5 comments about Sante D'Orazio A Private View: Photographs and Diary.

1. Sometimes I prefer unknown models or non-models due to the fact that they are fresh to the eyes; yet the famous models/actors/celebs in this book are photographed so beautifully that it really does give a fresh angle to the photos. Some famous photographer's books are too intent in boasting all the famous people they have worked with- but this book is not one of them! Filled with gorgeous people, some famous, others not, the book is also dotted with museum stubs, plane tickets, postcards, and scribblings from D'Orazio and others; giving a "scrapbook" feeling, and making the title of a Private View most appropriate. Yet do not think these "extras" are excessive. They are a side dish to the main course of the book: beautiful photos. A necessity in any photography buff's collection or any bookshelf of the art-inclined. My personal favorites are the six glorious pages of Rachel Williams. I have never heard of her, but the combination of her classic beauty, deep expression and D'Orazio's skill are quite impressive. The would-be eroticism takes a back seat to the elements of beauty given by model and photographer. Another great element to the book is the discarded photos, for example the pics of Stephanie Seymour for Playboy include some not published in the magazine. A fabulously gorgeous book filled with a vast array of eye candy for the photography lover.



2. D'Orazio's wonderful photo collection of the famous and not so famous is worth the price of the book just for the four pages devoted to the gender bending Jaye Davidson who has helped this gay reader accept and enjoy himself. Candid photo's of Christie and Naomi, Matt Dillon, Dennis Hopper, Claudia Schiffer, John Travolta and on and on... give personal insights into celebities I have never encounterd in the fashion magazines or the tabloids. This collection is fun, revealing, and, at times, upsetting. And worth every penny.



3. The book gives a nice seleciton of some of sante D'Orazio's photos, but with an amusing and fun narrative by the photographer. The book works really well set out in the dairy format, which adds a great deal to the entertainment value of the book. I can see that some people, with a primary interest in the photos, could be disappointed at first, but its definately worth a look. When I first got the book I wasnt sure if I liked it or not, but when it comes down to it, there are some great photo's in the book and it has certainly grown on me. I find the perfect book to sit back on my balcony with on a sunny morning with a strong cup of coffee.



4. I find this to be a great book. Personally, I like the small, compact size of it over big hardback coffee table books. This book fits nicely on my shelf. The only problem I have with this book, is the cover. After looking at it for a bit, the cover started to bend and crease. The binding comes undone easily, and the book itself doesn't look very nice on the outside after this. But with some light care, I'm sure it will be fine. At the local bookstore here, almost all of the books had been looked through and had this problem. Other than that, I really loved this book. If you are familiar with Sante D'orazio's work, then this book is a must have. The collection of images are grand, and the "diary" type writing gives it a personal touch. Some images in the book are aimed to people over the age of 18, and I think maybe males would prefer this book over most females, due to the taste and manner of some images. But, I find this book to have a very personal gallery of some of the best photo's he has taken. If you like b&w sketchbook style, this book is nice for you!



5. After browsing through the photography section at my local bookstore I was surprised to find the most impressive work I've seen in years not in one of the many, many large expensive hardcover coffee-table books but a compact, paperback folio. The women are tremendously glamorous and if I may say so D'Orazio's photographs of men are much sexier than those found in most so called "gay" photography books. His images have the natural, spontaneous feel of Bruce Weber or Steven Meisel rather than that contrived, fetishistic, posed style typical of Herb Ritts or Mapplethorpe. Along with an out-of-print book by French photographer RV Lebeaupin titled Photographies: Joue-Le Moi Plaisir this is one of the sexiest photo books I've come across.

3 comments about Woof, There It Is (Cheetah Girls).

1. Okay, let me start by saying that I like The Cheetah Girls movie. I think the story is, although rather unreal, entertaining, and the characters are full of personality. But the book series is just...weird. I mean, the lyrics to the songs the girls are supposed to sing are goofy and retro sounding songs like something about a "Jiggy Jungle". The girls pick on each other, and aren't much of friends, if you ask me. They're always hiding things from one another, and being ridiculously insecure.
   
   This book was a disappointment. On the back of the book, it talks about the girls making cheetah collars, but that doesn't happen until two chapters until the end! I think them making it sound like this book is all about their cheetah collar buisness is very misleading.
   
   Overall, I'd say watch the movie, and don't waste your time on the books.



2. I am very disappointed that so little people read the cheetah girls series. If u are reading this right now BUY THIS BOOK! The series is very interesting and tells about the up and downs of show biz.



3. I really enjoyed this book it gives inspiration to those who wish to become stars.

4 comments about American Folk Art Quilts.

1. Thirty examples of American folk art quilts are offered in a catalog which uses sample blocks for six categories of designs and styles, illustrating these with step-by-step techniques and pairing them with additional photos to show historical settings. The templates lend to pattern use, the descriptions provide plenty of background history, and the lavish result will prove appealing to any collection strong in quilting history or construction.



2. If you are interested in the history of Folk Art Quilting,you may want to read this book,American Folk Art Quilt by Maggi McCormick.From the early settlers through the 1900's,the book presents the various types of quilt patterns,how they were used and the fabric and color choices. The colorful illustrations are high quality,and large enough to really see the quilt's makeup.The end of the book had a workshop section that showed tools needed,various pattern constructions,such as Signature Fans,Trapunto Wholecloth, Basket of Flowers ,Appliqued Wreath and Dove,and some templets for trapunto and applique.On the whole I was very pleased with the book,and certainly recommend it.



3. The title clearly states "Over 30 Designs to Create Your Own Classic Quilt" and the marketing blurb says "Patterns and block layouts are provided for replicating each of the original quilts, and after seeing each of them in a true historical context, home sewers will be inspired to create their own versions." This leads you to believe that this book not only shows the antique quilts but also gives you the patterns to recreate them . . . NOT SO! There are patterns for four blocks (not quilts!) and one trapunto pattern plus one simple applique crib quilt pattern. For the rest of the quilts, she tells how many blocks there are and what techniques you need to recreate them, something anyone with any basic experience doesn't need to be told.
   
   It is deceptive in another way as well - the title says "Folk Art Quilts." To me, this says this book is exploring this particular genre of quilts, but instead this is a general quilt history. The quilts don't meet her own definition of "naive examples by quilters with no training in art or design" or "quilts made by a child or beginner, full of charming mistakes, anomalies of scale and unusual color combinations." Instead, in this book ANY quilt is "folk art."
   
   I realize that the titles and descriptions are often generated by the publisher, not the writer - they market to what is selling at the time, in this case patterns have a much wider market than quilt history.
   
   As a very general quilt history, this is OK but there are much better - Roderick Kiracofe's The American Quilt being in my opinion the best.
   
   I bought this for the cover quilt but was very disappointed to learn there was no pattern, and I was disturbed that the description, although lengthy, did not even acknowledge that this was made from a kit or published pattern, which was in turn based on a circa 1850 quilt. This knowledge is easily available (documented in Barbara Brackman's Encylopedia of Applique) and something someone of Ms. Gordon's background should certainly know. I was hoping to learn more about the exact pattern source, but instead she implies that this was the original creation of the known maker of the example in the book. She cites the family history as saying the top was made around 1912 - any quilt historian knows that family information is often incorrect. The pattern was published in a Good Housekeeping magazine around 1940, so that is undoubtedly when this quilt was made.
   
   I agree with the first reviewer of this book . . . if you are a beginner, this should not be your first choice of a book on quilt history. If you are advanced with an already extensive library, you may want it. But above all realize that this is a QUILT HISTORY, NOT A QUILTMAKING book and the quilts may not meet your expectation of what a "Folk Art" quilt should be!



4. i pre-ordered this book because of the cover quilt, which is the best quilt in the book. with two or three exceptions, none of the rest of the quilts shown is particularly interesting or unusual compared to quilts in other books in my library. in some ways, though, and this may sound odd, the mediocre examples are interesting, by giving a context to the masterpiece quilts you can admire in other books.
   
   there isn't a clear intent to this book--is it showcasing a particular collection, is it textile or social history? historical information is limited and badly organized and some is not related to american quilting. there is one glaring mistake--the tristan quilt is fifteenth and not sixteenth century, and a similar quilt is in an italian museum. i wondered if the text was taken from lectures or previously printed articles. the quilts are categorized in arbitrary ways. and, perhaps most importantly, the 'folk art' includes quilts made by educated and middle to upper-middle class quilters who had some degree of formal education.
   
   there is a small, unnecessary and fairly useless section offering small projects based on the quilts. techniques, such as applique and trapunto, which have had entire books devoted to them, are presented in one or two pages, with large photos, mainly of fabric under a machine needle. intermediate and experienced quilters would not need the technical information and instructions. beginners would be left befuddled. and here, also, the editing is careless: the first instructions leave out the crucial bit about putting the fabrics together before stitching--someone with sewing background would figure this out, eventually. no part of the cover quilt is offered as a design.
   
   if you already have a good library of quilt histories and books on state quilt projects, this would be a pleasant addition because of two or three remarkable quilts and several interesting borders. if you are new to quilting and interested in quilting history, i would suggest you pass this by and get _america's quilts and coverlets_ or _the american quilt_, two of my favorite general histories. two books dealing with state collections are _quilts of virginia_ (superb) and _new york beauties_.

1 comments about Tim Walker.

1. this lovely dreamy book features the fashion photography of Tim Walker in all it's glory. Every single magazine editorial that I felt compelled to tear out (featuring his lovely imagery) is in here. It makes for a great coffee table book or gift for a photographer. He creates whimsical magic set ups and combines them with surrealistic styling. Must have for the fashion mag junkie!

No comments about T-Shirt Factory.

5 comments about I See by Your Outfit: Historic Cowboy Gear of the Northern Plains.

1. A friend shoved this book in front of me during research for a historical novel, and I found it fascinating! It is a comprehensive guide to the real garb and tack of real cowboys in a real frontier, not a Technicolored Hollywood wardrober's fantasy. I found it expertly written and illustrated, detailed and enormously helpful. This isn't the kind of amateur historical pap you see so often in this category, it's the Real McCoy. Anyone who wants or needs to know how cowboys and frontiersmen dressed needs to pick up "I See By Your Outfit."



2. This is the real MCoy. The authors appear to know their subect well and have done their homework. I thank you for that because this is my first read on the subject of real cowboy clothing and I wanted facts. The detail was very good and in some cases too good as in the section on horse bits. What cowboys acually wore and why is fascinating. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the Hollywood costumes but it's nice to know the real story and this is it.



3. I thought this book would be about what you can tell about people from what kind of truck they drive. But it turned out to be a very good reference on historic Western garb.



4. As an Old West Re-enactor for 5 years, I have taken a particular interest in costuming. There are few resources that accurately dispell the many questions and myths that come into play about the cowboy gear in the Old West. I refer to this book often when researching particular subjects such as hats and boots. As a seamstress, the diagrams and details are invaluable in recreating costumes for my husband and fellow actors.



5. I loved this book. A comprehensive guide to real working cowboys' -- not in the movies or on TV; on the open range of Wyoming, in the old days -- clothing and equipment. Hundreds of black and white photos and drawings; illustrations from historic catalogs; schematics of tack; diary entries and contemporary descriptions; history and the reasons behind the specific gear of the cowboys (and girls) of the Northern Plains from 1870 to just until the Great Depression. The authors are historians and give us the names of, and the stories behind, the people and the great stuff; Levi's of course, but how about 'Rodeo Booger Reds'? -- a would-be competitor. Underwear -- you can imagine how important Union Suits were before central heating. (They could be ordered in white, grey, ecru, light blue, and, finally, in 1909: pink.) Shirts, jackets, leather goods and fabrics. Horse gear. There's even a chapter on Camp Equipment; now you can build a chuck wagon. Loads of well-captioned photos, many portraits; you're 'there.' Best of all, the tone is enthusiatically academic rather than 'nostalgic.' This is the real thing -- a scholarly, well-organized and well-written book about a vanished world.

5 comments about Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown: Notes from a Single Girl's Closet.

1. Fun to read when going to the beach for a weekend or on a plane. Very much a girly book. Not a whole lot to the story line, but a good read.



2. I thought this book was "okay." Very simple writing and easy to read. The content (to me) wasn't all that interesting. I was surprised that this book actually "made it" to become a book. However, I read it for my book club and I would say 1/2 of the group (12 of us) really enjoyed it. So, it's really a matter of taste.



3. I was so happy to see this in the Amazon box. But I have to say I really had to push myself to read it. It just didn't catch my attention.



4. This book is a series of short stories that highlight anecdotes from the author's life -- largely revolving around her fashion choices that were going on during that period of her life.
   
   Now, I'm the same age as Ms. Halpern, so I've been through the same fashions as her -- though from the XY side of the gene pool instead of the XX.
   
   Still I can contribute my own fashion faux pas to the time (pegged Jeans and torn knees anyone? MC Hammer pants?) and expected this to be a fun light hearted read. And for the most point it was light.
   
   The important thing for me, thoguh is to get some sympathy/empathy/caring for the author and those around her. In this book, I didn't. The early part of the book, where she discusses her childhood was OK, but as the book wore on, especially the episodes set in and after LA, I found myself skimming more and more trying to get to the end.
   
   There are some amusing pieces in the book, and if you have one afternoon to skim the book and focus on these its not a bad read, but there were more misses than hits. 2&1/2 stars.



5. This book was a breeze to finish and I couldn't put it down! Short chapters but it gives you an inside look into her life. Highly recommend it!!!

5 comments about Costuming from the Hip.

1. This is a really good book for all dancers to read. Understanding costume basics is important even if you are not making your own. I keep this in the classroom for students to look through. I put each page in a page protector and inserted them all in a notebook. The girls love using it as a reference and I recommend they get their own copies and start building their bellydance libraries.



2. a very good scource/reference book[let],more of it would have been good,as was bit thin on pages, but still an exellent ideas book with drawings & explanations easy to understand, i liked it.



3. I'm a beginning bellydancer but an experienced seamstress.My specialty is in proms/bridesmaid/formal wear.Love that this book is spiral bound for laying flat. Lots of good quick ideas, with variations & samples to enhance & create more ornate costumes. Some of the projects will be easier with some sewing experience(some of the instructions might be a little unclear at first reading) but most can be created with minimal sewing skills. It is a good starting point.I consider this book a definite plus in my sewing library for branching out into costuming.The ideas presented go beyond just bellydance and can be used in other areas of dance and/or costuming. I have several of Devine's books on my wish list.



4. The first in a series of these types of books, which are aimed at the amateur sewer as well as the professional designer. Just because it is a belly dancing costuming manual should not limit those interested in sewing and making costumes in general. This is a comprehensive guide to allow you to create your own designs, and not slaveishly following someone elses pattern and creation, and is a must in anyones personal library who are interested in fashion/costuming and theatre. This book also touches on the tradional costumes of the Middle and Far East throughout the ages, as well as theatrical costuming tips and design for every body type. Plus it includes patterns and design ideas, as well as dozens of graphics to illustrate the author's information.



5. i buy this book for my girlfriend...its not a book, its a stapled pile of paper at the price of a hardcover book

2 comments about Andy Warhol Fashion.

1. Beautiful fashion pictures! However, not as much text as expected. A great fashion picture book for adults.



2. These are the early illustrations from fashion magazines of the `50s, and they are just delightful. Shoes, fans, gloves and other glamorous necessities from the tastemakers of Vogue, Mademoiselle and Harper's Bazaar are full of wit, fun, style and a crazy cartoon-like kookiness that proves irresistible. The preface is written by Simon Doonan, the Creative Director of Barney's New York, who helps place the work squarely in historical perspective. While the drawings are clearly imbued with the unmistakable Warhol sense of fun, they also illustrate a very interesting relationship between what was commercial art and what was to become fine art. These drawings may have been originally done to illustrate articles and advertisements, but that strange, off-center sense of reality that Warhol later brought to his paintings and photographs is clearly present. And clearly still fashionable.

5 comments about Fantasy Fabrics: Techniques for Layered Surface Design.

1. I got this as a gift from someone who knows I quilt. I have mixed feelings, and most of it is because I quilt for utility and beauty, and this is a technique that seems more suited to beauty.
   
   The instructions are clear, and give you lots of directions to go off on your own, as well as lots of useful pointers (if you're using glitter, remember that gravity will affect things). The results are gorgeous.
   
   That said, I don't know that this book serves my needs for something that can be washed again and again, thrown on beds and floors and grass, and stand up to the rigors of quilt-like use as opposed to wallhanging art-piece news.
   
   If you are looking for an interesting way to add depth and sparkle to your art pieces, this is the book for you. If you plan to wrap a scared dog in what you make, not so much.



2. You know all those beautiful floral applique quilts you have pictured in your mind? The ones you will stitch when you have time? Fantasy Floral Quilts by Bonnie Lyn McCaffery teaches a very clever method for creating floral quilts by capturing silk flowers under a layer of sheer fabric.

   I found this book to be well-illustrated, packed with content, and offering an approachable can-do style. Very detailed quilt examples accompany every technique. Twisted Branches is one of Bonnie's clever techniques for creating a unique and realistic "branch" look and gave me a great idea for a Tree of Life quilt.

   Bonnie teaches how to apply color schemes, color value, and flower positioning. One very creative suggestion was to view silk flowers as flowing blocks of color, adding dimension to landscape quilts. Embellishments of thread, beads, buttons, charms, and silk ribbons are an integral part of Fantasy Floral quilting. I really liked the french knots created from silk ribbons and used for flower centers.

   Fantasy Floral Quilts by Bonnie Lyn McCaffery is a fun, creative book for all quilters and is a great second step for fans of her first book, Fantasy Fabrics: Techniques for Layered Surface Design.




3. This is a wonderfully visual book with page after page of inspirational photos of the artist/author's exotic quilts (and works by other talented textile artists) and her methods of creating the most amazing textures through her layered surface design techniques. It is easy to read with photos laid out very clearly alongside the appropriate directions and it includes ideas for using both traditional objects and not so traditional, all done with a particular artistic effect in mind.

   This book is an excellent source of information on creating truly exciting textures with textiles as well as being just sheer pleasure to thumb through for inspiration with its brilliant use of colour.




4. Here are some excerpts from my review of this book. You can see the complete review on the Quilter's Review website.

   "Have you ever looked for fabric but couldn't find exactly what you wanted? Maybe you found a great print, but it was a little too bright. Or you found something close, but you really wished it had some gold sparkles in it....

   "Bonnie Lyn McCaffery shows you how to create the fabric you want, and how to have fun doing it.

   "Bonnie has worked out all the details of turning run-of-the-mill fabric into something not only personal, but spectacular. The only limit is your imagination. And if your imagination is limited, Bonnie will help you with that, too.

   "Bonnie's technique begins with a base fabric. Cotton, the choice of most quilters, works well, but so do silks, satins, metallics, and many others. To the base fabric she applies a sheer fabric to add a shadow layer, or to create a slight color change. She explains the properties of the different base and top fabrics, and how they work together....

   "I collected a printed invitation, small silk flowers, and a folding fan from a bat mitzvah, and have been trying to figure out how to incorporate them into something to commemorate the occasion. I'd thought my only choice was to make a shadow box or frame for these memories, even though I really want to make a quilt. But now, Bonnie's book has given me the ideas and know-how I needed to create a commemorative quilt.

   "I can't remember when I've had so much fun playing with fabric. Thanks to Bonnie's book, I now have a whole new relationship with my stash."




5. Love this book and the abundance of techniques and project ideas. With the clear directions and numerous photographs of techniques, the hands-on rewards are immediate! The outcomes are stunning! This is a must have book for any fiber artist!