Art History Books

What a terrifically fun book to read! It brought back so many fond memories of going to these scary movies back in the 70's. The author knows his stuff and his enthusiasm shines through loud and clear--no stuffy criticism here. I am completely hooked on this book.

Reading this book is fun. Being a horror film buff, this book is a practical and thoughtful encyclopaedia and always brings me so much fun when exploring the anxieties and common fears in historical and social context of 1970s horror. In this period of 70s horror remakes (such as The Hills Have Eyes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Omen, Dawn of the Dead), this book can be a very essential guide to help us re-exmine the originalities and significance of these 70s classics. Highly Recommanded.

I've read a fair bit of horror film criticism and analysis, and Muir is one of the very best writers I've come across in the field. What it comes down to is that he covers the films with precisely the correct amount of depth, as he goes well beyond the simple capsule reviews, but avoids ridiculous, pretentious analysis where the films quality as either art or entertainment is ignored entirely in favor of exploration of theme and social commentary. (Which, of course, generally results in a lotta ludicrous garbage, beyond the extreme tedium.) This isn't to say he isn't interested in social commentary, he's just good at actually analyzing the film for what it is, rather than what he'd like it to be. (Course, he misses and overreaches at a few points, but that's just the inevitable disagreement on my part, rather than a general trend.) He writes cleanly and clearly, and without a hint of pretention. He also includes a ton of information for the bulk of the films, including extensive credit listings and a detailed synopsis to go along with a lengthy commentary. There are also quite a few shorter, near capsule-type reviews, but those are still more detailed than you'd see in most basic guides. Muir perhaps is slightly to forgiving for my tastes, but it's better to be a bit too favorable when it comes to film analysis than to critical, as it's tougher to come up with something interesting to say about a film that you hated. Obviously, this book isn't even close to comprehensive, but that would be pretty much impossible, and he does cover a remarkable range of films. Overall he emphasizes American films most, but still works in quite a few more prominent european films from the decade. (i.e. Suspiria, Deep Red, Zombi, Tombs of the Blind Dead etc.) Finally, the book ends with a number of helpful and/or amusing appendices at the end.

This book is damn expensive, so hopefully you can get it for free at a library, but if you can't it would probably still be worth picking up if you're really interested in horror films. Muir's books on Craven and Carpenter are also excellent, and follow the same basic format. (Though his book on Raimi was kinda disappointing, as it's more about filmmaking than the films themselves) Definitely worth checking out if you're interested in either of those guys, though those books are a bit out of date at this point. Anyway, I like it a lot. Hopefully we'll hear something more on Romero or euro-horror from Muir in the future.

Being a horror film buff, I've read many books dealing with the subject matter Mr. Muir covers, but I've never come across a book that so deftly manages to be both thoughtful/scholarly, while also extremely entertaining. Not many reference books manage to be page turners, but if you like horror films you'll find yourself unable to put it down. Muir's enthusiasm and extensive knowledge are evident, and in many ways reading the book is like having a discussion with a fellow horror fan.

As a person who is quite familiar with a good deal of the films Muir discusses, I was also pleased to discover many I had never heard of. It's led me to viewing a few gems that I might have missed otherwise. If you're a fan of the genre (or even just curious), don't hesitate to pick this up - you won't regret it.

As a died-in-the-wool horror fan, I really appreciate the thought and care put into this reference book. Muir makes a compelling case for this decade's importance in the genre (I think the 70's would win hands-down in a contest of the greatest number of significant or classic horror films in a decade. Look at the evidence: Halloween, Alien, Carrie, The Exorcist, Suspiria, Jaws, The Stepford Wives, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc., etc.). Further, Muir gives good analysis, and that is very appreciated, even when he occasionally gets carried away (he has a tendency to state a thesis--check out his analysis of some of Tobe Hooper's formalist techniques in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre--and then repeat himself over and over just to make sure that we, the readers, get it); there are also a number of small errors in details from certain films that annoyed me just because they are so careless: it is the TANZ Academy that Jessica Harper travels to in Suspiria, not the TAMM Academy, and it is the ALLARDYCE family that rents the evil house to Karen Black and Oliver Reed in Burnt Offerings, not The ALLODICES (I happen to be a big fan of both films so these mistakes particularly stuck out like bleeding limbs to me). But those are minor quibbles really; mostly I'm just grateful that Muir is not only a fan, but an intelligent writer and critic as well. I agree with another reviewer: let's next have a book on Horror Films of the 1980's, Mr. Muir!

it was one of my favourites until i got the phaidon atlas of contemporary architecture but this book is also a good one. 500 houses over the world. quick guide to have information around the world.
ayse gokbakan yildiz, architect

I was thrilled with this book (and all the other mini-Phaidon books: The Art Book, The Movie Book, The Fashion Book, and The Garden Book -- I think that's all). It's absolutely gorgeous with large pictures on each page and just enough text to make it interesting and informative. I love the alphabetical organization that essentially randomizes all the eras and countries, thus making the diversity more apparent. And, of course, IT'S CHEAP! I love it!

This book is absolutley the most amazing book on house architecture I have ever seen. Anyone who is interested in houses and house architecture around the world should have this remarkable work.

In the best tradition of the phaidon culture books, this one explores architectural styles.
It covers most periods and is eclectic in terms of style and the cultural heritage of the buildings. It also manages to present a huge time span of works, though the focus is on the boom years of architectural styles and changes (from the Victorian era onwards).
Inspires plans for lots of day trips for culture vultures or indeed travels abroad. Very interesting, I imagine there was not quite the struggle to overcome snobberies with this book as there must have been with this books family members, Art, Modern Art, Fashion and Photography.

Fascinating tour of homes, with most of the really rewarding images revealing the indigenous styles of homes across the globe, including the iglu, the long house, dung hovels, and dozens of other styles that incorporate the folk wisdom of humans across the centuries. The modernist austerities were the least interesting, even more boring than castles from the Hapsburgs. Some of the contemporary puzzle pieces were striking, and each page repaid the time invested pouring over the details captured. I wish that they would double page load, and show a representative interior of each exterior captured here.

Legendary journalist Theodore H. White (1915-1986) always wrote with great eloquence, but never more so than in this superbly moving autobiography. White begins by describing his impoverished boyhood in Boston's Jewish ghetto and his undergrad days (on scholarship) at Harvard in the 1930's. He then writes with great passion about his years as a correspondent in war-torn China (1938-1945), which included working for Time Magazine, reporting on China's leaders, and helping to curb a famine. The author's attachment to the Middle Kingdom has doubtless inspired several readers (including myself) to visit that enchanting yet tragic nation. White also describes his career in post-war Europe, and his days as a returned U.S. journalist during the prosperous 1950's and beyond. Readers get a first-hand look such notables as Dwight Eisenhower, Mao Zedong, Chou En Lai, Douglas McArthur, Chiang Kai-Shek, Joe Stillwell, Konrad Adenauer, etc. We also get an intimate look at John F. Kennedy's bid for the Presidency, and his brief tenure in office. White concludes with a bittersweet account of returning to his once-tranquil boyhood home in the 1970's - now encircled by ghetto blight and violence.

Theodore H. White was one of the top journalists of the 20th Century, and perhaps best known for his MAKING OF THE PRESIDENT series (1960-1972). Very few writers have ever matched his eloquent prose, which is abundant in this superbly moving 1978 memoir.

.......how a young man's decision to add Chinese to his college curriculum changed forever his life, placing him at all the pivotal points of history in his time....meeting the men with the visionary ideas........and writing of this journey so exceptionally we all experience the intimacies of every moment.

I really LOVE this book, have read it several times! I can't believe one person was able to do all of these fascinating things and tell about it in such an engaging manner. The material in China in WWII is probably the most fascinating and tells stories about the Chinese leadership that most westerners don't know. The McCarthy era and the Kennedy campaign and assasinations also were riveting.

This is one of those rare authors that can make an exciting history jump off the pages at you. And White was lucky: he saw some of the most interesting events of the 20th century, up close and with access to the principal players. The latter part of the book, where he describes the inner circle of the Kennedy camp on election night, 1960, is one of the best passages I have ever read.

Theodore H. White (1915-1986) is widely regarded as one of the greatest journalists of the World War Two "G.I." generation. TIME magazine once called him the "godfather of modern political reporting", and he is best known for his classic "Making of the President" series of books. From 1960 to 1980 White covered every presidential campaign and observed the political leaders who participated in them. He became so well-known that candidates from John Kennedy to Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan gave him unprecedented access to the inner workings of their campaigns. White's first book in the series - the bestselling "Making of the President 1960" (which covered the Kennedy-Nixon contest) earned him the pulitzer prize. Yet White was far more than just a political reporter, as this marvelous memoir proves. By 1976 White had grown both tired and bored of covering presidential politics, and so instead of doing another book on the '76 campaign, he decided to write his autobiography. In "In Search of History" White offers a superb chronicle of his remarkable life and career. Born and raised in a poor Jewish slum in Boston, White came from a family of intellectual Jewish immigrants who nonetheless experienced grinding poverty. In his youth White was in many ways a child prodigy - he was both brilliant and energetic. He sold newspapers to help his family pay the bills, attended Harvard University on a scholarship and became fluent in Chinese. In 1938 White, only 23, flew to China to cover that nation's heroic resistance to the Japanese invasion. He was soon hired by Henry Luce's powerful TIME-LIFE magazines to be their Asia correspondent, and for awhile he was Luce's star reporter. White vividly describes his experiences in China and Asia during World War Two, from a devastating famine to his meetings with legendary Chinese leaders such as General Chiang Kai-shek (whom he despised) and Communist leaders Chou En-lai and Mao Tse-tung (with whom he formed a wary respect). He also met the great American generals of the Asian theater of the war, such as Douglas MacArthur and Joseph Stilwell. White seems to have been present at a vast number of great historic events, and among his best descriptions is that of the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri in 1945. After the war White moved to Europe, where he covered that continent's attempts to rebuild and unite and America's efforts to help. In the fifties White began covering American politics, and then in the sixties he both covered and became a close friend of the Kennedy family - thus becoming (as he reluctantly admits) emotionally closer to his subject than he should have been. White's closeness to the Kennedys was dramatically revealed in late November 1963, when Jackie Kennedy personally chose him to discuss the intimate details of the assassination in Dallas and to write a "final word" about JFK. It was White's "Epilogue" (published in LIFE), that created the legend that Kennedy's Presidency was "Camelot" - a word which Jacqueline Kennedy insisted be used in describing her husband's administration. It is apparent from "In Search of History" that White led an extraordinary life and had many adventures (and misadventures) along the way. He is an engrossing writer, and despite the book's length I never grew bored or restless. Among the thousands of journalists of the twentieth century, White almost certainly belongs among the top ten, and this autobiography proves why. Highly recommended!

I have owned this book since it came off of the presses and thoroughly enjoy the collection of stories as told by the 24 featured Kenpoists.

Kenpo Karate is a longer and harder Journey, I think, for a martial artist. There is a head-ful (and a half) of information you must learn in order to get through the belt ranking system. What it inevitably teaches you, though, is that you do what it takes to perfect each step you're learning. THAT is the true Journey.

This attitude applies to your own every day life, also. It makes for a more open minded person in the end. A lifetime scholar.

These Masters (all of them, regardless of their rank) share their personal Journey. It is NOT a learning manual.

The true-to-life portraits by Ed Parker, Jr. are beautifully drawn. The personal photos give us insight into days gone by.

I have used it as an autograph book and have most of the pictures signed, and all other spaces signed by other Martial Artists.

Only so many of this book was printed, and from what I've heard, that's it. If you are balking at the price here, you will soon be left out of owning a great book!

The usual trip to a marital arts book section reveals an overabundance of books on how to disarm a knife attacker, how to punch a board in two, how to throw a two hundred pound attacker, how to immobilize an opponent, but seldom, except for the life and times of Bruce Lee, do we find stories on the experts themselves. Tom Bleecker and Joe Hyams have collected the stories of twenty-four prominent kenpoists, two of whom are female, and all of whom are in some way connected to Ed Parker, the founder of American Kenpo. Hyams has interviewed each of the featured black belts, allowed them the opportunity to redline but not to add to their stories before including the material, rewritten in an easy-to-read narrative style, to the book.

What emerges from reading this book are personal statements of each individual's journey toward his or her individual enlightenment. These are strongly narrative and autobiographical, with pauses to discuss issues important to each of the martial artists. What also emerges is a broad, general understanding of the kenpo/karate movement in America. We see the growth of kenpo from its earliest Asian and Hawaiian beginnings and Parker's introduction to it. The first chapter is historically interesting, for most of us prior to 1960 had little or no knowledge of martial arts beyond the existence of judo in the Japanese American communities and some quiet suspicions of secret Chinese boxing societies deep in Chinatown.

The late fifties and early sixties were years when esoteric arts like aikido were introduced into Hawaii, kendo reappeared in Seattle and Los Angeles, and in Seattle Bruce Lee moved into Ruby Chow's and one day appeared on the University of Washington campus, to give the first of several kung-fu demonstrations after having spent several years teaching the art to a small group of Seattle students circa 1961. Ten years before Bruce surfaced in Seattle, Parker was already studying and planning to open American Kenpo schools.

Through this book, we understand and appreciate Parker's role in the growth of martial arts in the late 50's and early 60's, before he founded the first Long Beach International Tournament. We see the positive influence of Parker on his many students, now elders of the school themselves, whose stories verify the notion that being involved in the martial arts is a life changing experience.

These elder statesmen candidly describe themselves as troubled, angry, or confused youths in search of the men they would grow to be. In the background we see how the American style of martial arts has been a fluid, growing, dynamic system that grew complex, and has been simplified to its basics, depending upon the individual stylist and his approach to the art. We understand that these are men and women searching for a way to contribute their knowledge and skill to improve kenpo and its teaching, and who have found ways to contribute to the society with which they were at odds during their youth. The women discuss how Kenpo has challenged them and given them confidence. Doreen Cogliandro quotes the other woman, Dian Tanaka, " Wouldn't you rather be considered the 99th best black belt on the mat than have someone say you're the best female out there?"

Some are teachers like Bob White, who has a reputation for creating martial artists who win tournaments, or Chuck Sullivan and others who worked with Parker to create new ways to teach the art. Others, like Frank Trejo, have used their art in helping the less successful and the disabled. Trejo worked with the Lincoln School for disabled Children. He says, "I've seen Kenpo change their lives-physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually -- Kenpo has made a difference." Sean Kelly has worked with the Guardian Angels, a work which has "taken on a sense of civil and moral responsibility that goes beyond my immediate family." Bryan Hawkins co-founded Martial Arts for Peace, and Dennis Conatser has been involved with the Boy Scouts.

Others have earned their living from Kenpo. Jeff Speakman has been the most successful of the kenpoists in films, but others have had brief celluloid moments, including Parker, Dian Tanaka, Chuck Sullivan, and Stephen LaBounty. I think I saw Steve Muhammad briefly in the opening sequences of Enter the Dragon. Muhammad, and Sullivan have done police work, and Dave Hebler worked as Elvis Presley's bodyguard. And, of course, all have earned food, room, board and income from teaching the art.
While there is little discussion of techniques, there are interesting discussions about the yin/yang of martial arts, of developing speed as described by both Paul Mills (as a fast draw specialist) and Larry Tatum. Dian Tanaka talks about forms competitions and what competitors can do to draw the eye of the judges.

The book's appetizer and dessert feature an early recollection of Bruce Lee by Hyams and concludes with a segment on Elvis Presley. Bruce Lee met Parker shortly after leaving Seattle, and Joe Hyams' personal experiences in training with Bruce are vividly described in the foreword We are reminded in the final chapter that Presley was thoroughly fascinated with karate and ended up training with Parker privately.

For those who know these men and women, the book is well worth reading. The general reader and neophyte kenpoist may well find inspiration in the words of those portrayed in the book's pages. I found it fascinating to read about the changes and development of the art, seeing it as an organic, growing, changing body of knowledge.

Whether you are a kenpoist, a martial artist of another style, or someone just looking for an inspirational story, this book is for you. Many of the masters from this book came from troubled childhoods. Others needed a push in the right direction in their lives. All at one time or another, they all found Ed Parker and discovered that kenpo isn't just about self defense, but its about the journey of life as well. An outstanding read for all.

Whenever I am feeling unmotivated to train I read a chapter or two of this book. Its like travelling back in time and being a fly on the wall in Ed Parkers dojo's. The most inspiring and motivating martial arts book I have ever read. You do not need to be a Kenpo stylist to enjoy it.

It doesn't make a difference if you practice Kenpo, the honest insights from these individuals are worth their weight in...platinum. This is not a hit here; strike this way book; however it is as bold and direct as a strike. You may not like all of the people in the book, their way of looking at the world, or you may just think Kenpo is not worth your time. However if you are a martial artist, this is a must read and a must have. If you don't have a profound respect for what Ed Parker has done, you will once you have read this book.

Superb book.

No really, this may very well be the book I have enjoyed the most, ever (though principally these kind of judgements are bollocks and nothing more, of course).

If you have the slightest acquaintance with psychoanalysis (the Lacanian field, preferably), the book should be read with Zizek's "The Fright of Real Tears". Here Zizek has some really perceptive discussions on Kieslowski the filmmaker and on charachters in the Colour Trilogy - without too many forced obscene jokes, I might add.

He wanted his audience to be interested in his films....and so we are. He wanted to stir people to something...he does. He wanted to inspire us...and that he did. Fans of Krzysztof Kieslowski, film buffs and aspiring filmmakers alike will get as much out of his story told in "Kieslowski on Kieslowski" as through his cinematic works of art.

Although not a very long career, due to his untimely death, it certainly was an illustrious one. And how fortunate we are to have had the filmmaker who brought us the beautiful and moving films "The Double Life of Veronique", the "Three Colours Trilogy" and the unbelievably intuitive "Decalogue", tell us in his own words his views on life and what he was thinking during the filming of these works.

The book, wonderfully edited by Danusia Stok, takes in Kieslowski's early years as a child, his film school years, his early short films and finally the feature films. Kieslowski is open and frank about his life and his work. He didn't see himself as a genius at all(we fans may tend to disagree on that point),quite the contrary he tends to point out what he feels were mistakes and his shortcomings. He talks of working in Poland, having to skirt around the political upheaval around him, films he made that were never shown to the public, and his quest for trying to make the stories as authentic as possible.

He discusses each and every film. He gives much of the credit to the cast and crew and although he touches on what the films meant to him,he usually speaks more of the technical aspects of each than the analytical.He talks of what was going on in the world, his life and his mind during the making of each film. The feature films are given more time and one whole chapter is devoted soley to "Three Colours"(these films were still in the editing stages at the time this book was written).

Included are many still photos of working on the sets, and personel pictures with his family, the actors and his collaborators. There is a section devoted to notes on many of the names and events, and also a complete filmography with a brief summary and list of credits for each film.

"You make films to give people something, to transport them somewhere else and it doesn't matter if you transport them to a world of intuition or a world of the intellect"....Krzysztof Kieslowski

Kieslowski lets us know in this book that we don't have to analyze each scene...just enjoy it for what it is. This book is a must read for fans and filmmakers alike!...So...enjoy...Laurie

Kieslowski is one of my favorite film directors, maybe because I can identify with so much of what he shows in his films... So I was very happy to read "Kieslowski on Kieslowski" and learn about his years in the Film School and the events and memories connected with the making of many of the movies. The autobiography, edited by the director's friend, Danusia Stok, is very good and a must-have for his fans, but it is an autocreation, not a katharsis! It cannot be forgotten that Kieslowski was an artist also in his life so this book is not just a collection of facts.

The book also contains sharp comments and a very good background on the situation in Poland and how difficult it was to push one's own vision. The collection of photos is a valuable addition as well.

In his own words, Krzysztof Kieslowski tells you about the agony and the ecstacy of the independent filmmaking process.

The late Polish filmmaker is up to the challenge, delivering his characteristic frankness nestled within the pages of this short retrospective work, narrated in his own words, and magnificently edited (translated, too?) by Danusia Stok.

The book is tailor-made for "idie" filmmaking buffs, and supplies a glimpse into the enticingly magical personality which was Kieslowski's. Eschewing a typical rote autobiographical style, Kieslowski divulges key details about himself via the device of his extensive filmography -- revealing things about his thinking process and the high value he places upon delicate human emotionality through a step-by-step examination of his long filmography.

Spanning his early years as a prominent documentary filmmaker during the stifling years of Polish Communism and state censorship -- especially during the imposition of Marshal Law in Poland during 1980-1 when Kieslowski couldn't work for half a year -- and ending with his magnificent trilogy "Barwy" (Three Colours: Blue, White, Red), we're subjected to a feast of Kieslowski-isms regarding his thoughts pertaining to such diverse notions as:

** casting for acting talent.
** Kieslowski's penchant for making his ENTIRE crew a part of the idea-generating process for his films.
** the nature of artistic filmmaking in Europe compared to commerical filmmaking in the US.
** the demands of time on a filmmaker's personal life.
** the differing range of skills between Western and Polish filmmaking crews.

A right pity Krzysztof Kieslowski is no longer with us to share to a burgeoning generation of up-and-coming filmmakers what might very well some none-too-optimistic viewpoints on the state of today's "international" filmmaking.

The book is written in Kieslowski's typical unassuming style -- par for the course from the Polish master. The late director doesn't bowl you over with how much he knows about film history, or about the complicated craft of filmmaking. Kieslowski doesn't tell you that he's better than you or me. Rather, through a detailed accounting of his past achievements, Kieslowski's emphasis is always upon that which is most human: the wellspring of all his works, and the central reason why filmmakers must indeed make films, in his esteemed opinion.

Still, I found the book ended suddenly.

Not shockingly so, just that the work might have gone on for much longer than its seemingly scant 227 pages. There's so much to know about this magnificent paragon of the film community, and if anything, it will be a primer for further reading on the man, the legend, and his favourite subject: films.

Five-stars.

-- ADM in Prague

Reading the book was like watching another wonderful Kieslowski film. His casual authentic narrative throughout the book gives it a touch of a documentary almost.

I appreciated every page of his life story, as he tells it so that his personal story as a director - from his childhood through filmschool, his first films right to the Three Colours trilogy - is combined with the situation in Poland, with the Communist times, the censorship, the hopes and the fights with the system, the fears, the communication with the public through hidden messages, and the victories when succeeding to outsmart the censors.

All wrapped up in one, sprinkled with wit and natural story-telling style, the book is all you ever wanted to know about Kieslowski and the background of his life and filmmaking.

In the interviews throughout the book, he not only talks about the films, he also explains why he had to do them the way he did - both, the story and the style - about his personal beliefs, about his life and work in the Communist Poland (in which I could see similarities with the former Czechoslovakia, where I was born, as well), and about how it shaped his views.

Real reading pleasure, educational and entertaining, this book is one of the best I have read lately! And, I believe it gives another dimension in understanding of his films as well.

I was in my 20's when Lucy and Desi first aired. It is simply
the best comedy show ever and that includes the writing. I always
wondered just who these superb writers were. Now I have found out
due to this excellent book. The show was so very funny, you do
wonder what people wrote the lines but then you also know that
they had to have Lucy. Her timing was better than I ever seen in
any actor and actress. Thank you, Madelyn, it was indeed a joy
to read your rememberances.

A good biography of one of the brains behind the Lucy factory. Knowing the limitations and talents of Lucy helped make the Lucy icon what it is today. Giving Desi credit where it is long overdue, and busting a few myths that Lucy herself liked to perpetuate, this is a good read of behind the scenes and one of, if not the first, female comedy writers.
Her trials as one of the first female writers doesn't seem to stop her excellent comedic writing abilities and reminds all of us how hard it was for those first female TV writers. Perhaps this is one of the reasons Lucy was so funny - because she had Ms. Pugh there to bring the male writers up (not down) to reality.

Having read tons of other books on everything tied to Lucy, I was especially happy to come across this memoir of what I consider to be one of television's best writers. Ms. Davis writes succinctly but thoroughly and entertainingly about many of her memories associated with what many people consider to be television's all-time best sit-com. It is a great, fun read for anyone interested in "I Love Lucy."

Madelyn Pugh Davis tells us upfront that this is no tell-all tome...that to dish on longterm employers Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz would be unfair since they are dead and cannot defend themselves.
She also adds that as the writers of "I Love Lucy," she and her partner Bob Carroll Jr. were in the dark much of the time about personal scandal and gossip.
This is the crux of her book. Desi Arnaz called her the 'Girl Writer' when he wasn't mangling her given name by calling her 'Mallen.' He called Pugh and Carroll 'the kids' or as he pronounced it, 'the kits.'
Pugh's stories of her own beginnings in the TV and radio writing trades would be absorbing enough - but chuck Lucy, Desi and company in the mix and you have yourself a page turner.
Pugh writes with warmth, enthuiasm and energy (qualities by the way in which she admired Arnaz).
Straight out of college, she was turned down for a job as a newsletter writer for a meat-packing company. As she wittily points out, the meat-packing company smelled bad and somebody with the last name of Pugh shouldn't be working in a place like that.
Her adventures up to and including all the incarnations of "Lucy" are absorbing. She dishes in an amusing, professional and tasteful way about hard-headed Lucy and working with gues stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton - and that famous 69 carat diamond ring.
As an ardent Lucy fan,I loved hearing about how Pugh and Bob Carroll jr. drove up to northern Calfornia to meet the North famly whose marrriage and staggering 20 children led to the screenplay for the Ball-Fonda classic, "Yours Mine And Ours." (A Desi Arnaz idea).
There are tons of nuggets here - both professional and private. When Pugh married her college sweetie, Dr. Richard Davis, she moved herself and her small son to his Frank Lloyd Wright house in Indiana. She hated the house both because its construction design lent itself to dark bathrooms and a miniscule kitchen, but also because strangers dropped by unanounced to get a look at it.
The chipmunk watching her each morning is hysterical. Movie version, anyone?
The author says that for her, it is gratifying when fans tell her they watch "I Love Lucy" when they are feeling blue and it gives them a lift. I will keep "Laughing With Lucy" handy so that I may dip into it on my 'off days' as a reminder that even the original Girl Writer had her share of ups and downs.

How many comedy writers have surrived so long with one performer? The author started with Lucille Ball on the radio series My Favorite Husband. She and her partner Bob Carroll Jr. wrote for the full 6 year run of I Love Lucy. (Jess Oppenheimer, who created the series, left after the 5th season. By the way, this book makes a great companion to his book.) They also worked on the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, and Here's Lucy. In between, they wrote the story for her feature film, "Yours, Mine, and Ours," plus various specials. Sadly, the final series, Life With Lucy, is best forgotten. The author does a good job of dealing with various stories regarding I Love Lucy and its main star. You won't read about the problems that broke up the Ball-Arnaz marriage here. Ditto for the strife between Vivian Vance and William Frawley. There's also no mention of the scare regarding Lucy's onetime registration with the Communist party. Ms. Davis may have wished to protect the now deceased stars. Or she wasn't directly involved in such matters. This book provides a wonderful behind-the scenes look at Lucy's various series. Ms. Davis tried out many of the stunts beforehand. Would a woman be capable of them? While her partner is listed as a co-writer, this is essentially her story. We learn about the struggles she had as a woman comedy writer. There's material on her personal life too. The author writes with great affection for both Lucy and Desi. She notes that his contributions were often overlooked. Ms. Davis and Mr. Carroll later became producers on Alice. I caught one goof in the book. Earl Hamner did create The Waltons. But he wasn't involved in Little House On The Prairie. Still, this is a very good read. Please check it out.

'Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies' is a great resource on the career of 'the boys'. The making of each film is covered in detail and there is quite a bit of biographical information sprinkled throughout. This was one of those books that I found hard to put down once I got started. Kudos to the author for providing a very informative and entertaining book!

Randy Skretvedt produced a highly entertaining and thought provoking work with the release of this work on two of the cinema's greatest comedy legends,Laurel and Hardy.
Most volumes up until this point had approached their careers in similar styles by focusing first on their backgrounds,early entries into showbusiness,their early careers,then into their most popular times and from there into their declining years.All filled with andecdotes either from friends,colleagues or the comedians themselves.
This book though giving a brief overview of the Boys careers examines each of their films starting with their silent shorts right through to their last film.What makes it different is that Randy examines each film from more of a production angle than any other book before has done.He explains in many cases how and why a particular film came into being and compares the original idea or storyline/script with the end product.It's a fascinating departure from the usual and gives a more detailed and informative look into the men behind the comedy,up front and behind the scenes.
I highly recommend this book to all students of film but especially to all fans of Laurel and Hardy.This is one book along with all of John McCabes' books,William K.Eversons' "Laurel and Hardy",Glenn Mitchells' "The Laurel and Hardy Encyclopedia" and Wes Gehrings' "Laurel and Hardy-A Bio-Bibliography" that should form the basis of your collection on the Boys.

Almost to good to be true. If you want to know anything or everything about Laurel & Hardy and all their movies and films, you can find it here in this wonderfully written book.

For years.Many film history books have tried to give some insight into the creation,development and the successful appeal of Laurel & Hardy's film work.With the exception of Leonard Maltin's"Movie Comedy Teams"and"The Great Movie Comedians!".No book seemed to show the readers how these classic comedies came about.Until now.Film historian,radio interviewer and musical entertainer:Randy Skrevedt's book"Laurel & Hardy:The Magic Behind The Movies!"finally gives us all a chance to see how these two great performers created and presented their cinematic clowning on screen and onstage.With the use of extensive research,interviews with the boys colleages,family members,friends and with staffers from The Hal Roach,MGM,Fox Studios and With Mr.Hal Roach Himself.The book shows us the creation of the team's films from their first effort:"Lucky Dog"to their earliest films at Roach to their glory days at:"The Lot Of Fun!".The book also tells us the true story of what finally lead to the duo's departure from Roach and the unsuccessful efforts to give the boys creative freedom at MGM & Fox.Where they made alot of forgetable films.And additionial info.L&H were slated to make ten features at Fox.Not six as many film history books have stated over the years.There is also some insight into the boys stage performances overseas in Music halls and cabrets during the late 1940's and into the early to mid 1950's.And a large collections of Photos from private collections.Plus in the updated second paperback edition.Info about the recently discovered spanish verison of"Chickens Come Home".Which features some never before seen footage(The newly found footage has little or bearing on the film's storyline.But it's interesting to read about it).These features plus some insight into the boys lives(Which does not get ugly)makes this a fun and informative manuscript and one that's long overdue.Bravo Randy! Kevin S.Butler.

To me, the Laurel and Hardy (L&H) team was easily the best comedy team of the first half of the 20th century. I realize others may have other favorites (Three Stooges, Our Gang, W.C. Fields (another of my personal favorites), Abbott and Costello (not one of my favorites), Marx Brothers, etc.) But the L&H team was beyond these other comedy teams. Randy Skretvet did these men proud with this book that traces them from the very beginning to their eventual demise. If one appreciates L&H and the comedy of the early 1900s they should appreciate this book.

Easily one of the most beautiful books that I own, a masterpiece within the genre of the illuminated journal, and a treasure among natural history books. It is a celebration of sensorial intelligence, the gift of a full-bodied rapport with the breathing earth. To delve and read within this book, drinking with your eyes the colors and the sinuous lines and the astonishing textures that explode from the text and blossom on the pages, is to feel your skin becoming more porous, to feel your thoughts becoming far more supple and awake to the more-than-human life of the land around you.

Whenever I wander into this book, I'm struck with gratitude to the author/artist, and with a deepening sense of wonder...

I have followed Hannah Hinchman's published work for some years now. I have found it most helpful in enabling teachers to help children to observe closely and make graphic fieldnotes in places where they can learn first hand about their own local natural environment. I am in the process of taking some leave to continue with my own professional writing in Europe. I am keeping my own illuminated journal of how the seasons are changing the natural environment here in central France. This book is a delight to return to every day or two. I have looked through it with my nine-year-old granddaughter who does not speak English and we found so many things to discuss in it. As well as being an authoritative work on a place in Montana, U.S.A., it is also an excellent resource for anyone interested in looking closely at the natural world around them anywhere!

The artwork in this book is lovely and the sketches of the author's dog are captivating. Her paintings of the Montana landscapes transported me back there in the time it took to turn the pages. She captures the wide open spaces and the feeling one has when out walking in those lovely fields and mountains. My heart sank when I started reading her commentary and came across her views of those who hunt or make their living on the beautiful Montana land. While she apparently has developed the skill to communicate the beauty of the Montana flora and fauna, Ms. Hinchman has not yet learned to see the beauty of the people of Montana. I am sad to say that reading those few comments kept me from purchasing the book and I don't think the book would have been any less if those comments had been edited out. While she fancies herself an observer of nature the hunters, loggers and ranchers she ridicules have observed the Montana landscape and its creatures with a greater love and respect and for a much longer time than she has. I would recommend this book for it's illustrations but not for the author's views.

"Little Things in a Big Country" is an artistic journal chronicling one year in the artist's life in the eastern part of Montana, known as the Front. The words and watercolors in this book work together beautifully to convey Ms. Hinchman's careful observations of the world of The Front. Her sketches include things as common as seed pods, animal tracks, and ice formations. What a treasure this book is! Reading it gave me a new appreciation for the power of keen observation of the world around me.

This was the first artistic journal I've come across, and as a new (to me, at least) genre of book, the form impressed me.

This is such a calming and inspiring book, one that I will enjoy reading again and again.

Hannah Hinchman is a Great Artist! I have all of her books and this one is full of beautiful watercolors and designed pages. All that you treasured in her other books only more of it!
I have been to Montana once when I was 17, she describes it all so prefectly. A true inspiration to any art journaler.
THANK YOU HANNAH!

Almost cinematic in design and construction, truly, "The Magic of M.C. Escher" is a breakthrough book on the works of this artist. Every page is filled with inspiration and surprise. Designed by a gifted art director named Erik The' and produced by Andreas Landshoff, this book flows together to form a loving catalogue of Mr. Escher's visions. It is unlike other books based on Escher which tend to be either tutorial or biographical in nature. Whereas these past books, more or less, deconstruct and analyze his works mainly through words, "The Magic of M.C. Escher" successfully accomplishes this through the images themselves, revelling in their sheer beauty, from his preliminary studies all the way to the finished prints. There are many double foldout pages to better impact Escher's mastery of his craft. Some of the pages are filled, corner to corner, with extremely detailed, magnified sections of specific works that allow the reader to closely experience what it's like to be "nose to nose" with the actual prints.

This book catapults the reader into Escher's world immediately. Before you even open the title page, you discover that the inside of the dust cover reproduces, in full color, of course, "Metamorphosis III" in three horizontal panels each measuring an astounding 39" across. This book brings us along on a visual journey ajoined by Escher's own words, as if he is personally giving us insights on a guided tour of his works. It thoughtfully limits itself to short excerpts from Escher's lectures and letters whose sole purpose is to compliment glorious, detailed photographs of original work. It's filled with Escher's never-before published pencil studies and sketches, extreme closeups of his prints, and detailed photographs of his original carved wood blocks. The pencil studies from his notebooks allow us to follow his thought processes and fully appreciate the endless hours he joyfully and dutifully spent on formulating the precise combination of graphic elements to arrive at his finished images.

The book makes side-by-side visual comparisons of earlier works that inspired Escher to create more self-satisfying images that better convey his "relative division of the plane" and other spacial concepts. Most of its visual content were supplied by two sources: The M.C.Escher Foundation and Michael Sachs, a private collector and print dealer from Connecticut.

Overall, this is book is a stunning, loving homage to this master of printmaking and genius to the graphic arts. Nothing is spared in this book's construction and design. If the adage is true that a picture is worth a thousand words, "The Magic of M.C.Escher" could fill a library.

Wonderful coffee-table book of Escher's best drawing illusions. Even the jackets is two-sided and imaginatively done with style.

High-quality reproductions of the amazing artworks. Minimalistic style of comments and excerpts from artist's letters gives you a focus on subtle details and motives, and lets images tell you the rest.

Given as a gift by a special friend of mine, the book has always adorned the coffee table in the living room as a centerpiece that never fails to attract the attention of both art lovers and art dabblers alike. Perhaps it could be said that my interest in the two seemingly disparate field of mathematics and art motivated that friend of mine to purchase the book, as Escher himself apparently believed and proved that those two seemingly unrelated fields could be beautifully synthesized in a brilliant fusion of creativity. The result is more than convincing.

Escher was a Dutch wanna-be mathematician, who expressed himself through incredibly intricate, creative works of art. This book contains hundreds of his drawing as well as his notebook sketches, which is interesting to look at because you get to see how he developed his drawings. Accompanying most of the pictures in this book are excerpts of letters that he wrote to various people. If you want a book on Escher's work, then this is the one to buy! Fantastic.

India has always been famous for her amazing jewels, be it structures like the Taj Mahal or amazing Maharajas stones. This book is exquisite, the images are vivid and crisp and the text scholarly. It is just amazing to see these jewels, you just cannot imagine this sort of wealth. When I think of jewels of India I always think of Louis XIV's French Blue, that came from a Maharaja and now is known as the Hope Diamond, it is simply spectacular, it's a shame it was recut after it was stolen during the French Revolution, but it is still one of the most beautiful diamond's in the world. If you have any interest in beautiful jewelery or Indian history in general then you will love this book.

Forget those diamonds that are supposed to be a girl's best friend - they're mere baubles compared to the opulent jewels that covered India's maharajas from turban tips to beringed fingers. Their palaces needed no artificial light as rooms shone with the brilliance of thousands of precious gems.

"Too much" was not in the vocabulary of these rulers as to many possessing and adorning themselves with fabulous jewelry was their raison d'etre. "The Maharaja of Baroda owned five long strands of perfectly matched, pigeon-sized, cream-colored pearls," which he wore in a bib-like drape. Rubies from Burma, emeralds from Brazil, Golconda diamonds and Kashmir sapphires were the decorations of the day.

Some 300 eye-popping photos in this sumptuous folio-size volume attest to princely extravagance, and to the artistry of great jewelers such as Cartier and Boucheron whom the royals commissioned to set their gems. The accompanying text is rich with insights for all who are fascinated by once princely India and enjoy jewels of unparalleled beauty.

This epoch of luxury came to an end in 1947 with India's independence. The maharajahs resigned and their treasures were either exported or hidden. Fortunately, they're gathered once more in this stunning volume.

I had bought the book "Maharaja's Jewels" by Katherine Prior and John Adamson and I must say that it was truly a wonderful book. For those who have interest in Jewels, Indian history, Royalty, Photography and I think for any one it will be a great experience to read it.

The Authors have brought out the richness of the land in an excellent presentation. The quality of the book in terms of the content, pictures, presentation, the collection of the jewels shown and the history behind them is very well presented.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and certainly recommend to any one with interest in such a book. it should be in any interested person's collection.

Amazing. I spent outside my budget to get this book and it's worth every cent.

Maharajahs' Jewels provides an oversized, lavish examination of maharaja jewelry, considering the history behind royal jewelry making in India and the conditions under which some of the most famous jewelry pieces were manufactured. The stories of the Indian princes and their jewelry will appeal to any interested in Indian history in general and jewelry-making in particular.