Victory: An Island Tale

Book Description

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pomona Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Download Description

The last word of this novel was written on 29 May 1914. And that last word was the single word of the title.

Customer Reviews:

Paradise was lost forever.......2007-07-18

"Victory" is not so much a conventional novel as a fable, with strong influences of the Bible, Milton's "Paradise Lost" and Shakespeare's "The Tempest". This story is absolutely marginal, that is, it occurs to people who inhabit the margins of the world, the margins of society, and within the margins of a common life. The characters also operate in one or the other of the two extremes of morality. Axel Heyst, a Swede son of a bitter and disenchanted philosopher, is extremely influenced by the parental way of thinking, to the point that he follows the advice provided by his dying father. When Heyst, disconcerted at the foot of the bed, asks him what is the proper way to live, Heyst senior answers: "Look on, and make no sound". So, after his father dies, Axel emigrates to the colonies in Southeastern Asia, where he makes a living as a merchant, coming and going about the islands. Heyst is a distant but kind guy, always with a smile on his face and willing to help others, but always refusing any kind of intimacy. One day, he enters a business about a coal mine with an associate, the death of whom (not a murder) he is later accused of provoking, which gives him a reputation throughout the islands as a mysterious, somewhat mischievous man. His main detractor is a hotel keeper, one Schomberg, a hateful, coward, and calumnious man. After the business goes broke, Schomberg escalates his tirades about "that Swede", slowly developing an irrational hatred towards him. Meanwhile, unaware of his reputation and of Schomberg's hatred, Heyst decides to stay on the remote island where the coal mine used to be, totally isolated from humanity, except for the silent and shadowy company of his servant, Wang.

One day, on account of old business affairs, Heyst travels to the island where Schomberg's hotel is, and stays there. There he meets a young woman who plays in a "ladies orchestra", managed by a sinister couple who practically treats their employees as slaves. The girl, Lena, tells Heyst that the hideous Schomberg has been sexually harassing her, and begs him to get her out of there. Heyst, attracted by the beauty and mystery of the girl, manages to smuggle her out of the hotel and take her to his island. This, of course takes Schomberg's hatred to extremes. A little time later, three criminals arrive to the hotel. They force Schomberg to host illegal gambling, and make his life hell, practically taking over the place. As the secretary of the boss (one Mr. Jones), Martin Ricardo, reveals their past (true or imaginary, but certainly scary), Schomberg comes up with an idea. He tells them that Heyst keeps vast amounts of money on the island. Ricardo convinces his boss to go there and assault him. He hides from his boss the fact that there is a girl, for Mr. Jones has an irrational hatred and fear of women. Meanwhile, Heyst and Lena lead a loving, peaceful life. It's easy to see here the metaphor of Adam and Eve. One day, the three thugs arrive, almost dead, and Heyst rescues and shelters them, but with a gloomy feeling of something bad to come.

It would be foolish to reveal anything more. The rest is a hair-rising game of psychological chess, where suspense and tension are almost unbearable. The intruders in Paradise and the primeval Man and Woman struggle to achieve their ends, in sequences of undescribable beauty and sadness.

As I said at the beginning, this is more a fable than a common novel. I think it is wrong to do what another reviewer here, Bruce Kendall (otherwise an excellent one) did: to concentrate on novelistic technique. Yes, the narrator begins by being a casual follower of the story, and ends by being omniscient. Yes, some of Heyst's and Lena's dialogues are almost corny. Yes, the allusions to Paradise Lost are too obvious. But that's not the content nor the point. This is a powerful, moving, unforgettable tale of innocence violated, of pure evil against goodness, of the pain stupid and useless people can inflict on persons who are only minding their own business. It is also a cautionary tale about the perils of isolation. About the dangers incurred on by giving up on people, on love, on trust. At some point, Heyst wishes he had learned to hope and to fight as a young man. So many subjects, the quality of character development, so beautiful a literature (you will find passages and sentences that are real poetry), make for a great piece of art. Joseph Conrad grows in time as one of the quintessential writers of history.

One of My Favorite Books.......2007-03-08

Joseph Conrad is my favorite novelist. His characters live and breathe and you don't just read about them, you keep company with them long after the book ends. You're not just reading a story, you are going on an adventure and after the last page is turned you have made a new friend. In this book especially you are brought up short about how Fate turns on the smallest detail and the knowledge that we must find something in life to sustain us other than getting what we want.

Great story and great art.......2006-02-14

Conrad once again proves his excellence as both a storyteller and a stylist. The images and ideas of this book are sharp. I haven't stopped thinking about Victory since turning the last page. The villains are more fleshed out than the protagonists which makes for delicious reading.

Despite the small number of pages devoted to her, Lena is the focus of the story. Her victory provides the title of the novel. A symbol of strength and loyalty, Lena's actions speak of far more depth than a generic heroine. When she first encounters Heyst, she inspires his courage and re-ignites his contact with the world. A lesser author would have made her stunningly beautiful, but Conrad uses her inner-beauty to ignite the flame that Heyst and Ricardo find spellbinding. I believe that the smoldering volcano in the background of the story is a symbol of Lena.

While it is clear that there is underlying symbolism of Adam, Eve, and the garden, these symbols only have limited usefulness in examining Victory. Conrad uses these allusions to add depth and strength to the story, but the plot and themes of the story only vaguely follow biblical references.

Victory requires sacrifice.......2006-01-24

Victory. Seven letters that seem so clear and simple to understand. Yet Conrad weaves a story around the meaning of this word that is beautiful yet tragic, clear yet confusing, delightful yet disasterous. Conrad intentionally creates these contradictions to remind the reader that life is not simple, and has many contradictions. Any victory requires sacrifice, and it is only at the end of Heyst's life that he understands this truth both intellectually and experientially. Victory is a must read, as it reminds the reader that love and freedom require sacrifice at some level. This is a message that is often lost in the age of cell phones, instant messaging, and video streaming.

A Lesson Learned.......2005-07-28

Victory presents a philosophical story of a man who learns that his own philosophy has robbed him of a life worth living. The novel is Conrad's answer to the prevailing view that only facts matter, that emotions such as love have no basis in reality.

The protagonist, Axel Heyst, is the son of a philosopher who once wrote, "Of the strategems of life, the most cruel is the consolation of love." His philosophy Conrad compares to a "terrible trumpet which had filled heaven and earth with ruins..."After his father dies, Heyst wanders the globe, looking "only for facts" until he becomes enchanted with a South Sea archipelago. Therafter, he is drawn to two people who provide models of friendship and love. Morrison, a small craft owner whose generosity has left him bankrupt, Heyst helps out of his bind only to fail to understand why the man is so grateful and anxious to repay him. But it is the girl Lena who fills him with an emotion that he cannot express or understand until the novel's end. After rescuing her from a life of exploitation, Heyst takes her back to his island where he is determined to live apart from the world.

It's only after his island is invaded by two criminals that Heyst discovers how much his actions toward Morrison and Lena were motivated by love. When he learns that the jealous hotelkeeper, Schomberg, has told everyone that "the Swede" had swindled his friend out of all his money before sending him to England to die, Heyst becomes upset, even though he had never cared what the world thought of him. When the malefactors Jones and Ricardo threaten Lena's life, he at last becomes involved in the world that he had left behind.

Suspenseful and chilling, Heyst's fight with the criminals ends with a victory having multiple meanings. Unlike with his other work, Conrad falls back on the plot device of coincidence to make a satisfactory ending, but the artifice only slightly mars a book that should be read as much for its message as for its story.

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Victory

Manufacturer: The Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ANEIKU

8 Volumes of 'Complete Works' : Almayer's Folly, Tales of Unrest - Lord Jim - An Outcast of the Islands : The Nigger of the Narcissue, Typhoon, Falk - Nostromo - The Sevret Agent - Under Western Eyes - Victory

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8 Volumes of 'Complete Works' : Almayer's Folly, Tales of Unrest - Lord Jim - An Outcast of the Islands : The Nigger of the Narcissue, Typhoon, Falk - Nostromo - The Sevret Agent - Under Western Eyes - Victory
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Heron Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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VICTORY - AN ISLAND TALE.

Manufacturer: Heron
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Victory : An Island Tale
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Garden City : Doubleday, Page and Company 1915
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Victory an Island Tale
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: GARDEN CITY PUBL CO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Victory an Island Tale
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Garden City Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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VICTORY AN ISLAND TALE.

Manufacturer: Doubleday, Page
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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VICTORY, AN ISLAND TALE
JOSEPH CONRAD (THE WORLD\'S CLASSICS)
Manufacturer: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S8HRMS

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Victory, An Island Tale
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Doubdleday Page & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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the closer of the KPAX series

Insipid End to an Interesting Series

Nothing is as it seems

"Know this: to thine own world be true"

Great book... excellent trilogy
K-Pax III: The Worlds of Prot (K-Pax)
Gene Brewer
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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On a Beam of Light

K-Pax K-Pax

K-Pax II

K-PAX IV: A New Visitor From The Constellation Lyra

K-Pax K-Pax

ASIN: 0747557837

Book Description

The compelling conclusion of Gene Brewer’s acclaimed K–PAX trilogy.

Customer Reviews:

the closer of the KPAX series.......2006-08-06

The last in the three part series featuring prot (that's how he spells it), a part of the personality of one Robert Porter, who, as a result of an abusive childhood has developed three personalities.
But is prot merely part of Robert and his multiple personality disorder, or is he the real thing, that is, from KPAX, where everything is idyllic and void of any semblance to the life Robert lived, particularly the bad parts.
Without spilling the beans, those who find the movie KPAX intriguing and, as I do, find a fascination with mental illnesses and the mystery that surrounds those unfortunate victims, will want to purchase the entire trilogy, "KPAX", "On A Beam Of Light" and "KPAX III". None of the books are very long but they do present some interesting takes on humans and how we behave, be it politics, religion, etc.
Gene Brewer crafts an interesting tale and doesn't drown the reader in psychiatric technicalities, yet opens the door into a compelling world where medicine is in the Stone Age, treatment wise. There is the addition of obvious fiction (you'll know it when you read it) but all in all, it's a very enjoyable read.

Insipid End to an Interesting Series.......2006-04-27

K-PAX III: The Worlds of Prot is disappointing for those readers who came to the series with an interest in psychology or, indeed, in logical human motivations. Unlike the first book (and the second to an extent), this one completely ignores any of the interesting and realistic psychological aspects of patients at MPI that were before present. Also, disregarding the fantasy aspects of the work, the plot simply does not make sense; everyone (except Dr. Brewer) automatically assumes that a patient in a mental hospital is, in fact, a visitor from outer space. While this made sense for the inmates in book one, it does not at all strike one as realistic for the general population. prot is proven to be an alien and becomes even more arrogant and irritating (if that was possible), and preaches to his followers--and hence, to us--on how to change the world, conveniently ignoring biological motivations and the depths of human emotion.
To top it all off, the book ends with a jarring and unneeded sermon on the wonders of life and God, despite the fact that prot spends much of his time denouncing religion. The narrator's point of view in this book is continually inconsistent; the only thing one can be certain about is that he wants to retire.
K-PAX I recommend without question, but K-PAX III: The Worlds of Prot does not live up to its predecessors' standards.

Nothing is as it seems.......2005-09-29

K-PAX 3 was as much of a new book then a sequel. Prot returns as Robert Porter is thrown back into his catatonic state. This is one of those books that will make you want to read further into the subjects of the material such as psychology and cosmology. This is one of the few pieces of fiction that takes you on a real mind trip (Literally). Is Prot really who is says he is? Or is he just another figment of Robert Porter's imagination? Although it should be said that the final installment might leave you with more questions then answers, it was still a good and dignified end in the trilogy.

"Know this: to thine own world be true".......2005-06-19

+++++

This book, by Gene Brewer, is the final installment of the K-PAX trilogy. In this book, there is, as in the previous two novels, a prologue and epilogue. Between are 15 chapters or "sessions" (as opposed to 16 each in the previous two novels). Unique to this book is a "Suggested Additional Reading" list or bibliography.

The prologue is excellent. What it does is cover the highlights of the first two novels then tells us why this third novel was written:

"All...of my thirty-two sessions with Robert/[P]rot [recall that Robert Porter was thought to be the main personality hidden within Prot] are described more fully in K-PAX and K-PAX II [subtitled "On A Beam of Light"] which ended with the birth of [Prot's]...[Earthling] son...in the summer of 1997. At that time it appeared the family...might, at last, live happily ever after.
Unfortunately, this turned out not to be the case..."

Thus this novel is not simply a rehash of the two previous novels.

Prot (pronounced "Pr-OAT") is treated by the same psychiatrist of the previous two novels, Dr. Gene Brewer. (Note that the doctor has the same name as the author.) In this third novel, there seems to be more interaction between other characters and Dr. Brewer, not just with Prot exclusively.

Prot's wit, wisdom, and humor shines through in this novel. Recall that he had this in the first novel also but seemed to have lost some of this in the second novel. It was good to see him in top-form again.

Prot still demonstrates certain otherworldly abilities and even his medical tests are strange. Both Dr. Brewer and the reader are still not sure whether Prot is indeed an extraterrestrial or a traumatized human suffering from "multiple personality disorder."

In this novel, there is more interest in finding out what happened to Robert. As well, the reader is introduced to many new and interesting patients such as "Alex Trebeck" and "Albert Einstein." Prot, as before, has a positive influence on all patients.

Suspense is created when Prot reveals that he is going back to K-PAX for good and will bring 100 of his fellow patients with him. (Why not 200 or 1000? You'll have to read this novel to find out.)

The epilogue as with the prologue is also excellent. We get two possible explanations as to whom Prot is. As well, we are told that "a great many questions" still remain. The last paragraph of the epilogue has Dr. Brewer "look[ing] toward the constellation Lyra" (where Prot's home planet of K-PAX is located) and wondering...

Can this concluding sequel be read without reading the previous two novels? Yes, I think so. This is because the prologue to this novel is so well written. Besides, the author includes in his "suggested additional reading" list the prior two novels, K-PAX and K-PAX II. Why would he list these if he assumed that the reader had already read these novels?

In conclusion, this is a good novel that will hold your attention to the end. As well, it is a good conclusion to the K-PAX trilogy!!!

(first published 2002; prologue; 15 chapters covering sessions 33 to 47; epilogue; main narrative 265 pages; suggested additional reading list; acknowledgements)

+++++

Great book... excellent trilogy.......2005-04-07

This is the third book in this trilogy and it's simply awesome... It is really cool to read about if their are alien species who are millions of years ahead of us might think about our culture, tradition and planet as in whole... Prot is simply awesome... This trilogy is a must read for any sci-fi fan!!

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Doctor Who And The Zarbi
Bill Strutton
Manufacturer: Target / W. H. Allen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000IWB720

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Doctor Who And The Zarbi

Manufacturer: Target
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000G9V7EI

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Doctor Who And The Zarbi
Bill Strutton
Manufacturer: Target
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000UHY5AE

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Doctor Who on the planet of the insects

Doctor Who and the Zarbi
Bill Strutton
Manufacturer: W.H. Allen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0426113241

Customer Reviews:

Doctor Who on the planet of the insects.......2000-10-11

Originally written in 1965 (the same year the story, "The Web Planet", was broadcast), this was selected amongst the first three novelisations of Doctor Who probably because the author Bill Strutton (who wrote both the script and this book) and the BBC hoped to have a second Dalek success story. They didn't. What they did get with this book is a fairly interesting story of a quite alien world.

The Menoptera, who once ruled the world of Vortis, have been driven off when the previously docile Zarbi mysteriously become both organised and aggressive. At the time when the Menoptera are re-invading, the TARDIS arrives and the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki find themselves split up and under threat from the various sides in the conflict.

Whereas the TV story looks rather clunky, as the special effect technology wasn't able to cope with the demands of the story, the novel allows for the reader to make the Zarbi, the Menoptera, the venom grubs, the Optera and even the Animus far better than they appeared on TV. One does question, however, how useful the line illustrations in this novel are. Their quality is variable, but not that good.

What we have here is an interesting concept, better realised in this book than on video, but if this kind of story was written these days it would have been even better (I suggest you read "Venusian Lullaby" instead).

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Doctor Who and the Zarbi
David Whittaker
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download

Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000JLTC68

Book Description

The Red Book is nothing less than a spiritual fire starter -- a combustible cocktail of Hindu Tantra and Zen Buddhism, Rumi and Carl Jung, goddesses and psychics, shaken with cosmic nudges, meaningful subway rides, haircuts, relationships, sex, dreams, and intuition. Author Sera Beak's unique hybrid perspective, hilarious personal anecdotes, and invaluable exercises encourage her readers to live more consciously so they can start making clearer choices across the board, from careers to relationships, politics to pop culture and everything in between. For smart, gutsy, spiritually curious women whose colorful and complicated lives aren’t reflected in most spirituality books, The Red Book is an open invitation to find your true self and start sharing that delicious truth with the world.

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Awakening..........2007-09-17

I'm not going to spend a lot of time reviewing this book because I want to get back to reading it! As many other reviewers, I don't fit the age range the author targets. I'm 45. I wish I had this book years ago as a resource although I guess it was meant to be at this point in my life. Even if you're not religious which I am not this book is fabulous. Witty, insightful, encouraging and a fantastic resource. I looked into just one of her many recommendations (I plan to do much more) and wow. What a difference it's made. I actually think this book is better suited for a slighlty more mature audience because maybe we are a bit more open minded then a younger generation. The author clearly was quite precocious which is why she speaks to women her age. Don't let that stop you from reading and rereading her wonderful book. Now, back to The Red Book!

For ALL WOMEN who care to learn a little more about yourselves..........2007-09-07

I couln't put the Red Book down. It carries with it such good energy I must admit it spent nights near my pillow, hoping I might pick bits of it up while I dozed off dreaming about the fun and intriguing words I was in the midst of devouring. If you're a woman or know a woman who is always curious to know more about herself and her womankind, there isn't a better book that I have yet to read, and I've read some...Do enoy...

An awesome book for ALL women regardless of age.......2007-06-28

After reading hundreds of books of various genres and more scholarly journal articles than I care to recall, this is THE book that says it ALL to me at the age of 50 and it does so simply and eloquently with a wonderful sense of joy in life. The only other book I have read that had a truly profound, life-enhancing effect on me is "Five Stages of the Soul" (Moody & Carroll, 1999), which I read during a particularly crazy and stressful period in my life. I highly recommend these two books to all women, and men, particularly those over the age of 35, to get a sense of what life can be when you really start to pay attention.

The Book that is Changing my Life!!!.......2007-06-10

This is what I exclaimed to my friends after I began reading Sera Beak's "The Red Book." I have to say that I am a young woman who had completely renounced religion and God. That is, until Sera. I had had enough of Christianity. And I was fine with that. But when I read the first few pages of TRB, I felt something inside me break open. I started to cry. I cried and laughed and cried some more. It struck me as such utter truth that I knew I had been hiding from the divine within me. That I had been running from myself. TRB held a mirror into my soul and I was greeted by a radiant reflection. I loved that it felt as though Sera was talking to me, in MY language. I would encourage anyone who wants to change their life in a positive way to read this book. I really could never adequately express the brilliance of "The Red Book" and I would certainly need more space than what this review allows. So read it. And spread the Red.

The Absolute Best Book!!!!!.......2007-06-04

I am about to read this book for the second time. It really gets to the heart and soul of a woman's spirituality. Highly recommended.

Customer Reviews:

Great for mushroom lovers.......2007-05-26

I agree that there are some great recipes packed in this little book. We've loved the recipes we've tried so far, and I have a dozen or more flagged that we'll try over the coming weeks.
The author includes explanations and descriptions of all of the mushrooms that are used in the recipes, and great little facts. If white domestic mushrooms are all that's available near you, you probably shouldn't buy this (or any other) mushroom cookbook. Our local grocery store carries about 6-7 types of fresh mushroom and a decent variety of dried mushrooms -- so I haven't had any problems finding the right ingredients.
The book is a little hard to cook from since it won't lay flat or stay open. I usually have to set a jar or something on it to hold it open to the page I'm on, and since it's so tiny, the jar winds up covering half of the book, so it's definitely not a hands free type of cookbook.
Otherwise, it's worth the price. The mushroom barley soup and the Grecque mushrooms are both yummy and very simple to make.

Hardly a cookbook.......2006-10-01

This "book" is a bit of a joke. Very small, mushroom-shaped, and the text is written in very large letters such that each recipe takes two pages. In the 100 pages it has there are probably less than 50 recipes, mostly standard ones with mushrooms added. Looks more like someone's pulled out all the recipes with mushrooms from a regular cookbook. There are much better cookbooks out there for the true mushroom lover.

Scrumptious recipes for the mushroom lover.......2003-11-17

The first few recipes are not too impressive - salads with mushrooms... lots of different salads, just add mushrooms. Recipes like the Mushroom Pecan Paté, however, make the book worth its weight in mushrooms.

The book has dozens of scrumptious recipes for different mushroom varieties... quite a bit is jammed into this tiny book.

I have two major gripes, however, that reduce this book to a 4-star review. While the die-cut shape of the book is whimsical, the pages are not easy to turn and the book will not lay flat. While there is a colorful illustration of different mushroom varieties on the front cover, there are only scant drawings of different mushrooms throughout the book and the drawings are not labeled and are more for aesthetic purposes and do not denote that these are the mushrooms for the recipe at hand. Unless you are a bonafide chef (in which case you probably wouldn't need this book) and go to specialty stores, most people will not run across these mushrooms at the local supermarket. Mushrooms don't have a very long shelf-life and unless you get them dried or know of a market that specializes in mushroom varieties, most of these species will be unheard of and mysterious.

If you don't live next to a "Central Market" or other specialty store that carries a variety of mushrooms, you'll be out of luck identifying some of the varieties covered here, but if you have experience w/ many varieties of mushrooms, but haven't been too successful in bringing out their flavor, this book will be just the help you needed.

A must-have for mushroom lovers!.......1999-03-27

I picked this cookbook up on a whim, and thank goodness I did! This clever little book is necessary for anyone who loves cooking and experimenting with mushrooms. Not only does it have the most delicious recipes, but I love the narrative that goes down the sides of most of the pages. It is here that you learn about all different exotic mushrooms, fresh vs. dried, etc. The mushroom barley soup is the best we've had, and we haven't been disappointed with any other recipe either. I've given this book to every true mushroom lover I know!

Another mushroom: A totally new collection of recipes from the Little Mushroom restaurant, Dallas, Texas

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Another mushroom: A totally new collection of recipes from the Little Mushroom restaurant, Dallas, Texas
Marilyn Romweber
Manufacturer: Evergreen Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0960710205

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New DUNBAR catalog versus 50 version

DUNBAR is a classic mid-century modern success story.

Mid-Century Modern Furniture Must...

A tribute to Edward Wormley...

One Star, Maybe

Dunbar: Fine Furniture of the 1950s
Leslie Pina
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Furniture | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Fifties Furniture by Paul McCobb: Directional Designs (Schiffer Book for Collectors and Designers,)

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Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s

Mid-Century Modern: Interiors, Furniture, Design Details (Conran Octopus Interiors)

ASIN: 0764310534

Book Description

Critical in the evolution of 20th-century design, Dunbar was a leader in modern furniture design and its production during the 1950s. This reproduction of the 1956 Dunbar catalog reflects the impact Dunbar designs, under the fine workmanship of Edward Wormley--pioneer modernist and multi-faceted designer--had on the American interior. Combining elegance, warmth, and contemporary style with functionalism, comfort, and stability, each piece is a product of the advancements of technology teamed with the traditional craft of furniture making. An indispensable reference, this book is a historical landmark in the best in modern furniture design for mid-twentieth century America. Price guide included.

Customer Reviews:

New DUNBAR catalog versus 50 version.......2003-09-21

This is basically a reprint of the 1950 catalog --- OK for collectors, but you can get the new color version at the dunbar website www.collectdunbar.com Wormley was a great
furniture designer -- nice to see the designs are back in production.

DUNBAR is a classic mid-century modern success story........2002-10-27

During the 50's & 60's , Ed Wormley and Dunbar were leaders in the fine furniture industry. Leslie Pina's reprint of one of the catalogs from that period gives collectors a nice reference point. The company is about much more than what is presented in this basic presentation, hopefully someone will write a more comprehensive reference on the entire collection. I've heard word that the company is coming back and going back into production with some of the primary pieces. That would be great! The book on Edward Wormley is also worth checking out.

Mid-Century Modern Furniture Must..........2002-10-20

Great starting point on Dunbar.. I agree with the review that said they miss some key points about the company and the top designs, but this is only a reprint of one of their catalogs, not the definitive story of Dunbar.

Enjoy it for what it is.

A tribute to Edward Wormley..........2002-10-19

Edward Wormley and Dunbar have much more to offer than what is presented in this snapshot... nice to see the copies of the breakout advertising campaigns that Dunbar invested in to promote the product launches.... Check out the Edward Wormley profile book by Judith Gura and Chris Kennedy - its very good.

It would be nice to see some of the Dunbar pieces back in production... quality pieces are hard to find and often expense because of the auction setting.

One Star, Maybe.......2000-08-31

This is a remarkably disappointing book on an outstanding furniture company.

To have missed the opportunity of including many of Dunbar's most important pieces is not just negligent, but a crime. Missing are classics like: the rolltop desk, the famous contemporary wing chair, the bentwood chaise and the elegant upholstered model 971 chair series.

This should not be confused with a collectors reference book, as it isn't one.

The illustrations consist solely of muddy, fuzzy, apparently unresearched reproductions of old Dunbar catalogs.

Also missing is a proper account of the lore of the company.

Average customer rating:
Dowry: Eastern European Painted Furniture, Textiles & Related Folk Art

Manufacturer: Mingei International Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0914155113

Product Description

A Mingei International Museum exhibition documentary publication.

Hungarian peasant costumes (Hungarian folk art)

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Hungarian peasant costumes (Hungarian folk art)
Alice Gáborján
Manufacturer: Corvina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 9631328325
Release Date: 1988-01-01

Hungarian Folk Designs for Embroiderers and Craftsmen (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

Average customer rating:

Simple line drawings of stylized flowers inspire your own color choices
Okay

Hungarian Folk Designs for Embroiderers and Craftsmen (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Anne Szalavary
Manufacturer: Dover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Embroidery | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0486239691

Customer Reviews:

Simple line drawings of stylized flowers inspire your own color choices.......2006-07-03

This book contains floral designs from 13 craft districts of Hungary. A brief introduction to each district suggests typical colors and stitches, and sometimes origins of the designs. For example, "Sarkoz embroidery has its origins in Byzantine culture. Brought to Hungary by the Turks, the Byzantine forms were gradually adapted by local folk artists." If you like to do freestyle embroidery and are looking for simple, lively floral designs to which you can apply your own color schemes, Hungarian Folk Designs for Embroiderers and Craftsmen offers a huge trove of patterns.

Okay.......2001-02-25

This was a pretty good book. It gave me a lot of things to do. I liked it a lot.

The art of the Hungarian furriers (Hungarian folk art)

Average customer rating:

The art of the Hungarian furriers (Hungarian folk art)
Maria Kresz
Manufacturer: Corvina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9631304175

Average customer rating:

Folk art and folk artists in Hungary
Károly Gink
Manufacturer: Corvina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Folk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007IKJ88

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Folk Art in Hungarian Cemeteries
Erno Kunt
Manufacturer: Corvina Kiado
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 963131359X

Folk art in Hungarian cemeteries (Hungarian folk art)

Average customer rating:

Folk art in Hungarian cemeteries (Hungarian folk art)
Ernő Kunt
Manufacturer: Corvina Kiadó
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007B23FC

Hungarian black pottery (Hungarian folk art)

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Hungarian black pottery (Hungarian folk art)
Jozsef Szabadfalvi
Manufacturer: Corvina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9631322149

Average customer rating:

HUNGARIAN DECORATIVE FOLK ART
Hungarian Ethnographical Museum
Manufacturer: Corvina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M0P8HI

Average customer rating:

Hungarian Decorative Folk Art
Unknown
Manufacturer: Corvina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NDTQHW

Book Description

Workplaces and Workspaces: Office Designs That Work beautifully illustrates the designs of some of the world's most innovative and imaginative architects and interior designers.

--Features more than fifty high-quality office designs ranging from the traditional to the cutting edge--law, banking, multimedia, and biotechnology --Presents all the elements of design: comfortable seating and lighting, dynmaic colors, materials and textures, functional space plans, and well considered programming --Shows how designers meet the challenge of enhancing corporate identity while maintaining necessary funcionality --Includes some of the best work of the 1990s and points the way to the definitive office designs of the 21st century

A handsome volume showing how designers inspired by the challenges of cyberspace, new technology, and changing modes of doing business are reinventing the office.

Customer Reviews:

A nice book.......2002-01-28

Very good photographs and reviews inside, but there's a lack of technical drawings to give us a better understanding of the projects.

Excellent examples of interior designs.......1998-12-04

If you're looking for ideas or examples of modern office interior design, then this book is a must have. Many full page color photos highlighting furniture, lighting, floors, desks, and tables as they actually are used. Text is concise and easy to read.

Customer Reviews:

Geometrical Illustrations of Fourth Dimension.......2004-01-29

Living in a world of three dimensional space makes it hard for us to conceive fourth dimension and it gets even harder to visualize the fifth and higher dimension. Superstring theorists predict the existence of 10th and 26th dimensions in universe; hence it seems reasonable for many of us to understand how it would be like to be living in fourth dimension. Thomas Banchoff is one of the leaders in the study of higher dimension using computer graphics; he has illustrated fourth dimension using basic geometrical approach such as slicing the spatial dimension, observing the shadows of structures, comparing the folded and foldout versions of polytops and description of configuration of spaces. This book is useful for someone who appreciates geometry, but for a reader who likes to visualize the fourth dimension he/she may read Clifford Pickover's Surfing through Hyperspace, which does a better job in illustrating fourth dimension.

Concise Well-Written And Beautifully Illustrated Work.......2003-04-23

Mathematical ideas, when first learned, tend to undergo a curious inner transformation. At the outset, some tangible representation is necessary to effectively latch onto the concept. Thereafter, the symbolic elaboration using the language of mathematics is sufficient to encompass not only that particular figure, but limitless others like it as well. The underlying geometry is still there, but there are simply too many possibilities to illustrate in any amount of time.

The first step of illustrating must be manifest, using ink or chalk or sand or digital pixels. In this way, even the finest geometric illustrations can be considered extremely crude and innacurate in comparison to rigorous mathematical precision. Consider, however, how extraordinarily difficult it would be to grasp trigonometric functions, vector spaces, or even the basic Cartesian coordinate system, without first observing supporting representative illustrations. Even if later forgotten, those initial images are crucial for understanding.

This work provides a wide range of richly color-illustrated examples of the abstract geometric structures dealt with regularly in mathematics and the sciences. It is unique in its quality and affordability, and is supported with excellent prose, briefly describing the developmental history, and frequently how to reconstruct the figures from a sparse handful of assumptions. From an introductory description of dimension, this book then branches into numerous and diverse major topics: scaling, slices, regular polytopes, perspective, coordinate geometry, and non-euclidean geometry. While sparing in its level of mathematical description and precision, it never diverges into a fully artistic exposition on the subjects either. There is a careful balance, to guide the reader into better understanding the particular system under discussion.

Certainly reading this book is merely the first step of a far longer term process. Symbolic computing programs, such as Mathematica, Maple or MatLab, will assist in visualization, as well as in understanding the pragmatic relation between the graphical and set-theoretic descriptions of the figures. Other books will also assist in this. Many of Rucker's works provide further descriptions of certain topics, specifically Geometry Relativity & The Fourth Dimension is admirable in its brevity and profundity. Abbott's classic Flatland is the foundational book on non-technical description of dimensions. The venerable What Is Mathematics? by Courant and Robbins combines illustration and mathematics as well as any work written since. Design science touches on these topics frequently as well, Kappraff's Connections is an extraordinary example of this. Deeper mathematical topics include set theory, algebraic groups, vector analysis, and too many others to list.

However abstract the concepts diagrams and illustrations in this book may seem initially, most if not all have been utilized for practical application in recent times. You may very well be using devices on a daily basis, which have these concepts as a basis for their functionality. Keep this in mind while reveling in what the individual imagination can conjure.

The royal road to geometry!.......2001-02-26

This book is a jewel! It contains a wide collection of visual geometry. Professor Banchoff is able to link geometry to many aspects of life. It's a treasure trove for anybody teaching geometry at any level. It's a book that can be read at many levels. If you're willing to skip a bit here and there, you can get a very good general idea. But if you want to really understand all the details, it can make for hours of challenging reading. I'm still reading it! :-)

What is a dimension?.......2000-11-26

A comfortable introduction to modern geometry for the general reader, with emphasis on the concept of the dimension. This reference concludes with an introduction to non-euclidean geometry.

A must reading for any geometry enthusiast!.......1998-11-30

After reading this book, no doubt Thomas Banchoff is a deeply experienced geometry enthusiast.Unlike many schoolbooks, his book shows the main ideas underlying a multi-faceted geometry with minimal technical complication nonsense, using simple concepts and a bright argumentation, almost without losing insight! He never misses an opportunity to connect geometry to other sciences like algebra, relativity, optics, mechanics and to arts. It is not only the 'Everything you desired to know about the 4th dimensions' but also a bunch of 2D and 3D geometry 'master tricks' as well as a historical narration (including recent discoveries).

Examples: - how to find yourself the polytopes (4D 'polyhedra') with 3D representations - how to easily calculate vertex coordinates of the 5 polyhedra - how to draw a torus on a hypersphère! -.. and many others

Book Description

Director's Third Dimension has been designed with the Director developer with little or no 3D experience in mind. The purpose is threefold: To explain the fundamental concepts necessary to begin working with 3D; To demonstrate how these concepts manifest themselves in Director; To demonstrate strategies for the application of these concepts in terms of specific projects, including building charts, creating interfaces, and controlling characters in a 3D environment.

The book has and abundance of demos (more than 140). At the end of every chapter, there is a collection of Frequently Asked Questions and supplemental resources that will help the reader expand their learning.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-07-16

This is an excellent book for Director and Director 3D. It is very in depth and involved, although a bit hard to understand at times. This book is not for beginners and requires a lot of hard work to obtain its end results, but they are very much worth it.

This is THE book for 3D in Director MX.......2003-05-08

Other reviews have captured the gist of this wonderful, accessible, and thorough treatment of Director's 3D functionality. What I would like to add is that Catanese's book is just as current with Director MX as it is with Director 8.5.

If you plan to do 3D in Director MX, either games or presentations, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

I got A for my project !.......2003-02-23

I'm an IT student and possessing VB & C/C++. I have never learn about 3D and Director before. So when I want to make a Director project (game), I need a book!
And this book is the great answer. Everything you need about Director 3D is in this book! (although this book doesn't cover about Havok Physics Engine).

This book tells you WHAT and HOW, I mean, this book not only tells you HOW to make something (ex: primitive object) but also explains about that thing. (ex: what is a primitive object). So, you're not only able to programm but also understand about WHAT are you doing.

This book explains from basic and the last page explains advance technique. So, if you start from first page and finish the book, you'll become an advance 3D Director programmer (even before you read this, you're nill in 3D Director).

OK, I'll tell you what I get from this book, here is my project: a Multiplayer First Person Shooting (FPS) game! (like Counter Strike, Quake, etc). Notice that this is my FIRST 3D Director project! And I got A!

NB: if you're NOT a programmer and don't WANT to possessing 3D Director programming SERIOUSLY, I don't recommend this book, for this book is code heavy, full of code programming, just try "Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D: Training from the Source" (by Phil Gross).
Just a note: I learn about Multiuser form Director 8.5 Studio (you won't find about Multiuser in Director's Third Dimension).

AN AMAZING BOOK.......2002-06-04

This is the best multimedia book I have ever read. I am a multimedia/web graphics programmer, and I have read at least 5 books on Director and a few good Flash books, but this one has taken me further than any other single book I own.

You will need a good foundation in Lingo to really benefit from this book, and if you have that, this book will pay for itself several times over. Paul Catanese's style is very easy to follow, and it is peppered with a lot of other general knowledge regarding aesthetics, mathematics, and the general world of multimedia. I spent 20 hours of my vacation time reading this book last week and I feel comfortable with things in Director 3D that only a month ago seemed so far away in terms of my programming abilities.

Paul's chapters on download and file optimization are excellent, and he teaches not only how to work in 3D, but how to be mindful of how well your projects will work on various client machines, which is no small issue. In fact, Paul touches on so many other relevant issues such as building custom schedulers to create timeout objects that run independent of the main time line, bones animation, advancing texturing techniques, using alpha channels to create very nice texture effects, collision detection without using Havok, and many other important topics in the context of Director 3D.

Paul has also put together several "labs" on the CD to help you understand various utilities: particle systems, fog, bones animation, etc.

He really sets himself apart from so many other authors (we won't mention names) who put out quick books about Director 3D to make a quick buck that really don't do justice to the subject matter.

Paul takes the time to teach you Director 3d they way you would want to learn it in a college or university setting. It makes sense; according to the book, when it was published, he was teaching Digital Imaging at a University in Chicago.

Get the book.

The title says it all!.......2002-06-01

Being pretty familiar with the concepts of 3d but not familiar with Director (and it's Lingo language), this book manages to teach two important things.

Obviously the 3d stuff which I'll talk about later. But he showed me a decent Lingo coding style to ape. His sample Director programs are constructed with an eye for reuse. Not one-offs and you see the same castmember movie scripts used again and again like REAL (gasp!) code components!

The 3d he covers mostly focuses on Lingo-created 3d components (including Director3d cameras, lighting, shaders, textures, particles and 2d imaging and rendering). He talks optimization for performance with specific Director 3d adjustments. And he writes about minimizing and breaking up download size; techniques which are very specific to Director.

For those who are curious, if you stay in the 3d side of Director 8.5, you will find you are handling all of the 3d via code and rarely fussing with the "odd" Score metaphor.

He doesn't spend as much time (say <15%) as I would have loved discussing the free-with-Director8.5-and-jaw-dropping Havok physics engine (i.e. impact on performance, et al.) and specifics about 3d programs besides 3dsmax (Hard to blame him, though - 3dsMax exporter was the only one at the writing of the book)

I've been zooming through the book for a project in about one week and I've gotten through 22 of the 29 chapters (plus appendix - one on imaging Lingo - good for on-the-fly manipulation of 3d textures!!!).

I would hard-pressed to find a better book on Director 3d than this. (and, IMHO, not bad for Lingo coding style either)

It is a shame that Flash has stolen so much thunder from Director.

Book Description

St. Germain was considered a mystic, philosopher, and master alchemist of the 17th century who held the key to immortality. Sightings of him after his "death "by high-profile, credible people added to the legend. This is the most rare and sought after work concerning his life. The author was able to procure documents unavailable to others, which thereby allows some of the mystery to drop away. Nowhere beyond this book will one find documents written in St. Germain's own hand, providing proof of his whereabouts and concerns during certain parts of his life. Cooper-Oakley does an impressive job tracing his movements between countries, thereby revealing many mysteries and secrets that surround him.

Customer Reviews:

Best in the business.......2007-10-17

This book was delivered promptly and in excellent condition. The Count is very dear to my heart, so I was happy to receive the book in such a positive way.

I am an editor and love to read, so I use Amazon a lot. Oakley is the expert on this subject.

Detailed account of St. Germains life in Europe.......2002-08-27

This book is valuable for those who are searching for the practical life and evidence of Comte de St. Germain. An immortal who is still very active in the world today.

"The Man Who Does Not Die...".......2000-06-13

Cooper-Oakley's biography on Comte de St. Germain is the first biographical sketch written about this enigmatic character. Called by Frederick the Great "The man who does not die" Saint Germain was said to possess the Elixir of Life, and to be virtually immortal. Germain was the friend, confident, and spy of European rulers for a generation. Two hundred years after his disappearance from the scene of politics, his reputation as an emissary from the Invisible Brotherhood intrigues us even more. While there is a definite Theosophical spin to her work, Cooper-Oakley's "Comte de St. German" remains to this day seminal reading for those interested in this "Unknown Superior" of Western Esotericism - Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism in particular - almost a century after it was written. A very good book and well worth reading by any one interested in the mysterious occult forces behind history. Jean Overton-Fuller's historical biography on Comte de Saint Germain is a fine follow-up to this one.

Comte De St. Germain (The Secret of Kings)

Average customer rating:

Comte De St. Germain (The Secret of Kings)
Isabel Cooper-Oakley
Manufacturer: Theosophical Publishing House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N44T14

Product Description

St. Germain was considered a mystic, philosopher, and master alchemist of the 17th century who held the key to immortality. Sightings of him after his "death" by high-profile, credible people added to the legend. This is the most rare and sought after work concerning his life. The author was able to procure documents unavailable to others, which thereby allows some of the mystery to drop away. Nowhere beyond this book will one find documents written in St. Germains own hand, providing proof of his whereabouts and concerns during certain parts of his life. Cooper-Oakley does an impressive job tracing his movements between countries, thereby revealing many mysteries and secrets that surround him.

The Comte De St. Germain: The Secret of the Kings

Average customer rating:

Amazing book about an amazing man

The Comte De St. Germain: The Secret of the Kings
I. Cooper-Oakley
Manufacturer: Book Tree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 1885395418

Book Description

First published in 1912. Concerns the man of legend who had (has?) the secret key to immortality. Includes copies of rare documents like St. Germain's hand-written letter to the British Museum in 1735. Topics include mysticism, his travels and knowledge, his political work, tragic prophecies, Masonic tradition, Masonic work and Austrian traditions, Masonic documents, and more. 255 pages 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 comb binding.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing book about an amazing man.......2000-09-19

For those interested in magic and the historical personalities of the field, this is a good book.

Although written in 1912, and thus in the style of that period, which makes it a little dry, the book contains much information about the mysterious Count St. Germain, that mystic and philosopher who has popped up in various places at various times throughout history. Meticulously researched, it delves into the theories of his birth (which vary widely), his travels, his knowledge of many things esoteric, his amazing feats, his part in the French Revolution, his prophecies of the future, and his death--or lack thereof. For it is claimed that this mystic, who associated with Rosicrucian societies, had knowledge of the Elixir of Life, and by its use remains alive to this day.

Published by the Theosophical Publishing House, this book is probably meant for practitioners of magic and members of Rosicrucian and Theosophical societies. I believe, however, that it is a treasure trove of information for anybody interested in the history of secret societies, the history of magic, or even legends of 18th-century Europe.

Included in this volume are copies of the text of many of St. Germain's correspondences, including a fold-out facsimile of one, which adds to the experience of reading this book.