[PDF] Piano and Keyboard All-in-One For Dummies by Consumer Dummies at Arts-Photography

Review

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful. BUYER BEWARE: This is a remarkably poor book in a number of aspectsBy Wounded Combat VeteranBUYER BEWARE:If a "Razzie" award were given for the most inept history book of 2008; then this book would be the recipient.Staggeringly flawed; this is an amateurish; unprofessional product; and it is very questionable if it is worth your time. I seldom review a book as a "one-star"; but this one clearly deserves the low rating. This certainly looks like a low-effort attempt to "cash in on" the War of 1812 anniversaries with a shallow; derivative book; a milquetoast effort. The book lacks notes; references; bibliography; and index; which is indicative of its quality. On this basis alone; I would call this a remarkably poor history book and strongly suggest that you pass it by. If the author had invested the energy in writing his book that he does in desperately deflecting criticism; there would likely have been no criticism.But it gets worse ...1) The author lavished words and photographs on an unofficial visit of a handful of enlisted Tennessee Air National Guardsmen (an organization with no connection to the US Navy) to the gravesites of some of the Chesapeake USN POWs in Canada; suggesting an official significance that it never had. This was a casual visit; of no significance.2) Amazingly; he also went to some considerable length comparing this early 19th Century frigate duel to - of all things - a massive early 20th Century land battle on the Western Front in France late in WW I (the connection: the captured USS Chesapeake was first brought to Canada and the land battle in France had involved Canadians)! Yes - seriously - he thought that such a tenuous connection was worth discussing at some length. This is the very limited quality of analysis that this author "brings to the table"! Absolutely ridiculous!3) He then expressed astonishment that the US Navy will not name another vessel "Chesapeake" - the only ship surrendered TWICE to the British (1807 to the HMS Leopard and 1813 to the HMS Shannon); thus a remarkably "unlucky" name among sailors (who at least affect to being superstitious). Wow! Does he know nothing of the US Navy? What USN sailor would want to sail on a vessel with this name? I cringed when I read this; embarrassed for the author. He comes across as a thoughtless dilettante; casually dabbling at History and far too impressed w/ the products of his own pen.4) As if this couldnt get any worse; the author then expressed surprise that the US Ambassador to Britain (yes; really!) did not answer an invitation to celebrate (!) the capture of the ship at the site of a few of the original planks; now an endangered antique flour mill in England. In short; the author appears to have little understanding/appreciation of American sensibilities; we dont celebrate our defeats.SUMMARY:As another reviewer (yes; the one so very desperate to impress you w/ extensive abbreviations of credentials after his by-line) noted (apparently in PRAISING the book!!!); the book under review makes no pretense to be a professional history. Hmm? With friends like that reviewer; the author certainly doesnt need unpaid objective critics like me! Note; too; that neither of the other reviewers are confirmed purchasers of the book; according to . As you can see from my comments above; I did chuckle quite a bit reading this book; but thats NOT a recommendation either; its value as humor is apparently unintentional. This is is a very sub-standard work; for all of the reasons noted here. Even its apparent advocates admit that it isnt a professional history (one reviewer apparently considers it to be an idle ramble). What; then; recommends it? Note; too; the desperation of the publisher in rounding up its own bullpen of (presumably) paid reviews in their publishers description. None of these appeared prior to my (evolving) review here. What does that suggest? The publisher appears to have desperately rushed to solicit (and pay?) a stable of guaranteed-positive "critics" to grossly pad the review and thus to salvage some sales from this waste of the publishers effort/assets. But a prospective buyer should simply check: notes; references; bibliography; index? If not; then surely circumspection is warranted and hesitation advised. This is a purely amateur production; a none-too-cogent ramble - but perhaps a professional historian may find enough unintended amusement in it to justify its purchase. What a waste of a publishers efforts!RECOMMENDATION:I recommend that you consider instead Rear Admiral (ret.) H.F. Pullens The Shannon and the Chesapeake (1970). And there are numerous other texts - including several fine; recent ones (for instance: The Six Frigates by Ian Toll) - concerning the US Navy in the War of 1812; any of which are better professional histories. The author of the book under review not only ignored Pullens work; but also virtually ignored the numerous; fine discussions by no less than James Fenimore Cooper; Theodore Roosevelt; the official history of the US Navy (CAPT Edward L. Beach); and numerous recent authors regarding the HMS Shannon - USS Chesapeake action; and somehow managed to produce a cheap; shallow; ignorant ramble of no value. The book is an embarrassment and surely doesnt belong on the same shelf w/ these fine works of scholarship!CONCLUSION:You can spend your time much better; and your money more wisely on the alternative books noted above (although this book DOES have value - as unintended humor). The author was ill-advised to have brought this book before the public in this (apparently un-edited) state; and it will likely cause him embarrassment for years to come. If he had sought advice from some capable historian and author (Toll; for instance?) early in the process; much embarrassment could have been avoided.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. BUYER BEWARE: This is a remarkably poor history book in numerous aspects!By Wounded Combat VeteranBUYER BEWARE:If a "Razzie" award were given for the most inept history book of 2008; then this book would be the recipient.Staggeringly flawed; this is an amateurish; unprofessional product; and it is very questionable if it is worth your time. I seldom review a book as a "one-star"; but this one clearly deserves the low rating. This certainly looks like a low-effort attempt to "cash in on" the War of 1812 anniversaries with a shallow; derivative book; a milquetoast effort. The book lacks notes; references; bibliography; and index; which is indicative of its quality. On this basis alone; I would call this a remarkably poor history book and strongly suggest that you pass it by. If the author had invested the energy in writing his book that he does in desperately deflecting criticism; there would likely have been no criticism.But it gets worse ...1) The author lavished words and photographs on an unofficial visit of a handful of enlisted Tennessee Air National Guardsmen (an organization with no connection to the US Navy) to the gravesites of some of the Chesapeake USN POWs in Canada; suggesting an official significance that it never had. This was a casual visit; of no significance.2) Amazingly; he also went to some considerable length comparing this early 19th Century frigate duel to - of all things - a massive early 20th Century land battle on the Western Front in France late in WW I (the connection: the captured USS Chesapeake was first brought to Canada and the land battle in France had involved Canadians)! Yes - seriously - he thought that such a tenuous connection was worth discussing at some length. This is the very limited quality of analysis that this author "brings to the table"! Absolutely ridiculous!3) He then expressed astonishment that the US Navy will not name another vessel "Chesapeake" - the only ship surrendered TWICE to the British (1807 to the HMS Leopard and 1813 to the HMS Shannon); thus a remarkably "unlucky" name among sailors (who at least affect to being superstitious). Wow! Does he know nothing of the US Navy? What USN sailor would want to sail on a vessel with this name? I cringed when I read this; embarrassed for the author. He comes across as a thoughtless dilettante; casually dabbling at History and far too impressed w/ the products of his own pen.4) As if this couldnt get any worse; the author then expressed surprise that the US Ambassador to Britain (yes; really!) did not answer an invitation to celebrate (!) the capture of the ship at the site of a few of the original planks; now an endangered antique flour mill in England. In short; the author appears to have little understanding/appreciation of American sensibilities; we dont celebrate our defeats.SUMMARY:As another reviewer (yes; the one so very desperate to impress you w/ extensive abbreviations of credentials after his by-line) noted (apparently in PRAISING the book!!!); the book under review makes no pretense to be a professional history. Hmm? With friends like that reviewer; the author certainly doesnt need unpaid objective critics like me! Note; too; that neither of the other reviewers are confirmed purchasers of the book; according to . As you can see from my comments above; I did chuckle quite a bit reading this book; but thats NOT a recommendation either; its value as humor is apparently unintentional. This is is a very sub-standard work; for all of the reasons noted here. Even its apparent advocates admit that it isnt a professional history (one reviewer apparently considers it to be an idle ramble). What; then; recommends it? Note; too; the desperation of the publisher in rounding up its own bullpen of (presumably) paid reviews in their publishers description. None of these appeared prior to my (evolving) review here. What does that suggest? The publisher appears to have desperately rushed to solicit (and pay?) a stable of guaranteed-positive "critics" to grossly pad the review and thus to salvage some sales from this waste of the publishers effort/assets. But a prospective buyer should simply check: notes; references; bibliography; index? If not; then surely circumspection is warranted and hesitation advised. This is a purely amateur production; a none-too-cogent ramble - but perhaps a professional historian may find enough unintended amusement in it to justify its purchase. What a waste of a publishers efforts!RECOMMENDATION:I recommend that you consider instead Rear Admiral (ret.) H.F. Pullens The Shannon and the Chesapeake (1970). And there are numerous other texts - including several fine; recent ones (for instance: The Six Frigates by Ian Toll) - concerning the US Navy in the War of 1812; any of which are better professional histories. The author of the book under review not only ignored Pullens work; but also virtually ignored the numerous; fine discussions by no less than James Fenimore Cooper; Theodore Roosevelt; the official history of the US Navy (CAPT Edward L. Beach); and numerous recent authors regarding the HMS Shannon - USS Chesapeake action; and somehow managed to produce a cheap; shallow; ignorant ramble of no value. The book is an embarrassment and surely doesnt belong on the same shelf w/ these fine works of scholarship!CONCLUSION:You can spend your time much better; and your money more wisely on the alternative books noted above (although this book DOES have value - as unintended humor). The author was ill-advised to have brought this book before the public in this (apparently un-edited) state; and it will likely cause him embarrassment for years to come. If he had sought advice from some capable historian and author (Toll; for instance?) early in the process; much embarrassment could have been avoided.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. You Wont Go Wrong With This OneBy Gregory GibsonHistory is a web; not a line; and author Chris Dickon honors that fact in his entertaining book "The Enduring Journey of the USS Chesapeake."True; we get all the details of her storied career - she was one of the first six frigates - from her troubled construction through her adventures in the Quasi and Barbary wars; to her devastating battle against the Shannon in 1813. But each step of the way is richly bolstered with historical context; ancillary factual support and lively illustrations. Everyone knows the story of James Lawrence and his famous dying utterance; "Dont give up the ship!" Dickon gives us fully six versions of the phrase; as reported by English American writers; and even adds a surprising gloss on the text. In this way we get a sense; not only of the Chesapeake; but also a real feel for the world in which the ship and her crew triumphed; struggled and perished. The latter parts of the book; which are devoted to the after-career of Chesapeake and her men; add a poignant note to the complex story of an American naval icon.Chris Dickons book is; in my opinion; popular maritime history at its best - fast paced; discursive; and continually interesting. You wont go wrong with this one.