Jeff Meyerson mentioned Carlos Santana’s CD of duets in a comment a few weeks ago. I have a number of Santana CDs scattered throughout my Collection (yes, I’m trying to get more organized!). But, fortunately, I found my copy of ALL THAT I AM and listened to it again.

My favorite song is “I’m Feeling You” with Michelle Branch and The Wreckers with its energy. I also enjoyed Anthony Hamilton on “Twisted.”

Joss Stone and Sean Paul do a nice job with “Cry Baby Cry.” And Santana ends the album with “Da Tu Amor” with some classic Santana guitar riffs. Jeff was right about this album: it’s one of Santana’s best! Are you a fan of Carlos Santana? GRADE: A

Track Listing:

1. “Hermes” – 4:08
   • Written by Carlos Santana and S. Jurad
   • Produced by Carlos Santana
2. “El Fuego” – 4:17
   • Written by Carlos Santana, Jean Shepherd and Richard Shepherd
   • Produced by Carlos Santana
3. “I’m Feeling You” – 4:13
   • Featuring Michelle Branch and The Wreckers
   • Written by Kara DioGuardi, John Shanks and Michelle Branch
   • Produced by John Shanks and Kara DioGuardi
4. “My Man” – 4:37
   • Featuring Big Boi and Mary J. Blige
   • Written by Antwan Patton, Nsilo Reddick, Nicholas Sherwood and Rob Thomas
   • Produced by Big Boi and The Beat Bullies
5. “Just Feel Better” – 4:12
   • Featuring Steven Tyler
   • Written by Jamie Houston, Buck Johnson and Damon Johnson
   • Produced by John Shanks
6. “I Am Somebody” – 4:02
   • Featuring will.i.am
   • Written by will.i.am and George Pajon, Jr.
   • Produced by will.i.am
   • Additional Production Lester Mendez
   • This song is considered by most as a tribute to “I Am – Somebody“, a poem by Reverend Jesse Jackson.
7. “Con Santana” – 3:18
   • Featuring Ismaïla and Sixu Toure, also known as Touré Kunda
   • Written by Carlos Santana, Ismaïla Toure and Tidane “Sixu” Toure
   • Produced by Carlos Santana
8. “Twisted” – 5:11
   • Featuring Anthony Hamilton
   • Written by Dante Ross and Nandi Willis
   • Produced by Dante Ross
9. “Trinity” – 3:33
   • Featuring Kirk Hammett and Robert Randolph
   • Written by Carlos Santana and Michael Brook
   • Produced by Carlos Santana
   • This song is a tribute to the Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and is a cover of his song Tere Bina
10. “Cry Baby Cry” – 3:53
    • Featuring Sean Paul and Joss Stone
    • Written by Lester Mendez, Sean Paul, Kara DioGuardi and Jimmy Harry
    • Produced and Arranged by Lester Mendez
11. “Brown Skin Girl” – 4:44
    • Featuring Bo Bice
    • Written by Jamie Houston
    • Produced by Lester Mendez and Jamie Houston
    • Vocal Arrangement by Jamie Houston
12. “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love” – 4:00
    • Featuring Los Lonely Boys
    • Written by Henry Garza, Ringo Garza and Joey Garza
    • Produced by Carlos Santana
    • Additional Production by John Proter and Los Lonely Boys
13. “Da Tu Amor” – 4:03
    • Written by Carlos Santana, Andy Vargas, and Gary Glenn
    • Produced by Carlos Santana

Robert Silverberg is one of my favorite Science Fiction writers, but back in 1959 Silverberg started writing for a men’s magazine called Exotic Adventures. Silverberg wrote under a number of pseudonyms and sometimes wrote ALL the stories in an issue of the magazine!

For the first time, these exotic adventure stories have been collected and this volume includes original cover artwork and interior black & white illustrations. It’s wild and wacky and offbeat stuff! Check out the titles below! GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

ADVENTUROUS BEGINNINGS, introduction by Robert Deis & Wyatt Doyle

CAMPUS HELLCAT (as David Challon)

SAFARI OF DEATH (as Leon Kaiser)

I WAS A TANGIER’S SMUGGLER (as Donald Gorman)

BRIDE OF THE JAGUAR GOD (as Malcolm Hunt)

NUDIST PARADISE ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA (as Martin Davidson)

TAHITI, LUSTY ISLAND OF UNTAMED WOMEN (as Leonard Colman)

EGYPT’S CITY OF PROSTITUTES (as David F. Killian)

RADIANT JADE: THE CHINESE MATA HARI (as Sam Mallory)

SABA, LAND OF LOVE-STARVED WOMEN (as Len Patterson)

OPIUM DEN IN VIETNAM-adventure (as Lawrence F. Watkins)

ISLAND OF EXILED WOMEN-article (as Lin Charles)

THE ARABIAN SLAVE GIRL RACKET (as Jim Hollister)

A TEMPORARY HUSBAND IN LADAKH (as Karl-Heinz Kirschner)

WOLF CHILDREN OF INDIA (as Ronald Bradman)

I WATCHED THE SECRET SEX RITES OF UGANDA (as Richard Banham)

LOVE HUNGRY GIRLS OF JAPAN (as Nick Thomas)

I ESCAPED FROM THE SOVIET SLAVE CAMP (as Anna Lukacs)

Steve Martin stars as an actor whose last successful TV show was a decade ago. Martin Short plays a Broadway director whose career is stalled and he’s running out of money, and Selena Gomez is a mysterious young woman who knows more than she’s telling. All three characters are bound together by their love of true-crime podcasts. And, when the body of a man is found in their hotel, The Arconia, the three unlikely investigators decide to work together to find the murderer.

HULU released three of the 10 episodes in the Only Murders in the Building series this week. One of the new episodes will be released each Tuesday until the finale on October 19.

It’s a little early to judge the series, but so far Diane and I are enjoying it. It’s a little silly, but that’s not so bad for the terrible times we’re living through. GRADE: Incomplete

WINNER OF THE JAMES BEARD AWARD AND IACP AWARD FOR BEST GENERAL COOKBOOK — One of Epicurious’ Greatest Home Cooks of All Time delivers creative, delicious weeknight dinners with this quick and easy cookbook for beginner cooks and foodies alike. “More than 200 simple weeknight dinners that deliver big weekend flavor in under an hour–with many that take only 25 minutes.”

This is a collection of quick recipes for weeknight dining, inspired by Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television show, including dishes as yakiudon with pickled ginger, pork schnitzel, kale and white bean soup, Indonesian fried tofu salad, and three-cheese pizza. Nice one page directions with beautiful photos to match from the America’s Test Kitchen guy.

You can probably guess what my favorite chapter is! If you’re looking for a no-frills, quick and easy cookbook, this is the one you should go with. Yummy! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction — ix

Fast — 1

Faster — 89

Fastest — 173

Easy Additions — 213

Supper Salads — 243

Pizza Night — 277

One Pot — 311

Roast and Simmer — 337

Sweets — 369

INDEX — 394

THE RACONTEUR’S COMMONPLACE BOOK belongs to a genre that goes back to Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. A group of strangers are stuck together–in this case they’re in an inn during inclement weather–and they pass the time by sharing stories. But, in this book, the stories are part of a much bigger and ominous story.

I particularly liked “The Game of Maps,” “The Queen of Fog,” and “The Storm Bottle.” Kate Milford weaves all of these stories together to produce a conclusion I did not see coming. If you’re a fan of story-telling with unusual elements, I recommend The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book. GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

The Blue Vein Tavern — 1
The game of maps — 21
The whalebone spring — 57
The devil and the scavenger — 71
The queen of fog — 85
The roamer in the nettles — 105
The hollow-ware man — 131
The coldway — 139
The tavern at night — 177
The blue stair — 193
The storm bottle — 203
The ferryman — 223
The reckoning — 245
The particular — 259
The three kings — 297
The gardener of meteorites — 315
The summons of the bone — 347
The crossroads — 373

A NOTE ABOUT THE CLARION BOOKS EDITION — 385

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS — 389

The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Ninth Series is the first volume NOT edited by Anthony Boucher. But Robert P. Mills may have edited the best volume of the series simply because it includes the classic Flowers for Algernon. Flowers for Algernon was expanded into a novel by Daniel Keyes and later became the movie, Clarly. It’s the story a man who takes an experimental drug that increases his intelligence.

On top of Flowers for Algernon, this volume also includes Robert A. Heinlein’s time-twisting “All You Zombies…” You would think that would be enough to put this Ninth Series volume into the top tier of this series…but wait, there’s more!

Other top-notch stories: “Casey Agonistes,” by Richard McKenna, “What Rough Beast,” by Damon Knight, “The Pi Man,” by Alfred Bester. And then there’s one of Theodore Sturgeon’s best stories, “The Man Who Lost the Sea.”

The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Ninth Series is the best volume in this series so far and is full of excellent stories! Don’t miss this one! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• 7 • Introduction (The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series) • (1960) • essay by Robert P. Mills
• 9 • Flowers for Algernon • (1959) • novelette by Daniel Keyes
• 22 • Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: XI • [Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot • 11] • (1959) • short story by Reginald Bretnor [as by Grendel Briarton]
• 41 • Me • (1959) • poem by Hilbert Schenck
• 42 • A Different Purpose • (1958) • short story by Kem Bennett
• 62 • A Vampire’s Saga • (1959) • poem by Norman Belkin
• 63 • Ralph Wollstonecraft Hedge: A Memoir • (1959) • short story by Ron Goulart
• 67 • Sportsman’s Difficulty • (1959) • poem by Doris Pitkin Buck
• 68 • “All You Zombies …” • (1959) • short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• 81 • An Expostulation • (1959) • poem by C. S. Lewis
• 82 • Casey Agonistes • (1958) • short story by Richard McKenna [as by R. M. McKenna]
• 94 • Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: XII • [Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot • 12] • (1959) • short story by Reginald Bretnor [as by Grendel Briarton]
• 95 • Eastward Ho! • (1958) • short story by William Tenn
• 112 • Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: XIV • [Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot • 14] • (1959) • short story by Reginald Bretnor [as by Grendel Briarton]
• 114 • Soul Mate • (1959) • short story by Lee Sutton
• 130 • Call Me Mister • (1959) • poem by Anthony Brode
• 131 • What Rough Beast? • (1959) • novelette by Damon Knight
• 156 • Classical Query Composed While Shampooing • (1959) • poem by Doris Pitkin Buck
• 157 • Far from Home • (1958) • short story by Walter Tevis
• 161 • Space Burial • (1959) • poem by Brian W. Aldiss
• 162 • Invasion of the Planet of Love • [Venus/Earth Conflict] • (1959) • short story by George P. Elliott
• 173 • Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: X • [Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot • 10] • (1959) • short story by Reginald Bretnor [as by Grendel Briarton]
• 174 • Dagon • (1959) • short story by Avram Davidson
• 184 • Pact • (1959) • short story by Poul Anderson [as by Winston P. Sanders]
• 200 • To Give Them Beauty for Ashes • (1959) • poem by Winona McClintic
• 201 • No Matter Where You Go • (1959) • short story by Joel Townsley Rogers
• 223 • The Willow Tree • (1959) • short story by Jane Rice
• 233 • Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: XIII • [Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot • 13] • (1959) • short fiction by Reginald Bretnor [as by Grendel Briarton]
• 234 • The Pi Man • (1959) • short story by Alfred Bester
• 252 • The Man Who Lost the Sea • (1959) • short story by Theodore Sturgeon
• 264 • Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: XV • [Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot • 15] • (1959) • short story by Reginald Bretnor [as by Grendel Briarton]

In the liner notes to Up on the Roof: Songs From the Brill Building, Neil Diamond writes about how he got started in the music business. He sold songs for $50, sang backup on dozens of records, and he hung out with the top songwriters of that era. Diamond includes stories about Carol King and Gerry Goffin, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and, of course, Neil Sedaka. Diamond learned about record production from Phil Spector and Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and all the talented artists working in or near the Brill Building.

Up on the Roof is a tribute to the songwriters and producers who worked at the hit-making machine that was the Brill Building. But, as earnest as Diamond is, the result is a bit mixed. Surprisingly, Diamond does a nice job with “Love Potion Number Nine” and the Bacharach/David songs “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and “Don’t Make Me Over.”

Diamond is less successful with “Don’t Be Cruel” (who can surpass Elvis!) and “River Deep.” Still, it’s great to hear these wonderful songs. I have reviewed Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era by Ken Emerson (you can read my review here). And I have a couple Brill Building collections around here somewhere. But, until then, I’ll play Diamond’s Up on the Roof again. Do you remember these songs? Do you have any favorites? GRADE: B

Track Listing:

I was 14 years old when I first read Groff Conklin’s 12 Great Classics of Science Fiction back in 1963. In fact, I read a number of Groff Conklin anthologies during the 1960s and enjoyed them all. Conklin had a knack of assembling a group of stories with a little bit of something for every reader.

I loved “The Ballad of Lost C’Mell,” one of Cordwainer Smith’s most affecting stories. I didn’t know a lot about Love at that point in my Life, but I did know this story really moved me back when I was 14! I had read some A. Bertram Chandler novels in various ACE Doubles so I was prepared for Chandler’s sleight-of-hand in his puzzle tale, “The Cage.” Classic story!

Robert Sheckley’s “Human Man’s Burden” features a Mail Order Bride and snarky robots. Robert F. Young also uses a robot teacher to make a wise point about education.

If you’re looking for entertaining Science Fiction stories with a wide range of subjects, Conklin’s 12 Great Classics of Science Fiction will delight you! GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• “Introduction” (Groff Conklin) — 5
• “Due Process” (Algis Budrys) — 9
• “Earthmen Bearing Gifts” (Fredric Brown) — 27
• “Things” (Zenna Henderson) — 30
• “The Top” (George Sumner Albee) — 38
• “My Object All Sublime” (Poul Anderson) — 48
• “Human Man’s Burden” (Robert Sheckley) — 57
• “On the Fourth Planet” (J. F. Bone) — 72
• “The Ballad of Lost C’Mell” (Cordwainer Smith) –89
• “Thirty Days Had September” (Robert F. Young) — 110
• “The Cage” (A. Bertram Chandler) — 126
• “Star-Crossed Lover” (William W. Stuart) — 138
• “Immortality … for Some” (J. T. McIntosh) — 157

James Lapine has been nominated for 12 Tony Awards and won on three occasions for Best Book of a Musical–for Passion, Falsettos, and Into the Woods. Lapine has also won five Drama Desk Awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and a Peabody Award. So who would be better to write a book about how to put a Broadway musical together?

I’m always curious about how artists, performers, and singers are directed to produce a musical. Lapine goes step-by-step through the process of coming up with a concept, designing the sets, establishing the characters, determining the music, making key casting decisions, technical rehearsals, and previews.

In the case of Sunday in the Park With George, it was the idea to write a musical inspired by Georges Seurat’s 19th Century painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Latte. Lapine uses transcripts of conversations with Stephen Sondheim, photographs, script notes, sketches, and sheet music to show how things came together for an opening on Broadway on May 2, 1984.

I watched the DVD on Sunday in the Park With George and enjoyed Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters sing and dance across the screen. If you’re a fan of Broadway musicals, the book will show you how the magic is created and the DVD will show you the result. GRADE: A (for both)

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Prelude — xi

Dramatis personae — xiii
From Ohio to Sondheim — 1
Stephen Sondheim — 13
Sondheim goes off-Broadway — 51
Lapine goes Broadway — 137
The Booth Theater — 197
Finale — 351

Sunday in the Park With George — 259

Acknowledgments — 385