5 comments about The Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher [25th Anniversary Edition].

1. Escher's work is so engaging and interesting. Everyone has seen Escher's work, even if they don't know the name. I've used his work to teach math, graphics, and problem solving. My college students love analyzing his work.
   
   I bought this book as a gift, and it was an excellent choice. There are many example works in the book, plus interesting explanations.



2. 
   I just picked this book up thinking that there has been a "NEW" book published on M.C.Escher's work.When I got it home ,I checked it against other Escher books and was disappointed to find it is the same book published several times before and by different publishers.
   As you can see the ,publication date of this edition is shown as April 6,2007.Therefore, the reviewers here must have been looking at a previous publication,possibly the one also listed here as a paperback in 1987.The copy I had was even earlier,published by Ballantine in 1976.
   The quality of this Taschen Edition is very good, in fact, superior to the paperback editions I have seen; and will be enjoyed by anyone who likes M.C. Esher's work ;but the material included has not changed.
   I believe this is an excellent book ,and agree with the reviews already written on other editions.
   I guess what we have here is A 25 Year Celebration of its first publication.
   This is an excellent chance to obtain this book and will be enjoyed,particularly by people new to Escher's work.The fact that this edition has now come out speaks volumes about what a great book this was,and it's great to see it available again.



3. The work of Escher has captured the imagination of many people and in this book Bruno Ernst (a personal friend of Escher) expands our understanding of the artist. After a brief but concise biography, the author throughly analyses the most important facets of Escher's artistic output: the illusion in drawing, the use of perspective, the creation of impossible realities, simultaneous and contrasting realities, crystals, and the infinite. Escher was an artist who was unique in in his work, he stands by himself, and this book is a helping tool in understanding and appreciating the unparalleled magic of his work.



4. The greatness of this book on the work of M.C. Escher is that it shows how he worked up his ideas for various pieces. It also gives a thorough explanation of his thought and design process. It is truely a shame that this book has gone out of print. I sincerely hope that the publisher brings it back.



5. In The Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher, Bruno Ernst, an acquaintance of Escher's until Escher's death in 1972, presents a thorough summary of the life and work of Escher. Ernst devotes a chapter to the life of Escher, and uses the rest of the book to describe his amazing work. He includes the different themes and styles that Escher used, and devotes a good amount of space to each work discussed. The book is extremely thorough and includes large clear illustrations of the works themselves and also of earlier drafts of the works and mathematical descriptions to assist the reader. This is the most concise book of Escher and his work I have ever seen, and Ernst has done a fabulous job on it.

3 comments about Working with Walt: Interviews With Disney Artists.

1. This is a quick and thoroughly enjoyable collection of interviews with 15 different artists that worked with Walt Disney at the Studios. Mr. Peri states in the Acknowledgements that he was prompted by Didier Ghez (editor of the Walt's People series) to finally collect the interviews and publish them. Thanks both to Don and Didier! Most of the interviews were conducted in the late 1970's with artists that spent most of their career working at the Disney Studios. What surprised me at first was how the artists were all enchanted with Walt Disney; after reading a multitude of Disney biographies, you do get the sense that Walt was a benevolent dictator--but a dictator nonetheless. A majority of the artists interviewed stuck with Walt during the Animator's Strike of 1941. If you study any work on Disney and animation, the Animator's Strike is often seen as a watershed in the history of the Studio, prompting the mentality that Walt lost a lot of faith in his employees. With the interviews presented by Peri, you get a sense that Walt did favor the artists that stuck by him. I finished Walt's People Volume 1 (Ed. by Ghez) shortly after this title. There are some similarities in the scope of the two books, but they are both valuable resources on their own. The interviews presented by Peri were done at a time when there was not a lot being written about the artists that worked directly with Walt Disney. After reading the interviews, you come away with a sense of what it was like to work with Walt Disney and to work at the Studios. I feel like I have a better understanding of how Walt worked during the early years of the Studios. The artists included animators, designers and voice actors:
   
   * Ken Anderson
   * Les Clark
   * Larry Clemmons
   * Jack Cutting
   * Don Duckwall
   * Marcellite Garner
   * Harper Goff
   * Floyd Gottfredson
   * Dick Huemer
   * Wilfred Jackson
   * Eric Larson
   * Clarence Nash
   * Ken O'Connor
   * Herb Ryman
   * Ben Sharpsteen
   
   The stories and anecdotes that each artist shares are humorous, wistful and passionate. These artists truly loved their jobs and working with Walt Disney.
   
   "...he didn't think of himself as Walt Disney. He thought of Walt Disney as an entity, an organization, and he spoke of Walt Disney as an organization, for which everybody worked and not the personal part of the name. A lot of people put Walt down because they didn't get along with him or they got canned or they were chewed out by him, and naturally they probably make more or less severe remarks about him and understandably so. He had a great ego, and because of this ego he could overcome a lot of difficulties and obstacles because he believed in himself. He believed what other people didn't believe, and he was proven right time after time after time, even with the bankers. Snow White was called "Disney's Folly," because what--an animated cartoon to run for over an hour? It's Impossible! Nobody will sit through a cartoon that long. Well that was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves."
   
   --Les Clark (p. 123, Working With Walt)
   
   Bottom Line: This is a wonderful resource to have at hand. It is not for everyone--you really need to have an interest in animation, the studios or what working with Walt Disney was like in order to fully realize the necessity of a title like this. I give it a high Geek Factor rating because of its focus, even though the book is extremely accessible and easy to read. But if you are interested in learning a lot about the artists, the studio and Walt Disney, this is a great place to start or to add to your collection. This book will foster a greater appreciation for the animated films and shorts. It is also one of the few places you can read the actual words of the artists that never received a lot of acclaim outside the arena of animation fans.



2. As a dedicated Waltphile, I believe there can't be too many books about Walt Disney. Don Peri's excellent collection of interviews with many rarely heard from Disney Legends helps to make that case.
   
   Working with Walt offers these artists their own day in the sun at long last and more fully rounds out the portraits of Walt painted by biographers and authors like Bob Thomas (Walt Disney: An American Original), Howard and Amy Green (Remembering Walt), and Pat Williams (How to Be Like Walt).
   
   In the late 1970s, Don Peri was a young man who happened to be in the right place at the right time to capture so many of these voices, now gone from us forever. He has done a more than admirable job in offering us these priceless interviews. In the book, he hinted that more had been conducted than are in this volume. Hoping that means we can expect a Working with Walt, Volume 2!
   
   Nice job, Don. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about what made Walt's studio and career so singularly remarkable, as told by those who lived the legend.
   
   How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life (How to Be Like) WALT DISNEY: AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL Remembering Walt



3. What a wonderful collection of interviews Disney historian Don Peri has assembled in his book Working With Walt: Interviews With Disney Artists. Many of the Disney artists featured in this book are relatively unknown, but highly influential in the development of the incomparable art of Disney animation and entertainment.
   
   Through interviews with the artists who worked directly with Walt Disney, some from the very early days before Mickey Mouse even started talking, this book opens a window into what it was like to work and create with the genius Walt Disney. Fifteen animators, directors, art designers, and voice actors tell their stories of how they first started working for Disney, what it was like to meet the legendary man himself, their (usually) fond memories of Walt, and the joy of creating during the golden age of animation in the 1930s. The artists vivid details of life at the Disney studio, poignantly recalled, bring the reader back in time and place to where the magic happened - Mickey found his voice, Snow White went from a dream to life, and a magic kingdom was built. The darker times are recalled too, the constant financial strains of the early days, the strike that almost ended the studio (and did end many friendships), the strain of working 20 hours a day to create the perfect animation, and Walt's last few weeks.
   
   The author's admiration for Walt Disney and the Disney artists shines through each interview, with his adept interviewing skills used to draw out deep memories and emotions from the Disney artists, many of whom rarely granted interviews, but all of whom spoke candidly about the complexity of Walt Disney, who could be full of praise one moment, and in the next, express disappointment like a "wounded bear" over animation that didn't meet his exacting standards of perfection.
   
   We are granted insights worth many an "E-Ticket" from the voice of Donald Duck, the voice of Minnie Mouse, the great animators from almost the very beginning, the creative story artists, the designers of Disneyland, and even the man who drew the daily Mickey Mouse comic strip for decades. I had never heard of any of these Disney artists before reading this book, but they are all unsung heroes in the Disney phenomenon. This book is sure to be part of every Disney fan's library, and I highly recommend it.

1 comments about Graphic Communications: The Printed Image.

1. As a college level educator and graphic arts/electronic prepress professional, I highly recommend Z.A. Prust's "Graphic Communications, The Printed Image". It is easy for students to understand and is a wonderful teaching tool. The book explains all of the important aspects of working in the print industry. The only reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars is that it is a little outdated, but I hear Prust is publishing an updated version that will be out soon. I'm looking forward to using it with my students!

5 comments about Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century (Prestel's Icons).

1. Icons of Fashion: The 20th Century is a very edgy and sophisticated book. It takes on a unique approach about the icons of the 20th century. The content of this book is not in chronological order but rather in theme and designer ranging from the 1900s to 2000.
   
   To details of the pictures to the interesting facts of the earliest designers made me want to read more about the book. Reading about the designers, on the side of the book, there is a timeline about their life and businesses, which was really helpful, considering I had to write an assignment about the different designers and I could just refer back to the timeline.
   
   I loved how the book gave pictures dating back to the 1900s to today. It was really interesting to see how fashion goes in a circle. For example, the belt around the waist, that just came into fashion two years ago. Also the design, the little black dress.
   
   This book is very helpful and I suggest it to anyone who is interested in the fashion Industry becuase it was interesting, colorful and very educational.



2. The history of the 20th century can be revealed through its fashion trends, and Gerda Buxbaum Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century proves this with an overview of fashion trends and revolutions. Yes, there are the icons of fashion to testify to these changes: Chanel, Karan and others - but also fine photos capturing styles ranging from body stockings to military and cocktail dress; all contained in an excellent overview blending visuals with a running commentary on fashion's influence.



3. The history of the 20th century can be revealed through its fashion trends, and Gerda Buxbaum Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century proves this with an overview of fashion trends and revolutions. Yes, there are the icons of fashion to testify to these changes: Chanel, Karan and others - but also fine photos capturing styles ranging from body stockings to military and cocktail dress; all contained in an excellent overview blending visuals with a running commentary on fashion's influence.



4. The history of the 20th century can be revealed through its fashion trends, and Gerda Buxbaum Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century proves this with an overview of fashion trends and revolutions. Yes, there are the icons of fashion to testify to these changes: Chanel, Karan and others - but also fine photos capturing styles ranging from body stockings to military and cocktail dress; all contained in an excellent overview blending visuals with a running commentary on fashion's influence.



5. I have only just begun this book (20 pages in), and I am enthralled. So many fashion books are written chronologically, so this book, arranged by theme and designer, is an interesting change. The pictures are gorgeous, many of them are in color, and every other page contains an essay on various topics. The topics range from an influence on fashion, a particular designer, themes in collections, or a period of history. Included are also short timelines of the careers of designers from the last century. This book covers a wide range of topics, and gives the reader a comprehensive look at the past century in fashion. I would not recommend this book for someone who wants a chronological look at the development of fashion trends, because the articles skip from the thirties to the Victorian era to the twenties. It is interesting, colorful, and even educational.

5 comments about Things a Woman Should Know About Style (Things A Woman Should Know Series).

1. I picked this up at a local shop and I have to admit I found the author's English attitude and dry sense of humour quite whimsical.
   
   However, as other reviewers have pointed out, it's an explanatory magazine essay in book form, though interspersed with quite wonderful quotes, such as « Une robe n'a de sens que si un homme a envie de vous l'enlever, je dis bien l'enlever pas l'arracher en hurlant d'horreur. » (Trans: A dress makes no sense unless a man wants to take it off -- that is, to remove it, not tear it off howling in horror.) And there are a few deliciously dishy tips, such as how to have a signature scent no one else has -- go to a cheap chop in France and buy their (invariably cheap) house scent, and then sadly tell those who compliment you on it that "it's not available in this country".
   
   In sum, I cannot frankly recommend it to anyone, but not because of a flaw of the book itself per se, it's because it's written both at an advanced level (making it insuitable for those ladies who are still looking desperately for style à la Audrey Hepburn at Top Shop) and at an elementary level (making it insuitable for those ladies who are looking for a way to seem a touch more soignée, rather than staying too safe and Sloane-y).
   
   However, this is coming from an American, and for all I know, British women are actually listening to Susannah and Trinny, so perhaps it suits in the home market?



2. This terrific little guide should be on every woman's shelf - especially those who want to transform their ultra trendy wardrobe into one that may be still "on trend" but kicked up a notch, sophisticated and chic. In others words, grown up.



3. I really enjoyed this book. It contains many quotes from fashion icons as well as helpful hits. You will be able to learn what is appropriate to wear and when it is appropriate to wear it. I read through the whole book and loved every page. Every woman should read this book and they will always be in style.



4. This book is full of many things we instinctively know... but it helps to hear them spelled out in plain English.
   
   So if you have a tendancy to splurge on purple bell bottoms on sale and green fluo platform sandals (that spend 3 years in the back of your closet never worn until you chuck them), this book is for you.
   
   I find it a good reference every now and then, to help keep my fashion priorities in place. And when I encounter a fashion victim hottie, it helps me to keep perspective and not go out and buy those pink suede cowboy boots.



5. this is not a terrible choice of a style guide for those looking for a classic movie star icon sort of style. it is excellent for bathroom decor and can serve as a beginning for someone looking to cutivate a style similiar to audrey hepburn, grace kelley, jackie o, or marilyn monroe. a word of caution, it is written in a very brittish vernacular.

4 comments about Citizen Designer: Perspectives on Design Responsibility.

1. This is an essential book for all designers worth their salt. If you have a backbone and you truly are 'ready' to understand the reach of the profession and its social responsibility, save your pitiful moral crisis, get out of the pointless world of persuasion and rhetoric, and start saying it like you mean it. Buy this book and write your life's manifesto. Design is not just a job hey.



2. I got this book hoping it would shed more light on an issue I find very pressing within the design community: social responsibility. Is it important for the designer to know his/her great poster that helped make a Hollywood movie into a blockbuster also helped clear cut a forest killing an ecosystem for numerous species of wildlife? Is it important for a designer to only do work for companies that match their own morals and ethics? The book touches on the latter topic in a couple essays but largely provides a number of pieces of writing with good intentions but with no actual "next steps" to achieve more fruitful results. Desigers have to eat, so blowing off huge $$ tobacco ad campaigns can seem ridiculous. However by making social responsibility a key point of dialogue in the education of the designer, one could see a more responsible result in the business world. Maybe designers could receive the respect they deserve if they actually stood for something besides edgy looking websites and whatnot. Anyway, the book wasn't all bad. Its a good start to an important conversation... so three stars!



3. This book is incredible. I have only read the first 20 pages and I think it should be a mandatory read for anyone in the design industry. It is informative on specific ethical issues a designer faces and it allows for varying perspectives on the topics in the book.

   Great for a student, teacher, or anyone within the design realm.




4. Designer David Vogler always contributes to these design books churned out by Mr. Heller. And once again, Vogler has cooked up a hilarious editorial that thumbs it's nose at the industry while making valid observations. This is worth the cover price alone. My staff laffed out loud.

5 comments about Golf Courses of the World: 365 Days.

1. My fiance and I bought this book to serve as a guest book at our wedding, since we love golf we thought it would be a cool place to look back at our guests notes, while enjoying the pictures. I didn't even realize when we bought it that it serves as a calendar too, which makes the book even more fun. Now, I am going to have my guests sign in under their birthdays, so I have a catalog of all their b-days. The pictures are of good quality and I like the fluffy descriptions of the courses. We are going to try to play as many of the courses as possible!



2. I got this for a golf fanatic friend of ours and he loves it. Small size but lots of pages of wonderful golf courses. A great gift for any golf nut.



3. I bought this gift for my father-in-law for Christmas. It is an absolutely beautiful book and looks a lot more expensive that what I paid for it. It is well worth the price.



4. This book is gorgeous and the pictures of the courses are breathtakingly beautiful. When I gave this book to my boyfriend's parents I got to see his Dad smile for the first time! Great coffee table book :)



5. I purchased Golf of the World: 365 Days as prizes for our recent Ladies Open Day not only did they look fabulous on the trophy table they were the most sort after prizes on the day! The ladies who won them were delighted and have since contacted me telling me of the enjoyment they have given them (with photos to die for and destinations to dream about!) In all cases they are taking pride of place on their coffee tables with the added bonus of being able to visit a beautiful course whenever they wish at the mere flip of a page.
   Wendy
   Australia

5 comments about Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters.

1. I loved this book! It's a must-have companion to the rest of the Lady Cottington books, and I looked thru it twice before I realized that her mother is sending her more than one message in the book, one is on a tiny leaf, delivered by the fairies. From about the middle until the end, when the writing becomes much bolder and clearer, her mother is telling her that she is still here, and to believe. Because the fairies have been dipping their toes into the ink, and attempting to convey the message, it's hard to see for what it is. This is a sweet, engaging book, and I just loved it. I think it is my favorite Cottington tome.



2. First off, I'm very biasedly a huge fan of Brian Froud and ADORE the Lady Cottington books. This book is so far my absolute favorite. I love how it's set up, the different letters are so greatly written. My favorite letters/notes are those from J.M. Barrie and Wendy Darling. I think that reading the other Cottington books s pretty much a must before starting this one, but it's really quite lovely. This album tells a story without using a regular narrative. Imaginative, beautiful, everything I expect from Froud and the Cottington albums.



3. I enjoyed the artwork in this book. And the creativite that went into the letters.



4. My daughter and I love reading about fairies and this book was delightful. It is creative and beautiful to look at.



5. This book is so nice I bought one for my mom for her birthday! Of course it was part of a huge stack we took to have Brian Froud sign - which makes it even more sweet! Very funny reading and the drawings are just fabulous!

5 comments about Guerrilla Advertising: Unconventional Brand Communication.

1. It's not bad but it'll be out dated in a few years just because the subject matter changes so quickly.



2. this book is great as a source of inspiration. i'm very happy with this purchase.



3. Advertising in it's tradional form is dying. This book gives a little bit of hope for professionals, who are worried about changing field of advertising.
   
   Very good examples, enough pictures and clear message.



4. It's a nice book. But it's just a nice selection of advertising cases to browse, it's funny to give it a look, it's cool to keep it on a table or shelves in your office. But there's little to none indeep analysis, and I didn't find it particulary useful as food for thoughts.
   
   I do not regret buying it.



5. For someone who is interested in getting a full view on what unconventional means this book is simply cut-out for this exact purpose.As a person who has been in the industry for 2 years only and wants to get a more in-depth view of the advertising way of thinking and a better taste of the industry's potential future, i simply loved the book. Many different case studies, simple and concise presentations, great layout as a book and a source of getting out of the box and into the creative power of the mind.

No comments about Twentieth-Century Pattern Design.