Product Description
Michael Ray Charles is a painter whose carefully crafted and faux-aged canvases and works on paper draw attention to race relations historically and in contemporary society. Borrowing pop culture images of characters such as Sambo, Buckwheat, and Aunt Jemima, Charles uses them ironically to comment on racial issues. His concerns range from how tobacco and liquor companies target marketing to minorities to the depiction of African Americans in the entertainment and sports industries to concepts of all-American (i.e., white) beauty. This book is the catalog of the first major solo exhibition of Charles' work, staged by Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston. It contains a broad range of color images of paintings and works on paper. In addition to the catalog entries, the book contains an interview between exhibit curator Don Bacigalupi, catalog essayist Marilyn Kern-Foxworth, and artist Michael Ray Charles, in which the artist discusses and interprets his work. An essay by writer and cultural historian Marilyn Kern-Foxworth situates Charles' work within contemporary African American culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Exceptional. Compelling. Heartbreaking. Angry. And great.
I first came across Michael Ray Charles on a documentary about contemporary art (Art:21) and then again in a documentary series called Art City. Of all the artists -- many far better known than Charles -- he was, for me, the most notable. He was a young (30ish) black man, a family man living in a suburb, creating (inventing) these provocative and undeniably powerful and thought-provoking images that at once spoke to the history and horrors of racism in America, and reclaimed the power and moral sense. I purchased this "book" because I collect art books and because I so liked his art and his personality as it was conveyed in the documentaries. I never imagined when I ordered it, that I would be quite this pleased. The "book" is really two books, one a standard-sized catalogue featuring an illuminating interview and analysis of his work. Additionally, there is an oversized heavy-weight periodical (the actual catalogue featuring images) reminiscent of the old Interview magazine. Almost every page is essentially a small poster of one of Charles' works, and there are several cut-outs (dye-cuts), not to mention the inclusion of a Lincoln-head penny pasted on the back, which is a staple from his paintings.The "book" is a work of art unto itself, managing to be at once modern/contemporary and primitive (it actually comes in an oversized white jiffy bag, with an image on the front and sewn shut) and, in my estimation, is highly collectible -- not to mention just a ridiculous amount of fun. There is something to discover on every page (maybe every inch of every page). This might be the best art book I have ever purchased. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. Michael Ray Charles is an important American artist. Very compelling. ... Read more

Product Description
Multi-cultural, cross-generational anthology of new political poetry of 144 living poets from every continent on Earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A wonderful book.
I go to a somewhat conservative boarding school and lent this book to one of my writing teachers, who previously had said that there is no way that a political poem can be heartfelt. This book proves that notion wrong.Normally when people think about politics, they only think about who isrunning for office, but there is so much more than that in this book. Thisbook should be available in every library in both the poetry and politicalsection. This is an inspiring book that speaks not only to the mind, but tothe heart.

Will Work for Peace is a triumph of poetic Davids.
As one of the poets featured in Will Work for Peace, one might expect me to be a bit biased, but nothing could be farther from the truth.Mostpoets work in a virtual vacuum, only tenuously connected to each other bythe occasional workshop or shared membership in a 'poetry society'.WhenBrett Axel first approached me for a submission to an anthology he wasconsidering, the names Marge Piercy, Lyn Lifshin, Moshe Bennaroch and somany others were abstractions to me as a fledgling poet.I knew thesetremendous writers were 'out there' somewhere, beating down doors withtheir words and keeping a struggling artform alive.But to think thatsomeday I would ever share a credit with these dynamic modern poets wouldbe a pipe dream at best.It is through the sincere efforts of Brett Axelthat many newer voices like mine have an extraordinary opportunity toappear with Pulitzer Prize winners and other poetic heavyweights. Byway of an honest review, however, I will say this- not everything in thisbook will be to your particular liking.I myself came across some worksthat did not move me in the way the author may have intended.Some imagerycan be raw and visceral, using shock value in place of craft at times.Butto ignore those voices would be an even more shocking turn of events, sopraise be to the editor for not sacrificing his vision to a senselessconformity.As Pete Seeger so aptly put it in his quote, trying to readall these poems at one time would be like trying 'to swallow Manhattanwhole'.I say to you- buy this book, read this book, but understand thatit's what you do after reading this book that will ultimately define whoyou could be.Poetry is alive and well, and lives in the blunt pages ofWill Work for Peace.

Good work!
This book has been a long time coming. Brett Axel has really contributed to the poetry world in a way that is noticed, rather than swept into acorner. Many of the poems are good, some are great. Not all the poets arefamous, but most of them contributed good work. I liked Amy Ouzoonian's andBrett's poems, as well as "Pinaud's Tonic" by Michael Pollick. Irecommend reading that one. The only criticism I would have of the bookis of the extreme scatalogical nature of some of the poems, which do notseem to fit with the theme of the anthology, and would, perhaps, be betterin collections by that particular poet, rather than in such an anthology.But, overall, it is a great work.

Thumbs Up
Just amazing start to finish!I like the disregard for fame used in putting the book together.That great poems got in even if they were writtenby nobodys.Look at Roger Bonair-Agard's poem on page 74.Shortly after Will Work For Peace came out he won Slam Nationals, becoming Slam Champion of 1999, which will be getting him lots of offers.But Zeropanik Press didn't need to be told he was good by an award.They could tell by his writing!Good forthem and good for all of us because Will Work For Peace is a literary milestone. It's a new standard for all future anthology editors to try to live up to. Thumbs up to Brett Axel and Thumbs up to Zeropanik Press for their guts and integrty.

Good reading
I liked this book.It has some of the best poetry I've ever seen in it.I especially liked the poems by Marge Piercy, Antler, Diane di Prima, and Susan Griffin, but all of it was good.I think there was only one or twothat I didn't like at all and they were short.I'd give it 5 stars but thetype was kind of small and I'd rather it be easier to read.My eyes aren'twhat they were when I was 30. ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Wayne Dumond, Charles Ray Hatcher, Michael J. Devlin, Stacey Lannert, Edward J. Adams, Timothy Krajcir, Terry Blair, Robert Berdella, Faye Copeland, Lorenzo Gilyard, Glennon Engleman. Excerpt:Charles Ray Hatcher Charles Ray Hatcher (July 16, 1929 December 7, 1984), was an American serial killer who confessed to murdering 16 people between 1969 and 1982. Childhood and youth Charles Ray Hatcher was born in Mound City, Missouri , a small town 34 miles north of St. Joseph . He was the youngest of Jesse and Lula Hatcher's four children. His father was an ex-convict and an abusive alcoholic . Hatcher was bullied in school, and he would often inflict pain on his classmates. In the spring of 1935, he and his older brothers were flying a kite with copper wire they had found in an old Model T Ford . His oldest brother, Arthur Allen, was about to hand the kite to him when it hit a high-voltage power line and electrocuted him. Arthur was pronounced dead at the scene. Soon afterward, his father left home and divorced his mother. His mother remarried several times, and in 1945, Hatcher moved with his mother and her third husband to St. Joseph. Crimes 1947 1963 In 1947, Hatcher was convicted of auto theft in St. Joseph after stealing a logging truck from Iowa-Missouri Walnut Company, his employer of two weeks. He received a two-year suspended sentence. In 1948, he was convicted of auto theft a second time for stealing a 1937 Buick in St. Joseph. Hatcher was sentenced to two years in Missouri State Penitentiary. On June 8, 1949, Hatcher was released from prison after serving a little more than half of his time; however, he was back in prison in just a few months, after being convicted of forging a $10 check at a gas station in Maryville . On March 18, 1951, Hatcher escaped from prison and att... ... Read more

Product Description
Ever since the early 1970s, sculptor Charles Ray's protean practice has yielded some of the most memorable objects and experiences in contemporary art, causing us to confront, as Peter Schjeldahl has written, "elegant, deadpan fabrications that flip wild switches in our minds." In 1987's "Ink Line," for example, he sent a single stream of ink flowing to the middle of a gallery's floor in a slender column; outside the 1993 Whitney Biennial he parked a massive replica of a toy fire engine. His recent work is just as alluring and unsettling: a steel sculpture of a handheld bird, a poster of an ominous pumpkin, an intricate cast aluminum sculpture of a tractor. Charles Ray surveys the work the artist has made in the past dozen years; an interview by Michael Fried and an essay by John Kelsey complement texts written about each work by Ray himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

optical illusions of the self
An interesting and comprehensive survey of Ray's work throughout the 70's, 80's, and into the 90's.The interview with the artist is funny and informative and the reproductions of his work here are beautiful. ... Read more

Product Description

The Latest Tips and Techniques for Getting the Maximum from Blu-ray Technology

Blu-ray Disc Demystified provides the most current information and applications available for this popular high-definition optical disc format. Written by a team of experts with a wide range of experience in DVD and high-definition production, this thorough, skill-building guide details Blu-ray's many features, formats, and applications.

Blu-ray Disc Demystified provides exhaustive coverage of the multitude of production and authoring processes, while explaining how the standard and high-definition DVD specifications dovetail and/or clash with related digital media standards. The authors also provide detailed descriptions of Blu-ray's strengths, as well as frank assessments of its weaknesses and common traps that often ensnare new users. Blu-ray Disc Demystified is the most comprehensive and practical guide available for navigating the numerous challenges, changes, and opportunities associated with Blu-ray technology.

Blu-ray Disc Demystified provides:

• Detailed overview of Blu-ray technology
• In-depth coverage of formats, features, and applications
• The latest news on content protection
• Tips on using Blu-ray in the home, office, and school
• The facts behind the myths surrounding Blu-ray
• Essential information regarding production
• Interaction paradigms
• Honest assessments of Blu-ray's pitfalls

Customer Reviews (3)

Good book but there is some room for improvement!
This is a good book and offers a lot of information about Blu-Ray. I am planning to create some fancy blu-ray discs from my HD camcorder and I wanted to get familiar with the format.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that besides the technical info (codecs, limitations, etc), this book also includes some information on how to prepare your assets for blu-ray authoring.

Highly recommended! Probably the best book available to date. I subtracted a star because it could be better organized and it also could get more in depth about the compression codecs. It should be more like 4.5 stars....

A good insight into the Blu-ray world
This book is a very good general overview of Blu-ray and I would say that it goes beyond the basics. Anyone looking to learn about what Blu-ray is and how it works this would be a good book to start from.

Awesome Blu-ray Book
The book on Blu-ray is perfect.It provides a basic understanding all the way to the nuances of what potential Blu-ray offers.It is very well written and very helpful for both technical and business use in the field.Highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This text provides students as well as practitioners(engineers, technicians, physical and biological scientists,clinicians, and technical managers) with a comprehensive introductionto the field of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-raymicroanalysis. The authors emphasize the practical aspects of thetechniques described. Topics discussed include user-controlledfunctions of scanning electron microscopes and x-ray spectrometers,the characteristics of electron beam - specimen interactions, imageformation and interpretation, the use of x-rays for qualitative andquantitative analysis and the methodology for structural analysisusing electron back-scatter diffraction. SEM sample preparationmethods for hard materials, polymers, and biological specimens arecovered in separate chapters. In addition techniques for theelimination of charging in non-conducting specimens are detailed. Adata base of useful parameters for SEM and X-ray micro-analysiscalculations and enhancements to the text chapters are available on anaccompanying CD. This is the third edition of this highly acclaimed text and has beenextensively revised. The text has been used in educating over 3,000students at the Lehigh SEM short course as well as thousands ofundergraduate and graduate students at universities in every corner ofthe globe. The authors have made extensive changes to the text andfigures in this edition as a result of their experience in teachingthe various concepts of SEM and x-ray microanalysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent so far.
I'm reading this book and an older edition of the Reimer text for in independent study course in SEM.While I'm only three chapters into both texts, the Goldstein text seems more readable.I like the writing style, and it doesn't seem to sacrifice in any technical aspect.

It is also very well illustrated.For a book about an imaging technology, this is obviously quite important.There are many instances where there are sets of images to compare the results achieved with varied operating parameters.

The text is well organized.It begins with an assumption that you know some basic physics and chemistry, but doesn't require any background in microscopy.Both the Table of Contents and Index are detailed enough to enable specific searches for specific subject matter.

This is a textbook I look forward to reading in the evening, and one that I look forward to finishing.It matches very well with the practical work I'm doing on the SEM.

The Bible of All Scanning Electron Microscopy Books
If you are like me and had to use a Scanning Electron Microscope or SEM, you want to start with the basics that everyone goes by.This book is a safe bet that most everyone knows about.Plus, it is written with very little background in the world of electron microscopy.Too many authors to list but it's wonderful that alot of experts got together to present this material in clear, concise manner.Before you grab your solid-state physics book or check Wikipedia, just relax and page through it since this book pretty much makes it easy for you.

Chapters are arranged by the following: What is SEM?, How SEM works?, and Why are we interested with SEM?That's the easiest way to explain rather than list all the chapters.If you have a specific question, you don't even have to read through the previous chapters (if you have rough understanding).The size of this book is a BIG PLUS.It's compact compared to the monsterous Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) book by Barry Carter which is another great reference.For this price, you would be lucky to find another good reference book under $100 with such relevant information.

Excellent outline of SEM and X-Ray microanalysis
This book is a comprehensible review of principles and methods of SEM and X-ray microanalysis write in a single and elegant language. The authors avoid using mathematical formulas in the description and demonstration which turn it an atractive book to all scientists and even the beginners.

Great Book !!
This ought to be the dream book of those who do SEM imaging. The first half or say first five/six chapters are solely devoted to fundamentals of SEMs and the rest of the chapters are dealing generation of X-rays and concentrate on EDS. I have not yet finished reading this book. But certainly recommend to other SEM users to possess this book and read it as and when required.

Book
The book is very good. I can learn a lot about the SEM from this book. The cd has also some interesting pictures, additional information. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1950, San Francisco's M.H. de Young Memorial Museum removed a painting from an exhibition for obscenity for the first time in its history - the painting was "Big City" by Irving Norman. Norman's work has always inspired controversy and criticism and indeed continues to do so. His vast canvasses abound with dystopian visions, from the horrors of warfare to the ravages of industrialization, and his unexpected use of colour make his works utterly compelling. ("Jaw-droppingly effective social indictments that would have been endorsed by Orwell and Huxley." - "Art in America"). "Dark Metropolis", a book of compelling vision, showcases Norman's jewel-tone colours, transcendent messages, and the technical virtuosity that make his work unique in the history of American Art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Fantastic book, one of the forgotten artists of the 20th century
If you are a fan of surrealism and you love the mixture between art, politics, communism and imperialism then this book with it's collection is your next treasure.
Irving Norman doesn't need my testimonial, he more more of an artist that plenty of others who call themselves artists today.

Brilliant Political Art
I have an appetite for political art which is not polemical. Art that has a political point of view but doesn't hit you over the head with it. This artist and the art in this book is brilliant. I keep it in my downstairs bathroom for guests to peruse when they come over and I never fail to hear about it afterwards....it strikes deep chords in those who take a moment with it....

Good book
I haven't seen any other books on this artist so i have nothing to compare it to. However I can say that there are great reproductions of art in here and some wel written, interesting essays. I def recomend this book

Fascinating.We're not in Kansas anymore.
I bought this after spending some hours (but not enough to get my fill) at the Crocker, one of the venues that is hosting the Norman exhibition this summer (2007). The book is a very distant second to seeing this work in person, since even a magnifying glass on the book cannot give you an appreciation for the astounding detail in the works themselves, some of which are of stupendous proportions.One piece actually had to be exhibited on a slant, being too tall for the room!
Anyway, aside from seeing the exhibition or personal visits to many galleries and private collectors, the book is probably as close as we are going to get (for now) to Norman's work.Mrs. Norman graciously responded to my inquiry to say that prints are only a hope at this time.

The book itself, produced by Crocker and the Irving Norman Trust and printed by Heyday Books, is divided into 3 mains sections.A foreword by Michael Duncan (art writer), some acknowledgments and an intro by Scott Shields (Crocker Chief Curator), two nicely illustrated essays by Patricia Junker (Curator at De Young in '96) and Charles Eldredge (director at Smithsonian American Art Museum) make up the first part.
There follow about 140 pages of reproductions of this amazing fellow's stuff, divided into 5 sections whose names give you an idea of what you are in for:
Capitalist Enigma
Social Illusion
Cycle of War
Urban Transformation
Human Predicament
The third section is about 15 pages of appendices with a catalogue of works, a list of exhibitions and Collections, a list of the reporductions, and some comments about the contributors.

You will come to your own conclusions about who he is, but there were 2 blurbs at the Crocker that stuck in my mind.One, to the effect that Norman had sold all his posessions before joining the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, in the belief that he would not return alive from the Spanish Civil War; the other that he returned to school when he realized that he did not yet have the skill to lay down his visions.
There are a few photos of the artist, and some quotes as well. The alarming and pathetic story of the FBI tracking him for almost 50 years is well told by Junker, so if you are concerned that your web searches and Amazon purchases are now the guvvmint's business, you might want to find a suitable surrogate to make the buy.

I'd give it full stars but for a an irritating flaw (perhaps only in my copy) that has a few pages with grey printing on a grey background.
Still, it's an beautiful book, put together by some brave and talented people, about a much larger than life fellow from quiet Half Moon Bay who pulled no punches.

An amazing artist
Dark Metropolis is an interesting collection of works of art by Irving Norman. The book contains several articles by different authors describing Normans andtheir impressions of his work as well as the symbolism behind the work. There s also a short biography of his life

More then one hundred of Normans paintings and drawings are displayed in the book along with an explanation of the work and what it represents as well as points of interest within the painting.

Most of the work is politically, socially, human condition or economically motivated in terms of the haves versus the have-nots scenario and the selections of artwork in the book really depict that. What you can't tell in the book is the amazing detail of his work. Having seen it in person the scale of some of his work is several feet tall and wide and so filled with detail that you could spend hours looking at his paintings and still not see it all. The paintings and drawings are in chronological order by year. There is a catalog that lists all of his public work. Norman's work is social surrealism in it truest form.

If you can see his work in person then the book is the next best thing and does a good job in representing his work and his ideas.

The book is very well designed in visual and literary concept and the layout of the book is nice. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 152. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 June 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, choreographer, poet, businessman, philanthropist and record producer. Referred to as the King of Pop, he is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time, as well as one of the most influential. His unrivaled contribution to music, dance and fashion, and a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. Jackson made his debut, alongside his brothers, in 1964 as the lead singer of The Jackson 5. His solo career started in 1971, and resulted in ten studio albums. Of these, the 1982 album Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, having sold more than 110 million copies worldwide. Four of his other albums Off the Wall, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (best-selling double-album of all time by a solo artist) rank among the world's best-sellers making Jackson the artist with the most best-selling albums. His 1997 release,Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, is the best selling remix album of all time . Jackson is credited with elevating the music video from a mere promotional tool into an art form. His created groundbreaking videos for songs such as Billie Jean, Beat It and Thrillerthe last of which has been voted as the greatest music video of all time. The video for "Thriller" is the only music video inducted into the national film registry in the Library of Congress where induction are preserved forever.He was the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. Jackson's music ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=14995351 ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Prince, Freddie Mercury, James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Rebbie Jackson, Joan Jett, Patti Labelle, Jermaine Jackson, Marie Osmond, Patrick Topaloff. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 241. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 June 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, choreographer, poet, businessman, philanthropist and record producer. Referred to as the King of Pop, he is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time, as well as one of the most influential. His unrivaled contribution to music, dance and fashion, and a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. Jackson made his debut, alongside his brothers, in 1964 as the lead singer of The Jackson 5. His solo career started in 1971, and resulted in ten studio albums. Of these, the 1982 album Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, having sold more than 110 million copies worldwide. Four of his other albums Off the Wall, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (best-selling double-album of all time by a solo artist) rank among the world's best-sellers making Jackson the artist with the most best-selling albums. His 1997 release,Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, is the best selling remix album of all time . Jackson is credited with elevating the music video from a mere promotional tool into an art form. His created groundbreaking videos for songs such as Billie Jean, Beat It and Thrillerthe last of which has been voted as the greatest music video of all time. The video for "Thriller" is the only music video inducted into the national film registry in the Library of Congress where induction are preserved forever.He w...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=14995351 ... Read more