4 comments about Bodies of Inscription: A Cultural History of the Modern Tattoo Community.

1. This is a very dry book. Much like some waning boot camper's war stories, or the villagers who told stories in The Blair Witch Project, Margo DeMello quotes herself and tells fun facts she heard from here and there, then pasted this whole giant scrapbook together. It's just a bunch of her opinions and her point of views, written by her to be the "T"ruth.

   Not to say what she wrote does not have validity, but I'd imagine, if she doesn't repeat herself over the chapters so very often (I don't know how many times she had mentioned things like "people who endorse tattoos are mostly bikers, freaks and sailors", and the repetitive mentioning of the "mom" tattoos with not much further analogy of the culture), maybe it'll be more readable. It's taking me almost a month, and I can only read less than a dozen pages each time I breathe into it.

   In total, she is a half-baked, elitist, self-proclaimed "insider" of the tattoo "communitas" that claims she KNOWS the community like a mother would claim to know her son. She took it too far, thinking she can analyze the biology and sociology of the situation in a third person's point of view. It doesn't matter how many American tattoo conventions she went to and how many tattoo parlor stories she had heard, this book is written BY a groupie, and is only meant to be read by her groupies. Maybe she can write news article about tattoos like an enthusiast participant of a pride parade, but this article is [holy HELL] almost 200 pages. It's 175 pages too long.




2. Ms. DeMello spends too much time acting as her own apologist as she explains how she acquired "insider" status in the tattoo community while still remaining an impartial observer. One thing I found particularly objectionable in her book was her apparent opinion, insinuated several times, that only women with "the body beautiful" should get tattoos (much less display them in public -- horrors!) As a woman (liberated, one assumes), Ms. DeMello should know better. This is one book which is going to end up in a used bookstore rather than in my collection.



3. Tattoo books usually have a lot of pictures in them - at least the ones I've seen do. This book, while written very nicely, didn't have many pictures, and the ones it did have are grainy and in black-and-white. The history of the tattoo community is interesting, though I would have liked to see a bit more on how tattooing evolved from ancient times to now, instead of just from the 80's to now.



4. This book was ok! i was hoping for something more traditional in the designs the author gave her readers! i could have done i without the gang tattoes though!

1 comments about Ohio Is My Dwelling Place: Schoolgirl Embroideries, 1800-1850.

1. Better than I expected, the coloration and samplers pictured are truly remarkable. A lot of good basic Ohio history, with maps by county and description of how the state was divided. It is one of my favorite things, and I never get tired of picking it up and reading more about their simple lives.

3 comments about The Cowboy Boot: History, Art, Culture, Function (Cowboy Gear Series).

1. Bootfan must have been expecting a picture book of newer type custom boots. That's fine, as he said, buy Tyler's books or better yet, Jennifer June's new book, "Cowboy Boots, The Art & Soul".
   As for Donna Foster...Huh? This book is not by Tyler Beard, she is confusing this with one of Tyler's books, it's not.
   Now for the book.
   I own all of Tyler Beard's books, Jennifer June's and Sharon DeLano's. I found this book to be in good company with them. I particularly liked the photos of the older antique boots (pre 1900s). I found the book to be well laid out and refreshingly different from the others. Mr. Stoecklein has chosen not to follow the "formula" for a Cowboy boot book that is quickly becoming predictable and redundant. Mr. Stoecklein touches on more than boots, he shares the life, the culture, the essence of living in the west through his photos of not only the boots, but the people who wear them. Many of the shots of the boots are not static arranged shots set up in a studio under controlled lighting conditions, they are instead "action" shots taken on the range, in the mud; real time photos of cowboys and cowgirls doing their jobs or just relaxing.
   Mr. Stoecklein is a photographer so to expect anything more than a photo book form him may be unfair. That being said, I enjoyed the text very much but would have liked to have seen more, especially of the history of not just boots, but of the west, the cattle drives, etc. Maybe even a little more insight into the life and personality of the cowboy, his day to day challenges and why he would have chosen the footwear that became the cowboy boot.
   In summary, the photos are very good but the text a little weak, at least for what I was looking for. All in all, I would recommend this book as a top shelf pick, in a niche genre with scarce but fierce competition.



2. Tyler Beard and Jim Arndt's third book in their trilogy on the subject of cowboy boots is a mini-masterpiece. Although I think you have to own all three books to get the complete picture on the history of the cowboy boot, the 300+ pairs in this little book alone will satisfy any and all cowboy & cowgirl boot dreams. See it to believe it. Wow. I was happy to find that Tyler now has his own website at tylerbeard.com where I was able to buy a first edition. But you can't beat Amazon for prices on current editions. For all you boot scooters out there like me, check out this boot website: www.dimlights.com Inside boot gossip...I read in a newspaper interview that Tyler Beard thinks the best cowboy boot store in the world is Back at The Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.



3. Whether you are a boot fan or just curious this is one book to avoid. The book shows little imagination nor depth of research. Once you've turned a few pages in the book you've seen them all.
   
   Tyler Beard has done three books on boots and each one shows an effort to get out and find the unusual and best examples of boot making. I would advise David R. Stoecklein to do the same.

4 comments about Judith Leiber: The Artful Handbag.

1. I bought this book for my daughter who has an obsession with unique handbags. This was the perfect gift for her! Not only does it show hundreds of designs, the book tells the fascinating story of Judith Leiber and gives a glimpse into the creative mind of this world-famous craftsman
   (crafts-w o m a n). The handbags she has designed are whimsical AND elegant, and are coveted by celebrities and socialites. The book is interesting, inspiring and a whole lot of FUN. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates imagination, creativity, and uniqueness. BORING it's not!



2. I read the book in my daughters home some time ago and just had to have a copy of my own. Unfortunately I had to purchase it at an inflated price as the book is out of print.

   Ms. Lieber's story is such an inspiring one of a woman who is typical of what the American Dream is all about. She had a skill and took that skill to rise to the top. She is imaginative, creative, skillful and an unyielding artist. Her bags are now being copied by people but the fine artistery and quality are difficult to copy. She uses superior materials or use to. She is now retired and sold the business. The quality still prevails.

   One of the best stories in the book is the one about the woman who called her friends to join her at her home for a dinner party. The hostess asked each woman to bring her Judith Lieber jeweled bag. The woman placed the bags down the middle of the table, surrounded them by votive candles and that was her center piece.

   A clever idea with outstanding, glittery and beautiful handbags. I never thought I'd be able to own a Judith Lieber bag, but one of my daughter's can afford them and lavishly spoils her mother. My dream is to save enough money to purchase one on my own. They are absolutely beautiful bags and it is a terrific book.




3. I purchased this book because I want to buy a Leiber bag - I was disappointed that it didn't have more bags pictured - there are so many! It wasn't so helpful in helping me find a bag I like - I still haven't purchased one!



4. I need to review have not read book. I am interested in a book that demonstrates making purses.

5 comments about The End of Fashion: The Mass Marketing Of The Clothing Business.

1. This is an interesting and well written business book about the fashion industry and some of its most important designers. The author describes the growth and changes in the fashion industry and the changing role of the customer and the designers. The books material is mainly focused on the US marketplace and the different stand-offs between ex. Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, the growth of Armani and the Italian designers, and the decline of the French. The main thing is that it nowadays more comes down to great marketing and expensive ad budgets to stay successful, that great design techniques. Overall great insight into an industry mostly concerned on hype and over inflated egos.



2. I love clothes and I consider myself a smart shopper...I don't buy labels and the most famous brand names. I shop for the best prices and clothes that are flattering on me. I follow Vogue and all the magazines, and I thought I knew what was going on. But this book really did open my eyes. The fashion business is really dog-eat-dog and all those big designers don't seem to really understand that real people don't spend $1000 on a dress, or as the author writes in the book, that the consumer is king. No wonder so many fashions don't sell. And those Paris designers, after reading this book I see that they really are not what they appear to be. They are so clueless and overrated. I also finally understood about the stock market and why Donna Karan's DKNY doesn't appeal to women like me anymore. The stories in this book were funny and factual and read really fast. I finished it over a few days. I highly recommend it.



3. The End of Fashion was an enjoyable read, with an amusing view into the belly of the fashion beast, but ultimately it did not tie together the major points it uncovered.

   Agins writes about various the various forces that have fundamentally changed fashion -- societal shifts, the changing retail landscape, impatient public markets, licenscing mania and so on. However, it is frustrating that she does not explain how these forces fit together, or extrapolate them into a view of the future of fashion.

   We do get good dose of fashion one-liners, such as Zoran's "give diamonds and jewelry to housekeeper", but the aftertaste of mediocre analysis persists.




4. This book was very well written with an interesting perspective on the changes in society and the effect it has had on the fashion industry. The author has chosen a variety of examples to demonstrate her point on the direction fashion has taken and seems to be headed for the future.



5. Interesting, business-view of fashion, that shows the indulgences of vain, shallow designers like Isaac Mizrahi, Donna Karan and Mossimo, whose idiocy was their downfall, and the more business-minded, but nonetheless creative, designers that flourish. Shallow, as only fashion can be, but interesting, too.

No comments about Wear Your Chair: When Fashion Meets Interior Design.

4 comments about Jazz, Giants and Journeys: The Photography of Herman Leonard.

1. If you're a fan of jazz or photography, this is the book for you. Lovely rich photo reproduction and pictures of the jazz greats - often behind the scenes - that make you feel as though you were there.



2. Herman Leonard is by far one of the best photographers I have ever had the privilege to come across. I was visiting New Orleans a few weeks ago and came across a documentary on the local Louisiana station, it was a documentary on Leonard. If you ever have the chance to view this please do so because its an amazing story about a remarkable man. Generally, it takes a great deal to inspire me to want to study portraits, for me portraits are the most complex images to appreciate with the passage of time. Yet with Leonard's images (including his commercial works,) you can sit down and study them and you still find inspiration in them over and over again. His work is one of a kind, and his vision is the strongest I have ever seen in a photographer.



3. Herman Leonard brings one back to a time in America that no longer exists in a way that makes one feel a part of what was. You can almost hear the music!



4. Looking for a gift for a jazz lover, photography buff or international
   traveler? Look no farther. JAZZ, GIANTS AND JOURNEYS: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF
   HERMAN LEONARD is a mind-blower. The meticulously detailed photos of jazz
   greats like Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Billie Holliday, Quincy Jones and
   others recreate the essence of an era so well that the viewer can actually
   see, hear and smell the flavor of the 40's and 50's NY jazz venues where
   the musicians played. Included in this wonderful book is a photo of the
   great Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, taken in 1970, long before they
   were blown up by the Taliban. This alone makes the book vital.

2 comments about Glamour Girls.

1. I was not impressed with this book. I thought it'd be a mixture of glamour ranging from - at the very least - 1940's to the present. The 'so-called' glamorous women of today clearly don't measure up to the glamorous women of yesterday...not by a long shot. Perhaps that's precisely why women of the 60's & back weren't featured. I wondered just how much more I could stand, looking at these skinny & shapeless women, in large part, that made me take a look at some of my older movie, glamour books that far surpassed what this book had to offer. Happily, I won this book on eBay & paid a mere $9.99...as opposed to the original Neiman Marcus price of $75...and even Amazon's reduced price of $40 something. So...for the price I snagged this, I'm not so disappointed. NOT worth $75. Worth $9.99, but I could have lived without it. If you're a big fan of the younger celebrities who [supposedly] represent 'glamour' these days, you'll love this book. In my opinion, the women of today should take note & lessons from the lovely women who epitomized the definition of 'glamour' years ago.



2. Patrick McMullan is to today's social strata what Margaret Meade was to indigenous native tribes. Both of them identify and put their subjects into perspective, while at the same time (however impossibly) staying in their good graces, and, by portraying them as human beings, keeping them in ours. McMullan's beautifully bound book "Glamour Girls" is an often ravishing retrospective of his work, highlighting an astonishing spectrum of women - all out to affirm their often self-imposed status in what passes for society.
   
   McMullan is unique in that, unlike the ubiquitous papparrazzi - who are barely restrained behind velvet ropes - he is not only a guest at the table, but an ingenuous centerpiece of the incredibly diverse pecking orders he tirelessly covers. Like his mentor Andy Warhol, Patrick's photographs are up close and personal, and often subtly reveal the bold face lies incessantly projected by the celebrated (not to mention the many legends-in-their-own-behinds). At first glance these pages reflect a non-stop romp. While proscenium-sized smiles predominate, closer inspection often reveals nuances that transcend the tableau from deliciously advertorial to an ongoing saga featuring fascinating glimpses into bold face (not to mention blonde) ambition.
   
   "Glamour Girls" is both an endless event, and, on closer inspection, an utterly fascinating insight into what social life is all about. The added prose, contributed by a variety of well-known, often adroit social observers, ranges from amusing to trite; some of it proving that a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Capturing decades of stylish self-promotion, this posh tome evolves along with even the most casual observer. This is because "Glamour Girls", for all its divine superficiality, doesn't just make you feel like you are having fun, it also (much like Warhol's work) makes you think...
   
   
   Anne Welles-Burke
   
   Goose Creek, N.Y.

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.

2 comments about By Design: Why There Are No Locks on the Bathroom Doors in the Hotel Louis XIV and Other Object Lessons.

1. This outstanding book is said to be aimed at design students, professionals, or anyone else who could benefit from af uller appreciation of the design process. And yes, I have to agree, it is.
   
   More important to me however is the presentation in this book of the essence of what design is all about. This is the kind of book that the financial people behind a new big hotel should read. It is the book that a product development engineer should read before he starts working with his industrial designer. This is the book that nearly any business manager from marketing, to engineering, to sales, should read.
   
   The first time I travelled to Scandinavia I was struck with the simple elements of design that they do so much better than we do in this country. Simple things like the design of hotel doors, no more expensive than what we do here, just better.
   
   And the sub-title, 'why there are no locks on the bathrobe doors in the Hotel Louis XIV' -that's a great story, it makes such eminent sense. A special problem, a great design, see page 179.



2. A must have for all Designers interested in understanding how products are ultimately judged within their context-by thier effectiveness and usefulness.The six levels of Design Caplan outlines is a great measuring stick for all disciplines of Design and Engineering.