3 comments about Autumn.

1. The photographs were taken in Europe and the Eastern United States. They are breathtaking! They conjure fond memories of beautiful autumns past and make you yearn for its return! I was spellbound the moment I opened the book. The book itself is small enough for me to carry in my everyday tote bag, so I will!
   
   If you need to be inspired, get this book!



2. I recently saw this in a Canadian bookstore and was spellbound by the beauty between its covers. The colors and compositions of the photographs are unreal! I was especially captivated by several shots where the changing leaves grew over a broken window. The store's only copy had a torn cover, but I plan to pick up "Autumn" as soon as I can.



3. Unlike the previous reviewer, I find Jean Mulatier's "Autumn" to be full of stunning images, all of which are beautifully composed, technically well-crafted, and perhaps most importantly, unique. This is not another collection of pretty foliage shots. The compositions are very specific, often isolating a single tree branch or a single leaf from the wide range of backgrounds, which are not typical, either. There is one gorgeous shot of a pair of trees with only a few leaves left, standing in front of a graffiti-covered wall. There are views of leaves through windows; farm implements sitting in fields surrounded by trees, ready for winter; abstracts of frost-covered foliage. This is the work of a photographer who looks at autumn with new eyes, and it is a refreshing change from typical calendar photographs. As Jay Maisel said, "It's not about new places, it's about new eyes." This photographer achieves that goal. If there is anything gloomy about the photography, it is due to the subject matter itself, which is in fact what autumn is about, the end of the yearly life cycle. The quotes on autumn that form an integral part of the layout are also a nice addition, and an astute reader will understand their relationship to the photography. Highly recommended.

3 comments about Beneath the Rim: A Photographic Journey Through the Grand Canyon.

1. I have been guiding river trips through the Grand Canyon for over thirty years and this is one of the best photo journalist volumes I have seen. There are thousands of books, concerning the Grand Canyon, I have collected over the years..."Beneath The Rim" has a special way of describing the intimate details of the life and spaces beneath the rim. One can tell by the unique photographs and inspiring text that C.C. Lockwood has a special relationship with the Grand Canyon. It is a must have for any Grand Canyon aficionado.



2. C.C. Lockwood has done a remarkable presentation of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.It is obvious from the pictures and text presented that he is extremely knowledgable of one of the seven natural wonders of the world. There are views of the inner Canyon that have never before been published and his intimate portrayal of river running on some of the largest white water in North America exemplifies his professionalism as a photographer. For Canyon lovers and river runners alike, both past and future, I highly recommend Mr. Lockwood's achievement.



3. A beautiful glimpse into the heart of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. The photographs in this book have captured some of the magic that can only be found in the depths of the canyon. I have done two dory trips through the Grand Canyon and I can say that this book is the next best thing to actually being there.

5 comments about Beneath the Sea in 3-D.

1. I ordered this book primarily for the benefit of my 7 year old son. We're doing a research project on oceans, and while we have a few good resources, I felt this one, with its 3d imagery, would more likely capture and hold his attention. What I didn't realize was how thoroughly it would capture and hold mine. For me, 3D had always meant multicolored plastic glasses and headaches. Though the book was described as stereoscopic, I didn't understand what that meant. Stereography was something new for me, even if as a form of photography it is over 150 years old.
   
   This is not a matter of red and blue separations; the 3D results from the human eye's trick of blending 2 photos taken (simultaneously) an eye's width apart. Photographer Mark Blum is a pioneer in the art of underwater 3d photography, and his work is beautifully displayed here. Everyone I've shown this book to has been fascinated by it, and I fully expect that when we've finished with our project the book will find its way to permanent display in my home.



2. This is an amazing book! Makes me want to take up scuba diving. I've never seen such good 3D, not to mention that it's real photos from underwater with incredible colors. Get this book! And I'm going to go get the rest of the books by this author.



3. BENEATH THE SEA IN 3-D

   I highly recommended this book for school children and adults alike.

   I was introduced to one of Blum's books by a friend and liked it so much that I sought out and bought all of his 3D books. I find the price so reasonable that I've since bought more to give as gifts.

   I enjoy looking at the 3-D photos as much as my seven year old son so I already know several adults as well as children who will be getting this book as a gift.

   The technical quality of the photos and printing of the books is very good. A magnifying, stereo viewer is built into a unique bi-fold cover of the book A little research showed that this idea is well over a hundred years old (like stereo photography) but I still find it very innovative because it is so rare and unusual.

   The photographer has an inspired eye and top technical skill. The underwater photography is amazing. I think the dimension of the ocean really goes well with 3D photos. The colors and forms of the undersea world show so amazingly well in 3D and Blum went all over the world making these photos.

   The writing accompanying each image adds to the photos with just the right amount of scientific and general information to serve both young and old reader. I like this book very much and I hope you find this review helpful. I recommend looking for the other 3-D books by Blum. They are all great!




4. The publisher has unfortunately tried to market these fabulous works as childrens books (not that they aren't wonderful for kids as well), but these photos are truely amazing both in the quality of the photography, but also in the presentation. They are printed on very high quality coated paper with a STURDY set of lenses built right into the hard cover, which allows you to view them in all their splendor without any additional equipment.

   These are not red/blue lenses! The images are presented in true color stereo pairs and when viewed, merge into a single, dynamic 3D image - WOW! I can't say enough about the overall quality of viewing for ADULTS as well as children.

   The price is another thing that confuses me. I don't know why these are so inexpensive? I urge anyone who loves nature to buy all of the books in this series!




5. Everybody that has seen my copy of Beneath the Sea in 3-D is entranced by it. The superb quality of the photography alone is worth the money. But add the astounding 3-D effect and it is just plain irresistible. My kids love it (ages 7, 11 and 17), and I love it. Great for all ages. The captions add fascinating facts about the animals and the circumstances of the photos. This is a great book! I'm ordering Mark Blum's other books, too! By all means, buy it!

4 comments about Crossing the Atlantic: The Romance of Transoceanic Cruising.

1. Since I started buying Bill Millers books I have been delighted with his passion, creativity and insight in the world of oceanliners.His books are wonderful, with the best book sofar being "Liners of the Golden Age". A beautiful (hardcover)treasure !.Being used to the high quality of Miller's product "Crossing the Atlantic" is unfortunately a major setback.If I could have seen it in a bookstore I wouldn't have bought it at all, but from the internet the name Miller and a beautiful vintage coverphoto is enough to go for it.A mistake in this case .Mr.Maxtone's writing is eloquent as ever, but the lay-out, pictures and foreall the main story are utterly disappointing. I expected a small but delightful episode on the life onboard the liners of the past during the crossings,(much in the style of mr.Maxtone's oceanliner bible " The only way to cross" with stories of passengers, authentic pictures and capturing comments.
   But all the vintage pictures we have seen before and they add very little to what we know already ;the pictures of ports and pittoresque places to visit we find in any cruise or holiday magazine, so what exactly is the point?
   I know Mr Miller is a phenomenal writer in his field, and that he has a lot to offer to us readers. Let's consider this booklet as a little accident and stretch our necks in anticipation for his next product.I am sure its going to be very good.Please make it a hardcover, you and we deserve it, thank you !



2. I get the feeling that this Bill Miller is not the same author as William H. Miller. None of the flamoyant verbiage that evokes shipboard and history, and the most uninteresting photos of any book on ships I have ever read. This book reminds me of a Globus Gateway Brochure. Lots of destination photos, and brochure style desriptions of the destinations in question. The only apparent connection to ships is that these ports are accessible by ship or can be departure ports. Even the brief but pleasant foreward by the real John Maxtone Graham was not worth the money or effort. This book should not be purchased by lovers of William H. Miller's books.



3. Normally, I love anything Bill Miller has to say. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy his writing in this book. But if you are looking for a Bill Miller book on ships, this isn't what you're looking for. If you're looking for a Bill Miller book on PORTS...bingo! I anticipated a book on the history of crossing the Atlantic and life aboard the ships. This book is very different.



4. This is another wonderful book of Bill Miller- good as all the other ones.The well researched book sees the atlantic voyage eastbound- from New York to Europe- just the opposite direction as often. So you are shown some of the nicest places of Europe, too.

3 comments about The Wonder of Boys: The World Through a Boy's Eyes.

1. This book was given to me as a gift and what a great gift it is! I love scrapbooking and the one thing that the other reviews are not bringing about is the fact that each page has a fabulous black and white photograph and on the opposite page there is a quote about little boys. The one on the cover has a quote with it on the inside that reads: I like my boy...and his utter inability to conceive why I should not leave all of my nonsense, business, and writing and come to tie up his toy horse. - By Ralph Waldo Emerson. So many are profound and some are simply cute. Another one, by Fredrick Douglass, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." And I imagine one of the quotes that I will some day create a scrapbook page for my son with photos of him and his daddy with this quote by Walter M. Schirra, Sr. "You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. If you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes even if it's in your own eyes."
   
   What a fabulous work. Karen Henrich not only was creative enough to take such adorable photos of these little boys but to pair them up with such perfect quotes to bring out of these little images the thoughts that she wanted to portray with those photos. Brilliant!



2. Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (11/07)
   
   "Snips and snails and puppy dog tails, that's what little boys are made of." That's what photographer Karen Henrich brings to life in this wonderful little book. Each page depicts a part of a boy's life - be it with a dog, hiding under a hat, sitting on a step contemplating life, or getting ready to hit a ball.
   
   Each picture is so full of character; you can just feel the mischievous thoughts or know the fun each of the kids had while having their picture taken. Henrich has a gift to pull you right into the photo, making it so real. Opposite each page is a quote, and how appropriate they are. My favorite? "boy n A noise with dirt on it."
   
   "The Wonder of Boys" is a lovely little book as a gift, or just to have by your contemplation chair. It would certainly stir up some memories!



3. Darling book! Each page will bring a new smile to your face. The author pairs a black and white photo of a male child with a quote. Great book for the coffee table (or restroom). She captures the wonder, mystery and mischief inherent in these little men.

No comments about Legacy in Light: Photographic Treasures from Philadelphia Area Public Collections.

5 comments about Envisioning Science: The Design and Craft of the Science Image.

1. This book is not a coffee table book of Frankel's amazing pictures, it is basically a textbook of her techniques. The pictures are not the focus. The focus is on instruction- creation, exposure, color, composition, and the like. I'm not a photographer, and really couldn't care less about that stuff. I just wanted a book of her work. If I had looked at this book in a bookstore first, I would not have bought it.



2. I had the opportunity to hear Ms. Frankel at the Materials Research Society meeting and bought the book as a consequence of her talk. Certainly, having heard some of the stories about some of the pictures helps make the book more alive, but I am convinced the book would still be a 5 star one without that advantage.

   Ms. Frankel does a good job covering the basics of photography (mostly film, but some digital). She spends a lot of time talking about how to use the image and construct the image to tell the story. My observation is that scientists often don't do a good job getting the image and the story out in a terribly effective way. From the perspective of using images to tell a story (particularly a technical story), this book is by far the best resource I've seen on that subject. I strongly recommend the book to scientists working with images and to those interested in journalism about science.




3. This is at least two different books. The first is simply in the pictures themselves. Frankel's photography complements, even improves the quality of the science with which she works. The scientist's goal is to make new knowledge available, and Frankel has unique talent in doing this visually.

   The second book lies in the text around these beautiful pictures. This is an introductory guide to scientific photography. The text will work for a novice as well as a photographer experienced in other kinds of images.

   Above all, this is a book about communication - about visual presentation of knowledge. In a chapter of his own, the book's designer makes it clear that the book itself is an example of visual communication.

   Perhaps some people think that art and science are somehow opposed to each other. I think such people just don't understand either. This book shows that art and science are complements, perhaps just different ways of finding and sharing new truths.




4. I first read about this book in the New York Times, and I agree with Mandelbrot's observation that it's a "masterpiece." Frankel's work will have a tremendous impact, not just on science, but on art, design, architecture, aesthetics, and the way we view the world.



5. Frankel is the Muybridge and Edgerton of the new century. Anyone who reads this arresting book will never see science--or life--quite the same. Life is more exquisite and magical than we know, and thanks to her, we are able to see just how. She gives us privileged views of worlds that we could never see without her help. This book, and her previous volume "On the Surface of Things," are must-haves for any thinking person.

5 comments about Unicorns I Have Known.

1. Wonderful book full of beautiful, mystical, magical photographs. Robert Vavra is one of the best in the business!



2. Remember when you believed in unicorns? This book is filled with such beautiful photography that you will forget you were told not to believe.



3. I have always appreciated Robert Vavra from the time I was first introduced to his art. But this particular book I have longed for about 23 years.
   Beautiful, fanciful, and "fact"-filled book about a mythical noble creature that is loved so much, that few would dispute his existence.
   Photos, illustrations and notes on each well-known type of unicorn is unsurpassed!



4. This gorgeous book is one of the finest unicorn books I own. It has great pictures and lots of unicorn details and a unicorn searching guide. It is worth buying if you like unicorns or photography. It is worth getting Unicorn of Kilimanjaro or the Calendar if you can find them as well. It is on my list of favorite all time books, and i see a lot of them as i work at a bookstore. By this if you or someone you love likes unicorns and give the gift of magic.



5. I first encountered this book when I was very young. I asked my local library to buy it and they did; and I kept checking it out again and again. Owning this book now is like looking back into my own childhood, at the dreams and the wonder I had for the world. It's beautiful pictures and startling art has never faded for me over time.

2 comments about The American Family Home, 1800-1960.

1. Whilst writing my tome on Sears Homes, I kept Clark's book close at hand as a resource. Years earlier, I'd read it cover to cover and just loved it. "The American Family Home" is written by a college professor but it's a warm, conversational and fascinating read. Lacks the dry-as-dust technical, clunky language that some architectural writers seem to relish (and employ!).
   
   What I love most about his book is that he explains HOW and WHY American architecture evolved the way that it did. He explains (in delicious and interesting depth) why the early-1900s bungalow was actually a specific response to the ostentatious and ornate Victorians of the late 1800s.
   
   This book was well-researched and well written. I highly recommend it, both as an entertaining book and a wonderful resource to help you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of America's architecture.
   
   Rose Thornton
   author, The Houses That Sears Built



2. Few books, in my experience are written as clearly as this one. Clark leads the reader carefully and thoughtfully from 1800 to 1960, and shows why certain styles of home were popular in each era. His word choice is excellent and his sentence formation is flawless. He gives many examples and the book is well illustrated. For anyone wishing to understand why Americans have bought and built the houses they have, and what they hoped to get out of them, this is the book to buy. Get two.

1 comments about Buffalo Bill's Wild West Warriors: A Photographic History by Gertrude Ksebier.

1. The superior photographs in this book speak for themselves, much better than the author does. Whereas these photographic portraits show Plains Indians (just about all Lakota Sioux I would venture) as real people and individuals with depth, but of a different culture, the author's accompanying captions are quite poor, inconsistent in description, and almost simplistic or condescending. In some photos the author describes the subject's clothing and accoutrements (bonnets, vests, weapons, etc). In other photos, she describes nothing, or little, and not necessarily accurately. The captions of Kills First (pg. 56-57) talks about his "feathers, beads and medallions of his attire." This reads like some ethnocentric 1840s missionary's description, not what I'd expect from an "associate curator at the Smithsonian's Natural Museum of American History" (per the dust jacket). Kills First is wearing a single eagle feather in the upright 1st coup position, his "medallions" are typical small mirrors or reflective discs on an otter sash trimmed with porcupine quill work, as is the quilled medicine wheel tied in his hair with dyed fluffs attached. In other captions she talks about "full, feathered headress." This is throughout the book. Stilted descriptions. Yet, all in all, for the potraitures alone, the book is worth purchasing.