5 comments about Obituary Cocktail: The Great Saloons of New Orleans (2nd Edition, Expanded).

1. If you have ever visited the bars in New Orleans, you will appreciate learning of the little known history of the watering holes that you have spent many an evening drinking and laughing. It reminds you of the many who sat on the stools before you and what interesting things have occured before your presence! The book has beautiful photographs and is very much a necessity for any lover of the city of New Orleans. It is a great coffee table book, and can spark many interesting conversations!



2. first of all, this is a beautifully produced book, with wonderful photographs of the great New Orleans drinking establishments and local scenary.

   Secondly, it's a must for any bartender. Not much needs to be said on this topic except for the fact that many great drinks have come out of New Orleans and the bartender (professional or otherwise) should learn how to prepare them.

   Finally, the book also presents some important historical information on New Orleans and its saloons. The two go hand in hand.




3. Ms. McCaffety has captured the essence of New Orleans with her wonderful book. The pictures are gorgeous, and the addition of a few traditional New Orleans cocktail recipes and the history of the saloons rounds out the book nicely. I can't wait to get back to New Orleans and visit the bars I've missed.



4. I don't think I've ever experienced anything quite like the bars in New Orleans! They are fantastic! The press has given Bourbon St. such a negative view, but I had no trouble the two times I went down by myself! I mean if you use a little common sense, then there's no problem! The people were some of the nicest I've ever met! Everyone treats you like family and you have such a great time! This book shows that down-home, friendly atmosphere! It was interesting for me too, to see a lot of the places off of Bourbon that I didn't get to see! You know, the 5 star places that cost an arm and a leg, and require reservations! This is just another great book to relive memories of your trip to "Sin City."



5. Growing up in New Orleans is a rare experience. Living away often makes one nostalgic and wistful.. Reading "Obituary Cocktail" brings the sights, sounds, smells and tastes roaring back. This is a beautiful book. The photos are warm, romantic and evocative. The commentary is pure magic and the recipes are fabulous. Whether you live there now, once were there or have never visited - this book captures the charm, the quirkiness and the mystery of New Orleans and her great watering holes.

5 comments about 101 Uses for a Lab.

1. I saw this small book at someone elses house. Being a new Lab owner, seeing the personality of the breed in this small book, I had to buy. Expensive..YES..... but I guess put the value on a smile! It sits on my coffee table for visitiors to enjoy.



2. I returned this book as soon as I received it. I thought it was overpriced for its small size. I'd also expected the pictures to be irresistable; they turned out to be very mundane and cliche. I've seen better amateur pictures taken by lab owners themselves. Bottom line--I would have given this book 0 stars if it were an option.



3. I have several other Lab books for about the same price as this one. This is a little book for the price but the pictures are very cute. I would have rather bought it used, it would be a much better bargin. Enjoy!



4. Having read the previous reviews, I'd expected to find little text, but had thought the photographs would prove sufficient ... unfortunately the photos are a little disappointing ... more like snap shots taken to fill up pages ...



5. We have had labrador retrievers in our family for over 40 years. Splash, our current yellow lab, and our many other labs, is well described in this wonderful book. Splash thinks his (and I am sure other labrador owners will agree) sole role in life is to be our best friend and he gives us so much love every single day. It is clear, after reading this book, that labs are the best breed of dog available. The author truly captures the fine spirit, dedication and devotion of the labrador retriever -- I found the book to be true for all of our wonderful dogs. For those who are fortunate enough to own a lab, this book is a MUST!

4 comments about Grim Street.

1. True Color
   
   I, a son of Wilkes-Barre, spent weekends with my father and grandfather in the Heights Section of this fabled coal-town. Though, my time there came years after Cohen's published street work, I can still relate to those dusty images, a virtual urban playground for little boys. Tackle football in the backyards, bordered by massive, dilapidated fences; the distinct, sharp smell of cigarettes in the hands of kids no older than 13; boarded windows, with peep-holes just my height. The alleys I walked never struck me as eerie, they were the norm, they were Wilkes-Barre and to some degree the same is true today. Cohen's unique visual-ethnographic study of urban banality, makes beautiful the unusual and awkward character of Northeastern Pennsylvania.



2. I lived on Grim Street . In the mid 1970's I lived in the Heights Section of Wilkes-Barre Pa where Mr Cohen did many of the photos in this fine collection. He was a quiet fixture on those streets on a late Sunday afternoon. One would see the tall lanky stranger in his army fatigue jacket and horn rimmed glasses walking along those streets occassionally stopping to quickly photograph a stray dog or an unwashed child along the sidewalk. There was almost a random approach to his subjects but he would bend and sometimes stoop as he would click off 4 or 5 quick "snaps" of his subject and then be off after his next subject. I was in my early 20's at the time and curious as to how anyone could find interest in those mundane often grimy if not grim scenes in that neighborhood. I now have the answer over 30 years later. This fascinating collection evokes a time and place that could represent any of our inner city neighborhoods. The black and white of the pictures captures the mood and feel of the subjects. I recommend this volume as a must have for any serious student of photography or urban life over the past century.



3. Mark Cohen is a restless poet of a photographer. In GRIM STREET he demonstrates his enormous ability to grasp a winking moment of life in the back streets, isolated fleeting views of the ordinary made extraordinary. This very fine book of photographs is less attuned to compositionally correct images as emotionally charged ones. As such it is a monograph of the smarmy, dark, seedy and at times embarrassingly immediate life of the underbelly of America as represented by the streets of Wilkes-Barre, PA.
   
   Cohen's successful forays in to this territory are accompanied by 'interviews' conducted by Anne Wilkes Tucker and Thomas Southall. The composite result is a book that 'reads' like a novel and will remain compelling present in the mind's eye long after perusing it. Fine work! Grady Harp, August 05



4. "A lot of it is mood driven, but I don't exactly know where the motive and inspiration to take pictures comes from. So it's very spontaneous work; there's not a lot really to plan." So it would seem at first glance upon Mark Cohen's masterful collection of work presented in his first (and hopefully not last) book Grim Street . From this revealing quote by the author, we are lead to believe that Cohen himself discovers in his darkroom much of the beauty portrayed in his work.
   As anyone who has followed Cohen's work knows, Mark has been influenced greatly by the renowned street photographer Cartier-Bresson with his ability to capture the unfolding "decisive moment." But Cohen's work is anything but unfolding, on the contrary; it is literally in-your-face obtrusive, grabbing on film fleeting sublime moments, otherwise lost forever in eternity. One can almost amusingly imagine Cohen, armed with his trade mark flash and wide angle lens, scurrying around a photo-opportunity with Bresson. While Bresson contemplates from a distance the "decisive moment" to release the shutter; Cohen (in his own words) uses "grab shots" often without even the use of a viewfinder to capture what could be called "multiple moments." It is apparent from this exquisite body of work that Mark Cohen is the heir apparent to the recently deceased Bresson, and, one might say, an "impatient" 21st Century updated version of the master.
   Ignoring for a moment the obvious psychological and sociological content of Cohen's work, the visual subject matter of Grim Street is indeed at first glance difficult to digest. It is anything but "cheery", often times seedy, sometimes voyeuristic, and occasionally downright lascivious. But the ultimate irony is that these qualities of course are passing and superficial, as fleeting as Cohen's flick of the shutter. For it's only with pausing and contemplating the work that the disquieting subject matter "disappears" and the true mastery reappears. That perfect wisp of hair, that "just so" turn of a cat's tail, that flawlessly lit foreground and carefully nuanced background, those repeating diagonals inside exquisite compositions, and all the artistic universals that forever have withstood the test of time, are there to be discovered in this collection.
   May this reviewer be so bold as to suggest an answer to Mr. Cohen's own query about the source of his inspiration referred to earlier? A grim street is down-and-dirty, mean and often times dangerous. Surely there is no inspiration to be found in such a secular reality, unless one has the genius and magical gift to capture a transcendent glimpse of a more perfect place. The source of that gift, the inspiration is not temporal. Undoubtedly we're all traveling on a type of "grim street." Thank God we have inspired and graced artists such as Mark Cohen to give us an occasional glance at our idyllic destination.

5 comments about The Who: Maximum R&B.

1. Very comprehensive. Lots of photos, very good history. It did come out a while ago so doesn't have anything about Entwistle's death. But it's a great history of the Who!



2. The definitive book to have on The Who. Loaded & re-loaded with amazing photographs & anecdotes from a friend of the band who isn't afraid to point out the bad in addition to the good.
   
   I bought this book on its original release back in the 1980's; the updated section to review the years 1983-96 is most welcome. Hopefully, Richard Barnes will release yet another edition that takes into account the years 1997 to the present.
   
   If you're a Who junkie, this book is a must. If you're a new fan, this volume is a fantastic primer into the history of the greatest band there ever was.



3. This book is an excellent resource for all fans of the classic rock band, The Who. Telling the band's story from their earliest days, the reader will find plenty of detail, interviews, and wonderful photographs to enhance this "amazing journey". The author takes a relatively unbiased stance, leaving out personal opinion in favor of simply stating "the facts".
   
   If you are a fan of The Who, this is certainly a book that deserves a place in your library.



4. This book is really a great overview of the WHO's career. Starting out when the band started to meet as teenagers and spannig all the way to a few years after Keith's death, this book covers every single recording the WHO did.
   
   Aside from just following the WHO through their career, this book is also jam-packed with those crazy Keith Moon anecdotes and interesting picures.
   
   I really enjoyed this book, and enjoyed seein what one of my favorite bands was really like. I would definately recommend it to anyone who loves the WHO.



5. As a HUGE Who fan, I first picked up "Maximum R&B" in the late 80's, and recently dug into the updated version.
   
   Richard Barnes was an old art school friend of Pete Townshend's, and remained close to him and the band over the decades. His history of the Who is detailed, mixed with intimiate remembrances, especially of the early days of the band.
   
   Barnes for the most part tells the story with a straight-forward, unbiased eye. He details the tulmultuous relationship between the band members, especially Townshend and Roger Daltrey, and draws on numerous interviews and press articles (the press materials are classic--some very early pix of a very young Detours lineup are among the entertaining bits).
   
   Barnes also examines the Mod movement of the 60's, which was so critical to exposing the Who (for a while the High Numbers) to a hardcore audience.
   
   For Who fans like myself, you may find some minor errors, and Barnes doesn't go too deep into some of the band member's personal lives, except where he seems to have an in. Among these would be Townshend's fascination with Meher Baba, his later drug and alcohol problems, and his later struggles with trying to deal with the Who while establishing himself as a solo artist.
   
   In any case, a fantastic document of the history of one of rock's greatest and most talented bands.

1 comments about Time at the Lake: A Minnesota Album.

1. This book is for those of us that spent our summers at the lake cabin or resort. It brings back memories of my summers as a kid and thing that we did. Its also for adults that have spent time there. When I think of the lake I think of this book. It has become part of our cabin reading.

5 comments about Chicago at the Turn of the Century in Photographs: 122 Historic Views from the Collections of the Chicago Historical Society.

1. If you don't believe that Chicago was the world leader in architecture at the end of the 19th century, buy this book - you might just change your mind!
   
   First off, there are maps that show the location of each photograph. If you don't know the city, that helps you get things organized in your mind. If you know the city, you can do your own "then and now" comparison based on your latest visit. Most of these gems are long gone, and were replaced by poor substitutes. The author then does a good job of explaining about the photographs themselves. When and why they were taken, how they were used, the equipment involved, and why these particular negatives were chosen.
   
   And then, you are allowed to feast your eyes on 122 full-page shots of old Chicago. The focus is on architecture, but you'll see some of the people, the river commerce, the "El", and the bustle of commerce. You do have to live with the photographic constraints of the day, e.g. everything is black and white, and the street scenes contain blurs of motion from people and vehicles, owing to the long exposure times. Some of the negatives are damaged, particularly around the edges, but to the author's credit, there is no attempt at photoshopping to fix the problems. What you see is the best, most accurate presentation possible.
   
   This is a great look at a lost time, and lost architecture. Highly recommended.



2. This deserves 10 stars! A large format book with the finest photo's I have ever seen of Chicago's historical architecture. You will love it!



3. This book contains full page photos, many of which I had never seen before. The clarity of the photographs is comparable to the digital photos we are able to take now. Although the book consists mainly of photos of buildings (of course) there are many which include pedestrians, carriages, automobiles, signs, etc. I think this book would be interesting to anyone studying Chicago, the history of the time period, architecture, clothing or photography, or to anyone who simply loves old photographs. The only complaint I have is that some of the photos were not dated. Very good book!



4. Great look into the "City of Big Shoulders" at the turn of the century. Good aid to understanding of urban America at the beginning of the 20Th Century



5. I have been to Chicago many years since I lived in IL from 1933 to 1963. My mother's people came to Chicago in the 1830's.
   I found the early photos extremely interesting as I am a former teacher of both high school & college history. I reall liked this book as I had seen it before & could not locate another copy until I saw it on Amazon.
   Many Thanks for stocking this item.

1 comments about The Complete Book of Holograms: How They Work and How to Make Them.

1. I am trying to complain about delaying of this book, but I cannot make anyone to answer my question.

4 comments about Tutankhamun's Tomb: The Thrill of Discovery: Photographs by Harry Burton (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications).

1. Excellent book of an amazing exhibit. If you missed it, get this book. If you saw it, get this book to remind you of how magnificent these photographs really are.



2. This is a superb book. The original black & white photographs taken in the tomb by a master photographer are wonderful. I just wish there had been more.



3. everything from the size of this book to the image on its dust jacket is lovely. the book says that harry burton, the man who visually documented the clearance/excavation of kv 62, took some 1,400 images of the tomb's 5,400 objects; the book contains but 78 of these images. there is no substantive exploration of how the man worked but it's a coffee table book, not a bio. the images are vivid and give context and meaning to the find, and mr. burton's photos of the artifacts, particularly those of the metalwork, capture with brilliant clarity the unparalleled craftsmanship, skill, and design sensibility of the ancient egyptian artisans of the 18th dynasty; as his legacy shows, mr. burton surely related to them now and then.



4. If you thought you'd seen everything there was to see about the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, you were wrong! This amazing book is an invaluable addition to the Tut library. I picked up a copy of the book while visiting the Metropolitan Museum, and I can't recommend this book highly enough. The original excavation photos are beautiful and truly give you a sense of what it must have been like to witness the discovery of the tomb. From photos of the landscape in the Valley of the Kings (setting the geographic scene), to photos of the excavators working on the tomb through to object photos, the entire story of the discovery of the tomb is illustrated. Despite their age, the photos are vivid and gorgeous and bring the discovery to life. The accompanying text is kept to a minimum -- narrating the story nicely, but allowing the photos and objects to speak for themselves. (Longer photo captions at the end of the book accompany thumbnail photos, giving more detailed information about each photography.) This book will make a welcome addition to the library of anyone who loves ancient Egypt, a beautiful coffee table book, a nice backdrop or preparation for the King Tut show that's touring, or a lovely gift for anyone interested in Egypt or archaeology.

2 comments about Zeiss Compendium East & West: 1940-1972 (Hove Compendia).

1. The information is so abbreviated that it is not too useful. They simply tried to cover too many product lines with too few pages. On the other hand, there's not a lot out there to aid camera afficianados and collectors.



2. Small & Barringer are THE American experts on Zeiss Ikon cameras.
   This well written book has excellent, clear, detailed, black and white photos of many post WWII Zeiss Ikon cameras with an emphasis on the Contax rangefinder line. This title is loaded with information about Zeiss Ikon's amazing post war recovery and eventual failure in the face of the Japanese SLR juggernaut of the 60s and 70s
   Aside: Zeiss Ikon fans should join the Zeiss Historica Society for more information.
   For Zeiss Ikon lovers this is a 'Must Have' title. I only wish this book were longer. Highly recommended.

2 comments about The Portfolios of Ansel Adams.

1. This book is a compilation of images that Ansel compiled into portfolios, along with a brief introduction by the author. Some of these images can be found in other compilations, but are more powerful here because they are grouped as Ansel chose to group them. Each of his portfolios is well printed, for a book printing of a silver image that is, and his statement is included for each, just as in the actual editions. Overall, this is a nice compilation of images, and an opportunity to see them grouped as the photographer felt they should be. There are few enough words, with the major focus being on the main subject, his images. This is a great addition to the library of any Adams fan, but is not an indispensable tome.



2. the zoom system is amazing! Ansel Adams is always great! i would buy it right now