The Blue Edge of Midnight

Amazon.com

Penzler Pick, March 2002: This is the first entry in what I hope will be a series by journalist Jonathon King, who has written for the Philadelphia Daily News and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The story features Max Freeman, who was a cop in Philadelphia until he shot and killed a 12-year-old boy who was helping to rob a convenience store. Max was shot in the neck himself and now he keeps away from most people, living in a cabin in the backwaters of South Florida.

While canoeing on the river near his home, Max spies a bundle floating near the shore which turns out to be a dead child wrapped in a sheet. Max's first reaction is that the nightmare he thought he left behind has caught up with him. Pulling the bundle into his canoe, Max paddles downstream to the ranger station where he is met by the head ranger together with three detectives--almost as if they were waiting for him.

Billy Manchester, a lawyer and friend to Max, tells him that the body of the girl he found is the third in a series of abductions that is terrifying South Florida communities. Because of his training as a cop, Max wants to help out with the investigation, but his offer of help is rebuffed by local law enforcement. He discovers that the killer is leaving global positioning system addresses with the bodies, which is why there was a team of detectives at the ranger station--they were on their way up-river to where they knew a body would be when Max brought it in.

Max himself is now a suspect and, when he returns to his cabin to discover that a GPS unit has been planted, he knows he is going to get involved anyway. If he doesn't find the murderer, the police are going to charge him. His search takes him deep into the Everglades, off the beaten track into communities closed to outsiders and hostile to questions.

King gives a vivid portrayal of a Florida still not exploited by developers and also treats us to a wonderful cast of characters--Max and Billy especially, but also to some folks who have hardly been touched by the modern world. --Otto Penzler

Book Description

Featuring ex-cop Max Freeman, The Blue Edge of Midnight marks the debut of a powerful new crime series.

"The Blue Edge of Midnight is a terrific book that begins the run of a great new talent in Jonathon King. From start to finish it is full of true character and jagged surprises. King adds new dimensions of depth and substance to the modern crime novel." (Michael Connelly)

Max Freeman's old life ended on a night that will haunt him forever. The night he killed a twelve-year-old child in self-defense in a Philadelphia shootout. The night he stopped being a cop. Now he lives an existence of solitary confinement on the edge of the Florida Everglades, where he answers to no one but the demons that eat away at his conscience.

Until the night he finds the corpse of a child beside an ancient river. The night Max Freeman's past explodes into the present.

Suddenly, Freeman is thrust into the center of the search for a killer responsible for a string of grisly slayings that is baffling both local authorities and the F.B.I. Distrusted as an outsider by the longtime residents of the Glades and pulled into the case as suspect by the police, Freeman must walk a tenuous tightrope of distrust on both sides of the law. When another child goes missing, all eyes turn to Freeman-and the ex-cop, driven by his old habits and the memories of that long-ago Philadelphia midnight, knows that he has no choice but to hunt down the seemingly unstoppable murderer himself.

An electrifying story of crime, punishment, and one man's personal redemption played out against a backdrop of wild natural beauty in conflict with the modern urban world, The Blue Edge of Midnight heralds the arrival of a stunning new voice in contemporary crime fiction.

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"National Bestselling Author of the Edgar Award winner for Best First Novel The Blue Edge of Midnight. Tormented by the demons of his past, ex-cop Max Freeman rarely ventures beyond his secluded shack deep in the Florida Everglades. But he can't ignore the recent string of suspicious deaths of elderly, poor women that the police have been unable, or unwilling, to investigate. When his best friend urges him to get involved and act like the cop he's trying to forget he was, Max must confront the dangers of the city streets-and the unexpected shadows of his own past."

Customer Reviews:

Interesting premise, mystery a bit thin.......2006-12-01

This is one of those books that, when you look at it, is clearly the start of a good series. Jonathon King can write, quite well thank you very much, and he has interesting characters to people his story. The main character (and also narrator) is an ex-cop who left the job after semi-accidentally shooting a youngster who was robbing a jewelry store. His name is Max Freeman, and he's exiled himself in the Florida swamps, living in an isolated house in the middle of nowhere. And it's there he finds a dead girl, and of course gets entangled in the search for a serial killer who's been murdering children in the area, and leaving the bodies in the swamp.

King's plot isn't that complex. I expect to an extent that's a function of starting the series: there's a lot of backgrounding here, building character of the main character and his only real sidekick, a stuttering attorney with a penthouse apartment and an apparently lucrative practice. By the time the mystery heats up a bit, you've got a good idea who the killer is. You don't really care, though: this is one of those books where the mystery is very secondary to the atmosphere and characters.

I really enjoyed this book a great deal, and I'd recommend it to almost anyone.

Interesting..........2006-10-05

but not involving. The plot was a good one and the characters showed promise...but no more than promise. The main character's introspection did not convince, and his lawyer/friend--by far the more interesting of the two--never quite came alive. I'll read another one, but only if it gets rave reviews first. I just hate being disappointed.

Good book, didn't like the reader in the audio edition.......2006-06-09

I checked out the audio book version from the local library and found it to be exactly what I want in light entertainment; a reasonably interesting mystery novel with believable characters, realistic plot, etc. But I had a lot of difficulty with the reader. The voice, enunciation, and style reminded me way too much of Fred Rogers (Mr Rogers Neighborhood), not a voice one would associate with a murder mystery. Each word is pronounced very carefully and succinctly like the reader is targeting a 6 year old audience. Just did not sound right in this context.

It took some concentration but, most of the time, I was able to go beyond the reader and focus on the story. Overall recommended.

Backwater murder mystery.......2006-04-27

Jonathon King's protagonist ex-Philadelphia cop Max Freeman is living a reclusive life in a secluded research shack in the Florida Everglades. One of his few outside contacts is long time friend and high powered South Florida based attorney Billy Manchester. Manchester arranged Freeman's purchase of the isolated residence after he opted for retirement from the police force following a serious gunshot wound in the neck.

Freeman's lair, accessible only by water, required that he negotiate his way through the cypress swamps by canoe. As he was paddling he startlingly came across the floating corpse of a young child. Not wishing to disturb the crime scene, he reported the gruesome discovery to the local rangers. Within short order the FBI arrived on the scene as this was the fourth in a series of recent child adbductions that resulted in murder.

Freeman was immediately suspected of the crime by lead FBI investigator Mark Hammonds due to his proximity to the body and his extensive knowledge of the surrounding environs. Wishing to clear his name, he strove to help with the investigation against the advice of his attorney Manchester.

Manchester arranged for a meeting with a previous client Fred Gunther, a pilot that worked as a guide to the Everglades. Gunther was to fly him over the locations where the bodies of the young murder victims had been found. A sabotaged plane engine resulted in a crash in which Freeman had to drag the severely injured Gunther through the mosquito infested swampy sawgrass to safety.

Freeman's heroics gained him an entree with a group of what was known as Gladesmen. This group of men lived their lives deep within the confines of the Everglades with disdain and beyond the reach of the law. The group led by a leathery skinned aged war hero Nate Brown seemed to hold the answers to the murder mystery. Their tight lipped nature forced Freeman to dig deeper in his investigation to learn the truth behind the rash of murders.

King's taut investigative thriller easily captures your interest as the characters amble through this unforgiving environment.

Good ex-cop mystery from Florida's Everglades.......2006-02-28

Max Freeman, an ex-cop from Philadelphia, lives in the Florida Everglades in an old research shack. His reason for being a recluse is that he shot a young kid in self-defense on the streets of Philadelphia ,and he can't seem to get it out of his head. His neck wound is a constant reminder of that day. Paddling down the river in his canoe, Max spots the fourth kid to turn up dead in a series of killings. The police suspect him at first, and the killer seems to have it in for Max as well. The book is carefully plotted mystery, and I enjoyed his flashbacks to his days on the force in Philadelphia. These stories help built his character, but we really don't get much of his personality. He's just an average Joe caught in the middle of things. A solid mystery.

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The Blue Edge of Midnight
Jonathon King
Manufacturer: Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NQM60I

Average customer rating:

A gem!
Fuzzies and Other People

Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

The Fuzzy Papers

ASIN: B000ENMVTQ

Product Description

Edition: Science Fiction Book Club Selection

Customer Reviews:

A gem!.......2006-04-29

This third book in Piper's wonderful Fuzzy series picks up almost immediately after Fuzzy Sapiens. With the trial of the Fuzzy kidnappers coming up, all the friends of this newly discovered sentient race are hoping for a decisive conviction. However, the kidnappers' lawyer, Hugo Ingermann, has a few aces up his sleeve, the biggest ace being that a standard lie detected will now show when a Fuzzy is lying, making their testimony inadmissible. The biggest problem seems to be that Fuzzies do not understand the concept of lying, so now the race is on to find a Fuzzy that can lie.

This book was written before H. Beam Piper's tragic suicide in 1964, and was subsequently lost. Later found in an old trunk, it was published in 1984, and what a gem it is! Written with the same gentleness as the first two books in the series, this one also starts out somewhat slowly, and then picks up speed, reaching its final crescendo with the final court case. As a matter of fact, I must say that my favorite part of the book comes when we see the court case through the eyes of Hugo Ingermann!

This is an excellent book, a worthy addition to the library of H. Beam Piper books. He was a great author, and his death was truly our loss. If you are a fan of H. Beam Piper, then you really MUST get this book!

Average customer rating:

Fuzzies and Other People
H. Beam Piper
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q5TBLS

Average customer rating:

Another case on the frontier of colonial law
A gem!
Cocktail hour! Silver-based movie film! The 60s in Space!
A natural follow-on
Not as good as Little Fuzzy

Fuzzies and Other People
H. Beam Piper
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0441971059

Customer Reviews:

Another case on the frontier of colonial law.......2003-03-25

"They don't even know that lying is possible. They don't have anything to lie about naturally. Their problems are all environmental, and you can't lie to your environment; if you try to lie to yourself about it, it kills you. I wish their social structure was a little more complicated; lying is a social custom. I wish they'd invented politics!"
- Leslie Coombes, chief counsel for the Charterless Zarathustra Company (CZC), in this book

This 3rd Fuzzy novel was first published in 1984 - twenty years after Piper's death, which left his estate in such a mess that the manuscript had been lost for most of that time. Consequently, the two farmed-out Fuzzy novels of the early 1980s - Tuning's FUZZY BONES and Mayhar's GOLDEN DREAM - were written to be consistent only with Piper's first two Fuzzy novels, not with this one, although they don't overlap in time.

The first chapter serves as a refresher for those who've had a long separation from Fuzzy fuzzy holloway - the species now recognized as Fuzzy sapiens zarathustra, the two-foot-tall golden-furred people only just discovered on Zarathustra, 25 years after the planet's discovery, much to the chagrin of the Chartered (now Charterless) Zarathustra Company. The Pendarvis Decisions of the murder trial forming the heart of the first book, LITTLE FUZZY, established not only that Fuzzies are people too, but that legally they have the status of minor children - being super-sane and generally very decent people, they're considered too innocent to cope with the complex snares of human society. Neither side of the human/Fuzzy communication problem understands the other's language and mindset well enough to explain/understand things like ownership of land and so forth. (Fuzzies fortunately live on only one continent, the least explored and most lightly settled.)

However, the Fuzzies' minor-child status is based a reversible judicial opinion, lacking the force of law unless and until it can be enshrined in Zarathustra's soon-to-be-written constitution, although it's been the foundation for all Fuzzy-related policy on Zarathustra in the 6 months since the ruling. It's the reason why the Native Affairs Commission could finance its Fuzzy health and education programs by leasing the Yellowsand sunstone deposits on the Fuzzy reservation back to the CZC.

What were the odds that with so much money at stake, the minor-child status would go unchallenged? Hugo Ingermann, the sleazeball mob lawyer defending the Thaxter/Evins/Novaes attempted robbery from FUZZY SAPIENS, hasn't got a prayer of winning on the burglary and larceny charges, but he hopes to cop a plea to drop the faginy and enslavement charges (they kidnapped a small group of Fuzzies from the wild and forced them to sneak through a security system). He plans to attack the minor-child status by arguing that adult Fuzzies are adult aborigines, and the enslavement charge by claiming that Fuzzies can't legally testify in court, since no Fuzzy test-witness can be found to red-light a veridicator (something much more sophisticated than a polygraph).

For Fuzzies to be proven to be truthful witnesses, their human protectors must first find one Fuzzy that can understand - or be taught - lying. If Fuzzies can't testify under veridication, their testimony's inadmissible - and if they're treated as adults, they can't even appoint a power-of-attorney, since that has to be done under veridication.

Unlike LITTLE FUZZY, here the trial itself - in the new Native Cases court rather than Pendarvis' supreme court - takes up only part of two chapters at the book's end; the issue of veridication has to be figured out one way or the other *before* anybody gets to court, since no competent lawyer would wait until trial to find out about something as important as that, and *all* the lawyers involved, including Ingermann, are *very* competent.

The main action of the book changes viewpoint between several different players. Little Fuzzy himself, the first Fuzzy ever to meet a human, becomes the first to test the Fuzzy education program in the field, when he's caught in a rockslide at Yellowsand and swept downriver into uncharted territory. He links up with an unusually large band of Fuzzies - eight - who've seen signs of humans' presence in the area but disagree on whether to seek out these strange Big People. (Fuzzies are quite intelligent, but have low-paleolithic technology and consequently a limited vocabulary for artifacts; Piper handles the difference between languages in a way that preserves the alien viewpoint.)

On the human side, Ingermann hopes at worst to plea-bargain the capital charges off the table, while Jack Holloway wants to ensure that the precedents set now will get human/Fuzzy relations off to a good start: he wants Ingermann's clients convicted not so much for their own sake as to clearly establish that Fuzzies can't be maltreated with impunity. The various scientific Fuzzyologists get frightening results when they try to explain lying to their two test subjects, since a veridicator doesn't exactly detect truth versus lying as such. (Kraft and Ebbing, named by the psychologists after von Kraft-Ebbing, author of PSYCHOPATHIA SEXUALIS, are a typical example of how humans name Fuzzies, whose own names tend to be Big She, Other She, and so on; since they live in very small hunter-gatherer groups, they tend to be 'hey, you' in practice until they meet the much larger Fuzzy group at Holloway's Camp.)

The Fuzzy-viewpoint scenes have the same tone, complete with a mix of pidgin Lingua Terra and Lingua Fuzzy, as those in Piper's earlier works; Mayhar's GOLDEN DREAM took a completely different approach. The problems of this story - complex criminal trial issues but simple constitutional convention issues - are the reverse of those in Tuning's FUZZY BONES, making it very interesting to read them back-to-back.

A gem!.......2003-01-10

This book was written before H. Beam Piper's tragic suicide in 1964, and was subsequently lost. Later found in an old trunk, it was published in 1984, and what a gem it is! Written with the same gentleness as the first two books in the series, this one also starts out somewhat slowly, and then picks up speed, reaching its final crescendo with the final court case. As a matter of fact, I must say that my favorite part of the book comes when we see the court case through the eyes of Hugo Ingermann!

This is an excellent book, a worthy addition to the library of H. Beam Piper books. He was a great author, and his death was truly our loss. If you are a fan of H. Beam Piper, then you really MUST get this book!

Cocktail hour! Silver-based movie film! The 60s in Space!.......2000-09-06

I first read the Fuzzies books in high school. I was glad to find another in the series. And it certainly reads like the real Piper. When you read Jules Verne, you're amazed that a writer a hundred years ago could predict things like weightlessness. When you read H. Beam Piper, you're amazed that a writer thirty-five years ago couldn't predict that anything at all would change. There are so many anachronisms. And then there are quasi-melting pot names like (get this) Hirohito Bjornsen. Hirohito Bjornsen?!

A natural follow-on.......2000-02-06

I liked this story. I get a warm 'fuzzy' feeling from the Fuzzy stories, and this one was no exception. If my memory serves me correctly, this was done based on Piper's notes, after his death. It was certainly done with Piper's style. Recommended.

Not as good as Little Fuzzy.......1999-05-14

While I am a Piper fan, this book seemed to be somewhat cliche by the time I had read it and the other two. The first of the Fuzzy books was wonderful, and it was the first Piper that I read, but the other two were less interesting. I think that this is because of Piper's plan: to write one book per CENTURY of terro-human history, not three books about a span of maybe two years at the outside. Don't go out of your way for this book, but it is worth reading if you stumble across it.

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Fuzzies and Other People
H. Beam Piper
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K05HOE

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Fuzzies and Other People
H. Beam Piper
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000K3ZGL0

Average customer rating:

Fuzzies and Other People
H. Beam Piper
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000K3Z17O

Book Description

If you're like most people, your life is so hectic that it's hard to imagine squeezing in time for daily exercise. The good news is that you can get fit without an expensive gym membership or rigorous workout schedule. New research proves that you can "sneak up" on fitness by grabbing a little time here and there throughout the day so you total at least thirty minutes of moderate activity on most days. The American Heart Association's Fitting in Fitness guide will show you how to work spurts of activity into the way you live right now. Those few minutes can add up to huge rewards, including a stronger heart and bones, higher energy levels, better weight control, and more.

You'll find hundreds of tips for fitting in fitness in this easy-to-use, inspiring guide. You'll even learn how to bring your kids into the act and have a lifestyle program that works for all of you.

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2000-06-23

The book was easy to follow and helped me put more exercise in my life.

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Fun Recipies

Kids love the recipes

I Made It Myself!: Mud Cups, Pizza Puffs, and Over 100 Other Fun and Healthy Recipes for Kids to Make
Sandra K. Nissenberg , and Heather Nissenberg
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Diet & Nutrition | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Cooking | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Cooking, Food & Wine | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
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The Healthy Start Kids' Cookbook: Fun and Healthful Recipes That Kids Can Make Themselves

The Children's Quick and Easy Cookbook

ASIN: 047134740X

Book Description

More than 100 recipes for fun! Kids know it's more fun to eat foods they make themselves, and this book makes learning to cook a blast! Nine-year-old Heather Nissenberg and her mom put together this collection of tasty recipes that help kids make their own snacks and even family meals. Favorites include:

Cake for Breakfast
Purple Cow
Sailing Tuna Boats
Bug Bites
Monkey Bread
Mini Chicken Cheeseburgers

With lots of fun food jokes, kitchen crafts, and tips for kitchen safety and healthy eating, kids will have a great time learning their way around the kitchen! Q. What do race car drivers eat for lunch? A. Fast food

Customer Reviews:

Fun Recipies.......2007-03-29

I bought this for my six year old step-daughter when she started showing an interest in helping me cook family meals. She was thrilled to have her own cookbook. There are so many recipies in this book that even the pickiest eaters will find things that they want to make. The first recipie my step-daughter made was the ice cream cone cupcakes. They were easy for her to make with very little help and they were very good!

There are a great varity of recipies, many of which don't require much or even any cooking and many others which are for older kids or younger ones with some help. All the recipies my step-daughter has made have been fun and tasty.

Kids love the recipes.......2007-03-13

I run an after school program. I got this book for one of my staff who loves to do cooking projects. The kids love the recipes. They are easy to make and for the most part, healthy. The recipes are a hit with kids. they are very kid friendly. If you have children or work with children or have children to give gifts too, this is a good book to get. Enjoy

Average customer rating:

Nice designs, poor book

Was this just an ad?

very sloppy

Colour selection

Amano is nothing if not inspiring

Aquarium Plant Paradise
Takashi Amano
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fish & Aquariums | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Flowers | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Nature Aquarium World Volume 2

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Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants

Ecology of the Planted Aquarium: A Practical Manual and Scientific Treatise for the Home Aquarist, Second Edition

Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature

ASIN: 079380518X

Product Description

Tfh Aquarium Plant Paradise

Customer Reviews:

Nice designs, poor book.......2006-06-27

While the designs presented are very nice, and the provided information about species used and specifications are useful, the book itself is very poorly laid out, and one can question whether the copy was ever edited. Nearly every page has spelling or grammatical errors or both, and some of the information presented is rendered nearly useless by the awkward wording and mistakes. I realize that Amano is not a mother tongue English speaker, but that's what editors are for.

Was this just an ad?.......2004-10-29

I'm not sure what the purpose of the book was apart to say that Amano is good. The pictures are nice, but there are lots of nice pictures available for free.

very sloppy.......2004-07-21

Just got this book and noticed that a lot of the information is inaccurate. It seems the pictures of the aquariums and the list of plants in the aquariums do not always match up. It's like they just started naming random plants for each picture.

Colour selection.......2004-04-18

This is by far the worst book i do own on Amano's wonderful tanks. Pictures are poorly printed and the overall impression is deceptive.

Amano is nothing if not inspiring.......2003-01-21

I think Amano's critics tend to overlook the fact that he is a photographer, not a botanist or icthyologist. Even though his technical skills and knowledge of his craft are profound and probably rival, if not exceed, some of the "experts" in the field, he is first and foremost an artist.

An exceptional artist.

He has taken his love and respect of nature, reduced it to it's essentials and fleshed it out with a personal, subtle spirituality that is conveyed in all of his books, and this one is no exception.....

....as long as you can overlook the typos and printing errors.

I don't understand why the publisher would spend the money for spot gloss and good stock, yet overlook glaring alignment and spelling errors, but as previously mentioned by other reviewers, this book does seem hastily put together. It's not horrid though, and unfortunately it seems that all Japanese books translated for the American market suffer in much the same way, regardless of their genre.

If you are looking for in-depth technical how-to's and plant information, you will not find it here. However, it's obvious that was not what this book was intended to be in the first place, so it seems unfair to hold it up to that standard.

Despite the poor translation and the brevity of the technical information, I think this book can come in handy for the beginning aquatic plant enthusiast, and is a nice low-cost introduction to Takashi Amano. This book emphasizes smaller tanks with smaller, easy-to-keep fish (mostly), gives a broad overview of each tank and provides the basic groundwork for providing a pleasing tank layout. All this in 64 pages for $...- not bad, especially considering that it's more of an art book than a technical manual in the first place.

If this book was more expensive, I'd be harsher in my review of it. However, I think for the price, it certainly delivers.

Book Description

This is the first detailed account to record the development of the candlestick from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century.

Old Domestic Base-Metal Candlesticks From the 13th to 19th Century

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Old Domestic Base-Metal Candlesticks From the 13th to 19th Century
Ronald F. Michaelis
Manufacturer: Antique Collectors' Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NOWTYS

Average customer rating:

Old Domestic Base-Metal Candlesticks from the 13th to 19th Century
Ronald F. MICHAELIS
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MXEJT8

Old Domestic Base-Metal Candlesticks from the 13th to 19th Century, Produced in Bronze, Brass, Patong and Pewter

Average customer rating:

Old Domestic Base-Metal Candlesticks from the 13th to 19th Century, Produced in Bronze, Brass, Patong and Pewter
Ronald F. Michaelis
Manufacturer: Antique Collectors' Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LQLK6Q

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Informative, specific, but ultimately not what I was looking for

Good book to get good ideas

A Keeper

Great illustrations and detailing

Useful, Beautiful and Interesting

Creating Your Own Japanese Garden
Takashi Sawano
Manufacturer: Japan Publications Trading
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 087040962X

Book Description

The strong horizontals of bamboo reflected in a dark circle of water; the rhythmic clap of the deer scarer; the contemplative beauty of waves created in sand: combinations of nature and art that soothe and uplift the spirit. Your vision of a Japanese garden need not be confined to Japan. Here
is a fully comprehensive guiide which will enable you to capture in your home or office environment the elusive spirit of the Japanese garden-no matter where you live.

The author, a Japanese landscape architect who has been living and designing Japanese gardens in the West for many years, will show you step by-step how to accomplish this ideal utilizing your own special environment and using materials which are readily available in the West. Since moving to the UK
in 1974, the author has designed and created many Japanese gardens, from small private gardens to large public spaces of over two acres. It is from this direct experience that he draws the material for this book. The step-by-step instructions are easy-to-follow, and also included are many drawings
and photographs to illustrate the points that are made.

"Many books on Japanese gardens can be found in bookstores and libraries, but most do not take into account the different environments found outside Japan nor the diverse materials available worldwide. They tend either to be translations of books written by Japanese landscape architects and
gardeners living and working in Japan, or books written by those who visit Japan to research the gardens, with the intention of introducing them to the rest of the world... These books are ideal for learning about the history and appearance of Japanese gardens, but lack the practical advice
necessary for constructing your own garden.. .I believe that as the interest in and understanding of Japanese culture continues to spread, so will the popularity of and desire for Japanese gardens. I hope that this book will give pleasure to all those of you who, like me, are captivated by the
gardens of Japan, and that it will help you to create a garden of your own that you can enjoy day after day."

Customer Reviews:

Informative, specific, but ultimately not what I was looking for.......2007-09-17

I think this a good book for someone ready to start digging now to create their Japanese garden, someone who knows exactly what they want to do. The beginning of the book was interesting, and provided good information about and reasons for the different elements of a Japanese garden - such as water, stone lanterns, bridges, and plantings.
I was hoping for a little more inspiration through photographs and seeing more examples of gardens people have created. This book gets down to the step-by-step details of building fences and dry riverbeds for example.
The book does have a nice materials/plant/planting guide in the back which I took a few notes from. But I'm in a brainstorming phase with my garden not the brass tacks phase, so I did return the book and will look into a book that is more photography-based and example-based, than how-to.

Good book to get good ideas.......2007-08-16

After reading this book most of the way through, I thought it provided a lot of good information. My intention was not necessarily to design a true Japanese garden but wanted to create a garden and atmosphere that reflects the feeling and general appearance of a Japanese garden while still maintaining my herb and vegetable garden. The book gave a lot of pictures that were helpful to create that atmosphere in an American environment. Most if not all of the design elements were explained as to why and how they help to create the desired effect. Additionally there was a full chapter that described the history behind Japanese gardens, and I found that very helpful. Since reading that chapter I have picked up and English translation of the books described in that chapter. I felt this book was really helpful and plan to use it to landscape my backyard.

One thing to keep in mind, is this is not a step by step how to book. It is designed mostly to give you an overview and an understanding of what elements to use, and how to use them.

A Keeper.......2007-04-27

Have many books on Japanese gardening - this is the one that finally helped me begin to answer the "but how will I design and situate one in my space?" question. Nicely written, direct, and just enough examples to help you get moving!

Great illustrations and detailing.......2007-01-11

My daughter was recently proposed marriage to in a japanese garden. They are planning to build a similar garden in their backyard,so this book
was a Christmas present.
She was thrilled and we went thru the book as she mentioned several
items in the book that were relevant.
It has alot of very nice illustrations and "how-tos",more than some that I looked at.This author was careful to include all aspects of the japanese garden. Plenty of detail.Very happy with my purchase.

Useful, Beautiful and Interesting.......2007-01-10

This book provides useful guidance in planning a Japanese Garden with well written text and beautiful photographs. It inspires one to find a way to incorporate the concepts into Western style homes.

Essential Bonsai: The Definitive Handbook for Creating & Growing Your Own Bonsai

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Essential Bonsai: The Definitive Handbook for Creating & Growing Your Own Bonsai
Ken Norman
Manufacturer: Anness Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Creating Your Own Japanese Garden
Takashi Sawano
Manufacturer: Japan Publications (USA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N77MH4

Product Description

THE REVOLUTION in typesetting - a revolution that over the past two decades has eliminated a five-hundred-year-old system of hot metal production and replaced it with one of photo-generated and computer-driven composition - shows no sign of winding down. This book, more than any other we know, traces the steps that went into that revolution and simultaneously makes the argument that the letter forms themselves are in process of evolution. Tracy argues that, whether they are of the sixteenth or the twentieth century, the forms that comprise our alphabet are subject to the same rules of good taste, proportion, and clarity that have always obtained. But what we face today is vastly different from fifty years ago. For the first time, new technology has made the proliferation (and, as some would maintain, debasement) of letter forms fast and easy (or quick and dirty.)

With fifty years of professional experience on both sides of the Atlantic (including thirty years as head of type design for the British Linotype Company), Tracy is in a unique position to make this argument and arrive at his sad conclusion: the design of distinguished, contemporary typefaces is far outnumbered by the mediocre and downright bad. Part of the reason for this deplorable deterioration is a lack of critical analysis of the particular esthetics involved. This step-by-step examination of type-design esthetics is precisely what Tracy provides here, while avoiding both the promoter's hype and the manufacturer's claims. Here are the gut issues of what makes type good or bad, legible or unreadable. Extensively illustrated with both typefaces and line drawings, this book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in thehistory of letters or in the artistry and peculiar problems that lie behind their production.

Customer Reviews:

Traces the movement from hot metal production to computers.......2005-03-07

Typesetting has evolved from a hands-on metalworking skill to one generated by photos and computers - and the changing methods shows no signs of stability. Walter Tracy's Letters Of Credit: A View Of Type Design traces the movement from hot metal production to computers, arguing the letter forms themselves are always in a state of flux, no matter what their delivery system. Tracy has fifty years of professional experience as head of type design: his analysis criticizes type-design aesthetics and identifies common elements of hype and misinformation in the industry.

Essential Reading for Typeface Designers.......2004-10-01

We are in a golden age of typeface design. Modern software and the world wide web have made it easier than ever to design and distribute new and original typefaces at a rate that could not have been dreamed of in days previous. As Tracy notes in his final comments for the book, what should have been beneficial for the art of typeface design has instead brought on a glut of poorly designed and soporific typefaces. Little thought is given to good design or to obtaining the knowledge that is needed to produce such design. Though Tracy's book is dated (nearly 20 years old) it is as important now, perhaps even more so now, than it was when it was first written.

Letters of Credit is at once a history of modern typeface design and an introduction to the principles of good design. The book centers primarily on what is called the "body typeface," i.e. typefaces used for book/newspaper/magazine printing. As with any art, the student needs to learn the rules before he or she goes about breaking them. Conscious breaking of the rules is a sign of mastery, while breaking them out of ignorance is the sign of a poor artist.

Tracy takes us through what makes up a good typeface. The text is never so technical that the beginning student becomes lost. What makes up a good italic? What about numbers? What makes a good letter S? Which bar should be longer in the letter E? It is all here. The book is well illustrated with many black and white illustrations of the many typefaces he critiques. Tracy not only gives us what makes up a good typeface but shows us the pitfalls that can drag a good typeface down to a mediocre one. One of the most interesting aspects of the first half of the book is a system of letter fitting that Tracy devised in order to find the proper fitting for each glyph of the font that the designer is working on. For that alone, the book is well worth the price.

The second part of the book is a survey of some of the great names in modern typeface design and a critique of some of their greatest creations. Such typographic luminaries as Jan van Krimpen, Fredric Goudy, Rudolf Koch, W. A. Dwiggins and Stanley Morrison are included. Tracy speaks with the authority that only experience brings as he talks about these great typographers and their creations. His critiques in this section of the book are an education unto themselves on what makes up good typeface design. Bottom line, if you are interested in typeface design, even if your interest lies more in display typefaces, this book belongs on your shelf. You cannot help but come away from this book without taking with you a better idea of what makes up good typeface design.

Another piece of typographic history.......2004-06-25

Walter Tracy was successor to Stanley Morison, at least in advising the London Times and in opinionated personality. In this volume, he bridges much of the gap from Morison's writings on typography up to today's practice.

There's a lot of good technical content here, almost all of it regarding nuances of letterforms and design of type faces. He offers some interesting history, as well, from the turn of the century up to about the 1950s.

Among other type designers, he describes Rudolf Koch, best known for Kabel. As presented here, Koch was the first type designer to bridge the gap between the blackletter German alphabets and the Latin letters used elsewhere in Europe, to the advantage of both traditions. Tracy also spends a fair bit of time on Frederick Goudy. Goudy is certainly worth study, for both his succcesses and his less graceful work. Tracy seems to focus on the latter - his description of Goudy reads like a left-handed compliment in essay form.

Tracy was active from the hot-lead days, through photo typesetting, and into the early electronic era. He notes the advantages and weaknesses in each technology, as of when the book was written. Digital technology has progressed since then. Scanning has almost granted his wish that ".. vectorising is an automatic process ... [so] designers' work can be reproduced directly and with complete fidelity." Electronic design has also somewhat invalidated his claim that "the method of manufacture has [little] influence on the design of type." Frere-Jones' Reactor font is one among those that could never have appeared in metal. Also, the punchcutter's craft acted as an engraved metal barrier to entry into type design. With that barrier gone, amateur type design has come into its own (for better or worse).

The personality, the history, and the commentary on type design all make this a worthwhile book. It won't help the beginner much, and deals only with typographic issues at the level of letterforms and letter spacing. Still, it's a view worth seeing.

A classic book on letterform construction.......2003-03-17

Walter Tracy's "Letters of Credit" is a classic book on the construction of letterforms and typefaces. It includes historical information on each of the type families and designers it examines. The chapter that discusses the correct spacing of letters is a classic. Highly recommended to anyone with a strong interest in typeface design (along with Alexander Lawson's "Anatomy of a Typeface").

Letters of Credit: a View of Type Design

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Letters of Credit: a View of Type Design
Walter Tracy
Manufacturer: David R. Godine Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N65TSE

Book Description

This collection of interviews with Amiri Baraka, the former LeRoi Jones and a key figure in the worldwide black liberation movement, provides an extraordinary insight not only into African American literature but also into the turmoil and passions of the "black experience" during the second half of the twentieth century.

As they offer an understanding of the political turbulence of his times, these interviews provide special insights into Baraka's works, his anger, and his career. Not only does Baraka criticize and explain his most celebrated works, but also his comments supply a rich context for understanding the African American experience.

Throughout these candid conversations Baraka maintains his belief in the firm alliance of art and social criticism. "To me, social commentary and art cannot be divorced. Art and life are the same: art comes out of life, art is a reflection of life, art is life."

Here is a collection that contains nearly all of the major interviews this poet, playwright, fiction writer, essayist, and social activist has given in his long and controversial career. Four of them have not been previously published. Included here are interviews conducted by Maya Angelou, Austen Clarke, and David Frost, as well as a new interview Baraka granted the editor of this volume.

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