Paul Oliver

Crimson
$9.99
I just want to add, for anyone who might stumble upon this, that in the extras for this dvd, there is a black-out occurring about 8 minutes into the bonus footage, and it lasts several minutes. I wrote Image to see if this was a defect on my personal copy, and they responded that this defect was apparent in the original negative source, and therefore is present on every copy of the dvd. I've asked other persons who own this dvd if their copies possess the same defect, but no one ever responds, so keep that in mind. It is doubtful that another release of this film will ever come to fruition, so its hardly a complaint, but it just happens to occur in a pivotal scene involving the most interesting character in the movie. Why then, was this segment even included??

Built to Meet Needs: Cultural Issues in Vernacular Architecture
$63.95
The study of vernacular architecture explores the characteristics of domestic buildings in particular regions or localities, and the many social and cultural factors that have contributed to their evolution. In this book, vernacular architecture specialist Paul Oliver brings together a wealth of information that spans over two decades, and the whole globe. Some previously unpublished papers, as well as those only available in hard to find conference proceedings, are brought together in one volume to form a fascinating reference for students and professional architects, as well as all those involved with planning housing schemes in their home countries and overseas.

* Draws together a fascinating collection of elusive essays from a leading author on vernacular architecture

* Includes research and case studies from all continents

* Covers a wide range of issues relating to vernacular architecture including economies, technologies, inherited skills, social and family structures, physical needs, belief systems and symbolism

The Story Of The Blues
$24.95
I'm not faulting the research, which is comprehensive; it is the format that the author chooses to present this information that is so difficult to digest. On any given page there are as many as 15 different names with barely enough information about each artist to differentiate them from one another. The book is so short and so densely packed that it is difficult to absorb the information. The author uses the regionalization of the Blues as it traveled from the South to the North as his basis for examination; occasionally throwing in lyrics or musical notes to support a point, but their inclusion seems to be haphazard at best. If you are looking for a tremendous amount of information about the Blues this is fine, but if you are looking for an enjoyable read, look elswhere.

Songsters and Saints: Vocal Traditions on Race Records
$36.99
It is a crime that this wonderful book is not available in an inexpensive edition but only in a collectible price because it is effectively out of print.
It provides a real history of the music that preceded the Blues and Dorsey-based Gospel in and outside of the recording music and makes an essential contribution to the history of the Blues and African American music in the 1880-1930 period. Oliver speaks about factors left out of most discussion of the Blues. For example, he surveys the very large repertoire of Ragtime and pseudo ragtime tunes that were part of the repertoire of early Blues singers and he suggests how this music may have been one of the initial building blocks of the blues. Oliver also discusses the wave of Black Southern vernacular dances that conquered the South and much of the nation in the early 20th century which were key to the development of new Black musics in those years.

When you first read this, you will wish you had bought this book sooner!