5 comments about The Secret Lives of Men and Women: A PostSecret Book.

1. I only recently was introduced to the PostSecret website and I love it! The book is so much more of what I wait for every Saturday night at midnight!!



2. Each of the Post Secret books gives you a window into the human soul. Sending in a post card is a cathartic experience. Laugh, cry and connect with insightful journeymen in the human experience. Read the books. Share them with friends. Subscribe to the blog.



3. As expected from the Post a Secret project.
   A really nice compilation of postcards about secrets; nicely placed with a excellent quality of paper and a great cover design



4. Saw a short movie clip talking about PostSecret and bought 2 books. Cant believe how awesome it really is. Great to read a bit at a time otherwise you will hold onto the book for a year before re-reading it



5. Just like the previous Post Secret books, this book delivers many surprising, hilarious, and sad secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as do all of my roommates. We keep them on the coffee table for guests to also enjoy.
   
   This is definitely something that I will keep forever and pass down to my children.

5 comments about The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation.

1. Wow!..First of all, the presentation of the book is amazing. The cover, the paper, everything. And wen you open the book, is simply what you need for start to see animation as an art...no, in my case, an "excuse" for use a software (I sarting to go to 3d animation). Buy this book!



2. The love produces animation! That book exhibition that! That amazes of book! That fantastic thing is the friendship and the production of those two geniuses of the animation! The life and the those two men's art is a thing that contemplates in all us, impassioned by animation. They are my life examples, and one day I would like cannot at least to arrive close to what did. That book, and the dvd about the life of the two, is obligatory things in any school, or shelf peculiar of any person that has feelings and sensibility to understand the beautiful things of the life. Wonderful? Spectacular? Grandiose? I don't have as defining that book. He is more than any definition that somebody can create. It is the love transformed in cartoons overflowing for the pages of that wonderful book. I will buy more a, to be in the shelf without nobody opens it, and my descendants only can you make it for they know a time and such some brilliant people and magics as these highlighted in that spectacular book.



3. Any artist - animator or otherwise, should read this book. It's not only about the craft of animation, but about the passion of pursuit in illustrating life accurately and in an engaging way.
   
   Told from the perspective of two legends.
   
   Highly recommended.



4. GET THIS BOOK! There is no questions ask that Frank and Ollie did an amazing job putting this together! It gives you a complete history and explanation of how today's feature animation began, with beautifully printed examples and explains the principles of animation! Great for young and old alike! This book should be the first one in your animation collection.



5. This nicely produced book is a must-have for animation fans.
   It is a pleasure to read and look at the wonderful illustrations. I am very glad i decided to buy it.

1 comments about Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner.

1. This book is beautiful, it has lots of pictures and drawings I had never seen before. I have been waiting for a really great Lautner book to be published because all the others show 'pretty' pictures, but I have never been able to get a true sense of the buildings (I am an architect). i was hoping this book would have the pretty pictures and more overall drawings. This book is a great complement to the 'pretty picture books' as it has images that are not regularly seen in the other Lautner books..... I just feel this book doesn't truly satisfy my need for information and clarification on these buildings.

5 comments about How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist, 5th ed.: Selling Yourself Without Selling Your Soul.

1. Since retirement, I have been exploring the arts as a business opportunity. This book is a real eye opener about what questions to ask and where to look for assistance. It appears that artists are the talent and others may just be users of the talent without respect for the talent. Newbies should learn what to expect and safeguard their interest as they develop a business. Business is not emotional and artists are usually emotional about their works and talents. Developing business skills is critical to building those safeguards that can lead to a the artist having a good experience both with the art and the business.



2. Book is good for painters who want to deal mostly through galleries. Not good for other artists or photographers and not good for artists who want to avoid the gallery manipulations.



3. I purchased this book about five years ago while just getting out of undergraduate school. The practical tips and ideas about developing work helped out immensely. The writing is pratical advice which helps anyone who is starting out, to cut out at least six months to a year of bumbling mistakes one would normally make when approaching the beginnings of an art career. Along with all the good advice, the lists of institutional information in the back of the book is worth the price of the book itself. I have reccomended, and lent this to many of my friends to read and plan to re-read this with the completion of graduate school and a new body of work.



4. Lots of great, helpful information. A reference book for anyone becoming an artist. One tip in the book is worth the price. Don't think twice about getting this good resource.



5. Escribo en español para aquellos que son bilingues y estan interesados en este libro. A mi me encanto, esta muy completo y tiene consejos muy realistas y al alcanze de todos. Se puede aplicar para cualquier artista.
   Siempre lo tengo a la mano como referencia primordial.

5 comments about Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions: An Intimate Exploration of the Mixed-Media Work and Collections of 35 Artists.

1. Anyone who has the collecting gene will love this book. I liked seeing the displays of these artists' collections with examples of how they incorporated their pieces from their collections into art. There are plenty of varieties of collections and beautiful pictures to peruse.



2. Art Making, Collections and Obsessions is a stunning book. The photography beautifully captures not only the work of some of America's best mixed media artists working today, but also the collected objects these same artists turn to again and again in their studios for inspiration.
   
   While I savored each page for its incredible eye candy, there were some images in the book that were so beautiful I had to make a color photocopy to hang on my inspiration board. Just seeing these images every day, catching sight of them out of the corner of my eye while I'm working, touches a creative place inside of me.
   
   The image that haunted me is a tattered 18th century wedding dress surrounded by a flowing tea-stained curtain, a basket of straw and twigs (pg 55). The display was created by artist Ellen Kochansky, and is reminiscent of an installation one would see while visiting the Museum of Modern Art.
   
   I also enjoy Carla Sonheim's sweet little illustrations and handmade fabric accordion books (pg 32), Cathy Rose's incredible figurative work made from found objects (pgs 45 & 102) and Nina Bagley's gorgeous altered book (pg 99) that's embellished with freeform wire wrapping, twigs and fork feet.
   
   The other thing I really enjoy about Lynne's latest book is that she featured fine art from the first page to the last page. Many of the works in this book are pieces the artists would sell in contemporary galleries to sophisticated art collectors or museum curators. Nothing is "pretty" and perfectly packaged for a retail (consumer) market.
   
   I truly believe Art Making, Collections & Obsessions sets a new bar for authors and publishers of "craft" books. Thanks to Lynne for having the artistic vision to see this through.



3. I'm a huge fan of Lynn Perella's books and I would have bought it anyway, as I always did. This time, it is a new Lynn Perella's style, who goes, I think, further in the Art, and a little less in the Craft, as it is more about collecting than making. There are beautiful and striking photos and so far, I just had the pleasure to watch the marvelous pictures which make dream any sensible artist. The colors are also more white-neutral and calm in the hues than usually, giving us the wish to touch the material as much as admiring the textures.
   Forgive-me if my English is not so good, but I think you understood that I love this book, and I widely recommend it if you want to see something new and amazing.
   Yael
   Author of "Une Nouvelle Vie Pour Vos Objets" by Yael Bolender and JP Delpech, Didier Carpentier Publisher, written in French and sold at Amazon Canada and France.



4. Although I knew before purchasing this book that it was focused on the collections of different artists, because the lead person is Lynne Perrella I guess I expected it to be more artful. Although it was lovely to look at and the various collections were interesting, this book really isn't more than eye candy -- expensive eye candy. I would recommend that you go into a bookstore or library and look it over before you make this purchase.



5. This is a fabulous collection of some of the most noted Mixed Media Artist around. I loved every page. I know you will all love it also

5 comments about Masters of Deception: Escher, Dali & the Artists of Optical Illusion.

1. This is a very good book, specially in my case because i'm not an expert in arts or design and i could know the most important authors in optical illusions. Beautiful.



2. I was more than pleased when I opened this book. The examples and discussion are extensive and some of the work awe-inspiring. Masters of Deception is literally an eye-opener and highly entertaining.



3. Never had so much fun reading a book about art! I've always been fascinated by optical illusions, and this book describes and gives great examples of the various types of illusions and how they are created, and showcases various artists, both living and past.



4. I knew exactly what I was looking for and you made it SO easy to find. Thanks!



5. My 8 year old is an outstanding artist and I purchased this book to stimulate that ability. The book has graphic images of both male and female naked bodies and body parts. Not what I was expecting.

5 comments about The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide (Oxford Archaeological Guides).

1. A must if you plan on going to any of the historical areas of the Holy Land. Much superior to any of the "name" travel guides, incredible detail and historical perspective.



2. Very informative with good descriptions. The language is a little difficult to interpret at times and I wish there was a little more history with each site, but overall a great guide.



3. Recommended to me by an archaeolgist long active in Israel, I found this book quite helpful in appreciating a number of sites (and sights) I recently visited (and saw) in the Holy Land. For folks who are looking to learn more about various ancient sites than the typical tour guide can offer, this will be well worth its price. In addition to its being informative, I found the personality of its author evident and engaging.



4. If you really want to separate the wheat from the chaff - this is the way to begin.
   
   In this book, Jerome Murphy-O'Connor will take you behind the hidden doors, under the altars, down secret stairways and forgotten streets on an amazing adventure. It's not a lesson in theology - you have to bring your own. It's a guide to what can be seen, what can be touched with your hand.
   
   With all the digging that's been going on since this book has been published, I'm eagerly looking forward to an updated edition.



5. Unique guide for archaeology minded traveler

   The little known Oxford Archaeological Guides series provides information that you cannot find elsewhere This guide was written by Jerome Murphy-O'Connor in 1980 and was revised for the new Oxford Archaeological guides series in 1997 as the initial offering of the series. O'Connor provides a wealth of information here that you wont find in regular guidebooks. The topic of biblical archaeology is too large to be addressed by any one book. The author squeezes all he can into less than 500 pages. The section dealing with Jerusalem is most detailed. Outlying sites receive less attention. There is useful information about hours of operation and practical matters such as directions to remote sites. In addition to describing the various areas of interest, there are sections giving the history of the different peoples of the holy land, both historical and present day including sections on the Druze, the Philistines, the Samaritans, the Essenes and the Nabateans. There is a good attention here to changes over time with an emphasis on how the appearance of each site evolved over the years. Interesting comparisons are made with the condition of sites in the present day and their description in ancient texts including Josephus' "The Jewish War" and the Bible itself. This book would be inadequate as the only guidebook for a visit to Israel. I would recommend the Knopf Guide to the Holy Land and Baedeker Israel for routine tourist information. Some minor drawbacks: the drawings and maps are not as detailed as they could be and the few photographs that are provided are black and white and of poor quality. These complaints are not critical flaws; the book would still be invaluable even if it didn't contain a single illustration.

5 comments about Frida Kahlo.

1. I have several books on Frida Kahlo in fact an earlier version written by the same author, but I felt this addition stands on its own & warrants keeping as there is enough new information, visuals to make it a keeper.



2. My wife and I saw the recent Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Walker in Minneapolis. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. I bought the book "Frida Kahlo" on line from Amazon as a gift for my wife. My wife has a bad back as did Frida. The pain in her body comes through in her art, and I think my wife felt a strong connection with Frida. My wife loved the book, and she was very happy with the gift.



3. To say that this is a major catalogue from a major exhibit is to ignore the more important point...this is a collection of brilliant essays on Kahlo and stunning photographs of her painting and related works and people in the Kahlo circle, but also Mexican folk art, history and the modernist movement in Mexico. He is also a thrilling writer and critic on the use of allegory and on Kahlo and RIvera's hatred of what Zamudio-Taylor calls "the modern capitalist universe" against which both Kahlo and RIvera rewrote "Mexico's fragmented and violently interrupted history." As Z-T states, "Kahlo's mexicanidad prefigures postmodernism's distrust of progress and linear readings of history. This, most striking article, however, by Zamudio-Taylor who has apparently had extensive contact with her work and its curiatorial special questions, emphasizes Kahlo's work as existing at the cross-roads of a history and of conflicting narratives. He links her concerns not only with other Mexican painters and writers, but also the avant-garde in Paris; namely, Andre Breton. This article is amazing both for its erudition and its multi-dimensionality and detail.
   This work is a collection also of fabulous paintings, photographs, time lines and for these reasons it is a must have in any library on Mexican art, modernism etc. Z-T is perhaps the most formidable of the authors of essays, but the book has also other major contributors, ie Carpenter, but especially Hayden Herrera and who interrogate Kahlo's legacy also as it influences those who followed, while also following up on the specific riffs in the work of others on the body, on the poetics of self that have their roots in Kahlos combustive images.



4. Frida Kahlo is my personal favorite artist. I love her use of bright, vivid colors for subject matter that is often dark and filled with melancholy. I recently had the immense pleasure of seeing Frida's work in person at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. FRIDA KAHLO is the companion piece to the exhibit. The book focuses more on Frida's work as an artist than her tumultuous personal life which most people know by now thanks to a PBS documentary a few years ago and a biopic. Most of the book contains gorgeous photographs of Frida's paintings. I think this book is definitely worth checking out if you have seen the exhibit. It is a nice to have something to remember when the exhibit closes in January.



5. This is the catalogue for the current exhibition at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.It is divided into three essays: the first studies the artist as a Mexican modernist (the aim being to study her art itself, setting aside the myth), the second follows her life through the numerous photographs that were taken of her and which have survived (she was one of the most photographed artists of the XXth century), and the third describes the legacy of the artist (especially interesting is her influence on contemporary artists such as Kiki Smith).
   
   The color plates of Kahlo's works (portraits, self-portraits and still-lifes) which form the exhibition are grouped in one section, as well as a private collection of photographs of both herself and Diego Rivera.
   
   The book is not as complete as the 2005 Tate catalogue as far as the works illustrated are concerned, but the essays are more thorough and give valuable insights on the artist and her art.

3 comments about Selling Art Without Galleries: Toward Making a Living from Your Art.

1. This book more than met my expectations. I did not realize how valuable the information could be to me until I opened it up and started reading--not from the first chapter but one that caught my eye. I spent the first few days reading every chance I got. It is packed with useful information. It is a good read for artists.



2. The same personality traits that make someone a great artist are often the same ones that make him a one-man sales-prevention team. Solitary and obsessive, the artist yearns for a big gallery to "discover" him and make him a star, letting him stay home and do nothing but paint. The reality is that it's not going to happen without a lot of work behind you, and as artists, we have to learn business skills and learn as much as we can about marketing our work. Daniel Grant has provided us with a superb volume that is easy reading and takes us step by step through every angle of the art world, which has in the last decade or so become a complex jungle, as more and more well known artists are making a substantial living with their work, and those struggling to get seen are sinking to the bottom.
   
   Mr. Grant explains the basics of marketing, from finding just the right venue for the type of work you do, to how to write the most concise and descriptive Artist Statement. As an artist always on the lookout for places to display and sell, I found Chapter 4, "Exhibiting in Non-Art Places" an eye-opener, and also the ideas presented in Chapter 7, "Specialized Markets." Part 2, "Starting an Art Business," has a treasure trove of advice for the artist just starting out, and will also have kernels of wisdom for the seasoned professional. I also appreciate that the author added listings at the end of many chapters, as some of them are useful additions to an artist's mailing list.
   
   Well written, "Selling Art Without Galleries" has an excellent layout with nice readable print (artists usually have tired eyes after a day in front of the easel!). Mr. Grant gives us fresh ideas along with the facts of the art business, as well as a healthy dose of realism. "Selling Art Without Galleries" is a must have for every artist's bookshelf.



3. Selling Art Without Galleries: Toward Making a Living From Your Art offers artists a different way of making money without the traditional art gallery involved: by self-promotion. This is no mean fete for the artist without business savvy, but Selling Art Without Galleries offers the basic keys to making it happen, from learning how to arrange exhibitions and locate prospective collectors to selling art on the Internet and negotiating a price. An outstanding survey covers all points and links business savvy to an independent artist's pursuits.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Rescuing Da Vinci: Hitler and the Nazis Stole Europe's Great Art - America and Her Allies Recovered It.

1. I have always been a museum addict. If the Metropolitan Museum of Art would let me place a cot somewhere, I would probably take up housekeeping. So, it was extremely rewarding to read this story of how so much of the stolen art from WW2 was found, protected, recovered and finally returned to rightful owners. These "Monuments Men" should all have received medals. The world owes much to them for making so many artistic marvels again available.
   
   The illustrations are quite good. Many are available in other sources but so many, at least for me, were viewed here for the first time. The attempts to protect many objects - e.g., St. Marks in Venice - were also interesting. When I visited there a few years ago I was very appreciative.
   
   Mr. Edsel is to be commended.



2. Excellent book with many historical pictures and historical comments of the war's effect on the art of many countries.



3. I was really surprised by this book. I thought it was going to contain more text but it's really all about the art and the people who rescued it. The result is a very impressive, easily readable 'coffee table' style book that's beautiful and informative. Teachers should grab this up for the classroom and it also would make a great gift for anyone interested in WWII and it's aftermath. I can't say enough about the photos and the story they tell. Bravo!



4. This book shows and tells another side of war. It is the story told in picture of Hitler and his Nazi thugs pillaging Europe and stealing priceless art objects, painting, statures, books, even ancient scrolls then hiding them in caves and bunkers in Germany. What I loved about this book were the photos of US Army units rescuing those stolen art treasures then returned them to the towns, churches and cities. The author has done an exemplary job of finding photos and stories which has made this an important work. Photos I've never seen and story I have never heard about. I think this book needs to be in every high school library in the country. Students need to be shown how our American Army worked to recover all this lost art. His book made me proud to have serviced in the US army.
   
   Thank you for writing this book



5. This is one of the most fascinating books i have ever read. The period images are amazing, just the photo of italian masons bricking up Michaelangelo's iconic David is worth the purchase. After reading this book I was stunned that so few art treasures were destroyed. I had no idea that much of the treasures at the National Gallery of Art in D.C. was stored at Biltmore because of its remote setting. I was also blown away to see the images of workman removing winged victory from the Louvre, I just had no idea all of this went on leading up to the war and during the war. The German pillaging of the great European art treasures is disgusting of course, especially the art they looted from the weathy Jewry like the Rothchilds and others, some of which even to this day are trying to get back art work that is rightly theirs. I highly recommend this great book to anyone interested in art, history, art history, or frankly has an inquisive mind. I want to thank the authors for a job well done.