Recommendations based on "Conjunctions 16: The Music Issue"

There are few creative acts more mysterious and magical than writing a song. But what if the goal wasn't so mysterious and was actually achievable for anyone who wants to experience more magic and creativity in their life? That's something that anyone will be inspired to do after reading Jeff Tweedy's How to Write One Song.Why one song? Because the difference between one song and many songs isn't a cute semantic trick—it's an important distinction that can simplify a notoriously confusing art form. The idea of becoming a capital-S songwriter can seem daunting, but approached as a focused, self-contained event, the mystery and fear subsides, and songwriting becomes an exciting pursuit.And then there is the energizing, nourishing creativity that can open up. How to Write One Song brings readers into the intimate process of writing one song—lyrics, music, and putting it all together—and accesses the deep sense of wonder that remains at the heart of this curious, yet incredibly fulfilling, artistic act. But it’s equally about the importance of making creativity part of your life every day, and of experiencing the hope, inspiration, and joy available to anyone who’s willing to get started.

The definitive exploration―told in revelatory detail―of the writing, recording, and release of John Lennon’s celebrated and magical fourth solo album Mind Games, and the era that inspired it.Described by Yoko Ono as "ahead of its time," Mind Games is a breakthrough album from John Lennon in which he employs a Plastic Ono Band comprising the cream of the crop of New York session musicians―a fan favorite that remains a cult classic ever since its first release on October 29, 1973. This insightful and beautiful book presents handwritten lyrics, letters, artworks by Lennon and Ono, and previously unseen photography alongside their firsthand commentary about the lyrics, songs, and album artwork, as well as contributions from the musicians, friends, engineers, and key figures involved in the making of this landmark album.Mind Games was the product of an exceptionally turbulent time for the Lennons. While Nixon and Hoover were attempting to have Lennon deported, John and Yoko endured endless litigations and as the popular press turned on them once again, they bravely rose above it all, continuing their campaigns for non-violent peaceful protest to end the war in Vietnam and for equal rights for women. It was also an exciting time when they both re-embraced mysticism and magical thinking. In this sumptuous volume, text and images from the key players are woven together to reveal not only the details behind the creation, recording, and release of this groundbreaking commercial and skillfully crafted recording, but also to shed new light on a period of transformation and experimentation for Lennon and Ono.Publication will coincide with extensive publicity surrounding the release of a completely remixed and reissued 6 x CD / 2 x BluRay digital edition of Mind Games, together with two deluxe Mind Games boxsets, bringing the album to a new generation of listeners. 750 color illustrations

Few Cinematographers Have Had As Decisive An Impact On The Cinematic Medium As John Alton, Best Known For His Highly Stylized Film Noir Classics. Hollywood Photography -- Motion Picture Illumination -- Mystery Lighting -- Special Illumination -- The Hollywood Close-up -- Outdoor Photography -- Symphony In Snow -- Ocean Voyage -- Visual Music -- The Portrait Studio -- The Laboratory -- Day And Night, Ladies, Watch Your Light -- Motion Picture Theatres -- The World Is A Huge Television Studio And We Are All Photographers. John Alton ; Introduction By Todd Mccarthy. Originally Published: New York : Macmillan, 1949. With New Introductory Material And Filmography. Filmography: P. Xxxv-xxxix

One of the most common questions new writers ask professionals is how they wrote their book—what was their process for storytelling? Did they use an outline to plan the book, or write it from the seat of their pants? But really the question should be about the general principles and nature of storycraft—does every part of a story have what it needs to keep readers turning the pages? Bestselling author and creator of StoryFix.com Larry Brooks changes the sound of the writing conversation by introducing a series of detailed criteria for novelists of every level and genre to refer to while writing, regardless of their preferred writing method. Beginning with the broadest part of the story, the early checklists help writers to ensure that their novel is based on a premise rather than an idea, and gradually hones in on other elements to keep the story moving forward including: ·         dramatic tension ·         narrative strategy ·         scene construction Readers won't know or care about the process. But what Brooks offers here is a chance for readers to make the most of whichever process they choose, and in doing so cut years off their learning curve.

Bestselling author of Ella Enchanted and fairy-tale master Gail Carson Levine shares her secrets of great writing in this companion to the popular Writing Magic.Have you ever wanted to captivate readers with a great opening, create spectacular and fantastical creatures, make up an entire country, realize a dastardly villain, write an epic love story, or make your characters leap off the page? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Gail Carson Levine can help you achieve your goals.Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine offers a behind-the-scenes take on writing and teaches you how to become a world-class author. Drawing from her popular blog, Gail answers readers' fiction- and poetry-writing questions and dives into how to make a story come alive. If you're interested in writing prose and poetry or just want to be a better and more rounded writer, this book will help you on your creative journey.With her trademark humor and vast writing knowledge, Gail Carson Levine reveals the tricks of her trade, writer to writer.Supports the Common Core State Standards

'The best book on the subject I've read. Quite brilliant' Tony Jordan, creator/writer, Life on Mars, HustleWe all love stories. But why do we tell them? And why do all stories function in an eerily similar way? John Yorke, creator of the BBC Writers' Academy, has brought a vast array of drama to British screens. Here he takes us on a journey to the heart of storytelling, revealing that there truly is a unifying shape to narrative forms - one that echoes the fairytale journey into the woods and, like any great art, comes from deep within. From ancient myths to big-budget blockbusters, he gets to the root of the stories that are all around us, every day.'Marvellous' Julian Fellowes'Terrifyingly clever ... Packed with intelligent argument' Evening Standard'The most important book about scriptwriting since William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade' Peter Bowker, writer, Blackpool, Occupation, Eric and Ernie

Punk revitalized rock in the mid-Seventies, but the movement soon degenerated into self-parody. Rip It Up and Start Again is the first book-length celebration of what happened next: post-punk bands who dedicated themselves to fulfilling punk's unfinished musical revolution. 1978-1984 rivals the sixties for the sheer amount of fabulous music created, the spirit of adventure and possibility that infused it, and the way the sounds felt inextricably connected to the political and social turbulence of the day. Simon Reynolds, acclaimed author of Energy Flash, recreates a time of tremendous urgency and idealism in pop music. Packed with anecdote and insight, populated by charismatic and maverick characters, Rip It Up And Start Again stands as one of the most inspired and inspiring books on popular music ever written.

From the storytelling experts at The Moth, an interactive card deck that uses true stories to encourage lively conversations, spark creativity, and improve your public speaking abilities.Since 1997, The Moth has engaged thousands of fans through their celebrated live shows, workshops, and The Moth Radio Hour and The Moth Podcast. A Game of Storytelling features 100 themes, including Love Hurts, Mama Rules, Busted, Fuel to the Fire, Lifelines, Hot Mess, Chemistry, Duped, and many more. Over 300 additional prompts offer riffs on the themes to spark your stories.There are multiple ways to play:• All In: Pull a card and ask everyone at the table to share a story based on the theme and prompts.• Getting to Know You: Each player gets a card and shares a story based on their card’s theme and prompts.• Best in Show: Teams of two swap stories based on a card theme and prompts, then decide which story to share with the larger group.• Competitive StorySLAM: The host pulls a card at random then reads the theme and prompts. Players think of a story and pitch it to the group by sharing three key words related to it. The players then vote on which story they want to hear!Use these cards with friends, family, colleagues, classmates, and roommates to connect and revel in the things that make you laugh cry, think deeply, and reimagine the world.

Here is the captivating story of humankind’s enduring quest to build a better language—and overcome the curse of Babel. Just about everyone has heard of Esperanto, which was nothing less than one man’s attempt to bring about world peace by means of linguistic solidarity. And every Star Trek fan knows about Klingon. But few people have heard of Babm, Blissymbolics, Loglan (not to be confused with Lojban), and the nearly nine hundred other invented languages that represent the hard work, high hopes, and full-blown delusions of so many misguided souls over the centuries. With intelligence and humor, Arika Okrent has written a truly original and enlightening book for all word freaks, grammar geeks, and plain old language lovers.

In this book Walter Piston again displays those qualities that distinguished his earlier books, Harmony and Counterpoint. Again he draws upon his own wide knowledge and experience as composer and teacher to present all phases of the subject. No practical aspect of instrumentation for the orchestra is neglected, and comprehensive treatment is given to each significant component.The author approaches orchestration from the premise that the principles can best be presented by analysis of music as it has been written.The essentials of instrument combination discussed here are those which can be observed operating in the scores of great composers from Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven down to our own day.Orchestration is notable for the clarity and logic of its organization. From a consideration of the individual instruments and their technical problems the author skillfully develops his analysis of orchestration, covering his analysis of orchestration, covering instrumentation of primary and secondary melodies, part-writing, chords, and contrapuntal techniques. Finally, he discusses typical problems in orchestration together with some examples of their solutions.Orchestration is profusely illustrated with hundreds of musical examples and with drawings of the various musical instruments that make up the modern orchestra.