No comments about Is That So Kid: David Bailey, Angelica Huston.

3 comments about Only in Minnesota.

1. I don't think I will ever understand why people from MN think that its so unique. Minnesota does not have much going for it.



2. i found this book to be a wonderful guide to the newly transplanted and for folks like me, who have lived here all my life. i had no idea there is so much beauty & long lived traditions. i mostly spend my time going to the ne corner of the state-lake superior but now i have had a glimpse of what other fabulous places are here in minnesota and will begin to explore what is 'only in minnesota'. thank you for creating this book!



3. I love this book, I recently moved out of Minnesota and miss it dearly. This book is a beautiful tribute to the scenic views, great places to visit and the charismatic people who live there.

3 comments about Cezanne: Landscape into Art.

1. Although this is a great book for any art lover it is a must for the plein air (outdoor) painter. It demonstrates how Cezanne transformed his "motif", the scene he has selected, into a painting by showing photos of the motif side by side with his paintings. Machotka, an artist himself, discusses the artistic problems presented by each scene and Cezanne's various solutions as they vary over his development as an artist. Machotka is knowledgeable, thoughtful and writes well. This book will certainly extend your appreciation of Cezanne and if you paint plein air, will likely make you a much more observant and better painter. As a painter this is one of the few books on composition and technique that I recommend to other painters.



2. Cezanne's influence on Cubism and later abstract styles can make the viewer forget just how important looking at his native landscape was to the painter. This wonderful book helps us see the fascinating ways Cezanne succeeded in "realizing his sensations" in front of nature and landscape. A book to return to again and again.



3. This is by far one of the best books I have ever read and had. Machotka details Cezanne in a great way. I was never a great fan of Cezanne before purchasing this book, now I'm a devoted fan! Cezanne would be proud to have someone like Machotka writing about his work.

No comments about Femmes Fatales of the 1950s.

1 comments about Connecticut.

1. This is an excellent depiction of Connecticut for the resident and non-resident alike. From Connecticut's stone walls and quaint farms to its colonial images and modern aerial views, this book gives a good pictoral sampling of the state. Just enough text to keep it interesting and to inform the reader of some little-known Connecticut facts. One detriment, though, is that the book (copyright 1989) has a few "dated" photos in it. Aside from that, it is an excellent book for one to get a flavor of the natural and man-made beauty in this small state

2 comments about Matthew Monteith: Czech Eden.

1. This is a fantastic representation of the work of an up and coming photographer. The book is very well done and the subject matter is very cohesive. I highly recommend this book.



2. I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s assisting my professional photographer father and taking quality photographs on my own; after that I owned and operated a professional photographic equipment and supply store for nearly a decade. In my 50 some years of exposure to fine arts photography, I've not seen a finer book of stunning, captivating, inspired photographs than "Czech Eden." Matthew Monteith appears to be the new Rudolf Steiner of photography: a rare avant garde visionary who bestows his versatile genius upon us in a sensuous and edifying way. Matthew's photos--every one of them--enlighten us and draw our oohs and aahs with their eye candy-like appeal. Buy this book and keep it for all time. It's a first class winner.

2 comments about Portrait of the Alaska Railroad.

1. I've lived in Alaska for 27 years and have entertained many visitors. So, I decided to pick up a copy of Portrait of the Alaska Railroad for a relative who has enjoyed riding the train. Then I decided to get a copy for myself. The book describes in excellent detail the history and current workings of our railroad, and the photos are terrific! Author Kaylene Johnson's outstanding research makes this a book packed with information. Yet it reads like a fascinating story, not some dry history book. I've read a lot about the Alaska Railroad, but in this book, I found tidbits of information I'd never heard.
   A must for railroad buffs and anybody planning to make a trip north.



2. Portrait of the Alaska Railroad takes readers on an adventurous journey through the diverse terraine and communities that span the 470+ miles of tracks from Seward to Fairbanks, Alaska. Kaylene Johnson's prose is both captivating and informative, enabling the reader to imagine her or himself rocking to the gentle rhythm of the train while gazing out the railcar windows to see moose, fox, caribou, and bear. Johnson writes: "The fragrance of fireweed and rain-washed raspberries wafts up along the tracks in the Kenai Mountains. Later in the year, cranberry bushes turn crimson and the scent of autumn signals the season's change. In winter, the air smells like crisp, fresh bedsheets hung outside to dry."

   Readers insterested in information about the history of the Alaska railroad, wilderness access along the rail line, wildlife, native peoples, commerce, communities, and working trains will find this book an invaluable resource. Websites are noted that will supply additional information of interest to the reader.

   Full-page photographs complement Johnson's prose making it possible to feel as if one has captured the experience of riding the rails and seeing the Alaskan wilderness and towns along its route firsthand. Roy Corral's photography is truly stunning, from pictures of the city lights of Anchorage framed against the Chugach Mountains to Caribou grazing in a meadow in Denali National park. Photographs chronicle the life of a working train, communities along the track, and interesting people whose lives are supported by rail service. Corral's photographs coupled with Johnson's prose makes Portrait of the Alaska Railroad a great coffee table book. Inserts supply interesting information that can be read in a couple of minutes.

   Kaylene Johnson, a resident of Eagle River, Alaska, has a keen sense of the importance of the railroad to the Alaskan economy. She notes, for example, that "it would take sixteen hundred trucks to haul all the gravel that the railroad moves from Palmer southwest to Anchorage in a single day. Each day, from May through mid-October, as many as four trains made up of eighty cars each haul eight hundred tons of gravel forty-two miles. . ." Imagine the highway congestion if gravel were transported by truck instead of rail. Johnson captures the immense value of the railroad in this, and other examples. For some people who live along the tracks, the railroad serves as the only means of transportation and obtaining needed supplies. Fifty-eight miles of track span a wilderness accessible only by rail. "The flag-stop train is the only one of its kind still running in North America," Johnson notes. Passengers merely wave a white flag over their heads to signal the engineer that they desire to board.

   Portrait of the Alaska Railroad appeals to a broad audience of train enthusiasts and Alaska lovers. Whether you have visited Alaska previously, plan to visit, or will visit only from the comfort of your living room couch, the Alaska Railroad beckons, "Welcome Aboard."

3 comments about Tropical Deco: The Architecture and Design of Old Miami Beach.

1. I found this book years ago at the Delray Beach library. It had been checked out so many times that it was in pretty ragtag shape. I decided to order my own copy just so I could gaze at deco whenever I wanted to. This book is a fantastic primer for anyone interested in Miami. Read this book and then take it with you on the Miami art deco tour; you will be that much more prepared to appreciate the tour and prepared to ask questions to your knowledgeable tour guide.



2. This book has been around for 20+ years and is mostly photographs taken in late 1970's and early 1980's. Much has changed in the ensuing 25 years. Many of the buildings have since been repainted, as in the Carlyle featured on the cover. Some, as with the graceful St Moritz, have been restored (today it looks much different, and better, then in this book's photograph). Best of all this book documents some things that are no longer there as in the wonderful photos of the Tiffany murals, the old Cinema Theatre interior. and the demolished Sands Hotel.
   
   The book is broken up into chapters based on architectural details (Facades, Doorways, Materials, etc). The text is well written and gives one a good grounding in the Miami Beach Deco architectural style. Best of all it is filled with wonderful photographs. A great historical record of a time when the Art Deco District had just been formed.



3. Open the pages of this book to feel the heat on your face and sand between your toes. You're looking at some of the most whimsical and delightful architecture in the world. Imagine approaching this country for the first time from the water and being greeted by these buildings. They are a testament to this country's creativity, humor and ability to dream into the future. And the best part is that they are so well preserved so that you can experience them in person inside and out.

1 comments about The Art of Living: A Guide to Contentment, Joy and Fulfillment.

1. I started studying Buddhism recently and this book was a lovely introduction to the basic teachings. I truly enjoyed every page of it. The photographs and quotes are amazing...

No comments about The Stephen Sprouse Book.