Bombast and Broadsides: The Lives of George Johnstone

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The biograpy of a larger than life American Explorer

Overlooked Explorer...

The flaming cliffs

many errors in there

A DIFFICULT BOOK FOR ME TO REVIEW

Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions
Charles Gallenkamp
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142000760
Release Date: 2002-03-26

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Roy Chapman Andrews was never much of a scholar, and anyone who looked at his high school report card might have foretold an undistinguished future. But, from an early age, Andrews's ambitions lay outside the social norm; an ardent fan of Robinson Crusoe and a devoted outdoorsman, Andrews wanted nothing more than to be an adventurer. He got his chance when he talked his way onto the staff of the American Museum of Natural History in 1906, under whose auspices, 15 years later, he was to mount the first of his central Asian expeditions. This decade-long program of exploration took Andrews and his team into the heart of the Gobi, one of the last uncharted regions on earth.

Convinced for ideological as much as scientific reasons that humans originated not in Africa but in Asia, Andrews spent much of his time in the field seeking evidence of early man. That search would prove fruitless, for, as biographer Charles Gallenkamp notes, "nary a scrap of genuinely ancient human bone was ever retrieved by the Central Asian Expeditions." What Andrews and his colleagues did find, however, has propelled dozens of scientific missions ever since: huge caches of dinosaur bones at places such as Mongolia's Flaming Cliffs. These fossils helped demonstrate geological connections between Asia and North America, and they added dozens of new species to the paleontological record.

All the while, Andrews contended with bandits, corrupt officials, invading armies, disease, and other dangers. After finishing Gallenkamp's vigorous book, readers will understand why Andrews should have served as the model for the movie character Indiana Jones--who, if anything, pales by comparison to the real thing. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

The New York Times science editor John Noble Wilford has called the Central Asiatic Expeditions (1922-1930) "the most celebrated . . . of the twentieth century." Led by world-renowned explorer Roy Chapman Andrews, the five expeditions uncovered unimagined scientific wonders: the Flaming Cliffs, dinosaur eggs, the first skeleton of Velociraptor (the terrifying killer of Jurassic Park fame), and a fossil treasure trove of other dinosaurs and extinct mammals.

In Dragon Hunter, Charles Gallenkamp vividly recounts these extraordinary adventures while telling Andrews's incredible life story-from his beginnings as a floor sweeper at the American Museum of Natural History to his international fame as one of the century's most acclaimed explorers. Filled with astonishing tales of political intrigue and braving the elements, Dragon Hunter is a thrilling page-turner that takes readers along on one of the most important scientific missions in history.

"Enormously entertaining." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Amazing stuff . . . an incredibly exciting life." (National Geographic Explorer)

Customer Reviews:

The biograpy of a larger than life American Explorer.......2007-07-31

I sincerly confess not having known anything about Roy Chapman Andrews before reading Gallenkamp's fascinating biography. However, this book not only condenses practically all the facts of this 1920 explorer and naturalist's life, but also presents an enlightening panorama of the mentality, the political and economical situation and the cultural drives that allowed the Central Asiatic Expeditions.
Roy Chapman Andrews left quiet a few writings on all his feats, and the impression is that Gallenkamp has based his biography mostly on these, without examining thouroughly secondary fonts, such as coworkers, friends and relatives.
As I have understood reading the book RCA was a controversial figure even in his times. He incarnated the typical brash, conceited, aggressive and self assured, and might we say "racist" (?) "Americano all'estero" (American abroad) that was widely accepted and admired in his country, but lay a little indigested on the stomach of the Nations that had to put up with him. However, he had a will of iron and harboured together with his mentor Osborn "a great dream", backed up by sound American dollars and the technology that consented the ground breaking Central Asiatic Expeditions. Looking for the "Missing Link" between the apes and man in Mongolia, he actually found many species of then unknown dinosaurs and primitive mammals and assured the Museum of Natural History the greatest collection in the world of these specimens.

One of the strong points of this biography is the explanation of the technical characteristics of these expeditions. The revolutionary importance of the use of automobiles to explore the desert and how these had to be refurnished by caravans. Another very interesting aspect is the description of attitude of the American society of the 1920 toward scientific exploration and how it evolved during the Depression and after, together with the evolution of the situation in China and Mongolia.
If one has the curiosity to read some of Owen Lattimore's books, written just ten years after (The Desert Road to Turkestan, High Tartary, etc) the political situation becomes increasingly clear.
As has been justly underlined eventhough the book contains many beautiful photographs and drawings of dinosaurs, we do not learn much about zoology or the purely scientific aspects of Andrews discoveries.
As a period piece and biography this book is truely excellent, but it does leave a few questions unanswered stimulating the reader's curiosity to look for more information.

Overlooked Explorer..........2006-12-01

Gallenkamp does a fine job of detailing Andrews explorations of Mongolia in search of the fossil record of a "missing link" in human evolution. Though failing to find this "missing link" the palentological discoveries he did make are still being poured over and examined today. The book serves and an excellent history of the Central Asiatic Expeditions but not as solid a job of being Andrew's biography...his personal life, feelings, ideas, and interactions are sidenotes as are his early and later years...Overall if you are interested in the discoveries he made and details of his expeditions then the book will fulfill its purpose, if you are looking for a more in depth study of Andrews this will leave you wanting...

The flaming cliffs.......2005-01-26

This book tells the tale of Roy Chapman Andrews. He was an outdoors man, who talked his way into the American Museum of Natural History, and eventually becomes the director there. Andrews has the strong belief that the human race originated in Asia instead of the more common belief of Africa. Andrews is able to find backing to fund trips of Asia and Mongolia to find proof to back up his belief.

Even though the writing is a little dry, I found the subject to be very interesting. The details of the expeditions, how they were funded, supplied and got to the sites were fascinating. Dealing with the different governments in Asia, at a time of revolution, was also of interest.

I would have enjoyed more information into the science of the expeditions, but that may be a subject for a different book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the age of exploration. It is not a light read, but worth the time.

many errors in there.......2004-12-27

Gallenkamp did a good job in bibliographic research, but please be careful when you read this book. Don't believe everything therein is true. I have noticed that there is a tremendous amount of inaccurate information included in text especially in accounts of Andrews' whaling trip to Japan (I am a native Japanese, so I know more about Japanese geography than him!) although most of the errors do not affect significantly the whole story of Andrews' life with a full of adventure.

A DIFFICULT BOOK FOR ME TO REVIEW.......2004-10-14

I must start by admitting that as a young boy, many a many a year ago, that I thrilled to Andrews' first hand accounts of his adventures. They were the sort of stuff a small boy in the midwest dreamed of. That being said, and having to admit that I am no longer that little boy (well, not much anyway), I had very mixed emotions about this book. I was a bit disappointed in the scholarship shown at times. Some of the writing was a bit flat, and viewing Andrews through the eyes of what I know now and did not know then, Andrews' image has been sort of tarnished for me.
I think you have to read this book with a good grounding and knowledge of the attitudes of most Americans/WASPS at that time, just as you have to view the Civil War and Pre Civil War through the attitudes of that time. No, it was not right, much of what we did was wrong and down right disgusting and it was not "correct" by todays standards, but it was what it was. History is history and I do not feel the author was condoning any of the questionable actions that Andrews made. Read this book for the fun of it and then read some of Andrews' actually writings and compair. Read it as an adventure story. Yes, their are better works out there on this subject, that is a fact, but this one is simply more "fun" than most of them. Recommend.

DRAGON HUNTER. Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions. Foreword by Michael Novacek.

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DRAGON HUNTER. Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions. Foreword by Michael Novacek.
Charles. Gallenkamp
Manufacturer: Viking,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MZE6Q2

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Roy Chapman Andrews: Dragon hunter
Fitzhugh Green
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00086B9HO

Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions

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Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions
Charles Novacek, Michael J. (Foreword) Gallenkamp
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJKJD0

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The Gun Digest Book of Beretta Pistols

I don't like Berretas but its a great book.

Fantastic resource!

Gun Digest Book Of Beretta Pistols
Massad F. Ayoob
Manufacturer: Gun Digest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0873499980

Book Description

As the personal protection arena of the firearms industry continues to grow, resources devoted to choice protective handguns are at a premium. In The Gun Digest Book of Beretta, thorough specifications and articles on function and reliability provide valuable information for people researching self-protection options, handgun collectors and target-shooting enthusiasts.

With more than 500 years of gun-making history, the Beretta name is synonymous with solid craftsmanship. In the pages of this new release from the publishers of Gun Digest, readers get information including caliber, weight and barrel lengths for modern pistols. A review of the accuracy and function of all models of modern Beretta pistols give active shooters details needed to make the most of this popular firearm. More than 300 photographs, coupled with articles detailing the development of design and style of these handguns, create a comprehensive must-have resource.

-Comprehensive review of function and accuracy for all modern Beretta models gives enthusiasts a complete guide to their Beretta choices

-300+ photos help with identification

-Articles explore the evolution of Beretta design

Customer Reviews:

The Gun Digest Book of Beretta Pistols.......2006-03-25

To call this book an 'Advertorial' would be too kind. To reprint official Beretta press releases would be only slightly less objective.
I bought the book to learn more about the 92, decide which model to buy, and what to do to improve it. Ayoob wastes way too much ink and pages in basically a bar room style of dialogue ("I heard" "someone said" "some people think" etc.) of testimonials and countering negative comments abot everything from the stopping power of a 9mm to the integrity of the testing peformed to approve the weapon for the US military.
Oddly enough, the only model he doesn't like (the 9000) he shot only one -an early production model and never did any follow-up testing.
As far as suggested mods to make the 92 (his favorite gun in the world, it seems) a better shooter, he spends very little time with no useful pictures.
There are lots of pictures of Ayoob and his daughter posing while shooting, but none that show internal mechanical changes in the firearms that might be helpful in deciding which gun to buy.
Many, many words about the style of safeties used on the guns and why a police officer should carry a gun on 'safe'.
Bought the book. Am buying (and planning on keeping) a Beretta. Will throw out the book.

I don't like Berretas but its a great book........2005-11-18

Not a Berreta fan but shoot alot of different handguns so I bought it anyway. Excellent book so if you are a Beretta fan this is a must have. Also check out Ayoobs Sig-Sauer book which is very good as well. Maybe you'll do the right thing and buy a Sig instead of a Beretta. ;)

Fantastic resource!.......2005-10-07

Perhaps the definitive Beretta modern handgun book. Written with exceptional clarity and depth from a true expert's perspective. Massad Ayoob is a veteran police officer, gun writer & editor, shooting champion, and self-defense guru. His book covers Bobcats, Tomcats, Jetfires, Cheetahs, Cougars, 92s, 9000s, Neos, and revolvers (PX4 not yet released to the public at the time of publication). It also includes handling, equipment, shooting, customization, and maintenance tips.

The legendary 92 series is heavily emphasized and the author does a good job of counteracting all the popular hate, myths, and rumors point by point. For example, the author agrees that 9mm ball is not a particularly great man-stopper, but he also knows that modern 9mm +P hollowpoint is, and moreover the Beretta 92 can handle it with ease. It would be almost foolish to not take advantage of a proven firearm with this much firepower, stopping power, and reliability. In fact, the author's own trusty bedside gun is a modified 92 loaded with high performance ammo; a solid endorsement if there ever was one! Beretta handgunners rejoice, this the one of the best feel good books ever written!

Book Description

Packed with photos, tips, and directions, "The Complete Natural Dyeing Guide" is like having an expert natural dyeing instructor right by your side. Features 89 different natural dye recipes, from plants in your garden to mail order dyes. Includes color photos of swatch material for every color formula, a handy "Dyes-by-Color Index" and "Resources" section to get you what you need, and a gallery of beautiful rugs created with these natural dye recipes.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-01-22

Great book, for people who grow their own natural dye plants. Great recipes showing light fastness and different colors available for each plant. You may want to order two, in case you use it so much you damage the first copy.
More than worth the money!

The complete natural dyeing guide: 89 natural dye recipes for rug hookers and other fiber artists (Rug Hooking Magazine's framework series)

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The complete natural dyeing guide: 89 natural dye recipes for rug hookers and other fiber artists (Rug Hooking Magazine's framework series)
Marie Sugar
Manufacturer: Rug Hooking
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The simple, organic form of the traditional Japanese home, designed to integrate with its surroundings, has had a profound effect on modern architecture. Since the mid-1800's, architects around the world have drawn inspiration from its ancient principles.

Nature on View presents a new chapter in that rich history with a look at 28 American homes and gardens located in various parts of the country. Together they demonstrate the current appeal and adaptability of timeless Japanese home design to Western lives and landscapes.

Shown here are country retreats, suburban homes, city apartments, guest houses, versatile teahouses, hilltop getaways and seaside residences. Ranging from luxurious to modest, some are brand new, while others are radical renovations of older homes. Each, however, incorporates basic principles of Japanese architecture in refreshing ways.

Jean Mahoney and Peggy Rao, authors of two earlier books that offer new ideas on living with Japanese antiques and artifacts, conduct this house and garden tour with their partner, photographer Toshiaki Sakuma. More than 180 full-color photographs focus on the fine craftsmanship, serene flexibility, decorative use of structural elements, and above all, the easy merger with the outdoors.

The accompanying text explains the origins of these appealing structures and introduces readers to the innovators involved. Some of the creators are professional landscapers, architects or designers; others are simply private citizens whose avocation became Japanese design. All share a heightened sensitivity to the natural environment.

Customer Reviews:

Great book with great design ideas.......2006-03-10

This book has great ideas for Japanese inspired homes. Beautiful photos and unique design ideas.

Nature on View.......2003-04-05

When friends tell me they are building a new home with Asian themes, I buy them this book! I receive enthusiastic thank you notes from everyone. Two friends bought copies for their designers and contractors. This should tell you something about this great book!

SPECTACULAR! Wonderful pics of Japanese architecture/decor.......2000-04-24

This book strikes the perfect balance between pictures and descriptions, as well as varying geographical locations. The pictures are sumptuous. There are pictures on nearly every page. I wished I could step into the book and live in the homes pictured.

Nature on View- Homes and Gardens Inspired By Japan

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Nature on View- Homes and Gardens Inspired By Japan

Manufacturer: Shufunotomo Co. LTD.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 407975888X

Product Description

Included are 28 contemporary American homes which take their basic design principles from Japan.

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Nature on View : Homes and Gardens Inspired by Japan
Peggy L.; Mahoney, Jean Rao
Manufacturer: Weatherhill, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MYLRQK

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Nature On View Homes and Gardens Inspired By Japan
Jean Mahoney Rao Peggy Landers
Manufacturer: Shufunotomo/Weatherhill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDPUUM

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The Arthritis Foundation's Guide to Managing Your Arthritis
Mary Anne Dunkin
Manufacturer: Arthritis Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The most comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to arthritis treatments and self-management yet, published by the authority on arthritis for more than fifty years.

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Graham Payn first met Noel Coward at age 13, when he auditioned for the playwright by tap dancing while singing "Nearer My God to Thee." He became Coward's longtime companion. So perhaps Payn knew better than anyone the personal side of Noel Coward, whose public personae had the trappings of an enchanted life but whose private life has been more difficult to capture. "His manner created distance between himself and those who would approach him." Payn says. This biography helps give a portrait of the playwright and tells of his vast accomplishments. The book should help keep Coward's work alive.

Book Description

This is the definitive memoir of the private Noel Coward by the only man with the compassionate insight and first-hand experience to write it. Graham Payn, star of many of Coward's shows, shared the Master's professional and private life for thirty years. When Coward kept the rest of the world at bay, Payn remained at his side as confidant and friend. No one else was as privy to Coward's doubts and dreams.

Customer Reviews:

Thoughtful, Loving Memoir.......2005-09-08

Don't read this book unless you want to fall more in love with Noel Coward than you already must be to read the book in the first place. Mr. Payn has assembled a quilt of memoir, unpublished theatre writings by Coward, photographs, a beautiful reminiscence by one of Coward's leading ladies, and a recorded conversation between Coward and Judy Garland. The whole of the book gives a tender, honest, delightful insight into Coward, the people he loved, the perils and pleasures of his work, and the places he most enjoyed. Lovers and students of theatre will find great rewards in these pages.

It is a generous book; Mr. Payn shares with the reader all of the real stuff of knowing Noel Coward so well and for so long. He does not share intimate details of their relationship, but does share his deep love of the man himself. In short, Coward himself was a man who treasured good taste and true sentiment -- and it is fitting that his life-partner should offer this book in his honor.

What A Life, Indeed!!!.......2004-06-17

Over the course of forty years, South-African-born actor Graham Payn shared the life, love, companionship, and generous wit of that "playboy of the West End world," Noel Coward. This book is a loving and often frank tribute to this great man, who made so many people laugh for so many years, and who, in life as well as on stage, was the very epitome of the word "style". Payn begins with his first audition for Noel and the play Words and Music in the thirties, takes us through the war years, to the decidedly unforgiving (to Noel) fifties, when the critics turned against him en masse, to the triumphant sixties and "Dad's Renaissance" to an adoring public, through Noel's death and the demise of Noel's personal assistant (and fellow biographer) Cole Lesley, up to the present (1993) and the unveiling of a special tribute stone for Coward in Westminster Abbey by no less a person than the Queen Mother. If this book ended after Graham's 250-page-or-so lovely memoir, it would still be worth five stars, but there is more. Much more. In the roughly hundred pages that follow, Payn provides us with the complete Coward writings on theatre, many of which first appeared in the Sunday Times (and which, for my money, prove conclusively that Noel Coward knew more about theatre than any other person who lived in the Twentieth Century). There are also interviews with actresses Judy Garland and Judith Campbell, brief but penetrating portraits on some of the many important figures in Coward's life (including Rex Harrison, the Lunts, and Sir Winston Churchill), and much more. My one caveat that goes with my otherwise-unqualified recommendation is this: please read The Noel Coward Diaries first, so that you get a clear understanding not only of how Noel saw himself, but how he viewed many of the key figures in this book. (Author Payn plays, not surprisingly, a significant part in the diaries.) With these two books by your bedside, you'll have the best and most delicious kind of reading entertainment for many nights to come, and you'll say of Graham Payn's life with Noel Coward: "What a life, indeed!!!"

the wittiest bio of the master.......2000-01-25

coward's longtime companion graham payn probably comes as close to coward as anyone ever will. he manages to artfully weave the details of his own life with a plethora of new anecdotes -- and old -- about sir noel. the added bonus is the appendices containing previously unpublished coward works, including a tenth play [!] written for "tonight at 8:30".

well worth your time...

Coward's lover,friend and literary executor's retrospective.......1999-06-13

I read and reviewed this book for my on-line theater magazine -- The new off-Broadway musical about Coward's friendship with Gertrude Lawrence draws much material from this book as well so I found myself referring back to it for my write-up of that show -- both show and book are particularly timely as the Coward centennial celebrations get into full swing.

A perceptive memoir of the man behind the public face.......1999-03-29

"An engrossing portrait of this world famous and immensely gifted man,chronicled so frankly by his closest friend...A most vivid account of his career after the Second World war" - JOHN GIELGUD"I greatly doubt if anything written about the Master will ever be as fascinating,as perceptive,as amusing or as touching as Graham Payn's loving portrait." - RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH"It's simply terrific !...So funny and so sensitive." - ELAINE STRITCH"Stories I never heard before bringing Noel vividly to life." - LAUREN BACALL"I greatly doubt if anything written about the Master will ever be as fascinating,as perceptive,as amusing or as touching as Graham Payn's loving portrait." - RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH"It's simply terrific !...So funny and so semsitive" - ELAINE STRITCH"Stories I never heard before bring Noel vividly to life." - LAUREN BACALL

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MY LIFE WITH NOEL COWARD
GRAHAM PAYN
Manufacturer: Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S6JVM4

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MY LIFE WITH NOEL COWARD GRAHAM PAYN.

Manufacturer: Applause
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HLQMX6

My Life with Noel Coward, Includes : The Never Before Published Theatre Writings of Noel Coward

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My Life with Noel Coward, Includes : The Never Before Published Theatre Writings of Noel Coward
Graham with Barry Day Payn
Manufacturer: Applause
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LTSK2K

Book Description

The Museum of Jewish Heritage, A Living Memorial to the Holocaust opened its doors in 1997, and is recognized as a site of great cultural and historical importance. The powerful stories of courage, family, hope, and faith held within the hexagonal structure of the museum provide a uniquely moving history of Jewish life in the 20th century. This is the first book drawn from the Museum's collection. Selected from the permanent exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City-these 36 objects were passed on to the Museum by Holocaust survivors and their offspring. A child's Torah scroll, a dress worn at the time of liberation from Auschwitz, a desperate telegram, a false passport, a blue-and-white-striped cap from one of the camps-these are the kinds of objects that are emblems of remarkable stories of perseverance and hope.

Customer Reviews:

A Vibrant Review of Tragic and Hopeful Events.......2002-11-22

This book is not a dry or historical account of Holocaust events. It is,rather, a story of people and artifacts and memories. Tying some of the tragic events of the Holocaust with life before and afterwards, brings hope and a positive outlook to the reader. A must for everyone's library - it renews one's faith in people's abilitiy to overcome severe hardships and renew their lives. A very positive reading and living lesson!

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