A Book About me! Actually, About Baby Boomers

Generation Ageless

By J. Walker Smith and Ann Clurman

Generation Ageless: How Baby Boomers Are Changing the Way We Live Today...And They're Just Getting Started, by J. Walker Smith and Ann Clurman, is a book you must read. Why? Because people will be talking about it! And those in the know know to read this book!

Baby Boomers--you may have heard the phrase, this catchword many times; but did you know there are 78 million of them? After reading this book, I believe there are even more-for surely there are those, like me, who were born on the "cusp--9 months before 1946!" and see themselves more like boomers than any other group!

Yankelovich, Inc. began studying consumer values and lifestyles in 1958.  As I started reading Generation Ageless, I did not realize how the activities by a company, about which I knew nothing, could be writing about--me! It was at first exhilarating--then it got downright eerie! Yankelovich chose to begin studying Americans through the gathering and analysis of data by generations.  Certainly, they could not have projected at that time that the generation born during the years 1946 to 1964 would become the largest group of any during the last century! Due to the number of individuals, it is also perhaps one of the most influential groups of people in the past and for the foreseeable future.

Generation Ageless is extensive and covers many issues. In some ways, it is like reading a biography of 78 million people, in one book! In another way, it is pure demographics about Baby Boomers. At the same time, every marketing agent should be studying this as a textbook!  Put all together, it is one of the most interesting and informative books I have ever read! It is an interesting read with both narrative and charts; however, with excellent writing, the authors have made what could be very dry into something that comes across in a personal fashion and includes information for anybody of any age.

Before reading this book, some of us may have begun thinking about planning for retirement or considering what we might want to do "with the rest of our lives." Even if we didn't feel like our lives were over, we might have felt that society was seeing us that way.  Well, after reading Generation Ageless, we will find that we are all thinking the same thing--we are too young to retire...we want to continue doing the things we are now doing and we want to continue them for as long as we want to! So, we now have the key words to explain that! We are not going to ever get old; we are merely middle age-less! "How cool is that?" as one commercial declares.

Baby Boomers want to matter; they want to have a presence and an influence. "Or to put it in the way that best reflects the edge they give to it, it's a matter of immortality and morality." (p. xiv).

The book uses the terminology that has been coined in the past: the Matures, Baby Boomers, Xers, and Echo Boomers. I found it especially heartening that the Baby Boomers group has expressed many of my own thoughts, as I've grown older. We look back with some regret to that accomplished by the Matures. We worry about the Xers and Echo Boomers. But no matter what, Baby Boomers are going to stay in the game. And because there are so many, what Baby Boomers will continue to do for themselves will directly benefit others.

Baby Boomers, in turn, have been divided into the Straight Arrows, Due Diligents,  Maximizers, Sideliners, Diss/Contenteds, and Re-Activists, with the driving force being the Maximizers.  Readers may see themselves as having started out as one type of individual but changing, due to personal experiences, later in life. As the book says, "maximizers are the most enthusiastic Boomer segment. They want more of everything and they want more out of everything." (p. 188) While the book indicated that maximizers had something in common with every other segment, I thought perhaps another way of saying this was that we all had some part of us that were maximizers...at one time or another in our lives!

This book is fun to read! It is encouraging; it is disheartening...but it is about us! If we have an enemy, then the enemy is us. But if we also believe that our future will be bright, we also know that the Baby Boomers will be there, shining and basking in the light provided by that generation! 

You'll be placing this book on a nearby bookshelf. It is a great resource of information. It gives you much to ponder. And it's fun to read and talk about!  I highly recommend Generation Ageless.

Tags: Baby Boomers, Generation Ageless, J. Walker Smith, Ann Clurman, Yankelovich, Inc., marketing, demographics, lifestyle, middle-ageless

Training Manual for The Soprano

The Soprano: A Manual for  Training the Voice

By Anthony Frisell

Branden Books

ISBN:  9780828321822

140 Pages

 

 

Anthony Frisell, world-renowned teacher of voice for singers wishing to pursue careers in the field of international opera, has updated and reissued his three voice manuals: The Tenor Voice, The Soprano Voice and The Baritone Voice. They are intense, in depth and completely responsive to those individuals who wish beginning and advanced training for a serious career. My review is geared toward The Soprano Voice, however, the basic concepts are the same for all three voices.

 

For far too many individuals who surround themselves with music and perhaps even learn to imitate some of today’s stars, they begin to consider a singing career. While reality shows abound implying that there is an easy path to success, this is just not true. The professional singer must be trained, practice and learn to protect their new voice!

 

To find the path to success, Frisell first explains the “Mental Image Approach.” That is, “all vocal exercises must be indirectly applied, through mental concepts.” (p. 7) The beginner then realizes what is expected to attain professional status. It was not at all surprising to me that even though I’ve been singing in various groups most of my life that I had never learned to sing correctly. Learning and maintaining vocal standards is a lifetime study in a professional environment and by a master!

 

There are fixed rules that form the correct mental image. Grand opera began in Italy and the first rule requires that all vowel sounds, in order to ensure singer communication to her audience, must ensure purity of vowels. Specifically, “each of the five Classic Italian vowels, u (oo) i (ee), e (eh), o (oh), and a (ah), as pronounced by native Italians, must be mastered in their purest form throughout the entire voice range.” (p. 8)

 

The next fixed rule applies to Control for without control our voices are unreliable. The book covers breath-force dynamics, range, flexibility and shading of tones—all results of control.

 

There is also a requirement that professional singers must become familiar with the rudiments of music and the ability to play a musical instrument, preferably the piano.  Additionally, it is necessary to learn several foreign languages.

 

For many of us, we do not understand how and why we can reach some notes sometimes, but not at others. This is simply explained by the requirement to identify the vocal registers for the individual. Frisell notes that “to master the art of refined singing one must know the function of the two vocal registers and fully develop them, so they function together as a single unit of quality and strength.” (p. 11) This is not easily done. However, Frisell effectively takes each of the issues in this process, identifies and explains them, and then proceeds to illustrate how the single unit is developed.

 

Using a keyboard illustration, the breaks for females are identified. The lower register are those that come from the “chest voice” while the upper range is the “head voice.” A ruling principle is provided because there is constant antagonism between these registers. “The conflicting muscular responses that occur, between the two vocal registers, when attempting to produce pure, superior vocal tone, represent the natural responses to the energy of the motor force (breath tension) being applied to the muscles of both registers.” (p. 16).

 

For an individual to advance from routine singing to a professional, there are years of muscular control development through exercises, practice, and by listening and studying those professionals already proficient in opera. This manual takes you through the mechanics of this study and provides an outstanding array of exercises, detailed illustrations of where the sound should be located, how the tongue and throat are affected, etc.

 

Frisell has provided “a personal guide to acquiring a superior singing technique.” Indeed, the only thing lacking is that Frisell is not there, helping the individual in this effort. This is a must-read for serious students of voice. As a final contribution, Frisell has included a copy of a recent article entitled, “Is There an “American School” of classic voice training? If so—has it failed American singers?”

 

By the way, the author gives master classes and is located in New York City. In my opinion, only very serious students need apply! This man will either accept you as a potential great singer...or you will come to know the answer to the question he poses in the above article.

 

G. A. Bixler For IP Book Reviewers

 

Tags: opera, international opera, singing, soprano, Anthony Frisell

Forgotten Promises by Denise Skelton

312 Pages – Available March 1, 2008

 

Denise Skelton, in Forgotten Promises, has added a little heartache and loss, a lot of romance, and an interesting suspenseful scenario and created a delightful and memorable story! Her words have an entertaining flair and her characters provide a wonderful diversity of reality, which come together to immediately capture the reader’s interest.

 

Caught in the loss of their beloved spouses through tragic deaths, Tyler Green and Holly James are working hard to make new lives on their own--until they become neighbors. Each was attracted to each other; both were too afraid to consider another relationship.

 

Abby, Holly’s daughter, though, is not afraid to love again and she very much wants a father! Her Godfather, Ben Harrison, loves Abby as if she was his own child and has stepped into the role of father whenever he can; but no matter how hard he may try, he cannot fulfill Abby’s needs for a full-time father. So, quite naturally, Abby started to consider on her own who might fill her needs.  It just happens that her new neighbor seems perfect!

Besides Abby, both friends and family are concerned about Tyler and Holly. Through well-meaning efforts, a variety of strange happenings begin to occur—some are funny; some are likely to make Holly or Tyler think they are losing their minds! Of course, readers are well and thoroughly entertained by their antics!

In the meantime, Ben Harrison, at one time had attracted a young woman who was criminally insane. Having served time in a prison and then been transferred to a hospital, Janet has never given up her fixation and has even imagined that Ben has visited her at times and is in love with her and waiting for her. Finally, she plans to break out and find him, but she winds up leaving dead bodies along the way as she searches for Ben.

When she has finally found him, it is a day on which he is taking Abby to school. Janet unknowingly assumes Abby is his daughter and believes she is the reason why Ben has not continued to visit her. So her plans must be altered—and they must include Ben’s daughter!

 

Through all of the not-so-subtle antics of Holly’s friends, Tyler and Holly do begin to date and their relationship slowly develops. However, it is through the actions of Janet, in a climatic ending that feelings are cemented.

 

I enjoyed meeting Skelton’s characters...you can either love them or hate them!  And if you love or hate them, it’s because of Skelton’s ability to provide accurate and interesting dialogue and description. Her characters are drawn from different backgrounds and their stories reflect the lifestyles necessary for their personalities to elicit these strong feelings from readers.

 

Advertised as a romance, in my opinion, this book is so much more. The action is lively and the suspenseful developments from Ben’s stalker keep readers on edge. The love, laughter and family with a parade of true-to-life characters, creates a novel that I highly recommend!  Plan to Enjoy and have fun reading this one!

 

 

G. A. Bixler for IP Book Reviews

 

Tags: book reviews, Denise Skelton, Forgotten Promises, romance, romantic suspense

A Review of Great Literature

Edited by Adolph Caso

Dante University of America Foundation

Calling all literary readers and writers! This is a must-read for you! Romeo and Juliet, as edited by Adolph Caso and published by the Dante University of America Foundation.

This is not a text; no, it is so much more. Personally, I found it a most rewarding adventure into my favorite activity-reading! Long before we had copyright laws that constrain creativity rather than elicit it, the storytellers of the times were able to hear a tale of wonder, enjoy it, explore it and then regurgitate it into an even greater masterpiece or, sometimes, into a moving poem, an artistic rendition of the story, or even a musical!

All of us have picked up a book and upon reading the first few pages may think that they have read it already-the theme is similar-but then the book takes off into an entirely different tale.  Here, however, Adolph Caso brings to his readers what I have come to think of as "the evolution of the Romeo and Juliet story."

Caso has brought together the works of Masuccio Salernitano, Luigi DaPorto, Matteo Bandello, all Italian writers, inasmuch as the story originated in Italy--and William Shakespeare. You see, Shakespeare did not create and write Romeo and Juliet! Did you know that? 

According to the Introduction, written by the editor, "a variant on the theme of Romeo and Juliet can be traced to the literatures of Greece and Rome, it received a unique and modern rendition with Masuccio Salernitan's thirty-third short story... It was amplified and modernized by Luigi DaPorto... given its definitive form by Matteo Bandello," and "immortalized by Shakespeare with his great masterpiece." (p. 7)

So what this book provides is the ability to study the same story, by four different authors.  Personally, I prefer the story written by Matteo Bandello.  By the way, Maurice Jonas translated the stories. I felt that Bandello's story probably more closely followed the actual story (Was this ever based upon a true story? I don't know).

The main thrust of the storyline is that while two families were feuding, a young girl of one family and a young man of the other family met purely by accident and fall in love!

All of the Italian versions place Juliet's age at 18, while Shakespeare moved the age to a much younger one.  All of the Italian versions indicate that Romeo and Juliet are both dead at the end, while Shakespeare's rendition also includes that the man to whom Juliet was to be married, as arranged by her father, was also dead.

The style of poetic writing by Shakespeare is, of course, completely different from all of the others, and, indeed, is expansive in telling the story. It includes beautifully written passages that most of us have heard at one time or another:

          But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?

          It is the east and Juliet is the sun!...

As well as,

          O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?... (pps. 121-122)

This change in writing style by Shakespeare is exactly why I feel the book is a must-read for literary readers and writers.  For it is in the reading, study and digestion of the evolved Romeo and Juliet that we may see and understand all that this beautiful story has to tell us.

Indeed, for those unfamiliar with the works of Shakespeare, this is a wonderful way by which you can begin--for the earlier versions ensure that you are totally familiar with the storyline before you begin the story as written by William Shakespeare.

I highly recommend Romeo and Juliet, not only as a wonderful novel, but also as a wonderful study in the writing and evolution of great literature.

 

Tags: Romeo & Juliet, Adolph Caso, Shakespeare, Masuccio, Da Porto, Bandello, Great Literature

Sequel to First Book: More Than Angels - A Wonderful Followup!

Author Ruby Moon-Houldson with Leonard Nimoy    More Than Angels: Once Upon a Lifetime By Ruby Moon-Houldson Thia's Back!  And she's better than Ever!  In her sequel, More Than Angels: Once Upon a Lifetime, Ruby-Moon Houldson has once again given us an unforgettable story.  With a mixture of self-help, a lot of romance and plenty of action, Houldson masterfully combines each component into another must-read winner.  If you haven't already read More Than Angels: Once Upon a Broken Heart, I recommend you get them both and start at the beginning!  Thia is now a happily married mother of two children.  She is also the leading FBI agent in her locale and has now begun training new recruits, two of whom she takes under her wing once they had committed to becoming the best agents they can be.  Thia married her dream hero of her childhood, Colin Manning, an actor who'd starred as Basalt in a television program that had played an immense and dramatic role in Thia's early life. (I think all of we Trekkies now know who Colin actually played!  Hey, who didn't become personally interested in the actors on this wonderful show?) Thia has been lead agent working to break a major child slavery ring and has been personally instrumental in finding a number of the children in various hideouts.  As a psychologist, Thia then takes on a dual role.  She is not only the agent in charge; she also becomes the first professional with whom the children bond and discuss what had happened to them.  Thia is well prepared to work through the pain and fear of each child; however, each new session places a heavy toll on her as she is pulled back into her own childhood of painful physical and sexual abuse.  Once Upon a Lifetime chronicles the work of Thia and her team as they follow the clues and information gathered regarding the major boss, the head of the child slavery ring.  At the same time readers are privy to glimpses, flashbacks, of Thia's abused life, as she fought off the physical abuse of her father against her and her siblings, as well as the sexual abuse from her father's boss, as he visited and molested his "best girl."  As readers learn of what has happened to the enslaved children as well as what had transpired in Thia's early life, it is not surprising to understand that all of this also played havoc with her roles as wife and mother.  Thia dearly loves Colin, but his need to now be her protector, to keep her from danger, even pressing Thia to resign her job, the life she had developed and had excelled with, clearly puts a strain on Colin, to the point of his resenting the role model, Basalt, who had lived in Thia's heart and mind even longer than he had.  At the same time, Thia finds herself being over-protective of her son, not even wanting him to ride the school bus.  Struggling with the terror of knowing what could "possibly" happen to her children drives Thia further and further into a deep depression that results in aggressive as well as risky actions on the job.  Inasmuch as the popular show continues to bring Colin together with his fellow actors, we meet the characters in the show as individuals who continued as friends to both Colin and Thia and who now provide the emotional support and guidance to both of them as they struggle through a difficult time in their marriage.  Interestingly, Thia moves closer and closer to solving the child slavery ring case through revelations that have been brought back into her memory.  And with capturing the ringleader, she not only closes the case, but also once again finds herself, as she is able to confront the monsters of her past and rid herself of their influence.  The author has used vivid imagery in creating this story.  While it results in an authentic and realistic story, it is also one that is adult-level in my opinion.  I have therefore chosen not to include details of her workwith the children in finding and capturing those deeply involved or in sharing the flashbacks about the terror through which she and her siblings went through. Some of this is based upon a true story; some of it is fiction.  It is unimportant which is which. What is important is that the author has shared an amazing part of her life with her readers and has highlighted how a television program, based upon integrity and courage was influential in a young child's life.  It is a lesson that should be considered by parents as they help their own children choose what they watch on television.  The author has excellent writing skills that ensure her flashbacks fit well within her story, without disrupting the overall activities in the present.  Though much of the narrative is sensitive and horrifying, it is presented in a way that ensures that the children involved are helped and successfully moving forward to overcome the traumatic events in their lives.    With so much child abuse happening in the world, I consider these books must-reads for all parents and interested adults!

Tags: suspense, personal story, ruby moon-houldson, more than angelsonce upon a lifetime, thriller, star trek, leonard nimoy, book review 

Ice on Fire - A Best Seller Waiting to be Published!

Ok, I admit it--I loved to read and review manuscripts and be the first reviewer!

Especially When the Book is Headed for The Best-Seller List

 

Take a Look! 

 

Ice by Fire

By Deborah J. Ledford

Manuscript

363 Pages

 

 

Deborah J. Ledford, in Ice on Fire, merges music, mystique and murder in an unforgettable suspense thriller that will keep you turning pages!

 

Trapped by memories of her past, when her father murdered her Taos Pueblo Indian mother, Katina Salvo has led a sheltered life, living almost as a hermit with, first her Aunt Sylvia, and then her business manager, Petra Sullivan, who has also become a close friend and almost a surrogate mother.

 

At the same time, however, her gift of music has led to writing song after song and recording many of them so that she has arrived at the top of the charts without ever appearing or being seen by the thousands of fans who love her. Quite unusual in today’s world!

 

And then one fateful day, Katina was there in Petra’s office when her mail was delivered—and she discovered that not all of her fans loved her! In fact, her life was being threatened! Then she discovered that the authorities were already involved—too much of her own life was being kept from her!

 

It was only on the last album that Katina’s picture had first appeared to the public. She knew it was preparatory for her first live concert, even though she still was not quite certain that she wanted to perform in public. After all, when she generated more publicity, then it was very likely that paparazzi and other reporters would soon discover that her father murdered her mother—and was in prison. Could she deal with the interview questions that were bound to follow?

 

By the time of her scheduled concert, bodyguards surrounded Katina. She was scared and she had a right to be—for there in the front row, she saw her aunt’s ex-husband, who had once loved her mother and hated her white father--and her--for taking her away from him.

 

But her aunt claimed she saw her ex-husband on the night of the concert. Was her uncle, Taima, really a ghost like everybody claimed?

 

Whether it was Taima’s appearance or the exhilaration of the crowd who were finally seeing and hearing their idol, the concert erupted into a riot and Katina was left with only one man to protect her, and then he was severely wounded—by Taima, she had thought.

 

And then the worst news came, Katina’s father had been paroled and was out of prison. Once again, her supposed friend, Petra, had kept important news from her! Confused, fearful of both her father, uncle and whoever it was that was writing death threats, Katina went home to her Aunt Sylvia, there to prepare and face, on her own, the one(s) who wanted her dead.

 

Ledford is an outstanding writer who has already won a number of awards. Her characters are beautifully created based upon different heritages and reflect the strength and courage needed in this exciting tale. This is one of her first novels and has the potential to become a best seller!

 

Floyd “Mountain Walking Cane” Gomez, an advisor of creative affairs for the Taos People, has approved her manuscript for authenticity.

 

There are just hints of a romantic life for Katina and I found this a refreshing change when no significant romantic/sexual scenes interrupted the action. There are symbols, such as the dress and necklace she wears in the concert and, then again, when she confronts her enemy, which establishes the main character’s commitment to her heritage.  Ice on Fire provides a close, more up-to-date look at the lore and mystery that is part of the Indian life, rather than the usual historical novel.  This book is pure suspense and thrills!

 

I was also afforded the privilege of reading the first two chapters of another of her new novels, Staccato.  In my mind, she’s already established herself as an author that meets requirements for a suspense thriller must-read author. Look for her on Gather.Com now and in bookstores soon!

 

 

G. A. Bixler IP Book Reviewer

Tags: Taos Pueblo Indians, Ice on Fire, Deborah Ledford, Floyd “Mountain Walking Cane” Gomez.