Art History Books


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Art History Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Art History
The 20th Century Art Book
Published in Hardcover by Phaidon Press (1996-03-10)
Author: Editors of Phaidon Press
List price: $45.00
New price: $25.99
Used price: $12.88
Collectible price: $45.00

Average review score:

Great Reference!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-16
I bought this book as a supplimental text for my 20th Century Art History class and I'm so glad I did! It's a great book for anyone who's interested in art- or for those who hear an artist's name mentioned and wants to check that artist out. The fact that the artists are in alphabetical order makes this a very easy to use reference.

Book purchase 2
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-02
This is an interesting, informative and colorful book in very good condition.

Excellent resource for 20th century art!
Helpful Votes: 18 out of 18 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-12
Arranged alphabetically, which is very helpful. Sadly, it generally has but only one painting or photo for each artist, but then the intent here is to cover as many artists as possible, not to be comprehensive on any one artist, and it's quite heavy as it is already.

The 20th Century Art Book is an EXCELLENT reference guide. How many times reading the Arts section of a newspaper, or an interview with an artist, etc., does one hear a reference to another artist and one has no idea who that person is? With this book, you can quickly check it out!

I also very much appreciate the cross-linking - since it's alphabetical, and not by style or school of thought, the editors have listed on each artists's page other artists who are similar or somehow related to that one. I have found the cross-referencing to be very helpful many times.

Unless one already has an encyclopedic knowledge of art of the 20th century, this is a PERFECT book for one's art library as a reference tool. And it's also a GREAT jumping off point for exploring artists: page through randomly, come across something interesting, then go and look for a book of that artist, or head to the museum "in search of."

I treasure my copy, and would not ever wish to part with it.

Visual treats
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-09-01
A fine overview of 20th-century art. Intelligently organized (alphabetically), colorful & detailed. 500 artists are represented through excellent photos.

Brilliant, demystifying and intelligent
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-17
A very useful and beautiful resource, this book has the added appeal of having taken the time to acquire writings with some very sensible, succint and honest appraisals of artist, genre, message and composition. All this family of books do likewise but with this book it seems so much more important to get that structure absolutley right, and they have.
Like the other members of it's family it has an a-z approach and takes in a vast array of genres, suprising just how diverse 20th century art is. The only problem, as always, is that those on display have to be limited, so naturally some works and even some artists do not appear. I would not allow that to be off putting, this little family of books gets bigger by the year so I feel assurred that the unrepresented will not stay so for very long!

Art History
ABBA: The Book
Published in Paperback by Aurum Press (2003-09-01)
Author: Jean-Marie Potiez
List price: $27.50
New price: $37.00
Used price: $15.67

Average review score:

ABBA: The Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-23
Jean-Marie Potiez is, of course, from France. I knew him through ABBA fan clubs some years ago. He gives a good account of the ABBA phenomenon. Agnetha was born in Jonkoping, Sweden on April 5, 1950. Her father staged amateur reviews in the town, and Agnetha began singing in them at an early age. When she was 15, she left school to take a job as a telephone operator with a car firm. She was singing with a group called Bernt Enghardts. She left them when her composition, "Jag Var Sa Kar (I Was So In Love)" became a hit on the Swedish charts. Agnetha moved to Stockholm and recorded her first album.

Agnetha composed music. She did nine solo albums between 1968 and 1988. She recorded in Swedish, German, English, French and Spanish. Her label in the early days was Cupol. She went on to form Agnetha Faltskog Productions with Staffan Linde as her manager.

Benny Andersson is the only one of the four born in Stockholm, Benny came from a family of accordion players. It was natural for him to teach himself piano. From 1964 to 1969, his Hep Stars were Sweden's biggest group. They had a rougher image than Bjorn's Hootenanny Singers. When their career ended in bankruptcy, Benny came away with the idea that there would have to be greater economy in the future. It gave him incentive to become co-owner of Polar Music with Bjorn and Stig Anderson.

Bjorn Ulvaeus came from Gothenburg, Sweden's western port and second largest city, where he was born in 1945.

Bjorn was still in school when he formed the West Bay Singers, a folk group. Stig Anderson suggested the name, Hootenanny Singers. Stig was great at naming groups.

Bjorn is known for his business sense and studied corporate law for a term at the University of Stockholm. He meant to be a civil engineer. He was drafted into the Swedish military for the mandatory 10 months, a handy experience if you are going to write songs like Fernando.

Frida Lyngstad was raised by her grandmother in Eskilstuna. Her mother had died at age 21, and it was felt that little Frida would fare better in Sweden since her father had been part of the occupying army.

Frida started singing professionally when she was 13. She sang with a big band, and that is how she met her first husband, Ragnar Fredriksson. He played trombone. Frida had two children by him: a son, Hans, and a daughter, Lotta.

ABBA: The Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-10
If you are an ABBA fan, then you will love this book. The book takes you into the lives for 4 very special musicans.

A celebratory tribute
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-26
Abba remain hugely popular in Britain and many other countries more than twenty years after they disbanded. This book is not an in-depth study of the different personalities and their difficulties, but it gives plenty of information about the members of Abba and their manager, including their lives before and after Abba. And (at least in my hardcover edition) there are pictures - plenty of them.

Regarding the four members of Abba, three of them (Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha) were born and raised in Sweden, all apparently having fairly normal childhoods, only their musical talent setting them apart from others. All three became hugely successful in the Swedish pop charts, Agnetha as a solo singer, Benny and Bjorn as members of separate groups.

The odd one out was Anni-Frid, better known as Frida. She was born in Norway as the illegitimate child of a German father and Norwegian mother. Frida was mainly raised by her grandmother, who took her to Sweden, where her mother joined them but died of illness a few months later, aged just 21. Frida also found it much harder than the others to achieve success in music, but she did eventually have some big Swedish hits of her own.

The author presents the main years (1969 to 1982) on a year-by-year basis, explaining the different events that occurred in each year - records, tours, TV, their personal lives - in a semi-diary format.

As far as the music is concerned, the story is quite complicated and not always easy to follow, but that is no fault of the author. Before they became Abba, they were four separate acts, each with their own careers and signed to different record companies. Once they came together as Abba, different things were happening in Japan, Australia, Germany, Sweden and elsewhere with different records - even before 1974. That was the year that Abba won Eurovision and charted for the first time in Britain and America.

There have been many books on Abba and will surely be many more. Despite being a huge Abba fan, this is the first I've read. If you're only going to have one book on Abba, it might as well be this one.

THEY CAME, THEY SANG...AND THEY CONQUERED!
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 23 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-18
Did you ever come across a favourite song and say, "I wonder whatever happened to....? Abba took the world by storm back in the 60's when a quarter bought you an afternoon matinee at the movies, and minimum wage in my home town was $1.00 per hour. If you earned $1.25 or more, you had it made!

Abba possessed a unique blend of charisma, talent, and originality. Who can forget the sentimental lyrics of ,"I Had A Dream", the gentle flow of "The Rivers of Babylon", the melancholy strains of "Fernando" or the upbeat dance-hit, "Dancing Queen"? The list of hits went on and on.

What I particularly liked about this book was the numerous photographs all depicting Abba at their finest. Many photographs are ones not often, if ever, published before, at least not on this continent. In addition, the book reveals a lot of factual, personal information about the individuals themselves. The road to fame and fortune is not an easy one as readers will discover through the pages of this book. Some facts have been printed before, but other aspects of their career are presented here in a more complete, in-depth light. Fans of Abba, will no longer need to wonder, "what ever happened to..." because the epilogue tells you just that. Of all the books on the group, this is one of the best in print.

ABBA the Book
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-06
Probably the best book you can get, if you want an ABBA photo book. In this case even better than "From ABBA To Mammma Mia", since there is pictures from a broader period . It is written in cronologic date-by-date, where each year, as well as "The Movie" and the concert tours got its own chapter. You don't have to be an ABBA fan to enjoy this book, everyone can enjoy this trip in text and pictures through the fantastic story of ABBA.

Art History
Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities (Jumbo)
Published in Hardcover by Taschen (2001-10-01)
Author: Albertus Seba
List price: $200.00
New price: $114.98
Used price: $114.96

Average review score:

The Best Book Ever !!!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-12
I first saw this book at a resort we were staying at. I had to have it!! I have never seen a more amazing book. This book is something I believe everyone should own. It is a wonderful teaching tool for young children, an interesting study for adults, an artists dream to have each specimen right there in front of you, an interesting and colorful study of thousands of specimens of sea, land and sky. To think that these were drawings that occured way before the camera was even thought of. Once you see this, you won't believe you lived without it. Don't skimp on this one; buy the Jumbo book and enjoy. Don't forget to order a new coffee table to hold it! ( : You won't be disappointed...ever!! ( :

Impresive
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-06
The book is more than I expected. It will be proudly display at my store Sol Interios. I know it will get lots of attention.

The MOST amazing book ever.....
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-28
You have to see this book in person to really appreciate how beautiful it really is. Every single page is filled with excellent drawings of hundreds of animals, plants, seashells, etc. It is absolutly outstanding. Every book lover, or nature lover should add this book to their collection. The price seems expensive but when you see the book it will be the best 140 dollars you have spent in a long time.

Coffee table? Oh yeah right.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-10
This is a beautiful book, but I've had to factor in the cost of a dictionary stand or console table to display it. It's giant! and it looked silly on my average-sized coffee table.

My most cherished book
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-28
This book is an outstanding bargain. It is beautiful and breathtaking. I hadn't read the dimensions of the book before ordering and was really surprised when this 16 pound book arrived in its own cardboard case. The pictures are so gorgeous and some poster sized prints are included -- unfortunately, the images selected for the posters are not the most attractive of Seba's work. Before ordering, I had planned to cut out some of the prints for framing, but I can't bring myself to do that now --this book is just so amazing.

Art History
All-American Ads 50s (Icons Series)
Published in Paperback by Taschen (2002-12-01)
Author: Jim Heimann
List price: $9.99
New price: $9.00
Used price: $6.60

Average review score:

Like Time Traveling Down Madison Avenue Circa 1959
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-28
Effortlessly The Golden Age of Advertising--The 50's combines a crash course in visual arts, history, sociology and business, and does it without you even knowing it's happening! Like the other titles in the series, volumes which cover the history of advertising in the 1970's and 1960's, this book throws out so many glorious advertisements it's like time traveling. See full color ads for cigarettes (Doctors recommend Camels for calm nerves!), alcohol, clothing, foods, appliances, cars, and more. See how fashion, hairstyles, the very thought patterns of we Americans, ourselves, have evolved from where we were at mid-century last. You can stare at the pages of this virtually word-less book for hours and still see things you missed the fist time. It's a real treat!

1950's American History As Seen Through Advertising
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-14
Massive, beautifully produced, and very insightful in it's appraisal of 1950's American consumerism, this tome is perhaps the best collection of 1950's advertising ever assembled. Tons of beautiful illustrations and (in some cases) graphic design that are now relics of the past. In my opinion, this book should only have been published in harcover, due to its weight and number of pages. Sadly the hardcover is impossible or nearly impossible to find, unless you go for the abridged version issued as "The Golden Age of Advertising- the 1950s." This whole series of books which now span most of the 20th century are a great reference, and an important documentation of American history in visual form.

The Golden Age of Advertising
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-15
We were recent house guests of a couple who have decorated some areas of their beautiful home with a 50's theme. We gave them this book as a thank you for hosting our family. It was a unique gift, and one they will enjoy for years.

All-American Ads of the 50s
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-22
Probably the best ad book I've ever seen! Worth every penny it costs and believe me, it doesn't cost THAT much - not for a book like this! I was born in the 50s (in Russia) and Russians wouldn't even dream (or didn't even hear!) of products which are in this book - advertised in the US in the 50s. I'm now waiting for my All-American Ads of the 60s to arrive from Amazon - I spent my childhood in the US in the 60s and I can't wait to meet my "good old friends" - the American products - as advertised in the 60s. I'm hoping to collect the whole series of these fabulous books. Thank you very much, Jim Heimann and Benedikt Taschen -the guys who made this wonderfull series possible. Alexander Romanov, Moscow, Russia.

Nostalgia City
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-10
I loved this book! As a child born in the mid-50's, many of these ads fortunately carried over to the 60's when I was both better able to comprehend as well as recall them. It was also nice showing the book to our children, as it gave them a glimpse into some of what our own childhood's were like. If anyone reading this wants to take a trip back to a simpler, safer, saner era, this book is your "Time Machine". All for around $25 bucks too!

Art History
Aloha Shirt, The: Spirit Of The Islands
Published in Paperback by Atria Books/Beyond Words (2000-09-30)
Author: Dale Hope
List price: $45.00
New price: $13.44
Used price: $9.25
Collectible price: $45.00

Average review score:

Great book, but where's the index?
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-06
I loved this book, it is helpful to my collecting and my selling. It has wonderful pictures, and I love the section on '60's makers and just the way it is arranged in general is helpful and makes for fascinating reading. The only thing I would like to see with this book is a name index; this would make it so much more helpful as a reference. I do highly recommend it though, as a reference or just as a coffee table book.

If everyone wore aloha shirts, there'd be no war...
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2001-03-06
If Hawaii or the aloha shirt has ever gladdened your heart, you'll want to own THE ALOHA SHIRT. Dale Hope conveys the TRUE SPIRIT (colorful, soft, peaceful, flowing) of the Hawaiian Islands by presenting both the fascinating history of the aloha shirt and 500 or so beautiful illustrations. These illustrations are so varied and exquisite that you'll get high just by perusing them. They also help you see how the aloha shirt can be an art form in and of itself. Hopefully, this book will inspire people to wear their aloha shirts more often -- not just when they visit Hawaii -- and to buy the new ones that are being created by the best artist designers.

Profusely and beautiful illustrated
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-13
Dale Hope grew up in the Hawaiian garment industry, taking over his father's clothing business at the age of 26. As the art director of Kahala Sportswear, Hope oversees the creation and manufacturing of 150 new Aloha shirt designs annual. In The Aloha Shirt: Spirit Of The Islands, Hope collaborates with writer Gregory Tozian to offer a magnificent, coffee-table artbook dedicated to the history of the unique and famous Hawaiian shirt style. This impressive treatise covers the history of Hawaiian clothing, the evolution of the tailor shop into the modern clothing factories, the designers, textiles, printmakers, and retailers that made the Hawaiian "aloha shirt" famous around the world. There are chapters focusing on Duke Kahanamoku, celebrities, shirt makers of the 60s, labels and buttons, and aloha shirt collectors. Profusely and beautiful illustrated, the text is informative, at times fascinating, and highly recommended for students of American clothing history and fads in general, and Hawaii's contributions to the garment industry and American popular culture in particular.

The Book that Changed my Life.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-13
Wow, what a book!! Having been previously lightly infected by the `Aloha Shirt' bug, after having read this beautiful book, I became incurably and terminally struck down. Profusely illustrated from the collections of many well-known and extremely lucky collectors, this book has become my bedside bible. The research is also first-class, following the development of the Aloha shirt from a fun thing, to a full-blown industry. I now live and breath THE shirt. Buy this book and like me, change your life.

The Aloha Shirt: Spirit of the Islands
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2000-11-30
The Aloha Shirt: Spirit of the Islands is unique, as a historical and artistic book documenting the Aloha shirt, from its historic beginnings as a cottage industry, to the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. This definitive text has been extensively researched, with textile artists, designers, garment manufacturers and their families and friends all contributing to the consistency of the history as researched by Dale Hope. An educational and artistic book bringing over 500 aloha shirts with their Hawaiian inspired origins paralleled with the history and times of Hawaii. For those who have memories of Hawaii, and for those who share their memories to others, this elegant coffee table book is a "must have" for all!

Art History
The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome
Published in Paperback by Oxford University Press, USA (1998-07-30)
Authors: Peter Connolly and Hazel Dodge
List price: $37.50
New price: $36.99
Used price: $8.46

Average review score:

Great marriage of text and pictures
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-08
Most books with really good illustrations are usually a little weak in the next. Not The Ancient City. The excellent text in this book is completmented by beautiful illustrations of what is being told.

Hail Centurian! Rome and Athens are at your feet
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-03
The past is another country, and the farther back in time we try to go, the harder it is to get there. If it is difficult to understand daily life in Rome and Athens today, even if we are there in person, able to see the sights and walk the streets with a native guide, then imagine how much more difficult the task to go back several thousand years. The natives are long gone, and only the shattered remains of marble buildings and monuments remain to guide us.

"The Ancient City" shows us, with a wealth of pictures and artistic reproductions, what life may have been like when Rome and Athens were the centers of their respective empires. Illustrator Peter Connolly draws on the latest archaeological finds to recreate buildings that range from the well-known, such as the Parthenon and the Colosseum, to tenements, temples, public baths and latrines (of the one in Rome -- dedicated to topping any other city -- boasted of one that featured an open-air design and over 100 seats).

Connolly also recreates statues, reliefs, frienzes and pottery, sometimes adding the original color scheme, creating a startling effect to an eye used to seeing plain white marble. The text, co-written with Hazel Dodge, describes daily life, how the people dressed, wed, entertained, worshiped and died.

Short of building your own time machine, "The Ancient World" is a worthwhile passport to the past.

Good News
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-22
The Ancient City: LIfe in Classical Athens and Rome is a good book because it has a good description of the two civilizations. Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece are two different periods, and the book divides the two with clarity and nice colorfull pictures. It will give you good information that you can't find in a encyclopedia.

Ancient Greece and Rome come alive.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-03
I teach Classical Studies from the junior school to the senior student and am always on the lookout for resource material which can make the subject more inherently interesting. This book has it all-a wealth .of information presented in a great format with brilliant illustrations. I have posters by the author hanging in my classroom but in this production he outdoes himself. I can now readily picture what the great Panathenaic procession might have looked like , what happened in bathing establishments and how the average citizen coped with the problems of everyday life.
If anyone ever thought the Classics were dull, I would encourage him or her to peruse this book. A new adventure awaits the reader.

Superb introductory text .
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-02
I wanted a basic overview text on Greek and Roman civilizations. Luckily I stumbled upon this book by Connolly and Dodge. The book is terrific. The layout is excellent. The writing is succinct and the text moves along smoothly. I now have a basic knowledge of Greek and Roman eras. I got a lot more out of this book by also reading Edith Hamilton's The Greek Way. However, I must confess, this book is far more interesting and keeps one glued. A joy to read. Very highly recommended.

Art History
Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic
Published in Hardcover by Rizzoli (2005-11-08)
Author:
List price: $49.95
New price: $24.95
Used price: $16.81

Average review score:

A quality offering
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-05
A large format exhibition catalogue, a slightly over square volume printed on quality art paper. The introduction discusses Wyeth's development and output in relation to other artists; this is followed by four essays covering various aspects of the artist's work. These sections are illustrated throughout almost entirely in colour with examples of Wyeth's work and comparative examples of other's, many of them at a good size. The main section of full colour plates commences on age 122 and concludes on page 209. This is followed by a detailed list of works in the exhibition; there is no chronology or bibliography.

The main section of plates presents the images one to a page, and many are of a good size. Inevitably the long landscape proportion images do not fare so well, with the publishers seemingly reluctant to cross the gutter, these appear as little more than a three or four inch wide strip across the page; even a number of the more regularly proportioned works could easily have been reproduced larger. However that aside it is a fine volume, beautifully produced and with a feel of quality, which offers over 150 examples of Wyeth's output including paintings, watercolours and drawings reproduced in full colour.

A Beautiful and Worthwhile Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-09
As a collector of books by and about Andrew Wyeth, I must say this is a tasteful and beautifully produced art book with insightful essays by five excellent writers who know their subject well. Wyeth has been around for a long time and started fading from public consciousness after the "Helga Affair" -- undeservedly so. To my mind he is still one of America's greatest 20th century cultural treasures. The book resulted from a retrospective exhibit of Wyeth's work in 2005/2006. My only reservation about the book is that it shows too many of Wyeth's pieces that are in all the other books about his work. But that may be Wyeth's choice and must be respected.

Wyeth Review
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-14
The book was well written, interesting, and informative. Color plates depicting Wyeth's paintings were bright and clear. The book arrived timely and in excellent condition. Well satisfied.

The Legend of Andrew Wyeth
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-07
I've been a long-time, unashamed fan of Andrew Wyeth's remarkable, if not controversial career as a great American artist. This exhibition catalogue illustrates many famous paintings along with some very rarely-seen works done by none other than Andrew Wyeth himself. The essays are freshly written and easily understood. The book is packed with colorful illustrations along with other illustrated pictures of paintings that were not included in the show. Highly recommended for anyone who is intrigued by Wyeth's legendary journey as one of America's most-loved artists.

Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-03
This makes for a fantastic coffee table book if you are a Wyeth fan. To be blunt the only reason I purchased this book is because my favorite Wyeth works are not commercially available. I would shove my grandmother down a flight of stairs to get my hands on Adrift as it is my favorite Wyeth work. But alas, the book does the trick.

Art History
Arms & Equipment of the Civil War
Published in Hardcover by Random House Value Publishing (1984-06-27)
Author: Rh Value Publishing
List price: $7.99
Used price: $5.50
Collectible price: $11.00

Average review score:

fantastic and higly detailed
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-28
This book, although not very large, contains a wealth of information on varous Civil War supplies. It is highly detailed and Jack Coggins provides illustrations with virtually everything so the reader can get a good feel for what an item really looked like. Many of these items are cut away pictures giving the reader a visual account of the operations of the items described. This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in the equipment and weapons of the Civil War.

Excellent Source for all things Civil War
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-16
I first discovered this book when I was a kid, it was origionally printed in 1962. I checked it out of the library so many times, my Dad ended up getting me a copy for my birthday. This was one of my favorite sources on specifics of unit tactics, engineer job, etc.. The text is concise and too the point and the illustrations further clarify what is described in the text. Unfortunatly, my beloved copy was lost, much to my chagrin. In studying the Civil War I often though of this slim volume and how Coggins clearly laid things out when reading more obtuse textss that didn't quite measure up. While searching on Google on individual unit tactics a link for this book came up. I felt as if I discovered a long lost part of my childhood, I immediatly ordered it from Amazon and it was delivered. I went through it and rediscovered the classic drawings and text that I loved as a child and remembered the richness of this volume.
Although I loved it as a child, this is not necessarily a childrens book. It is great for all ages and should be part of any casual or serious student of the conflict.

Peerless Jack Coggins
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-08
Alas, there is - or was - only one Jack Coggins. A matchless illustrator, a good writer, and a man who did exactly what he set out to do, and did it completely. I suppose it would be possible to put together a better book on the arms and equipment of the Civil War. I just don't know how. Great illustrations, clear and lucid text, thorough. If you like this, try his book on Guadalcanal, or the Campaign in North Africa; they're cut of the same cloth.

A fresh approach on an old Civil War subject
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-02
I would recommend this book to every amateur Civil War historian. The scope of the text is limited to equipment used in the Civil War and reads quickly. I found a lot of interesting information that I had not seen in all my other Civil War readings. Also the drawings are very detailed just plain fun to look at.

Great to have for the average ACW reader.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-17
First of all I too was quite amazed that so much information can be packed into such a slim volume. Originally, I picked this book up for my wife. After taking her to some of the ACW battlefields and giving her the tours (for newbies) she had started to become interested in the period. I found my copy of this book in a used bookstore, and after a quick look through I figured it would be perfect for someone just getting interested in the subject.

Well, I started to read it. Wanted to check the book just in case it might be to simple or confusing. What I discovered is that this is a great little book. Now if you have been studing the ACW all your life and you have an ACW book collection that would put most Libraries to shame, then this book won't add to much to what you already know. However, it will prove to be a useful reference. Now if you are new to the ACW subject or have a good working knowlege but you are no die-hard expert, than you will find this book very useful as it covers excactly what the author intends (as descussed in his intro). This book is to give the reader a working knowledge of the arms and equipments used in the ACW (with excellent drawings to boot) and not just a history of the ACW.

The book falls short in a couple of areas that I deem important. One is the issue of standards (not to be called flags, please). The unit standard was very important on the battlefield but little is said about them in this book. Which I can understand since volumes can (and has) been written on unit standards of the ACW. A second short coming that bothered me more was in regards to artillery. He explains the use of artillery very well (just the basics) and illustrates the cannon perfectly (or almost), however, when it comes to the rifled artillery part of the chapter he falls short. He nicely illustrates the most popular smoothbore cannon but shows no illustrations of even the most popular rifled cannon such as the parrot and 3" Ordanence (Rodman). I think if would have been an vast improvement if the author illustrated the more common rifled cannon as he did with the smoothbore artillery. Also maybe gave an illustrated size comparison of the Napoleon, Parrot, and Rodman field cannon. If you were new to the subject and read this book I can see how you might not be able ID a Parrot or Rodmen (or tell them apart) when you go visit one of the battlefield parks.

That being said I will have to say I still highly recommend this book. Especially to beginners and intermediate ACW buffs. The author does a great job of putting it all together for those just starting out or those already fimilar with the subject but would like a great reference for how things work on the battlefield (as well as most naval actions).

Art History
The Art of Noir: THE POSTERS & GRAPHICS FROM THE CLASSICAL ERA OF FILM NOIR
Published in Paperback by Overlook TP (2004-12-28)
Author: Eddie Muller
List price: $35.00
New price: $17.95
Used price: $14.04

Average review score:

Great Noir Shots
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-06
The book has an excellent selection of art from the Noir period. I love every single page better than the last!

Stunning Showcase of the Poster Art of Classic Film Noir.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-14
"The Art of Noir" is a big, beautiful book of 338 posters and lobby cards for crime films 1940-1960, plus a handful of later films. All the film noir greats are here, from A-list films to Poverty Row, though not every film represented is strictly "noir". "The Art of Noir" is 14 1/4" x 10 1/8" -too big even for oversized book shelves- but the results are stunning: Hundreds of full-page posters in bold, eye-popping color, along with a handful of 2-page spreads and some 2-to-a-page layouts. I could not overstate how great these posters look, and author Eddie Muller has made them more fascinating with informative captions and short essays. Each poster is captioned with the film's title, year, and studio, the size of the original poster, a brief analysis of the poster's style, and a little about the film.

The posters are divided into six chapters, each with an introduction by Muller. Chapter 1 introduces us to the distinctive styles of different Hollywood studios. Chapter 2 takes us on a tour of film noir poster art around the world, with examples and explanations of how artists abroad altered or redesigned the posters for their markets. Chapter 3 focuses on thematic and iconographic elements in the posters. The icons are guns, racy women, and automobiles. The themes include bad cops, private eyes, and femmes fatales, among others. Chapter 4 showcases posters that feature the prominent stars of film noir, 9 actors and 9 actresses, with an introductory essay for each. The art of Chapter 6 is organized by writer -not only the famed Hammett, Chandler, and Cain, but also prominent noir screenwriters. Chapter 6 features the films of prominent noir directors and cinematographer John Alton.

American and international posters are featured throughout the book. I had not seen foreign film noir posters before, and scrutinizing the posters and comparing the styles turned out to be a source of nearly endless fascination. Foreign artists departed from the bold color and lurid poses of American posters but created art from their own culture's perspective that is no less striking. "The Art of Noir" will absorb fans of film noir or poster art for hours. I am reviewing the hardback edition of the book, so I cannot comment on the reproduction quality in the paperback edition. But the color and sharpness in the hardback are excellent, on slick, white paper. This is Eddie Muller's best book yet.

An absolutely priceless book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-30
This book is a must for all film lovers. It contains the most complete collection of film noir posters anywhere. And since the book is "cofee-table" size, the posters are big enough that you can appreciate even the smallest details. The text is also very interesting, giving a short but insightful review of each film. Get this book now!!!!

The 'Noirhead''s coffee-table essential
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-16
A feast for the eyes! Gorgeous NOIR poster repros and interesting factoids highlight this weighty tome. Fans will swoon, and the casual viewer will have his/her interest tweaked. As a NOIR poster/lobby card collector, this book is an essential library addition, because I need to occasionally check out pictures of posters I'll sadly never be able to afford(!)

A Gem of the Field
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-09
Film noir is a fascinating field with a deserved faithful and ever widening audience. Eddie Muller scored impressively with "Dark City Dames," a study of the women of film noir with intimate portraits of such notables as Jane Greer, Marie Windsor and Ann Savage.

Muller returns to a familiar theme here and achieves mightily in two respects, with glossy pictures which practically jump off the page at you, giving one a feel for time and place, as well as being a part of the scene, along with a text providing valuable information on the memorable films being showcased.

San Franciscan Muller is one of the genuine authorities of the genre. He has a real feel for the world of darkness beset by flashing neon lights, smoke-filled bars, detectives in trench coats, and dangerous women.

Art History
The Art of Syrian Cookery: A Culinary Trip to the Land of Bible History-Syria and Lebanon
Published in Paperback by Charlyn Pub House (1993-07)
Author: Helen Corey
List price: $12.95
Used price: $34.97

Average review score:

Perfect for All Cooks
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-29
This cookbook offers a wonderful introduction to Syrian and Lebanese cooking. Wonderful index and cross-reference help the beginner feel comfortable with the new terms and cooking ingredients. Helen Corey's book is more than just a cookbook however; she offers insight to the heritage of the foods and the traditions these regions bring to International cooking. I recommend this book to all cooks; whether they are already familiar with these foods and cooking style or are just beginning to branch out from their our family's favorites. Ms. Corey has provided a feast a great recipes and photos that will stir up an appetite in anyone.

Excellent choice for all ages!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-18
I am a 20 year old college student. I had to write a nutrition paper for the Syrian Culture and I used Helen Corey's cookbook. I found the dishes extremely interesting and excellent tasting when made. The nutrition value for many of the food items was great for low-fat, high-protein, high-potassium, and high in other vitamins and minerals. It's an excellent choice for all cultures, religions, and ages!

The Joys and History of Arabic cuisine
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-02
Helen Corey's cookbooks are so interesting for their recipes and also for Middle Eastern history. She has lovingly captured the expertise of her Mother in the recipes and photos. Sharing the Christian Orthodox faith with her, I recommend her books not just for Orthodox Christians but for all people. Helen is a tribute to her ehtnic community and to the United States.

A Bit of the Past
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-22
Helen Corey's cookbook and video, really takes one on a journey to the Holy Land. Oh, how my Mother and Father would have loved them. The cookbook, Food from Biblical Lands, and video, The Art of Syrian & Lebanese Cooking, brings back many loving memories of my Mother cooking Syrian foods. We were blessed with her until she was 91 years old, and she did most of the Syrian cooking while she was alive. I have tried to remember her different recipes, and with Helen's cookbook and video it helps bring it to life. It is as though Mother has returned to remind me what to put into each recipe. It is a precious bit of the past, here in the present. Thank you Helen for this wonderful gift. Keep up the good work.

Perfectly authentic and well written
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2001-01-31
Each recipe is explained in detail and if an ingredient is uncommon she explains where to get it and what it is. She writes the recipes so that the end result turns out wonderfully. I grew up eating this food in Canton, OH and her recipes taste just the way the old Syrians would have prepared it. I was so happy to find a cookbook so true to the old world style. There are meat recipes as well as vegetable based cuisine, desserts, and even how to make the old Syrian cheese usually served with breakfast. It is a concise, great book and I wish more people knew how to prepare meals like this.


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