Phantastica: A Classic Survey on the Use and Abuse of Mind-Altering Plants

Book Description

Long out of print, this is a landmark study on narcotic and psychedelic substances by a world-renowned pharmacologist and toxicologistÂ

â€¢ The first book to bring non-judgmental scientific insights to the use of drugs around the world

â€¢ Provides detailed information on all major drugs of the time, including opium, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, peyote, fly agaric, henbane, datura, alcohol, kava, betel, coffee, tea, cocoa, and tobacco

â€¢ A book credited with starting an era of ethnobotany that continues to the present day

The publication of Louis Lewin's Phantastica in 1924 began an era of ethnobotany that is still flourishing today. Until Lewin, books on the use of drugs were purely works of anthropology, concerned with how people used these plants, rather than how the plants produced their famous effects. Lewin, a world-renowned pharmacologist and toxicologist, was fascinated by both, and Phantastica was the first book to bring scientific insights to a survey of the use of drugs around the world. Lewin traveled extensively and acquired an astonishing variety of knowledge, reflected in this book, which provides detailed information on all major drugs of the time, including opium, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, peyote, fly agaric, henbane, datura, alcohol, kava, betel, coffee, tea, cocoa, and, of course, tobacco. For thirty years ethnobotanists have bemoaned the fact that Phantastica has been impossible to find; now this landmark work is once again available.

Customer Reviews:

Landmark Study.......2004-05-11

This classic of ethnobotany was first published in 1924. Louis Lewin (1850 - 1929) was a world famous pharmacologist and this interesting work remains a landmark of psychedelic research.

The preface provides an overview of psychological considerations; the introduction looks at the motives for the use of these substances, the importance of the mental constitution in relation to external stimuli, tolerance and habituation, and immunity against poisons.

The author then looks at the mode of action and the classification of narcotic and stimulant drugs. The next section, EUPHORICA, investigates mental sedatives like opium, cocaine and codeine and its derivates. Next is PHANTASTICA (on hallucinogens) which deals with anhalonium lewinii, Indian hemp, fly agaric and the solanaceae.

Alcohol, chloroform, ether, benzene and nitrous oxide are discussed under INEBRIANTIA, whilst HYPNOTICA: SOPORIFICS deals with stuff like chloral, veronal, potassium bromide, sulphonal and kava-kava. The last chapter is called EXCITANTIA and investigates camphor, betel, kat, caffeine, tea, kola nut, guarana, cocoa, tobacco and others.

This early work remains a fascinating study of an impressive array of psychoactive substances from around the world. The text is engaging and will appeal to the general reader as much as the scientist. The book concludes with notes containing bibliographic references, and an index.

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Totally Helpful

Only buy this if interested in a Carribean Wedding

Don't waste your money

Not what I was looking for

Not woth it

The Most Romantic Resorts for Destination Weddings, Marriage Renewals & Honeymoons
Paulette Cooper , and Paul Noble
Manufacturer: S.P.I. Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Hotels & Inns | Food & Lodging | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Honeymoons | Specialty Travel | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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The Ultimate Guide to the World's Best Wedding & Honeymoon Destinations

Destination Bride: A complete guide to planning your wedding anywhere in the world

Modern Bride Honeymoons and Weddings Away: The Complete Guide to Planning Your Romantic Trip Ever (Modern Bride Library)

100 Best U.S. Wedding Destinations (100 Best Series)

100 Best Romantic Resorts of the World, 5th (100 Best Series)

ASIN: 1561719145

Book Description

This unique guide is:

The first book to identify everything you need to know about destination weddings, marriage renewals, and honeymoon packages offered by more than 135 elegant hotels and cruise ships in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii and U.S.

The first book to tell you which resorts will marry you or renew your vows FOR FREE if you stay there.

The first book that reveals what hundreds of people really thought about the resorts after staying there. The resorts chosen for this book will put everything together for your wedding (or renewal). All offer a ceremony with an official. Many also include a beautifully decorated wedding site, flowers, cake, photographers, and special touches, like free romantic dinners, or breakfast in bed after the ceremony. And in many places-and only this book tells you where-they'll even provide all of this for free! You'll also learn the lowdown that you won't find in any other guidebooks. The secrets and details your travel agent doesn't even know. Vital information that will help you decide which resort you want to choose.

You'll learn:

Which offer wedding, renewal or honeymoon packages,

What these packages cost,

What is included in each package,

Which religious ceremonies are conducted, Whether they obtain the marriage license and fill out the paperwork for you,

Whom to contact at the hotel to arrange a ceremony,

How much extra it costs to bring guests to the ceremony, How far in advance you have to book a wedding or renewal (from 2 hours to 6 months!),

How long you have to stay before you can get married,

Whether it's an all-inclusive hotel,

The most romantic rooms,

Whether it's an adults-only resort,

If children are allowed, whether there are special prices & programs for them,

How large the resort is,

What their web page is and how to contact them by e-mail,

How far they are from the airport,

Most important - this book will tell you what these places are really like. Other travel guides only relate the experiences and opinions of the author. This one tells you what hundreds of guests who went to these resorts really thought about them.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Totally Helpful.......2005-05-09

This book was absolutely totally helpful when I was trying to figure out where to go for my destination wedding last month . My travel agent (I tried 2) didn't know which places had special wedding programs but this book did. Unfortunately, the book is a couple of years old so when I contacted the places some of the prices and programs had changed but it wasn't that different and the book was still enormously helpful and saved me a lot of time. In the end, I chose one of the places in the book that they said did free weddings (this book told you a lot about these resorts) so it was the best $20 I spent in my wedding and honeymoon planning

Only buy this if interested in a Carribean Wedding.......2005-01-12

This book is okay if you are interested in a Carribean wedding (most resorts are in Jamaica), however, the pricing is already off if some cases up to $1,000. I was very disappointed to see that there were very few destination sites other than tropical. The title should be The Most Romantic Tropical Resorts for Destination Weddings. However, there are a plethora of resorts listed and if you are aching for a beach wedding it gives you plenty of options.

Don't waste your money.......2004-01-09

This book was a waste of money. The layout was horrible and the information provided extremely general. You're better off using a wedding or travel magazine and a good search engine.

Not what I was looking for.......2004-01-03

This book is basically 2 pages each for 135 resorts in the Caribbean & gives descriptors like locations for wedding (beach, gazebo, etc), room rates (not helpful at all since it depends on time of year & you can get group rates if you marry there), etc. . Without using this book, I booked my wedding at the Westin in St John & now that I look at the book, some of the information is inaccurate& not really helpful now that I know what the important things to know are...
I could've gotten better information about the resorts on fodors.com and definitely got better information by going to resorts' websites (which are easy to find if you can use search engines).
This would be more helpful for planning a honeymoon, as you can see all the resorts that are out there but as for planning a DW, it is really not useful...

Not woth it.......2003-12-19

I purchased this book with the hope that it will help me plan my destination wedding. It is not worth the money as it is not helpful with anything. Each resort has very basic information (even more basic than what you would find in a travel magazine) and the black and white pictures are not good quality at all. A horrible buy. I am returning it as we speak as it proved to be a huge disappointment.

Average customer rating:
Stephen F. Austin and the Founding of Texas: And the Founding of Texas (Library of American Lives and Times)
James L. Haley
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ProductGroup: Book
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General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Average customer rating:
Synopsis of the motion picture scenario entitled The great empresario: The story of Stephen F. Austin and the founding of Texas
Mattie Austin Hatcher
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Average customer rating:
Texas centennial pageant, entitled: "Texas under six flags" ... [in celebration of the centennial of the founding of the first Anglo-Saxon colony by Stephen F. Austin, November 10, 1921]
Edward R Bentley
Manufacturer: s.n
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Texas | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00087CPFS

Product Description

Dena Tarshis narrative, offers great detail and a wealth of information that is a must for any glass collectors library. Objects of Fantasy, is a limited edition printing of 1500 copies. It will endure as an important resource to be repeatedly enjoyed for its color photos and the remarkable history of these rare glass works. This book will be featured at the Corning Museum of Glass exhibit of similar objects in 2001. With full-color photographs of some of the most important glass art ever made, assembled from the collections of four museums and eight private collectors, Objects of Fantasy: Glass Inclusions of the Nineteenth Century offers vivid illustrations, which exhibit intriguing techniques such as, Egyptian Trails and Gold-Foil Incrustation. The reader discovers the relationship of nineteenth-century techniques as outgrowths from those that came from antiquity, and others still, as unique to their own time and culture. Anyone who enjoys reading history books or enjoys the artistic process, this work offers well-researched text that takes one into the furnace rooms and factories, and explores the "noble art" of glass, from the finishing lehr, to luxury item. Objects of Fantasy represents scholarly insights and rare examples of glassware, some of which have never been seen outside of private collections. Hardcover.

Book Description

This enjoyable book addresses the concerns of judges, readers and exhibitors, and provides a solid foundation for those new to the breed. It's so detailed that there are even separate chapters discussing such points as flews and furrows. A must for the serious fancier and judge

*The case for moderation

*Fifty-five tips for succeeding as a breeder

Customer Reviews:

Excellent reference for any one looking into buying a Saint.......2001-12-30

Saint Bernards from the Stoan Perspective explains in language anyone can understand what those of us that aren't breeders and long time Saint Bernard owners need to know. It has helped me see what I need to look at when I buy my next saint. Breed standards aren't the easiest to interpret until you understand the terms. It's all spelled out in here.

A must read for anyone interested in Saint Bernards!.......1999-06-14

This is an excellent book, not just for breeders and judges, but for anyone interested in Saint Bernards. It provides wonderful insight for people looking for their first pet Saint as well as those interested in showing Saints. A great reference book!

Excellent reference book on the St. Bernard breed........1999-03-24

Complements the "Saint Bernard Classic" as a reference

An must-read for exhibitors, breeders and judges........1999-02-20

Stan Zielinski has produced an excellent book that,in most ways, is the modern version of the Saint Bernard Classic. This book is a must read for all exhibitors, Saint Bernard breeders and all AKC judges either qualified or applying to judge Saint Bernards.

Saint Bernards from the Stoan Perspective

Average customer rating:

Saint Bernards from the Stoan Perspective
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Book Description

Western admiration of China's silk textiles dates back at least to the days of the Roman empire. The establishment of the Chinese republic caused a large number of imperial costumes, no longer needed for court ritual, to enter collectors' hands. Textiles curators have studied these in depth, yet American museums are just recently beginning to explore the broader topic of Chinese textiles, and to present splendid examples of the art along with porcelains, bronzes, enamels, and other decorative art traditions of China.

Weaving China's Past examines an extraordinary private collection of Chinese textiles of diverse styles, functions, and techniques. The collection is remarkable for its chronological expanse, with works ranging in date from the Song (960-1279) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties through the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The book examines the relationship of these textiles to the greater fabric of Chinese art. Pieces in the collection have been subjected to microscopic examination and radiocarbon dating as well as full examination by a textiles conservator, and the results of these studies are included. The yarn type, thread count, weave, and supplementary materials are identified. Several of the brocades feature gold fibers, and these have been analyzed to identify specific techniques. A remarkable discovery was the use of peacock feathers twisted with silk fibers in a kesi woven during the Qing dynasty.

The study of Chinese silk textiles, like the study of Chinese ceramics and metalwork, offers a glimpse into a complex tradition in which both organized industry and individual creativity played a role. Traditional China viewed spinning, weaving, and embroidery as divinely inspired arts to be practiced dutifully in the home. Concurrently, however, luxury textiles were commissioned for religious, state, and private use. Silk was essential in China's foreign policy, used along with gifts of tea and silver to pacify borderlands. Together with porcelain, silk became a major commodity for export to Europe. Elaborate techniques were developed for producing complex designs in both brocade and embroidery. During China's later dynasties, textile arts were pursued as fine arts, appreciated on equal footing with painting and calligraphy.

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International Cultivator's Handbook
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Manufacturer: Wingbow Press,U.S.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Average customer rating:
THE INTERNATIONAL CULTIVATOR'S HANDBOOK
William Daniel Jr. Drake
Manufacturer: Wingbow
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Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M0JJFK

Average customer rating:
The International Cultivator's Handbook
Drake Bill
Manufacturer: Wingbow Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UDTHB0

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful resource.......2002-11-23

This book is part of a series of nine books that look at various aspects of ancient technology. The book I acquired was from the 1966 edition, and may be different from other editions. This one has three hefty chapters: Ancient Geology; Ancient Mining and Quarrying; and Ancient Mining Techniques. Everything is covered in this book, broken down by the ancient civilization, even covering such things as the legal status of the miner.

This book is an excellent resource on the topic of what the ancients knew about geology and extracting. This book contained the answers to every question that I had, and even to question I never thought to ask. It tries to cover every aspect of its topics, and it succeeds admirably. It is rather dry and academic in tone, but it is a wonderful resource, one that I highly recommend.

Book Description

Family photographs--snapshots and portraits, affixed to the refrigerator or displayed in gilded frames, crammed into shoeboxes or cataloged in albums--preserve ancestral history and perpetuate memories. Indeed, photography has become the family's primary means of self-representation. In Family Frames Marianne Hirsch uncovers both the deception and the power behind this visual record.

Hirsch provocatively explores the photographic conventions for constructing family relationships and discusses artistic strategies for challenging those constructions. When we capture our family photographically, we are often responding to an idealized image. Contemporary artists and writers, Hirsch shows, have exposed the gap between lived reality and a perceived ideal to witness contradictions that shape visual representations of parents and children, siblings, lovers, or extended families. Exploring fiction, "imagetexts," and photographic essays, she elucidates their subversive devices, giving particular attention to literal and metaphorical masks. While permitting false impressions and misreadings, family photos have also proved a powerful means for shaping personal and cultural memory. Hirsch highlights a striking example: the wide variety of family pictures surviving the Holocaust and the wrenching displacements of late-twentieth-century history. Whether personal treasures, artistic constructions, or museum installations, these images link private memory to collective history.

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