5 comments about Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America.

1. Wright has a brisk style and his story from the origins of Superhero comic books in 1938 to the mid 1990s decline due to an overheated market, is familiar enough. He certainly has read a lot of comics and it shows. As the reviews here suggest this book has become a standard history of comic books and American culture. Since I write on comics myself my comments may seem snippy, but they come from an engagement with Wright's work and the wish he had done just a little more given the good work he has produced. My reservation about the book is that too much of Wright's argument is about the way comic books reflected American culture and too little suggests ways comic books may have shaped American culture. For instance, Wright thinks comic books worthy of study in that they offer "a fun-house mirror of life" (xiv). That statement is true enough, but any product of a society offers some way of understanding that society. With comics (and indeed most goods and services, literature and so on) I think scholars can delve a little deeper and try to understand the ways they might have helped shape societies.



2. A scholarly yet extremely readable and enjoyable account of the history of comics and how they fit into and reflect American culture since the 1930's. Mr. Wright's account of Frederic "Seduction of the Innocent" Wertham and his attacks on the comic book industry in the late 1940's and early 1950's is the most thoughtful and even-handed I have ever read. This book belongs alongside Gerard Jones' wonderful Men Of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book as the best overall histories of the comics ever written. It's very informative and highly entertaining, a truly terrific read.



3. If you have a passion for comics or for American culture this is really a great book. It's a lot bigger than I thought. It's also a lot more fun then I thought. It isn't a dry read at all. Engaging and interesting, I would recommend this to anyone.



4. There is simply too much that is not discussed for this to be a truly effective book, including most of DC and Marvel's non-superhero output, so that their war, western, and romance comics are neglected and the horror boom of the 1970s is largely ignored. The many superhero comics of the 60s that were published by companies other than DC and Marvel are also overlooked. Harvey and Gold Key are barely mentioned and to read this book, you would think that Charlton only printed war comics.



5. I don't know that I can write this review without injecting it with ample amount of gushing praise, but I will try.
   
   I teach media and communications at the college level and have been studying pop culture and its effect on society for over 20 years.
   
   That said, this book was only on the periphery of my attention for some time. It took me seeing it was used as a text for a course a fellow instructor at Penn State to buy it and read it.
   
   To say "I couldn't put it down" is cliche, but I honestly could NOT resist reading this book. I often read several books at a time, but this book demanded my constant attention.
   
   While it covers the same ground as many histories of comic books do (in particular Men of Tomorrow), and while many comic fans who have studied their favorite medium's past will already be familiar with many of the points Wright brings up in Comic Book Nation, this book is never less than entertaining and enlightening.
   
   What makes it a bit different from other histories is not so much that Wright is a comic lover, but that he lets that love shine through.
   
   He makes no aplogies when comics made him (and probably many of his reader) cringe and also praises creators, creations, and comics where praise is needed.
   
   He also offers the most balanced account of the oft-discussed Seduction of the Innocent era of comic books I have read to date.
   
   This book is a joy.

4 comments about Splash 10 Passionate Brushstrokes (Splash).

1. The last "Splash 10" book is really a fantastic book. So many great paintings and creative artists make you want to get your brushes out and start painting.
   
   The inspiration they provide is a great gift. A very well-worth purchase.



2. I have most of the Splash series and I think 10 is one of the best yet. I love to see what other watercolorists can do. Their imagination abilities are truly remarkable. Splash 10 is also special to me as my teacher, Susan Stuller, has two paintings included.
   
   Marti Franks



3. Book ten already! I wonder if the folks at North Light thought Splash would last from January 1991 to May 2008 for the latest edition. Especially when you consider the number of books out there. Put 'watercolor painting' into Amazon's advance search and more than 8,000 titles pop up, try 'watercolor instruction' for more than 800!
   
   I mentioned in my review of book nine that I thought the contents rather subdued in comparison with previous editions and ten does rather continue that impression. I must admit that I have no idea about the criteria for inclusion in this series but selection is probably based on what is available and maybe there just aren't many eye-stopping paintings around. I'm thinking here of Deborah Rubin's tram painting in book eight or Hosey Hutson's beautiful painting of the side of a barn made up from 7-UP signs in book six.
   
   So what does this latest book have to offer. There is certainly no reduction in quality from the ninety-nine artists included and the range of styles is as wide as previous books. Dan Burt's included again (he's also in book seven and eight) with his amazingly flamboyant casual brushstrokes and so is Soon Warren's glass bowl with flowers done in an almost photorealist technique. Ted Nuttall (also in book eight) contributes a lovely portrait rather reminiscent of Charles Reid's style: an apparent casualness of color and brushstrokes that makes it look so easy but is in fact the epitome of creativity and professionalism. John Salminen lives in the Minnesota woods and so is intrigued by big cities. He has two paintings that nicely capture the feel of a metropolis, his starting point are his own city photos. As with previous editions all the artists write about their techniques and inspiration.
   
   Book ten is the same size as the others, printed on good paper with a 175 screen. The paintings are divided into seven sections with the usual favorites: landscapes, still life, flowers (with some really good exhibits) and people. I always thought the design of the series rather good, clean and uncluttered but this book has a rather annoying design conceit: there are three examples of display type printed on the paintings. This seems to me a totally unnecessary idea, empty areas of a painting are there for a reason and not to be considered as an optional place to add text. I've not noticed this in previous books.
   
   Despite the fact that this tenth book (like the ninth) doesn't quite come up to the creative exuberance of the previous eight it still has plenty of wonderful watercolors to inspire you and the series still continues the very high painting selection one has come to expect.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



4. Rachel Rubin Wolf must be doing something right with now a tenth in the series. The Splash series is a collection of current watercolor artists and some of their most inspiring work.
   
   This one is Passionate Brushstrokes. The colors, the ideas, the perspective of the paintings are once again terrific.
   
   It is especially helpful, as an artist, to read from each artist their breakthroughs, their inspiration, their secrets along with each painting in the book.
   
   It is not a how-to book but looking through the book is motivating and inspiring if you are trying to get a new painting going.

5 comments about The Art and Craft of Playwriting.

1. This book really is great for anyone just starting out in the playwriting field and if you've got experience writing plays behind you. I was in the midst of writing a new musical when I picked this book up for graduate school. Reading this book while writing helped to immediately put into practice what Hatcher was saying. It also helped me to answer a few questions I had about my own piece as well as keep me on course with my project.



2. This is the only book on the market that makes the process clear and exciting without long, dry chapters of lecturing. Hatcher gives you inspiring exercises along with a dose of terminology that balances perfectly. Buy this if you are teaching playwriting at the college level, or if you want to give it a try on your own.



3. Wonderful book. It's like taking a college course on playwriting, with a great teacher. It's very helpful.



4. Keep re-reading it over and over again. Don't ever let it leave your bedside table. Written with razor sharp simplicity, organised ingeniously and written with a scholarly expertise.



5. I checked this book out from the library, but now I must buy my own copy to keep. I've been having problems developing second act story complications without completely deconstructing my original set up and concept. The suggested techniques in this book of asking questions --somewhat like a reporter or investigator would in uncovering a life mystery-- to find the story are unique. I actually found myself with pen and paper WANTING to participate in the questions and exercises. No other manual has inspired me this way.

5 comments about Modeling the Figure in Clay (Practical Craft Books).

1. This excellent book teaches you accurate anatomy at the same time as providing quality instruction on figure sculpting.



2. I am an artist who love to make detailed art work in my drawing and sculpture. I love art, but it cannot become my life career. While unable to attend any art class but despreately want to learn I look in to books for answers. And I found this book. I find my answers to the detail I'm looking for in this book. The book shows you how the artist create a female body sculpture starting from bone to muscle, and from muscle to skin. This book is a good resource to me. As my own Christmas presents I bought it.



3. This book is more helpful than Lucchesi's other guides. There is a lot of practicle info here which will help you get familiar with figure sculpting. I would say that this book as actually about as helpful as taking a beginning figure sculpture class, and the techniques are very solid. I am actually a pretty tough critic, and a 4 star review for an art instruction book coming from me is pretty rare (check out my other reviews for art books if you don't believe me).



4. So appreciate that Bruno took the time to produce this book so that those of us who arent able to attend his workshops, have the opportunity to learn.A master of anatonomy who presents the process in pictorial stages we can clearly follow.A must have figure form book.



5. both this and 'Modeling the Head in Clay' are the best books I've seen on the subject.
   
   Highly recommended

4 comments about A History of Western Art.

1. This is undoubtedly the best available introduction to Western art. Although designed primarily for the college textbook market, where it is the leading one-semester text, it should also appeal to the lay reader. The hardback edition is beautifully produced and should find a place on many coffee tables. The illustrations are generally of a very high quality (most of them are in color).



2. This book has wonderful pictures and gives an excellent overview from ancient to post modernism art. The descriptions are pretty brief though, and do not go into great detail on any particular artist. However, it's an excellent book to get a general idea of the evolution of western art. The book covers significant art movements, and some minor ones as well.



3. This is a textbook from my college art history class. A lot of cool pictures. A good general overview of western art history. But don't expect a detail description of famous artists like Picasso, Monet, etc.



4. This is a great book, contanis many color pictures and excellent information. I recommend you to buy this book. It's perfect!!!

5 comments about The Mirror of the Artist: Northern Renaissance Art in its Historical Context.

1. Art historian and art history student must hav. The book contains fabulous images and amazing insight into the period in which the images were created.



2. THIS BOOK ARRIVED WITH PERFECT TIMING AND CONDITION!
   I WAS VERY PLEASED!



3. Overall, this is a good introduction to Northern Renaissance art and the cultural mindset that produced it.
   
   Like many works of revisionist history, this book is a bit heavy-handed at times in its effort to prove that Northern art is as worthy of study as Italian Renaissance art. But overall, the contrast between the two different artistic traditions is effective.



4. I've loved the art of this period for years, but had little academic grounding in it. This book lets me return to old favorites with new eyes.

   This, in common with other volumes in the "Perspectives" series, offers high quality (though small) reproductions of important works, up-to-date analysis and discussion of the art and the contexts in which it was created. Harbison's tone is informative, if ocasionally a little too sententious. But it's a very small price to pay, given the overall excellence of his work in this volume. It's obvious that Harbison loves this period, and he transmits his excitement for these works to the reader in concise language that is accessible to a lay audience.

   Of particular interest is the discussion of how the Northern Rennaisance related to and differed from what was going on in Italy at the time. The only major weakness: not enough of a focus on Durer. But it's hard to get sufficient focus on any artist in a book this condensed.

   An excellent book for those familiar with the period, or those wanting to get acquainted with a school of art often unjustly overshadowed by its southern contemporary.




5. Informative, smart and well-written, Craig Harbison's "The Mirror of the Artist" provides an excellent, brief introduction to the sensibility, historical context, and practice of art in the North. From the attitude toward realism, to patronage among the growing class of government bureaucrats, to the market for art or the influence of the Reformation, the book offers an enhanced understanding of artistic interest and social situations in which the paintings were made -- without ever forgetting their aesthetic dimension. The best tribute I can offer is that I immediately went back to Amazon to order Harbison's "Jan Van Eyck: The Play of Realism", a $35 large format paperback. Minor quibble: Although well-illustrated for a paperback this size, with the book just about 6.25" x 9.5", more details should have been illustrated when details were discussed in larger works. (I'm still looking for the barely visible figure of the devil above the cow in the "Portinari Altarpiece".) But this is a rare problem.

2 comments about Nineteenth Century European Art, 2nd Edition.

1. I have read this book and used it as a reference resource. As per the critical reviews, a highly readable narrative of nineteenth century art. Gives insight not only onto artists and their work, but also onto the economic, social, and political factors of the nineteenth century and how they affected and influenced art making. Fluid writing, well presented scholarly arguments, excellent supporting images.



2. I would type in a review if I had received the book. I needed it for my University Art History paper and am very disappointed that I did not receive it. Also the refund I received was $NZ11.00 short due to fees or exchange rate. I will not be using Amazon again.

3 comments about 1,000 Restaurant Bar and Cafe Graphics: From Signage to Logos and Everything in Between (1000 Series).

1. This book has a lot of very interesting usages for artwork and logos in the restaurant industry, but also includes a nice variety of design principles that can be used in many other applications.



2. I was looking for a book that showed more branding within the space, rather than all the 'extras' like menus, etc. Maybe the coverage in the book was too broad so they had to include equal coverage on each category (signs, menus), so they sacrificed on the interior/environmental design category. Also the 1000 is misleading - there seemed to be a lot of images from the same restaurants within each chapter in the book. If I were looking for a book on menu design, I'd buy it separately. That whole chapter was of little importance to me (based on what I thought the book would be about). I would not recommend this book for a designer looking for inspiration for environmental design/branding of restaurants. It wasn't comprehensive in this regard at all.



3. This 1000 series is wonderful and this is an excellent example. It really stands out in the sea of graphic design annuals that are poorly designed and are questionably juries.

1 comments about The Arts and the Creation of Mind.

1. Mr. Eisner explain the applications of the skills fostered by the fine arts educational experience. Giving especific examples, the author illuminates the dark side of the fine arts usefullness. On chapter four (soul of the book) deals with what can be expected from the fine arts experience and the real application of the acquired skills. More important, Eisner highlight the fact that the student has a self motivated and intrinsic satisfaction experience when learning thru the arts, something quite difficult to achieve with academics matters.

5 comments about Finding Your Visual Voice: A Painter's Guide to Developing an Artistic Style.

1. I am truly enjoying this book. It has helped me reflect on my artwork, as well as validate my subject preferences and style. In addition, the artist interviews and works featured are inspirational. It is a great addition to any artist's library.



2. I received this beautiful book as a gift and have found it to be a wonderful companion in my studio. First of all it is packed with delicious colored photographs and painting reproductions on high quality paper. The concealed spiral binding makes it extra user friendly when lying on my drawing table but easy to retrieve from the book shelves (where it rarely stays). I found the interviews with artists to be insightful, perceptive and fun. I have enjoyed picking it up so many times and spending a couple minutes reading a gem that gives me the inspiration I need to move forward with my own work.
   Thanks Dakota for a terrificly thought provoking book that distills and honors the creative process.



3. This book is an easy-to-follow guide to sort out your own style of creative expression. I'm not a painter, but I have started dabbling in mosaic. I'm convinced that this book can help anyone interested in forming and developing their unique style in any visual art medium.
   
   The book is spiral-bound which means it can lay flat on the table while you refer to it. I love this feature. The chapters flow logically from recognizing your inspiration and suitable subject matter, to more technical topics like lines, composition, and process. The information is presented simply, with many examples to illustrate each point. Contemporary painters offer their advice through carefully guided interviews throughout the book. The most clever aspect of the book is the chance to review and reflect on each topic through end-of-the-chapter questions. Finally, exercises help you to apply what you have discovered about yourself and your art. Finding Your Visual Voice is a process of developing self awareness and you are gently guided through that process with this excellent book.



4. At first glance this book gave me the impression that it really was going to be a visual delight. The format of the pictures and interviews were a creative way to feel as if I were there with each artist Ms Mitchell interviewed. I am just beginning to experiment with the idea of artistic painting. This book has a variety of methods and formats to chose from if I want to experiment in various areas. As a teacher, I like the exercises at the end of each chapter. This book could be used for art classes as well as just for information about painting.



5. This book has been an inspiration to myself and several of my artist friends. It really helps you focus on your individual style and helps you find techniques that are best suited you personally. The layout is exceptional, and I loved the workbook style which allows you to experiment and use the various information provided by the guest artists.
   I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in painting, no matter what level they are. What artist, or person for that matter, wouldn't benefit from learning to find and listen to their "inner voice"?