Art History Books

great collection of Roger Dean's artwork... if yer a Roger Dean art fan this book is a must have if you can still find one for sale.

I met artist Roger Dean after being invited to an exhibition of his art in San Francisco, 1991. I had long admired, no, worshipped his art in the release of "VIEWS", the 1st collected work devoted solely to the Dean brothers, Roger and Martyn. The color schemes combined with the visions of alternate landscapes of exploded planets and truly wondrous terrains have become iconic landmarks in the art world. It is a vision so deep, it is often hard to fathom, and evokes the seldom used Japanese phrase, Yugen! The work is unmatched anywhere else. The artist is as warm and human as anyone I've ever met, and one hopes for their continued success. He is currently designing communities in his vision in the UK named "Willowwater", and has done much art for the Prog scene in Penn; "Nearfest", if you are looking for other printed examples of his work.

Magnetic Strom continues the record started in "Views," documenting the ongoing work of Roger and Martyn Dean. There's lots of Roger's famous artwork, album covers for Yes, Asia, and others. This also features the stage sets for Yes tours - amazing fantasy constructions, even more amazing for the rigorous demands imposed by the need for easy transportation and setup. It even shows some of the Deans' experiments in biomorphic architecture. There are also some covers from books that the Deans' Paper Tiger published, including some that I still enjoy.

This collection appeals to anyone who remembers those times, who enjoys fantasy art, or who likes to see the breadth that creative minds can span. Enjoy!

//wiredweird

The Dean brothers are 2 of the most innovative artists of the 20th century. Roger has designed many of Yes and Asia's album covers (Drama, Yesshows, Asia, and Alpha are all featured in this book!), designed tour posters and booklets for other major rock bands and contributed on the Album Cover Album books. His brother Martyn has designed many of Yes' stage sets (Topographic Oceans, Drama, and Relayer) and has acted as Yes' photographer both for album shots and on tour. Together and seperately, Roger and Martyn have also worked on animation, video games, architecture, and an invention of Martyn's which is called a retreat pod (sort of like a futuristic sleeping bag with the options of an entertainment center!). I'd like to see this gem back in print and see a 3rd volume where Roger and Martyn have left off since this was published.

Creating a sucessor to VIEWS is a hard enough concept, but Roger Dean has produced another master document of his work. Following along the same path as his first book, again we get the album size/shape presentation and tons of full color reproductins of Dean's sketches and renderings. This book was the first whereby I truly grasped Dean's illustrations as architechtural renderings, as lots of the projects covered in this volume are 3D projects worked on with his brother Martyn: built YES stages, modelling retreat pods and designing home and buildings. Imagine a YES album cover as a dwelling, and grab this book to show you how and why it is possible. Stunning follow-up, fantastic production values not seen often in modern paperbacks.

It was Pope Gregory who began the notion that Mary Magdalene was a fallen woman and the story stuck even after Vatican 2 in 1969. This is a pre-Da Vinci code take on the historical Mary Magdalene. There have been many edits to the Bible, to church history, to the lives of key figures from the earliest origins of Christianity ... and in sorting out fact from fiction ... one must seek to understand the context of teachings first before just blindly believing anything presented to them. Mary Magdalene became an icon of the fallen dangerous women and was used to subjugate women in many levels of church politics. Her history is one of the most controversial topics in the church .... and well worth exploring to understand the intention behind her image.

This is THE MOST AMAZING book on Mary Magdalen. Susan Haskins goes through the image/personna of the magdalen from the Biblical roots to our pop-culture. The primary references are excellent, it is well put together, it is PERFECT!

Ignore my rating as I have only just begun reading this book but I did not want to alter the overall rating given to date. I have posted this 'review' simply to let it be known on Amazon that the book is back in print and is now published by PIMLICO with the ISBN 1-8459-5004-6.

It's a silly shame that this wonderful book is out-of-print when the Code Mania would sell it like hotcakes. It is, without a competitor, the best all-around book on Mary Magdalene. Buy Karen L. King's translation of the Gospel of Mary if you want an intense but engaging lesson in theology, Jane Schaberg's *The Resurrection of Mary Magdalene* if you want a solid feminist critique, or Margaret Starbird's *The Woman with the Alabaster Jar* if you are looking for New Age speculation, but it's Haskins who pulls it all together.

Tracing the idea of Mary Magdalene from the Biblical (and "heretical") sources to present-day manifestations in film and novel, she provides a survey of the changing role of women and sexuality in Occidental culture, generously illustrated with depictions of the Magdalene. She shows how the "shamed prostitute" myth got its start, examines the claims of connection between Mary and France, and provides a very funny account of the Church supported habit of "relic snatching" that accounts for Mary's "relics" moving here and there from this monastery to that church.

All in all, it is a heavy but interesting read, with no polemic axe to grind. Start here.

Haskins does an excellent job in bringing us virtually every relevant piece of useful information about Mary Magdalene. It's all discussed here -- Mary Magdalene in Scripture, non-canonical Christian literature, artwork, history, myths, and legends. An important work about an important historical and spiritual figure.

A fabulous book, with so much to read and see, and LEARN! Gloria Allen is always thorough in her research. Wonderful!

Gloria Allen's "A Maryland Sampling" is much more than a book about needlework or samplers. In truth, it weaves multiple histories of young girls, the early days of female education in Maryland, families and tradition to create a fascinating picture that deserves to be told. Equally important, "A Maryland Sampling" details, to a greater extent than ever before, the embroidery work of young African-American girls in Baltimore and the teachers and schools that sought to give young girls of color an education equal to that of while children. Even if you're not a needleworker or sampler collector - and I am neither - "A Maryland Sampling" is a beautiful book with a beautiful story.

A former curator and then director of the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum in Washington, D.C., Gloria Seaman Allen brings to bear her considerable years of experience and expertise in "A Maryland Sampling: Girlhood Embroidery 1738-1860". A beautifully illustrated history of Maryland samplers and pictorial embroideries that were the instructed obligation of young girls who were thereby able to showcase their needlecraft skills and abilities. Now these samplers are highly prized among collectors and antiques dealers. Allen focuses specifically on Maryland and how needlework traditions from its 18th and early 19th century English, German, and French settlers were carried on down through the end of the American Civil War. A truly seminal work of painstaking scholarship, "A Maryland Sampling" is especially recommended as an addition to academic library American Cultural History reference collections, and to the attention of needlecrafters, as well as Americana collectors and dealer.

Dr. Allen is an excellent historian and this beautiful, informative book gives evidence to it. For anyone interested in the historical aspects of needlework of the Baltimore area, this is a must see and read book. The pictures are sharp and clear and the history of the girlhood embroideries is right on track.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK OF 384 PAGES, WITH MANY BEAUTIFUL PICTURES. IT DOCUMENTS MARYLAND SAMPLERS AND EMBROIDERIES. THE BOOK GOES IN DEPTH TELLING ABOUT THE SCHOOLS, TEACHERS AND THE PUPILS, INCLUDING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY WHO CREATED THESE BEAUTIFUL WORKS OF ART.

VERY INTERESTING TO READ, AND A VALUABLE BOOK TO HAVE, FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN SAMPLERS AND THEIR HISTORIES.

Very well put together. Easy to find items. Pictures clear and easy to see. Values for items included.

Wow, is this a mature book. It covers nearly every pattern I've run into, gives a good history and overview of nearly every one, has realistic prices, lists each piece, identifies and describes (yes, describes) how individual reproduction pieces can be spotted. The patterns are listed alphabetical.

The only way I'd improve on it (and this goes for all these books) is adding a little cross-referencing between similar patterns. I've had to write in the book "similar patterns: ..., ..., ...".

I have purchased many books in the past on depression glass, antiques, 40's, 50's and 60's era. But this book is my far the best written, best photos and gives the best details I have yet to see. I will be looking for others done by this author as well. I was suprise to see all the information that was put into this. Absolutely recommend for any antique dealer or collector of any type of glassware.

I thought the pictures were very clear and the details sharp. I liked the general layout of the text.

My wife is a very active collector of all types, manufacturers, styles and colors of depression glass. Over the years she has become quite proficient in her knowledge but always appreciates a good authoritive up to date source of pricing, photo and description. This photographic reference along with pricing has been a welcomed addition to her book collection. The book is very well done with clear photos and good product descriptions. Pricing will always be difficult to lock down in print as prices vary from region to region but as a reference source to see what direction and what pace the pieces are moving in value as compared to earlier editions of pricing guides, this book does well. I would see this book in the hands of both an experienced collector as well as someone just starting out to enjoy this facinating type of collectible. There is a lot of knowledge to be gained from this book.

I was given this book several years ago when I was out book shopping with a teacher I love to be with.

We were both rather caught up that day in the spirit of the art and poem.
Feels almost a decade ago, so it probably was.
I liked Chagall's pictures some of which here I had not seen, will never see (though I've made a good stab at knowing his work)and appreciate this book form and maybe, in my way, felt that the poem was pushing me to consider them from a perspective I might have seen differently sans text. It would be typical that my friend was drawn to the words reading it to me several times, and I think drawing a bit of customer interest, while I was held by the images. Well we were in a children's bookstore in the art books looking for things to use in teaching...so I guess in a way...we were behaving rather like a child might finding the National Geo holding pictures of "naked people" something I recall of my brothers days. I imagine the internet fills that role now.....

This said I would contextualize this...I was raised in another "time" and in the arts and literature. In my era if creating a piece we were asked frankly to shock, disarm, question to engage with literature and art for its ability to speak the human truth that often is hidden or obfuscated. That love contains a side that exists physically ....a kind of accepted truth. Thus you have Cummings poem. Which is a bit..risque. Or these paintings. I don't know why I find reality TV not this or expressions in culture now different but I do. I am aware that changes in outlooks now conclude that a book like this one would be kind of a scandal in school.
Not that I was taking it there, but in my time I think "nobigdeal". I find this odd with what goes on media wise...but enough said.

I would imagine the persons exchanging this as a gift would be talking of love, or like my friend and I feeling silly happy about an aspect of living. If I put it on the coffee table in a stack of art books my kids read it, enjoy the pictures, like the book but I doubt think much one way or another besides its sweet. To me at the time I found it spoke to journeys in our lives, positive aspects of this thing denoted as love functioning in our days....funny...irreverent. Rather a playful relationship to the viewer maintained, nice diversion. I'd give it to someone with a heart.

If you are a Chagall or e.e. cummings lover, this book is not to be missed. It is an absolute treasure and such a beautiful marriage of words and art! The images perfectly complement the text. Highly recommended, even as an introduction to either of these two artists.

Just got this book and I love it. I purchased it based on reviews that I read and they are 100% correct. Beautiful pictures and a touching poem. Great as a wedding gift.

A terrific combination of art appreciation classes and literature for reading outdoors--took me back some 35 years to college days in its content, and then back up to the present in its pervasive wisdom. A joy for the ear and eye, just like its message--lovemaking is for lots of ages and stages and a delight to the senses. Should be on every bookstore's front tables.

This is one of the most beautiful combinations of poetry and art. The poem is really quite beautiful. The art is inspirational. I don't knwo that I'd give it to a couple for their wedding though, cause the poem is about a man who is cheating on his wife....So don't take the advice of the other reviewer, the couple might look at you funny!

Permit me to rave about "The Mobius Strip." Then buy it, read it, and enjoy its many flavors. Math buffs will find it as mouth-watering as a bowl of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The aesthetically inclined will be delighted by its initial simplicity and the helpful illustrations that enable them (and me) to grasp the book's mathematical profundities.

Always the entertainer, Cliff Pickover takes the stage with "Mobius Limericks to Get You in the Mood." Soon after we see a photo (by Paul Mobius) of his father's skull with Beethoven's skull grinning in the foreground. Shades of P.T. Barnum! And this is only the introduction!

Although the ideas in the book are presented with exceptional clarity and treated with utmost respect by the author, he does reveal his dry sense of humor upon occasion. Here is one of my favorite nuggets on page 11:

"One of the most mystifying Mobius arrangements is the sandwich Mobius strip, created with just two strips of paper. I have known people to ponder this for hours while listening to Pink Floyd without ever fully appreciating what they have beheld."

This gives you some idea of what's in store for the perceptive reader. The book swiftly advances beyond parlor tricks, toys, patented inventions, sailor's knots, the Book of Kells, and other amazing items until we find ourselves soaring into the realm of transcendental reality. One gets the feeling that the Mobius strip is the skeleton key to infinity. But then, so is the Klein bottle. So is Alexander's horned sphere. So is the Penrose triangle. So is M.C. Escher's art! The book is filled with these enigmatic jewels of understanding.

As the complexity of the kaleidoscope intensifies, Cliff Pickover suddenly becomes a fractal Will Rogers, dazzling us with topographical rope tricks. Strange loops are explained as he twirls them before our very eyes! Your mind is turned into a pretzel as your train of thought is twisted into a trefoil knot made of interlocking, multi-colored puzzle pieces. Notice the cover!

You may have to listen to the Moody Blues, Tangerine Dream, Enya, and Pink Floyd to fully grok the cosmological essence of all he has to say in this sweet little book. But it is well worth the effort. In the final chapters he connects all this to games, mazes, art, music, architecture, even literature and movies. Your powers of observation will only increase as you plunge deeper into Pickover's topographical ocean.

The mobius strip - a continuous loop with only one side and one edge - was popularized by the illustrations of M.C. Escher, yet few know of its history and the evolution of its concept. Drive Clifford Pickover here provides a lively survey of the strip from the mid-1800s when Drive Mobius described it, to its influence in the fields of math, science, engineering, and the arts. It's more than a concept: it offers up new methods of thinking and discussions here include related shapes and ideas as well.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

In 1633, Galileo Galilei said, "The universe cannot be read until we have learnt the language and become familiar with the characters in which it is written. It is written in mathematical language... without which it is humanly impossible to comprehend a single word." And so begins Dr. Pickover's amazing roller-coaster ride through a breathtaking array of topics in science and art.

Some of the book deals with topology and "glistening shapes that span dimensions." Other portions concern the Mýbius strip in countless settings, from molecules and metal sculptures to postage stamps, literature, architectural structures and models of our entire universe. The strip is featured in countless technology patents, which decorate the frontispieces of each chapter.

In some of the most impressive chapters, Pickover deals with endless loops in literature and mythology. He also coaxes readers to question the way they see the world and think about reality. For example, readers will become more conscious about what it means to visualize a one-sided object or what it means to have orientation-reversing paths in space.

Pickover also has a penchant for knots, and he notes that knots have been crucial to the development of civilization, where they have been used to tie clothing, to secure weapons to the body, to create shelters, and to permit the sailing of ships and world exploration. He also suggests that knot patterns have been found on burial stones engraved by Neolithic peoples. Today, knot theory has infiltrated biology, chemistry and physics. Pickover writes, "In a few millennia, humans have transformed knots from ornamental engravings on rocks to models of the very fabric of reality." I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to all readers interested in the science of imagination.

WoW! Another great book by Clifford Pickover. Math buffs and recreationists alike will love this book. This is a readable, non-technical tour de force of the Mobius band and its ubiquitous presence. Don't be fooled by my "non-technical". The concepts covered here will stretch the mind of most anyone not already thoroughly immersed in rubber geometry. The strip wends its one-sided way through knots, magic tricks, toys and games, hyperspace, art, architecture and even literature.

My only plea would be to have some of the illustrations in colour.

Highly recommended!

If the book of nature is written in mathematics, then the works of Clifford Pickover can safely be said to be a great Cliff's Notes version!

In all his work, Pickover has a genuine gift for making the abstract accessible and meaningful like here where he discusses perhaps the most famous creation of August Mobius: the Mobius strip.

To make one is very easy: 1) cut out a piece of paper in the shape of a ruler, 2) take one edge of the paper, turn it 180 degrees and 3) join it with the other end of the paper.

As a result of this operation, you will have created a circular looking object with a kink in the middle. That kink does something fascinating: it makes it so that if you trace your finger along the surface of the object, you will find that it only has one side!

As paradigm defying as this may seem, it litterally opens the door to interesting discussions about the various topologies (or surface formations) an object can assume. It begins a discussion of different dimensions and the exotic mathematics that describe them.

Filled with easy to follow discussion and lots of pictures, Pickover takes great pains to make sure he never leaves any readers behind.

This book is great and those who really enjoyed would be well advised to also read Pickover's Surfing Through Hyperspace and also his Time: A traveler's guide.

definitely worth the price tag. Book is packed with period medical photographs, which while grotesque are also very artistically framed. All of the pictures are together, a page per picture so you can flip though the images without text interrupting the artistic presentation. The back of the book is devoted to thorough captions for each photo. Some of the photos look staged but this too fits the period represented.

This collection of photographs and plates are some of the most concise findings on the medical world I have ever seen. It has opened my eyes to these people and has given me something new and interesting to learn about. I really enjoy seeing how far we have come in the field of medicine but also the advancement has diminished the frequency of medical oddities that are found in this book. I really recomend this to anyone who has an interest in the medical field and all of its mishaps.

This book of stunning, yet disturbing, photographs of medical anomalies spanning 100 years from the mid-19th c., may not be for everyone. It is a comprehensive visual essay into things that we find fascinating, yet repulsive. Unlike a carnival sideshow, however, the purpose of this wonderful book is not to cynically trivialize the individuals illustrated. Like the Mütter Museum, (Mütter Museum: Philadelphia College of Physicians, 19 South 22nd Street, between Chestnut and Market Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm), Stanley Burns' book is a window into the 19th century propensity to gather esoteric information of all types, organize it and, ultimately, to exhibit it as the means to greater knowledge.

Stanley Burns is a physician and a collector of medical history photographs. You may remember his previous book of mortuary photographs entitled "Sleeping Beauty" which is long out of print and fetches incredible sums among used book dealers. (Fortunately, a sequel - "Sleeping Beauty II" is more readily available.) "A Morning's Work" is a collection of 127 vintage medical photographs from 1843 to 1939 along with a helpful narrative explanation of the photographs and their cultural significance. Although some of the pictures are more historically significant than interesting, the bulk of the images are of medical curiosities - and some of them are absolutely head-scratchingly bizarre. Among the images featured are mortuary photographs, images of amputations, surgical procedures, disfigurement, and a wide assortment of congenital and acquired diseases. The title "A Morning's Work" is taken from an image of a pile of amputated limbs taken during the Civil War, when the horrific wounds inflicted by the large leadshots used at the time resulted in amputations for even the most minor of injuries. Many of the photographs take us back to the Dark Days of medicine, before antiseptic procedures were implemented, and when a small wound could result in a deadly infection in a matter of days.

The narrative explanations of the photographs add a special poignance to them. For example, a photograph of a dead man would not be nearly so interesting were it not for Burns' explanation that the man was Dr. James Howe who contracted Cholera while treating patients during the St. Louis epidemic of 1849 and was fatally afflicted. That one sombre portrait seems to symbolize the bravery and sacrifice of physicians the world over during times of pestilence, and if there's anything that you come away with after viewing this book, it's a newfound appreciation for modern medicine. All told, "A Morning's Work" is a fascinating book - and a must for enthusiasts of the bizarre and medical historians alike.

This book is very harsh, unpleasant, but impressive. Not at all for anybody because you need to have the guts to keep your glance at the pictures mirroring the abnormal, the illnesses, the horror of nature, the facts of the old times of surgery. As Bacon's paintings these pictures have a very sui-generis aesthetics, based upon the ugly and the deformity.

Cmdr Ty Martin gives an interesting viewpoint on the history of USS Constitution. Giving brief histories and opinions of the ship's more famous captains and insight to what it was like to be a crew member.
He also goes into construction and repairs through the years as well as details of her major/ most famous battles.
It's a good book for the naval history buff but of little use for the modeler. I bought it as reference for a model and was disappointed in that regard but enjoyed the history lesson immensely.

Last summer I went to Boston to visit the historical sites and the Constitution (ship not paper). Visiting the Constitution piked my interest in that fine ship, so I ended up picking up this book. The author took alot of time doing research on the ship through the ages and I'm glad he did because now we have this little gem. This book gives a little insight to the tenuous hold the United States had at the beginning and it also gives some insight into why the United States needs a military. It also shows the value of portraying historic treasures (like the Constitution) because they help people remember their past and thus get a better direction on their future.

The U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest ship still in service in the U.S. Navy. This book is a well-written with excerpts of the ship's logs and excellent illustrations. I am amazed at how much history of the United States I did not learn in high school! If you enjoyed watching Horatio Hornblower on A&E, you'll enjoy this book for sure.

Captain Martin has left no stone unturned in his research and he has presented the story of the history of the U.S.S. Constitution, the oldest continuously commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy or any other, in a manner that is riveting, informative and captivating. This is not a dry historical moniton narrative.

Anyone interested in naval history should read this book, particularly those who would like to learn of how the United States navy got its start and how the Constitution figured into it.

Tyrone Martin writes an excellent account of arguably America's most revered warship, USS Constitution. A former commander of "Old Ironsides" (still a commissioned vessel in the U.S. Navy), Martin is personally well versed in the ship's history, writing a very readable, well documented history. Not only does the narrative cover the ship itself -- from design, construction and launching in the mid-1790s to its most recent preservation in the 1990s -- but the people, both officers and enlisted who served her. The personality and idiosyncracies of such officers as Talbot, Hull, Bainbridge, Elliot is especially insightful. Martin also does an excellent job of suggesting both the fragile nature yet durability of large sailing vessels. Constitution weathered numerous stroms, groundings and even a hurricane, not to mention enemy fire. But thanks to a skillful, resourceful crew, and good fortune, was able to jury-rig, repair, and replace key components at sea thereby continuing military and diplomatic service well into the late 19th Century.

Only three concerns prevent me from rendering this book Five Stars. First, early in the book Martin let's the ship's log dominate his prose, resulting in a Point A - to Point B - to Point C monotony. The author shakes this pattern later in the book, letting his own personal style and experience lend a smoother flow and insight to his writing. This is especially apparent in the final few chapters discussing the "battle" to preserve "the big frigate" for posterity. Second, Martin is intimately familiar with nautical terminology, using the nomenclature throughout the book. Fortunately, the book includes a glossary of terms BUT fails, in many instances, to define what Martin fails to adequately describe in the text. This leaves the less nautically informed to wonder, "Where exactly on the ship is that?" Similarly, Martin would have done well to provide a diagram of the frigate labling key equipment, rigging, jibs, yards, etc. for quick reference and orientation (esp. for we flatlanders). Finally, there is the matter of the maps. Diagrams of the Constitution's major engagements (e.g., Guerriere, Java, Cyane, Levant), when combined with the text, are very instructive in visualizing the action. However, the author would have done well to plot Constitution's voyages in more detail as an aid to the less geographically literate. He does, however, an excellent job in the text of providing present-day place names to 19th Century references. Still, keeping track of the ship's progress is somewhat tedius.

In all, I recommend "A Most Fortunate Ship" to those interested in 19th Century sailing ships and the USS Constitution in particular -- its history and preservation. Martin's narrative makes clear why "Old Ironsides" is a national treasure.

To begin with, several adjectives to describe this wonderful book: 1.) candid, 2.) inspiring, 3.) poetic, 4.) instructional, 5.) spiritual, 6.) humanitarian, 7.) humorous, 8.) compassionate, 9.) courageous. From what I gather, it took Capra approximately three years to write this book, and what book it is. To be honest, this book is perhaps one of the best pieces of work we might ever have about the legendary director, the course of the twentieth century, and the people who have helped shape the film industry. This book demystifies the often deified directors, actors, moguls that ruled Hollywood during the golden age, reminding us of the universal bonds of humanity that link us all to each other. In many ways, it reads like a Frank Capra movie -- life-affirming to the end. For the younger generation (X'ers and Y'ers) who might question the values of their fathers' generation, this book is a must read. Underline this fact several times because when Capra takes you into his fold and shares his world, it is an experience you won't likely forget. Most history books seem to be written with a detached sense of objectivity from an supposedly impartial historian. The results of such labor is often an uninspiring book that keeps the reader at arm's length from the fascinating history, often boring the reader to no end. No so with Capra's autobiography. Capra reminds the reader that people are still simply people, no matter what generation, no matter which occupation. There are always going to be saints, martyrs, bullies, intellectuals, clowns, idiots in every walk of life. Such an example can be seen when Capra served in World War II and was privy to a touching moment with the great Admiral Nimitz. The old war hero had just come back from seeing three thousand men he had sent off to war -- some of them now without limbs, others without faces, yet all of them saluting him and thanking him from the bottom of their hearts. Nimitz broke down and wept, his shoulders so burdened by the sadness of his men's suffering. Hitting his desk over and over again the Admiral cursed the war with ever fiber in his being. After a brief moment to recompose himself Nimitz thanked Capra for being in the same room... allowing one tortured soul to connect and draw strength from another. Personally, it is easy to find yourself laughing when he laughs and crying when he cries. Like all classic works of literature, this book is so fresh in content, that it inspires the reader to look into his/her own heart and find the beating pulse of humanity and to take pride in the fact that one such as Capra was able to do so much through his films. I look forward to reading this book again and again. And perhaps, others will agree and do likewise.

Frank Capra's superb autobiography provides loads of fascinating information about the film industry during a thriving period, when he was one of filmdom's most popular and successful figures, as well as about the mindset of this intriguing man of accomplishment. What is refreshing, along with his basic candor, is that despite his enormous success he retains a humble and highly humane touch.

Some of the most humorous anecdotes of "Name Above the Title" involve madcap, always colorful Columbia boss Harry Cohn, who took his Gower Street studio from the ranks of "Poverty Row" to the that of a giant. Capra helped significantly with box office smashes such as "It Happened One Night", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington","Lost Horizon" and "Meet John Doe." It took awhile, but the Capra film which has soared to top spot in the hearts and minds of the public was the 1946 release starring Jimmy Stewart, "It's a Wonderful Life." The star was so enthused about the story that he pitched it personally to Capra after driving over to his house. Capra relates the time that he begged Cohn not to drop a struggling young cartoonist from the Columbia payroll, predicting that he would be sorry. Capra was right as the cartoonist was a young, meek Iowa farm boy named Walt Disney.

One of Capra's great contributions was directing and producing the excellent World War Two documentary series "Why We Fight." He tells about being called into the office of Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, who asked him to undertake the project. "But I've never done a documentary!" a surprised Capra replied. Marshall pointed out that he had never run an army before either, and that the American way during the critical war period was for citizens to learn jobs with which they were previously unfamiliar. Capra saw Marshall's logic and the rest is history.

This autobiography is fascinating enough for the interesting information about Capra's life. What makes it even better is that you are reading the revelations of a good man who did his best to instill positive values into his films, and to help in his distinctive way to make America a better country.

I have read many, many books on Hollywood and auto/biographies in general and this book ranks as one of the best ever. It is a very entertaining book that doubles as a great history of Hollywood through its golden age. Capra interacted with Hollywood's legends and reports in a funny, candid and emotional way his dealings with the likes of Harry Cohn, Sinatra, Disney, Monroe and many more stars of the thirties and forties. Do not think the book is dated: yes, some of the names are meaningless to us today but the perspetive and lessons contained in every single page are timeless. this book tells you better than any others how movies are made or should be made...

I cannot figure out which is more amazing and inspiring: the man, his films, his life or his autobiography.
Every autobiography will pale in comparison after you read this one. Frank's book should come with a
warning that he will open your mind, transform your relationship with films, and ultimatley find a place of permanent endearing love in your heart! Friends don't let friends go into the Light, without reading this book,
as I am sure, it is required reading in Heaven!

Frank's biggest fan, Vaishali, author of "You Are What You Love."

From the opening chapter which describes the incredible saga of how this man (as a young child) and his poor Sicilian family managed to come to America, to the end of his inspiring life and his brilliant career when he suffered cluster headaches so severe he could barely function, but kept his head up, this book captivated me. Capra exemplifies the American Dream, where a poor immigrant can become anything he sets his mind to be. Especially significant is his pure and honest soul. This book is SO inspiring.

anyone wanting to understand what makes great art great should study this book. this collection includes tasteful and insightful comments about numerous paintings. this book is invaluable to me as an aspiring artist

This is a large book full of pictures of beautiful artworks. While there are some photos of sculpture and some of drawings, the bulk of what is reproduced here is painting. While many pages have multiple artworks, there are also quite a few where the painting is given a full page for more close observation and study.

The quality of the reproductions is quite good, if not quite superb. The captions and text describing the art and artists are very good and most helpful for the general reader. The book opens with several articles on the National Gallery and its history and policies.

The plates are organized chronologically and by the national schools of their times. The earliest artworks are circa the 13th century and concludes with works of the 20th century.

You could spend many days enjoying this glorious selection of art and still find many more days of study before you exhaust all that is offered in this fine book about a great national treasure.

This big, beautiful book should be on any art lover's shelf! A treasury of reproductions of the world's best art is contained here. The reproductions are excellent; colors are preserved in all their glory. Walker's text is informative & interesting. The next best thing to actually visiting the National Gallery is owning this book.

This is a beautiful book! The color plates are very nice and are good representations of the actual paintings. Brief histories are also presented. I bought it after my first visit to the National Gallery of Art and before my second visit. I enjoyed the second visit much more because I felt that I really knew what was going on with the artists and paintings. Get the book and then go to the National Gallery of Art!

This book is one of my favorites, and has been for many years. Its beautiful color illustrations are grouped by the period and country in which they were created. The book presents works (mostly paintings) from many countries (mostly Western) beginning in the Byzantine era, extending up until the early twentieth century. Many of the works are accompanied by art historical abstracts which offer insight for both the inexperienced and learned art enthusiast. This is a great book to have around as an extensive survey of Western painting.