Average customer rating:
- great stuff
- Shows Chris as the true artist that he is
- Monster talent!
- Acme Novelty Datebook
- Insight into Genius
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The Acme Novelty Datebook
Chris Ware
Manufacturer: Drawn and Quarterly
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Acme Novelty Library
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The ACME Novelty Library #16
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Quimby the Mouse (ACME Novelty Library Series)
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ACME Novelty Library #17 (Acme Novelty Library)
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Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
ASIN: 1896597661 |
Book Description
Acclaimed cartoonist Chris Ware reveals the outtakes of his genius in these intimate, imaginative, and whimsical sketches collected from the years during which he completed his award-winning graphic novel Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (Pantheon). His novel not only won the Manchester Guardian First Novel prize in 2001 but it has sold over 100,000 copies. This book is as much a companion volume to Jimmy Corrigan --one of the great crossover success stories-- as a tremendous art collection from of one of America’s most interesting and popular graphic artist.
Chris Ware has a passion for drawing that is surprisingly wide-ranging in style and subject. This book surprises the reader on every page with its sense of spontaneous vision. Architectural drawings from Chicago and interplanetary robot comics collide with cruelly doodled human figures and quietly troubling studies of the still life. A must for people with a passion for modern design and old-fashioned style.
Customer Reviews:
great stuff.......2007-02-20
beautiful drawings...no matter how self critical mr. ware was back in the day. the book really allows the reader into the head of a master illustrator. if you're looking more for a graphic novel, don't start with this one (try his first real freshman work jimmy c, or his ACME novelty library, probably my favorite - you get a real sense of what ware is all about - clean lines, insane, or better put, anal details). anyway, back to this one...great book, if you're a fan of ware, there's no reason not to get this one, and if you're not yet convinced, this is a nice piece just to have - these same drawings and doodles that once inspired ware himself, now get me thinking. love it.
Shows Chris as the true artist that he is.......2007-01-13
I didn't think I would like this one. But after owning everything else the man ever made, I asked for this one for x-mas. Wow! I love it! There are spontaneous portraits of people on the bus, views from friend's rooftops, the rudiments of strips like: God, Jimmy the robot etc...
If you are a Chris Ware fan YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK! If you are not familiar with Chris, best to start somewhere else.
Monster talent!.......2005-10-24
The book is a record of an absolute monster drawing talent!
It collects tentative investigations, as a scrapbook of ideas and odds and ends. The amazing thing about it is its vitality.
Anything and everything becomes a source of inspiration and investigation into the nature of drawing. A coffee cup, a telephone in a waiting room, a washing machine, such mundane things seem to begin as notations but are transformed by Ware's observation of line and tone into their inner vitality - much like Van Gogh's peasant shoes. There are beautiful portraits. And beyond the observed notes, the book is positively brimming with characters, mutations, and cartoons from his eccentric imagination. The fantastical musings and the observed notations blend, merge together, separate like DNA strands through the book, adding up to a rich record of creativity
Acme Novelty Datebook.......2004-06-18
I just finished reading this, and it's a real treat. Fans of Jimmy Corrigan or Acme Novelty Library will enjoy drafts of these but expect differences in style. This gives a better look at Chris Ware than his other publications that I've read. You can really feel his frustrations in this work. I reccommend this to both fans and non-fans.
Insight into Genius.......2003-09-28
If you want to see inside Chris Ware's head, this is the book. There's next to no Jimmy Corrigan or Acme Novelty, just raw sketches of inspiration and internal struggle spanning 9 years of Ware's life (1986-1995). As an illustrator/designer, I found this book to be the most inspirational book I own, and I own many inspirational books. I definately recommend it.
Book Description
Straggling behind the mild 2003 success of cartoonist Chris Ware's first facsimile collection of his miscellaneous sketches, notes, and adolescent fantasies arrives this second volume, updating weary readers with Ware’s clichéd and outmoded insights from the late twentieth century.
Working directly in pen and ink, watercolor, and white-out whenever he makes a mistake, Ware has cannily edited out all legally sensitive and personally incriminating material from his private journals, carefully recomposing each page to simulate the appearance of an ordered mind and established aesthetic directive. All phone numbers, references to ex-girlfriends, “false starts,” and embarrassing experiments with unfamiliar drawing media have been generously excised to present the reader with the most pleasant and colorful sketchbook reading experience available. Included are Ware's frustrated doodles for his book covers, angry personal assaults on friends, half-finished comic strips, and lengthy and tiresome fulminations of personal disappointments both social and sexual, as well as his now-beloved drawings of the generally miserable inhabitants of the city of Chicago. All in all, a necessary volume for fans of fine art, water-based media, and personal diatribe. This hardcover is attractively designed and easy to resell.
Book Description
A SMALL TOWN WITH A BIG HEART
Hard-living musician Flynn “Flint” Clinton has left heartache and his wild ways behind in Nashville, returning to his sleepy hometown of Northfork, North Carolina. There he hopes to start a new life as owner of the Stardust Café, relaxing and raising his two preteen sons in peace and quiet.
Then Flint meets the colorful, indomitable Joella Sanderson, a blond bombshell who serves a mean cup of caffeine at the Stardust–and whose amazing voice belongs at the top of the charts. Jo’s catchy comedic ditties and radiant energy captivate the coffee shop regulars and even threaten to transform the cynical Flint, who finds himself reluctantly rediscovering the joy of music.
With Jo by his side, Flint can once again appreciate a beautiful melody and strum his guitar with the same passion and pleasure that once filled his life. But in Flint’s world, trouble is never far away. This time it arrives just as he dares to open his heart to the possibility of true love.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable read........2006-06-13
Emotionally and physically wounded Flynn "Flint" Clinton leaves country music stardom behind in Nashville as he returns to his small town roots to try and become the father that he wants to be to his two preteen sons. His quest for the simple life becomes a distant wish as he becomes consumed with the beautiful and fascinating Joella Sanderson and the series of mishaps that occur in the close knit small town of Northfork, North Carolina. Flint struggles to make a living from being the new owner of the Stardust Café and trying hard not to fall for the lovely Jo who he knows is destined for bigger and better things. Ignoring that fact that she could bring him to financial ruin Flint helps Jo become the star that she should be.
With her captivating charm and wit, Jo works hard to keep her small town alive in the face of the mill closing, her mother's illness, and her sister's failing marriage. Even though she has sworn off music men, Jo finds it hard to resist her new boss, Flint, and is sure that they can make beautiful music together.
*** Though I did enjoy this romantic story by Patricia Rice, I felt that it could have had more depth to hold the reader's interest better. The interactions between the characters could have had more substance instead of the bulk of the story being played out in the main characters' thoughts. The relationship between Flint and his sons could also have been improved upon. ***
Reviewed by Barbara Stabler.
Great contemporary romance!.......2006-04-05
Flint Clinton lived life in the fast lane. Music was his mistress and as a composer and guitarist for a popular country band he enjoyed traveling on the road and reaping the benefits of his fame and fortune. Various lawsuits, including his recently deceased ex-wife's divorce, have depleted his funds and after a debilitating accident that leaves his hand damaged Flint vows to start a new life for himself along with his two teenage sons in his hometown of Northfork, North Carolina. With the advance he received from his latest work, composing new music for an up and coming singer, he has just enough money to buy the run down Stardust café. Maybe all he needs is to find a comfortable woman, one who doesn't have stars in her eyes, to settle down and help provide a stable home for him and his boys.
Joella Sanderson has had it with two-timing, two-bit musicians. As a waitress in the local café she dreams of the day when she'll makes it big and she can kiss the small town of Northfork good-bye. A horrible case of stage fright leaves her unable to sing on stage, but her gift of writing fun and catchy lyrics will be her ticket to the big-time--until she finds out that her low-down lying ex has copyrighted them as his own.
This is a classic example of what a romance should be. The first page alone is worth the price of the book with its effortless demonstration of how to show and not tell. Right away we learn that the hero is the scarred beast who sees his once glorious gift as a curse, that he is a good man who wants to change for the better, yet the music, which he sees as the root of his downfall, still calls to him. He is flawed, but human. Add a dash of intrigue and a hint of sins long past and you have page one of a fabulous novel. This is the first Patricia Rice book I've read. It certainly won't be the last.
fine contemporary romance .......2006-03-01
His divorce did not shake musician Flynn "Flint" Clinton, but the subsequent death of his ex Melinda and his drunken accident have left their two pre-adolescent boys, John and Adam, shocked and grieving. Flint decides to leave Nashville behind though still a star and he hopes to connect with his sons that he always has loved, but never showed them his feelings; the kids prefer living with their yuppie grandparents in Northfork, North Carolina. Still he returns to the hometown to start anew life as owner of the Stardust Café that he recently purchased. He also needs to know who his former partner and ex best friend RJ stole the lyrics of a hit from.
Within five minutes of his vow to stay away from women, he cannot stop looking at Joella Sanderson, who works at the Stardust. She sings amusing tunes to their customers, but rejects Flint's advances as she has not forgotten being ripped off by her former boyfriend Randy before he left town to play Nashville. Still Flint's kindness and nurturing of his kids soften him to her and she gives him back the music that he no longer felt was good for him or the boys. However, the ghost of their "ex" remains between them.
SMALL TOWN GIRL is a fine contemporary romance starring a person seeking a second chance to correct his life errors, but needing to escape the spotlights to do so and a woman burned once before by a musician boyfriend. The ensemble cast enhances the tale as they force the lead couple, especially Flint, into reacting to events. Fans will enjoy this solid Carolina tale in which a spoonful magic of love is in the music.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Reviews:
Mesmorizing.. (Camden Summer).......2006-04-06
Addictive story of a single woman with young children told during a time period when that situation was more of a rarity. Couldn't put it down.
one of my favorite books.......1999-06-25
this book was easy to read and easy to get into. I loved the story and recommend it to anyone that asks for a good book.
All three great novels!.......1999-06-13
I read each of these books separately, but what a great idea to package them together. Home Song tells a story of a nuclear family whose relationship is tested by the news that the husband has fathered an illegitimate child. That Camden Summer tells of a single mother raising her children without help in a time when this wasn't the norm. Small Town Girl chronicles the visit of a famous country singer (reported to be based on Reba McEntire) to her small home town and the pressures and changes she faces when she falls in love with an old classmate. All three bear LaVyrle's descriptive stamp of making you fall in love with her characters, plots, and settings. This book set would be an excellent value, and if you are a Spencer fan, you should not pass it up.
Product Description
Novels include: The Third Twin by Ken Follett, To the Hilt by Dick Francis, Small Town Girl by LaVyrle Spencer, The Burning Man by Phillip Margolin
Amazon.com
This second volume of Hamilton's two-part book The Reality Dysfunction is as fast paced and densely packed as the first. It picks up the many plot threads left hanging in Emergenceand runs with them, ending some subplots and beginning other more interesting ones. Joining the large cast of characters is Graeme Nicholson, a reporter stuck on the backwater planet of Lalonde, where mud and wood seem to be the only things in great abundance. But Lalonde is fast becoming the focus of an invasion that seems to defy time and logic, and soon Nicholson will regret ever learning about the biggest story to hit the galaxy in a thousand years.
Book Description
This second volume of Hamilton's two-part book The Reality Dysfunction is as fast paced and densely packed as the first. It picks up the many plot threads left hanging in Emergenceand runs with them, ending some subplots and beginning other more interesting ones.Joining the large cast of characters is Graeme Nicholson, a reporter stuck on the backwater planet of Lalonde, where mud and wood seem to be the only things in great abundance. But Lalonde is fast becoming the focus of an invasion that seems to defy time and logic, and soon Nicholson will regret ever learning about the biggest story to hit the galaxy in a thousand years.
Book Description
This illuminating examination of the Gospels reveals how the questions Jesus asks of his followers lead the way to a deeper understanding of the meaning of life and the mystery of God.
The Gospels are filled with stories, parables, miracles, commandments, and dramatic incidents that trace Jesus’ life and recount his teachings. A close reading of the Gospels reveals, however, that they are also filled with questions. As John Dear points out in this remarkable book, Jesus, like any great teacher and rabbi, “has a question for everyone he meets, for every occasion, for every experience, for every potential disciple.” Dear uses these questions as a starting point, an invitation to readers to discover the lessons they contain by searching their own hearts and minds for answers.
Throughout The Questions of Jesus, Dear interweaves insights from ethical and religious teachers ranging from Buddha to Gandhi to Martin Luther King, Jr. Using recent events as powerful and poignant examples, he shows why a renewed commitment to Jesus’ message of nonviolence, compassion, justice, and peace is essential to healing a world torn by violence and war.
Customer Reviews:
Challenging Christology.......2006-11-12
Readers should be aware that the Christology espoused by John Dear is profoundly out of synch with orthodox Catholic teaching. His depiction of Christ is essentially that of a secular messiah who, like Dear, urges followers to "disturb the peace with trouble-making nonviolence."
Politics are never far behind Dear's "questions of Jesus." Here is how he celebrated Christmas 2006 in the pages of the National Catholic Reporter:
"This week, tens of millions of Christians across the country will celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. Right along with them, Bush and Cheney, and their legions of hawks and warriors, will attend church and make merry around the table. But the very next day they'll resume Herod's imperial project -- the ongoing massacre of the innocents. The U.S. wages war in Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia and elsewhere. It crushes the hungry and homeless, the imprisoned and the refugee, and maintains upon their feeble backs the world's ultimate terrorist threat -- a huge nuclear arsenal."
If challenging oneself with the spiritual message of Christ is the goal, I suggest readers start with the Vintage Spiritual Classics series, especially their version of St. Francis DeSales's "Introduction to the Devout Life," or even a simple life of Christ by either Frank Sheed or Fulton Sheen. All are available via Amazon.
PLEASE SEE THE EXTENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS IN AMAZON'S SEARCH INSIDE.......2006-10-17
and you will find every question Jesus asked, and some He even answered.
For like ourselves in every way, Our Lord Jesus Christ did all He could to avoid ansering any questions, including those designed to trip him up at his trial.
Let us ask Jesus with the rich young man: Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life? Let us ask in this time of unjust war: Who is my neighbor? And let us answer the questions Jesus asks of us: Who do you say that I am? (asked of Peter) Why do you look for me? (asked of Mary and Joseph in Jerusalem) and the similar Why have you come? (asked of Judas in the Garden, responded with a kiss)
The Reverend Father John Dear is a well-respected and authoritative member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) as well as past president of the Catholic Organization PAX CHRISTI as well as the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. He is a member of the great Jesuit community which includes the Reverend Father Daniel Berrigan, whose several commentaries on the Old Testament prophets make excellent fuel for contemplation of Catholic theology, especially his thick book on Job, and on Ezekial and especially the ever-necessary Jeremiah. In brief, the Father John Dear is a very orthodox and respected and admired Catholic writer on matters theological in the most important and relevant vein. Even under Ratzinger his views and writings have never been called on any carpet.
Father Dear was breakfasting with his parents the morning of 9/11/01. Upon the news of that morning his parents left town as he ran to the Red Cross to volunteer bravely, putting his beliefs and words and Faith into action, consoling the sick and afflicted selflessly and bravely. Father Dear at personal risk was placed in charge of 500 chaplains, and he personally comforted and prayed with and ministered to thousands of victims, their families and support emergency workers, firemen, etc. I sincerely believe the Reverend Father John Dear deserves our full respect as a man, and as a very Catholic theologian whom our Church cherishes and whom God loves. This being said let us return to our text at hand:
Early in the text, as you can see through amazon's generous Search Inside service, Father Dear declares his belief in the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This belief has always been a cornerstone of Catholicism. This belief denies the opposing idea that Jesus was a mere "secular Messiah" or political figureheadsuch as Judas sought, which Father Dear's strongly expressed and truly felt Catholic Faith denies on each page, as Dear declares his belief in the eternal and Divine Love and Peace, and resurrection, of Our Lord.
This present large volume comprehensively opens for us today the fullness of Jesus Christ's Gospel message of peace, compassion, self-sacrifice and resurrection. We find fully explored each question from His earliest ministry ("Who are my mother and brothers . . .?") to Calvary and beyond, and how we must now receive and answer in our own hearts these same questions in order to follow Jesus the Lord upon the path to peace and compassion in service to God and one another, especially the poor, the afflicted, the oppressed and those unarmed who suffer the present scourge of imperial war.
Hear these questions. Contemplate deeply these questions. Reflect with John Dear these same questions which were put to our Lord.
Once again as for a half century past at least we must thank God for speaking to us through the good work of Image Books, which always with intelligence and grace offers us so profound nourishment for prayer, spiritual growth, and service.
Please notice especially that great Catholic Martin Sheen's endorsement of this prayer book.
There is much to learn here. There is rich soil to grow with here.
You will love the Rev. Father Dear's clear and concise and courageous writing style and content. I strongly recommend you study further his several volumes, in particular his Jesus the Rebel, especially around the twentieth page, which has much to say regarding our complex Church today, some six years after he so propheticallly wrote it. See also in this Advent time his commentary on Mary, Prophet of Peace, etc.
Book Description
Bob Emmons unveils every aspect of tequila, from growing and harvesting the agave plant to the manufacturing process, tequila's role in the history of Mexico, the varieties of tequila, recipes, and where to find the good stuff. This second edition includes a new section that details changes in the tequila industry and evaluates new labels. "The most comprehensive resource on tequila in print." — Wine and Spirits
Customer Reviews:
Excellent primer........2001-10-20
I found this book to be very comprehensive on the history and process of tequilla making. The focus on the process is more in depth than the Mesa Grill Guide to Tequila. The book surveys various quality tequilla producers and distilleries. There is also a section on organizing a tequilla tasting. I would recommend this book if you are the type of person who enjoys developing hobbies over a medium to long term timeframe, or if you are a seasoned wine or beer taster. The content is beginning to show its age however, as descriptions of many newer brands tequilas I have encountered in restaurants cannot be found in the text.
The most factual, comprehensive book about tequila.......1999-02-08
Bob Emmons has done his homework. He is painstakingly accurate. His tequila facts read a bit like a textbook and his stories, one from almost every distillery, read like prose. You cannot ask for.
He lets the reader know what an NOM number is and what it means. He shows which distilleries make only one unique brand and which make dozens of brands using the same tequila in all brands
If you are serious about tequila, this book is a must.
Best Tequila Reference Book Available.......1999-01-05
This book will not sit on your bookshelf!
New tequilas have come to the market since this book was written. But the reference guide in the book is so complete that it's easy to look up a NOM, find which distillery it was made at, and see which other products on the market are made from that same distillery. There is also a lot of personal tasting notes on all the major tequilas available written by Bob Emmons that I find very interesting.
This book has helped me immensely and I recommend it to anyone interested in setting up their own tasting panels, mixing margaritas or drinking straight super premium tequilas, or even visiting the tequila producing areas and distilleries that actually Bob does not recommend.
Portada de papel de agave.......1998-06-06
Al autor:
He podido aprovechar el bagazo de agave y tambien sacar papel hecho a mano, de varios gramajes y calidades. excelentes para la portada o para el empaste, puede ser impreso en sergigrafia, ofset y litografia.
This book will make converts!.......1997-06-04
I have just read this book. I never thought I could read a book about any distilled spirit, much less tequila, all the way through. "We all think we know what tequila is," says Emmons, but we're wrong! Tequila is something totally different. Most of the tequila sold in the U.S. is complete crud, and Emmons explains exactly why. I've never read a book before that made me feel like a total expert overnight. The only tequila worth tasting is 100 percent agave. Emmons explains how the agave plant is grown, and what they do to the lowlife tequilas to make them taste so bad. Some surprises here: There is never a worm in tequila (there is sometimes a worm in mescal, a totally different drink, but never in the best quality mescals). Tequila is not made from cactus. The best tequila no longer comes from the town of Tequila, but from the high mountain slopes to the east. Something like tequila has been drunk by both sides in all civil conflicts in Mexico for centuries--and mixed with salt and citrus juice. The most totally fun thing about this book is that you can do what I did--rush out to Sam's liquor store, buy half a dozen of the labels Emmons says are the best ones, and then hold a tasting with your friends. You can read out Emmons's colorful descriptions of what these different tequilas taste, smell, and look like, and then compare your impressions with Emmons's. We were all amazed at the total felicity of his write-ups. It's not giving away any secrets to mention Patron as a great tequila, but check out Chinaco. Take Emmons's surprising advice and don't pay too much attention to the anejos (the really aged tequilas). Go for the blancos, or if they're too much of a shock to your bourgeois sensibilities, start with the reposados. This is totally a Damascus Road experience. Salud, companeros
Book Description
Buying, selling, and collecting tips! Profound tips will SAVE you money and make collecting German porcelain girl dolls much more fun! 100 photos.
Book Description
Hummingbirds are a favorite subject for carvers because of their delightful form and bright flashing colors. This guide combines information on these birds-their anatomy, habits, and habitats-with a detailed tutorial on how to carve and paint them. Techniques, tools, and wood selection are all covered, as is the creation of the flowers, vines, and branches needed to place them in their natural settings.
Book Description
What is it that makes daily life in France so delightful? And how can you create this charm in your own home?
Author Cheryl MacLachlan spent years living, dining and conversing with families throughout France, where she uncovered the many small details that lend warmth, style and personality to the French home. In Bringing It Home--France, she explores the seemingly minor but so important elements that go into composing the French lifestyle: how a bed is made, for example, how dinner is served, how a sense of family warmth is achieved in the living room. She further explains how these elements can enrich any home anywhere, using simple techniques and easily available resources.
Bringing It Home--France leads the reader room by room through the house, then on to the garden and the marketplace to cover the full range of life and style in la belle France. Learn the French approach to interior decoration; discover invaluable tips for everything from entertaining to housekeeping; and enjoy brief, witty guides to the best of French furniture, crafts, foods and wines. More than 200 gorgeous full-color photographs by Ivan Terestchenko bring you right into a number of remarkable homes, in both France and the United States. For all those who appreciate the houses, the food, the style, the savoir faire of life in France--here's a thoroughly inviting guide to bringing it all home.
Discover the real secrets of French style as Cheryl MacLachlan reveals how to add the warmth and beauty of France to your own home, using simple techniques and readily available resources. With more than 200 beautiful color photographs and countless creative tips, Bringing It Home--France captures the charms of decorating, entertaining and living with the feeling of France--anywhere in the world.
Customer Reviews:
Even better than expected! .......2007-07-26
I was afraid that this book would be too over the top for an average decorator like me---but it wasn't!
The author has done a wonderful job at showing the reader all the various FRANCH styles:.... not only the more classic French styles, but also the more natural (Cottage) French style of decorating.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I will certainly refer to this book over and over again.
Wonderful and timeless.......2007-02-05
Twelve years after its first publication, Cheryl MacLachlan's Bringing It Home: France is still engaging and reassuringly practical. Not only does she provide detailed instructions on how to achieve authentic French interiors for all budgets--not just chateaux or upscale "French country"--her book also contains a wealth of information about related topics, such as four common fabrics (toile, jacquard, petit point, and provencal prints) and how to set a French table.
In researching the design and decoration of French houses, I've found this book to be far and away the most useful reference.
A beautiful way of living.......2004-05-30
I've had this book for a few years now and it has regularly provided me with inspiration. I bought it when I moved into my first apartment and was obsessed with french country style. I referred to it a year or two later for recipes when I learned the importance and the pleasure of foods made with seasonal, organic, whole ingredients. And this evening I am referring to it for tips on my upcoming country wedding and am reading about how to serve dinner and the art of receiving. And perhaps in a few more years (or several more!) I will re-read the section on children and family with yet another new outlook. This book has been a wonderful resource!
one of the best decorating books.......2003-04-23
I have a lot of decorating books, and I am not a huge fan of french interior, but this book is great! It is full of photos of classy decorated rooms, the colors are so tastefull and it makes you wanna go and redecorate your place until it looks like the rooms in this book. It is worth having it and I still go back and look at it, beacause it is sooo cool.
Beautifully written........2002-01-19
The author of this book has a lovely way with words and weaves a spell in her book about French Style living. The experience that this American lady acquires during her lengthy stay in France is beautifully executed in her descriptions of French Decor, dining, traditions, and the lifestyle of the French in general. This book is one of the favorites in my collection.
Book Description
This unique and visually informative book examines how design elements, themes, and styles from different decades of the 20th century influence and play a part in contemporary design. Each section focuses on a specific era from the past 100 years, studies and presents the icons and design influences of that era, and evaluates the effectiveness of the elements in the work of today's top designers and design firms. Graphics, colors and icons continue to repeat themselves over time; the trends in modern design, which seem so original are drawn directly from years gone by. Each project featured examines the design concept, inspiration, and purpose of the design, discussing the special effects the designers are trying to achieve with an eye toward historical accuracy.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting but Flawed.......2005-04-17
This handsomely produced book is intended for graphic designers looking to incorporate elements from the past century into their current work. Starting with 1900, it proceeds decade by decade to give an overview of the popular colors, typefaces, and graphics of the day, and how they have been used by designers in recent years. Each section starts with a spread outlining the major global headlines and developments in art, technology, etc. of that decade. Next is a spread called "color cues", in which Pantone guru Leatrice Eiseman shows the 10-15 colors that are evocative of that decade, and includes their modern Pantone system numbers. Next is a spread called "type tracker" which discusses the influences, characteristics, and specific fonts characteristic of that decade, and shows a sampling of Monotype fonts under the heading "Fonts you probably own that evoke the era." This is one of the weaker elements of the book, considering the importance of type, the writeups aren't particularly detailed, and by limiting the displayed selection to Monotype products, it feels rather incomplete. These introductory parts are followed by the meat of each section, "Contemporary Design Looks Back." This gathers many examples of how designers have used that decade's design in their own recent work, and is set up in the typical design book format, with credits for all involved in the work and a little blurb about each.
The book isn't really big enough to give each decade its proper due. Only the major trends are nodded to, and especially in the latter decades, things seem rather limited and muddled. For example, the '60s section concentrates almost exclusively on counterculture graphics and pop art. The '70s section is a mish mash of stuff, including two projects that use dolls that don't look like they have anything to do with the decade. More egregiously, there is a poster for Quantas that looks distinctly '60s, and most blatantly wrong of all, there is a poster mimicking the art of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns. The blurb says, "The poster plays to the seventies penchant for what was dubbed 'spaghetti westerns'..." The problem is that (A) the American penchant for spaghetti westerns occurred in the late '60s, and (B) the films and graphics first appeared in the mid-60s in Italy! The "Dollars" trilogy cited in the copy were released in 1964, 1965, and 1966. Things don't improve in the useless final section, which lumps together the 1980s and 90s. The book's author clearly had no clue what to do here, and simply threw a bunch of mostly interactive work together. It would appear that without the passage of time to clarify the defining aspects of '80s visuals, she was adrift. This is a shame, because if you look hard enough the '80s do have a distinct look.
All in all, it's nice book to have sitting around the designer's library, but hardly essential. It's decent enough from 1900-1950, but thereafter, one is probably better off looking at period movie posters or book jackets or magazines to get a true sense of the decade. The concept for the book is a good one, and it'd be nice to see it tackled with a little more precision and at greater length some time in the future.
Book Description
Told in his own words, a very personal story from the star of many beloved and classic comedies, including Young Frankenstein, The Producers, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate FactoryGene Wilder is one of the great comic actors who defined the 1970s and 1980s in movies. From his work with Woody Allen, to the rich group of movies he made with Mel Brooks, to his partnership on screen with Richard Pryor, Wilder's performances are still discussed and celebrated today. KISS ME LIKE A STRANGER is an intimate glimpse of the man behind the image on the screen. In this book, Wilder talks about everything from his experiences in psychoanalysis to why he got into comedy-his first goal was to be a Shakespearean actor-to how a midwestern childhood with a sick mother changed him. He writes about the creative process on stage and on screen, and divulges moments from life on the sets of some of the most iconic movies of our time. He also opens up about his search for love and his marriages, including his marriage to comedienne Gilda Radner. But the core of KISS ME LIKE A STRANGER is an actor's search for truth and a thoughtful analysis of why the choices he made-some of them so serendipitous they were practically accidental-changed the course of his life.
Customer Reviews:
Gene Wilder - Actor, Comedian, Human.......2007-08-21
I am amazed at the negative commentary about this book. I loved Gene Wilder the actor before I picked up the book and love him after having read the book.
We are all a mishmash of polar opposites -we can go from being egocentric, narcissistic, to benevolent, tender and compassionate ... all in a single day. It is as if you are disappointed to find out that Gene Wilder is simply a real human being. Making him something else is about your pathology, not his.
I think it took a lot of courage for him to be vulnerable and revealing. It is a literary voyage alongside a fellow sojourner who gives to us what he may still be searching for. His failures at loving may be different than our own, but don't kid yourself, we all fail. No rocks here, just a "thank you" for the joy he has given, and warm wishes as he struggles toward the very light we all aim for - love.
Great book Jerry!
Audio Version is a MUST HAVE.......2007-07-19
If you're curious about the life of Gene Wilder (and you should be) pick up the AUDIO VERSION of Kiss Me Like A Stranger, read by Gene himself. It is altogether warm, funny, sad, insightful, intelligent and candid. The only problem with it is that I am on disc 4 out of 6 and alreday I am wishing it was longer, I do not want it to end. Otherwise I couldn't be happier with this purchase and will be giving this gem of an audio book as a gift to several people. Go ahead and treat yourself.
I read these reviews---makes me feel like I can't trust reviews in the future!.......2007-07-08
I read Gilda Radner's book, "It's Always Something" which she completed only weeks before she died. And so when I was recently taking a flight, I picked up Gene Wilder's book to read on the plane. Sadly, I DID need another book on the way back. This one won't take you cross country.
There are two camps in these reviews. People who blindly give this book 5 stars and say they love Gene Wilder. But they never actually tell us what they thought was so great about this book. WHY do they give it five stars?
The other group, generously giving this book 2 stars, comments on his narcissism, his unwillingness to feel needed by anyone in his life, his current wife's greatest asset being that she hangs poetry on her refrigerator reminding her she is on her own.
Here's the thing. Gilda Radner loved Gene Wilder unconditionally, even to the day she died. She loved every thing about him, even his insistence on pushing her away. She loved the way he smelled, his looks, his humor, his mind, his character. She loved him totally. Gene Wilder on the other hand, doesn't seem to have loved her at all. He seems at best to have tolerated her---and that not very well or consistently. In one chapter he describes not having had sex with Gilda for about 6 months, (because she had had a grapefruit sized tumor removed from her body, was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation!) and perhaps as a tribute to what he sees as his own nobility, comments that he didn't ask her to "relieve" him in other ways. He then goes on to describe how, as a result of his deprivation he was of course immediately attracted to the woman who became his fourth wife, when he saw her skirts swishing about her legs.
Gilda was sick in bed having chemotherapy, and he is having dinner in a new woman's apartent. And then, when Gilda dies, he discusses with his therapist whether it's too soon for him to get married again, because the tabloids might make him look like a selfish jerk (Because he IS one!).
Look, I am all in favor of celebrity memoirs. Their artistic and celebrated lives create narratives of experience that we don't normally have access to. I like to read the kinds of books that give insight into famous people and in the circles in which they work and live, and I especially enjoy one person's reactions to them. Shelley Winters' three part autobiography revealed so much about the theatre scene of New York in the 50's, so much about her roommate, Marilyn Monroe, and so much about "the method". I felt as though I learned something in reading those books.
Here I learned that a Gilda Radner was sadly mistaken in whom she chose to love, and maybe the best book to read would have been one from HER therapist. I'd like to understand how someone so consumed with love could have chosen someone so consumed with avoiding it. It's pretty easy to understand why Gene Wilder, one of the greatest narcissists ever, would have chosen Gildan Radner---America's sweetheart who adored HIM above all others. When I put this book down, I felt disgust.
Truthful and honest.......2007-04-29
This was one the the best autobiographies/memiors I have ever read. Heartfelt and very touching Mr. Wilder has so many good insights on life. Extremely funny and at times heartbreaking it is a very quick read on which you do not want to put down. Its a must read for any fan.
Hearing him talk abou the book was more fun than reading it.......2007-03-19
I bought this book after hearing Gene Wilder on the radio, and found the book itself less compelling than the interview. I assume part of the blame since it's probably not right to expect people to reveal every detail of their lives simply because they are famous, but then again, if you are famous and you write a memior a certain amount of kiss and tell is expected. It does not have to compromise one's personal life, though. I would like to have known more, for instance, about the writing process for Young Frankenstein, the working relationship with Mel Brooks, how the actor's craft meshes with the screenwriter's, and how that all translates to what happens on the set. After reading this, I am not as well acquainted with Mr. Wilder's talents as I had hoped.
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