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd”. Almost every Skynyrd song that a casual fan could ever want is included in this set. Classics like Free Bird (studio and live versions), Tuesday’s Gone, Sweet Home Alabama, That Smell, and many others are all in this set. Also included are awesome album tracks like The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Call Me The Breeze, and Was I Right Or Wrong Diehard (which shows Ronnie Van Zant’s oft-neglected pathos-inspiring songwriting abilities) among others. Skynyrd fans will even pleased with this set, which offers several live takes, original and alternate demos, and some very nice linear notes. This is a must own album for any Southern Rock or Lynyrd Skynyrd fan.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful.
Classic Southern Rock
By Steve Vrana
If all you know about Lynyrd Skynyrd is “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird,” this album will open your eyes. From their 1973 debut through 1977′s Street Survivors (released just three days before the fatal plane crash), Skynyrd was responsible for some of the most powerful rock music of the Seventies. The triple lead-guitar threat of Allen Collins, Gary Rossington and Ed King (later replaced by Steve Gaines) coupled with the gritty vocals of songwriter Ronnie Van Zant was indeed a potent combination. In addition to the aforementioned songs, “Gimme Three Steps,” “Saturday Night Special,” “Gimme Back My Bullets” and “That Smell” (among others) have become FM radio staples. If you want to delve even further into the band’s history, pick up either of their first two albums or Street Survivors. Their three-disc box set also offers a healthy dose of demos and live cuts. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
All The Skynyrd You Need
By Eric R. Last
As great a band as Lynyrd Skynyrd (pre-plane crash) was, this one collection actually manages to included virtually anything that all but the most devoted of fans will ever need to hear. The Ronnie Van Zandt era lasted for 5 studio albums, 1 live album, and a later release (“First and…Last”) consisting of studio recordings that predate “Pronounced…”, the “official” first album. “Pronounced…” was very strong, the second (“Second Helping”) and sixth (“Street Survivors”) albums were flat-out great, the third (“Nuthin’ Fancy”) and fourth (“Gimme Back My Bullets”) albums were, frankly, uninspired, and the posthumous release “First and…Last” was a nice snapshot of a band that was, at that point, still searching for their sound. The fact is, though, that all of Skynyrd’s truly top notch songs can be found on this 2 CD set, “The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd”. If you haven’t already started your Skynyrd collection, this one will do all by itself. Then, if you’re still hungry for more, you can go for the live fifth album (“One More From The Road”). After that, picking up these various pre-crash studio albums will only get you the leftovers, scraps that do not hold up to the standard of the material on this collection. And there’s no need to even bother with the post-Ronnie Van Zandt albums.

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