Book Description
Written during the 1960s, this courageous work explores the intolerance and bigotry faced daily by Japan's largest minority group, the Burakumin.
Average customer rating:
- Bad romance novel
- Inspiring!
- Maybe 3 1/2 stars...
- disappointing
- Stick with it to the end!
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Ghostlight ("Light")
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Bradley, Marion Zimmer | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Paperback | Bradley, Marion Zimmer | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Gravelight ("Light")
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Heartlight ("Light")
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Witchlight ("Light")
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The Inheritor ("Light")
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Witch Hill
ASIN: 0765346664 |
Book Description
What is the Truth?Truth Blackburn's father thought he knew what it was. Thorne Blackburn and his followers settled at Shadow's Gate, a magnificent old house in upstate New York, and sought the Truth about life through ritual and magic. One night, something went badly wrong during Thorne's most powerful ceremony. When the chaos had passed, Thorne had vanished, and Katherine, mother of Thorne's young daughter Truth, was dead. Thirty years later, Truth Blackburn searches for smaller truths: what really happened that night at Shadow's Gate? Did Thorne truly have magical powers? And what happened to her half-siblings, a boy and girl Truth last saw that horrible night when her mother died?
Customer Reviews:
Bad romance novel.......2005-04-03
This book is awful and should be avoided at all costs. The plot is thin and has huge holes in it, I skimmed the last hundred pages just to get through it. Nothing annoys me more than when a female writer gives her female characters every negative female stereotype there is. Truth is supposed to be highly educated and working in the paranormal field but knows ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about it...she misses such obvious things that it is amazing she can tie her own shoelaces without help.
If this is a real exampe of occultists in the modern day they deserve all the bad press they get as none of these people has any intelligence of their own and blindly follow whatever "cult" leader is convenient.
Inspiring!.......2004-12-11
Marion Zimmer Bradley masterfully develops the mystery and suspense in this believable tale of Truth and her quest to uncover her past. Truth is a strong, intelligent female character and a refreshing change from the frail, helpless "heroines" in many modern novels. The scenes are vivid, and the characters deep. Ghostlight will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. As Truth discovers, it is our choices which determine who we are, not destiny.
Maybe 3 1/2 stars..........2004-08-01
This book reminded me of when you are watching a movie and you constantly yell out
disappointing.......2003-03-17
... I rate this book such because the book lacked humor or appeal. The main character was so prudish and emotionally closed that it was a bore reading three hundred pages of her "rationalizing" and closed off views that became soooo predicatible. Speaking of predicatable the ending was about as predicatible as could get. Don't get me wrong... I love a good predicatible everything turns out the way you thought it would including a little side love-storybut NONE of the characters were developed to get attatched to... so it was an empty ending yet exciting ending (especially compared to the "haunted house" story angle it came from).
If you think you want to buy this for any occult content then I would recommend you look elsewhere as there is little to relish upon.
On the possitive side... I enjoyed the mystery, most of the side characters, and the background story.
The book would have been a 4 or 5 stars if it was edited out 100 pgs and if the main character wasn't so prudish. It would have been an exceptional book in my opinion if then had 100 pgs more details and REAL character developement.
Stick with it to the end!.......2003-02-18
I really loved this book! The characters felt like real people to me that I wanted more, more, more of them after the last page. I admit, at first I didn't like lead character Truth Jourdemayne because of how coldly rational she seems at times, but the circumstances surrounding her were interesting from the start. Those same circumstances kept me reading until the revelations popped up one by one. And it was worth it to stick with the novel 'til the very end!
As for the 4 stars instead of five in my rating of this story, I only gave it that much because it's quite unlike THE MISTS OF AVALON (which I REALLY, REALLY loved!) by the same author. Now that book in its epic grandiosity is a five-star read. This is something like 4 and 3/4.
Marion Zimmer Bradley sure knew how to give readers their money's worth. Too bad she's no longer with us...
Average customer rating:
- Not Scary Enough
- One of the best books I ever read
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Ghostlight
Clare McNally
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0553225200 |
Customer Reviews:
Not Scary Enough.......2004-06-19
The author didn't say enough about the theatre and I couldn't relate to the ghost because she was too young.
I will admit a few chills went down my spine but the author didn't take her idea far enough.
Why couldn't a young woman or teenager die instead of a young child so the public could better relate to McNally's character?
On the other hand, beggers cant be greedy and book length ghost stories are seldom if ever published!
One of the best books I ever read.......2000-08-20
I do not read many books but I have happened to read two books from Clare McNally. She is a very good author. Her books are not very long like a text book but are not to short eather like a childrens book. I just got done reading Ghost Light and I must say that the last line in the Epilouge is what freaked me out most. But please, read the whole story before reading the last line. If I could give this book a higher rating than five stars then I would give it the maximum rating. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thriller. I liked it so much I ended up taking it to work with me.
Product Description
2 Hardbacks & 1 Large Paperback
Average customer rating:
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Ghostlight
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HKLL92 |
Average customer rating:
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Ghostlight (Dark Paths, 8)
Allan Frewin Jones
Manufacturer: Pan Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General & Reference | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0330392395 |
Average customer rating:
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Ghostlight, a Luz Espiritual
Manufacturer: Rocco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Portuguese | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 8532507042 |
Average customer rating:
- Beatiful Art, Intriguing Story
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Deus Vitae, Vol. 3
Takuya Fujima
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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All 4-for-3 Deals
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ASIN: 159182771X |
Book Description
In the year 2068, the Brain Computer (created by humans to be the core of a machine-driven Earth,) has created Selenoids, androids far surpassing the ability of humans. A virtually perfect society has been designed with just one virus in need of elimination: humans! This is the story of Ash Ramy, one of the few surviving humans in the Revolutional Organization bent on freeing earth from Selenoid rule. In a world of cold, hard machines, is an impossible love mankind's last hope?
Customer Reviews:
Beatiful Art, Intriguing Story.......2005-04-10
This is an interesting story told fairly well and drawn BEATIFULLY. I was originally attracted to this series, in fact, because of the art. I'm not sure why the selenoid robots have to me so hot, or why they get naked so much, but I bet its to attract teenage boys-which it should do pretty well. Sometimes things get confusing, but so far, the story explains itself as you go along. I wish I knew if 3 was the end, but I guess I just have to read to fin dout...
Average customer rating:
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Curriculum Vitae de Deus, O
Manufacturer: Marco Zero
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Portuguese
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 8527902141 |
Product Description
Is there anyone who doesn't relish the creamy delight of cheesecake? Most of us think that delicious cheesecake is only available in a restaurant or our favorite bakery. However, what if some of your concerns, such as it's too much work, too difficult and it requires too many ingredients, could be dispelled?.
The 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes contains dozens of delectable cheesecake recipes, each more luscious than the last. Explore delightful recipes from the Flavoured and Vanilla, Fruit or Nut chapters. Also featured is a wonderful variety of no-bake cheesecakes along with an inventive selection of savoury cheesecake recipes. There is also a wide array of chocolate-inspired creations. With wonderful recipes and important tips and techniques needed to bake a perfect cheesecake, 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes will appeal to novice and experienced bakers alike.
192 pages, softcover.
George Geary CCP has taught cheesecake techniques in more than 72 cooking schools across North America. A regular contributing editor to several magazines and newsletters, he has also been the pastry chef and production manager for the Wait Disney Corporation and the Marriott Corporation.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Book!!.......2007-08-05
We have made at least 15 different recipes from this book and they have all turned out incredibly well. People are always excited if I'm bringing a cheeseceake and we've developed a reputation for being fantastic cheesecake makers. Yet, I cannot take the credit. This book provided me with all the recipes. Our favourites are the pina colada, key lime and peppermint chocolate. Yet I can think of at least 3 more I loved. This book is fantastic and completely worth it.
Good Book...The various recipes look very interesting........2007-07-27
I had been looking for a book to purchase to try baking cheesecakes at home. From the other reviews, I chose this book. I am very excited about trying some of the recipes.
This book is a MUST HAVE!!.......2007-07-16
A Friend told me about this book, and how every recipe was a winner. I am glad I listened! Every recipe I have made is delicious and easy to make. I will be giving these cakes out for Christmas gifts this year. I highly reccomend investing in the cheesecake pans he suggest. They produce a much better cheesecake than a springform pan! I ordered the pans from Amazon when I ordered this book, just search cheesecake pans.
Love It!.......2006-12-04
I have tried many recipes from this book, including a no bake choclate mocha chunk that is wonderful. There are lots of different ideas on crusts and many different types. It is a must have if you like cheesecake.
perfect cheesecake book!!!.......2006-11-02
My husband and I own our own business, and a lot of times we'll have meetings at our house. I am now known as the cheesecake wonder. I have made a number of cheesecakes from this book, and they have all turned out great!!! everyone ALWAYS loves them. I end up making two, one for the meeting, and one for my husband!! He gives great tips, and he usually has a topping for the cheesecake, especially good if you get cracks. I am in love with this book!
Book Description
- Provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for training your dog to master each agility obstacle with competitive excellence in mind.
- Includes important principles for building a happy and successful working relationship with your dog, as well as a solid foundation for all of your agility training.
- Focuses on setting high standards and getting it right from the start so that no retraining will be necessary later down the road.
- Is the perfect companion to Competitive Agility Training with Jane Simmons-moake, Tape 1: Obstacle Training - named Best Video of the Year by the Dog Writer's Association of America.
Customer Reviews:
Not a lot of bang for the buck.......2007-10-06
For background, I have trained three dogs and wanted to get started in agility. This book got such great reviews that I ordered it... but when it got here, I read up to page 44, skimmed the rest, and returned it.
It was a lot of common sense stuff like "dogs may become reluctant if you pull them through the weave poles with the leash". Well, gee, that I could have figured out on my own. :) No clicker use either, which surprised me.
There *was* lots of mention of entering the obstacles from different angles and making sure you're in different places when the dog enters and exits, which was a good thing to point out. There was also a brief comparison of different techniques for teaching weave poles which I found interesting (still no clicker techniques though). So it's not that it was completely content free, but there was so much repetition and filler that I felt like the useful information could have been condensed into a one-page handout for each obstacle. It hardly seems worth buying the book for that.
Great book for the beginner.......2007-01-06
I thought it would be fun to teach my italian greyhound some agility, so I picked up the entire series by Simmons Moake. She give excellent instruction on teaching your dog each obstacle, and how to properly approach and preform the obstacle the right way from the beginning. This book might not be appropriat for those with little patience (of the trainer or the dog), because she focuses of doing one obstacle till it is preformed appropriately from all directions at speed. She does not go into doing series until the next book. So, if you are just interested in having fun in the yard with your dog - this might not be the right book for you. If you could go on to competition and you and your dog want to feel confident in preforming a course I highly suggest picking up this series.
Raising the bar for agility books!.......2004-01-03
Masterfully worded with wonderful illustrations and diagrams, Jane Simmons-Moake has created one of the best books on dog agility training I've seen. This book covers obstacle training for all of the AKC/NADAC/USDAA equipment, focusing on excellence and doing things "the right way" from the beginning. Each obstacle is presented in an easy-to-read, step by step format. She provides tips for those who have troubles teaching a particular obstacle, and has special sections on fixing dropped bars and missed contacts. Not only does she show you how to train the obstacle, but also how to work from a distance with control and confidence... from the beginning! Many trainers leave distance training until the basics have been mastered, but this book allows even the novice agility enthusiast to get a competitive edge early on. Her method will produce consistent and satisfying results! Included in the beginning of the book is also a chapter on equipment and getting started. A brilliant read from start to finish! I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in agility, from the "newbie" to the seasoned competitor!
DogRead book of the month.......2001-10-31
This book was chose to be on the prestigious 'DogRead' as a book selection of the month. We only do 12 books a year and this was May 2000. The author comes on line for the whole month to answer questions on the book. It was very well received by our 3000 member email group. The author was very knowledgeable and easy to understand even though also very in depth.
treshell owner DogRead
...
A must-have book for agility enthusiasts and neophytes alike.......2000-10-26
This book is an ideal starting point for anyone wanting to learn about the wonderful sport of dog agility and how to train their dog to compete in the agility ring. In addition, it can help the experienced agility handler train their beginning dog the right way from the start, helping to ensure success.
This book is written as a companion to Simmons-Moake's award-winning set of videos on agility training (which are also excellent), but you do not need the videos to enjoy the book. There are pictures and diagrams, and the book is well-organized into easy to understand sections. The author breaks down the art of training agility into simple concepts, which she reemphasizes and builds on throughout the book. Simmons-Moake clearly understands how dogs learn, and encourages positive, motivational methods to teach dogs how to perform each agility obstacle correctly and to enhance the dog-handler relationship.
I highly recommend this book! Agility is an addicting sport, one of the most fun things you can enjoy with your dog, and this book is a great way to learn about it.
Book Description
This unique, well-researched reference opens with a special
feature from Julian Bond, National Chairman of the Board,
NAACP, on ?Collecting Black Americana?. Readers will gain
insight into two centuries of African-American cultural
artifacts, ranging from whimsical trinkets to fine art pieces.
All types of Black Americana are covered in the 2,000+
listings, including kitchenwares, paper ephemera, music,
jewelry, tobacciana, political items and much more.
Each listing includes a complete description of the item as well
as current pricing information. Hundreds of vibrant full-color
photos give collectors a look at the most collectible and rare
Black Americana items on the market.
Customer Reviews:
Antique trader black americana.......2007-03-16
It's great I use it all the time while out collecting
Book Description
Collecting of black memorabilia continues as an area of growing interest, attracting new collectors every day. It includes everything from household figures to artifacts from slavery, and covers both the stereotype and the reality of the black experience in America. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Jeanette Carson, a pioneer of black memorabilia, estimated that "of the 30,000 collectors of black memorabilia, the majority are black. "This is a way of preserving a heritage and educating a new generation about how things were." In her second book on Black Memorabilia, one of America's foremost authorities explores the use of black images in advertising, home decoration, office decor, and restaurant themes. Nearly seven hundred items are illustrated in full color and prices are given which reflect current market values.
Customer Reviews:
Fine Guide to African-American 19th,20th Century Collecting.......1999-11-03
178 pages of over 300 great black and white and full color photos. Includes a thought provoking introduction by Julian Bond. Covers items from advertising, banks, cookie jars and dolls, to political memorabilia, sports, tobacciana and toys. Estimated values are shown. Clearly demonstrates the role of collectibles in documenting the history of a nation and the culture of its people. A well done, fascinating book.
Book Description
Black memorabilia is still one of the hottest items being collected today, although it is growing harder and harder to find good pieces. This new book helps the collector see what is available in the market place, with full color illustrations of hundreds of items. They include kitchen items, like wall pockets, mammy memos, salt and peppers, cookie jars, and more, as well as advertising, household goods, and ephemera. Each is shown in full color and is accompanied by the current market price. Prices differ in from coast to coast and auction prices differ from shop prices. Prices are also affected by condition and availability. As this area of collecting continues to grow, more and more examples find their way into the market place. For the experienced collector or the novice, this is an invaluable reference. It definitely needs to be added to your black memorabilia library.
Book Description
An indispensable field guide to a burgeoning area of collecting! In the past fifteen years Black memorabilia has become an increasingly popular area of collecting. The collectors span the nation and cross generational and racial lines and number well over 10,000 each with their own list of wants. With this reality and with the higher prices, it is a challenging area for the new and old collector alike. It takes a vigorous attempt and avid hunting to find them, but that's part of the joy of collecting! This guide will help you identify what is on the market as well as fair values for the piece. Newly revised with full color photographs, size, approximate date, and current prices, this will be an invaluable reference. The book also addresses more recent items on the market and helps the collector guard against unmarked and fraudulent reproductions.
Customer Reviews:
black memorabilia.......2007-03-16
I take this book with me every where it is a great help for my passion of collecting black memorabilia
Book Description
The first ever Black Postcard Price Guide! A comprehensive listing of Black-related postcards from 1893 to 1970. It contains a century of Black Social History that was recorded on postcards. Among the 560 actual images of cards are extremely rare and some never-before-published findings. It has up-to-date values on artist-signed (with many check lists), unsigned artists, real life (with many check lists), comical stereotypes, advertising, real photos, sports, entertainers, topicals, and many others. This book is a must for all collectors of Black Memorabilia and historians of Afro-Americans.
Average customer rating:
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Woman's Day Crochet Showcase
Woman's Day
Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Crocheting
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0442293941 |
Average customer rating:
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Brussels: The Art of Living
SWIMBERGHE
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
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| Books
European
| International
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Decorative Arts
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Photo Essays
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Belgium
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Luxembourg
| Europe
| History
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Decorating
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
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General
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ASIN: 1556707355 |
Amazon.com
"The beautiful exteriors and often subdued interiors shown [here] have at least one thing in common," declares the introduction to this gorgeous volume, "they were designed with love. Love in its Brussels variety--efficient, realistic, without any concessions to dishonesty, ugliness, imitativeness or kitsch and wholly devoted to making the art of living more enjoyable." Lavishly illustrated with nearly 300 color photos of marvelous urban landscapes and exquisitely appointed rooms, this is an expertly guided tour of a fascinating city and its residences. Celebrating the region's history, elegance, traditions, and craftsmanship, the book lovingly explores a place of contrasts: baroque splendor and mid-20th-century concrete, the undulations of art nouveau and the starkness of sleek modernism, the sprawling parks and densely built streets, but everywhere an admiration for the telling detail, the stylish touch. Those planning a trip to this intriguing destination will also enjoy the resource section describing hotels, restaurants, museum, and shopping sites, but you don't have to wait for an opportunity to travel there--soak up the ambience right now with this beautiful book, and find inspiration to bring some of that ambience into your own life. --Amy Handy
Book Description
Since Barbie's introduction in 1959, her impact on baby boomers has been revolutionary. Far from being a toy designed by men to enslave women, she was a toy invented by women to teach women what-- for better or worse-- was expected of them. In telling Barbie's fascinating story, cultural critic and investigative journalist M. G. Lord, herself a first-generation Barbie owner, has written a provocative, zany, occasionally shocking book that will change how you look at the doll and the world.
Customer Reviews:
A very good book for a rainy day.......2006-05-16
I know you think I am a little young for this book but trust me it's great! It's so good! I never looked at a Barbie the same way again! This is a must-have for Barbie fans! I like how she talked about how Barbie made African-Americans and American-Asians feel undermined what with not a lot of ethnic Barbies being sold now. I loved loved hearing about the collector things and the weird people who think Barbie is the most fabulous thing ever. She also covers feminism, society's messages towards women, anorexic stars, and rituals that seem to be incorporated into Barbie play. And she gives some neat background dirt on Mattel. He, he!
I did not like how she said the pregnant Midge doll was "icky". This book is cool with lots of photos and stories of interesting people and disturbing artists as well as the acessories made to make up for Ken's groin loss (lol) and the secret messages implanted in Barbie's accessories. I will never see Barbie as a cheap piece of skinny plastic anymore. Now, she is society in doll form. Believe it!
Wamina!
Impressively skewed........2005-09-30
On the one hand, this is an impressively researched book written with humor and intelligence. I'd love to see a new edition tracking some of the more recent developments in Barbie's empire. But some of Ms. Lord's arguments drift unpersuasively far into psycho-sexual realms. When she used an obscure 43 minute 1987 documentary as her three-page focus for the conflicting causes of eating disorders, she completely lost me.
Great book!.......2004-05-20
This book isn't the next _war and peace_ nor was meant to be. Just like that dude J. Alfred Prufrock, it's good for swelling a crowd, and giving you something less-embarassing than watch television to do when you want to just relax. Analyzing pop culture, learning obscure facts about something I am vaguely ashamed of myself for being interested in in the first place . . . mmmmmmmm, pass the oreo ice cream, please. The author definitely shares my sheepish fascination with Barbie. His/her(?) text explores many aspects of our relationship with Barbie - as children, parents, adult women, queers, artists, etc., as well as a lot of very interesting background info on how she was created, the company who has promoted her over the years, and the toy industry in general. Holding my interest *without* getting so serious that I wished the book had come with a discussion section that met once a week, _Forever Barbie_ was like a long, interesting cultural-analysis chat with an amusing girlfriend. I would read it again in a few years or recommend it to friends . . .
I love it! Too bad itýs out of print.......2001-12-25
This is not a "pro-Barbie" book, or an "anti-Barbie" book. It is an exploration of all aspects of Barbie the author finds significant. Topics include:
The history of Barbie's creation, her marketing and engineering by Mattel.
The differences between male and female executives in handling of the Barbie line.
Ruth Handler, Barbie's creator, and other prominent women in Barbie's life such as Charlotte Johnson, who designed her clothes in the early years, Judy Shackelford, Mattel's first female vice president, and Jill Barad, the marketing director & later Mattel COO, who pioneered the "We Girls Can Do Anything" advertising campaign in 1984.
A history of Barbie and ethnic identity (unfortunately someone had clipped pages out of this chapter in the library copy I read, so I can't say too much about it.)
Explorations of symbolic, sexual, & psychological meanings of the doll.
I found this book fascinating. A very enjoyable read. While it explores both the positive and negative views women have had of Barbie, I especially enjoyed the positive, including Barbie's history as a single independent career woman, the powerful career women involved in her creation, manufacture, & marketing over the years, and the somewhat fanciful but enjoyable discussion of her as a mythical archetype of the feminine.
I like when this book ventures into realms of the bizarre, like the exploration of Barbie's image in the context of fetishism and pornography. I suppose some people might be disturbed or offended by this, however.
I was frustrated by the lack of a list of illustrations, since photographs appear throughout the text, & are often mentioned later in the book. It's hard to go back and find the picture she's talking about.
I was confused by the author `s seeming lack of awareness that people might read the book 6 or more years after its publication. For instance, she refers to women of the Barbie generation as "women under 40." I had to think to realize this included me, since I'm not under 40 now, but I was when the book was published in 1994. The confusion will increase as years go by.
This is too bad, since the book is a unique treatment of Barbie in cultural context, and should be read well into the future by students of popular culture as well as individuals who like to ponder such things. Unfortunately, it's out of print. This makes it unlikely that a 2nd edition will ever appear, which is also too bad, since I would love to know what the author has to say about innovations subsequent to its publication, such as Barbie's new more lifelike proportions, and the introduction of her belly-button.
Some people might find this book too intellectual, or possibly over their heads. Probably many people who like to ponder the meanings of popular culture are anti-Barbie, and might be turned off by the book's positive spin on the doll. Barbie enthusiasts might be put off by the negative spin, as well as the stranger explorations. I love the book, but I have to admit it's not for everybody. Maybe that's why it's out of print. But if you are open to both sides of the Barbie controversy, and like to wax philosophical and think about things, this book is definitely for you.
Amazon.com
Rampersad, one of our foremost African-American scholars, is an apt biographer for Hughes (1902-67), our greatest black poet. I, Too, Sing America (volume 1) covers the years during which Hughes produced his best work and was most politically active; Dream a World (volume 2) chronicles his artistic decline due to overwork in= response to perpetual financial difficulties. Both volumes are psychologically astute, critically penetrating and masterful in their intermingling of Hughes' story with a chronicle of the enormous changes that took place in black America during his lifetime.
Book Description
February 1, 2002 marks the 100th birthday of Langston Hughes. To commemorate the centennial of his birth, Arnold Rampersad has contributed new Afterwords to both volumes of his highly-praised biography of this most extraordinary and prolific American writer. The second volume in this masterful biography finds Hughes rooting himself in Harlem, receiving stimulation from his rich cultural surroundings. Here he rethought his view of art and radicalism, and cultivated relationships with younger, more militant writers such as Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, and Amiri Bakara. Rampersad's Afterword to volume two looks further into his influence and how it expanded beyond the literary as a result of his love of jazz and blues, his opera and musical theater collaborations, and his participation in radio and television. In addition, Rempersad explores the controversial matter of Hughes's sexuality and the possibility that, despite a lack of clear evidence, Hughes was homosexual. Exhaustively researched in archival collections throughout the country, especially in the Langston Hughes papers at Yale University's Beinecke Library, and featuring fifty illustrations per volume, this anniversary edition will offer a new generation of readers entrance to the life and mind of one of the twentieth century's greatest artists.
Customer Reviews:
One of the Most Creative Minds to Grace the planet.......2005-10-17
Langston Hughes was a Poets Poet.he had words that were uplifting that took you to another time&Place.Arnold Rampersad does a great job of telling the story of Langston Hughes&showcasing the Greatness of His Writings.Langston Hughes was ahead of time&Very Gifted African-American Writer.He left behind Ground-Breaking work that still speaks volumes to this day.
Forever A Proud & Unblemished Icon!.......2005-05-11
Arnold Rampersad's LIFE OF LANGSTON HUGHES Volume 2 retains much of Hughes' evident black pride that is inescapable no matter the type of biography and critical analysis done on him and his body of work. Hughes wrote about many other things during his lifetime, but he mostly celebrated his African American culture without shame or apology.
Volume 2 picks up where the first left off. Langston Hughes is at the crossroads of a lived life. His career as a writer has stalled a bit, he has becomes disillusioned by the predominantely white left who rufuses to understand fully and acknowledge the plight of the black American, and he is ill. Eventually, his career begins to get back on track and Rampersad takes the reader along with Hughes through the rest of his life to his death in 1967. Langston reaches out to the rest of the world through his love for his fellow black Americans and their stories and concerns. He faces the McCarthy hearings successfully but with a slight change from the politcal rhetoric expressed so openly in the 1930's where he had merged racial pride with a radical socialism to insure that the left could not
exclude blacks from the agenda. He witnesses the rise of a new generation of black writers, some who pleased him and others who did not, some who loved and respected him and others who did not. He challeged them to be proud of their black American heritage in their writing but also to be objective in their evaluations. He felt the sting of some of these young black writers who felt that he was out of touch and not angry enough. And, he witnessed the return of appreciation from the outside world for his body of work and humanity. Despite a general dislike he held for white people, some wasn't as liked by him as they believed themselves to be, it never materialized into open hate as it did with many in the Black Power Movement. Rampersad provides the best example of this by recounting a moment of outright rage in Hughes where he raises his voice to express his frustration and anger toward white folks, "benevolent anger" as opposed to the "malignant anger" of many in the Black Power Movement. Hughe fully understood the error of blanketing all white people as the same in prejudice.
Arnold Rampersad depth of exhaustive research is evident in the facts he uncovers in Hughes's complicated character. And, some readers will be surprised by what they will read such as his understanding of the short comings of integration where African Americans would to a large degree abandon their own infrastructure instead of building on it to be more secure without self-segregation and imposed segregation from the outside. Rampersad presents Hughes as the human being with foibles and not just a mythic icon of African American and American literature in general. Perhaps willingly to some degree to keep money in the bank as he "sharecropped" his way through his long career, the reader will definitely come away with the knowledged that Hughes was a famous African American of his day being exploited, again to a degree, by the larger community. This is very evident in some of the working situations Hughes would have outside the black community.
Volume 2 is free of much of the rheteric that came dangerously close to blatent homophobia in Volume 1. Rampersad doesn't come out and declare Hughes as gay, but does make the surprising admission that Hughes had a preference for black men like the late Gilbert Price, and, especially dark skinned black men in his life as well as work. This dissonance between not wanting to identify Hughes as gay and Hughes's very evident preference for black men as discovered by Rampersad during his exhaustive research is pandemic among certain scholars who believe sexuality has no bearing on creativity, at lease when it comes to certain icons as Hughes is to black America. But, Rampersad isn't a homophobe and it is unfair to cast him as one. Rampersad is to be applauded for this admission that he could have conveniently suppressed but chose not to do. Kudos!!!! Rampersad comes across as wanting to declare Hughes as gay, but holds back allowing the reader to read the obvious between the lines by patently stating Hughes primary interest for other black men. Rampersad does make references to the women Hughes was only "friendly" with without the slighthest romantic interest, Hughes even going out of his way make it clear that he was not interested in them romantically. This can be attributed to the condition in the black communty where black gay men are often required to "pass" as straight (as done to the ultimate degree by fellow black gay members of the Harlem Renaissance: Countee Cullen, Wallace Thurman, and Richard Bruce Nugent).
To me, Langston Hughes was and is a hero made to order! Hughes icon status still burns bright, beautifully, and unblemished for me and his other admirers regardless of any shortcomings and prejudices outside the love for his people.
A timeless piecework of art.......2000-10-11
This book has 425 pages in. It is wonderful and full of energy. It starts with one of Hughes poems and leads you down the ailes. The book is interesting, to the point and gives you enough information to find out more about how great Hughes is. I loved reading it and it gives you so much information to help you fully get to know Mr. Hughes. It is long but worth reading every page of it. I highly recommend reading this book.
Average customer rating:
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The Life of Langston Hughes: 1941-1967 : I Dream a World
Arnold Rampersad
Manufacturer: Replica Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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