Art History Books

Venice for Pleasure is an off the beaten path sort of guide, filled with anecdotes, character sketches, and historic photos. Links takes his readers beyond the famous facades and brings the "theme park" to life. Fun to use then to keep and reread for reminiscence afterwards.

Terrific read for those intent on seeing the Venice that lies beyond Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge. Whether you follow the author's routes on his strolls thru the sestieres, or just use his walks as a source of inspiration (as we did), this book is an indispensable addition to the library of anyone planning a trip to Venice. Thanks in large measure to encouragement offered by this book, we ventured into some of the nooks and crannys of this amazing city... we'll see St Mark's Basilica next time we go.

What a strange and wonderful little book!

Venice for Pleasure is essentially four walking tours told in a charmingly conversational style by an author who is clearly in love with Venice. Stopping in a Venetian cafe to read a passage is like having a friend leaning over your shoulder to recall the local history and gossip, point out fascinating details that you probably wouldn't have noticed, and make you smile with his dry wit.

We did all four walking tours and thoroughly enjoyed Links' companionship along the way; I can't recommend it highly enough if exploring Venice on foot is your aim. We also found the directions infallible.

Please note that this isn't a conventional guidebook, so you shouldn't expect logistical information.

If there is no such thing for you as having too much information, then think about buying this book. This book has walking itineraries including places to stop for rest and refreshment, and wonderful details on things to look at while you are walking and even while you are sitting down. This book is not useful for restaurants or hotels or hours that sites are open. Includes history, and comments on Venice from famous writers of the past like John Ruskin. It is to be savored.

Fantastic Book!!! I bought this for my wife as a memento of our 25th Anniversary trip to Venice. It was perfect. I highly recommend it to any armchair traveler who wants to "visit" the world's most romantic city. David

It is extremely rare that I would consider a book a "must read", however, this book is simply outstanding. Anyone with an interest in conflict or international relations will find the authors incredibly insightful. This should be required reading for anyone in the military or anywhere else in the government who is involved in our relations with other peoples and nations.

This book gets six stars out of a possible five. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

An additional plug for Codevilla: having read some of his articles as well, I will say that any of his work is worth searching out and reading.

An instant classic when it was first published, this new edition is even better. A must read for anyone who wishes to understand the causes of war and how to deal with them.
JDW

A great far ranging analysis of military and political strategy; his serious analysis of terrorism and what needs to be done is worth the price of this book. After reading this book, one will know why our efforts are at least partially not working, what needs to be done, and when we know things are going the right way. It also indirectly tells us what we should do about Iran. Another great effort, similar to his columns in the Claremont Review and his previous book, "No Victory, No Peace."

One of the abosolutely best books I've read on the subject of war in years. There are so many good points that I can't possibly mention them here, but two really stand out.

Civilians have become the target. Perhaps 70% of the people killed in World War II were civilians. This includes jews, homosexuals, slavs, gypsys, et al in the death camps, and the people under the bombs in London or Berlin. Since then, perhaps 100,000,000 have been killed in ethnic clensing, deliberate starvation, revolutions and so on.

If you really want to take out the terrorists, go after their directors, not the terrorists themselves.

If a cleric is preaching 'Death to America' in his mosque, when the service ends and the people walk outside they find an orbiting Preadator has dropped leaflets saying that it isn't wise to go to places to hear such talking. The second time they get a stronger message by leaflet. The third time a Hellfire missile ends the sermon.

Oh but can you imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth among our own liberals, to say nothing of al-Jazeera and the United Nations.

Instead we look for terrorists like we look for other criminals, one at a time, and restricted to the actual perp, not the ones who sent them out.

Read this book and the thought may occur to you: "This is so bloody obvious, who needs to read it in a book?" But then put the book down, read the newspapers, listen to the talking heads on TV, or attend a university lecture on the same subjects, and you quickly realize: none of it is obvious to anyone that matters. On second or third reading, you realize that what it's saying is not "obvious" at all; the book's genius consists in making a radical and controversial thesis sound self-evident.

I have one quibble, but the quibble doesn't detract sufficiently from the book to subtract a star: because the authors discuss warfare out of relation to morality, an incautious reader could easily get the impression that they are "Machiavellian" amoralists whose advice can be dismissed as "amoral realism." It isn't true, but they might have been more explicit about why not.

It really is a sad commentary on our culture that this book is as obscure as it is.

A highly detailed account that is part of a published series from the Florida University System. It has terrific detail and the writing style is enjoyable. Chock full of photos! Gives a perspective on the park that tells the positive and negative impacts on Florida of these attractions. I liked that it also gives a perspective on development of other water attractions in Florida and the people. I never knew that Ricou Browning, who played the underwater role in "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," had so many other accomplishments and played a large role in the Florida springs attractions. I really enjoyed this book and I believe it is a real bargain for the price. Recently, I visited the park and if you get to Florida I can recommend Weeki Wachee Springs for a great fun-filled day!

I ordered this book by mistake thinking I put it on my wish list, and am sooo glad I got it!! It is a wonderful book not only about the mermaids of Weeki Wachee, but also a history of Florida and the Roadside shows. It brings one back to a simpler, more wonderful era. Very moving and nostalgic. Now I must make a trip to Weeki Wachee. Great book for mermaid lovers.

Book was recommended by a former Mermaid from Weeki Wachee - it's a great book, well done - wonderful pictures and history from the area.

I grew up in a small town just a few miles from the Springs in the 40's and 50's and Weeki Wachee was our old 'swimming hole' where the men of the town would go clean out the 'grass' every summer so we could all swim and play even tho the water was ice cold and we would shiver and shake but refuse to get out and warm up. I remember a lot of the things happening that are included in the book and knew some of the 'mermaids' since I went to school with them and our P.E. teacher was also a mermaid. I spent many summers trying to learn how to eat a banana and drink a grapette under water(I never did accomplish this). This book brings back lots of memories and I think anyone who can 'remember when' would enjoy it and also anyone wanting to see a slice of 'old Florida' would also enjoy this book. I took my grandchildren back to the Springs last summer where we saw the mermaid show twice and once again swam in the icy water. They tried to be mermaids for weeks after and were enchanted with the 'mermaid' idea just as I was back in my day.

Lu Vickers has captured the history and essence of a very special Florida attraction in this book. This book offers a glimpse into a fascinating place during a very interesting time in Florida's tourist history, where the unusual was the draw. It has obviously been written with great care and attention to detail, and is a beautiful homage to the legacy of Newt Perry's vision & creation. We are very lucky to still have this historical and unique attraction~ perhaps this book will help to further encourage locals and tourists alike to take a trip and visit this special Florida icon. Doing so will help to make the experience of watching such graceful and talented performers available for future generations.
~Marina~MeduSirena~

Without a doubt one of the Baddest Books that i have ever read.this book talks about my Favorite ERA.it explains the importance of these films&Artists.cuz at the time Tinseltown wasn't happening.the Black Artists here&their Films kept the Lights&Power on.this book sheds Light on Many Topics.the Impact of the Images have Lasting Impact.I'M Glad that Many Artists in the book said that they couldn't stand the term Blaxploitation.I Agree.Hollywood is a Business if the films weren't happening&Making Profit they wouldn't be on display.No Impact,no Word of Mouth they wouldn't be Happening.not everything was cool or worth watching but it was the kind of Charge that is needed to Level the Playing Field.it left a Lasting Impression on Me&Countless others.this is a Must have.very Detailed.

If You don't know about all the '70s films,this book will let you know.I was blown away with this book it's a must have for all black film fans!

I was expecting this kind of book because I'm now deep into Blaxploitation era, but also curious about Black movements of the 60ies and 70ies. In a way I learned a lot of things. A big deception is Ron O' Neal (aka Priest in "Superfly") isn't there, and the authors could also have gotten Tamara Dobson, James Brown, the late Curtis Mayfield and Willie Hutch. But that's life ! A big book, great value for me

I thoroughly enjoyed the artwork in this book. I wish they still made movies like they did back in the day.

Great book about the 70's black movies. I thought I seen them all but this book talked about movies I did'nt know about but would like to see, if I could just find all the videos! The art work alone is worth the price of the book! If you plan or get invited to a 70's party use this book as a guide to get that true afropicking,bellbottom,platform shoe wearing look.

I had the honor of knowing Suzanne. She's an extraordinary human being, and I'm glad that someone else found her as special as I did. This book is simple, haunting, and beautifully written. Blessings on Suzanne, wherever she may be.

The book came in the maximum amount of time I expected - 2-14 business days from the notice I received from the seller that the item had been shipped. The quality of the item was high, much higher than expected for a used book. It looked brand new and I was very pleased with the item.

This book was a excellent book in the matter that it protrayed another perspective of Jean-Michel Basquiat and let us in on the life of one of his most enduring muses in his short and unfortunate addictive lifestyle and life. The books poetic writings give Jean-Michel and Suzannes life together a hard tragedy instead of a glamorous protrayal (tragedy is the actual matter of fact). Jean-Michel and Suzanne's relationship was truely bizarre and not understanding to the everyday person. People who know or know of Jean-Michel probably never knew the side of him that Suzanne saw, and it is refreshing and wonderful that we were allowed to read such intimate details of their life together. I titled this review "Hearts and Tracks" because the book is full of heart and the heroine abuse of Suzanne and Basquiat (including a discription of his unfortunate death).

This is a surprisingly light read of a heavy topic that gives a unique, inside view of life with the artist, Jean-Michael Basquiat. It is an even better book when read as a success story of a woman who ultimately left an unhealthy relationship. Since it covers her childhood as well as her relationship with Basquiat and her attempts to move away from him you get a little bit of insight as to why she would be attracted to this type of person. When you finish the book you will have learned about the sensationalized artist but you will also learn a story about a very successful woman who wasn't quite as interesting to the public only because she was strong and overcame adversity instead of wallowing in it. She is probably not as famous as her ex-beau because she didn't die of an overdose, but such is our culture.

I have been a fan of Basquiat for a long time. I am an artist as well. I have always been intrested in his life and have a lot of books on him and his art and his life. I found this book to be about a totally different perspective. Not only a womens persepctive but a women who was a muse to him. This book does not paint a glorified Picture of him...or a star struck tragic picture of him. It is about Susan and her plight with life, and him being a big part of it. The book is extremely poetic, very dark, sad, melancholy...but above all MOVING. I read it in less than 24 hours. I applaud Jennifer Clement

My father introduced me to the wonders of the American Museum of Natural History at the age of five.The Hall of African Mammals was the highlight of my first interest in the 1930`s.The dinosaur exhibit and ocean life can capture the imagination and fascination of any child.
Windows on Nature is a must have in the library of any one with an interest in Natural History.

This was a gift for my mother who visited this museum years ago. It brought back great memories we had when we went. The book was very well done.

Stephen Christopher Quinn, Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History (Abrams, 2006)

Dioramas are amazing things. Looking at them may not make it seem so, but that, more than anything, is testament to the artistry practiced by the men and women who construct them. Windows on Nature goes behind the scenes of the construction of the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History in New York City.

This is a coffee-table book, so there are a large number of excellent pictures of the dioramas themselves accompanying the text on how they were created. Both are as fantastic as they are fascinating. If you're a fan, this is a must-have. ****

There is nowhere beneath a roof, anywhere on earth, that means more to me than the great diorama halls of The American Museum of Natural History. It is stunning (and, really, rather sad) that it has taken this long for a popular book to be written about these magnificent works of art and science, but at least it has been done well. (It is also gratifying to see the book getting such good--and well deserved--reviews here.)

For many millions of people habitat dioramas have been their first taste of the beauty, calm, and nobility of wild creatures and wild places. More people are familiar with nature documentaries these days, and since I love good documentaries too I can't really complain about that. Nonetheless there are some things that habitat dioramas, when done well, can convey that the flickering image, even on an IMAX screen, just can't. No medium portrays the spacious calm of wild country, and the simple dignity of wild animals, better than dioramas. It's also important to remember the valuable record dioramas can provide: many of the dioramas in this book are of places no longer wild.

Stephen Quinn's credentials for writing this book are probably as good as anyone alive. He started as an artist for the museum and has been an important force in helping keep the medium alive through the dark years of the 60s to 80s, when across the U.S. it was frequently neglected, if not despised, by curators though not, blessedly, by the general public. Things are at least somewhat better now, and Mr. Quinn is now project manager for exhibitions at the museum. He has done a fine job with this book. The text is engaging and informative and the photos are big and beautiful.

I do have a few quibbles. He sometimes uses the word "captured" for animals collected (read killed) for the dioramas. I'm sympathetic with why he felt he had to do that, given what he's trying to do with the book and given the cultural forces with which he must contend. The moral issues behind hunting and museum collection are complex and beyond what a book like this could be expected to cover. Nonetheless, animals are never "captured" for taxidermy.

I should hasten to add that animals do not need to be killed specifically for taxidermy. Many if not most animals mounted for museums in the last few decades died in zoos, were hit by automobile traffic, etc. That generally was not a realistic option at the time these dioramas were created.

My other reservation is deeper, but harder to articulate, and I don't have a real solution to it. I also know that a lot of readers will be unsympathetic with it. I'm not completely comfortable with "behind the scenes" stuff in anything other than technical manuals, trade magazines, etc. The people who made these dioramas were of course just people but had high ideals (ideals that Mr. Quinn without question shares) and they wanted the dioramas to be about their _subjects_. His behind the scenes writing will engage people more with the medium and is interesting in itself, no argument. But how much does it really help to have people thinking "I wonder if that rock in Diorama Z is the one that employees used to go to make out behind on their lunch hour."?

I don't know the answer, and so I can't really fault the author. I also recognize that many of the reviewers here loved that aspect of the book. My hope, and I'm sure it's the author's as well, is that it will all stay in perspective. Let's hope that's right. It would be very sad to see dioramas become the subject of the kind of psychologizing and trivializing that permeates the world of "fine" art.

That said, this is a beautiful and well-written book about a noble, if often neglected, realm of art and natural history. If you've read through a long review like this one about a book on this subject, I promise you won't regret owning it.

I am not a scientist nor museum professional, simply a museumgoer. This book is a clear and attractive presentation about the dioramas that have helped define this wonderful museum for decades. Anyone who has ever visited the American Museum of Natural History will be captivated by the behind-the-scenes perspective presented. Understanding this background adds depth to our appreciation of the habitats. Quinn must have dug up old diaries, records and I wonder if he even listened in on some conversations as well because he offers little known factoids which are fascinating to read about and which enhance our experience as a museumgoer. I highly recommend this volume to anyone who has visited the museum. For those who have not visited, the book provides a wonderful view of what you've been missing!

I am not a World of Warcraft gamer, but the beautiful art in this book drew me to it the moment I saw it on the shelf in my local book store. This book is filled with page after page of gorgeous renditions of highly stylized creatures and monsters that entrance the viewer. Discovering some of these artists for the first time was a treat for me, so much so, that I had to go online to find out more about some of them. This is a wonderful book with some great art in it. I highly recommend it for both WoW gamers and non-gamers alike!

I was looking for the perfect book to display the beautiful works of art I had seen in the world of warcraft franchise. This book certainly delivered. There is nothing low quality about this book. It included many of the pictures I'd already seen on the internet and many beautiful paintings I had never seen before. I'll let each buyer see for themselves, but the book is organized in a very simple and interesting way. It is so full of paintings, even after a month, I can look through and find a painting I'd never noticed before, and as an amateur artist, I find plenty of inspiration. A valuable book for any fan of warcraft or fan of fantasy art.

I've been looking forward for a book like this for quite some time. It gives me the chance to study styles and guidelines for the trading card industry. Thanks to this book now I know what to work with for my next portfolio review. Luckily future book are going to have my stuff too!!! ;)

I love the book. I collect every "art of" book i can find and this is definitely one of the better ones. It has a full page of art on nearly every page, and a few shots of process, like pencil sketch to painting on a few pages. Artists like Todd McFarlane, Puddnhead, and Greg Staples are some of a few in the book as well as many other amazing artists.i reccomend it highly, it's very inspirational.

This is an awesome book...The variety of work is great, different styles and techniques, not to mention the characters are really fun to look at. As an artist, it's one of those books that you crack open to get the creative juices flowing!!!

This is a fantastic book but I don't think most people would want to spend nearly $500 for a copy. I was able to find a copy on AbeBooks (in Germany) and had it shipped to the U.S. for less than $50 total. If interested try AbeBooks or Alibris. I hope all lovers of Tanguy's work can get a copy. Even if you can only get a German language text version the color plates and reproductions are worth the purchase!

I purchased this as a Christmas present to myself this year. It has become my favorite gift. I love Tanguy's paintings! Along with Miro', he was my favorite Surrealist. It's good to see some pictures of the man and his life. Nice illustrations. Informative.

This is a long-overdue volume, fully and gorgeously illustrated, covering the life and works of, in Breton's words, "the purest surrealist." The reproductions are masterful and directly relevant to Tanguy's development, while the commentaries remain truly informative without foundering in the numbing dryness so typical of this type of overview. Tanguy's fantastic, evocative visions have not received anything near the attention lavished on artistic compatriots such as Dali, perhaps because the former's near-eremetic lifestyle seemed to put his graphic revelations of the subconscious totally beyond the pale of rational understanding. This book finally provides a clear passageway into Tanguy's universe.

I am by no means an "ART" person, but there are a few artists that tickle my untrained eye, and Tanguy is on top of my list.
This is a comprehensive and insightful look into the works of this underappreciated surreal artist. Move over DALI here comes Tanguy! Get this item while you can!!!

No library of 20th century art would be complete without this splendid overview of the life and work of French-American artist Yves Tanguy. The background and technical information is thouroughly researched and wonderfully written, and the illustrations, including the flawless color plates of the paintings, are sumptious and wonderfully reproduced. A very well-designed and well-made book, too. Buy it!

I find myself refering to this book so often that I don't know how I ever lived without it! A must, must have for Academy Awards fanatics! Believe me, I'm one of the biggest Oscar nuts out there and I'm telling you this book is worth every penny!!!! I can hardly wait for "75 Years of the Oscar"!!!!

This fabulous book is informative, interesting and absolutely CRAMMED with excellent photos, many of which I am sure have never been published before (at least I had never seen them before reading this book). Robert Osborne's excellent book is as up to date as anything gets, the only awards not included having been given out less than a month ago. This book also includes a complete list of ALL nominees in every single category for each year, somehing I have found in no other book I have ever read on the subject.

An absolute MUST for all movie/trivia buffs!

I bought and I bought again...gave it away and then couldn't be without it...there is a downside; you'll find yourself boring everyone at parties with the Best Film Oscar of their Birth Year Challenge...but if the anorak fits, wear it I say..it's an Oscar winning performance by Osborne.....

If you are OSCAR crazy, splurge (it's expensive) save or steal and buy this book.....it includes all the gossip, snarky asides, and real data you'll crave and you'll refer to it again and again....true OSCAR nuts read it all the way through, like a novel.

This hefty tome by Robert Osborne, columnist and critic for THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, is a cinephile's dream! The author has exhaustively researched the history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from its origin in the 1920s and includes a detailed chronology of the popular Academy Awards. This is a must-have for any movie buff. The over-sized book will attract even casual movie fans who might pick it up off your coffee-table and start skimming through the over-350 pages jam-packed with photos, quotes, and anecdotes of the first 70 years of the Oscars.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful....not only because I'm in it, (brother used me in one of his shoots for Village Voice campaign)...but, buying this book is a great way to see innovation and artistry normally slated for galleries...

Warren is the best there is when it comes to reviewing the current Ad scene. However there are some factaul errors in the book. i.e. He talks about the breakthrough work that PKL did for Smirnof vodka in the sixties... It was'nt for Smirnof, it was for Wolfschmidt Vodka. Even more important was the work PKL did to launch the first Xerox dry copier, with the famous "Monkey" commercial.
However, the most dramatic ommision was that there was absolutely no mention of Jack Tinker Associates, the InterPublic think tank that kick started Mary Wells into Wells Green Inc.
Otherwise, a great book.
Warren, email me, Ive lost your phone number.
George Parker

Hardly anyone outside the industry itself has a high opinion of advertising, and I'm probably no different -- most of the time. However, I've long appreciated the occasional high degree of originality and wit of which ad writers and artists have shown themselves capable, especially since the late 1950s. This fat volume brings all of them together, beginning with Volkwagen's groundbreaking "Think Small" campaign. There are chapters on the influence of European copywriting on American ads, the development of a new "visual language," the rise of backhanded "oddvertising," the growth of advertising as a reflection of (and finally an agent of) social change, and the advent of guerilla anti-advertising, each of them an entertaining and instructive mix of graphics and text. There's even a separate chapter on the ups and downs of the famous and long-running "Got Milk?" campaign. This gorgeous book will keep you studying the artwork and reading the discussions far into the night.

This isn't just a book for ad students and insiders, though I imagine they'd love it. I'm not an ad junkie myself, but I happen to love this book because it's a very different and interesting coffee table book, that you can spend hours looking at. The ads featured in the book are amazing - funny, clever, intriguing, sometimes works of art in themselves. And the captions explain what's going on, all that sly thinking and logic behind the ads. I find it's the kind of book that really gets people talking. But be forewarned - it's a huge book, so make sure you have a strong coffee table!

As the proud author, just wanted to share w/readers some of the recent press reviews for Advertising Today:
"An amazing book," says Esquire magazine; a 4-star rating from Maxim magazine; Village Voice says "media archaelogists will pore over it for decades to come"; praised on ABC World News; on her radio show, Joan Rivers called it "fabulous" & the hot new coffee table book; J. Walter Thompson pres. Bob Jeffrey says, "Never has a book captured the heart and soul of advertising as much as Advertising Today."