The Movements And Habits Of Climbing Plants

Book Description

A revolving tendril, though inclined during the greater part of its course at an angle of about 45 degrees (in one case of only 37 degrees) above the horizon, stiffened and straightened itself from tip to base in a certain part of its course, thus becoming nearly or quite vertical. I witnessed this repeatedly; and it occurred both when the supporting internodes were free and when they were tied up; but was perhaps most conspicuous in the latter case.

The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants

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The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: University Press of the Pacific
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0898752302

Book Description

The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants was written in 1875.

This edition is reprinted from the second edition in "corrected and clearer form with some additional facts," states Darwin in his Preface.

Book Description

Are they needed? To be sure. The Darwinian industry, industrious though it is, has failed to provide texts of more than a handful of Darwin's books. If you want to know what Darwin said about barnacles (still an essential reference to cirripedists, apart from any historical importance) you are forced to search shelves, or wait while someone does it for you; some have been in print for a century; various reprints have appeared and since vanished."
—Eric Korn,Times Literary Supplement

Charles Robert Darwin (1880-1882) has been widely recognized since his own time as one of the most influential writers in the history of Western thought. His books were widely read by specialists and the general public, and his influence had been extended by almost continuous public debate over the last 130 years. New York University Press' edition makes it possible for the first time to review Darwin's public literary output as a whole, plus his scientific journal articles, his private notebooks, and his correspondence.

This is the first complete edition containing all of Darwin's published books, featuring definitive texts recording original paginations with Darwin's indexes retained. All illustrations and plates are presented, inclucing 82 color plates of birds and mammals and several folding maps and plates. The set also features a general introduction and index, and textural introductions in each volume.

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The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: IndyPublish.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7426I

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The movements and habits of climbing plants
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: John Murray
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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The movements and habits of climbing plants
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: J. Murray
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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The movements and habits of climbing plants
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: John Murray
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

Combining unique travel choices, outdoor adventures, and little-known locales into guides where vacations meet adventures, each title in the Hidden series also offers readers the comfort of detailed maps, Internet information for each listing, author picks, suggested itineraries, and walking and driving tours. Perfect for lovers of that old time music, this guide leads to 45 different live venues across Tennessee offering country, blues, jazz, folk, and bluegrass. Hidden Tennessee also features walking tours of Memphis and Nashville and a driving tour through the Great Smoky Mountains. Author Marty Olmstead lives in Sonoma, CA. Includes 18 maps.

Customer Reviews:

Not So Hidden.......2007-06-13

"Hidden Tennessee" like all the other Hidden books are really great for the traveler looking for something different. In our travels, we always attempt to avoid the commonplace and crowds, and the Hidden guides help us find the unusual.

A gift.......2007-03-21

I purchased this book as a birthday gift for my son-in-law who is an avid hiker and prefers naturalist areas that are less traveled. He was very pleased with the content in this book

Excellent Resource.......1999-09-27

We used this book to tour the whole state of Tennessee for our Anniversary. Every time we went to a "hidden" recommendation, we found exactly what the book said. We were never disappointed. We also used the AAA book of Tennessee. "Hidden" gave us a better idea of things to do and see. It had general descriptions of areas in addition to city information. We only used the AAA book when we wanted to stay in a chain hotel. The "Hidden" book only suggest non-chain lodging

Customer Reviews:

The Flight of the Golden Plover.......2000-05-25

This is an outstanding narrative for reading aloud to second graders studying Alaska, birds, or migration. It's inspiring, well-written, and full of powerful vocabulary. Lovely, realistic watercolor illustrations.

Amazing Flights: The Golden Age (Hansen, Ole Steen. Story of Flight.)

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Amazing Flights: The Golden Age (Hansen, Ole Steen. Story of Flight.)
Ole Steen Hansen
Manufacturer: Crabtree Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0778712184

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Amazing Flights - Golden Age
Ole Hansen
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0613590384

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Amazing Rocket/Spacecraft (Look-Look)
Golden Books
Manufacturer: Golden Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Engineering | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0307125858
Release Date: 1990-07-15

Book Description

BELOVED CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATOR TOMI UNGERER'S EROTICA COLLECTED IN RETROSPECTIVE VOLUME COMMEMORATING HIS 70TH BIRTHDAY

What would you call an artist whose oeuvre is comprised of award-winning children's books, landmark poster design, and outrageously ingenious erotic illustrations? I would call him a versatile genius, and I would also call him Tomi Ungerer. Collected for the first time in one volume is a survey of this celebrated children's book author's inventive erotica. Though extensively honored in Europe, Mr. Ungerer has not received the accolades due him here in the U.S. Irate American librarians and humor-challenged feminists have misunderstood his work for years and prevented the recognition he richly deserves, but leave it to TASCHEN to change all that. In honor of Mr. Ungerer's 70th birthday, we bring you a lavish tribute to his ribald and diabolical erotic books. From “Fornicon,” masterful line drawings of women arousing themselves on or with elaborate Rube Goldberg-ian pleasure machines; “Joy of Frogs,” a watercolor collection of charming, cavorting frogs that you slowly realize are performing absolutely explicit sexual acts upon one another; “Herbertstrasse,” Ungerer's elaborate and meticulous documentation of Hamburg's S&M scene; “The Party,” his account of the dark heart beating beneath the glossy surface of the New York social scene; and “Last Rites,” an erotically macabre vision of the death bed and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

If you like loaches, this is not the book for you.......1999-12-07

Many things are disapointing about this publication if you are not a catfish enthusiast. The text covering the loaches is not even close to an adequate assessment of this group. It seems as if the author simply needed to fill some space or broaden the material covered in the book. One chapter is devoted to captive breeding of the clown loach (Botia macracanthus), but this too is a let-down. If you are a serious loach fanatic you will probably find a few tidbits of information helpful, but for most others it simply isn't worth purchasing.

Hobbyist Guide to Catfish and more Catfish.......1999-12-07

If you're into loaches, this book lacks in information. Most of the book concentrates on catfish. There is a section recounting an incident of clown loaches bred in captivity, but that's about it. A little disappointing for loach lovers.

Exellent!! Outstanding everything you need on loaches!!!!.......1998-11-08

Perfect book!!! Loaches Rule!!!

Hobbyist Guide to Catfish and Loaches: The Bottom Dwellers

Average customer rating:

A good book for beginners and advanced aquarists alike
Great Information on the Best fish, Loaches!

Hobbyist Guide to Catfish and Loaches: The Bottom Dwellers
Andrews
Manufacturer: Tetra Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 3893560742

Customer Reviews:

A good book for beginners and advanced aquarists alike.......1999-05-07

This is an anthology of articles in ADI, Tetra's German magazine. The different groups of catfishes and loaches are identified and given a broad treatment. Most groups are represented, including rarer ones like doradids, hillstream loaches,and pelagic catfishes. Includes articles on spawning clown loaches, corydoras pygmaeus, ancistrus dolichopterus, hoplosternum sp., and hypostomus punctatus. The book "Hobbyist Guide to Catfish and Loaches" is an expanded version of this book, and is easier to find, as "the Bottom Dwellers" is out of print.

Great Information on the Best fish, Loaches!.......1998-10-27

This book has a lot of good pictures and information on my favorite fish Loaches! Also it has soe great info on catfish. One of my favorite fish books.

Amazon.com

Dava Sobel's Longitude tells the story of how 18th-century scientist and clockmaker William Harrison solved one of the most perplexing problems of history--determining east-west location at sea. This lush, colorfully illustrated edition adds lots of pictures to the story, giving readers a more satisfying sense of the times, the players, and the puzzle. This was no obscure, curious difficulty--without longitude, ships often found themselves so far off course that sailors would starve or die of scurvy before they could reach port. When a nationally-sponsored contest offered a hefty cash prize to the person who could develop a method to accurately determine longitude, the race was on. In the end, the battle of accuracy--and wills--fought between Harrison and arch-rival Maskelyne was ruthless and dramatic, worthy of a Hollywood feature film. Longitude's story is surprising and fascinating, offering a window into the past, before Global Positioning Satellites made it look easy. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

A fully illustrated edition of the international best-seller Longitude.

The Illustrated Longitude recounts in words and images the epic quest to solve the greatest scientific problem of the eighteenth and three prior centuries: determining how a captain could pinpoint his ship's location at sea. All too often throughout the ages of exploration, voyages ended in disaster when crew and cargo were either lost at sea or destroyed upon the rocks of an unexpected landfall. Thousands of lives and the fortunes of nations hung on a resolution to the longitude problem.

To encourage a solution, governments established prizes for anyone whose method or device proved successful. The largest reward of £20,000-- truly a king's ransom-- was offered by Britain's Parliament in 1714. The scientific establishment-- from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton-- had been certain that a celestial answer would be found and invested untold effort in this pursuit. By contrast, John Harrison imagined and built the unimaginable: a clock that told perfect time at sea, known today as the chronometer. Harrison's trials and tribulations during his forty-year quest to win the prize are the culmination of this remarkable story.

The Illustrated Longitude brings a new and important dimension to Dava Sobel's celebrated story. It contains the entire original narrative of Longitude, redesigned to accompany 183 images chosen by William Andrewes-- from portraints of every important figure in the story to maps and diagrams, scientifc instruments, and John Harrison's remarkable sea clocks themselves. Andrewes's elegant captions and sidebars on scientific and historical events tell their own story of longitude, paralleling and illuminating Sobel's memorable tale.

Customer Reviews:

Much better with Andrewes illustrations.......2007-09-24

I met William Andrewes at a talk about his longitude dial. Never read Dava Sobel before and found the text week or at least week without the illustrations. The history in these documents and images of paintings made this book a don't put it down event. I've even used some of the history noted in public talks on astronomy. Highly recommended. I've shared it with several colleagues.

John S.

Entertaining insight in longitude problemsolving.......2007-08-27

An easy to read and enjoyable (hi)story about the efforts that have been made in the past centuries to find an way of navigating at sea. Every aspect finding the longitude has been covered. The book contains a lot of pictures and graphics that deepens out some (technical) background issues. It provides just enough details so that the subject is well understood, but no too much, making is suitable for every interested reader.
So, if you are interested in navigating, reading this book gives you an good insight in the amount of work people have done in the past to make that possible.

One way to describe persistence: William Harrison.......2007-05-25

As an "electronic geographer" (geographic information systems... computerized mapping... operator and manager), I was immediately attracted to Sobel's story upon it's original publication in 1995. Technically, navigationally, and economically speaking this is, as others have stated, a truly epic and civilization-changing story that is well and readably told by Sobel. On the first read I was awestruck to learn that craftsmen of the 18th century could make timepieces of the accuracy that Harrison achieved. Then further amazed to learn they were made portable and durable enough to withstand the rigors of years of service at sea. As I read Sobel's original book my curosity about what these amazing pieces of incredible craftsmenship (art?) LOOKED LIKE was a continual distraction. The "Illustrated Longitude" delightfully sates the curosity that Sobel's text so pleasantly gives rise to.

A Novel Couldn't Read Better.......2007-02-22

Sobel's original volume came in an un-illustrated format. I had scarcely ever heard about the history behind the "longitude problem," as it was called during the period. When the book was recommended to me by a good friend, I was initially hesitant, thinking that it might be a dull read.

I read the original book in a day. It was one of the best-written page-turners I had ever come across -- almost akin to the readability of Walter Lord's "A Night to Remember," or "Day of Infamy." My only complaint was that the book had no pictures of any sort to speak of.

This new, illustrated volume fixes that only complaint. This book is a must-have.

A Book That Should Be Read .......2007-01-03

I am at present still reading the book. It is only now that I have had the time to do so. If you wish my review later, then I would be pleased to provde this.

Thank you.

Average customer rating:

Very desirable book
useless

Great Timepieces of the World
Caroline Childers , and Roberta Naas
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

History & Price Guides | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Clocks & Watches | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Jewelry | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0847820939
Release Date: 1998-05-15

Book Description

Masterful timepieces, made by the hands of craftsmen in the mountains of Switzerland, are increasingly drawing the attention of collectors and connoisseurs around the world. The timepieces are fascinating not only because they keep precision time with engines built by man, but often because they offer more than time-telling features, such as mechanisms that record the times of athletes in competition, tell the lunar phase, signal the hour with a gong, or tell the time in several places over the world, all smoothly and intricately finished inside small cases that fit on the wrist.

Stunningly complex, tiny parts, some as thin as a hair, are assembled in designs so artful and beautiful that proud craftsmen leave their work open for display through sapphire glass in what are known as skeleton timepieces.

This book features full-color photographs of these treasures and traces man's obsession with time to today's present leaders in the watchmaking industry, including Breguet, Breitling, Blancpain, Franck Muller, Patek-Philippe, and Piaget.

Customer Reviews:

Very desirable book.......1998-10-14

This book has a brief history of watches and then proceeds to describe most of the great watchmakers history plus some of the most gorgeous illustrations you'll ever see of great watches.

useless.......1998-08-02

same as prestigious watches...What's the purpose of this book? who can believe that concord and roberge can decently stand next to Patek... this book is 200 pages of advertising.

Norfolk and Norwich Clocks and Clockmakers

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Norfolk and Norwich Clocks and Clockmakers

Manufacturer: Phillimore
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1860770282

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The world's great clocks & watches
Cedric Jagger
Manufacturer: Hamlyn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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World's Great Clocks and Watches
Cedric Jagger
Manufacturer: Galley Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0861366859

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THE WORLDS GREAT CLOCKS AND WATCHES

Manufacturer: Galley Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ID4B4U

Average customer rating:

Great Gardening book

West coast disappeared

I want NEW

Give it a chance

It's all the information you'll need packed into one book!

New Illustrated Guide to Gardening
Reader's Digest Editors
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Similar Items:

Gardening for Dummies

Trowel and Error: Over 700 Tips, Remedies and Shortcuts for the Gardener

Gardening All-in-One for Dummies

American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Gardening

Vegetable Gardening: From Planting to Picking - The Complete Guide to Creating a Bountiful Garden

Accessories:

Pruning Shears-By-Pass, 3/4"

ASIN: 0762102764
Release Date: 2000-03-02

Book Description

The most definitive practical gardening book on the market-now completely revised and updated -covers every aspect of growing healthy flowers, trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. No other gardening book is needed.

Customer Reviews:

Great Gardening book.......2007-08-07

This book is exactly what I was looking for and could not find. I had a very old edition of this book many years ago and was looking for a replacement. This covers all aspects of gardening and what I need to know. I highly recommend this book. Easy to read, concise and to the point information.

West coast disappeared.......2007-07-24

The book was a gift and was greatly appreciated. The illustrations are wonderful but the lack of west coast data was disappointing, the book is mainly for east coasters.

I want NEW.......2006-12-23

I have the Old version of this book. For the last 15 years it has been the book I first turned to for advise on planting, pruning, propagating and even selecting varieties. It was also the book that I turned to for solving the mystery of what was trying to kill my cedars one day and gave an effective solution. I didn't think this book could get better but I discovered I was wrong when I bought the "NEW" version for a friend for Christmas 2006.

Everything important to me is still there. Detail about the various plants, trees, shrubs, roses, and a countless list of perennials and annuals is quick to find, as are the demands each needs to thrive. Sections on saving existing plants through pruning, soil adjustment, pest control still remain with (in some areas), improved drawings, explanation and illustration will always be a lifesaver.

What I like most about this addition though are the thumbnail photos showing specific species of plants, specific photos of pests and disease. The drawings in the past were good but nothing compares to actually seeing a photo of the damage. I also like the attention given to the edible garden section. This probably replaced the "house plant' section which I never did bother to read.

In summary, this is a must own book for even a modest gardener. It inspires you to do more and help you to get there. It makes planning easier and solving problems easier still. It is a reference book worth its weight in gold and it is also now on my wish list.

Give it a chance.......2004-06-04

Reader's Digest... what do they know about Gardening?? It was with a disappointed sigh that I received this book as a birthday present in February. But, lo and behold, I opened it in April and have had a hard time putting it down. This is simply a superb! It is clear, concise, very helpful. I highly recommend it as one of the only gardening reference books you'll need.

It's all the information you'll need packed into one book!.......2003-08-05

I had the use of my sister-in-laws book, but I had to have my own copy! What a great, informative, and easy to use book! As a beginner gardener I wasn't sure how to do the seasonal care, fertilize, do soil checks, water properly, or prune correctly. This book taught me so much! Many helpful and detailed pictures included with the text as well! Worth every penny I spent! I highly recommend this book for any gardening home's reference library!

Average customer rating:

A must-have for gardeners
The most complete and authorative book ever.
Excellent reference easy to read detailed information
The Cat's miau of Gardening Books;Simple,brief yet thorough!

Illustrated Guide Gardening
Reader's Digest Editors
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0895770466

Customer Reviews:

A must-have for gardeners.......2006-08-15

I made a big mistake a few years ago by selling this book at a garage sale. Since I've recently become a homeowner, I've really missed it, and am relieved to find it here. An authoritative book, and a great resource.

The most complete and authorative book ever........1999-08-05

This book is, complete, easy to use, and extremely helpful. It is good for people who are beginning gardeners or as a reference to a master gardener. I hope that it comes back into print.

Excellent reference easy to read detailed information.......1999-07-04

I would like to know if the book has been revised and if so, the ISBN number available. I have been using this book for over 10 years and find it to be extremely resourceful. I would like to buy a similar book for a friend, but have not found any that compare to Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening.

The Cat's miau of Gardening Books;Simple,brief yet thorough!.......1998-12-21

The summary says it all

Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening

Average customer rating:

Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening

Manufacturer: Reader's Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0762105127

Product Description

provides a good, solid introduction to almost every aspect of gardening likely to be considered by the average homeowner

Illustrated Guide to Gardening in Canada

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Illustrated Guide to Gardening in Canada
Reader's Digest
Manufacturer: Reader's Digest Association (Canada)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000X04MLU

Average customer rating:

Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening
Carroll C. Calkins
Manufacturer: Reader's Digest Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RERM8C

Average customer rating:

Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening
Rh Value Publishing
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0517069288
Release Date: 1991-05-21

Average customer rating:

Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening
Reader's Digest; Other Contributor-Carroll C. Calkins
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBXB08

Average customer rating:

READER'S DIGEST ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO GARDENING

Manufacturer: Reader's Digest Assoc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H1AQSI

Average customer rating:

Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening

Manufacturer: Reader's Digest Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I6V4E2

Average customer rating:

ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO GARDENING
Reader's Digest
Manufacturer: Reader's Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JWHS90

Average customer rating:

john wayne biography

An American Icon

A personal look at John "the Duke" Wayne, American film legend

He deserves better than this

A wonderful tribute to a man larger than life

John Wayne: The Man Behind the Myth
Michael Munn
Manufacturer: NAL Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Actors & Actresses | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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John Wayne: My Father

Duke: We're Glad We Knew You: John Wayne's Friends and Colleagues Remember His Remarkable Life

John Wayne: American

Duke: Life and Times: The Life and Times of John Wayne

The Complete Films Of John Wayne (Film Library)

ASIN: 0451212444
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Book Description

No legend ever walked taller than Hollywood icon John Wayne. Now, author Michael Munn's startling new biography sets the record straight on why Wayne didn't serve in World War II, on director John Ford's contribution to Wayne's career, and the mega-star's highs and lows: three failed marriages, and two desperate battles with cancer. Munn also discloses publicly, for the first time, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's plot to assassinate Wayne because of his outspoken, potentially influential anti-Communist views. Drawing on time spent with Wayne on the set of Brannigan- and almost 100 interviews with those who knew him-Munn's rare, behind-the-scenes look proves this "absolute all-time movie star" was as much a hero in real life as he ever was on-screen.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

john wayne biography.......2007-03-24

Book started out a little slow but as it went along it became a more interesting read. I do recommend it for any John Wayne fans.

An American Icon.......2006-07-06

Michael Munn's "John Wayne: The Man Behind the Myth" (2003) presents the life of one of America's greatest 20th century icons. This 386-page hardback is comfortably researched with 17 pages of filmography (describing, briefly, each John Wayne film), 5 pages of sources, and a two page annotated bibliography.

Munn brings motion picture super star John Wayne to life with a comprehensive chronological narrative of his life and career. Using Wayne era media documentation, personal interviews with friends, family, and co-stars, and reviewing books about the Duke the author reintroduces readers to John Wayne's greatness. Memorable stories are told from the Duke's personal, family, and performance lives.

We hear from John Agar, Lee Van Cleef, Rock Hudson, Charlton Heston, Jennifer O'Neill, Sammy Davis, Jr., Maureen O'Hara, and many more about Wayne. Readers learn about his opinions on Richard Widmark's acting, John Huston's directing, and daughter Aissa's script reading. One discovers which one of Wayne's films was his own favorite ("The Alamo") and which was the simplest for him to make ("True Grit"). (John Wayne turned down the "Dirty Harry" part after Frank Sinatra's refusal because he didn't want a Sinatra's rejection and the Duke also didn't like the image of a rogue cop.) Wayne's families, religion (as a back-sliding Presbyterian), politics (as an Orange County Reagan Republican), love for alcohol, and lung cancer (which ultimately killed him in 1979) are reviewed.

Munn's story of John Wayne's rise from a movie back lot janitor (as an injured USC football player) to mega star adored by millions is interesting and at times riveting. Much of the Duke's life was like a John Wayne movie. The Duke was involved in hunting accidents, stage and scene mishaps, and was once targeted by the Brezhnev government for his anti Soviet views. The Duke liked fist fighting, rifle shooting, and loving Latinas. (Munn is comprehensive, reflective, and convincing.)

Michael Munn's "John Wayne: The Man Behind the Myth" is written in a non-technical novelistic style. For me, it was a quick read. All John Wayne aficionados should own a copy. It is recommended to everyone.

A personal look at John "the Duke" Wayne, American film legend.......2005-07-29

British journalist Michael Munn does a good job at delving into the core of a remarkable man, the motion picture legend we call "the Duke." Some people have criticized John Wayne over the years for not acting, but Wayne carefully crafted and honed his Duke persona to give his audiences something they could take with them, especially during the grim days of World War II. Wayne wanted to enlist, but he was a man of his word and under contract. Instead, he boosted morale through his films.

John Wayne embodied the spirit of the rugged American. He was a man's man who never backed down from a fight, on or off screen. And yet, he showed a flexibility and tolerance with actors who marched to a different drum. Kirk Douglas and Rock Hudson are examples of men whose politics and lifestyle, respectively, John Wayne disagreed with very strongly. But Wayne respected their acting credentials and for him that was the decisive factor. Wayne was a true acting professional and a man of passion who could project himself as larger than life.

Munn captures all of this and more. Where he goes astray, perhaps, is with his curious anecdote about Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin wanting to kill the Duke. Surely as cunning a player on the world stage as Stalin would never have risked an international incident, or even war, by having John Wayne assassinated. I'm not sure of the source Munn used, but it could be of the "red herring" variety. This jazz about the Duke getting the scoop from Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev, Stalin's wily successor who admittedly did his share of de-Stalinizing, is far-fetched. Yet, it all adds to the mystique.

This book was an easy read and I liked pouring through it. One has to be aware, however, that John Wayne was no saint. He caroused with women while letting his marriages fall apart, he drank hard, and he used salty language. Munn quotes Wayne and his circle of friends verbatim, especially when director John Ford was among them, so be forewarned that there is profanity in this book. In the end, Munn's take on the Duke leaves you feeling like you almost knew him, and that is good. Rev. Dennis J. Mercieri, alumnus of Holy Apostles Seminary

He deserves better than this.......2004-10-11

When is someone going to come out with a satisfactory biography of America's greatest star? It used to be that people scoffed at John Wayne's acting, but in recent years the circle has come around and i think we all know he wasn't a bad actor but an incandescent performer with infinite gobs of star quality radiating all around him like shooting stars. And yet the biographies of him lack his moral depth and complexity. Invariably they are written by people like Michael Munn, an okay journalist but a man with too many irons in the fire (18 previous books, including lives of Gene Hackman and Sharon Stone) to afford himself the luxury of time--the precious time it would take to write a first-class biography of this great, iconic presence. Munn has interviewed a lot of people, all of whom sound pretty much the same in his chatty transcriptions, and he has gotten close to many who were close to the Duke, and the book is readable enough, but it doesn't come close to conveying what happens to an audience when they sit through a John Wayne picture, the intense identification and mythologizing of his screen character as it moves from frame to frame, decade to decade. Munn also in British and gives Wayne through the British tabloid lens, when as we know Wayne was American as apple pie.

And he brings a lot of rumors to the book, particularly those which emphasize Wayne's right-wing political views and his proud conservatism. All very well and good but to make Wayne a hero on the basis that Joseph Stalin put out a fatwa on him is just ridiculous. If Stalin had wanted Wayne assassinated (for what reason?) wouldn't it have been taken care of during Stalin's lifetime?

Munn also fails to gloss over Wayne's miserable personal life. In fact the way he lingers on it makes you think he enjoys seeing the Duke brought to his knees by the women around him and by his troubled, semi-nutty mentor John "Pappy" Ford.

A wonderful tribute to a man larger than life.......2004-05-02

This is a "must read" for any John Wayne fan. The book is written with a deftness and style similar to the character of the man of whom it portrays. Munn is a self-described fan, yet is able to depict Wayne in a realistic light while using great sensitivity and care. The book is based largely on Munn's personal interviews (spanning several years) with John Wayne's colleagues and more importantly, the Duke himself, which lends credibility to his words. I have come away from this book not only with an historical view into John Wayne's career, but also with a great sense of respect for Waynes's honesty and "no-nonsense" approach to life. His love for his country is more than admirable, especially now in such times of partisanship and complacency. Sadly, John Wayne's era has gone by the wayside so kudos to Michael Munn for keeping his spirit alive.

Book Description

In 1904, having known each other for only three months, a young woman named Nora Barnacle and a not yet famous writer named James Joyce left Ireland together for Europe -- unwed. So began a deep and complex partnership, and eventually a marriage, which endured for thirty-seven years. This is the true story of Nora, the woman who, transformed by Joyce's imagination, became Molly Bloom, arguably the most famous female character in twentieth-century literature. It is also the story of Ireland, a social history encapsulated in the vivid recreation of Joyce and his small Irish entourage abroad. Ultimately it is the portrait of a relationship -- of Nora's complicated, committed, and at times shocking relationship with a hardworking, hard drinking genius and with his work. In NORA: THE REAL LIFE OF MOLLY BLOOM, the award-winning biographer Brenda Maddox has given us a powerful new lens through which to see both James Joyce and the woman who was in turn his inspiration and his salvation.

Customer Reviews:

The perfect companion.......2005-10-16

This is the perfect companion to Richard Ellmans bio of JJ. I first read it when it came out a few years ago and I found it to be a good "other side of the story". Much has been made of Joyce's letters to his wife and of her being the model for Molly Bloom. He must have been a happy man if that was the case. She was all woman.

An insightful and compelling look into a life and a marriage.......2003-01-04

The story of Nora and James Joyce's unconventional relationship and how it shaped the writings of one of history's most controversial authors. This book is nothing short of riveting, both in terms of the story it is telling and the way it is told. It explores the influence Nora held over Joyce in his life and his writing and gives countless examples of how he used the experiences of those around him in his books. More than anything, this is the story of a woman struggling to hold her life and her family together in the face of hardship after hardship. A truly incredible read that I couldn't put down until the last page - I even read the bibliography!

Average customer rating:

Nora - The Real Life Of Molly Bloom
Brenda Maddox
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RJ7F1G

Average customer rating:

Nora, the real life of molly bloom
Brenda Maddox
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HLY0FS

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Nora: The real life of Molly Bloom
Brenda Bloom] Maddox
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J2EPRS

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Nora: The Real Life of Molly Bloom
Nora Barnacle] Maddox, Brenda [Joyce
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KTLFUU

Average customer rating:

Nora; A Real Life of Molly Bloom

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I2Z9HO

Average customer rating:

Nora: The Real Life of Molly Bloom
Brenda Maddox
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KTI3NW

Average customer rating:

Nora: The Real Life of Molly Bloom
Nora] Maddox, Brenda [Joyce
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KT5KEC

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