Customer Reviews (6)

Fantastic Book
This is one of the BEST books on programming that I have read.
The concepts are explained extremely well. I would definitely recommend this book to VB programmers who want to ge a good grasp and eventually master .net technology and VB.net specifically.

Fantastic Boo,
This is one of the BEST books on programming that I have read.
The concepts are explained extremely well. I would definitely recommend this book to VB programmers who want to get a good grasp and eventually master .net technology and VB.net specifically.

Best Visual Basic .NET book so far ...
Let me just say that I have tons of Visual Basic .NET books which include my previous beloved Applied Microsoft .NET Framework Programming in Microsoft Visual Basic .NET (what a mouth full) that also author by Mr. Francesco Balena together with Jeffrey Richter.

Well, I don't know why I waited so long before getting Programming Microsoft Visual Basic .NET by Francesco Balena. It has something to do with the fact that I already have a copy of the Framework programming book, or so I thought.

Let's just say after reading countless books on the framework and the .NET idioms etc I still find the concepts somewhat elusive, until one day I accidentally flipped throught this book and it instantly made all the concepts clear to me. I put this book in the same category as Mr. Ted Pattison's outstanding Programming Distributed Applications with COM+ and Visual Basic 6.0 book.

I got to go study now, but will write some more after I'm through with it.

Thanks Mr Balena, and keep playing that Jazz saxophone. By the way, I am a Jazz guitarist as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. BASIC (Computer program langua   2. BASIC (Computer program language)   3. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   4. Computer Books And Software   5. Computers   6. Microcomputer Application Software   7. Microsoft .NET   8. Microsoft Visual BASIC   9. Programming - General   10. Programming - Visual Basic - VBA (Visual Basic for Applicati   11. Programming Languages - Visual BASIC   12. Computers / General   

Customer Reviews (1)

A "MUST HAVE" for any Botanical Art Enthusiast or Artist
This book, illustrated by Marilena Pistoia, is an invaluable addition to the library of botanical artists or lovers of botanical art. There are 110 paintings depicting 400 plants, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices...all beautifully painted and reproduced. Some of the fruits are so realistic they almost make your mouth water.

The composition and combinations of the fruits and vegetables used in the individual paintings is very imaginative and complimentary in shape, form and colors.

I bought it for the illustrations but the text is very interesting and informative as well, often giving little know facts about the edible plants in our world. It is not a science book...the entertaining text is the perfect compliment to the beauty of the highly accurate and colorful representations of the paintings. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking   2. Food crops   3. Life Sciences - Botany   4. Pictorial works   5. Plants, Edible   6. Science   

Customer Reviews (86)

Every page is useful.
When my boss told me that he needed an application developed using Visual Basic, I went hunting for a book that would tell me what I needed to know. Am I ever glad that I found this one! I've had plenty of experience with languages such as C, C++, Java, Perl etc ... so for me, most books are usually too basic or very general. This book is an amazing blend of basic concepts and advanced techniques. Never before have I seen an author give so many useful and insightful tips and guidelines. There is so much contained in this book that you may never figure out on your own, even with years of experience. One of the VB developers in my office continually asks to borrow my copy of this book, and he's been using VB since version 1.0!! The greatest thing about it would have to be that it is not simply another book that tells you everything you could find in the help files. It also makes a wonderful refercence. Don't expect to get rid of this book once you finish it. You will find that you are referring to it again and again, I know I do. Seriously, I'm not one to tell people to waste money on a book that teaches them what they could very well learn somewhere else for free ... but if you plan an doing any Visual Basic development at all, you absolutely must own this book. My only advice to you is to hang on to the CD in the back cover. The actual book may not last as long as your need for the information in its pages.

Good book for "pick-up" programmers
Programming Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 is great for intermediate and experienced programmers who wish to know more about Visual Basic. It is also good for experienced VB developers who need a refresher on some items that are not seen everyday. As a C++ programmer, I find it easy to browse through this book and find information and snippets that I need to program in VB. It covers some important topics that are not covered by beginning books like databases, ASP objects, and ActiveX.

In all, I give this book 5 stars because of the ultimate usefulness to a programmer. It touches a lot of topics that a person should know about VB. Though, it presents some of the code like, "here, we discuss some sections, just see how it works", I still like it. The eBook is nice also to bring around with you.

A Great Reference
I am totally new to V.B. and am attempting to write a fairly complex application straight off. EVERY time I have been stuck I have refered to this book and it has so far always helped me out. As a beginner I do not always immediatly grasp the code samples, but after searching through some more basic texts then returning to this book, I have so far always got the results I am aiming for. It is almost as though the author has looked at what i am trying to do, then sat down and written an example or two of how I can accomplish it!

If I could only recommend one VB 6 book, this would be it. Great stuff. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. BASIC (Computer program langua   2. BASIC (Computer program language)   3. Basic (Programming Language)   4. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   5. Computer Books: General   6. Computers   7. Microsoft Visual BASIC   8. Programming Languages - Visual BASIC   9. Computers / General   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics   2. Business / Economics / Finance   3. Business/Economics   4. Entrepreneurship   5. International - General   6. International Business   7. International business enterpr   8. International business enterprises   9. Management - General   10. Organizational Behavior In Business   11. Organizational behavior   12. Business & Economics / International   

Useful for VB developers of all levels, Programming Microsoft Visual Basic .NET offers a massive and comprehensive guide to the new VB .NET. While concentrating on "traditional" programming techniques brought up to speed with .NET, this book also covers essential Web development, making it a solid choice for those making the leap from VB 6.

The sheer size of this volume is its obvious distinguishing feature. Weighing in at over 1,600 pages, it's easily one of the largest programming books ever published. The scope of coverage here is wide-ranging and comprehensive. The author first presents a basiclanguage-based tutorial of the new VB .NET, highlighting basic keywords, data types, and new class design features like inheritance, delegates, and events.

Patient, thorough coverage and plenty of short code examples are the guiding principles here. The tour of object-oriented features in VB .NET is among the best that you can find. Coverage of built-in .NET support for strings, math, date/time, and file I/O classes (and the like) will help you master these essential APIs. At many points, the author highlights what's new and different from VB 6. There's plenty of coverage of "traditional" VB applications, including the new Windows Forms, database programming with ADO.NET, and Win32 support including programming the Windows registry, MDI, graphics programming (with GDI+), Windows services, and the like. Later sections look at deploying VB .NET applications in assemblies.

Only in its final sections does this text turn toward ASP.NET and the Internet, with several solid chapters on essential Web Forms and new features like caching, configuration, and basic Web development techniques. By centering on essential VB .NET language features first and then covering a wide spectrum of programming APIs, this book offers a winning choice for anyone with previous VB experience who wants to work effectively with the new VB .NET. With its extremely rich range of topics, all backed up with plenty of code excerpts, this title offers a nearly unbeatable one-volume reference on what's inside the new Visual Basic .NET. --Richard Dragan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (78)

Best of the Bunch!
Programming Visual Basic .NET by Francesco Balena builds on the success of the author's previous programming book for Visual Basic 6. This huge 1600 page book provides the most complete coverage of Visual Basic .NET that I have seen.

This book isn't for beginner programmers who wish to learn Visual Basic .NET. It is aimed at experienced Visual Basic 6 developers who want to take full advantage of the new .NET Framework.

The book provides complete coverage of advanced new object-oriented features, the common language runtime, multithreaded programs, Windows Forms, GDI+ graphic programming, Windows Services, ADO.NET classes for databases, ASP.NET Web Forms, and XML Web Services. Also included are many advanced optimization techniques and tips for leveraging the power of the Visual Studio .NET environment. For those who love code examples, you won't be disappointed. The book is filled with short code examples that illustarte how each specific .NET feature works.

The software that accompanies the book includes a CD containing the project source code which demonstartes the concepts discussed in each chapter. Also available on the CD is the previous edition of this book in electronic form. In addition, the book includes a sixty day trial version of Visual Studio .NET on DVD.

Programming Visual Basic .NET has received alot of well deserved praise from the Visual Basic community. I found the book to be very thorough, concise, and well written. This is one book that all experienced Visual Basic developers must have by their side.

If only there was a C# book of similar quality
I use VB.NET every day and regularly refer to this book for tips, techniques, and explanation of concepts. I use it so much that it's starting to get worn out. As a long time VB6 developer I similarly wore out my copy of Balena's earlier book, "Programming Visual Basic 6.0".

This is a HUGE book (1500+ pages), but unlike a lot of similar tomes there is not one wasted page. Every bit of it is good, useful material. It is aimed primarily at experienced VB6 programmers who want to move to .NET, so unless you already know VB6 pretty well you may find some of his explanations hard to follow. If you DO know VB6 and want to move to .NET, this book will get you there more effectively than any other book on the market - bar none. I've read a lot of .NET books, so I know what I'm talking about.

This is not a re-write of his earlier VB6 book. It is completely new. In fact, wherever VB.NET remains unchanged from VB6 Mr. Balena refers to chapters in his old book (which is included in electronic form on the CD). This is the only "flaw" I've found in this book, as I sometimes have to examine both books to get a complete picture of certain subjects.

This book covers .NET well enough that even a C# programmer could benefit from it. ADO.NET, ASP.NET, WinForms, XML Web Services, Assemblies and Appdomains, Reflection, Regular Expressions, Delegates, Threading, GDI - all that and more are covered thoroughly and with lots of good code examples.

The code examples are generally of high quality, and they illustrate clever tricks and techniques that will prove useful in day to day programming tasks. The code alone is worth the price of the book.

Francesco Balena's writing style is easy to follow. He covers the subject in a clear, businesslike manner that is neither overly dry nor overly frivolous.

Long story short: this is one of the best technical books I've ever owned, and when my copy of this book completely wears out I will buy a new one.

Now if only I could find a book that covers C# as well as this one covers VB...

Excellent book and a very nice author
This is an excelent book. It helps me to obtain an in-depth knowledge of VB .Net, given that I am really new to VB. Most important of all, buying this book accidently leads me to a brief contact with the author. He is such a nice person whose attitude and behavior convinces me of his devotion to the readers and his products. You cannot expect a high-quality book from a person who is not so devoted to his work.

Since there are already so many comments on the content of the book, I hope my view from a personal perspective can help you choose this book as your gateway into VB .Net. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. BASIC (Computer program langua   2. BASIC (Computer program language)   3. Basic (Programming Language)   4. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   5. Computer Books: Integrated Systems   6. Computers   7. Hardware - Personal Computers - General   8. Interactive & Multimedia   9. Microcomputer Application Software   10. Microsoft Visual BASIC   11. Programming - General   12. Programming Languages - Visual BASIC   13. Computers / General   

Customer Reviews (9)

Colonna for the fourth grade reader.
An earlier reviewer remarked "Fortunately Joscelyn Godwin didn't try to reproduce Francesco Colonna's difficult and idiosyncratic Italian in English, otherwise the book would have been as difficult to read as 'Ulysses' and needed another volume just for footnotes." The correct word is unfortunately. The present translation is a lifeless, dumbed down document. I wasted my money.

The Spirit of the Italian Renaissance Exemplified
Francesco Colonna's legendary "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" is a book that captures the spirit of its time and place in a way few others do. Here, in the magical dream of the hero Poliphilus, we see classical antiquity through the eyes of the Italian renaissance, and it is not the view most students of the classics get today through Aristotle or Cicero - think instead of the Corpus Hermeticum, Neoplatonists like Plotinus, or of later Latin writers like Apuleius. It is not only in its text but in its format, its typesetting, and its illustrations, that the original edition of 1499 exemplified its age. That edition is esteemed by bibliophiles and students of typography as one of history's great landmarks in the art of book making.

The publishers of this edition have tried to reproduce, as much as is possible, the feeling of the original, while at the same time producing it on a commercially feasible scale. This leads, inevitably, to some compromises. The typesetting is very well done by modern digital techniques, the presswork is standard offset lithography and the paper a stiff dead white wove offset grade. Consequently the tactile character of the book is quite unlike original fifteenth- and sixteenth-century books. A private-press printer like Mardersteig's Officina Bodoni, or even a high-grade commercial book printer like the Stinehour Press, could have done a handsomer and more authentic job, but the book's price, already high, would then have been stratospheric. This said, the size and appearance of the pages are about as close in their resemblance to the original as is feasible using the techniques employed. A cream laid paper, more closely resembling the original, could just as easily and as economically have been used, and it is a pity that it was not.

The translation by Prof. Joscelyn Godwin is careful, and is preceded by an informative translator's preface. While the translator disavows trying to imitate the style of the original too faithfully, his work has a distinct "flavor" which struck me as familiar. It was only after some time that I realized where I had encountered it before - in some of the writings of Frederick Rolfe (Baron Corvo), for example, "Don Tarquinio." This may be a clever and deliberate device, like William Ernest Henley's translation of François Villon's "Tout aux tavernes & aux filles" into the slang of a cockney jailbird of the 1890s. On the other hand, it may well be that both Godwin's and the Corvine mannerisms go back to the common source, and attempt to reflect in English the peculiar voice of this Italian renaissance author, whose work was published in the time and place for which the eccentric æsthete Corvo felt such nostalgia and admiration.

Gods, and bulls, and naked Greeks
This is fascinating. It attempts not only to translate Colonna's mixed Latin/Italian texts, but also to reproduce the look and feel of the original 1499 Aldine edition. Of course, all the woodcuts are there, and the typeface and layout also attempt to reproduce the original, which has long been famed as one of the most beautiful books ever printed.

The architectural and other illustrations are strange, but they are perhaps the most intriguing thing about the book. Some are reminiscent of Beardsley; others bring to mind Baudelaire's vision of a city made entirely of marble and metal, from which all plants have been banished as asymmetrical.

It will take quite a while to get through this. The peculiar mixed-language flavour of Colonna's prose is hard to reproduce in translation. The work is a long list of vaguely erotic dream-processions of gods and bulls and naked Greeks, with extensive descriptions of the architectural settings they appear in. With its unsparing strings of superlatives, it often reads like the florid descriptions of dishes found on the menu of an overreaching restaurant.

In other words, I may not finish this, but it is fun to look at. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 16th Century Literature - History And Criticism   2. Architecture   3. Continental European   4. General   5. History   6. History - General   7. History: World   8. Italian Literature   9. Literature - Classics / Criticism   10. Renaissance   

The title The Great Human Diasporas implies that this book is a history of human migration, but it is much more. It is a readable, accessible summary of the lifework of Luca Cavalli-Sforza, who has done more than anyone else to reveal the genetic makeup of human populations. Originally written in Italian with Cavalli-Sforza's filmmaker son Francesco, it maintains some qualities of an interview: The Great Human Diasporas is full of anecdotes about the Pygmies with whom Cavalli-Sforza works, the text is frequently personal yet not self-serving, and it clearly shows how he helped tie together population genetics, linguistics, and anthropology to offer a new, non-racist view of human diversity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

genes, languages, prehistoric human migrations
The most rewarding part of this popular science book is the middle, fifth to seventh chapters, in which Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, Professor of Genetics at Stanford Medical School, draws on scientific research in human population genetics, in which he has been a well respected pioneer, to describe the migration of human populations beginning about 100,000 years ago out of Africa until recent times. Because patterns of genetic and linguistic evolution exhibit high intercorrelations--even though their respective elements and mechanics differ--he also cites linguistic evidence for this account of migratory prehistory.

The most valuable contribution of this book to popular understanding is that population genetics provides possibly the best though not sole scientific basis on which to construct the prehistory of human "races." By this evidence, we learn, for example, about the migration of modern Homo sapiens to Southeast Asia and Australia approximately 55,000 to 60,000 years ago or about the spread of Neolithic farmer-cultivators from the Middle East into Europe beginning about 9,000 to 10,000 years ago. I suspect that readers unfamiliar with modern human evolution will find the genetic tree of the world's populations on page 119 intriguing. The diagram shows, for example, that Northeast Asians are more closely related to Europeans than Northeast Asians are to Southeast Asians.

For as rapidly advancing a science as human population genetics, it should not be surprising that some findings are dated. Recent evidence suggests, for instance, that North Asians descended from both southern China populations that gradually migrated northward as well as Caucasian populations that migrated eastward, so that some genetic mixing all across North Asia took place and is the source of the observed racial connections between North Asians and Caucasians.

In other chapters, Cavalli-Sforza tackles related topics somewhat unevenly. His anecdotes about the African pygmies are light and sympathetic. While his description of the hominid line is accurate for the time of publication, there are more insightful not to mention updated accounts now in print. His discussion of the links between genes and culture is engaging and humane but from the standpoint of science, no better than educated. His rejoinder to the controversial The Bell Curve (1994) is scientifically persuasive.

I very much enjoyed reading this book, the first I purchased at amazon.com.

Wandering through human nature
This collaboration between one of the great population geneticists and his filmmaker son promises much but lets down on delivery. The style and content of the book are uneven. Some topics are told in detail and with compelling narrative, particularly the account of L. L. Cavalli-Sforza's work since the 1960s to establish correlations among genetic, linguistic, and archaeological evidence for the history and relationships of the major human groups. Much weaker, however, is his grasp of cultural anthropology, whether in details or in methods. He attempts to convey an impression of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle (predominant through almost all of human history until the last 10,000 years) through extended references to his field research among African pygmies.

Unfortunately, though he is quite sympathetic to the pygmies and their way of life, much of the effect is lost in empty generalities (p. 16: "The forest may look gloomy to us but pygmies feel entirely at home and safe there. It is a place where little that is untoward can happen to them, where danger is limited and life very pleasant."), and his cross-cultural examples come almost exclusively from pygmies or from his personal experience of various Western Europeans. Some points of history, used as examples, are in error (Bede was an English monk who lived from 672 or 673 to 735; not a "sixth-century Irish monk" p. 80).

Cavalli-Sforza also seems to have little knowledge of modern cultural anthropology. Chapter 8 "Cultural legacies, genetic legacies" is particularly weak, treating a number of topics in a very superficial way, showing no knowledge of the huge body of literature on, among others, marriage patterns and the incest taboo, national character, or "cultural evolution". Some of the problems with this book undoubtedly rest with the translator, who seems to have chosen occasionally awkward or confusing phrasings in English.

The book is best when it recounts Cavalli-Sforza's personal experiences and the quest for a unified picture of the relations among human groups. His anecdotes and observations add a human and historical perspective to the story of population genetics, and the technical matters are explained in a comprehensible and even entertaining way. He makes a strong case that differences among human "races" are only skin deep, reflecting adaptation to different climates over the last sixty thousand years, and tells some of his own part in the battle over the IQ and race debate (recently re-ignited with the publication of _The Bell Curve_). One suspects that he would be a great conversationalist at a dinner party, and the portrait of the author (along with his substantial knowledge of human genetics and historical linguistics) is what keeps one reading.

good account of human history
Great Huaman Diaspporas covers the history of humanity from its origins in Africa and how it spread through different parts of the world. It goes into homo saphiens forefathers and how homo saphiens forefathers evolved into modern man. It also deals with how gene environments influenced genes. It also deals with how language language and race developed.

Overall, a account of how humanity developed it in terms of genes, race and langage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Life Sciences - Evolution   2. Paleontology   3. Science   4. Science/Mathematics   

Customer Reviews (13)

HIGHLY Recommend!
This book is an exhaustive reference for VB Programmer wanting to learn .NET Frameowork. Whether you're just beginning to learn programming or you're experienced, this book will get you wherever you want to go. Richter have done a marvelous job creating a book that gives you what you need. If you're experienced in VB.NET this book is a great one that will show you what you need to know about .NET Framework. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to beginning VB programmers, as well as seasoned VB programmers looking to learn VB.Net.

A real Bible in .NET Framework£¬especially for VB.NET
This book is the real Bible in .NET Framework.

¡¾1¡¿ Jeff stands on both a depth and a high level about .NET Framework. We can draw this from the parts of this book. Jeff partitions the .NET Framework into four parts: "Basics of the Microsoft .NET Framework","Working with Types and the Common Language Runtime", "Designing Types", "Essential Types", "Managing Types". This vision is unique, and of course gives me very good understanding to .NET Framework . And I have never seen a DonNet writer have this vision.

¡¾2¡¿ It is not a reorganization of MSDN doc( To tell the truth,many "excellent books' do in this way). Instead, it is an important complement to the MSDN doc, especially in the Chapter 2 ,Chapter 3,Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 15, Chapter 18, and Chapter 19.

The Chapter 6 , Chapter 18 and Chapter 19 are so excellent that I don't think there is another will exceed this. Oh, Don Box seems to be making efforts :)

They give me many important things that I don't find in some other books and MSDN. I think even Microsoft staffs need to get this book¡ª¡ªJeff recommanded many good techniques for .NET Framework Architecture,and found some bugs in .NET Framework.

¡¾3¡¿ Jeff has abundant programming experiences in programming , especially in Microsoft platform. And he give many good guidelines ,and even some patterns in this book. Especially for the Equality of value types and reference types(box/unbox), the Exception Handling, and the Garbage Collection.

¡¾4¡¿The VB veteran Francesco Balena gives many good VB.NET features target .NET Framework.

¡¾5¡¿There are so many good points that I can not write them all in one review.

¡¾6¡¿ By the way, this book is not for the .NET application( Windows Forms,ASP.NET,Web Services), but this a must-base for them

To summarize , this is a unique£¬classic£¬and excellent book for .NET Framwork. A real Bible in .NET Framework.

Great work: needs Summary info
This is a great contribution to understanding the .Net framework. I would have liked for Jeff to have included a "Best Practices" or "List of Recommendations" based on his many findings. There's so much content to remember, that it will be hard to use it as a reference if his recommendation isn't in the section/chapter you think.
The Summary Info could be a download or an appendix. Just a thought. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Basic (Programming Language)   2. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   3. Computer Books: General   4. Computers   5. Internet programming   6. Microcomputer Application Software   7. Microsoft .NET Framework   8. Microsoft Visual BASIC   9. Programming Languages - Visual BASIC   10. Computers / General   

Subjects:  1. Arms Control And Disarmament   2. Arms control   3. Mathematical models   4. Military Science   5. Probability & Statistics - General   6. Reference   7. Technology & Industrial Arts   8. Verification   9. Arms control--Verification--Mathematical models   10. Game theory   11. Mathematics / Statistics   12. Probability & statistics   13. Outlet   

Customer Reviews (13)

Best Egyptian-artifact photo book I've seen. Don't miss it.
I don't know about you, but when I get a big photo book, I thumb through the photos first, then go back and look at them individually, and read the text last, if at all -- skim it, usually. So -- the photos here are magnificent! Color printing has gotten pretty close to photographic quality in the last few years, and you won't find better-quality color than in "Egyptian Treasures." Book design (by PB Lovisetti & C. Zanotti) is clean and attractive. Bravo!

The artifacts, all from Cairo's Egyptian Museum, span some 4,000 years -- and for 3,000 years, from the First Dynasty to the Roman conquest, their artistic conventions stayed pretty much the same -- enough so that almost any artwork from this period is, even at a casual glance, obviously 'Egyptian.'

Anyway, if you're over 12, and have been to any fair-size art or archaeological museum, you've seen some mummies, coffins and statues, probably some jewelry and woodwork too -- not to mention pictures of the Pyramids and King Tut's gold. But, unless you've been to dozens of Egyptian collections, you've never seen the range of first-rate art displayed here -- unless, of course, you've already been to Cairo. Makes me want to go out & buy a ticket to Egypt. Some of this stuff is just astonishing. The jewelry is (often) 'Art-Deco', not by coincidence, since much of this material was unearthed in the early 20th century. And if you've only seen the knock-offs, wait til you see the originals! There are wall-paintings that, if they didn't have papyrus plants, you'd think were Chinese. And the little painted wood-carvings, with marvelous scenes from everyday life -- and with colors so bright, they could have been your grandmother's, instead of being 4,000 years old. There's a lot to be said for using the desert for cemeteries....

The text is by 16 (or so) specialists, and ranges from pretty good to instant eye-glaze. You don't buy this kind of book for the text. Fortunately, the photo captions are uniformly good. Complaints: no map, and no index! C'mon, folks -- we don't all know where Tanis is, or Zagazig. And we might want to find out, later, who Muhammad Ali (1769-1849) *really*was....

10 stars is the correct rating !
This book presents the collection of Egyptian antiquities located in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo; each featured object is accompanied by a short description and a photograph. The photographs, never before published, were expressly made for the book by internationally acclaimed photographer Araldo De Luca. The numerous essays were written by international contributors, among which are Francesco Tiradritti, Christiane Ziegler, Zahi Hawass, Jean Yoyotte and Anna Maria Donadoni Roveri; they cover topics such as Egyptian art, history, the Valley of the Kings and Tutankhamun. Art lovers will thoroughly enjoy this beautiful and informative guide, now available in many languages.

One of Egypt's greatest collection without a doubt.
The artifacts are arranged from earliest to latest, which creates a greater understanding of the arts and their progression. The arts themselves are mostly jewelry, coffins, statues, and painted carvings. There are many other objects like beds, chairs, etc. A discription of the objects is listed with it's use, material properties, aerchaeological founder, and a story behind each item. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Egypt   2. Ancient Art   3. Art   4. Art & Art Instruction   5. Art, Ancient   6. Art, Egyptian   7. Cairo   8. Catalogs   9. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - Museum   10. Egypt   11. History - Ancient & Classical   12. History - General   

Customer Reviews (2)

Beautiful!!
Lefaivre has not written modestly. Good for her! In making the claims she does, she needs a very powerful rhetoric that can persuade and dissuade simultaneously. Her concentration on the erotic dimension of the Hypnerotomachia is persuasive as is her description of the proto-feminist voice of Polia. This is the best introduction to the text available even if some will not be won over by the argument for the geneology of the text. Kudos to Lefaivre!!!

Some of the illustrations were not worth including in the book (30 h and j) because they are so very dark they just look like gray boxes. For a book so persuading of the beauty and erotic, it hardly seems fair to have placed such illustrations here. Perhaps it just adds to the plaisir du texte, not knowing what is behind the smudge. Maybe it is Polia or Poliphili, maybe even Alberti, in the buff. It certainly calls for the reader to suspend disbelief. Otherwise the physical look of the book is fine quality.

Alberti wrote the Hypnerotomachia??
Lefaivre aims to demonstrate that one of the most fascinating works of the Italian Renaissance, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili was the work of one of that era's most intriguing personalities, the architect and writer Leon Battista Alberti. She bases her claim on the volume and quality of architectural discussion and comment in the Hypnerotomachia, which she argues could only have been written by a learned architect with a flair for literature. Moreover, she shows that several coinages of Alberti's, rarely if ever found in works other than his, are incorporated into the text. Lefaivre states her case with verve and conviction, but there are just too few known facts to make it water-tight. Besides, there are arguments at least as strong, if not stronger, in support of other candidates for the work's authorship. Most authorities, such as the editors of a recent Italian edition of the Hypnerotomachia remain of the opinion that the book was the work of Francesco Colonna, a wayward Dominican monk of Venetian origin. Nevertheless, Lefaivre animates her subjects and writes of them with intelligence and passion: that her central thesis is likely wrong does not detract from her book's charm. The MIT Press have done her proud, the book being beautifully designed, laid out, illustrated and printed. I recommend it wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1404-1472   2. Alberti, Leon Battista,   3. Architecture   4. Colonna, Francesco,   5. European - Italian   6. History - General   7. Hypnerotomachia Poliphili   8. International Architecture - European   9. Italian Literature   10. Literary Criticism   11. d. 1527   12. Alberti, Leon Battista   13. Architecture / History   14. Authorship   15. Colonna, Francesco   

Subjects:  1. 1335-1410   2. Biography   3. Biography & Autobiography   4. Biography / Autobiography   5. Biography/Autobiography   6. Business   7. Datini, Francesco,   8. Europe - Italy   9. General   10. Historical - General   11. Italy   12. Merchants   13. Social History   14. Datini, Francesco   

Customer Reviews (3)

A Perfect Gift
Need a little gift for someone who has everything? This book makes the perfect fun party gift for birthdays, thank yous, or even for holidays. It is a hilarious book to keep on your coffee table and watch your guests reactions! It has become my standard gift to others. Love it!

Very, very cute and clever
Great little book teaching children the meaning of "opposite" words using clever elephant drawings. My favorites are boy-girl, smart-stupid, subtraction-addition, visible-invisible, torn-fixed.

An Instant Classic!
This simple but clever collection of opposites stands head and shoulders above the usual treatment of this basic idea. It has a sense of humor that will appeal to all ages, and a slightly anarchic attitude (think EVERYONE POOPS!) that make it great to read and re-read. Droll and well designed--excellent work! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Elephants   2. Children's 4-8 - Language Arts   3. Children: Grades 2-3   4. English language   5. Juvenile Nonfiction   6. Juvenile literature   7. Language Arts - General   8. Opposites   9. Synonyms and antonyms   10. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Customer Reviews (11)

The Master Gehry
This book represents all what Frank Gehry is. With beautiful photos and good texts, you can know all work of this that's one of the best architets of actuality. Frank Gehry's Complete Works must be bought and read, it's like a bible of desconstrutivism architetury. The price is wonderfull and the quality too. I love it.

Number one in quality and quantity!
This is a book to people who have a bad idea of gehry work, like i had, because is amazing how the author made an retrospective of gehry work with so much quality and quantity work. And remember, this book is really "cheap" because is very good. IN MY OPINION, JUST BUY IT!

amazing new perspective
i did not have a good impression of gehry until i got this book. i got it because i had to know what this guy is thinking when he comes up with what i thought was "ugly" stuff (i now feel ashamed to admit that). now i see the beauty of his work.
my eyes have been opened. i now have a greater respect for what he is doing.
the photography is amazing...the book provides sketches and insight into what gehry is trying to do.
must have for architectural students/interns ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture   2. General   3. Individual Architect   4. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings   5. Architecture / General   

Customer Reviews (30)

Enlightened, but against
One day I was walking into the bookstore with my aunt who wears dreads, and I picked up this . I was captured by the cover,it was so intriguing. It all began with my family members, and the culture I know as "Black". I am a 19 year old student in college, and all my life I have been around people of my own race who have worn dreads, and have worn them very intricately. My understanding is my own, I am not against the diversity in which people of different races, choose to wear their hair. It's just that I have looked at dreads as being something of my culture, and something that we created, to beautify ourselves even more.However after closely excamining the different points of this book, I have become more openminded. I am aware that it is not who wears their hair in dreads, but it is more of how the dreads are being worn, and the statement that is being given, when being worn.I give this book an ultimate two thumbs up.It is a must that people who feel very strongly about different races becoming comfortable with the intricate ways and lifestyle of ones other culture. Thankyou for opening up my mind.

A sword for all true dreads.
I live in Brisbane, Australia. I am 1/4 Greek, 1/4 Danish, 1/4 English and 1/4 Scottish. I come from a strict but loving Christian home. I have dreads.

I don't have dreads for fashion, nor to prove a point or gain spiritual enlightenment. I have dreads because I like them.

This book is a weapon for all people who are looked down upon and called 'smelly' or 'dirty' for the simple reason that they have chosen to stop brushing their hair. My hair has never been healthier since I gave it its freedom. I show this book to anyone who is interested in my hair, and to anyone who tries to convince me that it is dirty, unhealthy, smelly, unattractive, evil, etc etc.

This book proves to me that God made our hair to be naturally beautiful. I sometimes find it hard to believe I used to cut my hair every four weeks and brush it and gel it whenever it didn't do what I wanted it to.

People sometimes try to tell me that I am only growing dreads to become like Bob Marley, and that its 'just a phase.' They fail to understand what dreads are really about, natural beauty and individualism. My dreads will never look like anyone elses in the world, and each lock is like a finger print upon my head.

Read this book, study the pictures and then dream of a freedom that knows no bounds.

One Love.

Beautiful Book!
This book is beautiful. The images are sharp and clear. The photographs bring out spirit and character in the persons featured. A wonderful coffee table book! It shows that locks - all types - are truly beautiful - and spiritual, even the "cultivated" ones. This book is informative as it shows and describes the various religions and races that wear their hair locked. The blurbs are interesting and complement the excellent quality photographs. As a lock wearer, I love this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Dreadlocks   3. Ethnic Studies - General   4. Hairstyles in art   5. Mastalia, Francesco   6. Photoessays & Documentaries   7. Photography   8. Pictorial works   9. Portrait photography   10. Social Science   11. Sociology   12. Subjects & Themes - Fashion   13. Subjects & Themes - Portraits   14. Photography / Portraits   

Customer Reviews (2)

Samuel, Vienna
The Phaidon Cont. Artist on Maurizio Cattelan provides a good chance to go deeper into a complex matter such as the work of this very interesting artist of our days where "conceptualism" is mixed with "activism" and social issues.

Good Series Good Book
This is a good series from Phaidon and Cattelan is a good choice for inclusion. There's lots of information here on his early work from the days before he became an 'art star.' ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1960-   2. Art   3. Art & Art Instruction   4. Artists   5. Cattelan, Maurizio,   6. Conceptual   7. European   8. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)   9. Individual Artist   10. Interviews   11. Italy   12. Sculpture   13. Art / Popular Culture   

Customer Reviews (3)

must have for any collection of art and book lovers
ah clemente. clemente. lover of women, life's questions, self, color and paint. patriarch of a particular vision of the world which centers itself on wine, women, ocean waves, implied half-riddles and the lyrical brush. i was lucky enough to catch his show at the guggenheim several years ago and have been desperately coveting this book since. he works on large scale, so capturing his imposing imagery can be tough (to be mild). however, in an endeavor to capture the man through his works, this large-scoped voluminous edition works wonders at the foot of the mountain. the best of the attempts, it's like a conversation with the man himself. a must have for art lovers, a must have for romantics, a must have for any library or coffee table. it's a lovely book, full true color, and a ripe collection of his works. a good work, and well worth anyone's time.

art, love, and beauty
Clemente quoted De Chirico once in an interview with Vanity Fair, "What Shall I love if not the enigma." Clemente's paintings, indeed, exhibit a mysterious charm that invites the viewers into the artist's inner world of Indian mysticism and physcial beauty. Juxtaposed with Robert Creeley's poetry, this volume of fantastic and sensual paintings clearly is a must for all Clemente fans. From Napoli to New York, Clemente has wooed the jet-setters on both sides of the Atlantic, establishments such as the Guggenheim in New York, and me, a Yale College student.

I love this book!
This is a must have for anyone intersted in beautiful and thought provoking material. It is a thorough look at this imaginative artist's work. It will be a source of inspiration I will look to time and again! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General   4. Fine Arts   5. Individual Artist   6. Art - Individual Artist   

Customer Reviews (1)

Enhanced with "user friendly" maps
Now in an updated, revised and expanded third edition, Stephen Hobley's A Traveller's Wine Guide To Italy is an indispensable guide for the wine loving tourist to the sunny climes of Italy. Enhanced with "user friendly" maps, the text is informative, definitive, reliable, and ideal for anyone wanting to visit wineries, wine fairs, and take tours of the wine growing vineyards of the Italian countryside. Hundreds of wineries that welcome visitors are listed, along with essential contact information such as addresses, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address and websites, opening times, and more. If you enjoy the diversity and splendor of Italian wines and are planning a trip to Italy, take along your own personal copy of Stephen Hobley's A Traveller's Wine Guide To Italy to help you plan and achieve a truly memorable itinerary. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits   2. Europe - Italy   3. Reference - General   4. Travel   5. Travel - Foreign   

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Art Book!
What a beautiful and fascinating book! For anyone at all connected with the art world or with an interest in portraiture, this book is required reading. Greenfield-Sanders is a master of his genre, and presents a true and engrossing cross section of the people who shape and have shaped our culture over the past twenty-five or so years. His vision is direct and brilliant in its simplicity, and this group of photographs will be one of the most important of its kind for the twentieth century and beyond. In short: get this book!

A Singular Vision
A monumental undertaking to create so many great images. This book belongs in everyone's collection.

Essential Cross-Section of an Era
I'm in one of the group shots in this book, so I'm an interested party, but even if I weren't I'd have to say that these are the definitive portraits of so many of my contemporaries (both famous and not or not yet famous) that a collection of them is long overdue. The printing and binding quality of this book, and its "bonus material" (essays, chronology, etc.), also help make it a necessary addition to any self-respecting art library. Five stars. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Individual Photographer   2. Photo Essays   3. Photography   4. Subjects & Themes - Portraits