Sveda is nothing if not opinionated, so some of the reviews are pretty entertaining. Used this to add to my music collection. Works okay, but basically it's the first version of something you've heard that sets the standard by which all other versions are based, so you might as well buy anything and learn to love that.

Jim Svejda's guide is a rather creative and witty book for reviewing classical recordings. In many cases he expresses an enthusiastic joy for certain compositions and recordings; in other cases, he has total scorn. I often just like reading this guide just to read more ways to deliver a witty insult.

As to the subject of the reviews,it's also helpful for a newcomer to classical music such as myself to read and learn of some of the great landmark recordings. That said, because this book is one of the earlier editions, one should keep in mind that there are also many great contemporary recordings as well, and some of them have arguably subplanted some of the older ones. Nonetheless, this guide is worthwhile. ( )

By far the most interesting and thorough annotated discography of classical recorded CDs. I came of age listening to Jim Svejda's show on KUSC and found reading his comments about each recording more than entertaining. My well worn (and autographed) copy has served me wellover the years and although Svejda has published other, similar, books this one remains my favorite. Whith comments like:

"Once, when filling out an application for a summer job, on that line next to "other" under the heading of Religion, I wrote Mozart. The personnel officer was not amused, but then, I hadn't intended it as a joke. For there was a time when I was convinced that Mozart was at least as divinely inspired as Moses, Christ, the Buddha, Lao-tzu, or Mohammed, and I suppose I still am. For in no other works of the human imagination can the divine spirit be heard more distinctly than in the miraculous music this often vulger, unpleasant, and difficult man produced during his pathetically brief thirty-five years. Were this book to do him justice, the section devoted to Mozart's music would take up more than half the total pages."

How can you possibly go wrong?! Two thumbs waaaay up for this title. ( )