The Perpetual Beginner is part memoir, part musical instruction manual. Relating stories of his experiences as a young musician and music student in 1980's New York, author Dave Isaacs describes the key lessons that shaped his musical life and how they can help any aspiring musician at any age. The title refers to the average music hobbyist with more enthusiasm than skill or time to practice. Many people play for years without developing more than rudimentary abilities, and some become so frustrated by the struggle that they stagnate or quit. The stories in the book and the musical lessons they impart give these "perpetual beginners" the ideas, techniques, and encouragement that will help them begin to progress again. The title also references the Zen concept of "beginner's mind", a way of approaching any endeavor with the openness and zeal of a beginner regardless of experience. Maintaining a beginner's mindset removes many of the self-limiting beliefs and inhibitions that hold many people back, thus enabling the learning process - hence the book's subtitle, "A musician's path to lifelong learning." Author Dave Isaacs is a musician, performing songwriter, and teacher based in Nashville, where he is known as the "Guitar Guru of Music Row".

Mutual-fund superstar Peter Lynch and author John Rothchild explain the basic principles of the stock market and business in an investing guide that will enlighten and entertain anyone who is high-school age or older. Many investors, including some with substantial portfolios, have only the sketchiest idea of how the stock market works. The reason, say Lynch and Rothchild, is that the basics of investing—the fundamentals of our economic system and what they have to do with the stock market—aren’t taught in school. At a time when individuals have to make important decisions about saving for college and 401(k) retirement funds, this failure to provide a basic education in investing can have tragic consequences. For those who know what to look for, investment opportunities are everywhere. The average high-school student is familiar with Nike, Reebok, McDonald’s, the Gap, and the Body Shop. Nearly every teenager in America drinks Coke or Pepsi, but only a very few own shares in either company or even understand how to buy them. Every student studies American history, but few realize that our country was settled by European colonists financed by public companies in England and Holland—and the basic principles behind public companies haven’t changed in more than three hundred years. In Learn to Earn, Lynch and Rothchild explain in a style accessible to anyone who is high-school age or older how to read a stock table in the daily newspaper, how to understand a company annual report, and why everyone should pay attention to the stock market. They explain not only how to invest, but also how to think like an investor.

Capture the Natural World with Vibrant Works of Art Nature illustrator Rosalie Haizlett has hiked through countless forests with her sketchbook and watercolors, documenting the plants, animals and landscapes that she encounters. She has also taught tens of thousands of students to paint and appreciate nature’s beauty through her popular online classes and in-person workshops. In this book, Rosalie provides step-by-step instruction on how to paint 20 realistic insects, fungi, birds, botanicals and mammals in her vibrant wet- on-dry watercolor style. Pick up the skills you need to become a better observer in the outdoors, take your own reference photos and paint a wide variety of subjects so that you can continue to draw inspiration from nature long after you finish the projects in this book. You’ll also learn some fun nature facts along the way! Whether you’re a total beginner or ready to take your skills to the next level, Rosalie is here to walk you through every step of the process.

The Little Book: A Beginner's Guide to Finding Your Rhetorical Voice helps students communicate with confidence in their speaking and writing. The material facilitates self-discovery and critical thinking as students learn to assess the validity of their ideas and express themselves with clarity and integrity. Early chapters emphasize critical thinking as the basis for original rhetorical thought, provide tips for building sound arguments, and introduce the concepts of rhetoric and sophistry. Additional chapters address appropriate word choice, the importance of analyzing an audience, defining intent and purpose, and constructing logical claims supported by credible evidence. The second edition content reorganization and revision to enhance the clarity of the material, increase student engagement, update material, and expand upon key concepts. It features two new chapters, "Finding Your Rhetorical Voice," which was previously only a section within a chapter, and "Surveys and Scientific Studies: Some Caveats," which addresses the timely topics of fake news, scientific research, and critical thinking. The Little Book is an ideal resource for undergraduate courses in public speaking and professional writing.

This book studies the phenomenological ontology of breathing. It investigates breathing and air as a question of phenomenological philosophy and looks at phenomenological questions concerning respiratory methodology, ontological experience of respiration, respiratory spirituality and respiratory embodiment. Drawing on the ideas of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Gaston Bachelard, Martin Heidegger, Edmund Husserl, Luce Irigaray and David Kleinberg-Levin, the book argues for the ontological primacy of breathing and develops a new principle of philosophy that the author calls “Silence of Breath, Abyss/Yawn of Air”. It asserts that breathing is not a thing- or person-oriented relation but perpetual communication with the immense elemental atmosphere of open and free air. This new phenomenological method of breathing offers readers a chance to begin to wonder, rethink, re-experience and reimagine all questions of life in an innovative and creative way as aerial and respiratory questions of life. Part of the Routledge Critical Perspectives on Breath and Breathing series, the book breaks new ground in phenomenology and phenomenological ontology by offering a decisive and insightful treatment of breath. It will be indispensable for students and researchers of philosophy, phenomenology and ontology. It will also be of special interest to Merleau-Ponty scholars as it investigates uncharted dimensions of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy.

(Meredith Music Resource). Now's the time to practice smarter, not harder. It's time to Practice with Purpose ! Practice is everything if you want to improve as a musician. But, what and how do you practice effectively and with efficiency? This book contains 50 easy-to-use strategies scientifically proven and field-tested to improve musical skills. It includes practice plans for every level with examples from the world's greatest performers. It's an indispensable resource to immediately increase musical proficiency.

Unleash the song of your soul with Zen Guitar, a contemplative handbook that draws on ancient Eastern wisdom and applies it to music and performance. Each of us carries a song inside us, the song that makes us human. Zen Guitar provides the key to unlocking this song—a series of life lessons presented through the metaphor of music. Philip Sudo offers his own experiences with music to enable us to rediscover the harmony in each of our lives and open ourselves to Zen awareness uniquely suited to the Western Mind. Through fifty-eight lessons that provide focus and a guide, the reader is led through to Zen awareness. This harmony is further illuminated through quotes from sources ranging from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix to Miles Davis. From those who have never strummed a guitar to the more experienced, Zen Guitar shows how the path of music offers fulfillment in all aspects of life—a winning idea and an instant classic.