Customer Reviews:
Evocative tale.......2007-01-03
Stones for Ibarra is a quixotic journey narrated with poetic insight. Anyone who loves Mexico will enjoy not only the story but the beautiful prose. E. Francis
A Rare Piece of Writing.......2006-09-11
"Stones For Ibarra" is really a collection of vignettes strung together loosely by two main characters, Richard and Sara Everton. They serve as "foils" in providing the author with a modern American perspective to the novel's true main character: rural Mexican life. The writing here is truly splendid (one reviewer aptly describes it as "moving and evocative") and Doerr is richly deserving of The National Book Award.
By revealing the major plot turn early in the book, Doerr declares that the narrative will take a second seat to the novel's setting and collective consciousness. It is at once an affirmation of the timeless, fatalistic nature of small town Mexico and a reflection of the futilism of American idealism. As a collection of sketches, the novel lacks fully rendered characterizations of the protagonists, the Evertons. There is very little dialogue between the two Americans and their stiff restraint in talking and thinking limits the novel. That failing aside, it's a remarkable debut for a writer (at 66 years old!)
Slow..........2006-08-17
Is really the best way to describe this book. There is no readily identifiable plot to the novel. Aside from the colorful descriptions of Mexico (which certainly adds something to the text), there is really little entertainment value in this read. If you are looking for a fictional escape, this one deserves a pass.
Gentle, Powerful, Necessary.......2006-01-28
In the world of literary excellence, 73-year-old Harriet Doerr's first novel, "Stones for Ibarra," is present, along with Shakespeare, Wilde, and Capote.
Doerr's prose transports the reader to a small Mexican village, introduces one to brilliantly sketched portraits of villagers, their simple, stalwart beliefs and attitudes, and how a middle-aged couple, the only North Americans in the village, do more than cope with another culture, they accept and embrace the differences. The couple come to be regarded with respect and affection.
Doerr's prose is so gently powerful, one tends to put the book down every chapter or two, just to think about what one has just read.
She has made a lasting and important contribution to all people.
This should be required reading in every high school in every country.
enjoy the read.......2005-11-03
This is a nice, relaxing read. It's easy to get through, and can be read in spurts is need-be.
The Evertons are interesting emigres from the US. It makes you think about what in a location can make you happy. It also leads to interesting thoughts on how it would be to live in a foreign country.
The book jumps around a bit, but the characters come to life. This ia a book in which I would recommend investing the time.
Product Description
2 Book Set By Harriet Doerr; the Tiger in the Grass; Stones for Ibarra.
Product Description
Read on 9 Cassettes that play for 9 hours
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STONES FOR IBARRA
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HFBKAC |
Book Description
New author Shana Galen's latest novel has it all. Divided loyalties. Espionage. Intrigue. And a stiff cravat.
American Charlotte Burton has one last chance to restore her family business and repair the family's pride. At the height of the War of 1812, she's risked the conflict–ridden seas to plead for help from an old family friend. But the reunion is interrupted when a sinfully handsome British spy takes her prisoner.
Freddie Dewhurst – hero, unapologetic dandy, and spy. Freddie's one goal is to end the career of an American accused of stealing secret British codes and selling them to the French. But Freddie's quest is interrupted by one red–haired American hellion.
With the security of England at stake, Freddie and Charlotte devise a daring plan that will take them into the highest echelons of power, the farthest limits of passion, and lead to an all out engagement of war. But there's more than one way to engage an enemy!
Customer Reviews:
Pride and Petticoats.......2007-05-10
This is, without a doubt, bar none, the worst book I have ever read. I felt foolish and angry at myself when it was all over. The author did not bother with silly things like character development or basic research(I believe a baron is properly addressed as "Sir", not "Lord"). This book does not have a single thing to recommend it. Had this been the first romance novel I had ever read, it would have been the last.
Truly, truly terrible.
Simply delightful!.......2006-11-15
It's a classic love story. The main characters meet during the war. They should be enemies. English Lord hold dislike toward anything or anyone American. Yet this stunning American is somehow different... Love, danger, jealousy, adventure. This book has it all. Shana Galen leads her readers on the path of mind blowing romance. Very heart warming!
Another Charming Story By Ms. Galen!.......2006-03-19
Ms. Galen's second effort is just as charming and entertaining as her first "When Dashing Met Danger." Not only do we get to visit with old friends once again...we are introduced to new ones with a fresh new romance to entertain us.
Charlotte is desperate. She has lost her father and brother to the British and their miserable war. If only her brother and father had not been forced to try to rush the blockade...but they did and now she has lost everything. Not knowing where to turn, she and her faithful maid Addy sail for England and hopefully her brother's childhood friend Cade Pettigru. She has no idea she's about to have to face her prejudice and be tested by the one man that not only fires her temper...but her passions as well. Will she be able to see Freddie for the man he is or will she let her preconceived ideas get in the way of a love only she can imagine?
Lord Freddie Dewhurst is not who he seems and he relies on this for he is a spy for the British government. His role as a Pink of the Ton is half contrived half his true self. When he has to pose as a married man to a Yankee upstart he questions whether he has the skills to pull it off. Charlotte gets his temper up as no one ever has! She also makes him feel things he never thought possible. Will a war between countries and a prejudice for two countries powerful enough to prevent these two strong people from finding a love that's true?
This was a very entertaining read. Ms. Galen has taken a very timely issue of nationality prejudice and worked it into a story that will capture the reader's attention. We get a chance to visit with Lucia and her Alex (When Dashing Met Danger) once again. This was a very romantic read and Ms. Galen has captured the time period and it's issues in a very endearing way.
Hot.......2006-03-15
I read this book in one evening. I couldn't put it down eventhough I should have been reading my chemistry text.
A Lyrical Historical Romance.......2006-02-09
Freddie Dewhurst is a dandy, with a capital D-A-N-D-Y. Attire, attitude, and appearance are everything. Appearances, however, can be deceiving, and behind Freddie's puffed-up façade is a loyal British spy. Who, then, could be a worse match for him than an uncouth, uncultured, unfashionable American?
Charlotte Burton has no love for the British. More like raging hatred. They are, after all, responsible for the deaths of her father and brother. It is only under the most desperate of circumstances that she ventures to London to make one last effort to restore her finances.
On the day of her arrival she gets caught in the middle of a spy-hunt. Her family friend--the sought after spy--escapes, promising to return for her but leaving her in the custody of two British spies. Namely Freddie and his cousin. Freddie's mission is to capture the escaped spy before the traitor can sell vital British codes to the French. Charlotte's is to protect her friend--and herself--from yet another British-inflicted fate.
Freddie's superior at the Foreign Office comes up with a plan to draw the spy out: Freddie and Charlotte will pretend to be married and madly in love. Though neither likes the idea, they finally agree that this is the only way for both to get what they want. Freddie will get the spy that holds British lives in his grasp. Charlotte will get one thousand pounds for her troubles and the assurance that Freddie will give her friend a fair chance at proving his innocence.
The sham marriage soon turns steamy as Freddie's kisses make Charlotte forget why she hates the British and Charlotte's fire and vitality make Freddie long to break rules he'd always held so sacred. Despite meddling mothers, battles of wit, and years of pride and prejudice Freddie and Charlotte draw closer and closer as the charade continues. And when it comes down to it, each will have to make the choice between love and country.
A sensual and seductive tale, Pride and Petticoats weaves together intrigue, passion, and a nobly flawed hero and heroine that come to life and beg to be read with the same investment of emotion that both characters must make in the end. If you are looking for a masterpiece of historical romance lyrically told and fiery enough to singe your fingers, then look no further than Pride and Petticoats.
Average customer rating:
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Pride and Petticoats
Shana Galen
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0739461699 |
Product Description
Dear Friend,You were right: desperation is a dangerous state of mind. It was desperation that drove me to London to salvage my family's reputation and finances in the first place. And it is desperation -- and perhaps a little desire -- that has gotten me into the situation I find myself in now.You see, I've become ensnared in the investigation of a traitor by Lord Dewhurst -- the most insufferable, sinfully handsome man I've ever met. I know it is shocking, but in order to catch this spy and clear my name, I've no choice but to play the agent's bride. Now I'm desperate again to avoid his seductive words and searing looks. I pray that I can resist him, but I can make no promises. Oh, my dear friend, I know he and I are merely pretending to be wed, but the blush he can send all the way to my petticoats feels far too real!Yours truly, Charlotte
Book Description
The Aventine Empire is crumbling under the attacks of savages armed with strange and dangerous powers. Exiled from the empire, a powerful telepath named Leonardo is captured by the savages, and finds himself in unfamiliar territory. Prepared for their brutality and mindless aggression, Leonardo learns their world differs from what he has been taught, and he is forced to question all of his previously held assumptions. This edition includes the first three works of the seven-volume Savage Empire series, last issued more than 10 years ago.
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- Witches' Almanac 2006-07
- Shipping Problem
- you don't have to be witchy to like this!
- The Witches' Almanac 2006-2007
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The Witches' Almanac 2006-2007 (Witches' Almanac)
Manufacturer: Witches Almanac
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Binding: Paperback
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The Witches Almanac 2007 2008 (Witches Almanac)
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2007 Magical Almanac (Llewellyn's Magical Almanac)
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2007 Witches' Datebook (Witches' Datebook)
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Witches' All
ASIN: 1881098346 |
Book Description
Praise for The Witches' Almanac, The Complete Guide to Lunar Harmony:
"The Witches' Almanac, a compendium of history, lore and legend, has had a catalytic effect on the Wiccan resurgence. With an ever-growing circulation, the little book has become the most influential and respected occult publication in the United States."-East West Journal
"For many of us who found our way back to the Old Religion in the 1960s, one of the very few guiding lights along the hidden path during those early days of the pagan revival was a little booklet called The Witches' Almanac. Sometimes it could be found right out in front at a bookstore, next to the cash register, but more often it was to be discovered hidden in a dark corner, ready to reward the determined seeker."-Dan and Pauline Campanelli, authors of Circles, Groves & Sanctuaries
The Witches' Almanac has been acclaimed for the quality of its art, design, and content since its debut in 1971. Clarity and presentation of the moon calendar, astrological predictions of the gifted Dikki-Jo Mullen, and sensitive weather forecasts from climatologist Tom C. Lang are special features. And one may find within its pages a host of arcane secrets and spiritual wisdom.
The upcoming edition celebrates the element of air. Its theme encompasses the magic of music, incense, wind, and the flight of birds. We explore the significance of Zeus, mighty god of ancient Greece, who ruled the atmosphere. Arcane symbols and intriguing graphic images are always a part of every issue.
Almanac devotees will delight in the recently published collection, Witches All. The book derives from the early issues (no longer available) of The Witches' Almanac, published annually throughout the 1970s. A large, glossy book with cogent text and a wealth of art, it reveals the history of witchcraft in the Western world.
Customer Reviews:
Witches' Almanac 2006-07.......2007-01-16
When I see it, it's bought. The format is basically the same every year, but it has a way when you read/look at it, you find what you're looking for. The cover has a way of drawing a person to it. Plus I always learn something new. Everyone of interest, should just have this book.
Shipping Problem.......2007-01-10
The book is all I expected. The only problem I encountered was that both the box and the interior packaging were damaged.
you don't have to be witchy to like this!.......2006-07-01
If this one is like the previous ones, it's great! I've been buying them for years and they are fun, easy to read, well put together and just cool to have around! Thanks once again to the authors, editor and Amazon (for carrying it). Be good to each other, everyone.
The Witches' Almanac 2006-2007 .......2006-03-20
This is about the 3rd year that I buy this almanac. The articles are so interesting!
Customer Reviews:
Did what he wanted it to do........2006-11-05
My husband teaches wine classes at a local community college. I ordered this book for him to have a guide to American wineries. It was an excellent guide for that purpose. It listed wineries by state with very helpful information included about each state's wineries. He loves it.
Disappointing book on American wine.......2006-06-07
When I heard that Kevin Zraly would be publishing a new pocket-size guide to the wines of the United States this month, I was so excited that I got right on the horn and nagged the publisher to rush me out an advance copy for review.
It looked like a great concept whose time had come, as interest in American wines is on the rise. Despite angry opposition from distributors, the U.S. Supreme Court's 2005 ruling on wine shipping holds potential to open new markets for small wineries in "non-traditional" wine-producing states (i.e., everything east of California, Oregon and Washington).
Moreover, wine production east of the Rockies is enjoying a significant, if little-publicized, boom. The number of U.S. commercial wineries has expanded sevenfold in the past 30 years, from fewer than 600 bonded wineries in 1975 to more than 4,000 today. And for the first time in history, there are now commercial wineries in all 50 states. California still makes 90 percent of the nation's wine, and New York, Washington and Oregon make much of the rest, but even in the non-traditional states, the chances are good that there's a winery not far from you.
The market was ready for one really good consumer guide to all this activity, and Zraly - known both as the longtime wine guru of the Windows on the World restaurant atop the ill-fated World Trade Center and as a respected wine educator whose "Windows on the World Complete Wine Course" is one of the most popular and highly recommended starter books on wine - seemed to be a good choice to write it.
Sadly, however, this is not one really good guide. Quick, casual and lightweight, it appears to have been rushed out with minimal effort and limited research.
A slender cardboard-bound volume sized to fit a (largish) pocket, it begins with a brief outline of wine tasting and short history of American wine, neither going into more depth than a magazine article. The "meat" of the book, a state-by-state listing of each state's winery situation, is disappointingly brief, generic and carelessly researched. Most states are disposed of in a single page, with ample white space and colorful wine-label images. Contents are generally limited to a state wine website (most of them pointing back to the useful but generic AmericanWineries.org), the number of wineries in the state, each state's oldest winery, largest winery and two or three "well-known wineries," a listing and tiny map of American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), if any, the number of acres under vine, and a short list of "top grapes."
There's no complete listing of wineries and no contact or location information for those shown; no wine-tasting reports or any consumer advice at all. And frankly, a quick read revealed an abundance of errors. Kentucky's first vineyard is shown as Lover's Leap in Lawrenceburg, founded in 2000, which seems odd considering that I visited, and wrote about, Broad Run Vineyards in 1998, at which time it was selling 1993 and 1995 vintage wines. It's still extant. Indiana's "well-known wineries" omits Huber Orchard & Winery in Starlight, one of the state's oldest and largest.
Kevin, I'm disappointed in you. This book could have been so much, but in fact it's so little. It reminds me of nothing so much as a student's term paper based on a quick read of Cliff's Notes plot summaries.
Book Description
“Americans are drinking more wine now than they ever have before,” noted Kevin Zraly, and that burgeoning interest led him to create the first edition of this sparkling guide, devoted solely to American wines. The only book to cover vineyards from all 50 states (yes, including Alaska!), it quenched our need for advice on this booming, underserved subject. Now it’s revised, and this new “vintage” is better than ever, with even more information for wine lovers to savor. Everything previously included is still intact—the fascinating history and background details, the magnificent spreads with maps of the wine-growing areas, the handsome labels, the fact boxes on each state, the great wine selections from Kevin (many at under $15). But now each state-by-state entry will include enhanced coverage of vineyard tours, existing wine trails, and how to purchase wine, as well as Kevin’s always-entertaining and informative personal anecdotes. There’s also greatly expanded information on six of the top ten wine producing states: Pennsylvania, Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, and Michigan. And the volume looks fantastic too, with an improved trim size and paper that makes it easier to use. Of course, all the wine lists and recommendations are completely up-to-date.
Customer Reviews:
A guide every wine consuming American MUST have.......2007-08-28
If you are a fan of wines you will enjoy this book. The American Wine industry has been on the rise for years now and this book covers every detail of American wines. The state by state breakdowns of the states outside of the top five wine producers are somewhat limited, but by far the most information you will find anywhere for American wines. A MUST read!!
Good source of American Wine Knowledge.......2007-05-19
Mr. Zraly loves wine and it shows in his collection of Wine books. This recent guide on American wine is very interesting and covers wines from all fifty states. I recommend this guide to any wine enthusiast or service professional.
Book Description
The first and only book completely devoted to designing the quilting stitch
A quilt becomes a quilt only when its layers--top, batting, and backing--are stitched together. Unfortunately, comprehensive instruction in this key area has been sadly lacking, leaving many unfinished heirlooms relegated to a dusty closet shelf. A Fine Line is the first full-length source for expert guidance on putting it all together with confidence and creativity. Step by step, both hand and machine quilters will learn how to find inspiration for designs, choosing a quilting design that is both achievable according to skill level and appropriate in style to the quilt top in question. They will learn to implement the principles of design as they apply to the quilting stitch, and execute the design--choose materials, mark the quilt top, and make the stitches. Special features include:
- "Let's Play Quilt" section shows multiple ways of quilting the same top to achieve different effects
- Stunning color photographs by an award-winning nature photographer provide inspiration
- Visual examples--quilts, stitched fabrics, and sketches-illustrate each step in the process
- Complete chapter on finishing features techniques routinely neglected elsewhere
Customer Reviews:
Finally....answers to "quilt as desired".......2007-02-16
This book has added volumes to my quilting library....just in and of itself. If you are a quilter who is sometimes "stumped" as to the term 'quilt as desired' I do believe you will not regret acquiring "A Fine Line." The authors have done an outstanding job...if anyone needs help....here you go! It's hard to describe in this review area, space is limited...but I thoroughly enjoy this "book."
Expert help in creating your own quilting designs........2001-12-16
At last a book to guide you past the dread "quilt as desired"!
It would be a useful and inspiring addition to the library of any quilter. The quilts are lovely and the reader is given clear explanations as to why each was quilted the way it is and alternatives are discussed. Designing the quilting will never be easy, but the authors will help you create a design that will best complement your pieced or appliqued top.
A Fine Line.......2001-12-15
I have known Melody Crust and Heather Tewell for over ten years and I have spent many wonderful hours quilting and learning from these two ladies. I have read their book from cover to cover and I am delighted to share with those of you out there who love quilting as much as I do my review of this book.
"A Fine Line" is excellent for even the new quilter and yet it has a great amount of information for the long time quilter. The book has wonderful and very interesting pictures by Charles Crust and show the quilter lots of examples of different things (mountains, sky, and places all over the world) that are inspirational and terrific starting points.
The quilting line examples Heather and Melody show in there book are marvelous and keep your interest in learning their examples of fine line quilting. "A Fine Line" shows very good examples and projects that Melody and Heather have created just for this book and a goodly number of their award winning quilts they have shared with the quilting community.
If you want to add a very good quilting book to your quilting library this is the one. It would make an excellent gift for the quilter in your life. Hope you enjoy "A Fine Line" as much as I have.
A Fine Line.......2001-12-10
A Fine Line was an early Christmas present to myself when I was ordering books from Amazon. I usually don't allow myself to open
it until Christmas...But I couldn"t resist. It is a beautiful book filled with glorious photos of quilts made by Heather and Melody. It came just as I was trying to choose a quilting design for a special quilt and it inspired me to see the quiilting design in a new way. Thank you for that and for making so many spectacular quilts. A Fine Line is a real treasure.
One of the best books on designing the quilting pattern.......2001-12-06
Before reading the book, I gave Heather and Melody rave reviews based on a class with Heather. The book is even better than anticipated, and the photography superb. It covers fully all facets of the quilting and designing the quilt pattern, including two facets I've not seen anywhere---and I read voraciously. Perhaps the most innovative technique, which almost doesn't receive enough emphasis for its ingenuity, is the use of 2x3 foot mylar sheets which you lay on top of your quilt top. Using a wet-erase marker (available even here on my rural island!), you can sketch a possible design right on your own quilt top, life-size, and see immediately if it has potential or not. If not, wipe and try again! In the book, each chapter has a "let's play quilt" segment which shows the use of this technique with different options for the top, discusses the pros and cons of each design both from a design viewpoint and from the hand vs. machine quilting method. Then you see the finished quilt, with the option the authors chose.
The other subject I haven't seen treated anywhere is the use of thread--both from a color/design standpoint and from a technical perspective. Some of what is contained I have gleaned through extensive work, but really welcomed the new info on the strength of differrent thread weights and how they affect use (OK for wall, but thinner thread might not be a good choice for a baby quilt, unless quilted densely, etc) and appearance ("thready" for heavy threads -- 40 weight -- used densely when machine quilting).
The style of quilts in this book runs the gamut from traditonal pieced and applique to dramatically innovative--I think the only styles not represented are crazy quilts and Baltimore albums, tho the book could easily help you work on the latter, too. No matter what your personal preferences, the information here on how various quilting techniques (background grid, feathers, free-form, etc) affect the quilt and how it is to be used will be informative. The only complaint I have about the book is that on the blurb for each quilt it does not say when it was made--I love to watch a quilter's progression in their work, and miss being able to see the evolution or dual-tracks of their designs. This is a minor quibble, and I would recommend this book without reservation.
If I had to pick three books on quilting and quilt design, they would be this one, Quilting with Style by Gwen Marston and Joe Cunningham, and Harriet Hargrave's Machine Quilting, if you want a full treatment of the machine quilting process. Early in my quilting career, I was fortunate to have a class with Gwen, and she shows that what appears to be complex drafting is actually quite easily achieved. Quilting with Style complements but does not duplicate A Fine Line, and they make a great pair on the shelf.
Book Description
The timeless and collectible classic on entertaining-at last back in print!
Dorothy Draper (1889-1969), like her contemporaries Diana Vreeland and Elsie de Wolfe, became an icon of stylish living through her interior decorating and many books.
Originally published in 1941, Entertaining Is Fun! is one of Draper's most delightful creations, hailed in the original flap copy of the book as "neither a cookbook nor a book of etiquette, but a vivacious and inspiring book on home entertaining." With its charming retro package, this book teaches you how to host the most fabulous dinner parties, holiday meals, and weddings, and also makes a great gift!
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining is Fun!: How to Be a Popular Hostess.......2007-06-08
What a wonderful book. I enjoy looking at it again and again. Great ideas from years ago that can still be used today!
Entertaining is Fun!.......2006-11-02
Dorothy Draper was known for her sense of style in both decorating and entertaining. Although this book was written in the mid-1900s the entertaining suggestions are timeless. The book itself is fun with its typical 1950s illustrations and speech. This is a book that is fun to use to while away an afternoon.
Charming!.......2005-11-09
This book is wonderful. I just love Draper's tone and conversational way of writing. She offers ideas for all budgets and lifestyles. Charmingly retro, with plenty of good advice for today's hostesses. I could not put it down.
THE housewarming gift for gay men.......2005-05-01
Not as important or famous as Draper's "Decorating is Fun," but her 1941 "Entertaining" book is still amusing, deserving a spot on your coffee table next to an old 1940s Emily Post Etiquette book (when is somone gonna get wise and issue reprints of THOSE?).
Among the highlights is a full list of what every well-appointed home cannot do without, just in case an unexpected guest drops by ("a charming tea set," "a good hall mirror," and "a big metal bell with a lovely tone, to call people in from the garden for games or meals..."), and how to throw a dinner party--1940s style.
Fascinating book. In no time you'll be providing crisp stationery, fresh flowers, 700-thread-count sheets and a luggage stand for your weekend guests...and really, aren't those the "family values" that matter most?
A fun & inspirational read.......2004-11-08
If you're looking for some new ideas, as well as a peek into entertaining during the 1940's, you'll find a lot to enjoy in this reprint of Dorothy Draper's charming guide to entertaining. With an emphasis on simple, unpretentious planning, I think it was quite ahead of its time. This might make a good hostess gift!
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- One of the best portrait painters,period.
- Actually Superior to a Retrospective
- fransesco clemente: painter of life.
- A rare, informative glimpse at a talented, reclusive artist.
- great insight on a life of a contemporary artist
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Francesco Clemente: A Portrait
Rene Ricard
Manufacturer: Aperture
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0893818720 |
Amazon.com
Francesco Clemente, who enlivened the New York art scene in the 1980s along with a handful of other image-conscious Italians, including Sandra Chia, is said to be a reclusive artist who guards his privacy, but this richly informative book makes that assertion difficult to believe. Clemente himself has always offered a good deal of autobiography to his viewers, with works that have explored his own visage (and other parts) with relentless interest and introspection. And now comes Francesco Clemente, filled with intimate pictures shot by his friend Luca Babini in Clemente studios from New York to New Mexico to Naples. Packed to bursting, the photographs show Clemente working away, with wife, kids, and dogs in tow. With its pictorial richness--paint-spattered floors, trampled rags, stacked canvases, raw-edged, unstretched paintings stapled to huge walls, encrusted studio shoes, and scores of photographs of works in progress--this book will be devoured by other artists, who will turn the pages in a lather of envy, not necessarily for Clemente's fame and success, but for the huge windows and high ceilings of his various work spaces.
Clemente is a fecund artist, and there are many wonderful shots of his art--whole walls and tables full of it--that make a succinct statement correlating productivity and achievement. Clemente has contributed a kind of prose poem for the first part of the book, in which he discusses being a painter, and there is also a rambling essay by art writer Rene Ricard on artists' studios from ancient Egypt to the Renaissance. But the pictures are the point of this book, and they handsomely reward the reader's attention. They constitute an invitation to spend time--years, in fact--with a painter whose inventiveness, ambition, and style have made him one of the most successful of his time. --Peggy Moorman
Book Description
A rare glimpse into the life and work of an enigmatic master.
Photographer and filmmaker Luca Babini affords us unprecedented access to the life and work of the extraordinary Italian painter Francesco Clemente. One of the painters who achieved remarkable fame in the eighties-and one of the few to sustain his reputation-Clemente rarely gives interviews and dislikes being photographed. But when his dear friend Babini asked if he would let himself be photographed informally, on a day-to-day basis, Clemente agreed in the name of friendship and collaboration.
Since then, Babini has compiled an intimate and beautiful chronicle of Clemente's life and work. Francesco Clemente: Art and Life shows the artist in his studio-in New York, Amalfi, Taos, and Madras. This photographic record of Clemente's working process is as extraordinary as it is enlightening.
Poet and arts writer Rene Ricard traces the evolution of the artist's studio through time, while simultaneously acting as a contemporary Giorgio Vasari in his more personal discussion of Clemente, his art, and his life. The first book of its kind, Babini's photo journal will be published in conjunction with the retrospective of Francesco Clemente's work at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City in the fall of 1999.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best portrait painters,period........2005-11-04
Clemente is one of my favorite painters of our lifetime, with his gritty, honest objectivity of human and nature, and his indulgent use of color. I'm rather drawn to his portraits, with their drippy brushstrokes and all-consuming perspectives. Some of the content in this book is graphic on content, which is why I decided to put this one out on the coffee table for the in-laws peruse ;)
Actually Superior to a Retrospective.......2001-12-05
For those intrigued by Clemente, this may be the best book. The huge retrospective volume published from the Guggenheim exhibit does not necessarily contain as many of his better works as it should and can really leave you frustrated. There are paintings in here that are quite beautiful and they are often enhanced by the photographs that show them in the studio context. The photography is excellent and the book well done. Highly recommended and a good deal to boot.
fransesco clemente: painter of life........2000-09-19
he's an amazing artist, one of the best ever. period. i could sit here and describe for you, in excrutiating detail, the appeal of his use of color/contrast, the manner in which his forms are represented, and other such compliments. however, i will cut myself short, and simply say that his work propogates emotion like no other, and i hope everyone gets a chance to look at his creative vision at least once before they die. this book is a good way to make that happen.
A rare, informative glimpse at a talented, reclusive artist........2000-05-04
Lucia Babini's photos accompany Ricard's essay on the life of Francesco Clemente, published simultaneously with a major retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum. Splendid full-page color photos of his works provides in-depth access to the Italian painter, creating a catalog which stands alone and provides a rare glimpse of the reclusive artist.
great insight on a life of a contemporary artist.......1999-10-13
stunning pictures offering an intimate view on clemente. A truly beautiful book.
Average customer rating:
- Very little for the money
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Andy Warhol: Polaroids, Celebrities and Self-Portraits
Francesco Clemente
Manufacturer: Jablonka Galerie
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Warhol, Andy
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Photo Essays
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ASIN: 8391307522 |
Book Description
This new catalogue documents a recent exhibition at the Starmach Gallery in Krakow, presenting Andy Warhol's Polaroid work during the last two decades of his life. The 65 color images here include Warhol's self-portraits--occasionally in drag or another kind of costume--as well as Warhol's pictures of celebrities and artists from all fields. Included here are artists such as Keith Haring, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, Francesco Clemente, and Jean-Michel Basquiat; writers such as William S. Burroughs and Truman Capote; and actors including Liza Minelli and Dennis Hopper, among numerous others. These images mark out a territory all their own within Warhol's oeuvre, a space where both living humanity and the spectacle in which it is woven can coexist. Also featured here is ''King for a Day,'' Francesco Clemente's brilliant and revelatory essay on Andy Warhol.
Customer Reviews:
Very little for the money.......2002-01-31
This large sized, but very thin book is printed on a large format but the photographs within are to scale (ie. Polaroid instant photo size). Very little text, though it does provide technical information, such as the size and date of each photograph at the end. The only problem is that the techinical information is almost exactly the same on each Polaroid snapshot, with the same dimensions and film type used, etc. It also only spans a short time period of Warhol's work. Very boring.
Average customer rating:
- Great Art Book!
- A Singular Vision
- Essential Cross-Section of an Era
- An Immortal Achievement
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Timothy Greenfield Sanders Portraits
Francesco Clemente
Manufacturer: Alberico Cetti Serbelloni Asc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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Photo Essays
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Portraits
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ASIN: 8888098011 |
Book Description
Edited byDemetrio Paparoni, who has followed the artist's work for over ten years, this imposing body of photographs includes a preface by artist Francesco Clemente as well as a critical anthology with texts by Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe, Stephen Greco, Peter Halley, Christina Kelly, Wayne Koestenbaum, Demetrio Paparoni, Robert Pincus-Witten, Lou Reed, Jerry Saltz, Doug and Mike Starn and Mark Strand, and an autobiography in which the artist expands on the stages in his career.
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders Portraits is a bilingual edition with text in Italian and English. Printed in Italy, the generous 13 x 10 ins. book has 240 pages, with lush images printed in five colors and has a cloth bound cover with sleeve.
Customer Reviews:
Great Art Book!.......2001-09-08
What a beautiful and fascinating book! For anyone at all connected with the art world or with an interest in portraiture, this book is required reading. Greenfield-Sanders is a master of his genre, and presents a true and engrossing cross section of the people who shape and have shaped our culture over the past twenty-five or so years. His vision is direct and brilliant in its simplicity, and this group of photographs will be one of the most important of its kind for the twentieth century and beyond. In short: get this book!
A Singular Vision.......2001-09-06
A monumental undertaking to create so many great images. This book belongs in everyone's collection.
Essential Cross-Section of an Era.......2001-09-06
I'm in one of the group shots in this book, so I'm an interested party, but even if I weren't I'd have to say that these are the definitive portraits of so many of my contemporaries (both famous and not or not yet famous) that a collection of them is long overdue. The printing and binding quality of this book, and its "bonus material" (essays, chronology, etc.), also help make it a necessary addition to any self-respecting art library. Five stars.
An Immortal Achievement.......2001-09-06
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders is one of the great photographers of our age, and this extraordinary book of portraits places him among the true geniuses of the medium. These are more than great pictures; they expose the vibrant truth of their subjects. The portrait of William Burroughs, for example, is possibly the most brilliantly revealing study of a writer ever made. It is a shocking, even terrifying, achievement, because it reveals more of a man than one would have thought possible. This profound book is a journey in the deep forest of the human soul.
Average customer rating:
- Artist Is A Great Talent But His Publisher Is A Butcher
- Francesco Clemente's Paradise
- You Have to See This!
- All is not lost in the staples!
- I love this book
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Life Is Paradise: The Portraits of Francesco Clemente
Francesco Clemente , and
Vincent Katz
Manufacturer: powerHouse Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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Criticism
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Clemente, Francesco
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Similar Items:
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Clemente (Guggenheim Museum Publications)
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Francesco Clemente: A Portrait
ASIN: 1576870537 |
Amazon.com
Life Is Paradise is a gorgeous book, one that any Clemente aficionado would not want to be without. It includes a sensitive, smart essay by Vincent Katz, an illuminating interview with the artist, and nearly 100 very large, beautifully printed reproductions of Clemente's portraits in watercolor, oil, and dry media. As Katz writes, "One can wallow for days in these faces."
Lavishly produced and designed (with one egregious exception: in a series of watercolors the face of the subject falls within the "gutter," or centerfold, of the book, making it absolutely impossible to see), Life Is Paradise is divided into thematic chapters. Some rubrics--"Poets," "Oil on Wood," "Great Expectations," "Children," "Devi," "New York Muses," "Voices"--are literal: Robert Creeley and the late Allen Ginsberg are in the "Poets" section, for example. However, some are more wide-ranging: the watercolors include a vast selection of famous faces (as well as more poets, like John Ashbery). And the number of celebrities is staggering: Anne Bancroft, Gwyneth Paltrow, Toni Morrison, Fran Lebowitz, Philip Glass, and dozens of others. But it is the art that mesmerizes the reader. Some of Clemente's portraits are phenomenally precise and delicate; some are violent, dark, and wild; the eyes are always dominant; but all are "done" differently, seen differently, presented differently--masklike on one page, psychologically engaging on the next. Clemente's inventiveness--and this book represents only a small part of his vast output--can leave a reader breathless, wondering how many ways there are to approach the combination of a human countenance and a blank page. --Peggy Moorman
Book Description
Life is Paradise gathers for the first time a mostly private collection of contemporary artist Francesco Clementes rarely seen oil, pastel, and watercolor portraits of personalities from the worlds of pop culture, high society, and art. The revealing depictions of friends and acquaintances who have passed through Clemente's studio include the likes of Lauren Hutton, Henry Geldzhaler, Toni Morrison, Bryan Ferry, Robert Mapplethorpe, William Burroughs, Fab 5 Freddy, Robert DeNiro, Fran Lebowitz, Gus Van Sant, Edit De Ak, John Ashbery, Andy Warhol, the Baronesa Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, Enzo Cucchi, Christy Turlington, Rene Ricard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Allen Ginsberg, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Michael McClure and many, many more.
Interspersed amongst this ravishing collection of surprising portraits are several of Clementes more well known self-portraits, in various mediums, which have become signature pieces for the artist. But its the compelling portraitures of a widely divergent circle--artists, writers, film actors, fashion industry icons, business and society headliners, done by Clemente for amusement or for special commissions--that offer a fascinating insight into another side of Francesco Clemente: the internationally famous artist who for years has been a fixture on the New York scene.
For almost two decades, Clemente has divided his time between New York, Italy, and Madras, India, and his art readily acknowledges the influence of these cultures. Clemente is widely considered one of the foremost contemporary artists in America, and his work is celebrated in art collections all over the world. The portraits in Life is Paradise span Clementes entire career as a visual artist, and showcase his versatility with various mediums. This collection gathers together and examines for the first time in detail a little known element of Clemente's oeuvre.
Customer Reviews:
Artist Is A Great Talent But His Publisher Is A Butcher.......2000-08-05
This is wonderful painting and you will find yourself sighing over what should have been. I must agree with the other reviewers at Amazon, who say this is the worst designed book they've ever seen. It's too true. Yes, the dead center, binding portion of the book (called the gutter) is where you'll find the crucial part of many of the portraits! To say this hinders the viewing experience is about as mild a statement as one can make. If I were Clemente, I would want this book recalled as a defective product and the manufacturer (publisher) made to come up with a new one, just like with a defective automobile (The Lemon Law). So why am I giving it a 3 star rating? Clemente's art works are a 5 star event. Seeing them under these circumstances is better than not seeing them. The gorgeous cover portrait is representative of Clemente's work shown in this book. The color reproductions themselves seem quite fine; it is solely an issue of design placement of the images. I'm not sorry I bought it; I do wish I had gotten it at half price though!
Francesco Clemente's Paradise.......2000-01-23
The first thing to note about this book is its gorgeousness. There is simply no other word for the stunning graphic presentation, beginning inside the front cover and continuing throughout. Orchids Unfolding could easily be a subtitle.
The portraits are compelling and would be even if many of them were not of the rich and famous. Whether oil on wood or watercolor, whether lean of line or voluptuous in intensity, they leave no doubt as to Clemente's talent.
If there is any criticism to be made of this book, it is to be directed toward the publisher. One wishes that the double-page portraits did not cleave the faces in half, making them difficult to read as they fall into the center of the spine. Surely some astute editing could have corrected this.
Otherwise it is a pleasure to feast upon the fruits of Clement's talent. If you appreciate his work you will be happy to own this book.
You Have to See This!.......2000-01-04
This is a beautiful book. The pages are a large but not cumbersome size that enables the reader to truly see the work. Some paintings are unfortunately split by the binding, but the rest of the book makes up for it. Clemente's style is so emotive and beautiful. If you like Francesco Clemente, this is a definite must for your collection.
All is not lost in the staples!.......1999-12-14
I've just seen Clemente's work (some 200 images) at the Guggenheim, and though the book isn't like standing in the presence of this powerful body of work, it is the next best thing. True, some horizontal portraits cover two pages and lose some visual experience because of that. Most do not, especially the floating images such as the one of his wife, whose face graces the cover. I especially like his series Muses, which are vertical presentations, part of which made it into this book. Clemente's portrait style tells the viewer only that which he wants told about the sitter. He removes all but the most important visual elements of physical image, leaving the viewer only his sense of that being; the figures are without encumbrance of location or time, which comes across in this book. True to the originals, each maintains its isolation from the rest, the same feeling I got at the Guggenheim. In the cleaness of each portrait, in the purposeful brushstrokes and marks, I see a clear, brief and to-the-point statement of the complex, again evoking the same feeling I had in the presence of the original. I don't think a book can capture the aliveness or presence an original work possesses, but this book certainly has captured the strength and compelling nature of Clemente's portraits.
I love this book.......1999-12-07
I received this book as a gift and although I was unfamiliar with the artist I found the portraits sensitive and compelling--spectacular colors-- the book made me take a trip to the Guggenheim to see more of Clemente's work. I also enjoyed the essay which was an informative and lively complement to the pictures.
Average customer rating:
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Francesco Clemente: A Portrait.
Francesco Clemente
Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Clemente, Francesco
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ASIN: B000UYD7GK |
Average customer rating:
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Jean-Michel Basquiat: Portraits 45 Plates
Francesco Clemente
Manufacturer: Art Books Intl Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Basquiat, Jean Michel
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General
| Instructional & How-To
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General
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ASIN: 3905173409 |
Average customer rating:
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Francesco Clemente: A Portrait
Luca Babini
Manufacturer: Aperture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Clemente, Francesco
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ASIN: B000IMYDDA |
Average customer rating:
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Francesco Clemente: A Portrait.
Manufacturer: 0
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Clemente, Francesco
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ASIN: B000IBSISC |
Customer Reviews:
Great insight into Deans movie career.......1998-01-22
This is an outstanding book for both avid James Dean fans as well as classic movie buffs. It gives a lot of insight into this enigmatic man who has continued to inspire people and influence movie making, even long after his death. My only disapointment was the fact that the book only shows his three "big" movies; East of Eden, Giant and Rebel Without a Cause. It would have been nice if the authors had included some of his television work and the other movies where he didn't have a lead role. Nonetheless, the book is well worth the price and I highly recommend it.
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- The Big Rock Candy Mountain (Contemporary American Fiction)
- The Book of Athyra
- The Bookwoman's Last Fling: A Cliff Janeway Novel (Cliff Janeway Novels)
- The Christmas Thief: A Novel
- The Complete Marquis De Sade
- The Delilah Complex (MIRA)
- The Dragonbone Chair (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn)
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