Art History Books

The book is about one of the most well-known peices in Feminist art, Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party". It not only features photos and accounts of Chicago and her hard-working team of volenteers (both men and women) as they worked for almost eight years on the project and fought to have it exhibited, but it also features detailed sections on each of the place settings and kind of symbolism used in them, and biographies of all the other women whose names around them. A very interesting and exciting book to flip through.

What could be more thrilling than a genius like Judy Chicago as she challenges assumptions and traditions with her own brilliant and harrowingly moving depiction of Womyn's struggles. Truly enthralling, and, as another reviewer noted, a threat to the white male agendas of patriarchy. Give this book to all your friends!

"Dinner Party" is one of the all-time great works of feminist art, and although it proved too threatening to males, especially the white males of congress, it is art which MUST be witnessed by all young women. I applaud the other reviewers who have distributed this great book to other women.

Even though I have rated this book, I have never read it. Why? Well its for the simple fact that I can't find it anywhere. I know that it is out of print but I need it for a class and also for the fact that I want it . Iv heard so many interesting things about The dinner Party. I hope to share this not just with my classmates but with my mom and in the far, far future when I decide to have kids, I would like to share it with my little girl. so hopefuly whom ever reads my review (so to speak) it will be listened to and the people who need the book will have it as well and the people who want it.

A triumph! A long-awaited celebration of truth about all womankind! A must-have for all women. and for men who truly appreciate their worth! Every female in the world should read this book cover-to cover and rejoice. A rare and beautiful work of art--second only to The Dinner Party exhibit itself. I am going to give this book to my daughter, friends of varying ethnic backgrounds, and several lesbian friends. How often do you find a book that speaks to the entire human race about the valuable contributions of the so-called "weaker sex"? Now we must all work to get The Dinner Party exhibit traveling, as it was originally intended to do, so that we can all personally stand in awe at this altar to all Eve's daughters!

This book is perfect tribute to the Master and to the house of Dior. IT is a soaring achievement of beauty and scholarship. It is breathtaking. DO your self a favor just buy it.

This is an amazing book following the House of Dior. The selection of pictures are phenomenal and the quality of the book itself is fantastic. I have it on my coffee table, and everyone that sees it, picks it up and looks at it for hours. Gorgeous book. Far superior to any other books about Dior that I've come across.

"Dior", is simply the best book around that explores the history of this legendary Couture House. It is full of the most beautiful Images and truly shows the luxury of Dior Haute Couture. The book begings with Christian Dior, Master Himself, then goes on to Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Boehm, Gianfranco Ferre, and John Galliano. The Images depict the allure of each crators' masterpeices, and the craftsmanship inside a Dior Haute Couture garment. The cover of the book is stuning on its' own. I'am sure this book will one day be a collectos item!

This is a great book that provides plenty of fantastic images and history of the house. Great as a table book as well as research.

This is a HUGE book, but I suppose in order to sum up all that is Dior it takes a redwood. This book is exhaustive and it traces the Dior fashion house from the Elegant Mr. Dior to the iconoclast Galliano. I for one love the way Christian Dior made a woman look, his style was revolutionary in many ways, but traditional at the same time. His most famous proteget Yves St. Laurent, pales in comparison to the master, as an innovator and as a designer in general, though Mr. St. Laurent was certainly a great talent in his own right. As for the current work of the house of Dior, to be honest i of course like the coutour that reflects Christian Dior, but some of the more outlandish styles as reflected by in house designer Galliano leaves a bit to be desired, and what is up with his personal look, where Mr. Dior exuded class, Mr. Galliano looks like he's trying out for a Chelsea production of Pirates of Pensance, but I digress. I like for instantance what Tom Ford did for the House of Gucci, but I'm not that please with the direction Galliano has taken Dior, but alas that does not preclude my enjoyment of this fantastic book. A fitting tribute to one of Europes great fashion houses.

I live in North Carolina, where Ross made his home--at least in the fall, winter, and spring. There's almost a holy reverence for the man around here but there's a lot of bluster and phoney-ness too. For example, there are plenty of clubs that say they have a Ross course when they have anything but. I remember a guy at a country club here telling me how fortunate they were to have an original Ross course. At the time, I didn't know any better and so I believed the dafty. I soon discovered that little of the original routing remained. Why? Because Trent Jones came in at some stage and pretty much blew the place to smithereens plus the large oak trees of which members are so fond had changed the original routing beyond recognition. And if you cut down those trees at that club, you're dead. Dead. The original course had a handful of trees.

The beauty of Brad Klein's book is that it demystifies Ross while providing those with Ross courses a blueprint for renovation or restoration. It's a coffee table tome but it's much more than pretty pictures on coated paper. It's a thoroughly-researched thesis from someone with an advanced degree. It's also very well written and even passionate. Klein also resists the temptation to go PC, sensibly preferring to place Ross within the context of his time and place. Ross wasn't the greatest golf course architect (that's HS Colt) but Ross was a brilliant router; he understood the value of a golf course that everyone from the weekend hacker to the scratch man or woman could enjoy. Modern golf course architects need to make their courses easier, not harder. Take a look at one of the few remaining relatively untouched Ross courses. Which living golf course architect could make it better, or, more importantly, more enjoyable? On the 'real' Ross courses I've played, apart from Pinehurst #2, you have to work very hard to bag a lot of big numbers.

Klein's book features details about the man and also discusses several of his courses. There's also a useful directory in the back. The book is also the story of one man's version of The American Dream. Ross arrived here pretty much penniless but managed to build a useful empire through hard work and some smart thinking. The book shows that Ross was a "Canny Scot" who knew how to promote himself and satisfy his clients. Nothing wrong with that. It's a happy story.

It might have been tempting for Klein to get all cuddly with the group that calls itself The Donald Ross Society. I've met some members of said conglomerate, including one of its officers, and they are all a bit full of themselves. Klein mentions the society but it's very much his book, his thoughts, and his ideas. I like books with opinions and character. The book is respectful without being gushy and authoritative without being pompous.

I hope that my buddy at the Donald Ross/Robert Trent Jones golf course that's currently under renovation reads Klein's book. He needs to. So too should anyone who is interested in golf course architecture and wants to know what a real Ross golf course looks like. Hint: it's rarely like Pinehurst #2.

Whereas Bahto in the Evangelist of Golf is focused on the National more and how it came to define C.B. MacDonald, Brad Klein produces a broad overview of Donald Ross and is less focused on any one aspect of his life and career as a golf designer.

Donald Ross was the Henry Ford of golf design. Some 400 courses confirmed to his credit with, of course, Pinehurst being his crown achievement.

I think this is a solid overview of Donald Ross in general, but I was hoping to really appreciate "why" his courses were so special. We get to understand that for Donald Ross, his routings and greens were some of his strong points. However, the Ross hole and green diagrams along with the course plans only convey so much about this. Yes, they're great but the text I feel isn't in depth enough to really bring out what's buried in the diagrams, plans and pics. Instead, we are exposed to tid bits of some of the more popular courses he's produced. There's an attempt to explain Ross strategies and golf design philosophy in chapter 7, but it's high level and general. I also don't quite grasp why chapter 7 wasn't placed sooner in this book. Maybe I was expecting too much on this. Indeed, this is not a "Confidential Guide" of Ross courses as John Conley states in his earlier review.

At any rate, I think the strengths of this book lie within the quality production, tremendously thorough research (especially when it comes to how Ross did things), very good photographs (especially when it comes to before and after course pictures), and the historical perspective.

The Pinehurst section is very interesting from a background and historical perspective, but you won't learn much about why the course is great.

The renovation / restoration segment is also very informative. Some great pictures illustrate what can happen when proper care is given to a renovation / restoration effort.

There's a nice comprehensive compilation list of Ross's courses, but unfortunately it won't help you figure out which one's you can play. Maybe in the next revision, Klein can indicate which courses are public vs. private. Even tracking back some of the courses within the book won't help either, as you're never too sure which one's are public or private.

Overall, I'd recommend this volume in a heartbeat. Just don't have grand expectations about understanding what makes such and such a Ross course so great. Rather, view this work as a very good and thorough review of what was involved in being Ross the person, family man, hard working course designer, and creator of many great golf courses.

Brad Klein has done a superb job in this lavishly illustrarted story of Donald Ross,long recognized as one the original "founding fathers" of the golden era of golf architecture. While it shows dozens of courses in detail,it is much more than a picture book, since it tells the story of Ross right from his earliest days in Scotland. Klein weaves a very readable and interesting picture of the life and accomplishments of Donald Ross.

The book is well named since it a wonderful journey of discovery. There are all kinds of new insights for even the Ross fans who thought they read everything about DJR. But it will hold the interest of any reader who loves to read about a rich, full life told well. About a man who left Scotland for America without enough money to buy his second meal but who worked so hard he became one of the best paid individuals in all of sports.

And it is about a man who never forgot the meaning of family and his employees.

Brad Klein's book is throughly researched, well written and shows a genuine love for golf and for one of the men who made it great. Mr Klein is on his way to join that list.

John Purcell

There is little doubt of the time and effort it took to reasearch this phenominal book on one of Golf's Great Heroes.

Author Brad Klein gives the reader a inside view of not only who Donald Ross was, what he represents to the game of Golf today, as well as a revealing throwback to an age gone by.

Aerial photos, course diagrams, and other pertinent data show the reader just how much the game's playing grounds have changed, and the effort to hold on to their design critieria as was intended by this soft spoken man from the North of Scotland.

I would highly suggest this book to all who love the game of Golf itself, as well as the courses of Donald Ross; and for those who love golf courses, in general.

In "Discovering Donald Ross," Bradley S. Klein has written a book which can be thumbed through and enjoyed as visual entertainment by the casual golfer/reader or closely studied by the ardent student of the old game. Left on the coffee table or the night stand to be used to fill precious spare minutes with golf-related dreaming, the photos and captions alone will captivate and enlighten the reader. Dr. Klein has revealed himself as a talented photo-journalist, equally comfortable telling the story of Donald Ross with pictures or with words. Be prepared to be educated while being entertained. Using wise delineation of chapter headings, Klein walks us through Ross' childhood, family life, and career to the ultimate reason for the book: the author's knowledge of and desire for preservation of classical, especially Donald Ross, golf courses. Anyone who has the blessing of playing one of Klein's cited courses will understand his devotion. Lovers of biography will be fascinated by Klein's stories of Ross' background and personality. History buffs will learn through clearly written text and old black-and-white photos the problems encountered in golf course constuction as well as the societal and economic limitations that Ross faced. Those who get caught up in beautifully photographed golf landscapes will be captivated by the visual journey from windswept Scottish links where Ross was weaned to America's varying terrain where Ross was to be so successful. Klein's book, like a Ross course, represents a value and pleasure for the user, whether casually approached or closely scrutinized.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this little bit of nostalgia!!!! I have bought it for a few of my friends and we just love groaning over the things we thought were "too cool" way back when......
we need more of these type of fun, light, crazy books!!! one question, though...whaddya call those yellow thingys that you put in the hole of a 45 so you can play it?????????.........

"Do You Remember" really does take you back. It can best be described as a colorful TV collage in book form. From the Hardy Boys and Lawrence Welk, to Monty Hall and the infamous Academy Awards streaker, they're all here to jog some memories. The authors did a nice job of pulling together the expected (i.e. Donny & Marie and All in the Family) as well as the obscure and unexepected (i.e. Mason Reese, the Underwood Deviled Ham kid). Having the inside front and back covers resemble pages from TV Guide from September 1974 (when Gilligan and The Match Game dominated the air waves) was a clever touch as well.

If you grew up watching TV in the 70s and 80s, you'll get a kick out of this book.

This is a really good book that covers it all.. almost.I'd say it's worth buying and it has tons of info from the 70's and some from 80's- i just expected it to have a lil more info from 80's but other than that it is good and has lots of cool stuff in it. It definetly brought back lots of memories and reminded me of things i havnt thought of in years and stuff ive totally forgoten about yet i enjoyed as a kid. It's a good read with some really cool facts and pictures.

I love this book! It really took me back - I had completely forgotten about stuff like the Five Chinese Brothers and Lip Smackers.

A friend of mine gave me this book on my 30th birthday and it was one of the best presents I ever received. It was fun and the book really took me back to some of the best times of my life! I highly recommend this book for it's memory jogging effect.

The best money I ever spent on something about Doctor Who. Great reading and packed with info. You won't be dissapointed.

great book ,well written great pictures and inside information on how the new series is made.I can't wait to receive the Doctor Who encyclopedia which i just ordered and hope to be receiving next week.

A great insider view. The book covers initial thoughts by the BBC to bring back the show, Russell T. Davies vision, outlining the stories, the casting process (John Barrowman was cast in 12 hours - an unheard of time), the mockups for sets, how the shows were made (each director did his/her block altogether) and at the end of the book (probably the last third) covers both seasons episode by episode.

The book covers issues like why did Davies get rid of the Time Lords? The TARDIS is alive? Why anchor the stories with recurring characters on Earth?

All in all, a great find. It's a fascinating glimpse into how a show gets up off the ground.

I confess that I never cared for Dr. Who during its first twenty five years that ended fifteen years ago. It was only shown in segements on PBS in this area and frankly being a hard line Star Trek and science fiction fan there was nothing that appealed to me.

I once asked Englsih friends about this and they excused the show by saying "When Dr. Who began we didn't have Star Trek, Twilight Zone and all your great shows. It was all we had." I know there were big Dr. Who fans even then, in this country, and had students who dressed up as "The Doctor" at science fiction conventions.

Then a few months ago BBC-America began showing the first of the two new seasons and the Sci Fi Channel showed some from the second season. My wife, grandkids and I were blown away and I have since bought the DVDs from the two new years and eagerly await the third. I have even bought some of the new novelizations for the kids and myself as well as toys from England. A friend over there also secured for me an authentic Billie Piper autographed picture.

That brings us to this very excellent book, Dr. Who: The Inside Story. It is very well crafted with the story about how the show came about and has beautiful pictures. It also covers the first two seasons with details on each episode. The latter is so well done you will have to see the shows even if for the third time (as it will be in our case). The book has everything a fan would want and more.

I must mention that as a Christian and a teacher there is so much I can use from the DVDs and this book to teach some great lessons. That may not have been the purpose of those who put the show together, however as C.S. Lewis has advocated, writers do not have complete control over their art and God can find a way of using even the most offbeat material. C.S. Lewis himself wrote science fiction and fantasy and not just books on theology. J. R. R. Tolkein also was a theologian, but is best known for his Lord of the Rings series. Yes, there is a lot or religious significance in Dr. Who whether intended or not.

I highly recommend this book for all whether they have seen the show or not.

Now that the new Doctor Who series has established itself as something of a success, one can expect a wave of books to come out cashing in on that success--novels, monster guides, glitzy reference books, and so on. And after all, why not? But while "Doctor Who: The Inside Story" at first glance appears to be part and parcel of this wave, in fact it's quite a bit more substantial and informative as well as thoroughly enjoyable.

It's the "Inside Story" on two levels. First of all, it covers the making of the show (first two series/seasons and a foretaste of the third, that is) in great depth and detail. The deliberations behind the show's revival are revealed, the responsibilities of the many people responsible for the show's creation are described, and the manner in which the show is actually produced by this team--both overall and episode by episode--is fleshed out enough to satisfy all but maybe the most fanatical fan's curiosity. The rationale behind certain aspects and characteristics of the show in general as well as particular stories is also touched on in a satisfying manner. All of this comes complete with facts about cast & crew, studios & filming locations and all of that good stuff as well as superbly lavish illustrations, the most interesting of which (for me, anyway) are the early concept designs. Some the initial ideas for the new Cybermen, for instance, are particularly arresting, some very much anime-inspired and some much more cybernetically ghoulish than the final version. Anyway, the book is very much enjoyable and informative both visually and verbally.

Secondly, though, all of this is told through the words of the insiders themselves. The author himself (Gary Russell) is on the script-editing team, and he pieces together the whole story through extensive interviews with and quotes from the producers, writers, directors, actors, and the many brilliant folks in charge of costumes, sets, and make-up, to say nothing of the special effects artists/technicians/magicians. All of this is weaved into a comprehensible narrative (though keeping track of all the names gets a bit daunting sometimes), certainly, but make no mistake, this is no unofficial guide. A few tense, snippy moments are alluded to and the account seems honest enough rather than contrivedly PR, but the overall tone is extremely celebratory and enthusiastic. Which also means that all the heart and soul, the loving care that goes into the creation of this wonderful show is unashamedly, unabashedly indulged in, and it's a bit infectious, actually--a few times I started feeling a bit petty for nitpicking this or that episode. Well, colder and more objective analysis will be the task of others all in good time, but the initial joy, wonder, and fun of the show is captured right here, and that in a manner that only contributes to the documentary quality of this fine book as a whole.

As an old-time radio fan who has just recently discovered the magic of Don McNeill's "Breakfast Club" program (and WHY aren't there more surviving recordings of this series currently in circulation among collectors?), I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Doolittle's new book. I found it to give fascinating and in-depth looks into the "behind-the-scenes" workings of the show, the network and sponsor difficulties with the TV version, and the careers and private lives of the McNeill family and the various cast members. I found the section regarding Kay McNeill's (Don's wife) mental and physical decline from Altzheimer's Disease to be particularly poignant and heartbreaking...especially considering what a vibrant person she seemed to be prior to her illness. In a previous review, Mr. Slobb criticizes the book for treating Don McNeill as if he were God...I respectfully disagree. The book deals with the two personas of Mr. McNeill....How he could seem outgoing on the program and be quite introverted, even sullen, in real life. However, after reading the book one gets the impression that Don McNeill was basically a fine person. After working with Mr. McNeill for a number of years and numerous broadcasts, Mr. Slobb's complaints are that Don McNeill never spoke to him, or that Don gave Mr. Slobb "cheap" Christmas presents....I don't think that those issues really put Don McNeill into the "ruthless S.O.B" category. Unlike fellow "morning man" Arthur Godfrey, who truly alienated his cast members and had some very ugly parting of the ways, most of Don McNeill's regulars stayed with him for YEARS. There were male and female singers who would leave the show to get married and raise families, tour on club dates, go into the service, etc. Don had a friendly "open-door" policy with these departed singers.....Most of them would return to fill in when their replacements would be out sick, on vacation, etc., and these "pinch-hitting" former regulars were always made to feel welcome. I'm sorry to digress from the book itself, but I felt that the preceding needed to be said. I found this book to be enlightening, interesting, inspiring and a LOT of fun...sort of like an actual "Breakfast Club" broadcast! I recommend it highly!

The Don McNeill Breakfast Club was a comfort of home, a memory of cherished moments sitting by the radio with my family. When I heard that a book had been written about the program I had high expectations. I was more impressed than I could have imagined. Not only did I feel a stronger sense of who Don McNeill was, I also gained perspective on American History through radio, which was so perfectly encompassed in The Breakfast Club. For anyone who remembers the lazy mornings by the radio, or for anyone who is interested in American culture and history, this book is a must!

Although I am old enough to have been able to remember Don McNeill's Breakfast Club I have only heard of him, and wanted to learn more about this popular radio show. Author John Doolittle has done an excellent job in bringing out the personality of Don McNeill. Don was a devoted family man who, despite an extroverted personality when interviewing people, was more of an introvert away from the show. Don was devoted to the midwest and chose to keep his show in Chicago from various downtown locations. I would say the primary reason for the success of the show was his sincere interest in people in addition to his willingness to pay the price in preparation time. Those who filled in for him found out there is more involved than chatting with members of the studio audience. The silent prayer and the march around the breakfast table were interesting staples of this show that I wasn't aware of. Don McNeill was a sincere man both on the show and in his private life. The CD that came with the book I bought provides interesting snippets on some of his shows and was especially interesting to listen to after having read the book. Don McNeill was a giant of radio who had a lot to contribute to other people and did.

This is a fascinating journey back through radio and american history.

The "Breakfast Club" was a morning radio program staple in hundreds of thousands of homes across America beginning in 1933 until its final broadcast in December of 1968. Don McNeill hosted this program which was completely unscripted and involved a lot of studio audience participation. Now John Doolittle has memorialized that unique and beloved radio show host and his program in Don McNeill And His Breakfast Club. Here is the history of a man and a program that developed an enormous and loyal listenership in an era when broadcast radio was the major daily mass media for information and culture in the country. Doolittle's informative, enthusiastically recommended history is enriched with the inclusion of an accompanying CD with sample clips from the show to give the reader an authentic flavor of what the program was like and why it became (and stayed) one of the most popular components of morning radio.

This is a very special book. Aldrich covers everything an aspiring (or experienced) artist wants to know on the process of creating magnificant animal artwork. Aldrich's work is an inspiration to those of us who dream of creating a piece as beautiful as the ones that are on display in his book. The pictures alone are worth the price. On a practical note, I learned quite a bit by looking at the tools he uses, the different mediums (and combinations) and the step by step process (which includes pictures). I also highly recommend "Painting Animals that touch the heart" by Lesley Harrison. If you love Aldrich... you'll love Harrison.

I was looking for a book on wild animal paiting and a friend of mine just picked this book from a shelf and said... I think this is like your taste.
After reading from cover to cover in just one night, I was impressed by the way I felt about the book. It has quite a lot of writing on it, but the kind of writing that inspires you to explore, think and feel about art and wild life art. It has hints, but not the kind of "take this for granted because it works". Instead, the book stimulates you to find out what suits you better, never creating rigid parameters.
Well, the overal feeling was that somehow Mr. Aldrich has written a journal about his toughts on art and wildlife art, and that he is kindly sharing his long way trip with the reader.
An awesome book and the one to which I come whenever I need a boost, not only for art pourposes, but also when I need a cheer up in my mood.

Loads of material on creating feathers fur and expressions.
The author covers the practical little details you need to learn
and in several demonstration sequences he puts everything
together. You can see the work "becoming". Very helpful reading
for anyone wanting to make realistic pieces with animal
subjects. I loved the section 'dealing with the blahs' which
addresses the point at which you go stale on a piece your are
working on.

This is a terrific reference on accurate rendering
of animals. If you are interesting in techniques
that help you capture the look in the eyes, realistic
fur and that something that makes the picutre come
alive this is a very helpful resource.

The book is concise, it doesn't reinvent the wheel. It knows you want to paint and that you know some basics. It also has just enough review if you need it so that you have a quick overview. The strength of the book is that visual and text explanations really work, step by step is a plus also. I recommend it . You will get more out of it than most sets of instructional books give you. My work is better and I am happier for buying it. NormaJean

People remember different things from their youth, and one I remember most fondly is going to the drive-in movie. Because of that, I am drawn to books like this one. Though the text of the book is somewhat limited, it still evokes wonderful memories. It would be on my recommended list for anyone who wants to relive the "good ole days!"

The photos in the book are just great. They made me think back about my great childhood memories of going to the drive-in with my family.

...and hear the crickets. What a trip! Although drive-ins survive today, only a select few go to the trouble to capture the essence of the hey-day of the drive-in theatre. What is lacking in reality has been captured on paper. I didn't know what the Sanders could do to add to their previous book, The American Drive-In Movie Theater, but I was pleasantly surprised. I stayed up until I was finished one night. I simply couldn't put it down. Well done Don and Susan. -Stu Megaw (the Traveling Drive-In Enthusiast)

The Sanders have perfectly captured the essence of the drive-in movie theatre. My own work on the subject has given me the chance to verify that Drive-in Movie Memories is a celebration of outdoor movies! It is even better than their first book.

If you are interested in nostalga and/or drive in theatres, this is an excellent book. You may remember that Don and Susan Sanders came out with an excellent coffee table book entitled: "The American Drive-in Theatre." The original book was packed with previously lost photographs and memories of the drive in theatre.

Don and Susans latest work, "Drive in Memories : Popcorn and Romance Under the Stars," while physically smaller, is full of additional pictures and information about the drive-in theatres of yesterday. The new book is well written and edited. It will make a worthy edition to any one interested in the drive-in theatre.

Edward HopperThis book is a great presentation of the outstanding Hopper exhibit at the MFA/Boston. Well worth seeing.

One of the highlights of my summer was attending the Hopper exhibition at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, for which this volume (published by the MFA) was the companion text. At 288 pages, mostly filled with suberb reproductions of Hopper's paintings and sketches, this volume is comprehensive enough for even the most devoted Hopper fan. Perhaps only Gail Levin's "Catalogue Raisonne" offers a more comprehensive look at the artist. No matter how many art books you may own, clear a spot on your shelf or coffee table for this one. You will not be disappointed.

The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition: "Edward Hopper", organised by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and the Art Institute of Chicago, 2007-2008. It comprises a series of nine essays by different writers, and concludes with Notes, a Chronology, a Checklist and Figure Illustrations and a Selected Bibliography.

This is a handsome volume large in size and almost square in format, illustrated throughout predominately in colour. The informative essays, each dealing with a specific period or genre, discuss the artist, his work and his methods, are illustrated throughout, with the relevant works appearing on or close to the page on which there are discussed. The illustrations are excellent, virtually full colour throughout, the black and white images being mainly drawings or period photographs. Many of the paintings are reproduced half or full page size, with a few full page bleed images of a detail from selected paintings. The quality of reproduction is excellent, often revealing the brush work and surface texture, and the colour rich and vibrant. In total there are 202 illustrations of which 180 are in full colour, they represent works in oils, watercolours and prints. A very desirable publication.

I found the paintings very helpful for the lessons they give about use of value and composition. Both the watercolor and oil paintings give lessons for watercolor painting. Many beginning and intermediate painters fail to achieve good deep dark values in their work. Painters must add value and color paths to create eye movement paths.
Value change gives separation(Depth),colors make it pretty.
Harold D. Smith

Plenty of catalogs and art histories have featured the works of Edward Hopper, but what makes EDWARD HOPPER different is this emphasis on his strengths from the 1920s-1940s, when he produced many of his greatest works. A focus on European influences, critical reactions to his productions, his themes and choices, and his special challenges makes for detailed insights on the personality and ambitions of Hopper, while full-page color illustrations - some 150 in all - provide visual emphasis. Perfect for art libraries and for public lending collections seeking even one definitive Hopper coverage.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Tsuburaya Eiji was the Japanese special effects director who was behind so many monster movies that came out from Japan during the 1950s and 1960s. This is a pictorial biography of Tsuburaya Eiji that proves to be very well written and informative. I found the book to be rather insightful as the author included inserts written by men who worked with or worked under Tsuburaya Eiji during his career. The book also comes well illustrated with photographs and movie posters on almost every page as it traces the life and time of Tsuburaya Eiji's career. It was interesting to note that during World War II, he made a movie made from miniatures that showed the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was so realistic that during the initial post war period, Americans thought it was the real thing. Tsuburaya Eiji was also the man who made Godzilla what he was and creator of the Ultraman series that is still going on to this day.

Overall, this book is definitely worth your time and money to read over and treasure. Tsuburaya Eiji is one of the great pioneers of motion picture industry regarding special effects and his influence help shape this industry to this day. His influence in the science fiction genre will remains pretty strong as monster movies like Cloverfield still hit our theaters and on DVD to this day. The book strongly reflects the heydays of Japanese monster movie era history and it will remind many of us, the fun and wonder these movies brought us during our younger days. And it will inform otherwise misinformed that there is more to these movies then just a "guy in the monster suit" concept.

(And yes, I am writing the subject's name in Japanese style...sur name first always...Tsuburaya Eiji is the way you would address him if he was still alive today...as you would with any Japanese national.)

This is a wonderful coffee-table size book that contains beautiful photos and interesting commentary. If you are a fan of Godzilla and/or Eiji Tsuburaya this is the book to get!

Phenomenal book. Great quality, design, and content. If you have any remote appreciation for this kind of film making and monster design, this book is an absolute love letter... A must have!

I been reading books on japanese monsters for many years. But I have to say this is the far by best book ever. Just seeing the never before pictues is worth the price alone. The only thing I could realy say is, if your into kaiju films. Don't be without this book.

A Japanese book titled The Films of Eiji Tsuburaya has become a hard to find collectors item and for that reason I have never owned it. That indicates a level of interest which this new English language book meets very well. There are lavish illustrations and insightful text written by those who were fortunate to be able to research this topic firsthand. Pleasantly surprising is the section written by the now deceased Guy Mariner Tucker. The fact that Tsuburaya had such a hand in tokusatsu and kaiju eiga enables the writing of a book that covers multiple productions from Godzilla to Mighty Jack. Well done and well priced.