Book Description
On a world torn by war, two women discover a love that defies boundaries, challenges allegiances, and that just might mean the survival--or destruction--of all they hold dear.
Roshan O'Landha, a Gantharian resistance fighter, works hard to maintain her cover as a wealthy businesswoman as war on occupied Gantharat seems imminent. When the Onotharian forces strike an overwhelming blow to the resistance, Roshan sends a plea for help to Kellen O'Dal, Protector of the Realm. In the meantime, Roshan is forced to work closely with Andreia M'Aldovar, a woman she once cared for who now holds a pivotal position in the Onotharian interim government. Andreia also guards a secret, one that if known could cost her life at the hands of either the Onotharians or the resistance. As the two women struggle to prevent annihilation, Roshan is given the only order she may not be able to obey, not even to save Gantharat--assassinate Andreia M'Aldovar.
Customer Reviews:
two strong female characters.......2007-09-02
For me, the best part of this book was the fact that both primary characters were very strong women. Very glad to heave read it.
What an adventure!.......2007-06-27
I'm not a big fan of science fiction books, but love Gun Brooke's writing and decided to give this one a chance. I enjoyed the first book in this series, PROTECTOR OF THE REALM. This second in the series is more like a pseudo sequel than a true sequel. The protagonists from Book 1 make an appearance, but are not part of the central storyline. The new protagonists are Roshan and Andreia, two women with a past and a long-festering hatred of each other.
Roshan and Andreia were roommates in school. They are of different races, two races that are at war with each other. This conflict tore the young women apart and destroyed their friendship. As adults, they find themselves thrown together, seemingly on the same side of the conflict, but not trusting the other due to their respective public images. Talk about a motley mess for these two to wade through! Regardless of their past and current feelings toward each other, they must work together to save their world. The more vulnerable they become in their quest, the more protected they become by each other.
If you're looking for a racy book, I wouldn't recommend this one. However, if you're just looking for a really good adventure story, take this one on and enjoy.
Protect us from "Protector of the Realm".......2007-05-23
In "Protector of the Realm", Commodore Rae Jacelon is the human commander of the Gamma VI space station of Supreme Constellation, a vast union of planets. She captures a Gantharian woman Kellen O'Dal fleeing from her home planet together with Armeo, a young boy. The plot centers on the claim made by Ambassador M'Ekar of the Onotharian Empire which occupies Gantharat, that Armeo has been kidnapped by Kellen O'Dal and on the solution offered by Rae Jacelon to avoid the extradition and possible death of Kellen O'Dal: a marriage of convenience.
It should be expect of a good Science Fiction book for it to use different settings, due either to technological advances or to political or social systems different from those of the known present or past, in order to explore the consequences of these changes and challenge current perceptions/ideas. This book borrows heavily from the Star Trek universe and it brings nothing new in terms of science fiction. Probably it would be more adequately described as a lesbian romance, with also a "good guys against bad guys" plot taking place in a science fiction background.
The main characters are not well characterized and sometimes sound like they are the same person. Secondary characters, like Rae's parents, lack consistency since they act completely opposite to the initial description and no reasons are presented for this behavior.
The plot is very predictable and the writing is poor, full of bad imagery: "(...) but she was determined to drive Rae toward the monumental bliss". When dealing with Kellen and Rae's growing attraction to each other, and their developing romantic relationship, stilted dialogues and clichés abound.
In summary, both as a science fiction book or a romance novel this is definitely not recommended.
Love Conquers All.......2007-05-21
You'll be drawn into this gripping story from the very first page. It's about two women whose love conquers all, even war in their homeland.
A great continuation.......2007-05-18
Yep, this is another good sci-fi from our author.
Agree that it is not quite as sexy as the 1st, but that's OK because it still has a lot of detailed and realistic action.
I like the more complex plots and the continuation of characters from the 1st book too.
The other thing I am liking is the details of all the futuristic gadgets and ships they use and the battle scenes of course.
The only thing I thought it could use a little more of is some scenes depicting talents of the individual characters. We barely even got a glimpse of Kellen's "Protector" talents this time around.
Some of the main characters are becoming a little too "soft".
Get it, you'll like it.
Book Description
Against a strongly delineated background of Ireland and her people, Andrew Nugent has concocted a suspenseful first mystery When Judge Sidney Piggott gets kicked to death in his cham-bers at the Four Courts in Dublin, few tears are shed. Neither Jim Quilligan nor Molly Powers, the Dublin police detectives assigned to the case, are satisfied to pin the murder on a miss-ing youth whom many suspect without more reasons. Quilligan gets a colleague to question his informant and Molly does some sleuthing in the arts library because of the judge's ques-tionable dealing in paintings. There she meets a charming young Dutchman who helps her with the search.
Customer Reviews:
Uninspired mystery.......2006-06-20
After reading this book's description I really looked forward to sitting down with it . . . and was terribly disappointed when I did. Unfortunately this tale runs out of gas in less than 100 pages, which is doubly unfortunate as the book goes for over 200 pages. There really isn't much of a mystery, the plot is contrived and simple, the characters are wooden and one dimensional and the flavor of Ireland advertised on the cover is no more than a few scenes in a few pubs. To me this read more like a made for TV movie script, (How to Write a Mystery in 3 East Steps), rather than a novel. This one didn't work for me.
Great Fun!.......2006-03-09
I am not a mystery reader; when I try one (even classics, like Christie and Sayers) I usually lose interest after 50 pages or less. But not this one! My wife pressed it on me, and after devouring it, we sent a copy as a gift to my lawyer brother.
Often very funny, and apparently written by one knowledgeable about the Irish legal system. If you are interested in the courts, the Irish, or just good writing, try it!
Funny, Beautifully Written and Plotted, and Good Fun.......2005-10-17
It's hard to believe that this is the author's first mystery novel. It is so expertly written that I would have assumed that Andrew Nugent had had long practice at constructing plots and fleshing them out. It is a police procedural and follows, more or less, the established rules of such mystery novels, but it is salted with hilarious Irish humor, lovely satirical slaps at the judiciary, at boozers, crooks and layabouts, but saving its deftest jabs for grandiose self-deluded windbags. The conclusion is unusual but entirely satisfying.
We're told that Nugent, a former lawyer who is now a Benedictine monk, is writing another murder mystery. I, for one, can hardly wait.
Scott Morrison
You've got to love the Irish!.......2005-09-04
"...for the rest of the day, Front sat in court, silent and immobile, like a vampire in his coffin, awaiting the evening." The only problem with living alone is not having anyone to whom I can read wonderful passages aloud. I loved the writing and that the story is told from the perspective of the different characters. The characters are well done and even have personal lives. The case unfolds in layers, each increasing my interest and involvement. I didn't identify the killer--although looking back, I should have-but loved the final resolution. I really enjoyed this book.
fabulous Irish police procedural .......2005-04-27
The most detested person in Dublin's judicial system is Justice Sidney Piggott. Police Inspector Denis Lennon would agree that the Four Courts judge is a nasty person, but how widely disliked the man is he has no idea until someone murders His Honor. Denis heads the investigation with an assist from Sergeant Molly Power, but the list of suspects from Piggott's employment circle with motive seems like much of the city.
The two cops have one potential lead; several individuals mentioned that an unknown young man hung around the courtroom while Piggott worked on a particularly minor case. No one could say who this person is or why he would want to observe a tedious trial. Could he have waited for the right moment to kill Piggott? Denis plans to find out.
This is a fabulous Irish police procedural in which the audience sees different perspectives; These include those of the two cops and interestingly the negative muses of the missing man who seemingly stalked the victim and is now undecided whether he dreamed or actually killed Piggott. The story line grips the audience as the case widens beyond Dublin to the Irish countryside where another related death occurred. With a fully developed support cast enhancing the official inquirie, readers will enjoy this powerful who-done-it.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
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Screams Beneath Pandora: Books I-2
Lara Elf Princess Prendville
Manufacturer: Lulu Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Dark Fantasy
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
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Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
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| Adventure
| Alternate History
| Anthologies
| General
| Graphic Novels
| High Tech
| History & Criticism
| Series
| Short Stories
| Space Opera
ASIN: 1411652274 |
Book Description
440 pages 6.0" x 9.0" trade size Paperback Perfect Binding
Customer Reviews:
invaluable.......2002-05-11
the pictures alone are so hard to get that having this book in your fertility awareness library is indispensable.
An awesome book.......1998-06-11
This is one of the best books I have ever seen. When I found it in the bookstore, I knew right then and there It was coming home with me right then and there. I can't think of a better book to help women learn about how our bodies work.
Book Description
Mrs. Prophet offers her unique perspective on the feminist movement that never got off on the right foot because of what early church fathers did to Jesus' true teachings on woman, which would have elevated her role in church, state and society. Jesus learned of the Divine Feminine while studying in the East before his Jerusalem mission.
Amazon.com
It is no surprise that Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings offers a transcendental experience; the author is a Zen monk. He also ranks just behind culinary luminaries Alice Waters of Chez Panisse restaurant in California, and Deborah Madison, an expert on natural ingredients. Brown's 125 vegetarian recipes range from an elementally simple sauté of apple slices plumped in butter, cinnamon and sugar, to the exciting combination of Chili Crepes with Goat Cheese Filling Served over Garlicky Black Beans. Garbanzo Bean Stew with Spinach and Saffron, and a lasagne made with cabbage leaves and potatoes simmered gently with lots of garlic, red wine, and a dash of cream are other ways Brown shares his refreshing creativity, which is always tempered by his innate sense of what works.
Direct but playful, Brown devotes half of Tomato Blessing and Radish Teachings to stories about his spiritual path, which led him through the kitchens of the Tassajara and San Francisco Zen Centers. Most of his learning centered around working with food. So do these stories, intended to help the reader move towards inner peace and contentment. "Playing with Fire," for instance, is a fable about starting a fire with wet wood. It is a comment on how life proceeds at the pace it requires, which then ties into thoughts about grilling! Recipes for Grilled Eggplant Salad and the exquisite revelation of Grilled Figs accompany this wisdom. As Brown says, you can read this book for its stories, just for its recipes, or for both. You will be amply rewarded whichever path you take. --Dana Jacobi
Book Description
For more than 30 years, cooking has sustained and enriched Ed Brown's life. A Zen priest and a master chef, he has found that cooking is healing, meditative, artful and joyous; preparing each meal can be an act of generosity and love. In Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings, he brings together his practice of both Zen meditation and cooking to tell stories that delight our spirits--and teach us how to create many of his most beloved recipes, from ginger muffins to potato leek soup. Here is a book for the willing cook in all of us--an inspiration for everyone who enjoys the pleasure of a great cook's company.
Customer Reviews:
Enlightenment through your skillet.......2005-11-29
This is THE Zen book by Edward Brown that should be in print. Alas, it is not! Yes, I know that Edward Espe Brown is famous for the Tassajara Bread Book and "Not Always So," his lovingly edited lectures by Shunryu Suzuki. And yet, while the bread book was steadfastly telling us how to make bread and Suzuki roshi is sharing with us talks on the zen life, this is the book that puts them together. Can we use cooking to find our original mind in everyday life? Chopping firewood and carrying water... Here in "Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings," the food is not only prepared, but the food prepares us. Together we realize the way, and make beautiful music in the kitchen.
Excellent autobiography of a chef.......2002-02-12
As someone who a) loves autobiographies and b) reads everything I can about chefs, food and cooking, I loved this book through and through. It is a surprisingly humble story about how Edward Espe Brown became the great chef and teacher that he is. He writes in the same simple style that won me over years ago in the Tassajara Bread Book. I don't believe he intended this book of "Recipes and Reflections" to be considered a cookbook (since he's already done so many of those by himself and with others), but to inspire cooks and would-be cooks to explore the wonders of the Universe, via food or any other avenue they might choose. For me it was very inspiring, both personally and professionally, and for some reason I often think of this book and the things he's said, though I read it over a year ago. Since I didn't try any of the recipes scattered throughout (although I found some good ideas in them) I cannot comment on that. Just, I've found this to be one of the most enjoyable and encouraging reads on cooking, teaching and life in general.
Highly Recommended Food for thought........2001-12-01
As much a manual on how to live Zen as a cookbook, Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings guides the reader through a philosophy of cooking based on a philosophy of enjoying life. Brown teaches the reader to trust her own instincts and follow her own tastes, rather than be a slave to his wonderfully simple recipes. Following recipes is not about achieving someone else's idea of perfection -- it's about guiding oneself to new tastes and territories, about gaining new insights and knowledge, and using one's common sense to mediate.
Buy the other Tassajara cookbooks instead.......2000-12-04
I love both the Tassajara Bread Book and Tassajara Cooking, so I was excited to see that there was a new book in the series. Unfortunately, this book doesn't live up to the other Tassajara books. Each group of recipes is prefaced by a story about Brown's experiences as a chef and Zen priest, and how the two overlap. While it does make for interesting light reading, the anecdotes outweigh the recipies, which aren't terribly good. While I use the other Tassajara cookbooks all the time (and recommend them both) Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings rarely leaves the shelf.
Simple and inspiring.......2000-02-25
If, like me, you found the recipes in The Greens Cookbook complicated and intimidating, you will probably love this book. It is filled with simple recipes for vegitarian meals that look and taste wonderful. It's food for people who like to eat, rather than for those who like to cook and show off.
Book Description
Don't let accumulated certificates, photographs, documents, and other family heirlooms deteriorate in files or shoe boxes. This book provides simple guidelines to ensure that your fragile treasures will survive for future generations. The author offers specific instructions for maintaining and storing everything from paper and photographs to motion picture film, sound recordings, and textiles. She also provides tips on recovering from disasters such as floods and fires. 48 pages, 5 1/2 by 8 1/2, softbound ISBN 0-916489-59-0
Book Description
Country Living editor Niña Williams had never visited Provence, yet visions of that fabled French region permeated her dreams. And so, with a little help from some talented artists, she transformed her own simple Denver home (inside and out) into a small bit of Provençal heaven. Everywhere trompe l'oeil murals turn the walls into a storybook peopled with imaginary characters and landscapes from a tiny imaginary Provençal village. And each detail, from the ceramic dishes to the small soaps in the bathroom to the wrought iron furniture on the patio, has the perfect Provençal touch. Williams herself explains her inspiration, and the reasons behind all her choices. A pure delight and true original, this blend of romance and design primer also includes tasty tidbits like Provençal recipes (Garlic Rabbit) and information on the Provençal crafts of lacemaking, enamelware, and more.
Customer Reviews:
a decorative fairy tale............2002-01-22
As stated in the book's introduction, the decoration of this
house does indeed capture the mood, spirit and colors of
Provence. Anyone looking for ideas or studies of trompe l'oeil
will totally enjoy the art on every page. I remember the
first time I saw the art of Fisher and Chappell in an old issue
of Country Living magazine. They artfully painted a garden
shed and it made the cover of the magazine. A story unfolds
as you go room to room in this house, the walls are the illustrations. French tiles, a mouse on garden tools, rabbits
in a hutch, windows to lavender fields, murals of glorious
Provencal landscapes, a broken plate on the floor, pearls on the stair steps, rose petals on a window sill: are they
real or painted? An excellent addition to a collection of
interior design books. You can't go wrong here. The resource
guide in the back features decorative sources, fabric and upholstery sources, garden catalogs and graphic designers.
Lots of garden pictures too as Nina Williams was the founding
editor of Country Living Gardener. From the kitchen to the
atelier, the boudoir to the foyer you will find inspiration!
Thumbs up!
Lovely,dreamy.......2002-01-11
This book, although not practical, is lovely and dreamy. Great for thumbing through on a weekend afternoon. The author has tapped into my psyche by fueling my dream of having a getaway cottage. We want a dreamy place not in Europe but close enough to home so that we can escape every weekend if we want to. Fortunately, that is possible in our part of the country where vacation homes are common. I've searched for vacation homes and cottage books, and the best are:
SECOND HOME. Rating: 10. This gorgeous coffee table book is also practical. Great houses, dreamy photos of locations, but the homes, which are in all styles from cabins in the woods to big family homes on the Atlantic, aren't out of reach. The book has tips on finding a location and that sort of thing as well as decorating. Nice resource list with internet sites for more information. Blends dreamy beauty with information.
THE CABIN. Rating: 6. Another pretty coffee table book. Not practical in any way but nice to look at. More of an architecture book than anything else.
COTTAGE STYLE. Rating: 8. All about decorating any home so it looks like a weekend cottkage. My decorating "bible."
ADIRONDACK STYLE. Rating: 5. Good pictures of homes and interiors. But it's limited to one rustic style, of course.
HOME DECOR. WITH A STORY TO TELL.......2001-12-13
I can't finish this book. It's so good,
I want to leave some for other days.
The decor is fasinating.
Cottage Art at its best.......2001-10-31
Nina Williams has created a gift for those of us who are artists who like to make our homes or in my case my cottage a day to day living canvas. Not only did I appreciate the "theme" which is basically a young girl flowing into adulthood but like Ms Williams I have a serious free spirit mode that is very Bohemian.
The photos are wonderful and one sees how an artist creates beauty that is a mix of fairytale and reality. And I am also a grower of French lavender and could almost smell the lavender tucked in the curtain or in the mural of the French lavender fields that seemed to stretch for miles.
And the whimsy of the strand of pearls broken and dropping down the painted stairs of her home, the mouse on the stairs the looks so lifelike and the flowers...oh my they look so real, as if freshly picked. And the young girl at the window, caught in a far off thought with love letter in hand.
And the colours and hue are so vibrant and I so love the way the artists creates smiles on peoples faces. How you open a door and see a painting on the other side. How rooms blend paintings with tile work and furniture.
This is a book I would recommend for all my fellow artist friends who love creating and are not afraid of working on non canvas surfaces.
Provence Captured.......2000-12-03
Owning a residence in Provence, We werelooking for inspiration for a redesign. This will be my bible. She perfectly captured the mood and colors of Provence. The Trompe L' Oeil work is some of the finest I have ever seen. It weaves the tri-themes of the book together perfectly. Personality makes a room.
Book Description
Painting the exterior of a home is a large and costly project-yet homeowners have long been forced to decide on a color scheme based on only a tiny swatch or a paint brochure.
Now, nationally recognized color consultant Bonnie Rosser Krims shares a foolproof method for selecting and combining exterior paint colors. This unique guidebook presents more than twenty-five distinct color schemes- complete with color reference numbers from the major paint manufacturers-along with beautiful, full-color photographs, and ideas and inspiration for painting trim, accent colors, and more. Specific information about working with roof color, plantings, and features such as walkways and porches is also included.
From tips on avoiding common and costly pitfalls to a step-by-step plan for getting the results you want, this is every homeowner's key to exquisite color balance for the home exterior.
-Save time and avoid weeding through hundreds of tiny paint palette chips.
-Get the look you want, with foolproof paint recipes and color combinations.
-Save money. This guidebook covers every phase of exterior painting, from choosing colors to estimating time, materials, and costs.
Customer Reviews:
No Help for my needs.......2007-09-26
Unfortunately "Perfectly Painted House: A Foolproof Guide for Choosing Exterior Colors for Your Home". (1) It wasn't any help in choosing the perfect color(s) for our home. We have a bungalow style home built in 1925 - there was only one color choice in the book for similar home(red) personally did not care for color. I was looking for siding color w/trim & door color choices i.e. 3 colors. (2) We do not plan on painting our house ourselves (many hints for doing same). Very disappointed in this particular book.
BEST EXTERIOR COLOR BOOK.......2004-03-11
This is a great book for anyone serious about choosing paint colors for their house with professional results. A wide range of house styles and color combinations are presented. The book starts out with a brief step by step for choosing exterior paint color. It provides instructions for actually painting the house yourself. This is followed with page after page of gorgeous photos of painted houses, and it includes the paint color used for each house. There are very few resources available on the subject of choosing color for the exterior of the house. The book is truly the best I've seen.
Great Book! Great Help!.......2004-01-17
I have two of Ms. Krims' books, The Perfectly Painted House and The Perfect Palette. We bought a Federal Style home built in 1820 in downtown Fitchburg, MA for my husband's psychology practice last year. We consulted the book and decided on the Phelps Putty color, but kept the shutters black (although your choice of gray was stunning and I may do that in the future). The color suggestions along with the pointers on painting cedar shingles in the appropriate way yielded great results and we have gotten many compliments. Our next project is our own home and I chose the Glastonbury combo for my main floor and the Marblehead for our downstairs. Clearly Ms. Krims' books have been used and enjoyed. Thank you very much!
Disappointing.......2003-09-24
Anyone using this book as a means by which to choose paint colours, is making a huge mistake. Like most books of this genre, it is candy for the eye - you may be inspired, but to go out and use the same colours as in the book is foolish.
The homes featured in this book are mostly country, or traditional. Any paint colour you choose is dramatically influenced by the architecture of your home, the climate in which you live, whether it faces north or south, etc. The homes in this book seem to exist in isolation on snowy plains or country acreage unobstructed by neighbours, power-lines, garages, etc. She does not talk about size at all. For example: a tall skinny home, with little architectural detail, painted fire engine red will not look nearly as charming as a cosy cottage with heavy moldings and shutters. There is little mention of accent, or trim colours. It is a flimsy read - if you love the idea of a yellow home (as I do) you will only find ONE yellow house. There is only ONE red house. A better book would have shown pictures of 4 or 5 homes, in different styles, painted red, yellow, blue, etc. We're talking about photographs here - why not include more? A better option for house paint ideas is to drive around your neighbourhood, which shares the same light, climate, etc. as your own. Find a few houses you really like, then ask the owners what colour they used.
GOOD NEWS!!.......2003-03-11
I am going to have my house painted this spring and have been dreading getting the color right. Then I found this book. Here's the good news: the paint colors are right there in the book with pictures of the painted houses. It's got the answers I was looking for. I think this book could be used by anyone with any style of house.
Book Description
You've seen her art in the pages of Playboy and in dozens of other publications, on calendars, book covers, limited edition prints, greeting cards, and movie posters. Now, for the first time, Olivia's work has been compiled into one deluxe book. Included are over 100 drawings and paintings, many previously unpublished, spanning the past fifteen years.
Customer Reviews:
The queen of men's magazine art.......2007-09-26
Who better to draw women than a woman? Olivia De Barardinis is the undisputed queen of cheesecake art, that wonderful if ill-defined blend of sensuality, sexuality, humor, and glamor.
Although her style covers a wide range, each illustration depicts a lone model. Based on Olivia's notes at the end of the book, it sounds as if each woman's presence is just too big to share a page with any other. Each time Olivia paints, she captures something unique to the model, so two models might confuse the directness of the image. Other visual elements appear in her work often enough to form a recognizable ensemble: happily erotic poses, improbably high heels, and lingerie ranging from antique to futuristic fanatasy. Various of the paintings here show other influences, including Bettie Page, Klimt, Marilyn Monroe, Erte, and generations of other sensualists.
Olivia uses the last few pages to add notes describing the paintings. The text identifies each one by title (if any), year, medium, and usually the name of the model. In many cases, Olivia says a bit more about the woman depicted, the inspiration for the image, or something else to help the reader enjoy the picture - as if help were needed. Then, the last two pages let her talk about the creative process in each of her media, including watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and her trademark oil. I recommend this to anyone fascinated by Olivia's voluptuous, vivacious vamps and vixens.
-- wiredweird
Would have given 6 stars if possible.......2003-12-08
For any female who has ever been embarassed by the pictures of the other publications that are not so tasteful in showing a nude female this is a book to check out. I myself grew up with a feeling of nakedness is not beautiful and felt that way until I was about 18. When one day someone showed Olivia pictures to me and opened my mind allowing me to see the real beauty of the female form. It is beyond words and as a young woman it allowed me to feel better about myself. As a reminder to myself of the beauty she brings out in a woman I have small tattoo of Heatseeker just below my waist.
Prime first collection from the Anais Nin of painting.......2003-08-01
Cheesecake, n. Slang. photographs featuring a view of an attractive woman's legs and body.
Cute title, which is a take on the phrase Marie Antoinette plagiarized from a Polish princess. Hugh Hefner's description of artist Olivia de Berardinis as the Anais Nin of contemporary fantasy graphic art, or as being for the 1990's what Alberto Vargas was to the 1940's and 1960's is highly apropos. After all, Nin championed for female rights to fantasy, and the drawings of Olivia have the same aim.
Her drawings, most of them tasteful but erotically-charged nudes, might as well be characters in fantasy novels, such as zebra-women, women with plumed wings, and mermaids. Vanity, yes, the one famous for her liaison with Prince, is drawn with cat years and tail using gouache. The zebra-lady, whose skin has stripes like a zebra and who sports a main running from her forehead all the way down, is also a highlight. Her capture of Bella Schol's unique but subtle sneer in her gouache and pencil drawing "Whiplash" is another.
Olivia's uses oil prepared with gesso (gypsum prepared with glue) and gouache, the latter being opaque watercolours prepared with gum, as well as watercolours, acrylics, and pastels, often using more than one medium per drawing. The way she paints bare skin, be it pale, light brown, with shading that makes it so real is what attracted me to her drawings, as is the glossy finish she uses on some of her acrylics, which in her words, make them come alive.
Included in the intro is a letter Alberto Vargas wrote to Olivia dated 14 June 1979. The appendix is a plethora of useful background information, as it lists each painting, the title, year made, dimensions, and the medium used, the model where applicable, and sometimes, comments by Olivia or her husband Joel Beren. In the case of the cover drawing, it's titled "Devil's Food", dimensions 40"x30", watercolor, gouache on board, with Rhonda Ridley-Scott being the model. Olivia says she was inspired by Milton Greene's photos of Marilyn, "with a nod to the Cheshire cat."
Among the models used are Vanity, Marilyn Monroe-lookalike Rhonda Ridley Scott, Pamela Anderson, and Bella Schol. She also does likenesses of Bettie Page and Josephine Baker, based on photographs. But the real Page probably never had a full-bodied black panther chasing a mouse tattooed down her back (Cat And Mouse).
The commentary by Olivia in the back shows her to be a very creative and self-assured woman who uses her paintings to reflect the mood she's trying to elicit, be it something with a lighter touch or something aggressively splashed. The main thing is that the women of her paintings are those "in control of their own sexuality, who choose their partners, and choose to be dominant or submissive, and not be admonished for their decisions." This goes back to the Anais Nin comparison. I have my friend Erick Vaneckhoutte in Farmington to thank me for introducing me to Olivia.
Energy and sensuality.......2002-05-14
OliviaDe Berardinis Fantasy Art is pure energy brought up to the eyes of the viewer,movement and action in each one of her strokes, with superb technique and unique imagination,Every picture a masterpiece,Olivia captures all of our fantasies about women by A collection of beautiful, breathtaking photographs
"Let them eat cheesecake"a book for the art fans and pinup.
Every page a masterpiece.......1999-09-01
Those who appreciate the female form will marvel at the excellence of the paintings by Olivia. She captures the female form in breath taking images from a simple nude to futuristic clothing. I just hope she comes out with a third edition real soon.
Average customer rating:
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Durov and His Performing Animals
Emmanuel Dvinsky
Manufacturer: Fredonia Books (NL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Circus
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
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Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
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General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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ASIN: 1410101495 |
Book Description
For fifty years, circus posters in Russia and in many other European countries carried the name of Vladimir Durov. A man of the widest gifts, a talented musician, painter and sculptor, the author of delightful children's books, Vladimir Durov appeared in the ring right up to the last years of his life.
Books:
- Raising Atlantis
- Redemption Song: A Novel
- Riding Dirty on I-95: A Novel (Nikki Turner Original)
- ROSIE DUNNE
- Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
- Seize the Night (A Dark-Hunter Novel, Book 7)
- Serpent: A Novel from the NUMA Files (Numa Files Series)
- Shopaholic Abroad
- Sin Killer : The Berrybender Narrative, Book 1
- So Long, See You Tomorrow
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Bermuda Triangle
- Palm Beach Splendor: The Architecture of Jeffery Smith
- IRON MAIDEN -A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
- Mixing in Polymer Processing
- Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
- Organization Change: Theory and Practice
- See's Famous Old Time Candies: A Sweet Story
- Genius Loci
- Imagining Ground Zero: The Official and Unofficial Proposals for the World Trade Center Site
- Punk Like Me
Sword of the Guardian: A Legend of Ithyria (Legends of Ithyria)
Flight Risk
Course of Action
Coffee Sonata
When Dreams Tremble
