5 comments about Santa Barbara Style.

1. you just can't go wrong with these series of books, I have them all and they are outstanding



2. As an interior designer, several of my colleagues mentioned that this was the most requested style from their newer clients. I thought there would be more current interiors, referring to a new style. It was more of a historical chronicle of design in Santa Barbara, for exteriors and interiors. It is a nice book, but not exactly what I expected.



3. Im building a santa barbara style house and I was disappointed. Not a lot of details. Sure some pics of some SB mansions but not enough photos or details to actually do anything with this book. I guess if you are into SB history it might be OK, otherwise save yourself the $. You will be done browsing it in about 10 minutes and never use it again.



4. This is an amazing photo essay about the Spanish Architecture of Santa Barbara. I own several books like this and this is my favorite.Casa California: Spanish-Style Houses From Santa Barbara to San Clemente



5. Such a beautiful book, recommended by our architect and builder for obtaining ideas on building a real Spanish Colonial or Revival house. The landscape designs were fantastic as well. Another reader wanted to see "beach shacks" and was disappointed by this book. I lived in Santa Barbara for 6 years and I can tell you have never traveled there. No beach shacks in Santa Barbara. Try along the eastern seaboard coastline.

5 comments about Life: The Platinum Anniversary Collection: 70 Years of Extraordinary Photography.

1. I always like the Life Magazine photo books. Their ability to capture some significant milestones is amazing. This book is a great gift for the difficult to buy for!



2. My family and I have had such a great time looking through this book. It sparks conversation, laughs and "ahas". Great buy. Great coffee table book. It catches everyones eye.



3. I am very pleased with this purchase. The pictures bring back many memories from years past. I feel the men I plan to give them to this Christmas will find them very thought provoking and enjoyable.



4. This booked turned out to be a prized gift for a history buff friend of ours. Absolutely LOVED IT and wants to share it with his grandkids. Interesting reading, in a beautiful format.



5. I picked up this book and "The Great LIFE Photographers" off the shelf of an art bookstore last night. Great books, a lot of emotion, great photography. Although, I wouldn't recommend buying these two books together. A lot of the photos are repeated, so one should be enough.
   
   When I was going through this book, I was slightly annoyed by how "American" it is. I'm sure the Americans did a lot of great things. But about half a dozen of photos of baseball games/players?
   
   Between those two books, I recommend "The Great LIFE Photographers" as it is smaller, more compact, and puts less emphasis on the US.

4 comments about Machu Picchu.

1. This book about Machu Picchu in Peru is not a guide for tourists. It is a work of art drawn from the talents of two men who visited Machu Picchu many years apart. Specifically, it is an integrated collection of exceptional photographs of the site by Barry Brukoff combined with the eloquent poetry of Pablo Neruda, the Nobel Prize winning poet from Peru, based on his visit to Machu Picchu 50 years before that of the photographer. For readers who do not know Spanish, the language of the original poetry, there is an excellent accompanying translation into English. That is also true of a beautiful introduction by Isabel Allende, the famous Peruvian author. If you have never visited this site, the book will still be very interesting. If you have, the book will take you back to the deepest feelings and impressions you had when you did so.



2. Purchased this book after just getting back from our first trip to Peru and Machu Picchu. Wonderful photographs. Pablo Neruda's poem, "Heights of Machu Picchu", helped to bring even more meaning to our Machu Picchu's memories. This text is a wonderful way to enhance your experience of actually being at Machu Picchu. It also makes a great coffee table item.



3. Barry Brukoff has done a truly fine job of capturing the essence of Machu Picchu. I've told many that you cannot convey the feeling of this place in photos, but Brukoff proves that you can. His photos made me feel as though I was back there, discovering the majesty of the site and indulging in a leisurely and personal exploration of the details that delighted me during my visit, details that those on quick tourist jaunts usually miss. Visually, this book is five stars. Neruda's poetry, however, missed the mark for me. An earlier reviewer picked out the best of it and included those lines in his review (see below). I only wish it all worked that well. Personally, I would have preferred excerpts from Neruda's work and excerpts from the writings of Hiram Bingham (Bingham was the man who discovered the site in 1911).



4. Whether or not you ever visit, or think you might want to visit Machu Picchu, I highly recommend this gorgeous book to you. The combination of its poetry, photography, and design wonderfully connect us to a distant and mysterious culture which we understand little about today.

   Machu Picchu, hidden high in the Andes, was never found by Pizarro and his conquistadors. The city was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. Recently, landslides have made entry much more difficult, and the whole area is at risk to being lost. Should that occur, this wonderful volume will serve as a fitting tribute.

   Other than the fact that the rocks themselves were considered sacred, we know little about the purpose of Machu Picchu. Clearly, it was very important to the Incas. Otherwise, no one would have put such an enormous effort into creating a city among the clouds, carved out of solid rock. Because some walls have holes cut in them that allow light into certain interior spaces only on one day a year, it is thought that the area, in part, served an astronomical purpose.

   The Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, created an emotional poem called "The Heights of Machu Picchu" in which he captured our connection to the thousands who lived and toiled to make Machu Picchu . . . and are no more. In 1984, photographer Barry Brukoff hiked in over the original Inca road, to capture the scene with Neruda's poem in his backpack. The result of this trip are the remarkable, spiritual photographs in this book. You will feel like you have been there, will identify with what you see, and will make closer contact through Neruda's poem:

   "True being was threshed like kernels of corn in the inexhaustible/granary of lost deeds, of memorable efforts . . . ."

   "In you, like two parallel lines,/the cradle of lightning and humanity/rocking together in a thorny wind."

   " . . . [Y]ou imploded as in a single autumn/into a single death."

   "Today the empty air no longer weeps . . . ."

   "The dead kingdom lives on."

   "Stone upon stone, and man, where was he?"

   "Give me back the slaves you buried!"

   "Come up, brother, and be born with me."

   " . . . [A]nd let my tears flow, hours, days, years,/through sightless ages, starry Autumn."

   If you can read Spanish, the poem is published in both languages, side by side.

   The photographs make great use of the high mountain air, changing weather conditions, and the differing light of day and night. Brukoff has also created some very stylish effects with filters and tints, in addition to breathtaking color. Many photographers are good at duotone or color, but few are masters of both. Brukoff is the rare example of this dual skill. A nice tough is the way that the book is bound in linen, and there is a rough edging to frame each image . . . to give the book an almost scrapbook-like feel. The photographic reproductions are superb and well worth the price of the book.

   My favorite images included: Morning Sun and Fog; The Temple of the Moon; The Grand Rock Shrine (two views); Royal Mausoleum beneath the Torreon; Central Plaza through Three Windows Wall (first version); Sacred Plaza; Central Plaza and Fog; Agricultural Terrace; The Inti Huatana; The Condor Stone; View of the Inti Huatana Area -- Sacred Rocks Echoing the Mountains to the East; A Stone Ring; Machu Picchu at Sunset; and The Watchman's Hut at Dawn (cover image).

   The book also has a helpful prologue by Ms. Isabel Allende which sets the scene for the book's contents.

   The feeling of connection to the Incas, to the mountains, and to the sky are strong here. I felt a calmness fill my mind and heart as I caressed each part of the poem and each image with my eyes.

   What great things we can accomplish . . . when we have a mighty purpose and connect to our sense of beauty!

4 comments about America's National Parks: The Spectacular Forces That Shaped Our Treasured Lands.

1. You might expect a book on US National Parks to have an all-USA (including Alaska and Hawaii) orientation map along with local maps of each National Park--and it does. You would expect it to have beautiful pictures--and it does. You would expect it to discuss the flora and wildlife found in these parks--and it does. You might expect it to touch on the history of the locations going back to the days of the First Americans--and it does. You would probably expect to hear that Yellowstone National Park, founded in 1872, was the first US National Park, and that it contains most of the world's geysers--and the book certainly states this.
   
   Being a geologist, what I find relatively unique about this book is its emphasis throughout on basic geological processes. The cross-sections it gives of various geological processes and structures are quite educational, and they are very suitable for the geology classroom. (I wish that I had seen them when I first began to formally study geology!) The reader learns about the internal structure and dynamics of volcanoes, the types of folds and faults that form during mountain building, weathering and erosional structures such as hoodoos, and even such things as fumaroles and mudspots. There are also detailed visual aids on bays and reefs.



2. Fabulous book! The text is very interesting and educational, and it explains the scientific aspects of the National Parks and their land very well. The photos are gorgeous and made me want to visit every single park! :-) They really show some of the awesome beauty of God's handiwork. I highly recommend this book to all outdoor enthusiasts, lovers of nature and science and fellow armchair travelers. The book also contains helpful contact information for planning a visit to the parks. A great read and a great book to enjoy!



3. This book is a spectacular visual text to some of the American National Parks. The size of the photos, and their photographic quality, are just excellent. The photos are right up there with National Geographic-type quality. In addition, the accompaning text gives ecological insights to where and why this part of the United States was designated and saved as a National Park. The book gives short but insightful accompanying text for each of the Parks that are presented to the reader. The only problem is, unfortunately, the organization of the chapters, and a very skimpy table of contents, and the reader can get easily annoyed with these two problems. It is hard to understand why the publisher made such errors, as the problems are very obvious, and the whole book suffers as a result. It is a beautiful book covering many of the National Parks, with super photos and very good college level text, and if you can put up with the problems of a missing table of contents, this book is a great collection of art, ecology, and the National Parks of the USA. A 5-star for the photos and accompanying text, and a 3 for a useless table of contents. Sorry, but the publisher made major mistakes in putting this otherwise spectacular book together. But I will still give the book a 5-star anyway. The photos and text are just too good to give this book anything less than a 5-star.



4. Paul Schullery presents a book filled with powerful and beautiful images of fifty-six national parks that have been dedicated to the preservation and protection of irreplaceable treasures. This book shows why these parks are so worthy of protection.
   
   Not only are they places where indescribable beauty can be seen, they have also been formed by unique geological forces. From stunning mountain ranges to arid expanses of desert, these are the lands we view, wander in and learn from.
   
   America's National Parks is a celebration of the diversity of national parks throughout the United States. They are grouped according to the geological forces that helped to create them.
   
   Diagrammatic illustrations, important landmarks, travel routes, topographical maps and spectacular full-color photographs illustrate the sheer majestic beauty of nature.
   
   You will also find captivating information to encourage an awareness of the landforms, flora and fauna. Families will also find information to help enhance their vacations at the parks.
   
   Inside the front cover a map of America shows the location of each park I started to remember my trip to the Grand Canyon National Park and my husband's visit to Denali.
   
   Our Treasured Lands
   The Rolling Land - Volcanic and Geothermal Forces
   The Broken Crust - The Power of Mountain Building
   Water Designing Lands - Waves, Caves and Currents
   Ice Sculpting Stone - The Carving Power of Glaciers
   The Patient Power - Wind and Water Erosion
   Weather Shaping Life - Effects of Extreme Climates
   
   This book contains some of the most amazing photographs I've ever seen of America. From pictures of dripstone formations adorning New Mexico's Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico to Lush Ecosystems shrouded in Fog in the National Park in Washington, these pictures help to vividly describe each park. I remember once having an argument with someone over the fact that there were rainforests near where I lived in Washington and no one would believe me. Well, here is proof!
   
   I was also especially interested in looking up the Painted Desert we visited once on a trip across America after college. At the time, I didn't actually realize I was in the Petrified Forest national Park in Arizona because technically, we were just driving right through and I wasn't paying attention.
   
   This book has helped to bring a new awareness to my own life and also encourages a desire for more exploration. Now I definitely want to see Mount McKinley in person.
   
   Voyageurs National Park looks like a fascinating place to paddle around lonely islands. However, they do say never to skimp on insect repellent. A third of the park is water.
   
   A memento of past visits or an inspiration for future exploration!
   
   ~The Rebecca Review

4 comments about Gods of Sport.

1. GODS OF SPORT is a hefty, hefty coffee table (or bedside) book chock full of gorgeous, nude and semi-nude Australian rugby (football) players and is worth every penny of the discounted Amazon price. Aussie photographer Pedro Virgil has created a true collector's item here. The average player is about 23, built and stunning!
   
   As the other reviewers state, not all of the players are fully nude (if you're looking for p*rn, you should prolly look elsewhere). Instead, GODS OF SPORT is an EROTIC and BEAUTIFUL collection -- a must-have for both female and male fans of the male body.
   
   GODS OF SPORT is expanded from Virgil's super-hot, best-selling 2009 calendar Australian Footballers Naked for a Cause 2008 (Nude Rugby Players or Footballers)
   
   The book is spectacularly designed and printed on heavy glossy paper. Published by German erotica press Bruno Gmunder which has also published books by photographers such as Steven Underhill, Tom Bianchi, Titan Studios, Corbin Fisher, Jeff Palmer, Joe Phillips, Falcon Studios, Chi Chi LaRue, MenAtPlay, Kristen Bjorn, Howard Roffman, Joe Oppedisano, etc. etc.
   
   Steamy, dreamy and a great buy!
   



2. Having been a fan of the Dieux Du Stade series of DVDs, and the book, I decided to check out this one since it looked similar. I have found that there is a huge gap in quality and presentation.In this book, there is even less nudity than there is in the Dieux Du Stade series which normally feature more backsides than frontal shots. While these footballers are nice to look at in this book, I just wanted more. I don't need full frontal shots all the time (of which there are none in this book), just some great nude shots would be nice.Well, the number of nude shots are scarce here, even if the main form of these shots is of the rear. These rear shots are the bright spots of the book, as there are a some buns featured that could be used as flotation devices - nice and muscular even when shown through white underwear.Most shots, though, have the athletes covering up their frontal regions, or presented in jeans and white briefs/boxer briefs. So much so that this whole book could sub for a catalog for said items. And since these are footballers on display, why are they put in fighting poses? One pose even has an athlete choking another from behind. The guys are even covered in dirt and look messy, but not in a sporty kind of way, posed in some kind of abandoned warehouse.There are some poses performed in a locker room, but the guys are still mostly covered way too much.And do you like plumber's crack? Well, you'll get your fill, as a lot of poses have the top part of some of the guys' peach fuzzed buns popping out of their jeans. Some of these shots are kinda good, but guys sagging could have been shown a lot more hotter than is presented here. It's Unfortunate that most of the overall poses featured are just not that artistic, nor interesting.Another gripe is the wasted pages. While the Dieux Du Stade book had pictures of a barren locker room and field of play to fit in with the theme of the athletes, and this book has maybe one shot of a used locker room, many pages are just wasted with nothing. Turn the page and you'll see the white blank on another side; another page may just have blackness. Total waste of paper and potential.Overall, this quality pressed, grand book is just not really erotic, nor interesting, even with some scarce, nice shots and cute guys on display. In using leftover pics from the well intentioned calendar, it is shown why they weren't used in the first place. With this book it is shown that Pedro Virgil and his crew have a long way to go to truly give the artistic presentation true athletes deserve. That's something that the Dieux Du Stade series already does - and does well.



3. This is a very thick and overpriced book. If you were looking for full frontal nudity, spend you money some place else. The photography is rather dark. And it is most annoying, that each one of the photos has the models with some grease on their bodies. What is that about ? Don't waste your money.



4. I just received this much-anticipated book, and overall, I am very disappointed with it. Though the men are indeed extremely rugged and handsome, the images are hardly racy or tantalizing; it's clear the men were very uncomfortable with their nudity as most images have the men with their jeans pulled partially down their backside, and any frontal images have the genitals hidden behind shadows or hand-held towels. Strangely, there are several images spread over both pages, but the second page is completely blackened (for effect). Overall, the images are staight out of a men's fitness magazine like Exercise for Men Only.
   
   There are better books that portray the male form more vibrantly and sensually: the various Bondi books and the Dieux du Stade books - all which I highly recommend.

5 comments about Hells Angels Motorcycle Club.

1. This book is not what you think! Great photo's, great stories, but come on, not a SINGLE photo or info on the original and FAR better known US based Hells Angels. The entire book cover to cover is ONLY UK BASED ANGELS!. No disrespect to them and if you are from the UK, the book is great. But to those in the US who want to see pictures of the legends and hear about the dozens of stories of the original Angels, this book is a major letdown. NOTHING on the cover of the book nor in the book description mention the fact the book is 100% UK based Hells Angels. That, in my opinion was done on purpose because they know the book will not sell anywhere near as well. I assure you, when the vast majority of people WORLDWIDE hear the name "Hells Angels", they are thinking of the original California and the Legendary New York City chapters and the dozens of stories that go with them, NOT London, Wolverhampton, etc (Again, no disrespect). Great photo's, great text, but overall dissapointed.



2. If you want to look at pictures of bikers, and their families, many just like olan mills portrait style, then buy this book. Not much narrative. Forward by Sonny.



3. A very interresting book, or I better say whitness of who aree these persons (ie all different), and what's their kind of life as Hells Angels, as the author took his time to know some of them, and be known by them.
   
   The photographs are stunning and very important to help the reader understanding what this club is and is not.
   
   Buy it, put it on a wishlist, but find a way to have it ! It's not the kind of book you read only once: You'll be back in it from times to time...
   
   Laurent



4. Since I own the hardcover of this book, I knew what to expect. I was not disappointed like some others were. I really really liked the new photos that are in this version of the book. I love the images and the insight into the bigger world of the HAMC, that it is a worldwide organization and that, like anything imported from anywhere, there is a local spin put on it by each culture. Here in the states we think everything is about us. American Idol is not an American show, we've just put our spin on it. I think the publishers (an English company) wanted to get the book to cross the pond by making the title so broad. They should have called it, "Riding With The Hells Angels in Wankerland" or something like that. Any other ideas? It's still a great visual glimpse into a world I missed out on growing up.



5. Photographer Andrew Shaylor was given unique access to the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and sought to provide an excellent representation of the group: available in paper for the first time is a set of images captured at their important events, worldwide. The Hells Angels Club is a huge part of California culture in addition to being worldwide, so this color-photo-packed representation is a top pick for any California general-interest lending library strong in California alternative culture.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about New York Look Book: A Gallery Of Street Fashion.

1. This is a great book for anyone. Visually the images capture the the personality of New York, and each subjects bio is as diverse as their fashion style. Once you pick it up you can't put it down. Makes for a great gift!



2. A very New York look at fashion and people and style. Great interviews. Gee I miss NYC



3. An amazing collection of New York City's most stylish inhabitants by a photographer with a keen eye for the extraordinary. Highly recommended.



4. If you love New York and New Yorkers, this is your book. The essence of New York Street Style beautifully photographed by Jake Chessum and ready to uplift any homesick New Yorker abroad. A collection of one of my favorite New York Magazine columns now available to embellish the display on any expat coffee table. If you're in New York, get up, walk the streets and enjoy the real thing, you won't need the book.



5. The Book is a wonderful document of what the city is all about:
   Be yourself and express it with creative confidence!

5 comments about Color Photography: A Working Manual (Color Photography).

1. Good introductory book on color film photography. Great chapters on processing films and making prints.
   
   Contains nothing about digital photography. Coverage on color theory is very concise.



2. Book came within 3 days, very fast. Great condition, and I think I am going to order some more wrestling stuff from Amazon. THE BEST!



3. This book contains a lot of great information, great for amateurs! I'm definitely glad I bought it.



4. A great book who like printing color photographs the old fashioned way (not digital). Hard to beat this book and the price.



5. I found the book to be very helpful undersanding color theory, how to shoot and make prints, and many other elements of photography of which I was previously unaware.

2 comments about Stop Motion: Passion, Process and Performance.

1. When I first started animating, there were no books on stopmotion, only books on 2-D cartooning and filmmaking. Even so, they were dated.
   
   Since then, a few books about the craft came out, but this is the only book I've ever read that was written from the point of view of a professional stopmotion animator that covers the "why" more than the "how" aspect of putting a soul into a puppet and making it move in a way that removes all doubt in the viewer that it is, in fact, alive.
   
   I found the book to be inspiring and so full of useful information, that I've had it for more than a week already and still haven't finished reading it.
   
   A must-buy for anyone who is making their own stopmotion-animated film.



2. I've got pretty much all the stopmotion books in print, and this one is really something else entirely. It's not a text, not a beginner's lesson book and not just an appreciation for the art form (and, as Mr. Purves proves, it really IS an artform). Rather it's a very passionate reflection on the creative process of making stopmotion, and on the larger aspects of creativity in general. Barry is one of the best among animators.... and has frequently been writer and director of his own films, resulting in some of the most startling and original animation to date (such as his brilliant Achilles or my favorite Rigoletto). He expounds with great articulateness and intelligence on the strengths and weaknesses of the various forms of animation, revealing his obvious love for stopmotion above all the rest. And as he does, he reveals truths about animation that you had always felt but couldn't quite put into words.
   
   He also shares a wealth of his own hard-earned tips and techniques, some about animating, but more on the art of storytelling and on how best to utilize the special properties that stopmotion alone has. It's not a book about "how to animate" but rather Why.... and he stresses the importance of playing to the particular strengths of our quirky art. If it can be done in live action or CGI or drawn animation, then why use stopmo? As many, he feels the sheer potential of stopmotion has only begun to be tapped, and he expounds at great length on how that might be done. And reading his words, it's difficult not to feel the same inspiration he obviously does.
   
   Every animator should read this book.... even if you're just scooting Lego figures across the bedroom floor in front of your webcam (unless that's the extent of your ambition). He really illuminates the magic of stopmotion, what it does best and what it shouldn't be made to do. I just finished reading it for the first time, and I'm about to begin again.....

1 comments about The Art of Lee Miller.

1. It is little wonder that an earlier work on this artist was entitled "The Lives of Lee Miller" since she seems to have packed the living of more than one extraordinary life into her own.
   
   Born in Poughkeepsie, New York 1907. Her father, a keen amateur, photographed her constantly as she was growing up and familiarised her with some of the technical aspects of the art. Serendipity then played a part in what followed as, when crossing a Manhattan street she was `discovered' at 19 by magazine publisher Condé Nast and a modelling career followed. Moving to Paris(1929)she became the assistant, lover, muse and finally a collaborator of Man Ray, also putting in an appearance as a `living statue' in Cocteau's "The Blood of a Poet"(1930) and was a significant figure in the surrealist movement.
   She returned to New York in 1932 and established a portrait gallery only to marry and moved to Egypt a couple of years later. Although not working as a photographer during this period she took some of her most arresting images.
   In 1937 she returned to Paris and by the outbreak of the Second World War was living in London, beginning the most remarkable phase of her professional life. As a photojournalist she documented the Blitz before becoming the only female photographer to travel with the troops across Europe in the immediate aftermath of D-Day. As well as the liberation of Paris she saw and photographed the horrors of the concentration camps.
   
   Drained by her wartime experiences she essentially retired to a `normal' life in Sussex, before her death in 1977.
   
   This book collects images from all periods of the artist's life and many of the images are by others, either featuring her as a model or as being of influence or importance to the artist's work. I was impressed by the range and quality of Lee Miller's own work, particularly the pre-war pictures, many of which are truly striking. I was already familiar with many, but not all, of the wartime images from the earlier "Lee Miller's War". If it is the wartime images you are interested in it is probably the better buy and I would trade its introduction by David E. Scherman for all the text in this book.
   As I mentioned earlier many of the photographs are, of course, of her by others and it is fascinating to see the way she switches from one side of the camera to the other.
   
   The text is well written and insightful, but can be a little dry and scholarly, concentrating its attention very much on the work rather than her life, as a biography "Lee Miller: A Life" would be better here. If there is a criticism to be made, it is that, because for much of her career she was working within constraints placed upon her by her various paymasters/editors a good deal of the material presented is of the more commercial/mundane variety. This, while a significant part of her working life, is given too much weight in the text, and presumably, reproduced at the expense of some of the more interesting images that are occasionally referred to in the text but not displayed.
   
   The book is a good size, the pictures are well reproduced and all the most famous images are here as well as some very striking newer ones. Whether as an introduction to the `lives' of Lee Miller or as an extension to an existing collection this is an excellent work.