Customer Reviews (1)

A superb profile of an amazing artist
Mark Dion is one of those creative people, be they artists, scientists, scholars, cryptozoologists, inventors, novelists, or whomever/whatever, who hit up against the rigid parameters of where they find their work landing - then goes beyond. This book, in photographs and text, defines for those only now beginning to be aware of Dion's efforts, a sense of the who and what of this man. To get a wonderful peek inside the mind of a genius, obtain this book. - Loren Coleman ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Art Installations   4. Contemporary Art   5. History - General   6. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)   7. Individual Artist   8. Popular Culture - Counter Culture   9. Art / Popular Culture   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Art Criticism   4. Arts, Modern   5. Criticism   6. France   7. Study & Teaching   8. Art / General   9. Art criticism--France   10. Cultural studies   11. Film theory & criticism   12. Literary theory   13. Theory of art   

Customer Reviews (1)

Classic
This is a classic in not only telling the story of the Chamberlains, particularly Lindy, the mother whose baby was taken by a dingo 20 years ago, but also about how people can be caught up in a maelstrom of media scrutiny.

I remember the events so well, and, like the rest of Australia, watched them unfold year by year.

The Northern territory government and the media have a lot to answer for. The NT remains a backwater of injustice to this day - most often directed towards Aborigines, but also, as demonstrated here, with invective directed towards another group outside the conventional mainstream.

The media reported in the most outrageously biased and one-sided fashion, and actually whipped up the populous into a frenzy of finger-pointing, gossiping hatred toward Mrs Chamberlain.

I am not at all religious, but to my mind Seventh Day Adventism doesn't even sit far outside the mainstream Christian tradition, yet we were encouraged to believe it was some sort of devil-worshipping Jim Jones type sect.

Eventually the government was forced to recognise the veracity of the Chamberlain's story. ironically, another person died on The Rock for the essential clue to be discovered - a tourist fell off and his body was found near the baby's matinee jacket. It is almost beyond belief the lengths the authorities went to to balme the parents, when most of the people closest to the event on that night verified or supported the Chamberlain's case. Yet those voices were drowned out for years.

Bryson did a wonderful job of bringing this story to public atttention,and some of the most important parts were effectively translated to the screen in the Meryl Streep movie (Cry In The Dark). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1948-   2. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice   3. Australia   4. Chamberlain, Lindy,   5. Darwin (N.T.)   6. Legal Reference / Law Profession   7. Offenses And Offenders   8. Trials (Infanticide)   9. Trials, litigation, etc   10. Chamberlain, Azaria   11. Chamberlain, Lindy   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Criticism   4. European   5. General   6. Individual Artist   7. Art / General   8. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -   9. Individual artists   10. Kiefer, Anselm,--1945- --Criticism and interpretation   11. Kiefer, Anselm,--1945- --Psychology   

Customer Reviews (3)

This book covers the profession for a job not a business
This book covers the profession for a job not a business. I assumed this book would help you in starting a Concierge Business, but basically it should be purchased if you are thinking about becoming a Hotel Concierge for some of the Hotels that offer this kind of employment.

Objective and Helpful
This book is great. It presents the concierge as a proffesion and gives insights and valuable tips to the many activities and roles that a concierge executes. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is starting a job within a hotel or service position.

Great information to help build and increase service.
This book gave a nice overall of the functions of the concierge and the many duties that one might face. This book is a great start for those starting out in the hospitality industry and want to increase and build service in their hotel. Also, the stories of the concierge are quite enjoyable and help to create an understandment of the job. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics   2. Business / Economics / Finance   3. Business/Economics   4. Hotel And Restaurant Management   5. Hotel concierges   6. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism   7. Management - General   8. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism   9. Hotel & catering trades   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Arts, Japanese   4. Asian   5. Criticism   6. Feminism and the arts   7. Gender Studies   8. Gender identity in art   9. General   10. Japan   11. Women in art   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Essays   4. General   5. Techniques - Painting - Still Life   

Customer Reviews (2)

THE POWER OF GENIUS!
When 8 year-old Max discovers a box of 12 wooden soldiers
in Napoleonic uniforms, hidden in the attic of their new home,
he is naturally delighted. But is there a link between this old house and the Bronte museum nearby? His find becomes a rare
treasure when he realizes that The Twelves are alive, having
been endowed by their four genii (the literary Bronte children)
with incredible abilities: to think, speak, behave and regenerate their lives at will! Each man has his own name, appearance and identity, reflecting the various aspects of the children's own personalities. But how long can Max keep his precious secret, with two suspicious older siblings nosing about?

This charming tale of miniatures answers the questions posed by Margery Williams: what is real and how do toys come alive? Max must learn to trust first his sister, then even an adult, as he struggles to prevent the unthinkable: crass commercial sale and heartless exportation to America. What devastating deportation to the Young Men, as a result of media curiosity and a mercenary older brother. Is there no way they can be saved for literary England and preserved in safety where they truly belong? Young Max behaves in a surprisingly adult manner, as he insists on permitting the Twelves to chart their own destiny. Keeping their military dignity intact, they attempt and accomplish marvels of logistics with minimal aid. This is a cute, imaginative tale (which might inspire some interest in the original Four Genii), for children of all ages.

Bronte toy soldiers make a fantasy masterpiece
Pauline Clarke took the known history of the Bronte children, and created a powerful fantasy around this. Lynne Reid Banks, years later, did the same with a different non-historical toy in "The Indian in the Cupboard", but Clarke did it first. Of course Clarke's story about toys that are brought to life by being played with, in itself, is not original. Nor is the idea of the interaction between human and small people (for "small people" read "toys") original - not since Gulliver went to Lilliput, or, a year or two before Clarke, since Mary Norton invented a race of small "Borrowers" - another outstanding classic of children's literature.

Branwell Bronte, the ne'er-do-well son, would-be painter, and drug addict, had a set of toy soldiers, in the otherwise grim rooms of Haworth vicarage. These were a stimulus for all the children to play and tell stories, often stories about the soldiers, and their exploits in imaginary countries. The toy soldiers were given names, and characters. They were truly loved by Branwell and his sisters. Small wonder then, if the toys were somehow to be lost, and then more than a century later to be discovered by a small boy, who in turn loves them - and they come back to life, full of Bronte spirit and imagination.

The story of their "Return" turns into a quest, both for them to be restored to their rightful home, and for them to be allowed to be themselves, safe from prying humans, from museum dryness, and from interference, however well-meaning. Their "Return" is a quest of growing up, becoming independent, becoming people. Toys imbued with childish characteristics by the children who loved them, created them, and played with them, can only grwo up so much. Max, the twentieth century boy who re-discovers them can grow up far more.

This is a neglected classic - in its time a Carnegie Medal winner - the British equivalent for a children's book of an Academy Award.

It should also be noted that Clarke wrote many other outstanding books for children - sadly, also neglected - fantasies, historical novels, and plain (?) everyday (?) comedies of family life. She ought to be far better known. You could spend a year reading and not find anything as good as "The Return of the Twelve", also known as "The Return of the genii" in Britain.

Very highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12   2. Children: Grades 2-3   3. General   4. Juvenile Fiction   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Congresses   4. General   5. History - General   6. Philosophy   7. Picture frames and framing   8. Psychology   9. Art / General   10. Art--Philosophy--Congresses   11. Art--Psychology--Congresses   12. Picture frames and framing--Congresses   13. Picture framing   14. Theory of art   

Customer Reviews (5)

Shows the Duality of Man
A brilliant book that captures the essence that both good and evil exist in a single person. A criminal and con-artist who is an enemy to victims is a loving father and husband away from that life. It has the same complexity of character that Rikki Lee Travolta used to dissect the actor's life as both nepotistic and self-aggrandizing but counterbalanced with fear and insecurity in his book "My Fractured Life." Jennifer Vogel's dissection of the real man behind the conman is just as moving and equally as poignant. A highly recommended book.

Can't put it down!
Gorgeously written, highly compelling. Jennifer Vogel is a deeply complex woman who understood her deeply complex father in a mystical way. This book is riveting. I read it cover to cover in one sitting. One of the best memoirs I've ever read, right up there with ANGELA'S ASHES and CHANGE ME INTO ZEUS' DAUGHTER.

A Gem
What I thought would be a kind of cute, whimsical tale about a lovable rogue and his gifted but troubled daughter turned out to be the most compelling story I've ever read about the complex and often conflicted relationships between parents and children. The author is an extremely talented writer who is not the least bit afraid of exploring those internal areas that are sometimes better off ignored. I laud her for sharing so much of herself and her family, and only hope that writing this book was as cathartic for her as reading it was for me. It is rare that a book has such a profound effect on me, but this one blew me away. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1942-1995   2. Adult children of dysfunctional families   3. Biography   4. Biography & Autobiography   5. Biography / Autobiography   6. Crime And Criminals   7. Criminals   8. Criminals & Outlaws   9. Criminology   10. Fugitives from justice   11. Other Miscellaneous Crimes   12. Social Institutions   13. Sociology   14. United States   15. Vogel, John Bryson,   16. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Features

• Unabridge

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Conceptual   4. Painting   5. Philosophy Of Art   6. Techniques - Painting   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Art, Ancient   4. Art, Classical   5. History - General   6. Sex in art   7. Subjects & Themes - General   8. Art / General   9. History of art: BCE to c 500 CE, ancient & classical world   

Subjects:  1. HotelsInnsetc.   2. Restaurants   3. Travel   4. Travel - United States   5. United States - Pacific - San Francisco   6. United States - West - Pacific (General)   

Customer Reviews (4)

A necessary book for everyone
Why this has gone out of print I do not know. This version of the story can be read to a child over the course of about 7-10 nights. Better than Zeman's version, this story fleshes out details that make the actions of the characters much more understandable.

For example, when Gilgamesh rejects the goddess Ishtar, who has decided Gilgamesh should be her next husband, in Zeman's version you really have no sense why he rejects her. Marrying a goddess seems like a good thing, but for some unexplained reason Gilgamesh doesn't go for it. In Bryson's version however, she spells out Gilgamesh's reasons; Ishtar, once she has the attention of the one she desires, grows tired of the hapless soul and then she destroys them. Suddenly Gilgamesh's action makes sense.

In another example, Zeman leaves out any reference to Ninsun, Gilgamesh's mother, while in Bryson she is an important character whom Gilgamesh seeks out for advice.

This story is a wonderful tale. Bryson's retelling gives us insight into characters who lived 5000 years ago. She makes it possible to understand their to way of life. Where else can you read about heroes who bear bronze swords and seek out the man who survived the flood?

A shame it has gone out of print
This is the best re-telling of the earliest epic of mankind, that I have seen for children. At just over 100 pages, it gives a much fuller sense of the story and its intricacies than Ludmilla Zeman's version. (Although her illustrations are much better). As a supplemental/part-time home schooling mother (I supplement what my children learn in school), I think this book is the best place to start any child's study of history and literature. (Mine started with this book at age 6.)

Touching version of Man's first epic
I got this book out of the children's section of our localpublic library and now am trying to get my own copy.

There is justsomething about this book, the way that it tells the story ofGilgamesh and his best friend, Eikkidu (sp?); their battles with the magical bull; the original story of the Flood; how the first walled city was built; the troubles with Ishtar; and other tales of the dawn of history, that touches my heart. The author is showing us mankind's childhood, and she tells the story with simplicity. Her illustrations remind us of the stone carvings and other artifacts of Mesopotamia, yet somehow they convey movement and expression beautifully.

The story of Eikkidu is my favorite. God creates him, and leaves him asleep in the forest. When Eikkidu wakes up, he does not know he is a strong man, and runs away from the first rabbits and small animals that he sees. Gilgamesh eventually finds him and befriends him, and the two become inseparable. Eikkidu becomes more or less civilized, but never, if I remember correctly, can bring himself to eat meat. When Eikkidu dies, Gilgamesh goes to the underworld to bring him back. A lovely, lovely story from the time and place of Zarathrustra, the sage who taught us to call God "Friend."

For the sake of honesty, though, I must admit that my children didn't enjoy it as much as I did. Though they did read it, they might have enjoyed a more violent, colorful version. Still, the story and the illustrations of this version are historically accurate and, I would think, better art, and children have to be exposed to those things for awhile before they learn to appreciate them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Babies & Toddlers   

Customer Reviews (3)

Brand New Updated Kitchen, Bath and Beyond Volume
This brand new year 2001 edition is a great follow-up to the previous volume. This book features 256 pages and more than 1,300 full color, large, sharp photos. Collectors will really enjoy the great variety of items shown and the clarity of pictures. Chapters range from Napkin Dolls, Pie Birds, String holders, and Laundry Sprinkler Bottles to Figural Egg Timers, Razor Blade Banks and more. There's adequate, informative text provided. Collectors of these items will find it of interest and value, particularly with the updated pricing.

Pictorial Guide to Household Items of the Past
You'll enjoy the 224 page book with over 1,000 full color terrific, sharp photos in this photo-price guide. Everything from napkin dolls, pie birds, stringholders and laundry sprinkler bottles, to egg timers, childs cups, baby dishes and razor blade banks is shown. Each major topic is fully discussed. A delightful addition to the collector's library and reference shelf.

This will be my favorite book! Great pictures!
This book is full of full color photos. Presented very well! Looking forward to their next book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles   2. Antiques / Collectibles   3. Antiques/Collectibles   4. Bathing accessories   5. Catalogs   6. Collectors and collecting   7. Decorating - General   8. Kitchen utensils   9. Kitchenware   10. Reference - Price Guides   

Customer Reviews (6)

Great critique of the Calvinist Doctrine
I found this book incredibly simple to comprehend, yet insightful and convincing. This is a manageable, well-balanced read for anyone interested in a critique of Calvinism. Without name-calling (as some so-called "Christian" reviewers do on these webpages and thus give a very poor image of a Chrisian church in America), George Bryson presents a structured, Bible-based presentation of Calvinism's inconsistencies. Of course, anyone who believes in the Calvinist dogma might argue that Bryson's Biblical passages are taken out of context, but the same arguement can be levied against Calvinist writings. We shouldn't forget that everyone's understanding of the Bible is unique, and hence there is no need to call those who disagree with you "heretics", as, most regretfully, did J.W. Majors. "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." - Romans 12:3

Come on folks
This book is unworthy or comment or concern.

Helping the Church get on the road to recovery...
Attention J.W. Majors from Dunlap, CA: Take your finger off the caps lock when you type, really read the books you are reviewing, and grow up from your insinuations against your fellow Christians who don't agree with you! Also read your Bible, not your denominational creeds...

Now that I've gotten that off my chest...;-) Bryson's book is very brief, and will only work for the beleiver who needs a basic rebuttal of the issues but is not inclined towards hours of study. But the Church is in definite need of healing done from the oppresion wrught since the day Calvin ruled Geneva with an iron fist, and his followers followed suit- in South Africa oppressing Blacks & in New Englang oppressing Natives & Quakers. This book is a good start towards that.

For those who want more in depth study I suggest starting with "The Transforming Power of Grace" by Thomas Oden. Oden is easily a scholar on par with Sproul, Packer, etc., and he does good historical theology, tracking things through the Patristic era, the Augustine/Pelagius battle, etc., etc. on up through the Reformation, Arminius, Wesley, (both Arminius -a pastor trained in the Reformed church- and Wesley knew that humans cannot "will" themselves to be saved prior to the prevenient grace of God) and all the way up to Karl Barth.

This will at least help you understand Arminianism from an Arminian viewpoint, then you need to move on to other realms of understanding truth as a whole that are not necessarily in "Calvinist vs. Arminian" mode. Check out some various writings by James D.G. Dunn, particularly "The Theology of Paul the Apostle". Dunn has provided a good understanding of Paul in his historical/Rabbinical background based on the groundbreaking work of E.P. Sanders, W.D. Davies & others. N. T. Wright is another Biblical scholar who has done extensive work on Paul and the historical background of "justification". (Protestantism has given us a terrible view of Rabbinical culture in a slanderous characterizing it as similar to medieval Catholicism. Luther tended to read Paul's discourse on the law in Romans in light of his own struggles with Catholicism- very bad exegesis!) Look for The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology, as a good starting point for his stuff. (Wright has made some his fellow Lutherans aghast, wondering why he is still even a Lutheran!) Also Joel Green & Mark Baker's "Recovering the Scandal of the Cross" and Morna Dorothy Hooker's Not Ashamed of the Gospel for a critique of forensic models of the atonement, the Anselmian view which Calvinism is based on. Those are just a few places to start. You may also want to consider the fact of Calvin's having persecuted Anabaptist & other dissenters, & Luther's having called for persecuting Jews as something that raises a question of whether or not these men truly represented the Spirit of Christ (as opposed to Arminius, Menno Simons, John Wesley, George Fox and others who were champions of the poor and oppressed.) No one, who doesn't have a strong passion for social justice in his or her theology, can truly be said to be 100% Christian. Try reading some books by Ron Sider & Jim Wallace. w. Hope everyone who is looking at these reviews will take time out to look further. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - Protestant   2. Religion   3. Theology   

Customer Reviews (1)

Barbra Krugeer Rules
I ordered this am awaiting it's arival. I went to the Barbara Kreuger exibit at the Whitney and It's the best art show I've ever seen. Her work is topical and cutting and an accurate criticism and contempt of societial standards in the Western world. If you want to be smart understand Barbara Kreuger. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Criticism   3. General   4. Photography   5. Popular Culture - General   

Customer Reviews (5)

Once again - Bill provides us great humor
I agree with Julian, while this particular book may be a bit more technical than his others, it is certainly worth the money and belongs on every Bryson fan's shelf. The insights into metal are as plentiful as the humor - especially when the author dives into the always hilarious topics of carburization and TTT diagrams. Side splitting! I never knew that working with metals could be so entertaining but I guess I should expect that from Bryson. He can make any topic a joy.

While the book provides a wide range of knowledge - I'm sure this will become the standard for manuals on grinding which I think is the books strongest section. It is also the section the allows Bryson to really exercise his comedic genuis even if some of the humor may be lost on the casual fan.

My only complaint is that this gem isn't available on audio-cassette but I'm sure that Random House will fix that soon. I would love to hear these words from Bill's own mouth especially when he talks about getting the most out of a furnace!

Also make sure to look for Bill's book "Cryogenics" which I think he was working on while still living in England - it, too, is a joy to read - especially the highly entertaining section on liquid nitrogen! The section on Stress in Materials was also top notch - almost as humorous as his observations about the women of Iowa in earlier books. Keep up the good work Bill!

A waste of time for metallurgical information
I am always surprized at the lack of information about the metal heat treating field. This book is definitely included in this. Although many of the processing techniques are good, some make me cringe and want to run for cover. The metallurgical information is remaniscent of Biringuccio or Agricola, both written in the 1500's. If you have enough metallurgical knowledge to know what is correct and what processing techniques are good, then you don't need this book. If you don't have enough knowledge to decipher this, then it is unreliable. On a lighter note, the other sections, not dealing with heat treating, seem good.

This is not the same Bill Bryson as you are thinking of.
If you are looking for all the books Bryson has written, look up his official web site or at random house publication's web site. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Heat treatment   2. Home Improvement / Construction   3. Metal Manufacturing   4. Metallurgy   5. Power Tools   6. Science/Mathematics   7. Technology   8. Testing Of Materials   9. Tool-steel   

Subjects:  1. American English   2. Cultural studies   3. Historical & comparative linguistics   4. Travel writing   5. USA