Book Description
Award-winning author Sharon Shinn has been hailed as "the most promising and original writer of fantasy to come along since Robin McKinley" by Peter S. Beagle. Now, she weaves a new world wrought with magic and mayhem, in which the fate of a troubled land may rest in the hands of those few who would remain loyal to their king-and each other.
Customer Reviews:
More great world-building from Shinn.......2007-09-08
While indeed, this isn't as original as the Archangel however-many-it-is-now series, Mystic and Rider gives a wonderful journey with enough unique twists and turns to leave a typical Shinn fan happy and satisfied at the end. Senneth is a terrific character, someone independent and headstrong along the lines of Rachel in the first Archangel book, but without the aggressively stubborn streak. Senneth is a natural leader, and the cast of supporting characters are additionally intriguing. this is well worth the read, and while it's not the best book of hers i've read, amazon won't let me give it 4.5 stars and i *did* love it.
A wonderful tale of Romance and Adventure.......2007-09-02
'Mystic and Rider', by Sharon Shinn. I am not sure what led me to picking up this book, maybe something in the title caught my imagination, or perhaps it was the front cover image, which has a strangely compelling feeling of mystery to it, or maybe it was just blind luck on my part. However that may be, I am very glad that it caught my eye. From the moment I opened the cover and read the first few lines, I was hooked and could not put it down until I had read the very last lines.
In 'Mystic and Rider', the mysterious and powerful female mystic, Senneth, takes up a mission for the aging King of Gillengaria. She is joined by a small band of individuals that not only each have their own diverse talents, but are also a strange mix of companions. An aristocratic shapshifter and her servant, who shares in this talent, two members of the elite guard known as King's Riders, a young, very gifted empath, and a wild, and dangerous creature. Their mission, which sounds at first relatively simple, is made increasingly more difficult, as they travel among the southern houses of the Kingdom, gaging the sentiment of the land, seeking for any signs of discontent among these southern nobles.
Shinn has created characters that jump off of the page and come to life so very easily, amid a world that is different, and yet so close to our own in certain basic ways. She takes the themes of power, and friendship, distrust, and romantic love, and blends them together into a most powerful and dynamic story set amid a world that is on the brink of plunging into chaotic war and rebellion. The magical system of Gillengaria, as well as its political, social, and religious structure are wonderfully complexe and interwoven, and surperbly explained through the story, all of these elements being very crucial to the storyline, not just added on like decoration, or as an after thought.
'Mystic and Rider' is a book that I highly recomend for any lover of fantasy tales, or even the casual fantasy reader who enjoys a good romance with an unusual setting.
RD Williams, Author of'The Lost Gate'
Daughter of the Bright Mother.......2007-03-23
Mystic and Rider (2005) is the first Fantasy novel in The Twelve Houses series. Gillengaria is ruled by a king, but the Marlords of the Twelve Houses control most of the land and commerce. If the king dies without heirs, a new king will be chosen from the Twelve Houses.
Mystics in Gillengaria have various talents and are often distrusted and even hated due to these unusual abilities. Senneth is a mystic, but different from all others whom she knows. She can control fire, bathing herself in it if she wishes, a daughter of the sun goddess.
Senneth is sometimes called the King's Mystic since she started doing missions for him. This time she has other mystics with her, Kirra and Donnal, who are shapeshifters, and Cammon, who is a sensitive. She is also accompanied by two King's Riders, who do not trust her at first.
In this novel, Senneth's party takes a side excursion into Dormas to free Cammon from indenture. His family had been overseas when his father died. He and his mother took ship to return to Gillengaria, but she died enroute. The ship's captain sold him to a tavern keeper to pay for their passage.
Once freed and escorted safely away from the town, Senneth starts teaching Cammon ways to use his mystical abilities. He begins to notice that he can perceive things without the use of his normal senses. Although Senneth has duties to perform at the present, she decides to introduce Cammon to some of her sensitive friends as soon as possible.
In a small town, the group discovers a strange phenomenon. Something is killing small animals and even a child and a passed out drunk. Senneth recognizes something familiar in the situation. After gathering more information, she decides that the killer is a raelynx, a wild cat from the Lirrenlands. Senneth sets out at night and lures the raelynx to her and then controls its mind and body. Despite a few protests, Senneth takes the raelynx with them on their mission, much like she included Cammon in the group.
In this story, Senneth is the nominal leader of the group, but encourages the others to contribute their ideas. Although it is her mission, Tayse is the actual leader for daily affairs and defensive decisions. In a sense, Senneth is the strategist and Tayse is the tactician.
Senneth and Tayse have to work together rather frequently and closely. Since she is not a King's Rider, Tayse doesn't trust her, but he beginning to have less distrust. Justin, the other Rider, also begins to respect her ability and judgment.
The group finds numerous indications of hatred toward mystics, from social disapproval to outright murder. The further south they travel, the worst the situation looks. They begin to hear more and more about the Daughters of the Pale Mother and their preaching against mystics. They also hear about the soldiers following the Pale Mother. Moreover, the southern Houses are beginning to expand their household troops.
Senneth and Kirra occasionally meet with the Marlords and discuss their views on mystics and the king. They find that the southern nobles are angry over the potential succession problem of the kingdom. King Baryn has only one daughter, Amalie, and she has been secluded for several years. Amalie's mother had died fairly recently and the King remarried shortly thereafter; some rumors said that the new Queen is a mystic.
Senneth is determined to push on to Gisseltess lands before she returns to Ghosenhall, the royal capital. The others suggest that she turn back sooner, but she is the mission leader and they follow her. Even when they encounter armed bands searching for them, they follow her. Even when Tayse is captured by hostile soldiers, they follow her. By this time, they have become a close-knit team and she is the leader.
Highly recommended for Shinn fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical talents, close combat, social encounters and a bit of romance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Start of a new fantasy series.......2006-10-15
This is the first volume of a new Shinn fantasy series. Typical of her work, lots of characterization, strong female characters, and the hero is NOT an all powerful, all knowing superhero, they (she) is all together human, with flaws. Story takes place in a fantasy world, where magic can be performed by a small minority (called Mystics), with a growing movement of an "anti-magic" religous order. Very roughly kinda of Kurtz Deryni world, but less development on history and culture and a much greater dependance development of individual characters.
This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Fellowship..........2006-10-11
A party of very disparate people are roaming the kingdom on a mission for the King. Two of them are King's Riders, legendary warriors totally loyal to the King, and three are Mystics, magic users who are tolerated in the capital, but are looked at with suspicion by many, particularly in the southern kingdom, where the party is finding rumors of discontent and possible civil war and treachery. The leader of the party is Senneth, a woman with a mysterious past who is a powerful Mystic who can control fire and work some other kinds of magic, and who has the ear of the King, much to the consternation of the two distrustful Riders. With her is Kirra, a beautiful young noblewoman, who is also a Mystic, but protected by her powerful father who leads one of the Twelve Houses of the Kingdom. She is a shapeshifter, and so is the fifth person, a male servant/guard/companion, who is also a shape-changer. Despite their clashing personalities, they have a similar goal--to serve the king--and they work surprisingly well together, at the start, picking up a sixth member--a boy who is a Mystic. Senneth seems to have a heart for gathering strays, so he joins their group, saved from a life of servitude and danger as a lone Mystic. As their adventures continue, they gradually bond--very gradually! But that's part of the fun. They face a powerful noblewoman who has founded a fanatical religious order that is intent on wiping out Mystics, and her brother, a treacherous nobleman who blatantly schemes to take the crown. Along the way the party gets to know each other... even Senneth gradually has to give up her deepest secrets. I enjoyed seeing this odd party clash and bond. Their adventures weren't earth-shatteringly unique, but the world and the magic is interesting and looks to be a great place for more adventures that I'll happily follow.
Book Description
Callie, a restaurateur on North Carolina's Outer Banks, has problems. Someone is stealing from the storeroom, her past is haunting her and a hurricane is blowing in...but things really get interesting when she finds a dead man in her freezer.
Customer Reviews:
CALLIE & THE DEALER AND A DOG NAMED JAKE.......2003-04-12
Ms. Mills is herself a manager of a hotel restaurant on the Outer Banks
of North Carolina. She lives there with her husband Eddie. She is the
Edgar-winner author of the Judge Deborah Knott series
This book begins when Callie finds a dead man in the walk in freezer of
the restaurant she manages. Then the story reverts back to 9 days
before this gruesome discovery.
The Chef and Callie are in Sharkey's Bar where the Chef is trying to
convince her there are things missing from the stores of the restaurant.
Chef appears to be very drunk at the time, and maybe taking some drugs
as well. It soon becomes apparent that he is right, and also that there
are a lot of illegal drugs floating around . Callie and the Hotel
manager, Lily, begin a quiet investigation as to how, when, and where
the drugs are being made available. More and more it seems they are
being smuggled in with the frozen seafood for the restaurant, but who
is involved and how is it being done? There is a cast of characters all
of whom could be involved. And when Callie finds a dog and they, Callie,
the dog ,and Ice, Callie's cat, move into the shelter of the hotel
because of hurricane warnings, things begin to build to an exciting end.
The body of Mac, one of the restaurant employees, was discovered in the
freezer, an attempt to push Callie off the roof, and a fast approaching
hurricane as well as the involvement of the dog named Jake will keep
the reader turning the pages.
I thought the action was a little slow at first, but when the body is
found and the suspicions are rampant among all the characters, I got
interested and was surprised at how it all came out. Review by: Ginny Welding
Gotta read it!.......2002-12-30
This is a great book! Loved the Outer Banks setting and the characters. Don't be fooled that you know who did it, you will be surprised at the end! Glad I found wendyhowellmills.com for signing information and more! Thanks for this book Wendy and look forward to more of Callie's adventures!
Great new series.......2002-02-27
We have vacationed in Nags Head a lot over the last 6 years. I felt like I was right there again. This was a great first mystery. I look forward to reading the next in the series.
Callie is a great character. She has a haunting past which by the end of the book she is starting to put behind her. I do hope that in future books she will start to make friends who can help her sleuth.
A restaurant at Nags Head is a great location for a mystery series and look forward to a long running of this series.
Highly recommend this book.
A Real Thriller.......2001-07-30
This was a really an amazing find at a Nags Head book store. It's a perfect read for a summer afternoon "on location" and a great start for the first time author who I met.
I highly recommend this book to all who love a good mystery, great locale and accuracy in detail. The author knows her stuff and it shows. You can almost take the book and drive the Outer Banks with it.
Good job Wendy!
Callie & the Dealer & A Dog Named Jake.......2001-02-16
This book has everything! A wonderfully troubled heroine running from her past, a body in the freezer, a killer on the loose and finally a hurricane to top it all off... It kept me on the edge of my seat and I cried at the end.
Book Description
A collection of Robert E. Howard's best historical fiction, including "Treasures of Tartary," "Son of the White Wolf," "Black Vulmea's Vengeance," "Boot Hill Payoff" and "The Vultures of Whapeton."
Download Description
TREASURES OF TARTARY presents five of Robert E. Howard's best action-packed adventure stories: "Treasures of Tartary," "Son of the White Wolf," "Black Vulmea's Vengeance," and "The Vultures of Wahpeton."
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-08-02
Swordswingers and shootists, combined.
Treasures of Tartary : The Treasures of Tartary - Robert E. Howard
Treasures of Tartary : Son of the White Wolf - Robert E. Howard
Treasures of Tartary : Black Vulmea's Vengeance - Robert E. Howard
Treasures of Tartary : Boot-Hill Payoff - Robert E. Howard
Treasures of Tartary : The Vultures of Whapeton - Robert E. Howard
Kindjahl and scimitar work for Kirby O'Donnell in Shahrazar.
3 out of 5
A return to roots rebellion has El Borak in the middle of things, but with a spook woman to liven things up a bit more than they already are.
3.5 out of 5
"Shut up!" growled the pirate. "I'm going to save you for the sake of the lady and the lass, but I don't have to talk to you!" With rare consistency he then continued: "We'll leave this trap the same way I came and went.
So, Black Vulmea is not always completely self-interested. :) Here, he does the right thing, even at risk to himself.
3 out of 5
An unplanned murder during a bank robbery has another sheriff on the trail of those on the lam.
2.5 out of 5
The titular bunch are a gang of murderers, and they have their eyes on half a million in gold.
3 out of 5
Customer Reviews:
Good for Cronh's patients .......2006-01-07
Very helpful and much needed. Patients with IBD UC CD will find this book very useful. If you have on-going Ulcers, this is a good book.
Good on probiotics, not good otherwise.......2004-12-17
Easy to read, usually clear, with many references (but not numbered) and an index, this book gives a complete story of the development of friendly bacteria (probiotics) as oral supplements. There is a large section on specific treatment of many conditions, from antibiotic side-effects, to yeast infections, to Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, radiation damage, and many others for which probiotics may be the best or only effective treatment.
The usual "prescription" is to take by mouth gelatin capsules or powder stirred into water containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus and Bifidobacterium bifidum of particular strains found most effective. While the author's company, Natren, is barely mentioned in the book, the instructions on how to select the best commercial probiotic products point to the Natren products, which are also considered by others to be among the best.
Unfortunately, most diet advice, while common, is at odds with actual scientific findings. Trenev's recommendations are to eat a diet that provides 60% of its energy from complex carbohydrates (p31). Avoiding animal products is encouraged repeatedly backed up only by unsupported rationale on "putrefaction" of such foods in our digestive systems. The fact is that a meta-analysis of 24 diet trials on low-fat low-cholesterol diets showed that here was no significant effect of these diets on either coronary artery disease or total mortality (Garber, 1996; Ravnskov 1998).
Recommending low-fat diets to diabetics (p169) is especially destructive, since fats do not raise blood sugar or insulin levels at all (Bernstein, 2003).
The recommendation for breast milk was good.
Stating that there is no known cause for Crohn's disease (p163) ignores a great deal of evidence that this, celiac disease, colitis and other conditions are caused by food allergies, especially to the proteins in the whole grains that Trenev recommends so strongly (Eades, 2000; Braly, 2002; Smith, 2002). People should be tested for these allergies and avoid the offending foods, using probiotics only if this fails.
One does not have to drink milk or yogurt to get enough calcium (p42); it is present in cheeses, sardines, and some in all vegetables and nuts. Trenev promotes dairy products their vitamin B12 content, avoiding the fact that meat, fish and eggs are the best sources (McCully, 2000).
A number of other errors do no credit to this author: 60,000-100,000 pounds is not 30,000-50,000 tons (p27). Description of a double-blind study was incorrect (p80). A pH of 5-6 is not alkaline (p84). Description of freeze-drying is not quite correct (p124). Caprylic acid is not hexanoic acid, but the 8-carbon octanoic acid (156). Fructooligosaccharides occur naturally and are also made enzymatically as food additives, not chemically, and are safe in general (deMan, 1999).
Reader beware - much good advice on probiotics in this book, but watch out for the rest.
Bernstein, Richard K., Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, Rev., Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., 2003.
James Braly, MD & Ron Hoggan, MA. Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May be Hazardous to Your Health, New York, NY:Avery/Penguin Putnam, 2002.
deMan, John M., Principles of Food Chemistry, 3rd ed., Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen, 1999.
Michael R. Eades, MD & Mary Dan Eades, MD. The ProteinPower LifePlan, New York, NY:Warner Books, 2000.
Garber AM, Browner WS, Hulley SB (1996). Cholesterol Screening in Asymptomatic Adults, Revisited. Annals of Internal Medicine 124:518-531.
Kilmer S. McCully, PhD, MD & Martha McCully, The Heart Revolution: The Extraordinary Discovery that Finally Laid the Cholesterol Myth to Rest, New York, NY: Perennial/Harper Collins, 2000.
Ravnskov, U. (1998). The Questionable Role of Saturated and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 51, 443-60.
Melissa Diane Smith, Going Against the Grain: How Reducing and Avoiding Grains Can Revitalize Your Health, Chicago, IL:Contemporary Books, 2002.
not completely unbiased information,still some good info.......2004-02-09
The author outlines some theories and applications about probiotics that can be applicable to a broad range of diseases.She provided a section called picking the best probiotic supplements. In this section the book centers around her own products without explicitly saying so.For example she says buy a product without fos in an oil matrix carrier thats approved by this and this agency knowing quite well that only her own brand name product follows all those specifications.Trenev why not just go out and say it "buy natren my product is the best".A little deceptive in my opinion.Nevertheless this book is cheap and provides the layman with some good info to get started on a probiotic regimen.This book is somewhat outdated but there are little if any other major books on the subject.
Excellent!.......2003-11-30
I'm just getting started on Kefir making, and this book, although it discusses yogurt is impecable! It is also very easy to read. It not only explains probiotics, but why they are so important. It also talks about why the stuff in the store is pretty much a barren product. Great Job!!!
Well written book on the subject.......2000-03-26
I looks much like the previous book she wrote. I would like to have seen more details on the research and the production of the probiotics. The first part is devoted to the digestive system,nutrition, microbiology and probiotic supplements. She focusses on the quality of the probiotics available. The second part is about treating disorders with probiotics. Not only gasto-intestinal disorders are discussed. It's an easy to read book on the subject.
Book Description
Chef Carl Walker, of Brennan's of Houston, reveals the tips and techniques that make the breathtaking creations of his kitchen possible in yours. Featured are over 175 chef and home tested recipes, as well as stunning photography to inspire and instruct.
Customer Reviews:
Good Cookbook from a Good Restaurant.......2007-03-14
Brennan's is a famous New Orleans restaurant started up in the 1940s. The family opened up a sister restaurant in Houston in 1967. The cuisine served in the Houston branch has become well known in its own right, and is affectionately known as "Texas Creole"
When a cookbook comes from a restaurant, its important to know if the restaurant is any good. Brennan's is one of the best restaurants in Houston. The food, ambience, service and live music are all excellent and although there is a dress code and the waiters wear suits, it isn't pretentious or snobby. I liked the food there so much that I bought this cookbook so that I could make some of the dishes at home! By the way, it is not diet cuisine - most of the dishes are rich and well seasoned, with lots of nuts, butter, cream and oil. Totally fattening, extremely filling and very satisfying.
The book has a good number of color photos, mostly of the food but also some of the interior. It also includes some information about the history of the restaurant. Some restaurants keep their signature dishes secret, but not Brennan's - in this cookbook you will find the recipes for many well-known specialities such as Creole Bread Pudding Souffle and Bananas Foster. There are chef's tips included with the recipes, and overall the book is very user friendly.
This book is highly recommended, both for its faithful recreation of the restaurant's dishes, and for the overall excellence and originality of its recipes.
LIST OF CHAPTERS:
Introductions
Best of Beginnings - Lagniappes, Drinks& Appetizers
From the Garden and Beyond - Salads & Soups
Breakfast at Brennan's - Creole Jazz Brunch
Chef Carl Recommends - Meats & Poultry
Brennan's Favorites - Seafood
Accompaniments - Sides, Sauces & Seasonings
Grand FInales - Fantastic Desserts
Our Texas Creole Story
Source Guide & Index
SAMPLE RECIPES to tempt your palate and give you an idea of the style of cuisine:
Salmon & Smoked Corn Salsa
Grilled Yellowfin Tuna with Crabmeant Mango-Papaya Relish
Gulf Seafood Pontchartrain
Texas Bobwhite Quail
Jicama Slaw
Southern Pecan Crusted Catfish
Smoked Salmon Cheesecake
Texas Cornbread Pudding
Cajun Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Ancho Pepper and Cumin Sweet Potato Smashers
Spiced Pumpkin Seed Chicken
Bayou Gumbo
Roasted Peanut Soup with Honey-Cajun Shrimp
Risotta Jambalaya
Creole Bread Pudding Souffle (this is to die for!)
An invaluable and popular resource for even the most novice of kitchen cooks.......2006-02-06
Also available in a hardcover edition (0970472986, $24.95), culinary author and chef Carl Walker draws upon his Creole and Texas styles of cooking that made Brennan's of Houston a very successful restaurant. Capitalizing on fresh ingredients, all of the recipes comprising this mouth-watering collection are kitchen-compatible and "user friendly". Enhanced with color photography, the recipes range from Chili-Fried Gulf Oysters; Creole Barbecued Shrimp; and Braised Red Cabbage; to Champagne Fennel Cream; New Orleans-Style Pralines; and Creole Bread Pudding Souffle. A master-piece of its kind, Brennan's Of Houston In Your Kitchen will prove to be an invaluable and popular resource for even the most novice of kitchen cooks seeking to replicate gourmet quality dishes for their family dining table!
New Orleans Restaurant Cooking.......2003-03-11
This beautiful 192-page book is a triumph for Chef Carl Walker. This eclectic and inventive collection of recipes has been carefully accented with full-color photographs and personal anecdotes. It is a wonderful gift for fans of Brennan's, and even for home cooks who have never made their way to Houston.
The book is organized by course: Beginnings (Lagniappes, Drinks, and Appetizers), Garden and Beyond (Salads and Soups), Breakfast, Meats and Poulty, Seafood, Accompaniments (Sides, Sauces and Seasonings), and Fantastic Desserts.
Each recipe features an expected yield, list of ingredients, paragraph-style instructions on how to prepare the ingredients, and a Chef's Tip. The Chef's Tips include technique suggestions, ingredient substitutions, and reminders on how to prepare the raw ingredients.
The desserts section is especially decadent. For example, the Chocolate Praline Cheesecake is a masterpiece by Pastry Chef Melissa Piper Reilly. This luscious dessert uses a chocolate crumb crust filled with caramels, pecans, and chocolate-laced cheesecake filling.
This beautiful cookbook will be a delight for chefs and bakers alike. Enjoy!
Major Yum!.......2003-02-11
Absolutely wonderful southern and creole recipes. I haven't cooked anything from this book that hasn't received rave reviews. You can't go wrong!
I'll Never Eat Just Plain Eggs Again.......2002-03-18
This is one of the greatest cookbooks ever produced. Chef Walker's preparation techniques as well as the "Chef's Tip's" throughout the book allow you to make these dishes exactly as they do in the restaurant. Even the recipies that are common in alot of other cookbooks take on a uniqueness in this book that makes it a "must have" book for anyone interest in creating good food. I was fortunate to be able to take a cooking class with Chef Walker called "Breakfast at Brennan's". One of the dishes he prepared was "Eggs Hussard", from page 72 in this book. Wow!The best egg dish I have ever tasted. It even makes the popular Eggs Benedict seem bland with comparison. Using the recipe from this book, I have prepared "Eggs Hussard" for family and friends with the same results and taste as that prepared by Chef Walker. I have also prepared several other recipies from this book with equal success. Chef Carl is truely a gifted chef and he fully shares his recipes, techniques, and tips in this great cookbook.
Book Description
Girls, girls, girls! From the 1950s through the 1980s girl groups were hot. This book features the top sixty girl groups of rock n roll and rhythm n blues, such as the Supremes and the Go-Gos, who have contributed the most to the genre. Also included is a discography for all listed groups, pricing, and a comprehensive listing of all female rock n roll groups and their respective record labels. All girl group enthusiasts and music lovers in general will benefit from the biographical information included in this book.
-Features 60 of the most influential girl groups of the 1950s to the 1980s.
-More than 150 photos and a comprehensive listing of all female rock n roll groups.
Customer Reviews:
The book about female groups that rocked, well, rocks........2004-01-19
Simply the best thing written on girl groups, ever.
As Good As It Gets.......2002-10-22
This is as close to a definitive book on the Girl Group genre as you are likely to find... unless John Clemente decides to write a sequel, including the groups he had to leave out due to space limitations.
He corrects many of the mistakes made in Alan Betrock's book on the same subject. This book sets the record straight. The discographies are amazing. The interviews and rare pics are terrific. Any fan would be pleased.
If I have a complaint, it's that some groups have been left out. How can you include the Go-Go's but not the Bangles? As I said, space must have been the issue. Let's hope there is a volume 2 in the works.
The Book Still Remains To Be Written.......2002-09-06
Yes, this was a welcomed book, with the rare photos of obscure and not-so-obscure groups, the interviews with the players, the histories of the groups, and the discographies.
But. I want more. I want better. I want authoritative. And this just ain't that. Unfortunately, given the subject matter, there aren't going to be all that many chances to get what I want unless and until I write it myself. (The last, and first, book to cover this subject matter was "Girl Groups: The Story Of A Sound" back in the mid-1980s.)
Since the publication of Clemente's book, the online girl-group community has lifted him to near-godhead status, and I've heard not a peep of criticism: when you're starving, anything's better than nothing. But I think the book has obvious problems and these should be pointed out.
Despite Clemente's good intentions and obvious love for his subject matter, his writing is mundane, repetitive and often irritating. (Is there an editor in the house??) Worse is his lack of perspective/criticism: every girl group or female singer is just fa-a-abulous, so we don't get much insight into musical quality -- just a not very well-written cheerleader's surface story of when, who and how. Very little about the output --the "what", except, of course, that it's fa-a-abulous. Later I found, through a chat-list Clemente was on, that this may have been a quid pro quo for the interviews: he revealed in one post that he wasn't really much of a fan of, or that knowledgeable about, at least one of the groups' music, that of Reparata & the Delrons, but you wouldn't know it from their section in the book. For me, this cast doubt on the honesty of the whole project.
I've found several omissions in his discographies which could easily have been rectified with a quick check of other, reliable sources. Some of the histories are incomplete: While his piece on the Angels is in-depth and informative as far as it goes, their later-60's, early-70's story is truncated (and there is a story there still waiting to be told). ...And WHO designed that ugly cover?!
It's frustrating that books on this topic are so rare that an inferior book such as this one becomes a Bible.
A terrific achievement.......2001-11-05
There have been a lot of books and videos about girl groups but all them involved large, really large, gaps of information, missing names, erroneous information and so on. John Clemente amazingly gets it all down, all correct and every little detail in. How he did it I don't know. This book is fabulous and endlessly rereadable. And you will love the rare photos.
Doo-lang, it's mod!.......2001-04-23
The work that went into this book is astounding. As a girl-groups expert, I seldom find information that is new to me. However, author John Clemente painstakingly looked at the top girl groups and not only gives a narrative history, but a listing of group members over the various years and an exhaustive discography. Fun to read, fab pictures, and, if you're into collectibles, a good reference book, too.
Amazon.com
Masks offer an extraordinary opportunity for creative expression; they can completely transform the human face into something evocative, mysterious, terrifying, or humorous. Extensive instructions are given here for masks of plaster, clay, laminated paper, papier-mâché, buckram, wire, and celastic (a plastic-impregnated fabric), plus directions for final embellishments, finishing techniques, and maskmaking with children. Wonderfully diverse and marvelously creative, most of these are unfortunately shown only in black and white, though there is an eight-page color section. And there are ideas for incorporating found objects, hardware store items, and other flotsam for added interest. Theater designers, performance artists, craftspeople, and teachers--as well as dedicated Halloween revelers--will find inspiration aplenty in this useful and attractive book. --Amy Handy
Book Description
From simple variations on brown paper bags to bal masqué designs, plaster and plasticene molds—the whole range!
Book Description
In Faces of Your Soul, Elise Dirlam Ching and Kaleo Ching combine art and archetypes, meditation and acupressure, guided imagery, journaling, and many different creative processes in a collage of healing knowledge and wisdom. The authors start by stressing the balance of complementary opposites—left brain/right brain, challenge/comfort, practicality/the sacred—as crucial to beginning the journey. Then through guided imagery, they lead readers through subconscious realms to connect with archetypal sources of inner wisdom. This process frees the creative and healing spirit, connecting explorers with the body's instinctive intelligence, which expresses itself through the creation of art. Central to this process is a detailed description of maskmaking—including how to work with a partner to mold each other's gauze mask—balanced with self-explorations of the inner experience of this event. Poetry, personal stories, photographs, and a gallery of Kaleo Ching's evocative totemic masks expand the reader's experience of this richly resonant journey to self.
Customer Reviews:
The book that came to dinner.......2007-09-11
I recently took a Body Totem workshop with Elise and Kaleo. "Faces of the Soul" was included with the course. I looked through the book before the workshop with a blase' kind of attitude, having done a lot of process art including maskmaking. Working with Elise and Kaleo during the workshop was amazing. Their guidance, skill and generosity exceeded expectation. It was after the workshop while dealing with my panic at having to return to dealing with my life problems, that I began to read more of "Faces of the Soul". Elise and Kaleo include personal journal entries in demonstrating their methods of inner inquiry and process which helped me to continue working on my own. I tried journaling and creative dialogue with power allies with good results. Elise and Kaleo live their aloha in and out of the book. Their heart and soul integrity come through every page. I recommend it to anyone seeking empowerment.
An easily accesible experiential map 'in'...leading to authentic inner knowing and creativity. .......2007-08-22
This book guides all who venture in, on a safe yet profound journey of self-discovery and creative expression. While looking deeply into the core of one's Self isn't always easy; Elise and Kaleo through this book and also through their workshops make it relatively easy. I believe this ease is due to their clear writing, expertise in the subject matter, and their truly open hearts. The journey that they guide you on is both unique and remarkable, due to the combination of meditation, guided imagery, journaling, and art making. If you are able to take a workshop with Elise and Kaleo, do it! If not, then this wonderful book can act as a your guide into a world of self-exploration and inner knowledge that is well worth the time and effort.
Face Your Self.......2007-06-12
This is a revoultionary self instuctional book to making your soul's mask. It is a heavy concept condensed into an approachable manual for an individual or class. This book is about refacing the human soul. More than a picture or how to book, it is a tool! These authors are profoundly unique incorporating quinesstential information to get to the depth of the reader's soul. A must own book if one is concerned with more than the rational and material realms.
Faces of Your Soul workshop.......2007-06-04
Kaleo and Elise's "Faces of Your Soul" book and maskmaking workshop provided for me yet another opportunity to allow myself to experience the wisdom of my heart.....the depth of love I feel and continue to feel is phenomenal. I also find that my fear is melting away and I feel an inner confidence and a greater connection with myself. The experience definitely touched my soul and has ignited a feminine spirit within me. My body, mind, and spirit were all involved in the creation of my mask, and I have further released my feminine spirt more fully than I have in years. My inner healer is present every day, as I have a physical representation (mask) of my intentions to heal and open up and I am maintaining a regular dialogue with it.
where wisdom and intuition reside.......2007-06-02
"Faces of Your Soul" is a tremendous gift from Kaleo Ching and Elise Dirlam Ching. Their teachings have helped me connect to my heart, to honor my feelings and to be kind to myself, and by extension, to others. In my mind there is no greater gift than to offer tools to deepen self- awareness and to strengthen one's spiritual being. My personal experience of Kaleo and Elise is of their deep commitment to nurturing family, community, creativity and spirituality. The tools they share help us to navigate this life and deepen our awareness of self and our surroundings. They draw on the Taoist and Buddhist philosophies, Native American and Hawaiian spiritual practices to enter the inner world of intuition, creativity and wisdom. For people like me, who tend to reside in the cerebral part of mind, this can be a challenge to stay with the process and trust the intuitive. "Faces of Your Soul" will shake the tree of your inner world taking you on a journey to meet your other half, the silent partner, where wisdom and intuition reside.
Average customer rating:
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Mixed media Maskmaking.(Brief Article): An article from: Arts & Activities
Karen Aasen
Manufacturer: Publishers' Development Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
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ASIN: B0008J5AU8
Release Date: 2005-07-28 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Arts & Activities, published by Publishers' Development Corporation on December 1, 2000. The length of the article is 773 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Mixed media Maskmaking.(Brief Article)
Author: Karen Aasen
Publication:
Arts & Activities (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2000
Publisher: Publishers' Development Corporation
Volume: 128
Issue: 4
Page: 18
Article Type: Brief Article
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Mary Englebreit has "visited" readers' homes for years. Her charming and homey illustrations have graced millions of cookbooks, calendars, journals, home accents, and greeting cards. Home Sweet Home offers readers the chance to peek at the prolific artist's inspiration-her own home in St. Louis, Mo. Home Sweet Home is a beautifully photographed and lovingly narrated tour of the cozy home Mary was meant to live in.The tour offers a rare glimpse at Mary's vibrant kitchen (classic Mary: black and white and red all over) with its warm, rich hardwood floors, and the soft, buttery tones of her living room, which opens suddenly and dramatically into an airy space that almost seems to be outdoors.Countless nooks and crannies are peppered with Mary's many favorite collections-clearly the inspiration for her art.In addition to the hundreds of sumptuous photographs and plentiful practical decorating advice, Home Sweet Home explains the method behind Mary's decorating genius, dispels common decorating myths, and gives insight into Mary's fairy-tale world.Home Sweet Home will inspire even a novice decorator to create a home that is distinctly her own.
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational book: One of Mary's many beautiful homes! .......2007-06-28
This book is larger than a person might think.
Even though the book is about just one home (ie: ONE of Mary's favorite homes), each page is filled with inspirational ideas. Page after page, the viewer of Mary's favorite dream home will be dazzled by the way in which Mary puts colors and collections (& garden ideas) together. Wow!
Interestingly enough, since this book was written, Mary has already re-decorated this home just recently! So if you want to see how Mary has transformed this dream home even further, you can see the new transformations in the latest iussue of Mary's HOME COMPANION MAGAZINE(Spring 2007 issue). It's fun to refer back to this book, and then to look inside the Spring 2007 magazine photos of Mary's creative ideas expressed once more in her "favorite dream home".
Amazing Cottage Style...It's all in the details!.......2006-12-17
Absolutely STUNNING book. I have poured over this one MANY times. Something for everyone...whether you like Shabby Chic, classic ME cherries, beautiful English Garden, gorgeous book. So Cottagey and sweet. Very sentimental and collected....sort of a managed, organized, slightly tangled chaos of great stuff!
I was not dissapointed. I'm more of the shabby chic, cottage garden type and I loved it. There was also all the classic Mary stuff, so truly I think it would please most.
Home Sweet Home : A Journey Through Mary's Dream Home.......2006-02-22
I think this book is fabulous. I would love even more pictures and details. I would love a floor plan to be able to get a better sense of scale. It left me wanting more and that is always good.
Karen Uda
A lovely look inside Mary's home!.......2005-07-27
Do you ever drive by a great house and wish you could look inside? Well...that's what this book is like!
You get to see all the rooms in Mary's house in detail. It is wonderful to be able to really study the stunning pictures for the smallest ideas. Mary tells the story of how she bought the house and how she loved it for years before it became hers.
You are sure to enjoy this book. It is a visual delight!:)
Love, Love, Love.......2005-05-19
As a collector of decorating books with beautifull photos, I loved this book! If you love full-page, bright photographs of rooms, this will not disappoint. Highly recommend!
Product Description
More than just casual mail pieces, these postcards were often designed by prominent artists and had a visual impact that belied their modest format. Remarkably beautiful examples of graphic design in their own right, they also reflect the influx of Western currents such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Art of the Japanese Postcard presents 300 full-color examples of these cards, culled from the remarkable Leonard A. Lauder Collection. They are astonishing not only for their beauty and the quality of their printing, but also for the insight they provide into contemporary Japanese art. Authoritative essays by leading scholars of Japanese art and culture, plus a statement by the collector himself, highlight the design, development, and cultural function of these rarely studied, but highly influential and visually exciting, expressions of graphic genius.
Customer Reviews:
Reads like a novel.......2006-10-26
This is the best book I have read in the U. of Mississippi series of interviews with filmmakers.
The first interview catches Aldrich just after the start of his career, so the interviews proceed with the career, as opposed to just having him reflect back on things from years later. We see what Aldrich is doing and hear him talk about projects that never come to pass.
A few fascinating things emerge. He apparently never got over getting fired from "The Garment Jungle." Even when he is a success after "The Dirty Dozen," he still is bitter/regretful about that. Also, his relationship with Burt Lancaster, which seemed okay on the outside (they made about four films together) is revealed as contentious and mistrustful.
If you like Aldrich's films, you need to read this book. It will tell you things you never knew and will add to your appreciation of this man.
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