2 comments about Patterns Of The Earth.

1. This photography in this book was amazing! It lets you see the beauty in our world from a different perspective.



2. It is hard to believe that the photos in this book are real earth photos and not paintings. My only regret is that the book is too small to really appreciate the incredible detail and massive scope of the pictures. It would be a good idea to list the overall size of books, espically art-type books such as this one.Patterns Of The Earth

2 comments about Black & White Photography: A Practical Guide.

1. I have a lot of photography books. I shoot 35mm digital, 6x7 color film and 4x5 black and white. I was looking for a book that went into using the Zone System, but better than the classic Fred Picker book: The Zone VI Workshop, and with many more photo examples than the Chris Johnson book: The Practical Zone System. This is it! This is by far the best book I have found for explaining how to apply the Zone System to my methods of shooting. It is not just good at this either, as there are chapters on Composition and Darkroom as well. The book is a collection of beautiful work by Steve Mulligan and Steve is excellent at explaining his procedures. I highly recommend this book!



2. Steve Mulligan has published a couple of books on photography, however "The Practical Guide" is just that. It is written with a leaning toward large format work and nature photography, however the information is applicable to all film formats and types of photography. A beginner to photography would find this book helpful, but it will be most useful to someone who has some experience and wants to move away from "snapshots" and toward photography as fine art.
   
   Mulligan's description of how to apply the Zone System to film exposure and film development is easy to understand and to apply. His description of the technique that he uses to print fine art photographs using a split-contrast printing is also well done. You should read this book if you are serious about Black and White photography as art.

No comments about Art and Design in Photoshop.

5 comments about An Invitation To The White House : At Home With History.

1. I have a collection of Congressional Cookbooks and "White House" Cookbooks and such by former White House Chef's. Hillary's is beyond the traditional "family cookbook" but gives a white house glimpse and is much more than the tradition, which of course is Hillary!



2. Beautiful illustrations of the White House, there's no doubt about that. But if your looking for fancy recipes, this is not the book. Few recipes in it, I was expecting more of that, so I was a little disappointed. I thought I was going to have a book with lots of recipes, for special ocassions; I wanted to invite some friends and tell them, look this dish was served in the White House.
   Not a bad book, just not what I was looking for.



3. I bought my copy cheap from one of Amazon's excellent network sources. I consider myself pretty neutral on Bill and Hillary, but this truly is a shameless advertisement for the two. I was expecting more on the house itself, but basically this is a photo journey through the happier social moments during the Clinton presidency. For this, I still consider the book documenting the Ford presidency to be far better, certainly more candid, and a better artistic statement. The most interesting part of this book for me was the documentation of the planning for a state visit. The recipes at the end of the book weren't very interesting. Certainly, anyone curious about the internal workings of the House itself will be disappointed; JB West's "Inside the White House" is far better. I'm unsure where this book should rest in anyone's library. It could easily be considered fuel for the Clinton spin on their own celebrity. I'm glad I paid only a few bucks for it as I'll have no problem getting rid of it. Recommend looking elsewhere; the Natl. Geographic video on the White House is done much better.



4. This book has some delightful photographs of various White House rooms, furniture, and memorabilia. The text is fairly limited and the photos of the author are (thankfully) kept to a minimum. Overall this is a very enjoyable book and one I can recommend to anyone interested in the White House. As for the invitation, I wonder if the Girl in the Blue Dress received one of these...



5. I actually purchased this book in Washington, D.C., while there for a conference. One of the great First Ladies of the twentieth century provides fascinating glimpses into the most important Home in history, while entertaining the reader with bold and whimsical insights into its many and varied occupants. Did you know that a 145 year-old, crumbling White House was completely gutted by President Harry Truman, with every scrap of detail preserved to be replaced as it was when John and Abigail Adams first occupied it? Such are the fascinating details of history the reader is provided while experiencing the most intimate, day-to-day functions of a house that is both a living, personal family residence while functioning seamlessly as the epicenter of the free world.

   I love the White House. Its history, its beauty, its timeless architecture, and its symbol as the center of democracy to a world hungry for freedom. Long may this home be occupied by men and women of good will who seek to serve the wishes of a free people.

5 comments about Picture History of the Normandie: With 190 Illustrations.

1. Has not arrived and is the second book not sent. The other Brimstone was ordered from a second provider whic is very unfair as you do not guarantee these people who never answer their mail



2. There is nothing like the classic Ocean Liners of the past...floating palaces, and wonders of the world at the time. The Normandie or Ship of Light as she was fondly called was certainly one of the most beautiful liners of all time. This is a photographic history of the ship from building to her untimely end. Well worth the price for ship enthusiasts.



3. The Normandie appeared to be a fantastic ship. A sleek greyhoud when comapred to the British Horizontal Queen Mary, the liner appeared to go all out to make crossing the Atlantic an experience in luxury that one would seldom forget. John Mantone Graham, author of Crossing & Cruising and other books on the great liners fantasiczed in one of his books how the Normandie would fare in the post World War II era, if she had survived the February 1942 fire and completed her transformation to a troop carrier and back to an ocean liner with such improvements as air conditioning, etc.
   
   It's most interesting that the recently launched Queen Mary2 was constructed in the same ship yard as the Normandie was. Perhaps it was just an interesting coincidence.



4. This book treats the First Class area of the Normadie in great detail and lush photographs, but I was slightly disapointed by the lack of information about the 2nd and 3rd classes. From what I have heard, these two classes were far superior to any other liner of the 1930's, and it was a bit let-down not to see any photos of these areas of the fabulous Normandie.

   On the other hand, I had never seen some of the 1st Class photos before--- In general, a great visual(but slightly limited)find.




5. I'm a big fan of the famous, luxurious old transatlantic liners. The Normandie is perhaps my favorite, as the most beautiful and gracious of the pre-WWII ladies of the sea. The fact that the Normandie was tragically and negligently destroyed well before she'd passed her prime has made knowing her much more difficult than her still-opulent rival, the Queen Mary. This mystery shrouds she was REALLY like...and remains a big part of her attraction. This book really helped me get closer to the Normandie, with lovely pictures of her construction and her glorious career, as well as saddening photos of her destruction. Though depressing, one sight I'd longed to see was her first class dining salon post-fire, which this book includes. I just had to know what fire and salvage would do to it...and know I know!

   Though you'll never get to step on board this wonderous ship, you can learn an awful lot about her in this book!

2 comments about Shots from the Hip: Another Way of Looking Through the Camera.

1. Stilleto's book is not for everyone. You have to love to look and think about the things you see. The author/artist humbly and clearly narrates sometimes his reasons, sometimes his techniques for the photographs. I recommend this book with the reservation that it is not for everyone. Some will find it tiresome, pretensious or self-congratulatory or simply weird. It looks like I'm not the only one who liked it, though. I bought mine from Title Wave books, based in NM and they were wicked. Got the book in 5 days in great condition and at a superb price.



2. if there's one book that i've read and re-read countless times and never tire of it's this one.

   an absolute must have for anyone even remotely interested in photography.

4 comments about The Frames: Behind the Glass.

1. I have had a chance to experience the artist's photography before but was amazed the night I picked up his book (at a live signing) (in Chicago) (I know, lucky me). The entire book is a work of art. The photographer truly captures the fleeting moments of life with The Frames, and you can actually feel the excitement of their lives through the lens of an amazing photographer. For any Frames fan, this is a must -- and for anyone out there who appreciates art -- this is most definitely a must. Is there going to be a part 2??



2. Sensibility of Rock and Roll. Every frame is to be framed. I love every single photo. Text is passionate as the photos are and if you do not know the music of The Frames, than all of it will become one, ONCE you listen to it. Bravo Zoran Orlic. A true artist.



3. first of all, the size and quality of it are amazing. i thought it'd be a lot smaller, i don't know why.
   
   i read it all in one sitting-- couldn't really stop. i love the way that it's written. totally sincere and unpretentious. candid and funny.
   i loved it.
   
   and oh yeah, gorgeous photographs, too!



4. This book is not like all the other kind of "band books" that you may have come accross in the past. This book has a different prospective of the photographer and his passion on a band he believed in.
   
   Orlic, takes you on a journey in his own words, of what he was feeling and how he himself, had an inticate part of the band itself. Without him and the brothership that was bonded between he and the members, where would the band be now? Orlic, was the very ingredient that was needed for a lift off of new people discovering the band. He had introduced many of his contacts to The Frames, where they ended recording in Chicago and even one of the engineers, joined the band.
   Orlic even had the privledge of becoming a T.M.(tour manager)for one seasons when traveling through America.
   
   This book brings you through the eyes of a photographer. You become like a best friend. Your in like flynn. Your feel like you are a part of the band!
   
   So, I highly recommend buying this refreshing new prospective of a book about a band, that is on it's way to becoming huge! Now that the movie, Once is out, watch out for The Frames! Whom I believe is to become larger than the Dave Matthews Band!

2 comments about Water Sound Images: The Creative Music of the Universe.

1. Because this book is not "searchable" for excerpted text, perhaps the author/translator should offer some succinct information of the organization of the subject in the book, and the topics. For example, are there repeatable exercises for the layperson; water and music -- the effect of music on water, sine waves, the variables; demonstrable experiments?
   
   How does this relate to the universe; to which level of scholarship the content is written i.e. who is the anticipated audience and their level of knowledge or lack of, from dilletante to academic/scientist in the lab?
   
   As an added note, is the text user friendly for the layperson to accompany the beautiful (so the translator says)images? It is an important and timely subject, so the added information would help grace any background scholarship.
   
   The translator of the book gives it five stars, hardly a real review, so all we have at the moment is the translator rubbing the author's back. I needed a book on the subject for a friend's birthday and will be purchasing Cymatics by Hans Jenny now for lack of reliable feedback or more information on this one in the time needed.
   
   Originally placing a comment up six weeks ago asking for more information, and without any update to the product material, except for the translators self-accolade, this stronger response supercedes my previous comment (of May 30 2008).



2. 20 times for a book seems excessive, I know, but I am biased towards this book because I translated it from its original German.
   
   So if I say this is a great book you can't really trust me, so I will not attempt to judge it because I am biased. But what I will say is that it was a great experience for me to work on the translation and the English layout of the book, that it has amazing imagery (I can say this because they are not mine but Mr. Lauterwasser's) and that I was very proud when I finally - after nearly two years of work - held the finished book in my hands.
   
   It speaks for itself that the book was endorsed by Don Campbell, author of 'The Harmony of Health' and "The Mozart Effect" saying "This is THE 'Sound' Book of the Decade."

3 comments about Mucha Posters Postcards: 24 Ready-to-Mail Cards (Card Books).

1. I was thrilled with the quality of the reproductions! I am using them in a project and they look marvelous. I would recommend this collection highly. Amazon was the first place I'd ever seen this and I have been in many book/gift stores before. This collection had many images that I'd never seen reproduced. The colors are truly sumptuous and "true." The collection includes Luchon, Zodiac, Cycles Perfecta, Lance Parfum 'Roda, 'Bleu Deschamps, Fruit, Moravian Teachers' Choir, Friendship, Sarah Bernhardt/La Plume, a few gorgeous ones which don't have names--and even more! There is a collection of Mucha postcards that were MADE as postcards--they are pretty. But these images come from the best of Mucha's posters. I thought they were a bargain at this price!



2. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!! I am happy that I purchased this set of Mucha's postcards. It's a great piece for my collection of Art Nouveau. I don't even want to use them as postcards. I 'm gonna keep them for myself! The quality of paper is perfect - the finish is glossy, colors are vivid and deep. I just wish there were more pictures in the set. :)



3. These post cards are beautiful and the quality is great. I can't bring myself to tear them out of the book and actually mail them to anyone. I am going to have to order a second book so I can use them.

1 comments about One Time One Place: Mississippi in the Depression : A Snapshot Album.

1. Before Eudora Welty was a published writer, she was a semi-professional photographer. The "snapshots" (her term) in this book are eloquent images in themselves; Welty's accompanying essay, though brief, is excellent.

   Ordinarily this would be more than enough for me to recommend the book. But in this case, there's a much better collection of these photos for you to own. _Eudora Welty Photographs_, also published by University of Mississippi press, includes the hundred photos collected here plus about eighty others. Although it lacks Welty's introductory essay, it more than compensates with a tribute from Reynolds Price and an in-depth interview. The photo reproduction is superior as well. So skip _One Time, One Place_ and buy _Eudora Welty Photographs_ instead.