Art History Books

I've been interested in popular Japanese culture for a long time, so I was pleased to see this new exploration of the interface between Japan and America, . . . though I was somewhat put off by the use of the pejorative word "invaded" in the title. That seems to have been a marketer's contribution, though, because the half-Japanese author, who has become something of a professional explainer of Japanese and Americans to each other, seems not to reach value judgments about the wide popularity of manga and anime in this country, nor about the much more longstanding popularity of everything American in Japan. It's largely a generational thing, though; most Americans over the age of thirty have no idea what Gundam is, nor what "otaku" and "cosplay" mean. And while anime has become increasingly popular in the U.S., it remains deeply Japanese. There's really no such thing as "American anime." Though he comes to no strikingly original conclusions, Kelts does a good job of explaining things to those who are new to the subject.

Mr. Kelts' book about the popularity of Japanese culture in America is first rate. He discusses more than just anime and manga and provides the reader with an easy to understand analysis of Japanese popular culture both in Japan and as it appears in the US. It should be in the collection of any Japanophile.

For those who have been to Japan or have an interest in anything Japan, I highly recommend this book. The author does a wonderful job explaining Japanese pop culture and how it relates to Japanese society and culture. IT was a very easy, entertaining, and insightful read.

Americans like to think that our culture sets the standard for the rest of the world; however, Kelts takes us beyond our narrow cultural lens to understand the pervasive influence of Japanese aesthetics on the US. Kelts has an engaging and provocative writing style that educates and entertains. This book will satisfy a wide group of readers, including students of popular culture, Japanophiles, and "otaku." As a member of the first group, I couldn't put it down.

I read this book after a Village Voice critic called it "a Wired Magazine article on steroids," and Ain't It Cool News said that it was "an imperative resource." Then Bookforum called it "an amazing ride," and The Boston Globe raved.
Then: Even Pete Townshend of The Who endorsed it!
I am skeptical of books trying to capitalize on trends, and very skeptical of books on Japan. But the chorus of praise from so many different voices was enough for me.
This book is written in lucid, carefully crafted prose--telling you everything you need to know about transcultural entertainment and the psychological and spiritual traumas embedded in pop culture, and also precisely what makes Japan so sexy to Westerners in the 21st Century. It is also hip and smart, and very accessible. I only wished it were longer.
The author is no geek, but a writer of considerable talent and range. Get Japanamericaa now.

This is a rich & informative antique jewelry book. The contents are categorized under materials, styles vs periods and the details of manufacturings. Great for jewelry designer and those who interested in jewelry history. One of my favorite jewelry collectibles!

This is amazing- a really comprehensive history of western jewelry from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. The photography is just primo, and any jeweler or gem mad type needs this book. The text is clear and super informative. As a part time jewelry maker I find this an amazingly inspirational reference work, the pictures are so good you can see tool marks and technique. Period portraits illustrate fashion and the use of jewelry in different forms at different times.
Highly reccomended- and just plain pretty to boot. Even you all who just like to look at beautiful things will thoroughly enjoy this book.

"Jewels and Jewelry," by Clare Phillips, is loaded with full-color photographs of a rich assortment of jewelry. The introduction notes that most of the pieces pictured are on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The book is divided into 3 main sections: "Materials," "Chronology of Style," and "Manufacturing and Distribution."

The book includes many informative and well-illustrated spreads on a number of topics: the pendants of the Renaissance, pieces celebrating Queen Elizabeth I, 18th century paste jewelry, the Art Nouveau style, etc. The book covers jewelry made from a rich variety of materials--gold, pearls, emeralds, cast glass, brass, coral, platinum, steel, etc. There are even pieces made from such startling material as a real fish head or recycled bus stop signs!

The book portrays the work of an international gallery of artists, together with interesting biographical facts about these creators. Among the many designers included are Gijs Bakker of Holland, Wendy Ramshaw of England, Fritz Maierhofer of Austria, Yasuki Hiramatsu of Japan, and more. Some really unforgettable creations are pictured, ranging from elegant pieces with a traditional flavor to futuristic or quirky pieces. Overall, a superb book that truly celebrates the tremendous imagination and skill of the world's jewelry makers.

This book goes into alloys. Mixing copper with gold turns it red, silver turns it green, arsenic turns it blue or grey. White gold the author says, is barely gold at all, it is simply silver with gold _added_ to keep it from looking too much like silver. Very helpful for jewelry buying as well as jewelry making, as I could use this to know how to extract silver or copper, assuming I manage to separate the two.

I must have a dozen books on jewelery and the history of jewelery. This is the best yet. First off the book very clearly organized. On any page that you might flip to there is a short chapter with a title, photos and supporting text. For instance, the section called "Jewelled Bouquets" shows five full color photos of flower themed broaches, descriptions of each an a well written history of the beautiful little things. Much of the jewelery is supported with photos of period portraits, to further illustrate how the pieces were worn. It's a wonderful, wonderful book and I'm not surprized to find it's from the fabulous Victoria and Albert Museum.

This book is just plain fun. For anyone who admires Galliano, you should enjoy this book. Galliano is quite an imaginative designer, and this book contains lots of photos of his creations, along with a bit of personal information about the designer and behind-the-scenes photos as well. From outrageous to beautiful clothing.

a great provider of information, artistic direction, and visual stimulation. i can't put it down

Thank you Colin McDowell! John Galliano to me is the most talented designer in the world, and I have always been waiting for books to be published. This is very completely story of who he is, how he works, and how he gets inspired which will in turn inspires many other creative people of the same wavelength. The book is very detailed and incredibly beautiful and intricate.

If one wants an insight into the mind of the most creative force in fashion, this is the book to get! The escentric John Galliano has been praised as the greatest fashion stylist and designer of our time (all of this praise was given at such a young time in his career).This beautiful book proves why Galliano is the fashion force that he is. A "work in progress" is the term the author uses to describes this book about Galliano. It is not a biography,though it briefly cronicles his childhood and days in St. Martin's School,nor is it a retrospective. What this book does, though, is disect a master at the verge of stardom, from his graduation show at St. Martin's to his stint at Givenchy to his sucess at Christian Dior,as well as his independant line.Beautiful photography shows the reader Galliano's process of creating a collecton from start to finish.Pages from his concept book is shown, giving readers a gimpse into how Galliano thinks and creates.Above all else,the best part is Galliano's creations, and that is the best part about the book.In it,one can see how the master's work evolves from different points in his young career.I highly recommend this book about a master's "work in progress" .

GALLIANO IS THE MOST AMAZING COUTURIER ALIVE IN TODAY'S HAUTE COUTURE. HIS CLOTHES BOTH FOR DIOR AND HIS LABEL ARE WONDERFUL CREATIONS. THIS BOOK IS FILL WITH BREATHTAKING CLOTHES MODELED BY TRUE SUPERMODELS . HE IS AN ARTIST AND EACH OF HIS DESIGNS IS A MASTERPIECE

This book has been my bible. From the pure joy of looking at the visuals to the wealth of knowledge perched on it pages. For anyone interested in architecture and photography this is a must read.

An extraordinary and rare book. Master architectural photographer Julius Shulman showcases the stunning modern designs of Neutra, Koenig, Eames, and others with extraordinary talent and craft. The photographs literally glow. Many of them bowl you over with their beauty. Others have the camp value of '50s advertising: housewives in modern kitchens, families lounging at poolside, couples entertaining in open living spaces. Shulman adds considerable depth by recalling his relationships with the architects, his encounters with the homeowners, his notes on making the photographs. If you admire modern design, appreciate fine photography, and like a good story, this is a book you will cherish.

an amazing book; the photography is superb in capturing the essence of architecture

A terrific insight into the professional career of Julius Shulman. His work, his thoughts on Architects and their work and a cross section of some of the most beautifully crafted Photographs of Architecture from his files.

If one is ever to purchase a book concerning mid-century modernism, purchase this book. The photography is amazing, and inspiring. The text is informative without being verbose. This is definitely one of the top ten favourites in my collection.
Mr. Shulman is absolutely brilliant.

New information is always one of the factors I like to glean from a non-fiction book. Sometimes the new material is major, sometimes minor. I immediately liked this book because I found a tiny bit of information that I've been curious about for years. A famous unsung, middle-class patron of many of the world's great artists who resided in Montparnasse ran a "Cremerie" directly across the street from Academie Colarossi Art School. The tiny café was described in numerous biographies but the shop owner was always described simply as "Madame Charlotte." I'd done a little research trying to discover more about this fascinating businesswoman whose building was stuffed with artworks and who loaned money to Gauguin so he could travel to the South Seas, but was unable to find her last name. It seemed to have been lost to history. On page 22 of this book the mystery was solved. She was identified as "Madame Charlotte Caron." That discovery immediately led me to buy this book that is chuck full of interesting biographies as well as more than 700 photographs of the artists described and their work as well as information about the people around this legendary Roaring Twenties artist's community. This encyclopedia of information is tied together by featuring Kiki (Alice Prin) at various points. It could have been tied together by using anyone of several artists who were such an integral part of the "Camelot of Paris Art." Picasso or Man Ray would have done equally as well, but neither of them was French or as sexy to look at in the nude.
This book is well worth reading. In many ways, it's like looking at a personal photo album with really good captions explaining the pictures and the people in them. Unlike most personal photo albums this one includes pictures of the "underside" of Paris along with pictures of its residents dressed and undressed. The residents apparently loved to party as demonstrated by the huge number of masked balls and other wild parties shown in picture after picture. This book is extra interesting because of the informal portraits of so many famous artists at work and definitely at play. With snapshots of the smoky world of the cafes, the brothels, the art schools, and the hedonistic picnics, the book makes that by-gone era live again. Kiki, with her cabaret dancing, nude modeling, infamous lovemaking and bubbling personality was the very personification of the hedonistic age that produced creativity the likes of which the world has seldom witnessed. She makes a perfect sexy trunk and limbs upon which to hang this elm tree-sized collection of colorful historic portraits.

This book gives both an excellent pictorial and verbal description of the evolution of the artistic life in bohemian Paris in the early twentieth century. Well researched and written, it brings the ongoing revolution in art (what defines art?) as well as society (the role of classes, women, etc) into both clear focus and understanding. The pictures are both numerous and superb and gives the book a real 'you are there' sense as well. The wealth of detail is sometimes almost overwhelming in fact. An very readable and enjoyable book!!

"KIKI'S PARIS: Artist and Lovers 1900-1930" faithfully evokes the era when Paris served as the nexus for the flowering of artistic movements as diverse as cubism, fauvism, futurism, and dadaism. Each photograph tells a rich story of the personalities and the city that shaped and inspired them.

This is a book that you'll want to read and re-read again and again. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

A time long gone of the parisian model for the teeming artists. Lots of great photo's and listings of the people of that time period. Puts you " there " as soon as you open the book. A timeless book of a wonderful age.

This book gives a wonderful photo journal insight into the free-spirited years of early 20th century Paris. The photos and descriptions are magnificent. This book will take you there in an instant.

This book is awesome..I mean if your already a crazy Shahrukh khan fan like I am, then you will know a few of the facts mentioned in the book but it is so fantastically written and a definite collectors item for all bollywood junkies. Overall I definitely reccomend this book, worth the price for sure:D

I fell in love with the Bollywood cinema in August 2005. After watching hundreds of movies I felt a hunger to know more, to understand what makes it tick, what lies behind the colour, drama, music and obsession with Indian movie stars. I was looking forward to "King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema"-it sounded most promising. When I got hold of the book (thanks to Amazon)I couldn't put it down. I devoured every page, every bit of information-loved everything about it. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in Indian Cinema, you will find it to be a fascinating insight into what makes the industry so alluring and powerful.

Bollywoodmania is an addiction. For Westners that will discover and appreciate it in the next years (and be sure they will!) it is the disclosure of a fairytale world of moviemaking that was there all the time but that we simply didn't know. Well, when this will happen the first and probably most important gateway will be the actor and the movies interpreted by Shahrukh Khan. And after having seen some of these, no one will be able to resist curiosity on this great actor.

Anuparma Chopra is a member of the Chopra family that makes up the establisment of Bollywood and is also an estimated journalist. From her priviledged point of view she has written this biography of the still young King Khan integrating his personality with the history of Bollywood cinema in the last 20-30 years. Naturally, the biography is authorized and as such may not contain episodes that are not consistent with the image modern Bollywood and Shahrukh Khan want to convey. All the less, there is a sincerity that transpires throughout the book and allows the reader to connect with the actor and his environment.

The first part on the youth of the actor is full of episodes and sometimes takes on a mythical aspect, but that is a common feature of all biographies. The chapters on the later years are a little sketchy and skip many well known facts. But we must not forget that this book has and will have a different impact on Indians or the Indian-culture public and "Westner's". The Author wanted to write about something new or at least not well known to her main public, that practically reads at least two or three articles a day on Shahrukh Khan. Reading the Indian reviews of the book that criticize the small amount of new information this aspect is very evident.

The book's point of force is the analysis of the reasons for Shahrukh Khan's success, that trascend the actor's talent and are deeply rooted in the transformation of Indian society and how modern Indians envision themselves in these years. An important weight is correctly given to the directors (Chopra and Johar) that have created Shahrukh's winning image and cinema personality, while some movies and directors he also worked with are only mentioned.

The bibliography is quite extensive for a short biography such as this and cites many interesting books on Bollywood cinema. A filmography of the actor is missing and I would have appreciated a brief comment on his less well known movies.

I suggest to read this book even if you are not a Shahrukh fan just to be updated on modern entertainment and on the reasons and pulsions that contribute to create our "collective imagination".

Title: King of Bollywood
Author: Anupama Chopra
ISBN: 978-0-446-57858-5
Publisher: Warner Books
Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine

Packed with scrumptious lesser known facts of one of, if not the top Bollywood actor of modern day, Shah Rukh Khan, King of Bollywood is a fun book to read and fun book to share. Being one of the most talked about personalities in the world today, SRK is a legend already but King of Bollywood feeds the hunger of his fans globally on what is the man like behind the mask of superstar.

Although it shies away from some of the less flattering aspects of the actor's life and lifestyle, it does deliver some notions of challenges faced, failures along the way and allows readers to travel from his days as a penniless boy traveling to Bombay on a whim to the grand master of marketing and box office smashes. His story is so extraordinary and almost bigger than life, but Anupama Chopra tells the story in a way that allows fans to follow along and relate their own personal struggles to those of the actor's. Expertly written, King of Bollywood puts SRK's life into chronological order while recalling old memories into current day stories for insight into his physiological make up. Chopra really works on getting the actor's words into the book and calls on friends and family to help build the story from outside his prospective.

There is no doubt that Shah Rukh Khan is a master at the game of Bollywood and the art of persistence. King of Bollywood tells the tale of a boy, turned into a husband, who becomes the actor he always dreamed of being and then remaining the man he always was at heart. This wonderfully written book will provide entertainment to Bollywood lovers around the world and for ages to come.

Coming in at 250 pages, Anupama Chopra's authorized biography of Shah Rukh Khan covers from his parents' courtship in 1959 to January 2007. Ms. Chopra adds more details to Shah Rukh Khan's familiar backstory: on his father's business ventures, Shah Rukh's time at St. Columba's School, his parents' illnesses & deaths, & Shah Rukh Khan's training as an actor & his first steps in Mumbai. Several facets of Shah Rukh Khan's career are highlighted, particularly his daring acceptance of the anti-hero roles in Baazigar & Darr, the importance of Yash Chopra, Aditya Chopra, & Karan Johar in the creation of his screen persona, being contacted by the Mumbai mafia, box office slumps, in India, during the Dreamz Unlimited period, & resurgence with Veer-Zaara & Devdas. One gets new details on SRK's life & career but many questions go unanswered, like how did Shah Rukh train to dance, which parent did he inherit his dimples from, & what is a shooting day like on set?

Anupama Chopra's writing is skillful, so much so that I wished this biography was 3-4 times longer & more academic & detailed. There are no endnotes or footnotes within the chapters, but there is an extensive bibliography, arranged by chapter, at the back of the book & a list of people interviewed. There is information on Khan's parents that I had not read before, but Shah Rukh Khan's statements appear to be from past interviews. There are new photographs in the book provided by family & friends of Khan. I wish Ms. Chopra had given more information on the evolution & workings of cinema in Mumbai, on Shah Rukh Khan's & his family's personal lives, & on the family clans that dominate Hindi cinema. Neither her treatment of Shah Rukh Khan's career to present nor the discussion of Hindi cinema in Mumbai feels complete. However, I thoroughly enjoyed her writing (& the thoughtful translations of Hindi words & movie titles) & recommend the book for those who enjoy Shah Rukh Khan's work & Bollywood movies.

Krazy and Ignatz are unique in the history of the comics and highlight the Golden Age when "Little Nemo," "Maggie and Jiggs," and "The Yellow Kid" were right up there with this strip, George Harriman's salute to wit, whimsy, and the English language. Did I mention Jewish and Italian dialects from New York City? Anyhow, language and imagination all worked together in a desert landscape with Turner skies above and some of the most marveous comic characters walking the sands below. Who else but Herriman could do a daily comic--for years--about a cat with a bow around its neck, a cat that was either male or female depending on what happened in the life of the reader that day, a cat in love with a mouse whose only aim in life was to bean the cat's head with a brick, then to be arrested by Officer Pup! It's the stuff that dreams are made of but, unfortunately, those dreams have faded away.

What can one say about Geo. Herriman's "Krazy Kat"? The wonderful, colorful world of Coconino County is captured beautifully in this all-color Fantagraphics collection of Sunday pages. Geo. was a true poet and his words and art join together (like Chinese calligraphy/poetry/painting) to create an self-contained universe of wonder, humor and all-too human foibles and desires. Let's see - Krazy (cat) loves Ignatz (mouse); Ignatz despises Krazy; Offissa Pupp (dog) loves Krazy but Krazy is unaware and Offissa Pupp's love is unrequited. It's all so krazily wonderful I really kan't deskribe it!!!

It's probable that anyone considering the purchase of this book is already familiar with Krazy Kat, but just in case...

The entire strip is based on a love triangle, with a gender-ambiguous cat (Krazy) that is in love with a mouse (Ignatz) who is irritated by the cat and throws bricks at his/her/its noggin. The cat takes the bricks as a sign of love, however. A dog (Offisa Pupp) is in love with Krazy and tries to protect him-her-it from the mouse and the bricks, frequently jailing the mouse.

The strip has a fairly small cast of characters, mostly animal, and the goings on take place in front of ever-shifting landscapes. The effect is surreal: from one panel to the next, two characters could be talking without much change in their positions and posture, yet the background changes completely. The art is probably a love it or hate it proposition. It is scratchy and might resist some readers' esthetic sense. On the other hand, I know many people who automatically exclaim "I love Krazy Kat!" and the art is part and parcel of their appreciation. At any rate, the price of this full-color book is low enough to take a risk. Personally, I love the art: Herriman conveys surprise, movement, force and speed better than most or all of the comics masters, including Caniff, the superhero artists, Uderzo and possibly Hergé, with an apparent ease and simplicity of line.

Complementing the art is a patois (especially Krazy's) that is, at times, sheer poetry. The title of the book is drawn from an utterance within. There are deeper messages, such as the law of the excluded middle, or some gentle jabs at our lack of color blindness or cultural references that can slip by us because they are from an era now 70 years old.

There are two introductions. One of them, "The Kolors of Krazy Kat" on Herriman's complex ethnicity, is particularly apt in this, the book of the strip's first color Sundays. The other is by a fellow named Bill Blackbeard, whose efforts have saved portions of this and other strips from oblivion and in some cases from outright destruction. His work has rescued an important part of our cultural heritage.

In addition to the introductions, there are photographs as well as reproductions of beautiful Herriman water colors featuring his characters and backgrounds. The book was put together very conscientiously - even lovingly.

Krazy Ignatz is the sixth volume of the Krazy Kat reprint series - but it's the first volume to appear in full color, representing the comic strip's color appearance in June 1935 after being a black-and-white Sunday strip. The new color format has been digitally cleaned for sharp appearance - better than the original strips - and harvests a wealth of Krazy Kat and non-Kat materials from Herriman archives from 1935-36. Krazy Ignatz is a 'must' for any KK fan.

Many comic strips rely a lot on variations on a theme. The classic example would be Peanuts. There were dozens of Peanuts strips that involved Charlie Brown trying (and failing) to kick a ball that Lucy was holding. Even though the idea was the same in each, the execution differed from strip to strip. Years earlier, the same could have been said about Krazy Kat; how many different ways can a mouse attempt to hit a cat with a brick? As it turns out, many ways, each interesting in its own way.

For those unfamiliar with Krazy Kat, the three main characters in the strip are Krazy Kat, Ignatz Mouse and Officer Pupp. Krazy loves Ignatz, who in turn, dislikes Krazy. In fact, Ignatz is constantly beaning Krazy in the head with a brick, an act that Krazy interprets as one of affection. Meanwhile, Officer Pupp loves Krazy and hates Ignatz, constantly arresting the mouse for assault. (While Ignatz and Pupp are definitely male - Ignatz is even married with children - Krazy's gender is much more indeterminate, occasionally referred to as male, sometimes female, but usually left completely uncertain. Personally, I think of Krazy as male, but mainly so I am consistent in what pronoun to use.) Of course, just as not every Peanuts strip involved kicking a football, not every Krazy Kat strip involves Ignatz's efforts to obtain a brick and throwing it at Krazy, but usually the idea is at least lurking in the background.

What makes Krazy Kat special? It's hard to describe exactly. It is certainly different from any comic strip around nowadays: it has much less of an emphasis on punchline humor and instead relies on pure absurdity (or should I say "kraziness"). Even in its time, Krazy Kat was mainly successful due to the patronage of William Hearst, as well as the praise of such well-known figures as e.e. cummings and Walt Disney.

This particular volume covers the Sunday strips of the latter part of 1935 and all of 1936, the first period in which Krazy Kat was in color. Despite some obvious errors by the original publishers seventy years ago - such as times when Ignatz is blue or green - Krazy Kat works as well in color as in black-and-white. There are supplemental materials as well, most notably an essay on Krazy Kat's creator, George Herriman, the controversies regarding his racial background and how it was reflected in his work. Although interesting, you can skip this stuff if you want and go straight to the comics: Krazy Kat is kompletely kaptivating!

The book is great, easy to understand and great images.

Beautiful gardens and parks don't simply settle themselves on a site. They are planned, developed and planted by caring human beings. Those of us who are amateur gardeners and landscapers are influenced by the great public gardens and parks of the world. And the public gardens and parks didn't just appear out of thin air. All of what we find beautiful was influenced by something older or from somewhere else. And this wonderful book takes us back in time and on the highways and byways to times and places where man first came upon natural sites and imagined the possibility of recreating at least the impression of what his eye beheld.

This beautiful volume with its fine black and white photographs and drawings makes everything seem simple. It takes us down two main roads, the formal and informal. What could be more basic? Yet over half a century or more of shaping the land around half a dozen houses and reading dozens of books, some very useful and beautiful, I do not recall seeing an explanation of how these two main roads came to be trod. But in The Landscape of Man, it is all here from the beginning, from the time when farmers gathered on the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates gazed upon the fields spreading before them and other such early independent beginnings.

We are the descendants of those who sought beauty and consolation in gardens large and small in the great civilizations of the past. Each of these, over great time frames, came to influence and cross pollinate with one another. And the Jellicoes trace all of these rivulets and streams from their headwaters down to the well established gardens of the world to which we are heirs. The writing is simple and direct, the photos illuminate their points, and their site drawings are clear and useful.

This is a book for gardeners to enjoy over the winter so that they may dream about how they might shape their little spaces and understand a little more of the shoulders on which we all stand as we place our first trees and shrubs in the bare ground before us. It is a great book, and I recommend it not just for professionals but for those whose gardens lie far in the future. It is the best book I have ever come across in explaining the history and possibilities of landscaping.

I have owned my copy for years. Hundreds of sentences are highlighted and notes fill the margins. I should have reviewed this fine work many years ago.

My professor introduced this book to us when I took a History of Landscape Architecture course in University of Southern California in Los Angeles. It was only available in hard cover at that time and was very expensive ($98.00). I did not buy the hard cover version and waited many years later and bought the soft cover version at a great price. It has many powerful images to illustrate the gardens and architecture in many different cultures. It'll show you how brilliant human beings can be.

What is a "Landscape of Man"?

"To qualify as a `landscape of man,' an environment must be deliberately shaped at a specific time." "Art is a continuous process..." Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe and his wife Susan wrote, "All design therefore derives from impressions of the past, conscious or subconscious, and in the modern collective landscape, from historic gardens and parks and silhouettes which were created for totally different social reasons..."

"The Landscape of Man: Shaping the Environment from Prehistory to the Present Day" includes 28 sections and they are separated into two parts, Part One is "From Prehistory to the end of the Seventeenth Century." It covers landscape from pre-history to 1700 AD and includes 17 sections covering Origins, the Central Civilization (Western Asia to the Muslim Conquest, Islam in Western Asia, the Western Expansion of Islam: Spain, the Eastern Expansion of Islam: Mughul India), the Eastern Civilization (Ancient India, China, Japan, Pre-Columbian America) and the Western Civilization (Egypt, Greece, the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages in Europe, Italy: the Renaissance, France: Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Spain, Germany, England, the Netherlands: Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries). The text for each section follows a standard format of Environment, Social History, Philosophy, Expression, Architecture and Landscape. Case studies have striking black-and-white photos, paintings and plans and a brief description.

Part Two of the book is "The Evolution of Modern Landscape." It covers landscape from 1700 AD to present and includes 11 sections covering the Eighteenth Century (Western Classicism, the Chinese School, the English School), the Nineteenth Century (the European Mainland, the British Isles, the United States of America), and the Twentieth Century (Europe, The Americas, the Western Hemisphere: the New World, the Eastern Hemisphere: the Old World), and Worlds Trends in Landscape Design. The text follows a standard format of Environment, History, Social, Economics, Philosophy and Expression for each Century and then a standard format of the Home, Landscape, Comments and case studies for each section.

"The Landscape of Man: Shaping the Environment from Prehistory to the Present Day" has 408 pages, 746 illustrations and 6 maps. It is a great book for architects, landscape architects and urban planners!

The original edition, hardcover with beautiful dust jacket, was printed in 1975 in England. It is one of my favorite all-time photo books, since in includes shots of Borobudur, the Ziggurat, the Red Fort in Delhi, Angkor Wat, Ctesiphon in Iraq - lots of photos hard to find even on the net. History all the way to the opera house in Sydney. A most fascinating book. Large: 9 1/4 x 11 3/4, 383 pages, a sound minimal text with each plate numbered and easily referenced - to me this is one of the great books. Everyone who has travelled, or who wants to travel, will enjoy this tremendously. (Many of the areas shown are difficult and often dangerous to visit, now.) Try it. You'll like it.

This book as a classic. It is not only for those who want to study our changing perceptions of our landscape and our moves to define it over the past few millennia, but also to architects who build 'buildings'. This tome takes us through man's history, and outlines our aesthetic evolution with our landscape as a changing canvas that represent our different social conditions. A must-have if you are a student, an architect, or just a person who wants to see how we became what we are!

The compilation of essays on military leadership edited by Mr. Kolenda ought to be among the "essential reading" books on the shelves of anyone aspiring to leadership in any form, in any walk of life. "Warrior" in the title deceives, even though warriors have practiced the art through millennia, and many became its masters. Civilians would gain substantially by learning from those who never perused a "how-to" treatise on leadership, and often paid for lessons with their own blood rather than the declined value of corporate shares. Kolenda's book contains a series of such lessons, and the price is cheap: one evening spent on excellent reading, and not a drop of blood spilled. Yet, every "Boardroom Warrior" will discover a lot of highly practical wisdom in this unassuming volume. Maybe, then, the "Warrior" in the title does not deceive after all.

Chris Kolenda has put together a fantastic study of leadership that kept the cap off of my highlighter. "The Warrior's Art" gives the most in depth and comprehensive look at leadership that I've seen. If you want to lead and not just manage, you MUST HAVE THIS BOOK.

The book encapsulates the leadership studies of the great philosophers to allow the reader to rediscover the foundations of leadership. These insights are priceless and allow the true student of leadership (private sector or military) to see through the clutter of modern philosophies into what a leader really needs to do to make an organization or team work. Some of the most accomplished leaders in America follow with studies that give further historical insight and a look into the future. It is important to note that there are no step by step instructions and Chris and the other incredible authors allow you to evaluate the lessons and how you can apply them on your own.

BRAVO!

Chris Kolenda has put together a fantastic study of leadership that kept the cap off of my highlighter. "The Warrior's Art" gives the most in depth and comprehensive look at leadership that I've seen. If you want to lead and not just manage, you MUST HAVE THIS BOOK.

The book encapsulates the leadership studies of the great philosophers to allow the reader to rediscover the foundations of leadership. These insights are priceless and allow the true student of leadership (private sector or military) to see through the clutter of modern philosophies into what a leader really needs to do to make an organization or team work. Some of the most accomplished leaders in America follow with studies that give further historical insight and a look into the future. It is important to note that there are no step by step instructions and Chris and the other incredible authors allow you to evaluate the lessons and how you can apply them on your own.

BRAVO!

This was some pretty intriguing literature. A little dry if you aren't really wanting to learn something from another. Everyone seems to feel that they are natural born leaders and books like this are for others. I'm here to tell you leaders are made not born.

The truth is plain here. Learn from the past or repeat in the future. The story has been told many times and read many ways..but, no one seems to ever learn.

No point in repeating the other reviews. They are all pointing in the same direction.

This book is a fantastic compendium of essays on leadership, specifically as it applies to the military experience. Chris Kolenda compiles a list of some of the most talented senior and junior leaders today, both in and out of uniform, as well as renowned historians. The vast majority of the authors taught at the U.S. Military Academy during some point in their career, ranging from the Departments of History, Social Sciences, and Behavioral Sciences & Leadership, to the Department of Physical Education.

The book is comprised of three major sections, 1) Ancient and Modern Concepts of Leadership, 2) Historical Case Studies, and 3) Contemporary Experiences and Reflections on Leadership, with author biographies, endnotes and index at the back. General (Retired) Barry McCaffrey wrote the foreword, while Lieutenant General (Retired) Walter Ulmer wrote the Introduction. The authors consist of such leaders as LTG Daniel Christman, former Superintendent of West Point, General (Retired) Gordon Sullivan, former Chief of Staff of the Army, and Professor Frederick Kagan, just to name a few.

This work contains a tremendous selection of thoughts and experiences on the art of leading soldiers. I will keep it on my shelf to refer to time and time again. As the editor writes in the preface, "developing the vibrant intellectual core from which a leader can draw insight into the art of leadership requires the courage and humility to immerse oneself in the ideas and experiences of others." Leadership: The Warrior's Art acts as a tremendous vehicle toward achieving that end.

Highly recommended for the military professional!

THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE,IF YOU LOVE THE JAPANESE SWORD AND THE SAMURAI.TONS OF BEAUTIFUL PICTURES ALL IN COLOR.TSUBA AND FITTINGS.

Being relativelly new to the subject of Japanese swords and fittings I was quite impresse by two things:
- Quality of the pictures
- Description of the items
I think this is worht having for anyone that trully appreciates the japanese swordmanship and art itself.

Very amazing photos, and quality information on each photo and sword. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

This review is a joint effort with Laerte E. Ottaiano
The book is very good . It has a few annoying errors. I give example of two of them: On page 171 there is a tsuba described as "Design of Egret and Crab" . However the Crab is not there . It is on the back of the Tsuba and is relatively ugly in our opinion . On page 193 there is a tsuba described as "Design of deer and the moon". Again the moon can not be seem. It is on the back of the tsuba and is very,very, beautifull. You can check what we told in the book by Ogawa Morihiro on the Boston Collection. The great thing of this book is that it presents a new way to way to apreciate Tsubas.Kinko( as oposed to steel , sukashi tsubas) were underrated in the USA and Canada. Only steel tsubas were considered old and of true use by Samurai.As this book teaches us this is not so. Kinko Tsubas were used by Samurai and Sukashi Steel ( or Iron ) Tsubas are not usualy so old . This came as a great relief for us . We always thought that Kinko tsubas were works of art. It is a grest relieve to find this in this book

On top on anything else, this book has the best pictures of japanese sword fittings that I've had the chance to see so far. There are many good close-ups that show well the work done by the craftmen.
Earle goes through explaining the evolution of sword fittings by presenting the influence of History upon the samurai, and their needs.
He also exposes techniques, although not in depth - it is not the purpose of this book - and materials used in the making of the tsuba and other fittings.
I believe he succeeds in bringing the reader to understand the how and the why behind those very impressive works of art.
The works chosen - among the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; probably the greatest collection of japanese swords and sword fittings outside Japan - are just plain divine. The pictures were all taken using digital technology, and -as a photographer - I must say it is above anything I'd have expected from any technology and any subject. A must have for any japanese art/craft/design/sword lover.