3 comments about Kindsight: Images and Words From the Flow.

1. This is a wonderful book! It documents human beings at their best. We could all use some more kindness in the world.



2. Robert Zuckerman, a highly regarded photographer of Hollywood film and of actors, has turned his attention away from the glittering world of make believe and focused instead on the ordinary. Yet in his eyes, and certainly in his writings that accompany each of the successful photographs in this sensitive collection these random encounters from routine, everyday life on the streets, the work places, cafes, and other niches that go unnoticed as being special, these moments transform from ordinary to become extraordinary.
   
   Perhaps it is the honesty he finds with his camera; perhaps it is the story that grows out of the moment that made him stop to notice a child or adult or group. Richly colorful in presentation and content these 'kindsights' prove that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and with Zuckerman's gift he is able to make us all look again at the miracles around us. This is an uplifting and loving book that should be shared with good friends. Grady Harp, August 05



3. Althought I have yet to look at the book, KINDSIGHT, by Robert Zuckerman, I believe that it will be worthwhile to purchase and enjoy the photographs of people and nature. I am writing this not as his niece but as an interested teenager wanting to look at the beauty of the world. My Uncle Bob has worked with top movie directors on movies such as Training Day, I Know What you did Last Summer, The Crew and Big Trouble. His work can also be seen on Will Smith's new album cover. Not only does he photograph some of todays well known celebrities, he photographs everyday people doing ordianry things. I even have the privelege of being included in one of the portraits in his book. I believe that this book will inspire blooming photographers to look deep into nature and the beauty of the ordinary world as my uncle has.

4 comments about The Oregon Experiment (Center for Environmental Structure Series).

1. The good news is that this book is a short summary of what most people
   will find important when they apply patterns either in the field of architecture
   or in their own field of design. It provides insight into Alexander's theory
   of economics--a stance which caused him to be unfavorably labeled as a
   socialist when these ideas were taking form.
   
   Patterns, in this book, are almost a footnote to the broader ideas of
   design, of economics, and of socially coordinated construction that
   form the core of Alexander's exposition here. The economics form a
   compelling argument for a process of piecemeal growth. Alexander gives
   practical advice on how to administer the social process, including the
   creation of a community pattern board that oversees the introduction of
   new patterns into the community language, and the retirement of old
   ones. By putting the pattern mantra aside, this book helps the reader
   get beyond the point where they are looking for patterns in their own right
   to provide the answer to every design question, and pushes the reader
   to think at the level of the foundations.
   
   The bad news is that the book takes the reader into a couple of miscues.
   Alexander would later bitterly recant the role this book accords to the
   architect. Architects should be master builders rather than the font of
   design ideas. The architecture role emerged in the Oregon Experiment
   to lend the project an air of conventionality and credibility, a compromise
   that kept the project from achieving its goals.
   
   Current tidbits of retrospective literature try to make sense of the experiment;
   some claim it succeeded (in spite of those aspects Alexander felt were
   wrong-headed) and some claim it failed. Grabow's biography of
   Alexander (Christopher Alexander: The Search for a New Paradigm in
   Architecture) features some choice words about the miscues in this
   experiment. Taken with the retrospective Grabow brings us, this book
   provides a perspective on patterns that is completely absent from the
   other books in this series. Some of these, such as the foundations in
   economics, are there for the picking. To reap some of the other insights
   requires study that goes beyond casual reading, but such study is
   appropriate to the depth of insight it will afford, and you owe it to
   yourself to explore it. These insights are crucial for making patterns
   work in a practical way in a social setting.
   
   If you want to learn about patterns, and you want to start with an
   Alexandrian book, I think this is the one you start with. Get the big
   picture first, in the context of the underlying principles, and come
   back for the pattern details later in A Pattern Language, and for the
   artist's artistic exposition of his art in The Timeless Way of Building.



2. The Oregon Experiment comes from a time when Eugene, Oregon was a capital for social and community experiments in the US. It's a practical, brilliant, gentle, idealistic proposal, without peer in modern literature. There are a few papers on the experiment after twenty years, available on the web -- the experiment basically had the life bureaucratized out of it. But this book remains as a shining, solid proposal, which any participatory experiment should look over very closely.



3. The Oregon Experiment is one of a series of influential volumes on architecture and social design published by Christopher Alexander and his colleagues in the 1970s. While the most well-known volume in the series, A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, and Construction, develops general principles for the design of social spaces at all scales, The Oregon Experiment applies those principles to a specific case: the campus of the University of Oregon.

   If you are looking for an example of a specific campus plan, however, you will not find it here. Central to Alexander's approach is the notion that communities should not create fixed master plans, but rather should develop a common pattern language, and then apply it organically, in a piecemeal fashion, as needs arise. The book talks as much about this process of planning as it does about individual construction projects. Whenever a need arises (expansion of a building, addition of a door, creation of a green) people consult their pattern language and build something to suit the space and satisfy the need. Because everyone follows the agreed-upon language, the new parts harmonize with those that already exist (or replace earlier, poorly-designed structures).

   If you have enjoyed studying Alexander's patterns in A Pattern Language, you will find here a collection of new ones that are specific to a university setting, including "University Population," "University Shape and Diameter," "Departments of 400," "Local Administration," "Classroom Distribution," and about a dozen more. Although he clearly draws on ideas from British universities in many cases, he unaccountably does not include one of the fundamental features of the British model, namely the residential college of 500 (or so) within the larger institution. (Although he does include aspects of this pattern under the heading "Small Student Unions.") As always, Alexander's pattern descriptions are clear, blunt, and thought-provoking.

   The question that most readers will want to have answered is, "Does all this really work?" When the volume was written, of course, the process was just getting under way, and so we cannot know from this book alone whether everything described was successful or has been sustained over the long term. From what I've seen of campus master planning in public universities, it often turns out in the end to have less to do with creating good educational environments than it does with kowtowing to the local chamber of commerce and lining the pockets of already-rich trustees. But just because something is difficult doesn't mean it shouldn't be made the goal. If Alexander or someone at the University of Oregon were to produce a sequel, "The Oregon Experiment 25 Years On," I'm sure it would meet with a warm reception.




4. As a software designer and as somebody who lives and works in buildings in cities, I find the ideas in some of Alexander's other books on architecture and design - The Timeless Way of Building and A Pattern Language - very interesting and appealing. They are a brave attempt to point to a more human, community-oriented way of doing things.

   I had high hopes that The Oregon Experiment would describe a concrete example of whether these ideas worked when they were put into practice. It does nothing of the kind. It describes an interesting thought experiment in participatory design and tries to present this as a vindication of the Pattern Language concepts. But nowhere does it even mention whether the design it describes was ever actually implemented, much less whether it worked from the inhabitants' point of view.

   It is very easy for a design team to get carried away with what a great design they have on paper. I've done it loads of times. That enthusiasm tells us nothing about whether a design is actually going to be a success.

   I know Alexander later moved from academia and started trying to put his ideas into practice on actual building projects. A book on his real experiences and how well the original ideas stood up to the cold light of reality would be fascinating and important. The Oregon Experiment isn't that book.

5 comments about Steve McQueen.

1. The book contains some details about mcQueen's life that only the writer knew , that give a hint about how mcQueen viewed life, danger, and speed.
   but the photos are mainly advertising ones and not real life.
   i would expect more on the life of mcqueen as a person and not only as an actor



2. A great book, considering it is of a short period in Steve McQueen's life. This is him in his prime captured by a great photographer.



3. Very comprehensive. Show's a different side of the rough and tumble character known as Steve McQueen. Very entertaining.



4. According to his foreward to this book, the photographer William Claxton met Steve McQueen in 1962 when McQueen was starring with Natalie Woods in LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER. The two men formed a friendship and apparently Mr. Claxton became Mr. McQueen's favorite and most requested photographer. This book of wonderful photographs, covering a couple of years in Mr. McQueen's life from 1962 to 1964, is a result of that brief friendship. Most of the pictures appear to be shot in available light and have a wonderful, informal spontaneity about them impossible to capture in formal portraiture. Both the photographer and subject are comnpletely without pretention.

   Mr. Claxton caught Mr. McQueen smiling, clowning and pensive. There are photographs of McQueen in fast cars as well as on motorcycles. Many of the shots were done while Mr. McQueen was working on movies. There are also many pictures of him with family and friends. Most of the shots are in black and white with a few in color. Every time I look at them I find yet another photograph that I think is the best in the book. There is a haunting shot of McQueen with his young daughter where the child, sitting on the floor and resting on her arms, looks into Claxton's camera. We only see her father's legs and feet. (p. 79) Another great shot appears on page 73. McQueen is embracing the family cat. Finally, there's a shot of McQueen lying on a blanket in a large field. His profile is beautifully backlit. Both photographs selected for the front and back covers are fine, informal portraits as well.

   This book made me remember how much I enjoyed Steve McQueen's movies and made me sad that he is no longer among us.




5. A wonderful work of art that captures what made Steve so charismatic and appealing. It leaves you wishing you could see more from other periods in his life. This is a book I will treasure all my life. Thank you Amazon, I would have paid ten times as much for this book. God Rest His Soul.

5 comments about Obscene Interiors: Hardcore Amateur Decor.

1. If for nothing else, us it for sitting around with your friends accompanied by a few bottles of wine and have a laugh! The scary thing is sooo much of this book is factual on some odd level.



2. This book really made me laugh, although I am the most ungenerous cynical person.



3. I defy anyone to not just love this eccentric tongue-in-cheek look at decorating. It takes interior design and skews it with hilarious results. Clever, original, and only slightly obscene. (And I'm talking about the rooms...!) A great urban gift.



4. This is my book so I'm not unbiased in my giving it 5 stars, but disregard the inaccurate Amazon description above. Here's the deal: It's a collection of real online male personal ad photos with the figures obscured, and then my critique of the room's decor behind them. Fight Club author, Chuck Palahniuk included Obscene Interiors in his list of Top Ten Books of the past 10 years - Yay! And Dave Eggers had this to say, "Obscene Interiors is not only a cruelly brilliant idea, but it's executed with great cunning and even some warmth."
   
   From the back cover: A first of its kind collection of online male personal ad photos featuring shockingly explicit amateur decorating action! Lamps, plants, curtains and couches mix it up in this graphic display of aesthetic perversion!



5. What a hilarious book. Page after page of men who are simply oblivious. These guys have no shame in exposing themselves with a variety of backdrops, ranging from tacky, scary to out and out gross. This is like a book of favorite cartoons - you just keep picking it up.

3 comments about Sightwalk.

1. this book is unlike any photo book i've seen - from the photos within to the surface of the cover, it is a work of art. it's price of $50 and length of only 40 pages make my rating 4 instead of 5 stars, but the work itself is some of the best on the contemporary scene. for those intested in street photography, or color photography in general, this is a major work and a must have.



2. The pages just fell out of the cover! And this was supposed to be hand printed. The title "Sightwalk" on the font cover was smeared. The red ink was all over the words and i had to look hard to tell that it said ""Sightwalk". VERY DISAPPOINTING. It made me wonder for a moment if this was a fake copy. And I'm still wondering.



3. The first thought I had after turning the last page of this beautiful book was "how can this author be almost unknown to the world?". Looking at Pinkhassov's photographs is a magical and mystical tour in the soul of Japan; every single picture deserves your attention to discover a subject almost hidden in an atmosphere of timeless beauty. The book itself is a beautiful object, but I think it deserves you discover it by yourself. I really hope we can have a new work of this artist as soon as possible.

5 comments about Wise Talk, Wild Women.

1. I recently met Gwen Mazer at a book signing and was impressed with her work. It was a fascinating event mostly attended by women with many women over 60 and one very charismatic woman who was 99 and still going strong. I think this latter woman exemplifies the spirit this book is written as does the author.
   
   The concept of the book is simple, it looks at different women's perspectives on aging, life, love, etc. The author uses a very personal style with rich, thick descriptions and quotations to bring to life a very inside or subjective perspective on these issues. The individual chapters also cover a broad range of cultures, levels of achievement, fields of expertise, etc.
   
   I agree with Gwen that in many ways 60 is the new 40 for many people and attitudes towards aging across society are outdated. In fact, my understanding from the research on the aging brain is that how you expect to grow old is the number one determing factor in how the brain ages. If the 99 year old at the book signing event is any indication of human potential, then I think this may just right on target.
   
   What you will come away from after reading this book is a different attitude towards aging and what is possible. It not only looks at individuals, but when taken as a collection presents a new cultural pattern emerging among women. As a man, I see this in my practice and I believe it is gathering momentum. I find it a litarlly a disgrace how many seniors are treated in our society. I also understand this is correlated with life expectancy and how people age.
   
   If you are interested in references written for laypersons on the topic of brain aging try these: Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of the World's Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples and Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being,Making a Good Brain Great: The Amen Clinic Program for Achieving and Sustaining Optimal Mental Performance and The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain and Aging With Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives.
   
   Finally, this book is a work of art. There is excellent photography which captures the spirit of the person in each chapter, it's printed on good quality paper and the design is carefully thought out. If you are at all interested in this area, I recommend this book for it's "real life" and "in the bones" approach. Many similar books do not have the lively spirit of this one, the breadth or the depth.



2. Wise Talk, Wild Women changed my life and was exactly what I needed to help me move forward into the next phase of my being. At age 60 I found myself completely stuck. My mother's life was so totally different from mine and I had few female relatives whose wisdom about this stage of life I could draw upon. Wise Talk, Wild Women is extremely well written and the comments by all of the women are focused on exactly the aspects of life for which I needed insight. Although all of the women are quite different from one another, each story had several components that I could relate to and one or two paralleled my life so closely it was almost eerie. It is hard to say what was most significant but it occurred to me as I read the book that I had completely lost sight of my own accomplishments. Reading about these women's lives helped me get back in touch with what I have done thus far and how I will use that to focus on the future. I also felt a strong kinship with these women because all have either dedicated their lives to or are now focused on the greater good, something that I have done and continue to do. Wise Talk, Wild Women was truly inspiring.



3. This book is elegant. The writing is both graceful and inspirational. As someone who is not yet sixty, it makes me feel as if this is a period of my life I can look forward to. Each woman profiled in this book has lead an exceptionally fulfilling life, because she relied on her intuition to guide her rather than conforming to her family's or society's expectations of her. The photographs in this book have the quality of portraits; they seem to capture the essence of each woman's character. I highly recommend it.
   
   Janet Rhodes
   Walnut Creek, CA



4. This book is a beautifully presented gift of spirit. Mothers, daughters, grandmothers, granddaughters as well as the men in their lives will be inspired by the in-depth conversations that give candid insights into the joy, vision, and gifts of women throughout their path and arrival into maturity. Mazer's commentaries interwoven in each story give us an important additional perspective, and Alicino's photographs are alive with radiance and wisdom. Here is a celebration of life you will want to share with everyone on your list.



5. Read this book;savor like a box of chocolates, enjoying it a piece at a time,for these are well-lived lives recounted by intelligent women who are also beautifully photographed. If you are a guest this summer, this would be a thoughtful gift to your host or hostess.

5 comments about Living Happily Ever After: Couples Talk about Lasting Love.

1. These stories are uplifting and a joy to read. In a world where divorce always seems to be the topic, it is refreshing to read about marriages that last.



2. We recieved this book for our 25th Wedding Anniversary from a beloved nephew. It is full of honest stories--some shocking,some humorous,some touching, all interesting--of ordinary couples who in their own way overcame obstacles, big and small, and made a success of their relationships. This enlightening book changed the way we view committed relationships. We have given copies of this book as anniversary, engagement and wedding presents. Also, we have recommended it our committed friends.



3. I've included this book as part of wedding presents several times, to outstanding reception. The particular stories of how couples create their lives in a way that is satisfying to both is comforting and inspiring in its human-ness. What a treasure!



4. When I saw the cover of this book in the bookstore, I thought, "Oh no, another syrupy sweet collection of essays on marriage." But when I had to wait a few minutes before the tears clouding my eyes finally cleared (after skimming the first story), I was hooked. These are stories of everyday people who speak quite candidly about what it takes to sustain a relationship through the years, and you can't help but fall in love with them! I was surprised by the candidness of many couples, and thankful that they were willing to share such personal facts. And I liked that the book covered all sorts of couples...this made it even more interesting. This lovely book would make an excellent anniversary, Valentine's Day, birthday, wedding or shower gift.



5. I loved this book. We received "Living Happily" as a wedding gift. My Husband and I found the stories inspiring. We read the book on our honeymoon. Since then we have given copies to friends both as aniversary and wedding gifts.

2 comments about Love Your Dog Pictures: How to Photograph Your Pet with Any Camera.

1. As the previous review indicates, this book is aimed at the person who is not a photographer but rather the loving pet owner who wants better photos of their dog. The book is full of clear examples that will help get a better photo of your dog. The author has an easy writing style and her instructions are easy to incorporate into photographing. After reading this book, any dog lover should be able to get pictures that will be more individual and representative of their dog. Definitely for the beginning/snapshot photographer who wants pictures that will actually look like their dog without distortion, and add some creativity in their photos.



2. This book is not about becoming a professional dog photographer but it is intended for the family photographer who wants to know how to take the best pictures of their dog or their family's dog. Pictures they can hang on the wall later on or put in scrapbooks. It will help you create images of your dog that will catch the dog's true spirit.
   
   It does not matter if you have a cheap film camera or an expensive digital SLR camera, the tips and techniques in this book will work for any camera. Throughout the different chapters the text is accompanied by famous dog quotes every now and then and along with all the tips and techniques are 305 illustrations in total (only ten in b/w) that clearly show you before and after situations and different camera setups and their resulting photographs.
   
   In the first chapters you'll get familiar with all the technical stuff like equipment and exposure, then you'll move on to more practical techniques like lightning, composition and taking great action shots, posing and portraits. The last part explains in short chapters how to digitize your film photographs, how to enhance your digital pictures and how to
   turn them into scrapbook pages. In the appendix you'll get to meet all the dogs that were models for the illustrations throughout this book.
   
   With its 144 pages this book is a definite handbook for beginning photographers who want to know everything about taking beautiful photographs of their beloved dogs. If you are looking for more professional dog photography you might be better off with Creative Canine Photography. This book, Love Your Dog Pictures, though handles everything you ever needed to know about dog photography and with a creative mind I'm sure you can be just as well a professional dog photographer. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their photographing skills and who wants to catch their dog's real personality on image.
   
   - reviewed by Eveline for Euro-Reviews

2 comments about The Colorado Weather Book.

1. This book is very fascinating and informative.
   My boyfriend are relocating to the Denver area, and this book really caught our eye. We found it VERY helpful to know what type of weather to expect in Colorado.
   This book has beautiful pictures of the different types of weather which occurs in Colorado: lightning, hail, tornadoes, blizzards, avalanches, floods, and etc...
   It even gives historical pictures of extreme weather phenomena which occured in Colorado's past.
   The chapters are broken down into these categories:
   Chapter 1: Colorado Spring
   Chapter 2: Colorado Summer
   Chapter 3: Colorado Autumn
   Chapter 4: Colorado Winter
   Chapter 5: Weather of the Century
   Chapter 6: Storm Chasing
   Chapter 7: Meteorology or Media-rology?
   Chapter 8: Photographing weather
   Chapter 9: The Fragile Planet
   
   Every page features spectacular color photos of various weather patterns. In the back of the book are various weather-related websites.
   I am originally from Kansas, which is part of "Tornado Alley" - and I amazed that Colorado also has tornadoes--which I never knew- (although they are more likely to occur on the far eastern plains).
   I had no idea that the eastern plains of Colorado are also one of the hail capitols of the world.
   This book is truly captivating for anyone who is fascinated by weather. I highly recommend it.



2. Colorado is known for its mountains, but it could be easily famous for its high-drama weather. This book explains the relationship between the mountains and weather phenomenon such as Colorado's wild hail storms and its towering thunder clouds. It offers scientific explanations that don't require a science degree to follow, as well as lots of history and great weather stories. It's topped off with truly awesome photography.

   It's a great book for anyone whose curiousity about weather extends past tomorrows forcast.

5 comments about Digital Nature Photography.

1. I have 10 or more photography books, and this is by far the worst. Many topics get a few paragraphs and thats it. I didn't learn anything new in this book. I don't write many reviews, but this book is pretty bad. Don't waste your time. I was going to say this would be good for someone brand new to photography, but there are much better ones out there (see below for better books). The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is due to the number of photos in the book. There are plenty of photos, I just wish the information that went with them was a little more useful.
   
   
   Here are some books I would suggest reading instead of this book:
   
   1. Any book by David Busch (I have 5 of his books and learned new things in all of them)
   
   2. Digital Nature Photography: The Art and the Science (well written, and I learned a ton of new things in this book).
   
   3.Digital Wildlife Photography by Chris Weston (This one is loaded with tips for when you are out in the field)
   
   If you are new to photography, start with one of David Busch's books. If you know the basics, then any of the above books should teach you something. If you are a pro, write you own book and quit looking at what I am saying about this guys book.



2. Very good to excellent for any one that is new to digital. Exceptional photo's with clear and easy to understand how to's. Very good learning tool, easy to understand, very pleasant to look at, and worth the investment.



3. Jon shows that one doesn't need a high-end digital SLR to capture some great shots. Many of the pictures shown were taken with a Nikon Coolpix, not a 10 megapixel Nikon D2 or some other high end camera. That may explain why there's no use of histograms or advanced settings sometimes associated with DSLRs. He covers the basics such as the rule of thirds and shows you how to simulate filters by changing white balance - something which many authors tend to leave to Photoshop.
   
   Many of the pictures may not be 'outstanding', but they're ALL well composed and an explanation of his thought behind each shot accompanies each picture. In looking at them, I can see myself taking pictures just like his. In looking at other books I see the equipment they've chosen, the exotic locales they're shooting and the lengths they go to in order to get 'the shot'. Not many of us have the time or money to shoot those shots. I look at Jon's works and sense that he's an everyday person with a great eye for nature.



4. Lack of insights makes this book average. Although some photographs in the book are good, there are a lot of ordinary ones too. (Maybe I am spoiled by some outstanding books.) If author can not take outstanding pictures, you should be wary of his advice.
   
   This book lacks depth in any particular area whether it is equipment selection, lenses, composition or post-processing. Author has tried to cover these topics but the discussion is very superficial and does not offer any techniques that can be put to use.
   
   There are many great photography books by the likes of John Shaw, Bryan Peterson, John Freeman, Lee Frost and many more. So save your money and use it on books by these photographers. Luckily I decided to check this book out from library before buying. I have bought more than dozen books on photography (digital and otherwise) in last one year alone and the money was well spent. This book does not belong to that collection.
   
   If you are a beginner, Bryan Peterson has great books. If you want depth, John Shaw is unparalleled. Want a good book on composition, try John Freeman. Interested in special topics likes filters, low light photography, panoramic photography try Lee Frost.
   
   Problem with this book is; it will not make you a better photographer.



5. when i first purchased this book i was what one might call a 'beginner', but after reading the book (which i couldnt put down, by the way, the pictures are amazing) i would comfortably call myself an advanced amateur. jon cox does a very good job going through the different techniques and termanology of digital photography. i was delighted by the number and quality of pictures included. i will admit, it was hard for me to understand and grasp some of the concepts at first, and i had to read some sections a couple times, but overall i would deffinatly recomend this book to any photography enthusiast!