The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas

Book Description

This is the most complete book ever written about the history, nature, and science of the remarkable Great Lakes. From the geological forces that formed them to the greatest environ-mental success stories of our time, Jerry Dennis portrays the lakes in all their complexity. This is the story of the lakes as told to the author by biologists, fishermen, and sailors. It is also a narrative of a six-week voyage through the lakes and beyond as a crewmember on a tallmasted schooner, and a memoir of a lifetime spent on and near the lakes. The result is a meditation on nature and our place in the world, a cautionary tale about the future of water resources, and a celebration of a place that is both fragile and robust, diverse, rich in history and wildlife, often misunderstood, and worthy of our attention.

Customer Reviews:

A superlative tale of the Great Lakes.......2007-09-18

As a displaced Michigander, I am often amazed that westerners are almost completely unfamiliar with the Great Lakes. This book would be best enjoyed by those familiar with the region. But even the less familiar will enjoy the gripping adventure found in the many anecdotes offered here. I am on my second read and can't believe how much I had forgotten from my first read. There are stories that will nearly bring you to tears (the near disaster on the day of the Edmund Fitz sinking) and some that will simply amaze. This should be required reading for all school children from this region. Those less fortunate who live elsewhere will still enjoy the enlightening read. And while it certainly encourages protection of the lakes, I didn't find it preachy. It is a very objective book and doesn't dwell too much on the environment.

If there is a better book on the great lakes I haven't found it.

"We are the earth-divers, and the world is made of stories.".......2006-02-13

An enthusiastic outdoorsman, Dennis has written a comprehensive book on the Great Lakes from the perspective of personal experience, scientific data and historical background. He describes the area in its early pristine beauty, from the Indian tribes to the first European settlers and the dawning of industrialization that almost destroyed this natural preserve of geology, flora, fauna and indigenous species. With attention to the tales of the past, Dennis writes of the gradual evolution of natural beauty into a vast resource for lumber, farm products, shipping and related industries, including the influx of a population that has grown around opportunity, all imbued with the awesome grandeur of these vast bodies of water.

On a four-week voyage through the Great Lakes, Dennis views the area from the water, as opposed to his many travels along the shorelines, the exhausting, but fulfilling days on board filled with the lore of the sea, new friendships make while sailing and the eccentric individuals met along the way. Couched in contemporary terms, the author speaks of the past with reverence, his love of history enhanced by regional details, tales of shipwrecks and the personal observations of a man with great reverence for the bounty of this immense body of water and those who live on the miles of coastline that make up the Great Lakes. History is tangible in Dennis's work, impossible to ignore as the men navigate from one lake to another, reminded daily of the pitfalls of ignoring nature and the pleasures of communing with the elements.

The comprehensive chapters cover: Lake Michigan, from land and water; the Straights of Mackinac; Lake Superior, canoeing, the early voyagers, surviving storms; Lake Huron, Georgian Bay and the wilderness; St. Claire River; Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal and the Hudson River. Each chapter addresses relevant information but is complemented by stories, for example, the "White City" constructed in Jackson Park for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, the disappearance of an entire fishing village on the shores of lake Michigan, victim of "walking dunes", Sault Ste. Marie and the rapids of the St. Mary's and The Soo Locks. His eye on an ever-changing environment, Dennis paints a fascinating portrait of nature's bounty in the Great Lakes, past and present, ever vigilant for the dangers of pollution, overuse and the avarice of industrialization: "Bracketed by mysteries, adrift, alone, despairing of our ignorance, we turn to the physical because there, at least, we can know a thing for certain." This is out legacy and the key to the future of a national treasure. Luan Gaines/ 2006.

Engrossing and Enlightening Book.......2005-10-19

I really enjoyed this book because it covers a wide range of topics from sailing to environmentalism to North American history to geology.

As a lifelong citizen of the Great Lakes in Rochester, NY and Chicago, IL, I was surprised at how much I didn't already know -- and that the book taught me.

Delightful.......2005-06-03

Purchased the book because I'm considering a retirement along Lake Ontario and am an avid sailor. The book is centered around the relocation of a Ferro cement schooner from Michigan through the lakes to Lake Ontario, onward down the Hudson and around New England. Along the journey, are many mini stories added for each lake taken from a combination of personal adventures, history and many interesting collection of facts coveraging a wide range of subjects from geology, their early exploration, later exploitation and related environmental problems. My only mild dissapointment is there was not more on Lake Ontario. The trip ends in along the coast of Maine where I was raised. It's a delightful book.

the best of the lakes!.......2004-06-17

I am (like many of those that have written reviews) a native Michigander. However, I am now living in upstate New York, which despite being part of the Great Lakes lacks the appreciation for the lakes that midwesterners have. This book is a must read for anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to grow up surrounded by the greatest natural wonder in the world. This book highlights not only the natural history of the lakes, but the social and environmental legacy of humankind in the lakes. For those who were lucky enough to spend time sailing, swimming, hiking, and otherwise enjoying the Great Lakes, this book will sweep you back in time to the lazy summers of youth (or retirement, as the case may be!) and remind you of why you love the Great Lakes.

Average customer rating:

David Francis
A Debut Worth Noting.
subtle and haunting
Darkly Brilliant - 4.5 Stars
potential not met due to flat tone and pace

The Great Inland Sea
David Francis
Manufacturer: MacAdam/Cage Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Suite Francaise

ASIN: 1596921803

Book Description

Day's mother died with her eyes wide open in 1947, near Maude, New South Wales. No doctor was called. Day watched his father drop her body into the red earth wrapped in a feed sack. He was only twelve. When he rode up Muddy Gates Lane, away from there, he didn't know that he was leaving, but he was sure he wasn't coming back.

Day's journey took him to America, traveling as groom for a horse called Unusual. On the Eastern Shore of Maryland he meets Callie, who wants to be the world's first woman jockey. There is no doubt in her eyes, she knows about things that Day has never seen. He is stranded by a love for Callie that takes him back to the harshness of his childhood in Australia, to the dark secrets of his family.

An exquisitely crafted and poignant story that reveals David Francis as a writer with an extraordinary gift for language.

Customer Reviews:

David Francis.......2007-05-30

I met this author in LAX, Los Angeles. I gave him a book which he graciously accepted and promptly began to read. In exchange, he gave me his card and explained that he had written this book. I misplaced the card, but never forgot the young man who had given it to me.
Once I located it again, I ordered this book from Amazon and it came quickly. I found it to be a good read. The author brings every page to life. It is a simple story with complicated characters. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys lessons taught by living.

A Debut Worth Noting........2005-12-06

David Francis has written a stark, beautifully textured novel reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy. His understated and minimilist prose masterfully conveys his characters emotions with grace and humanity. A simple, haunting story of loss, love, and family.

subtle and haunting.......2005-08-27

I enjoyed this spare, quiet impressionistic novel, about a boy who runs away from the backwaters of Australia to the horse country of Maryland, haunted by the death of his mother. I liked that Day, a boy more comfortable with animals than with normal human life, comes into collision with a fiery unpredictable girl like Callie--in the middle of the highly predictable 1950's--an encounter to which he has no framework of comparison and from which he has no defenses. His reactions are always quiet and understated, even in big scenes, he's very internal and the pressure builds up. I look forward to Francis' future works.

Darkly Brilliant - 4.5 Stars.......2005-08-25

The plot of this wonderful book has been written about may times, so I just wanted to add my two cents worth about its effect. The Great inland Sea is one of those books that tattoos you. The scene where Day watches his mother die is just one extraordinary example. Strange , fascinating , wrenching, uncanny. The author of this book time and again depicts scenes where the reader at once meets the strange and yet recognises the familiar. It's a dark book, as any writing that captures life is, but it is not without hope. Not without the possibility of change through truth. The writing is spare and elegant. As taut as the bridled horses' heads in the story. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

potential not met due to flat tone and pace.......2005-08-18

The Great Inland Sea has a strong story in it--a slow coming of age and awareness, a stark childhood setting, a fiery (literally) dream girl, a dead mother who haunts the main characters thoughts and a living father who does the same, a return "home" to see if it can indeed become that. But the novel never met its promise I thought, especially after its strong beginning when 12-yr-old Darwin observes his mother, trussed and gagged to her bed, just before her death.
Darwin ends up running all the way from his home in the Australian desert to America, escorting a horse named Unusual to a Maryland farm where he ends up taking a job breaking horses. There he meets Callie whose outsized personality and ambition (she's known to start fires, she wants to be the first female jockey, she tours the near country running betting horseshows) immediately sucks him in, for good and bad. Their rocky relationship continues for a while then seemingly ends, at which point Darwin heads back home and begins to explore both a new relationship with his father and his own past, especially with regards to his mother--her youth, her strange marriage to his father, her relationship with their single farmhand (long gone), and her mysterious death. Soon though Callie invites him to a horse show in Mexico and when he returns home it will be with Callie and the long-gone farmhand as past and present collide and answers start to fall.
As mentioned, the book starts strongly but its flat-voiced narration and tempo, which I granted him early on as in accord with Darwin's shock and grief, never altered and eventually grew wearisome, dragging the energy of the book down. The sparseness of language has its poetic moments, there are some beautiful lines here, but the unvarying style, like the voice and tempo, also grew wearisome. The same was true of the characters themselves, who all fit into the same type and voicing. These stylistic decisions led to too great a distancing between the characters and myself and I found myself caring less and less what happened to them. Though I finished the book, by the end I was hoping for someone to show up in person on the farm or as part of the many flashbacks, that would break the patterns of behavior, voice, and mood. Someone to add a dash of color or a bit of loquaciousness or visible passion not marred as Callie's was with self-destructiveness or dark childhood secrets.
It isn't that the book was too quiet, it was too monotone in its silence. I'd try a second book by Francis as the prose was often quite strong, but this one I can't quite recommend.

Charting the Inland Seas: A History of the U.S. Lake Survey (Great Lakes Books)

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Charting the Inland Seas: A History of the U.S. Lake Survey (Great Lakes Books)
Arthur M. Woodford
Manufacturer: Wayne State Univ Pr (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Naval | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Cartography | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0814324991

Dining on the Inland Seas: Nautical China from the Great Lakes Region of North America

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Dining on the Inland Seas: Nautical China from the Great Lakes Region of North America
Daniel C. Krummes
Manufacturer: Nautical Works Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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Falkner of the Inland Seas

Manufacturer: Grossett & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000E1VYTG

Product Description

Story of the Great Lakes with ship deckhands, mates and masters as the characters.

Flotsam, jetsam and lagan from the seven seas, the five Great Lakes and our inland rivers

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Flotsam, jetsam and lagan from the seven seas, the five Great Lakes and our inland rivers
Ernie Hall
Manufacturer: Cornell maritime Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

THE GREAT LAKES. The vessels that plough them: their owners, their sailors, and their cargoes. Together with a brief history of our inland seas. With 72 illustrations and a map.

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THE GREAT LAKES. The vessels that plough them: their owners, their sailors, and their cargoes. Together with a brief history of our inland seas. With 72 illustrations and a map.

Manufacturer: James Puglieses
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I6V03C

The Great Lakes: North America's Inland Sea

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The Great Lakes: North America's Inland Sea

Manufacturer: Outdoor world
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0872940527

The Great Lakes: The Vessels That Plough Them: Their Owners, Their Sailors, and Their Cargoes Together with a Brief History of Our Inland Seas

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The Great Lakes: The Vessels That Plough Them: Their Owners, Their Sailors, and Their Cargoes Together with a Brief History of Our Inland Seas
James Oliver Curwood
Manufacturer: G.P. Putnam's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TYFUL6

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The Great Lakes;: The vessels that plough them: their owners, their sailors, and their cargoes. Together with a brief history of our inland seas
James Oliver Curwood
Manufacturer: From the Archives of James Pugliese
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

*A TOKYOPOP Top 10 title on BookScan! *English Version by Sarah Dyer, creator of Action Girl Newsletter *The hit shojo series that started the anime favorite *One of Kadokawa's Top Ten Best-Selling titles!

While continuing his relentless pursuit to get the scoop on Dark, Takeshi becomes distracted by a mysterious young woman in a museum. He falls instantly head over heels for her, and recruits Daisuke to help find out whom she is. But the path to love takes them far from home...

Customer Reviews:

Anime.......2007-01-09

I bought this as a gift for a big Anime Fan and they loved it. They ended up reading the whole series.

D N Angel book da 4th.......2005-01-27

this was an AWESOME book, with some of the bonus chapters it can get a little confusing but its a awesome book. Daisuke finds himself in an uncomfortable position with Risa and Riku, and faces a new enemy! its a great book, READ IT

Dark vs. Guess Who..........2005-01-05

D-N-Angel Volume 4 is so cool! I love it! The art is gorgeous and pleasing to the eye. Also, Daisuke and Dark are unbelieveable in this volume! Daisuke's class takes a trip to a island or something like an island where everything is turned upside down ( No big surprise there). With a touching continuance of the story,volume 4 is a must have even if you haven't read the first three volumes! Although, I do recommend getting those too. Lastly, a new character makes an appearance. This new character is drool worthy like Dark, so buy vol.4 of DNAngel!

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D.N.Angel, Vol. 4

Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 1417667133

Book Description

The bizarre idea that the earth's interior is hollow and, perhaps, even populated has been put to effective literary use by writers ranging from Edgar Allen Poe and Jules Verne to Rudy Rucker and Edgar Rice Burroughs. This notion had respectability as a scientific hypothesis until the early 1800s, and the theory that the earth "is hollow and inhabitable within" continues to find believers as an alternative description of the earth to this day.

The hollow earth is one of the most important settings in the literature of the imagination that fed into early science fiction. Subterranean Worlds presents a fascinating look at the theme of the hollow earth and its history, as well as the geological theories which produced many of these stories. It excerpts key passages from the major subterranean world fictions, some translated into English for the first time. With helpful introductions to each selection and a comprehensive bibliography, this book is the definitive treatment of this entertaining topic.

Customer Reviews:

A compilation of essays about hollow earth fiction and science fiction literature.......2005-07-06

Subterranean Worlds: A Critical Anthology is a compilation of essays about hollow earth fiction and science fiction literature, from the 17th century to the present, including some excerpts translated into English for the first time. Helpful introductions to each major selection or body of hollow earth literature, from Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic and popular tales to those of more obscure and overlooked authors, help broaden the reader's understanding of the mindset of each tale's era. Also included are explanations of the geological theories of the day that produced many of these stories. A welcome contribution to science fiction literary criticism and reference shelves.

Peter Fitting, ed. Subterranean Worlds: A Critical Anthology.(Book review): An article from: Utopian Studies

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Peter Fitting, ed. Subterranean Worlds: A Critical Anthology.(Book review): An article from: Utopian Studies
Nicholas Ruddick
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Utopian Studies, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1448 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Peter Fitting, ed. Subterranean Worlds: A Critical Anthology.(Book review)
Author: Nicholas Ruddick
Publication: Utopian Studies (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Page: 228(4)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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A Walk With Four Spiritual Guides: Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, And Ramakrishna (SkyLight Illuminations)
Andrew Harvey
Manufacturer: Skylight Paths Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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The Direct Path: Creating a Personal Journey to the Divine Using the World's Spirtual Traditions

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The Way of Passion: A Celebration of Rumi

ASIN: 1594731381

Book Description

A Walk with Four Spiritual Guides is Andrew Harvey's very personal introduction to Krishna's lessons on the immortality of the soul, Buddha's description of the fundamental role of mental conditioning in making us who we are, Jesus' portrayal of the Kingdom of God as a present fact about the world, and Ramakrishna's teachings on the truth of all religions. Enhanced with accessible translations of each guide's essential teachings and facing pages of guided commentary from experts, Harvey offers his own joyful experiences of learning from their wisdom and gives you deeper insight into their message for today.

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Tapas: Authentic appetizers and finger food from the bars and restaurants of Spain
Pepita Aris
Manufacturer: Southwater
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Spanish | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain

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Tapas (Tuttle Mini Cookbook)

ASIN: 1844761576

Book Description

Written by one of the world's leading experts in Spainish cuisine, an introductory section explains the role of these versatile little dishes in Spanish culinary culture.

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I agree with the other reviewers!

Great book with lots of construction methods

This one's a must!

Hunter Star Quilts & Beyond

This book rocks!

Hunter Star Quilts and Beyond: Techniques and Projects with Infinite Possibilities
Jan Krentz
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Patchwork | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Lone Star Quilts and Beyond: Step-by-Step Projects and Inspiration

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Mariner's Compass Quilts: Setting A New Course; New Process, New Patterns, New Projects

ASIN: 1571202102

Book Description

Hunter Star is an old-time block with a fresh new look, thanks to quilting expert Jan Krentz. Here are nine complete Hunter Star projects, all using Krentz's pieced or quick-fused methods. Choose from template piecing, strip piecing, half-square triangles, fusible web, and more. Krentz shows how to use the versatile Hunter Star as a block, for sashing, to create wreath or log cabin designs-the possibilities are endless!

Customer Reviews:

I agree with the other reviewers!.......2007-01-13

This is a must have for every quilter's library. Jan has done it again.

Great book with lots of construction methods.......2006-10-23

I saw Jan Krentz on HGTV's "Simply Quilts" and so I bought the book. The Hunter Star pattern is beautiful and Jan has several methods for putting the quilt together: paper piecing method, strip piecing method, fusing method, and colorwash method. Beautifully illustrated too with clear instructions plus lots of pictures of finished quilts for inspiration.

This one's a must!.......2006-02-20

The possibilities are available for every type of quilter. This book is a must in your patchwork library.

Hunter Star Quilts & Beyond.......2005-09-08

I love that this book has instructions for several techniques to build the Hunter Star as well as wonderful color photos of completed projects. It is one of the clearest how-to books I have ever read and used!

This book rocks!.......2004-02-12

As with her first book, Lone Star Quilts and Beyond, Jan takes a traditional pattern and turns it into something beyond what the ordinary quilter has imagined. Her instructions are easy to follow, and if you don't like one method of block assembly, she gives five others to choose from. Not only does she make the piece work simple, she offers an inspiring gallery of Hunter Star quilts, certain to appeal to both the traditionalist and the art quilter, the beginner and the professional. Like they say in the movies, I give this "two thumbs up" along with the traditional 5 star rating. You won't be disappointed.

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All Star Superman #2

Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

Superman | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000GA5RIY

Product Description

After the startling events of the first issue, Superman retreats with Lois Lane to his Arctic sanctuary. Find out what mystery haunts Supermans girlfriend as she spends her birthday in the strangest place on earth the Fortress of Solitude!

Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 : A Flash of the Lightning (Death of the Flash - DC Comics)

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Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 : A Flash of the Lightning (Death of the Flash - DC Comics)
Marv Wolfman
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
ASIN: B000W4MHBO

Excalibur #46 : Crisis Of Infinite Identites (Marvel Comics)

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Excalibur #46 : Crisis Of Infinite Identites (Marvel Comics)
Alan Davis
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VXVBO0

The Infinite Cosmos: Questions from the frontiers of cosmology

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The Infinite Cosmos: Questions from the frontiers of cosmology
Joseph Silk
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Star-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

In The Infinite Cosmos Joseph Silk takes the reader on a tour of the universe, past, present, and future, showing how the very latest observations and theories are unlocking clues about its origin and structure: X-ray, radio, and high-energy views of space are revealing fossil radiation left over from the big bang and providing us with unprecedented views of the most distant reaches of the universe. Theories from the frontiers of current research seek to explain its structure from the first moments to the present day, and we are beginning to understand its extraordinary nature and possible fate. This is a story involving the visible and the invisible; subatomic particles and unusual forces; long ages of darkness and spectacular and violent events. It tells of supernovae, dark matter, dark energy, curved spacetime, colliding galaxies, and supermassive black holes. Weaving the ideas of poets and writers as well as scientists into the story, from Kant and Keats to Einstein and Lemaitre, Silk explains our present state of knowledge, and how much more there is to understand about our infinite cosmos.

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Infinite Crisis #7 : Finale (DC Comics)
Geoff Jones
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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Infinite vistas: New tools for astronomy

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Infinite vistas: New tools for astronomy

Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Star-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Telescopes | Experiments, Instruments & Measurement | Science | Subjects | Books

Stars & Planets | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0684182874

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What is Superman's most powerful attribute?

All Star Superman #1

Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

Superman | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000GA2N3Q

Product Description

DC launches the newest addition to its All Star line of comics where the industrys top creative talents refine the iconic focus of the worlds greatest super-heroes. Writer Grant Morrison (JLA, SEVEN SOLDIERS) and artist Frank Quitely (THE AUTHORITY, New X-Men) the acclaimed team behind JLA: EARTH 2 are at it once again, this time to strip down the Man of Steel to his timeless, essential elements. The series kicks off with a 12-issue story arc touching on all the classic aspects of the Superman mythology, starting with a daring rescue of a doomed group of helionauts on the surface of the sun. The massive amounts of solar radiation affect Superman in a way no one could possibly anticipate except Lex Luthor!

Customer Reviews:

What is Superman's most powerful attribute?.......2006-10-20

It's rare when a comic book comes along that deals so well with mature themes of mortality, love, & choices. If you think this is just a story about men flying around in colorful pajamas, you probably haven't read much by Grant Morrison before. At the time of this review, the first three issues have come out and there are more to come. The series started out in January of this year, and is being released monthly. I'm eager to see what happens next.

You cannot review a comic book without equally discussing the artist. Frank Quitely's figures are real. While they are overproportioned, they are also flawed and aged. I love his art for it's weight, color, and sensualness. His women are shaped like real women, not too long, not too muscular, and not too skinny. He really cares about body language, demeanor, and expression. His art has richness, thickness, and depth.

In this Superman universe, Clark, as a result of a rescue attempt too close to the Sun, becomes mortal. So the series asks: If Superman knew he would only live a normal or shortened lifespan, what choices would he make in his limited time? Would he continue to keep his secrets? Would he still focus on helping others? Would anything change? And what force might make an "all powerful" person change?

In issue 3, he reveals that he has spent a lifetime synthesizing a potion and creating an enabling costume to give to Lois Lane so she can experience what it feels like to have his super powers for one day. It is a beautiful act and sentiment.

She gains most of his physical super powers, strength, physical invincibility, speed, and ability to fly. But even after she gains all his physical powers, she encounters a greater force that threatens to take her life.

And in that crisis, Superman uses his intellect, revealing that his greatest strength may not be his physical powers or invincibility. It may be his willingness to yield or temper his fight, because someone he loves requests it or needs it, even though it is against what he personally wants. It may be his willingness to always keep searching for and trying non-lethal possible solutions. It may be his hard-experience-learned willingness to concede that physical force superiority will not solve many major problems the world faces. It may be his intellectual choice to fight for others even when he can't see if they are as willing to fight for him.

Superman is sometimes like a soldier or policeman, who thinks he is more willing to put himself at risk to protect others than they appear willing to protect him. But his perception may be incorrect if he does not see how others put themselves at risk in non-violent ways for his potential benefit.

For many reasons, Clark continues to love Lois even when she will not "see" or recognize him, her eyes always focused on Superman. But who can blame Lois? She understands that Clark is attracted to her and treats her well. But if she is going to get Superman, she has to dismiss Clark's attention, doesn't she? Should Clark feel incredible harm at being passed over for Superman? If so, should Clark continue to love Lois when clearly she will never choose to care for him over Superman? The complexity, flexibility, and universality of the Superman love triangle has stood the test of time for many good reasons.

Should a person admire Clark more than they admire Superman? Or vice versa? I can empathize with both of their suffering and appreciate both of their beauty.

And in this series by Morrison and Quitely, both Clark and Superman, when faced with mortality and the possibility of losing Lois, decide to become more honest with Lois and reveal their hidden identities.

Issue #3 asks the classic question of: What happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object? The uncommon answer may not be what you expect, and may not be what you want, but it may be a valuable answer worth considering and appreciating. And it is worth the price of buying the first 3 issues.

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All Star Superman #1 CGC 9.8

Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

Superman | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000F9ESBI

Product Description

Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 : Final Crisis (DC Comics)

Average customer rating:

Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 : Final Crisis (DC Comics)
Marv Wolfman
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
ASIN: B000W4KLVM

Average customer rating:
The Vintage Workshop: Gifts For All Occasions
Amy Barickman
Manufacturer: Martingale and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Papercrafts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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The Vintage Workshop Art-to-Wear - The

Art To Wear

Fanciful Paper Projects: Making Your Own Posh Little Follies

Vintage Paper Crafts

Artful Paper Dolls: New Ways to Play with a Traditional Form

ASIN: 1564775755

Book Description

Jump into computer crafting with The Vintage Workshop Click-n-Craft system! Create traditional to trendy projects for gifts, decor, and more. Best of all, every image you need is included on one CD-ROM--just pop the CD into your computer and begin!

• Choose from over 40 projects for the nursery, the home, the office, and the classroom, plus designs for gifts and holidays

• Follow three easy steps: select an image, print it with an inkjet printer, and then sew, press, or transfer

• Choose from a pillow, a scrapbook, a frame, an apron, stationery, and much more

System Requirements
Windows: Pentium II or higher recommended. Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, XP or higher. 32MB or more of installed RAM.
Macintosh: Power Macintosh processor. G3 or higher recommended. Mac OS 9.22 to OSX (Classic Mode). 32MB or more of installed RAM.

Average customer rating:

A simply gorgeous, rich presentation with full-page color album covers packing every page

A Censored History of Latin Music

Cooking with Graphics

Yglesias Makes Music Jump Off the Page

Superb.

¡Cocinando!: Fifty Years of Latin Album Cover Art
Pablo E. Yglesias
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Vixens of Vinyl: The Alluring Ladies of Vintage Album Covers

ASIN: B000W7M2SE

Book Description

Driving beats, coursing rhythms, swaying skirts, and swaggering bandleaders playing deep into the sultry night: Latin music is a celebration of life and sensuality, and nowhere are these essential values better reflected than the dazzling record covers that present this music to the world.

Cocinando!: Fifty Years of Latin Album Cover Art draws together the most beautiful, sexy, colorful, innovative, and creative Latin record covers from all the various genres of Latin music: mambo, salsa, bossa nova, tropicália, Latin jazz, and rock. Featured are covers by such legendary performers as João Gilberto, Machito, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Ray Baretto, Caetano Veloso, Santana, and countless others.

Author Pablo Yglesias provides a compelling introduction to the history of Latin popular music and the designers who have brought this music to visual life.

Customer Reviews:

A simply gorgeous, rich presentation with full-page color album covers packing every page.......2005-10-11

Other books have been written on rock album cover art: here's the first to cover fifty years of the brightest and best album covers in Latin music history - and those who fostered them. Using album covers over the decades, Cocinadndo is an artistic, visual treat of the best Latin record covers from all genres of Latin music, from congo and bassa nova to salsa. Cocinando! is a simply gorgeous, rich presentation with full-page color album covers packing every page.

A Censored History of Latin Music.......2005-08-03

Many people who love Latin music and vintage Latin album graphics will snatch up this book. Be forewarned that there are disappointments to be found inside. The author/compiler seems to look down his nose at the garish, exotic, sexy and sensational album sleeves from the '40s and '50s that we gringos adore, choosing for the most part to showcase politically correct, bizarre abstract art creations from the 1970s. No me gusta! It's not that there are none of the earlier variety of album sleeve on display here, but there are not nearly enough. What's worse, the author interprets "latin music" to mean Cuban, Brazilian and Puerto-Rican-derived product; if you're looking for reproductions of some great old ranchera, flamenco or merengue album sleeves, you're out of luck. The richness and diversity of Latin music is missing from this book. COCINANDO! is certainly a groundbreaking collection, but by no means is it definitive. I hope someone follows up this incomplete history with another that presents the Golden Age of latin music from a more unbiased viewpoint. I'd like to take the opportunity here to tout the collectability of vintage Mexican album sleeves; many of them are absolutely gorgeous, and they need to be recognized as the works of art that they are.

Cooking with Graphics.......2005-03-30

How wonderful that someone has at last collected and memorialized the music and musicians from the Afro-Cuban and Latino bands that too often went unnoticed in this country. I wish that the publisher had included a CD or two to go with the book, since many of the musicians represented in pictures are not widely available on disc any more to a public which needs to hear as well as see.

In any case, gracias, Senor Yglesias - do it some more!

Yglesias Makes Music Jump Off the Page.......2005-03-18

If you're going to be stuck some place without music - Bring This Book With You! This book swims with visual excitement and indepth analysis of an exciting genre that is poorly understood. Pablo Yglesias acts a curator Extraordinaire in this not to be missed work.

Superb........2005-03-14

I find COCINANDO! FIFTY YEARS OF LATIN ALBUM COVER ART, to be a model of what such a book should be. Its creator, Pablo Ellicott Yglesias, has created a true work of art. (Review by Whiteford, a bibliophile.)

Book Description

Author C. Jack Lewis spent 25 years in this world of low-budget Westerns, and here he portrays the human side of the industry through the many people with whom he came into contact as he worked his way from film to film. Highly personal, filled with rare glimpses of a life that lives only in the memory of a few, this narrative is a nostalgic memoir of a bygone time, of those who shared life on Poverty Row and of the hard work, failures, successes, and dreams made or broken. Liberal use of photos helps readers identify the faces they have seen on their television screens in the reruns of these pictures still making the rounds. A must-read for students of film and popular culture great for fans of Westerns as well.

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