3 comments about Edward Steichen: Lives In Photography.

1. Until now, it has been impossible to find an art book that complements the extensively researched biography of Edward Steichen written by Penelope Niven some ten years ago. "Edward Steichen: Lives in Photography" remedies this situation with brilliance and dash. It explores the work of this great American artist with lively and detailed precision, capturing the high exuberance of his work and his many-faceted personality in essays that are carefully dovetailed with the greatest photographs in Steichen's oeuvre. All elegantly printed with no costs spared. To learn more about the artist's long and fascinating life, purchase "Steichen: A Biography" by Penelope Niven. To understand his art, purchase "Lives in Photography." With these books on your library shelf, you will have a better idea of just why this great artist has such staying power.



2. Edward Steichen: Lives in Photography is a wondrous collection of some of the finest work by one of this nation's finest photographers. The images should prove inspirational to any who aspire to creating art with a camera. Steichen never succombed to the post-modern faux-artistry and its glorification of the bizarre and twisted. This book is simply fabulous.



3. Edward Steichen had a long (94 years) and storied life, however until now it was difficult to find a book that exhibited his work and gave a clear understanding of both his work and influence on: Art, Fashion, Marketing, War, Curating, Botany, and (of course) Photography. Through the text of this, rather large, book one can learn about an influential and very controversial (as most artists often are) man. Of course this book has numerous beautiful plates (Which is expected in the world of printing today). However, unlike many photo books this one is an interesting read. While, some of the writing may seem exuberantly adoring of Steichen, this can be easily understood after learning of his impact on the art world. After reading this book it is hard to believe that this is the first comprehensive book on Steichen since Steichen himself wrote "A life in photography" in 1963. Overall an excellent book for anyone interested in photography.

1 comments about Luxury Airline Design (Luxury Books).

1. Fantastic, luxurious book. Great gift for dad's and boys who like expensive toys!

5 comments about At Ease: Navy Men of World War II.

1. It is unbelievable for someone 40 or under to realize that these pictures were not seen as "homoerotic" at the time. The author has put together a great collection of photos here.
   
   And the Menz are HOT!



2. This is a beautiful book which gives a look into the lives of the men of WWII. This is NOT a homoerotic book, these are NOT homoerotic photographs. This is how men were before we became afraid to show affection, before we had to be afraid of every move we made. These are basically boys who grew up on farms and in cities all over America who found themselves on ships in the South Pacific. If your father didn't bring home pictures like this from WWII or if they have become lost, here is a good opportunity to see how life was like on the ships, for America's Greatest Generation.
   Heyward Foster III DPM



3. I picked up this book because my dad and my grandfather served in the US Navy in WW II. I didn't see them or their ships in this book but wow! There are some beautiful photos here! Crisp black and white prints, impressive use of light, some clever composition... and so many strong young men, muscled and slender.
   
   There is a sensuousness to many of the pictures that reminded me of Mapplethorpe's work, although none of them show full frontal nudity. As a collection the photos appear a bit homoerotic, although individually many of the images are fine art. The book is more about excellent photography and gorgeous young men than it is about wartime.



4. As an historical reenactor, and daughter of a WWII Navy veteran, I am constantly on the outlook for books and information on the lesser known ideas and culture surrounding WWII. This book was a real eye opener! While the author is open about his sexuality and the pictures were no doubt hand picked with a certain agenda, they show a world of innocence that was unconcerned with homophobic ideas of how a man should or should not act. Being together for long periods of time in uncertain circumstances, deep friendships definitely form. Your buddy could be the one to save your life during an attack, or you might loose him in a split second from a torpedo. As a woman, I can imagine the close friendships that would form today under similar circumstances among women, and I imagine men during that time were not held back by all the macho ideas of today. A beautiful book with striking photography, this stands as an important contribution to understanding our father's and grandfather's lives during WWII.



5. Without a doubt this book will touch the memories and hearts of everyone who pauses to slowly peruse these casual photographs of men at sea in World War II. Without the overtones of trying to make a statement about the camaraderie that accompanies men off at war, these photographs simply follow a healthy group of sailors resting on board ship, working at their tasks, bonding in the bunk rooms and in play on the decks and the foc'sle. There is an obvious physical relationship that is transmitted in the gentlest ways, further proof that men together find the emotional and physical support so needed in the time of isolation from the world.
   
   It is to Evan Bachner's credit that he shares this truly sensitive body of work with the public at a time when we all need to understand not only the plight of the men away at war today, but of the common threads of pansexuality that have never been a threat but only a solace in a world infected with prejudice. Grady Harp, December 2004

1 comments about San Francisco Love Affair: A Photographic Romance - Gene Wright Images 1949-2000.

1. Covered San Francisco for 50 years beautifully. Not a book to sit on coffee table and forget - you must read and enjoy!

2 comments about Photographer's Exposure Handbook: Professional Techniques for Using Your Equipment Effectively and Creatively.

1. This book is packed with information that will be helpful especially for the new photographer. Whether you use digital or silver, this book explains the problems with both and how to make sure your shots are right on. I bought it for information on hand held light meters as I just purchased a Kenko 1100 for a photography business I hope to start up. I will admit for an experianced shutterbug there are times you will fall asleep reading something you already know. Then you will see something where you have to stop and read it over. I plan to reread the whole book more carefully again. For digital photogs. there is a lot that will interest you because digital is more like slide film from what I understand. (I shoot film.) Because of that, digital will require more accurate measurement of light. There are things that will throw your meter off and this will help you to understand those problems. While digital photogs will say, 'I'll just fix it in Photoshop', that is not the best way and for a pro, spending time doing that can be a business killer. Thus it is better to get it right the first time. The book has a lot of pictures showing the reader what the author means and how it will affect your shots. Also, he does throw in a few tips here and there not really related to exposure that a beginner might find useful. I think no matter what is your level of education in photography, you will find something in this book. Ric.



2. There is no such thing as a 'perfect' exposure: it's up to photographers to thoroughly understand the process and take advantage of the techniques which lend to better photos, which goes far beyond the usual focus on f-stops and shutter speeds. Chapters discuss the basics but also show how to use light and exposure to improve compositions. Both digital and film photographers will find this a top pick, and public libraries catering to amateurs will find it an especially popular lend.

5 comments about Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography.

1. I was looking for something different. The photographs are beautiful but they are mostly not of the mountain in which I was interested.



2. TERRIBLE COPY - FALLING APART - PAID VERY HIGH PRICE AND WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE BOOK. WHEN PURCHASED IT SAID IT WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.



3. This book is a marvelous record of mountain exploration and photography with photos that span a period of almost 70 years. This small collection representing much less than 1% of Washburn's photographs is a remarkable record of photography rivaling Ansel Adams or Vittorio Sella. Although the photos were originally taken to support his geological or surveying research or to provide guide shots for climbers, Washburn soon realized that he had a knack for taking photographs as art that were as good as any being produced by other photographers.

   This book may be a disappointment for those who want expedition photographs as few of the photographs include people. Indeed, having a few more pictures of people would have warranted five stars. Yet, many of the pictures are aerial photographs so the lack of people in many is not surprising. What makes it ultimately worthwhile is the crispness of the pictures, the attention to details on the ridges and valleys of the mountains, the patterns revealed in the flow of glaciers, and so on.

   One other point of interest is that this book was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2000 Banff Mountain Book Festival -- the only pure photography book to win that award.




4. After the exhiliration generated by Washburn's classic book on Denali, this one left me slightly disappointed. There are many exquisite photographs and a few truly great ones, such as the famous picture of climbers on the Doldenhorn (in the Bernese Alps). But on the whole there are just a little bit too many pictures of abstract geological features. These reveal a more scholarly side of Washburn's art: interesting to round out our view on this great artist, but less captivating than the epic mountain pictures. Also, there is an appendix with a detailed account of Washburn's career, with many little inset pictures of people he worked with (Barbara Washburn being the most prominent amongst them). I would have liked to see many more of these pictures and at a size more amenable to detailed study. A final point of criticism on this book concerns the interview with Washburn by the editor: it is very revealing but way too short! I would have guessed that Decaneas would have been able to extract much more material from all the conversations he has had with Washburn in the final years of his life. So, it's a nice book to have in the library, but Decaneas missed an opportunity to put together an absolute classic. Pity.



5. Bradford Washburn roamed the globe for eighty years as a mountaineer, explorer, cartographer, and aerial photographer. In Bradford Washington: Mountain Photography, Tony Decaneas as assembled one hundred full-size landscape mountain photographs from the more than ten thousand images that Bradford made during his lifetime of photographic accomplishments. From the Grand Canyon to the Alps, from Mount McKinley to Mount Everest, these black and white landscape photos of mountain peaks and picture portraits of team members and colorful characters that are each of them museum quality visual images showcasing Bradford's photography as having risen to the level of fine art.

5 comments about DogTown: The Legend of the Z-Boys.

1. If you love creative non-fiction, you'll love this book. Even if you have no emotional attachment to skateboarding, even if you hate skateboarding. The photographs could do all the talking, but once you read the words of CR Stecyk, you'll be a skateboard enthusiast even if you've never seen a half-pipe.
   
   Journalist Stecyk and photographer Friedman grew up in the creative 1970s California coast atmosphere in which their friends pioneer skateboarders, the Z-boys, reinvented their sport. They lived amongst them, they were them. They utelized their artistic talents to chronicle the birth of the Santa Monica surf-skate culture, and their exploits are compiled in this book, a tangible, more-comprehensive version of Peralta's documentary "Dogtown and Z-boys." See the film, get the book, you'll be hooked.



2. I'm not into skating but my 17 year old nephew Stephen is. He is hard to shop for and when I saw this book I knew it was for him. Let me tell you it was a HUGE hit on Christmas morning! The pictures are great and anything that gets kids interested in reading these days gets my vote.



3. If you were around when Dogtown was the thing, or are just interested in this era of skateboarding, don't miss out on this book! It's got tons of great photos, and of course, the original articles that were in "Skateboarder" magazine. This book is very well constructed; hard-bound glossy pages, all for less than half the price of an old Skateboarder issue on e-bay. Totally worth the money!



4. This book is just as most of the reviews have said. Fantastic pictures and stories of the original DOGTOWN Z-BOYS in their heyday. I don't understand how the previous reviewer can say it was "not what she expected" ? THE STORIES AND PROFILES IN THIS BOOK ARE WHAT MADE THE Z-BOYS! It's all about the Z-Boys and the cult that surrounded them, and no one else, so she is mistaken when she says it's not about the Z-Boys, she just must not have taken the time to actually look at the book. It is the ultimate resource on the Z-Boys. There was never anything as important as these stories and pictures to "The Legend" that showed the world what these guys did, who they were, and where they came from. And C.R. Stecyks's words go far beyond what you would expect! Top notch story telling and social commentary. The Glen E. Friedman photos alone, in the second half of the book, are worth it's price. All the photography is so colorful, literally and figuratively. This is true 1970's Southern California Americana at it's best. A must for ANY Z-Boys, Skateboarding, or 70's Pop-cuture fan.



5. When I bought this book I expected a biography-type book, like the story of the Z-Boys. That's not really what this is. It's just a collection of articles written about skateboarding during their time. It also has some interviews with Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva, and Jay, but the book is mostly about skateboarding during this time, not really about the Z-boys.
   
   It does have a really good amount of photos of them though. So, if you are a skateboarder, this would be a good book, but for a fan of the Z-Boys, this might just be a disapointment.

5 comments about The Mammoth Book of Illustrated Erotica (Mammoth Books).

1. Hello everyone I am one of the models in this book,I am located on page 474 and also on 479. I think the book is a tell all of peoples lives and the beauty of photography,I think that it is an expression of the photographers inner selves as well as the models pictured. Each photographer was to pick 8 pictures that they felt was a portrayal of their image and only a few were selected to be put into the book itself! How dare people that have written the reviews that knock this book,if you wanted to buy porn this is not the book for you.It is a portrayal of both the photograher and model working together to get a work of art!
   It's not like these woman were forced to do this and "Hey here's the outcome!" It's the beauty of letting go, walking on the other side, and most people in this world don't explore that side or ever get the chance to!I'm happy with the results that came from this book,it's nice to look back to the time I was able to express myself through photography and have fun doing it! This book gives examples of alot of differant shadowing techniques,lighting, postioning, and timing,and it opens the minds of very few people to ask themselves, "I wonder what this person was thinking with the way they were looking at that very point?"That is the art part of this book,if you don't have an open mind then don't buy it!If you crave things unknown to you then buy it!



2. This is a visual survey of (almost all female) nudes. I would not call it 'erotica' simply because I associate erotica with sex and with sexual feelings. This collection has nothing to do with sex and little to do with sexual feeling; it has everything to do with stylized poses, various visual effects (some quite interesting), and a seeming penchant for bondage dress-up.
   
   Some of the people are quite pretty to look at; perhaps ironically, some of the most appealing pictures are of models without props or obvious poses. People are interesting--so why not just show them? This is perhaps as close to "erotic" as this collection comes.
   
   It is amusing that this smallish book--barely larger than a standard paperback book--is entitled 'mammoth.' It is no more that than it is erotic. Still, because some of the photos are nice, I rather generously award it four stars.



3. I think the photographs are well done, but I just do not like the book and wish I hadn't bought it.



4. I own many erotic photography books, I use them for inspiration when I do my paintings, etc. and I must say, this is by far the best book in my collection. It has like 480 pages of black and white photography from some of the most creative photographers ever, and the shots are classy not smutty.

   Every photo looks hand-picked with the finest of quality, almost all photos are female nudes, some with couples, some with props or backgrounds... but nothing looks the same. There are many poses, many closeups and zooms, a lot of things from far away, georgous shadows and lighting, and some of it is just mindblowing.

   My particular favorites:
   * page 179 a naked woman handcuffed squatting with her back shown to us with a cop car in front of her - all you see is her back, the handcuffs, and the cop lights and the outline of her body... and even though there is very little detail, you can SEE how perfect the photo is and it has much emotion in it.

   * page 174 an aerial shot of a nude woman lying in the middle of railroad tracks as if she had been dumped... very very emotional photo

   * page 163 just one of a selection of bizarre photos that leave you staring at the photo both impressive and eyebrow-raising

   * page 377 a nude girl smoking a cigarette by the window and her eyes are just PIERCING you with her hands covering her face...

   I could go on and on, each page (all pages feel glossy) has a huge photo and all the pictures are classy. This is pure erotic art. There are no open crotch shots. There is full nudity, but not one photo looks like porn. Each photographer is given a couple paragraphs describing him/her and then that photographer displays their work. There is not a lot of writing in this book, which I like. It is just art art art lots of beautiful photographs that just are wonderful!

   I highly recommend this book above all others. I have many books and this one just outdoes them all!




5. My only complaint is that its size is very small, and it is hard to see the photographs in its full glory.

5 comments about A Study in Scarlet (Oxford World's Classics).

1. A study in scarlet is the first Sherlock Holmes adventure with Dr. Watson, the classic crime-solving partnership. I read it in Spanish (my first language) when I was around 9 years old and I love it at that time.
   I just finish reading it, 21 years later and in english, and I still think is a great book.....short enough to read it in a week, probably less, nevertheless, complex enough to catch your attention.
   I haven't finish The Sign of 4 yet, but so far it seems to be as good as a Study in Scarlet!



2. A lovely origin story. Dr. Watson, returned from a war and in need of lodgings is led to Baker Street. In this fine location resides one Sherlock Holmes.
   
   They are soon on the trail of a mystery that involves a corpse, and a word scrawled in blood on a wool. Then there are dodgy mormons and a bit of wild west action.



3. As Agatha Christie's "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" introduced a grateful reading public to Hercule Poirot, perhaps the second best known fictional detective of all time, Conan Doyle's "A Study in Scarlet" marked the debut appearance of the acknowledged master of detection, the one and only Sherlock Holmes!
   
   John Watson, a medical doctor recently retired from the British military to recover his health and recuperate from wounds received in Afghanistan, is looking to stretch his limited budget by finding another gentleman with whom he can share accommodation. When a mutual friend introduced him to Sherlock Holmes, one might slyly suggest that the game was afoot and the rest, as they also say, became history. Already characteristically melancholy and moody, a jaded Holmes, who labeled himself the world's only consulting detective, is invited by Scotland Yard's Lestrade and Gregson to assist in the investigation of a baffling pair of murders.
   
   With "A Study in Scarlet", Doyle is clearly new to the craft of writing mysteries and the great detective's debut outing suffers from characteristic first novel and new character jitters. The style itself is markedly different from everything that follows in the Holmes canon with the story being told from a third-party perspective. The background to the mystery is revealed through the mechanism of a flashback to the western USA at the time of the Mormon migration to Utah. Feedback from the reading public must have been immediate and - we'll have to hand it to Doyle - he must have been a quick learner. Watson was thereafter appointed official narrator and diarist to the master and Doyle never looked back.
   
   I leave it to others smarter than I to judge whether or not Doyle's historical characterization of the Mormons is justified or accurate! Suffice it to say, that the mystery is entertaining but the details are, quite frankly, entirely unimportant beside the overwhelming fact that this was the first time the world heard the name "Sherlock Holmes". It took Doyle only a few pages for example to treat us to an aphorism that we would come to hear over and over again, "It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence."
   
   This novel is a cornerstone in the annals of crime fiction, an extremely important piece of the history of English literature and a darned good read! Enjoy it!
   
   Paul Weiss



4. 
   I recently picked up THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, which has been sitting on my shelf for over a year and I'm glad I did. The first book in the compendium of his early works is A STUDY IN SCARLET, to which I restrict my comments.
   
   The story is broken into two parts. The first chronicles the murder and pursuit by Holmes, the second provides the background and motive for the murder and ultimately the resolution of the case.
   
   A STUDY IN SCARLET is the first of many Sherlock Holmes novels and is a good place to start if you, like me, are aware of Holmes' preeminent status as the literary world's best detective, but have not yet taken the opportunity to read his adventures.
   
   The first book introduces Holmes and Watson and chronicles how they came to be companions. It also gives an insight into the pains Holmes has taken to develop his sleuthing skills. This introduction is intriguing and will pull you along until the crime is discovered, at which point you'll be hooked.
   
   The development of the rest of the first part is equally intriguing as the mystery becomes clearer and clearer to Holmes, though no more clear to the reader. One is truly impressed by all that is "elementary"* to Mr. Holmes, but imperceptible to we mere mortals.
   
   The second part of the book takes place primarily in Utah at the time the valley was settled by the Mormons. Brigham Young and the burgeoning Mormon society are menacing and effectively occupy the role of the antagonist for the second part.
   
   For those unfamiliar with the Latter-Day Saints, please note that this account is purely a work a historical fiction and is wholly inaccurate in its depiction of Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, and Mormons at large. For that, I deduct a star for the hazard it may present to those unaware of the true character of the Mormon faith. Personally, I found the second part more distasteful than will the average reader because I am a proud Latter-day Saint.
   
   Still, with these flaws, the book is a wonderful introduction to a literary character with whom all should be familiar. I recommend the book.
   
   
   * I must say that I was disappointed to find Holmes' catch-phrase "it's elementary my dear Watson" missing from this volume (though I don't deduct any stars for its absence). Surely, it appears in later works. I was waiting for it, but, alas, it didn't appear.



5. A body is found in an empty house, but there are no wounds, or signs of struggle. With Scotland Yard officials baffled, Sherlock Holmes is called on the case. Watson and Holmes meet through a friend of Watson, because that Holmes is interested in sharing a suite on Baker Street with someone. Soon after moving in together, Holmes is asked by two top - ranking Scotland Yard officials for help with a case. A man was found dead in a house, with no wounds or signs of a struggle. Holmes finds the killer, a man from the United States name Jefferson Hope, and arrests him. But, before being put on trial, Hope dies from a heart failure. I would recommend this intriguing mystery novel to anyone.
   
   One reason for my recommendation is because of the complexity of the mystery. To the normal person, the mystery may have seemed unsolvable, but Holmes somehow, even from the very beginning, seems to know the answer. Even with most of the facts at your hands that the average investigator would have seen, there seems to be no way to know what happened, and who the murderer was. But, Holmes figured it out, and it is even explained how that he figured it out.
   
   Another reason for my recommendation is the way that Holmes solved the mystery, and the way that his thoughts were presented. Despite the complexity of the mystery, Holmes figures it out in a matter of days. He took notice of such things as the height of words written on the wall, and from that came to a brilliant conclusion on the height of the killer. He even noticed the size of the shoes that the victim and the murderer were wearing. The way that Holmes solved and explained the mystery was very interesting.
   
   The last reason is the story behind the crime. Jefferson Hope, the murderer, explains everything about the crime before he dies, from motives to the difficulties in killing his victims. It turns out that many years before the crime, Jefferson Hope had been in love with a fine young lady, and was planning to marry her. But, a Mormon, who believed the girl should marry him, so killed her father, and took her away. The girl later died (from "unhappiness"), and Jefferson swore revenge on the one who took her away. He ended up following the two who killed her love, Strangerson and Drebber, all across the United States and Europe. After many years, he finally put them to rest in London, but was caught.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone, particularly fans of mystery novels such as this one. Doyle's descriptive writing and vivid use of vocabulary made this book a pleasure to read. If you're looking for a wonderful mystery, then you should read this book.
   
   
   -Bill L.

No comments about Charles, Prince of Wales: A Birthday Souvenir Album.