Art History Books

wow, the images of beksinski always have a dark hole in them which draws you in. what an inspiration for painting.

Beautiful pieces in this book. The deep dark beauty of the body and the imagination.

This book highlights some of the horrifying and mind-expanding artwork of Beksinski. I found myself unable to look away from the paintings, and I was immersed in this world that he's created. Definitely for those who enjoy really unique artwork.

This is a great collection of an undescribable artists' works . Granted there were some pieces of his that weren t included , but alas - you can only fit so much into one volume . Besides , when you re an eccentric fan , you will seek out obscure works and will not likely find them afterwards . Regardless of such things , I recomend this collection to every fan of fantastic artwork . Personally , before discovering Mr. Beksinski's works I was more interested in pieces by Daniel Ouellette , and H.R. Giger . Both of which are great artists , but their work was still missing something , and I found that something through Zdzislaw Beksinski's work . I hope you will be able to as well .

I like his style. The texture of bone and stone, of sky and earth are an interesting vision. This is the first book of his I found, the second was a Japanese/English work that was published after his death--that book includes one one or two reprints from this title, and is also a great addition to your collection.

Like most Taschen art books, this is a high quality publication, nicely printed and bound. There is a good deal of information and many paintings for the top artists (Elvgren, Petty, etc) and short bios and paintings for dozens more. The paintings are why you'd buy it of course, and the reproductions are excellent. Often the editors did not have originals to work from but that seldom shows. A very few of the larger prints of what must be reproductions are a bit blurry, but not many. However, I personally would have preferred fewer examples so that more of the paintings could be full page. Lots are, but in more cases the reproductions are quarter page and sometimes nine to a page. They are still very good due to the quality reproduction, but lose much of their impact. And impact, after all, is what pin-up art was all about. Still, there's something to be said for quantity too, and this 447-page book has hundreds of fine paintings. Two other quibbles. This hardback has a printed cover, rather than a paper cover, which to me makes it less classy as a display book. I know, I know, it's a pin-up book, but still. Also, like many art books, all the descriptions (the words) are in English, German and French. No complaint, but it's worth knowing in advance that many pages are dedicated to this duplication. That said, if the subject interests you, this is a must have, just like another of the authors' pin-up books for Taschen, Gil Elvgren: All His Glamorous American Pin-Ups (Taschen 25th Anniversary Special Editions).

If you like this genre of art, this is a good reference with a wide spectrum of artists and good quality pictures. Nothing obscene, but a bit of titillating work consistent with the style. Good background summaries. Not an all inclusive or exhaustive reference by any means. If you want a lot of a specific artist then you need a book on that artist alone as there is too much out there for one book. This one makes a good coffee table book and is good for art/ fashion inspiration.

I love this huge book. It gave me background on the artists that I wasn't expecting, and discovered new artists that I hadn't seen before. Covers a wide spectrum of styles too. It's my #1 coffee-table book.

They adorned American calendars, magazines, and paperbacks: playful on water skis, glamorous in evening gowns, seductive before their bedroom mirrors, each one presented in luscious, candy-coated colors to beguile the sensibilities of the businessman, the mechanic, the G.I., the clerk. They were "Pin-Ups," artists' near-fantasy renderings of femininity designed to catch and hold the attention of the American male. They were also, unfortunately, disposable--disappearing into the trash when the calendar was out of date, the latest magazine edition released, the book cover worn to tatters.

Fortunately, however, Charles G. Martignette and Louis K. Meisel have gathered together a wide array of these paintings and reproduced them in THE GREAT AMERICAN PIN-UP, a collection drawn from Martignette's own personal collection. And from 1920 to 1980, from Vaughan Alden Bass to Ted Withers, this book offers 447 pages crowded with full page, half page, quarter page, and inset reproductions of the best of the best.

The book opens with a series of essays on the subject--essays which are offered in English, French, and German translations and which cover the social trends and historical events that gave rise to the genre. The entries are listed by artist and ordered alphabetically, each artist receiving at least a small note and some, such as the legendary Vargas, considerably more. But this is all extra stuff: then as now, the real attraction is the art itself, and it is all beautifully reproduced in the full brilliance of original color.

Whether the portraits are bathing beauty cheesecake, sultry glamor, or ill-concealed nudity beneath transparent robes, what most marks the classic pin-up is a sense of playful innocence, and that comes shining through in this truly entertaining, colorful, and often beautiful book. If you are looking for a glimpse of the art, here it is--in all it's radiant and sometimes naughty glory. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

An absolutely brilliant book. It bridges the gap between coffee table book and text book. An excellent overview of pinup art with glorious reproductions of the original pinup girls.

This book is fantastic if you want to persue Impro. The first one - "Impro" everyone in the world should read whereas this one is far more of a handbook for those of us who want to persue it onsatge. But still brilliant, just a different beast. If you ever get a chance to hear this man talk - go!

I've used Keith's Impro for several years, and this book is just what I've been looking for! It gives the kind of details I've been for to use in my classes and performances.

I thought that Keith Johnstone's first book "Impro" was the best book on Improv -- until I read this. Impro For Storytellers is chock full of imaginative games that will make any improv workshop (or communications training) sparkle with creative fun and learning by taking the pressure off of being creative.

If you want the best collection of improv games since Spolins "Improvisation for the Theatre", this is it. Johnstone paces the book with wonderful stories of how the games have been used under all sorts of circumstances, with a brilliant and dry sense of wit. If you are interested in improv, please read this book!

If you're going to read only one book about improvisation, read this. If you read two books, wait a month or two and read this again. I've been part of a professional improv performance group for the last five years and every time I read this book it fills me with new levels of information and wisdom.

Many people never discover this book because they read Johnstone's first book, Impro, and find it difficult to apply as well as not very relevant once it delves into the eccentric world of mask work. Impro for Storytellers is highly relevant, contains many games, exercises, and suggestions to try, and is a highly entertaining read. I recommend reading this first and reading Impro later if you enjoy it. I certainly enjoyed it over and over again.

This is quite a large book, pretty much entirely made up of a wide variety of games for actors with vivid examples of what students come up with under pressure, and thorough explanations of the goal of each excercise. It's extremely well written and just as good as something to sit down and read, as something to get up and play with.

The games range from easy to very hard; many would make excellent fun warm-ups to introduce non-actors to basic acting theory and to interacting with an audience. What makes this book unusual for an acting text is the emphasis on story, and the highly audience-centric approach to performance.

I would seriously recommend this book to writers, screenwriters, and story artists. The ultimate goal for Johnstone is to teach his improvisers to hook the audience and keep them hooked by altering tactics, reversing, raising the stakes, setting up expectations. Throughout, his unexpected cry of "Be obvious! Don't be creative!" keeps the story being invented on an engaging emotional level.

I bought this because I'm teaching a class involving some acting, but found so many exciting ideas for plotting I want to send a copy to everyone I know in story. First rate.

Joan Blondell was the eternal wise-cracking dame in so many movies that it is almost impossible to think of her any other way.

But, thanks to Mr. Kennedy's excellent novel JOAN BLONDELL: A LIFE BETWEEN TAKES, the screen image becomes flesh and blood. And quite a nice package as well.

Recounting her story in fast strokes and forgetting about sensationalism and second hand gossip, Matthew Kennedy manages to get all the details about both Ms. Blondell's personal and professional lives into the book at a quick, entertaining pace. After reading about Joan Blondell and her struggles and spunk, you walk away admiring her.

A great book and a definite credit to both the author and his subject.

Matthew Kennedy does an excellent job in bringing to life this lovely, but now largely unsung, Hollywood star. He writes, not uncritically, but also with great affection, of her career and her life, with all its ups and downs. His research is impeccable and he makes the reader wish that he or she had had the chance to meet and know Miss Blondell.

Joan Blondell was a perfectly serviceable actress who played by the rules, obeyed the studios, had an incredibly long career and is largely forgotten today. Matthew Kennedy's new book is well written and extremely well-titled. As illustrated in the biography, Blondell lived for her work, and then lived for her family. Neither was particularly rewarding. From singing her heart out in the early '30s with the Warner Brothers musicals co-starring with Ruby Keeler, James Cagney and future husband Dick Powell, through dishing malts in Allan Carr's Grease, she was a fixture in films for more than 50 years. Yet, by never complaining and doing everything the studios threw at her - and never demanding, let alone getting, a memorable role - she did herself an enormous disservice. Television ultimately offered the actress the best roles, but unfortunately these now exist chiefly in memory. Blondell's selfless personal life was likewise marked by what could be called a loving complacency, resulting in failed marriages with selfish, self-consumed husbands. She seemed almost to be a starter wife, as Dick Powell married June Allyson and Mike Todd married Elizabeth Taylor immediately after being wed to Blondell. If the story lacks intrigue, sex and violence, well, the author is being true to the material. Kennedy is able to tell Blondell's story "between takes" by piling up fact upon anecdote of what was a truly fascinating time. This isn't the most salacious Hollywood read of recent years, obviously, but nonetheless an interesting illustration of how luck and choices contribute to, and create, a career.

Matthew Kennedy's concise biography of Joan Blondell combines first rate writing, excellent scholarship, and both compassion and insight -- traits rarely combined in one volume. His interviews with members of Blondell's family touch on intimate and painful subjects, such as abortion, which Kennedy handles with sensitivity and tact. Since Blondell's career spans decades of entertainment history, we get a tour of American show business along the way. But it all goes down easy. Kennedy knows a lot,and has quite a story to tell. Like his subject, his book is fun to be with, and never boring.

Books on movie stars, and books that aren't published by the big commercial publishers in New York, often get overlooked. JOAN BLONDELL: A LIFE BETWEEN TAKES, is prize material, and Matthew Kennedy deserves big time recognition.

A few weeks after Christmas, my car was broken into. Only hours before, I took this book out to read on my lunch break. Thank goodness it wasn't stolen; it is quite a good read!

Joan Blondell was quite a fun actress, and that goes for the end of her career as well as the beginning. Why? Part of the reason is her work ethic. It sometimes got her into trouble. Her rough childhood made money an absolute necessity, and as long as she was getting paid, she didn't mind taking on several sub-par projects. She wasn't one to complain, and that sometimes kept her from great roles and the recognition she deserved, but she always gave it her all. Her participation in movies like Gold Diggers of 1933, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Grease landed her in the hearts of many generations.

It wasn't just her screen career that was interesting though. She was married to three important and interesting men. She had a son named Norman with cinematographer George Barnes. He was later adopted by second husband Dick Powell, who then fathered Joan's daughter Ellen. That relationship didn't work out, and her last husband was Mike Todd, a man of many faces. These marriages left different marks on Joan who swore off men in the final years of her life.

Matthew Kennedy has done a good job of researching his topic, seeing all but two of her film and television appearances (and one, Convention City, because it is a lost film). He has also done a service to the film industry by celebrating Blondell; she is a significant piece of cinema history who has been largely neglected over the years. Unfortunately, this neglect has made it difficult to dig up information, so this book is not as satisfying as one might hope, but it achieves its goal to celebrate a bright star.

I came home from a production of The Lion King staged in Appleton, Wisconsin, and was so enthralled I immediately set out to find out "How did they do that?" This book met and exceeded by expectations. I am an amateur costumer and puppeteer and this just the stuff to bring a smile to my face. Before this book I was not aware of Julie Taymor by name (Sorry, from a small town, don't get out much) but I will be looking for her work from now on.

...is seeing the show live. From intellectual concept, to extensive and authentic research, to development with constant referral to the physical, metaphysical, intrinsic, to the workshop...to the stage. One will see that Julie Taymor was THE RIGHT visionary to not only help in the translating an animated film to live theater, but to also retain the human moral behavior and lessons that are paramount for the existence of all people.

This book shows the "creation story" of the Lion King musical. Photos of the workshopping teams in their studio/s, sketches of early ideas, through to finished costuming displayed on the artists themselves.

A pity this book was not available in Australia, but thanks to Amazon I received it in about 3 weeks total.

I have seen the stage production of the Lion King twice--in Toronto and East Lansing, MI. Vendors offered a souvenir photo brochure for $20. For only a few dollars more, I purchased Julie Taymor's book from Amazon describing one of the most amazing creative achievements I have ever seen. Get the book! See the show!

The Lion King on broadway is by far the best most amzing show ever created. Whats so amazing is that the book is as good as the musical. Without Julie Taymor the lion king would not be such a huge success as it is and you find all about this in the book. Some of the pictures of the show itself and the costumes are just wonderful which makes the presentation of the book even more wonderful. I dont even read books but am findin it very hard to put this down and read it over and over again. If you require any info, or are just curious email me simba262626@yahoo.com to discuss this amazing book.

Would you go hiking without a map? Would you work on your car without a manual? Then why would you even think about going to the Middle East without this book? Poole once again sets the standard in the industry for explaining the tactics, history, and mindset of the Islamic Extremist. From military commander to field grunt to civilian contractor, if you're headed to a desert combat zone do yourself a favor and BUY this book! I also suggest you read this book with a highlighter in hand...but you may just end up highlighting everything. This book undoubtedly has saved lives and will save more in the future!

Once again H. John Poole has pulled aside the Middle East veil of mystery to show us how the Muslim militants go about their business. Known as the "War on Terror" aka "4th Generation warfare", radical Muslim militants have worked out the ways to challenge the West collectively, on - and off the battlefield. Thus far, their efforts have cost the U.S.of A., not only lives, but billions of dollars, sowing anxiety and terror. How have they accomplished this with slender resources? Against the most technologically advanced armed forces in the world? Poole tells us how.
The book is divided into three parts:
The initial part updates the reader on the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan to the summer of 2005. How the Muslim militants have survived and continue to succeed against coalition armed forces without tactical victory, hi-tech resources or heavy arms; all the while they suffer heavy casualties and continue to burn through the resources - and resolve of the West - are addressed.
The next part examines, through the lense of ancient oriental texts on the principles of warfare, the stratagems employed by the militants. These are the most illuminating chapters: now the daily events in Iraq and Afghanistan make sense if one understands the militants' operational philosophy. Poole's explanations of tactical actions clarifies how these militants are playing "the Game" against coalition forces. What makes no sense militarily in Western understanding of warfare are perfectly acceptable to furthering these militants' ends.
The final section's chapters provide approaches to dealing with "4th Generation Warfare" situations, which Western military forces are more and more wont to encounter. Many of Poole's recommendations reflect the U.S. Marines' experience with the Combined Action Program (CAP)used in Vietnam during the 1960s. Essentially, special Marine units operated with Vietnamese local forces at the village level to root out and undermine the Viet Cong insurgency. He contrasts this approach to the reliance on hi-tech and heavy fire power, the preferred operational mode of U.S. forces. Further, Poole (pp 278-294) describes the changes in tactical philosophy that must come about if U.S. ground forces are to prevail against their current enemy. This, to my mind, is the best part of the book.
Poole's views on training and tactics in the last chapter, come closer to dealing with military cultural reform than in his previous wotks. While he addresses these subjects in other books, these last pages in MILITANT TRICKS come the furthest to combining these previous discussions into a coherent whole which reflects the grunt's eye-level ground view.
Hopefully, the powers-that-be are reading his works - effecting the necessary changes.

This book was kindly donated to my unit by the publishers when I was a Company Commander before I deployed. Everyone over here should read it. Regardless of how much money our government spends on high-tech equipment and contracts, until we gain a better understanding of our opponents sociological and theological motivations we will continue to waste a lot of our military resources. LTC Poole's emphasis on taking a humanistic approach and integrating our forces with the locals is sound, provided that the local forces are properly vetted and aren't infiltrated by insurgents.

This is the best book I have read so far on where and who the real enemy is and who is behind and against the U.S. supporting democracy and the liberation of the people of Iraq.
Breaks down in detail who is Sunni and who is Shiite.
How they work and how they are fighting U.S. Forces together.
How the real enemy is Iran with many proxies to gain control of Iraq.
How the U.S. must change to deal with fighting in Irregular Warfare now and for decades to come.
How the enemy is capitalizing on U.S. democratically controlled Congress to gain victory.

Heading over to OIF II in a few months, active duty CDR O5 who will be working in support of the bravest of the brave (EOD Forces defeating IED's). This book was instrumental in developing a understanding of what is really going on.

I would recommend this book for all Officers and enlisted personnel heading to fight this fight from E1 up.

CDR Bill Noel (Navy EOD Officer)

The book gives a good acccount of the various Islamic militant factions and their interactions. The opinions seemed a bit "armchair general" and opinionated at times, but they made several good points. I'd recommend the book although it had the following drawbacks for me:
-The insertion of outside material to back up the author's words made for a sometimes disjointed read
-The sprinkling of "God (Christian) & country", stereotyping, etc. seemed unnecessary
-20% of the material was a repetition/reiteration of a particular point (not sure if this was to beef up the number of pages or to compensate for a shakey arguement)

While reading this extraordinary and unique book it is obvious that Edwards put the time and effort into this project and Buchanan packaged it. Yet Buchanan seems to want all the credit. She alone is listed as the author, but what did she actually do? She wrote a distant and dry essay - well written no doubt, but what exactly is her relationship to this fascinating object called the Vietnam Zippo?

Judging from the lively discussion below on this page, Buchanan was, in fact, the publisher with the power to manipulate the crediting. It appears that Edwards' role was greatly diminished and he was relegated to the person who just provided the collection. Apparently another sad example of an artist being taken advantage of - there must be a back story here and it probably isn't pretty. What a shame this situation is considering what a finely crafted book it is.

The Vietnam War had many facets for those who served in that theatre of military combat from 1965 to 1973. One of the unique memorabilia associated with the conflict were the Zippo brand cigarette lighters that were ubiquitous among the American troops. Drawing from the collection of Bradford Edwards, Sherry Buchanan (an independent scholar, author, and expert on both Asian and Vietnamese contemporary art, history and culture) has created "Vietnam Zippos", a volume of images of Zippo brand lighters used and personalized by members of the American armed forces. Zippos lighters were visible associated with the burning of grass huts as part of search-and-destroy missions, they were used as engraved symbols of social protest, and often became a kind of talisman for American GIs during their hazardous tours of duty in that increasingly unpopular conflict. Beginning with a Timeline that begins in 1965 and ends in 1990 (when Vietnam Zippos were sold to tourists at Saigon Street Stalls), "Vietnam Zippos" is a fascinating and specialized military cultural history that is a unique and recommended contribution to the growing library of Vietnam War histories, biographies, and scholarly studies.

A touching compilation of soldiers who served in Vietnam and the history of Zippos in the Army. Full of color pictures: numerous Zippos dipictaing pictures, unit slogans, witty banter, and more. A must read for anyone who wants to connect with history.

It is a shame and a pity that such an impressive book should reflect such a travesty in crediting. What does Ms. Buchanan have to do with the Vietnam Zippo? There is ample evidnce that it was the focus of Mr. Edwards' attention for many years. Yet he is relegated to a minor participant in the book itself! Anyone who closely examines the book can see the truth - it is self-evident. Apparently, Ms. Buchanan's massive ego overshadowed her sense of justice - she, as the publisher in fact, decided to not even share the authorship with Mr. Edwards. Othewise, it a near perfect book - striking graphic design - highest quality photographs - excellent essays and thorough research. Life can be unfair.

My hippie Dad loved it! He is a history buff and had not heard of this practice!

As a fiber artist, I am very interested in the history of fiber. Elizabeth Barber's "Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years" is fantastic, both as a history of the use of fibers and as a history of working women. I learned a great deal about women's role in society from her research, and it makes me proud to be a modern woman working with fiber, just as my ancestors did. Highly recommended!

Anyone interested in so-called gender studies, textiles, prehistory, or just in regular people ought to read this book. The authoress, in incredibly simple language (she can't REALLY be an academic, can she?), tells the story of women and the textile work that has (pre-) historically been theirs. Bringing the insight that only a practicing weaver or spinner could have to the dusty world of archeology, she sweeps the reader into the homes of real people. Lots of metaphors, but honestly, it's that kind of book: rich. I only wish I could read it again for the first time.

I ran across this book almost by accident. I was feeling rather glum one day, and I asked my wife to recommend a book for me - something that was out of the ordinary and would cheer me up. She recommended "Women's Work". I was a little skeptical that it would appeal to a techie guy like myself, but soon I was absorbed in Elizabeth Wayland Barber's storytelling.

"Women's Work" tells the story of textiles in human history. In nearly every society, spinning, weaving, and sewing have been done almost exclusively by women, so the history of textiles is also a history of women's work - or one important part of it. That's still reflected in our language, for example, when we refer to the "distaff side" - a distaff being a stick used to hold fiber for spinning.

Wayland Barber tells her story with with wit and clarity. And more than that, she tells the story of the story - that is, she traces not only what we know about textiles in ancient times, but describes how we know it. So, this is not only a fine history, but it's a fine, readable treatise on historiography as well.

I can warmly recommend this book to anyone interested in textiles, or women's history, or how history is written, or who has the blues and just wants to read a darn good book.

Interesting history of some parts of women's work. I enjoyed it very much. Whether you are interested in fabric or not, I think you'll enjoy this book. It is scholarly but still a good read that keeps your interest.

I bought this book on the recomendation of my spinning instructor. I was expecting the documentation of early spinning and weaving techniques, and the discussion of preserved textiles. I wasnt expecting to be inspired to go out and buy a copy of the Iliad and the Odyssey to read about the textile and history references that she brings up! I had no idea that Greek mythologies mention items of clothing that have been found in the area and dated to pre-Greco times....and were stil identifiable items of clothing in the last century.
Basically this book is a textile and history junkies best fix.
If you are a re-creationist,(such as the SCA) or particpating in Lving History demonstrations, you will definately want this book for its discussions of documented cloth finds,
If you like this book, you may also enjoy reading "Salt, a World History" as they mention several of the same places, and historical finds.

A terrific book, full of spectacular photos and diagrams,
and including an entertaining and informative text. First class!

Very few movies of the late twentieth century stand up to the test of time in the way of 2001: A Space Odyssey. This book tells the inside story of how this ground breaking film was made, and how it changed the outlook of a generation.

Its large format, crisp color reproduction, and amazing depth of detail make this one of the best 2001 books available. In fact, I had to own just one, this would be it.

In this age of computer generated imagery, it's fascinating to read in detail how 2001 pulled off its brilliant and never-dated space visuals with entirely manual processes. Seeing the incredibly huge and complex film sets, the detailed models and animations, and innovative camera techniques used give me a new appreciation for the magnitude of the film's greatness.

What is largely missing from this book is insight into Kubrick's source ideas and meaning for 2001. It's probably too much to ask for that in addition to the books fantastic production story.

I found Piers Bizony's book fascinating and I'm continually amazed at the work this film achieved for its day (and today in many respects). It defined the genre. It's filled with great stills, diagrams, and behind-the-scenes photography of the filmmaking process.

However, if you're looking for a book that gives you an inside peek on the filmmaker and his decision making process for the story (or authentic insight on the story itself), you'll be disappointed. 2001 is a complex storyline with metaphore upon metaphore and the Bizony never seems to achieve a 'true' account by Kubrick on the film's meaning. It's more guessing, speculation, and hypothesis that add to the voices weighing in regarding this important film. I suppose in some respects, it adds the mystery and weight of story... and will remain that way with the passing of Kubrick in 2000.

This brilliant book's visuals alone make it worth adding to your collection of film books. Of course, Kubrick fans need it the most.

But what the book also speaks to, beyond Kubrick's compulsive fascination with technical accuracy in film, is how the effort in making this movie addressed our ambitions and fascinations in the 1960s. In a time where old social conventions were breaking down, right and left, 2001 spoke to a new optimism created by space exploration and its seemingly limitless potential.

"Capturing the imagination." Good movies achieve that goal, don't they? In this case, a fanatical dedication to research, and to placing on film the most accurate and, in a weird way, understated views of a human future in space, creating something really new in moviegoing experience.

In its time, that effort became quickly subsumed by two divergent audiences: people who wanted to enhance their drug experiences with visuals, and people who wanted to be in space. Of course, these audiences made the movie very, very successful.

Today, we have left this movie's technical accomplishments in the dust. We can depict space travel and its related phenomena (like weightlessness) in a relatively effortless way. Film special effects pour out, today, in ways not imagined in 1967. You could read this book as a quaint history tract in movemaking technics.

I read it beyond that, though. It spoke to the excitement and optimism with which many of us viewed our future. We ate this stuff up; we could sit through two reels of a spacecraft docking and think the time just flew by...

How do we feel about the future today? It is now highly unfashiomable to label yourself a "futurist" any more. It seems our future is all behind us now.

Thank God these things run in predictable cycles. Collective optimism about our future in space is just around the corner. I hope I live long enough to see and enjoy it...

Terrific book, excellent book on fair isle, Scotland and well written. Would recommend it for anyone's knitting library.

I have this book on audio & knit while I listen. The knitting/listening process actually concentrates my attention on both. This is a five-star book!

This is my first book on Fair Isle, and I'm very happy and satisfied with my purchase. The book covers a great deal of history on the art of Fair Isle and the section on color selection is marvelous.

I'm fairly new to Fair Isle Knitting and this book is one I'm glad I purchased. The directions are easy to understand and the book is beautifully laid out and full of color suggestions.

Fantastic book with great history and techniques. Important book for my understanding in getting started in Fair Isle Knitting.