No comments about 365 Days of Handbags Calendar 2009 (Picture a Day Wall Calendars).

5 comments about Sarah Moon: Coincidences.

1. This book is almost a course in artistic photography, from page one to the end.
   Her "de-focusing" technique is superb, it metaphors "a-temporality" or the aeternal as most of her work. Her subjects and themes are very original and the color section is astonishing.
   Do not miss the opportunity to have this jewel on your library.



2. Hmmm... "too much technique"... very interesting, this reminds me of the reaction of the art world to the inclusion of photography as an art form back about 40 years ago.. "not enough technique"... But, now we have an artist, using photo graphic images she has taken, and manipulating them in the most incredible and extraordinary ways. These go way beyond photography, yet have the sense of caught moments in early photo history using silver plate technique.
   Regrets? Yes, the cover, though handsome, seems cheap and too fragile to include with the excellent quality of the photo reproductions inside; and I would like to have more information on her "techniques." I feel that Sarah is probably afraid to discuss it since she will likely be snubbed by the photographic world, especially if she does anything outside of a dark room with conventional tools, very sad.



3. I wanted to like this book and I probably would have liked it more if it had been about 1/3 as long. The technique weighs down the images and I could only take small doses. Not that it's a bad technique, it's just too redundant for my taste when presented in this quantity.



4. Sarah Moon creates enchanting visual poetry in an exquisitely produced book.



5. The previous reviews cover the quality of the images in this book. I cannot say it any better. So, I'll touch on one little pet peeve I have.

   I'm puzzled that Arena Editions would release this book with such an inferior cover. The compressed, uncoated cardboard cover just invites disaster! Not only is it prone to staining, it is also VERY susceptible to moisture and denting... much more than the average hardcover

   I know, I know... "you should be careful when handling books... blah blah blah" That doesn't do away with the fact that this book demands to be handled! The images are too good to let this simply be a "coffee table" book. This is a sure fire page turner that must be protected in some way.

   Before purchasing this book, I STRONGLY suggest you also purchase some soft cotton gloves and a book cover of some sort; and most of all, don't out it on the coffee table!!!

No comments about Uniforms Exposed (Dress, Body, Culture).

3 comments about The Great T-Shirt Book: Make Your Own Spectacular, One-Of-A-Kind Designs.

1. If you have a bored teenager on your hands, this is the book to get. Some supplies from the craft store, and you're ready to unleash your creativity and wear it to school...



2. This a nice simple book on how to start decorating your T-shirts. The instructions are simple but I would have had the sample pictures near the instructions instead of at the end. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it for beginners, it inspires you to give is a go.



3. Interested in designing your own T-shirts but can't decide between techniques? This is a fun book --providing basic techniques for tie-dye, marbling, batik, stamping, and more. The illustrations are wonderful and inspiring. The instructions are really simple. Within days of purchasing this book I was dyeing and painting a handful of hand-me-down baby clothes. Serious fun!

3 comments about Zipper: An Exploration in Novelty (Reprint).

1. This is the fascinating story of this marvel of "ingenious and effective design" that everybody today takes for granted. From the late 19th century invention of the hookless (but bugfull) fastener that was sold door to door by peddlers to today's ubiquitous zipper, it is the story of the Hookless Fastener Company's and others' decades-long search for mass volume consumer applications and how it eluded them one after another until Goodrich introduced its Zipper boots.

   It is the story of how and why the design evolved over time. It is the story of the people behind this innovation, and it is the story of how a little company grew to become a 5000 employee leading company in 1937 and then lost its grip on the market as its innovation got universally adopted.

   R. Friedel illustrates in the most interesting and convincing way how a discontinuous innovation like the zipper gets accepted: one successful application at a time. There is much to be learned in this fascinating story for impatient entrepreneurs and whoever wonders how to bring innovative products to mainstream markets.

   A great read. Highly recommended.




2. This is the history of the zipper's evolution from unwanted gizmo to ubiquitous tool. The story of the tinkerers who invented it, the hucksters who sold it, and the businessmen who persevered and - at last - succeeded with it is not very different from those of many 19th-century inventions. This is one of the most interesting to read about. The emphasis is more on the early "hookless fastener" devices than on the zipper we know today.



3. The above reviewer (atlanta) does the book a disservice. Zipper is a wonderful read, from top to bottom,a nd I have even re-read the book. I don't usually re-read anything! In fact, I gave a copy to a business colleague since it is exactly such an interesting confluence of industrial and business history!

   Buy the book. It's highly enjoyable reading. Not technical, not threatening, but a wonderful romp through the difficulties and challenges of building the common everyday object, the Zipper. Esp3ecially noteworth is the author's research into the zipper's international marketing and the zipper's socio-cultural impacts.

No comments about Perry's Dept Store: an importing simulation.

2 comments about Fragrance: The Story of Perfume from Cleopatra to Chanel.

1. The information presented in this book is amazing in its scope and depth. Histories of anything usually leave me bored, but I was thoroughly impressed by the unusual yet thorough way Morris presented the information. It is not intended to be a how-to manual. The word history in the title should tell you that. If you just want to know how to make perfume, soap, candles, etc. and don't want to be knowledgeable about your product then this is not for you. Personally, I found it fascinating.



2. I rented this book out from the library hoping to learn more about the steps taken to create a fragrance. Unfortunately, the information there is sparse compared to the amount of time the author spends on the history of fragrance. The chapter on essential oils is excellent and provides a nice introduction. The section on the business of fragrance is paltry. The author writes well and the information is straightforward.

1 comments about Maria Felix.

1. This is a lovely book of photos of the famous Mexican actress Maria Felix, who was enormously popular and strikingly beautiful. Her real life was fascinating although she was not well known among American film audiences. My main complaint about this book is that all but one of the photos have been published multiple times in other books and magazines throughout her long career. Also some of the photos are printed in reverse (almost like a mirror image) I find this quite annoying .But it is always nice to see the beauty of this woman!!

No comments about Sustainable Design for Interior Environments.

2 comments about Women's Wear of the 1930's: With Complete Patterns.

1. For what it is this book is over priced. I didn't find the patterns that unusual, or the garments interesting. Using the patterns is restricted.



2. If you are an experienced sewer who wants to make your own clothing from the 1930s, this is the book for you. It doesn't have hats or hose, but it has everything else from foundation garments to outerwear. A big plus for this book is that for a few of the garments, they give the pattern drawing and a photo of the complete garmment on a real person. The book is also a good resource for dating the patterns in your pattern collection, as it gives the general outline of styles from each year of the 1930s. To use the patterns, you must be an experience sewer, as the patterns must be enlarged and the directions are sketchy.