Arts Books

When it comes to the saxophone, this book covers it all. Embouchure, posture, the parts of the horn, the history of the horn, reeds, fingering, you name it and it's in this book. It's surprisingly in depth on every front, even having a section on the altissimo register. This really is among the must haves of any saxophone player's library.

Having said that, this is in no way the ONLY book you should have. While it contains warm up exercises, actually buying a decent scale/chord study book should be a high priority. Also, if you're serious about learning the 3rd and 4th octaves, you need to buy a good high register book.

Ultimately, for me at least, this book comes down to more of an encyclopedia as opposed to a bible. It can take you really far, but you're eventually going to need to buckle down with specialty resources.

This book is considered by many to be the "Saxophonist's Bible." A great book with many illustrations and practical advice for playing the saxophone.

I have recently started learning the basics of saxophone playing. My knowledge of playing the Saxophone, and indeed any musical instrument, and also music theory is limited. However I found that the information in "The Art of Saxophone Playing" was very informative and the way it is set out has certainly been of great help.
I think that the more advanced player will profit more from the information given in the later chapters. I'm hoping that as I improve I will better understand these chapters.

Great book!
I just started learning to play the sax, and this book has given me
an invaluable insight into the instrument and how to play it.
I recommend it to anyone starting to play the saxophone, but the information is valuable even for established and professional players.

This book is a staple among saxophonists of all veins (jazz, classical, and anything else). It is a must-have, and for good reason. It gives insight in to every aspect of being a saxophonist, including some brief but helpful information on doubling. Some chapters are very in depth, though others are less so. A great find and worth every penny.

This book is such a great collection of tiki decor and knick-knacks that you don't even need to read the captions to enjoy it. My wife and I want to turn one of our rooms into a tiki bar. We thought we would need to do a lot of looking to get a good idea of what real post-war tiki bars were like. Well, look no further. This book has it all. If you type in "tiki" in an Internet search engine, it wouldn't come up with this many ideas. This book reviews everything from the blue prints to the big tiki restaurants down to the coasters underneath the amazing assortment of tiki mugs. The title could not have been more appropriate. This is the definitive book of tiki. Have great fun looking through the book. Depending on your age, it might make you nostalgic for those lost days.

If you have the slightest interest in the subject, you have to have this book. it is an amazing piece of work, and a visual feast. It is one book I pick up again and again, and always notice something new. Buy it.

Truly a wonder of nature this Book of Tiki. Chances are, you might so your parents or grandparents in the pictures, from the days before you considered them old.

The text of the book goes briefly through the various sources of Polynesian pop-culture, and where it branched off. From Michener's South Pacific, to the Lanai apartments in Anytown, USA.

The pictures, brought through the archives of time in the form of various postcards and of the now empty lots that once were Tiki bowling alleys and apartments, show us a fascinating time of tehnicolor wonder and primitive naivete. This was before PC was PC.

All around, a fantastic read, whether you're a full on tiki freak, or you simply wonder why grandpa wore a Hawaiian shirt to your wedding.

Like all Taschen books, this book is visually STUNNING! Just leafing through the pictures never gets boring. The real treat is the book is also jam packed facts, folklore, drink recipies, and so much more. More information about Tiki than I ever knew existed.

Plenty of eye-candy in this book, but very well balanced with informative and fun content. A must have for the Tiki enthusiast!

This book is a must have for anyone interested in Tiki or kitsch art. Describing themselves as "urban archaeologists" seeking remnants of Tiki culture, the authors provide a fun and informative look at this vanishing art form. The book does an acceptable job presenting the evolutionary history of Tiki, from the 1920s to the present. Key events, such as the establishment of Trader Vic's, and the Kon Tiki craze of the late 40s, are looked at in further detail. There is also a good look at the "artifacts" of Tiki art and architecture throughout the United States. The book is packed with color photos of Tiki mugs, matchbooks, buildings, and much more.

However, the book does lean a bit too much towards making the book eye candy. The Book of Tiki uses intense colors, and ultra-hip page compositions that make it difficult to read (typically Taschen, but I still found it distracting). Also, a consolidation of information would have made it easier to reference, such as a table differentiating the different "Trader" Tiki businesses. Also, some of the text ("Exotica and the Tiki style were denounced as contrived rituals of the imperialist establishment at the same time that the Vietnam war developed into and ugly mistake, with native huts and palm trees burning on TV."), had me wondering if they were being tounge-in-cheek, or were actually serious.

Nevertheless, this book is the current bible for Tiki aficionados, and is well worth having on your bookshelf.

Very inspiring. It really helped me finish my book, "My Vow of Silence - the roughest 3 minutes of my life"...

Great for writer's block. Read one essay per day and call me in the morning.

[...]

Sometimes this series seems wussy but this particular book is absolutely great. You get to read about authors during their struggling years and times of doubt, and, it's all across the board in writer types.

Enjoy.

I'm going to admit it. I love the books in the series CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL. I became an addict almost from the beginning. I even remember the first time I read a story in one of the volumes. I was having a terrible day, and all I wanted to do was complain, but no one was listening. It was suggested I sit back, relax, and enjoy a fire roaring in a fireplace. I grabbed the first volume in the series, the only one available at the time, and read a story at random. It was about a little boy battling cancer who dreamed of being a firefighter. I read the first paragraph, figured it was going to be sappy, and if it was too gooey, I'd throw the book in the fireplace as kindling. Well, that's not what happened. The child did not survive, but the local firefighters made his frame come true and as I read, I became emotionally involved in the story, almost feeling as if the kid was my own son. But it did more than just make me realize I was getting a bit to cynical in my not so old age, it reminded me of what writing can do for a reader: make a connection to a person's heart in a way no other medium can. Over the years the books in this series have made me take a few moments to reflect, appreciate life, and see the good that is out there even if we don't always realize it. No, not every story moves me, but I do believe that every story in the series moves at least one reader, and if writers claim to be pouring out their heart and soul on the page, isn't this the point? In some ways I have this series to thank for reminding me of my dream to write something that will be published. As I read many of the stories in this series, it reminded me that we may all have a story to tell, but writers take that story one step further and put it on paper.

Now, while I love the books in the series, I wondered if CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE WRITER'S SOUL would have enough of an edge. I guess I believe books on writing should be challenging in order to be credible. I've read the books on writing theory by people such as Eudora Welty, John Gardiner, Anne Lamott, and Brenda Ueland as well as the "you can write a best selling novel in thirty seconds" type of books. Of course I read the former as an artist, but the latter for research purposes. The main character in my novel in progress is a popular writer so I need to know how popular writers write, right? Right. I wondered if the CHICKEN SOUP volume would have the critical push I need, or whether it would be enjoyable stories without a bite, so I avoided the book. Then I remembered something. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen are two of publishing's most successful writers/editors, and the first volume was rejected by publishing houses that thought the idea would never succeed. I'm willing to bet they regret rejecting Canfield and Hansen now, but it also reminded me, these two people know the ins and outs of writing and publishing, and they may know what writers need to read.

Obviously I purchased this volume, and I've read it as I do most of the books in this series. I look for a story that interests me and read it. Usually I take something with me. This volume shows the variety of people who take words and put them together in an attempt to find meaning. Some of the writers with stories in this volume include esteemed authors such as Ernest J. Gaines, best selling writers such as Clive Cussler, and writers from the world of entertainment such as Garry Marshall and Art Linkletter. Most of the stories are written by lesser known names that may not have the notoriety but have the same desire to put words to paper.

I'll admit, most of the stories in this book I use in teaching, usually when teaching junior high students about the importance of pursuing dreams or having confidence in one's abilities. Yet as I teach these lessons and remember where the stories come from, I am reminded of my own desire to write, and since that's the purpose of the book., it succeeds.

This notable volume of "Chicken Soup" consists of eighty stories within ten chapters to thoroughly inspire and give voice to the value of writing, whether for profit and as a career or for the sheer joy in the outlet of creative expression.

Each true-life story was written by a professional writer within some genre of the field, and I found myself turning the page to find any familiar to me. Regardless of familiarity of name, each story will inspire, even if you have no inclination to write. And if you do write, you will find helpful tips, comradeship and motivation along with the encouragement.

As with all books of the Chicken Soup series, this one can easily be book-marked and read at leisure. I enjoyed every page and every story.

This is a collection of approximately 80 stories from various writers, some famous, some not. The stories are personal anecdotes of the obstacles faced in becoming a writer. Most of the stories seem to have a hardship story to tell, for example, overcoming poverty or illness. My favorite story was from the Christmas Box author, telling how he wrote and self-published the book.

If you are looking for writing instruction, this is not what you want. However, if you need to be reminded that many other people who have aspired to become succesful writers have faced and overcome overwhelming odds, then you will enjoy this book. I recommend this book to any aspiring writer who is currently feeling discouraged from rejection or self-doubt.

If you've stayed up nights wondering about the inner workings of a Naboo N-1 Starfighter, or even occasionally contemplate the unconventional solid-fuel concentrate slugs that the strange society of the Neimoidian traders use to give their droid starfighters such powerful thrust, you'll want to read Star Wars Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections cover-to-cover. This handsome book - deservedly referring to its illustrations as incredible - shows us a vroom with a view; more than fourteen vrooms, in fact.

SW Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections is brought to us by the great people at Dorling Kindersly Publishing -- or DK for short - where just about any topic you might think of has already been turned into a beautifully illustrated right-brained adventure in learning. The illustrators for this masterpiece are Hans Jenssen and Richard Chasemore, arguably the two artists with the best job available in that field this side of Alpha Centauri.

Jenssen, who specializes in technical art, especially machines, lives in England but claims to spend his vacations on Tatooine (no accounting for taste in vacation spots) where he has been known to engage in "moderately disreputable pursuits (he goes all the way to Tatooine for that?)." Chasemore has worked as an illustrator in both the U.S. and Europe on a great variety of projects, one of which was another collaboration with Jenssen: DK's Star Wars: Incredible Cross Sections featuring intergalactic vroom-vrooms previously made famous by the vision makers at Lucasfilms. Chasemore says he enjoys "perilous sports involving boards and high velocities (now, maybe he's the one who should check-out Tatooine).

Rounding out the gifted team taking us on intricate tours of Gungan Subs, Podracers, Coruscant taxis and Republic Cruisers, is Dr. David West Reynolds who earned his PhD in archeology at the University of Michigan. His background as a lecturer, veteran of field expeditions on three continents and as an author of scientific archeological publications should make one thing perfectly clear: you don't have to be a dullard denizen of the local mall scene to be a StarWars fan. If his background doesn't make it perfectly clear, the intellectual acuity of his copy will.

This must-have addition to the shelf of any die-hard StarWars fan is equally enjoyable to tot and teen as to tottering sage. It's a picture-book nonpareil or a detailed account of mid-power repulsorlifts and hydrostatic bubble projector units (if you do more than look at the pictures). It's even a trivia-hunter's true treasure. For instance (be honest now), did you know any of the names of Anakin's co-contenders for the Boonta Eve Podrace? Sure, you say - Sebulba. But anybody knows that! True buffs will want this book so they can win rounds of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit with answers like Ark "Bumpy" Roose, Teemto Pagalies, and the ever-impressive Clegg Holdfast.

If you like schematics (or even the word schematics - it's such a great one, isn't it?) you're going to want to pour over this book like hot fudge on a sundae. Featured is a dual fold-out center page affording a panoramic view of the Trade Federation's Droid Control Ship. The resultant artistry of this and the other detailed drawings was generated when the DK team worked directly with the film production art department at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch, mapping out the anatomy of each craft as it was being created. This book comes from the source, folks: from the source ... of the Force.

My ten-year-old loves taking turns with me reading sections of this book aloud and I can almost see his gray matter expanding (hasn't hurt his imagination too much, either) while we huddle by the lamplight. Only problem I'm left with now is what to do with all these detailed schematics of his own left lying about the house - outlandishly labeled creations from foreign worlds contemplating an invasion of Earth, no doubt. Hmm. Maybe I should call George Lucas.

This edition is devoted to the Spaceships and Craft from The Phantom Menace.

As with Star Wars Cross Sections it is very well detailed and even better with todays print technology. Great for children and first generation Star Wars fans alike.

I wouldn't call this the greatest technical book of all times. I wouldn't be suprised if this book wasn't nominated for any kind of award. But Episode 1: Incredible Cross-sections is captivating enough to stand on its own. I enjoyed it because I got to look through the insides of some of the film's most enigmatic ships and vessels like Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator and the Gungan Bongo. It's good for those who were still puzzled about the ships after the end of the film.

One of the missing points is the Chancellor ship which appeared in the movie and it was not displayed in this book.

It is more complete than the former book, even considering it is only for one movie and the other is for all three.

Other missing point is the lack of a picture of the ship without the cross-section. It is important to compare.

I recommend.

I always wanted to see more and to be able to look inside of the vehicles more closely, and this book provides that information (and more more) in great detail. I really like the mini illustrations of where in the vehicles that events from the movies took place, it helps to "put a name to a face".

Everyone else who has reviewed this book say is great. Maybe it is, but because I haven't received anything I guess the only thing that I could say is "don't buy anything here, you'll get nothing".

For anyone in art quilting or wanting to be, this book gives an in depth look into the thoughts and creations of Nancy Crow. The color in the book is excellent and there is an abundance of pictures. This is a "Must have" for anyone who loves color and fabric and original art.

Nancy Crow is the ultimate quilter's quilter. Her advice, thoughts and pictures of her work and projects are more than any quilter could hope for. This book will enhance any quilter's library.
It was one of the best b-day presents I've ever received.
Diane

Since the 1970s, Crow has been an unquestioned "catalyst and prime mover of the art quilt movement" for her belief that the medium of quilts contained "the potential for intense experimentation and a place in the centers of art exhibition and discussion." Anyone who sees quilts Crow has done will not deny this. By 1990 Crow's art quilts displaying "technical innovations [and] complex compositions [involving] inventive deconstructions and reconfigurations of historic quilt patterns melded with pattern and color relationships of Crow's own inventions" were attracting wider notice among quilters and in art circles for convincingly demonstrating the artist's belief about the potential of the medium. In recognition of this, this high-quality art book follows Crow's work from about 1990 to the present in bountifully-illustrated chapters covering a few years at a time. This format allows for the laying out of numerous of the art quilts while focusing on specific innovations and her creativity and growth in these most productive and creative years. This also gives space for Crow to regularly make comments on sources, techniques, and aims of particular quilts and ideas surrounding her art. A good, published poet--as an introductory poem by her evidences--Crow has much to say about self-knowledge and creativity. Crow's quilts with their dramatically-arranged, vivid geometric shapes have the presence of a work of art. Practically single-handed with the interest and encouragement of quilting enthusiasts, she has modernized quilt-making by changing it from a tradition-bound craft with limited artistic aspects to an art with reminiscences of its origins in American crafts.

Amazing book. great information, stories. Lots of pictures of striking quilts show-casing the progress of this wonderful artist. Also shows pictures of Nancy Crow's studio and timber frame barn - must be an amazing place to create. This book is a wonderful value and very inspiring to any artist regardless of preferred media.

The Ramones' popularity keeps growing--it's a shame that Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny didn't live to enjoy it. As a result of their popularity, so many--TOO MANY--Ramones books have been written and it seems like a new one comes out every month. If you are a die-hard Ramones fan, this is the ONLY book you need. Monte was with them from the beginning to the end and was partly responsible for making them the best touring band ever. He tells it like it was, and it is a fascinating read. Buy the book!

This is the best book on The Ramones, period. I absolutely loved it!! The pictures are so cool and the stories are even better. I recommend this book to anyone who loves The Ramones. Great purchase.

This book is a GREAT read for any Ramones fan, but it was very heartbreaking in the end to see how "the remaining band members" treated Joey at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. I only wish Joey's mom and brother would have stepped up on stage to accept that award for Joey. He indeed was the most kind hearted soul and he deserved more recognition then what he got that night. May he rest in peace.

The more I read and learn about Johnny, the more complicated and intriguing I find him. It could be easy to dismiss him as a jerk but then something like the "milk and cookies every night" story comes up and endears him to you.

The book is entertaining, and I am glad I bought it and read it. Many passages/statements in the book are hilarious (to me).

Think about these dynamics: Take the 4 (original) band members, who are the only ones that truly were The Ramones, in my opinion: 1 had an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. 1 is Bi-Polar, which is usually called Manic-Depressive. 1 would often be so stressed out that he would simply leave the band. 1 was a taskmaster. (You can find out whom I am referring to if you read the book.) Oh, you need to add in a man who was with them the entire time that The Ramones were together. Add the other "distractions" that the Ramones and their entourage indulged in and remember that this band played over 2,000 concerts in 20+ years period, and you can just imagine the problems they faced, the interesting things they experienced, etc al.

My only criticism of the book is that it is not "user friendly." There is no index, glossary, etc. Had it been "user friendly," I would have given it 5 stars.

It's about time a book was written on Larry Fine. Without a doubt the "glue" of the Three Stooges, and possibly my favorite stooge, he finally gets his story in print. I enjoyed the book and was surprised at facts that I didn't know about the Three Stooges, and I know a lot.

I highly recommend this book.

This book does an absolutely marvelous job at delving into the life of Larry Fine, finally going beyond old urban myths, stereotypes, and the general perception that he was just the Stooge in the middle, some guy who got lucky but who wasn't as accomplished or funny as his partners. His character truly comes to life in this book, starting in his childhood days in Philadelphia, going to his early days in vaudeville with his future wife Mabel and her sister Loretta, to his 25 years of making shorts at Columbia, to the unexpected revival and mass popularity the Stooges received in the late Fifties and through the Sixties (when unfortunately they had to seriously tone down their trademark violent antics to please the parents of the children they were being almost exclusively marketed to), and finally to Larry's final years in the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital, after he'd had a stroke. Though some sections of the book do read like a standard bio of the Stooges, only with the emphasis on Larry, the majority of the book goes so much deeper. There are so many stories that have never been written about before or which most people don't know about, such as Larry's deep love of his wife Mabel, a woman whom he continued to adore and stick by even through her alcoholism in her later years, his love of his children Phyllis and Johnny, the story of how he met a little blind boy backstage after a show in the Sixties and got really choked up by the encounter, his relationship with his hairdresser and her husband in his final years, how he found out Shemp had passed away, his relationships with the other Stooges, and even the point of view that Ted Healy, the Stooges' founder and original straightman, might not have been murdered at all but died from other causes and only coincidentally happened to die shortly after receiving a brutal beating. There are also lots of great pictures and mementos, some of them very personal and touching, such as Larry's handwritten letters to young fans, get-well cards young fans sent to him, pictures of him with his children, and the hand-written calendar he made for his daughter Phyllis to let her know when he'd be coming home from the road. There are so many sweet things about this lattermost memento, really showing what a nice sweet guy Larry was, and what a devoted family man. It's really touching to read about how in real life the Stooges were quite the opposite of their screen characters.

The only shortcoming I can find with the book is that it does seem to be a bit skewered towards the Stooges in the DeRita era. That chapter is by far longer than either of the chapters on Larry's life as a Stooge when he was working with Curly and Shemp. It might have been their most financially successful and popular period, but how many fans today seriously consider that their best and most memorable work? To put it mildly, I'm not exactly a big fan of the watered-down non-violent child-friendly latter-day Stooges, though I am of course happy that Larry and Moe lived long enough to finally start making serious money and to get the respect they deserved. And while the cover photo is really beautiful, looking as though it were taken yesterday instead of decades ago, I'm not happy that DeRita is the third Stooge on it. I'd bet almost anything that the infamous Comedy III is behind that one. It should have been Curly or Shemp, and everyone else knows that! Still, in spite of how the book does lean a bit more heavily towards the Stooges' latter-day career instead of their classic glory days, and the illogical choice of the third Stooge on the cover, it's a great book, with a lot of great information about a truly underrated comedian and a truly great man.

I enjoyed reading 'One Fine Stooge', although upon completion of the book, I had mixed feelings about the content. On one hand, I learned a couple of things that I hadn't known before, and that's always a good thing. On the other hand, the book focused too heavily on the 'post Shemp' days, which for me, marked a drastic decline in the funniness of the act. Joe Besser and Joe DeRita were clearly inferior stooges and I felt my interest waning reading about them (the cover portrait featuring DeRita should have been a dead give-away). I would have liked for the author to focus more on the Curly and Shemp days. The book however is about Larry Fine, and I did enjoy reading about his life and career. The photos are a treat and greatly added to my enjoyment of this book.

I just finished reading One Fine Stooge and found it to be very interesting. It truly covers the Stooges' entire career with a focus on the Stooge in the middle, Larry Fine. His story is often melancholy, but he seems to have enjoyed his life and success. The book is poorly laid out with sidebars regularly interrupting the flow of the book and often retelling content found in the body of the work, but it covers a lot of ground and seems to be a good history. I found it worth my time and would recommend it to anyone with a particular interest in classic Hollywood comedy and history.

Steve Cox never fails to amaze me. Just when I think he's done his best, he comes out with a new book that's even better!

I went into this book knowing nothing about the fine Larry Fine or any of the other Stooges. I bought the book because I like everything this author has ever written.

What an amazing history these lovable goofs have!! This book is like a jewelry box, filled with rare gems.

The photos are truly one of a kind. How Steve Cox unearths these old (and RARE) photographs is nothing short of a miracle. He should've been a private investigator (as suggested by Fred Gwynne, a/k/a Herman Munster, and noted in the author's Munsters book).

I think the cover photo is truly something to behold. You can't fully appreciate the crystal clarity until you hold the actual book in your hands. Internet pictures do nothing for this striking photograph. It's so perfect, you'd think the Stooges posed for it last month, using today's top-notch digital photography.

It's very sad to see how the lives of many of these "Fine" individuals turned out. My heart just broke to hear about the despicable man who took advantage of poor frail Larry Fine in his later years. It makes you wish they were all still alive today, to receive the love and adoration of their millions of fans.

If you love the Stooges, you NEED to purchase this book, immediately. You'll kick yourself if you don't (and spend a small fortune on eBay trying to acquire it later).

And even if you're a casual Stooge viewer (or you know nothing about this zany crew), you'll still be touched by this lovingly "Fine" tribute to Larry and the guys.

Bravo Steve Cox!!

"One of us is crazy, and it ain't YOU!"
- Larry (CRASH GOES THE HASH, 1944)

This is a good starting point for working with Psychoactive Plants. It is however not quite as informative as the author's "The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications". If you are interested in working with plants but are not sure then this is the book for you to get the real information you need to make a informed decision.

This is a good book on the topic of psychotropic plants, though I have to admit that I'm a little shocked that the opium poppy wasn't included. Oh well. There are enough books on that subject that I'm sure if you really want to study the "black smoke" you can find another book to read. It presents an interesting subject in an approachable, readable format. My one complaint is that parts of it read a little too New Age-y, which irks me. But that's the way I am. Aside from that one (rather small) problem, I would readily recommend this book to anyone looking for an all-in-one look at this branch of botany.

The authors Richard Schultes, director of the Botanical Museum at Harvard and Albert Hofmann, discoverer of LSD and former director of the Pharmaceutical-Chemical Research Lab in Basel, Switzerland, together have over fourteen years of research in field of botany, chemistry and ethnobotony. In their book the authors offer an ethnobological look at the sacred use of hallucinogenic plants and include: an introduction to hallucinogenic plants, a plant lexicon, overview of plant use chart, detailed section of fourteen major hallucinogenic plants, and concludes with an overview of the chemical structure of hallucinogens.
The plant lexicon includes ninety-one known and most common hallucinogenic plants with: a colored picture for each plant, botanical name, geographic location, hallucinogenic properties and a short description of the individual plant. Following the lexicon is a chart overview of each plant that includes: usage in history, context and purpose, preparation, chemical components and effects. Following the chart is a detailed account fourteen major hallucinogenic plants. "Most of these plants are or have been culturally and materially important...that they can not be overlooked "(81). The authors include: a descriptive history, gathering techniques, rituals, the chemical make-up of the plant, pictures of ceremonies, and artwork of "visions" by people.
Plants of the Gods is more than a research book, it is a guide to understanding the role hallucinogens play in various religious cultures using a scientific and anthropological approach.

This review is based on the 1992 publication:
Schultus, Richard E., and Albert Hofmann. Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers. Rochester: Healing Arts Press, 1992.

If you're looking for information on how to prepare psychoactive plant medicine and, well quite frankly, how get high, this is not the book for you. However, if you'd like to gain more wisdom and insight into shamanistic practices around the world, this is a wonderful history that draws you into the mind of the shamin. I loved this book. It gave me new respect for the wisdom of those ancient people of whom we know so very little. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in shamanism and herbalism. It offers insight into not HOW but WHY psychoactive plants are ingested. Plant medicine is afford the tremendous respect it so rightly deserves.

Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers
by Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofmann, and Christian Rätsch

Publisher:Healing Arts Press/Inner Traditions

Year:2001 (revised and expanded edition)

ISBN:089281979-0

Categories:Book Reviews, Recommended Books

Reviewed by Jon Hanna, 6/26/2007

It may be a rare thing for a second edition of a book to warrant its own review, but such is definitely the case with the new edition of the Schultes' and Hofmann's 1979 classic Plants of the Gods. The updated version was produced as a German translation in 1998 by Christian Rätsch, and Healing Arts Press released the English translation of this in late 2001. It is a thing of beauty.

The primary and most dramatic improvement is the inclusion of numerous new photographs and art images. Although this second edition retains many of the same photos, it introduces a lot of new ones as well. In some cases, the item depicted-such as the statue of Shiva with Datura flowers in his hair (p. 11)-has been revisited with a higher-quality photo. Frequently, black and white images have been replaced with a similar image in stunning full-color. While this works superbly in most cases, there are a few situations-such as the replacement color photo of an aerial view of the Kuluene river (p. 24)-where the original black and white photo was much better. New psychedelic art is featured throughout from the likes of Pablo Amaringo, Walangari Karntawarra Jakamarra, Nana Nauwald, and Donna Torres. There are even some incredible watercolor paintings done by Christian Rätsch himself (think Codex Seraphinianus on acid)-where can we see more of his art!? A beautiful mural of an ayahuasca ceremony that graces a wall at the Cuzco Airport in Peru reminds us that some countries have a more enlightened attitude towards the use of psychoptic plants.

"Fourteen Major Hallucinogenic Plants" of the first edition has been altered to become "The Most Important Hallucinogenic Plants," and expanded to include new sections on Anadenanthera colubrina, ayahuasca analogs, Salvia divinorum, and Duboisia hopwoodii. There have been numerous expansions on the old chapters as well, including many additional species of the genera discussed. Six new plants have been added to the "Plant Lexicon," and this section has been vastly improved through the addition of color photographs. Previously, the majority of the plants described were depicted via illustrations, with only a few photo images; this situation is now reversed, with only a few illustrations. (It is a shame that there are any drawings remaining, although I suspect in some cases it might be hard to obtain photographs of the plants in question. Still, in other cases it should not have been difficult-photos of Banisteriopsis caapi, Lagochilus inebrians, Mandragora officinarum, Mimosa tenuiflora [= M. hostilis], Peucedanum japonicum, Scirpus atrovirens, Tabernanthe iboga, and Virola theiodora are all available via the web). The map of "Native Use of Major Hallucinogens" has been expanded to include Hyoscyamus sp., Duboisia sp., and A. colubrina, and the depicted range of Cannabis use has been increased.

Some problems that the original book had are, alas, retained or, in a few cases, exaggerated. The gutter of the book is too tight, causing one to crack the spine to get a full view; this was the case in the earlier edition as well. New layout glitches include shaded backgrounds for text boxes being placed too close to the edge of the text (in some cases touching it), and headlines that sit too close to the images. The problem of citing alkaloid contents as fixed numbers is still present (although in a few cases ranges are presented). Those with little knowledge on the subject might actually believe that all dried Trichocereus pachanoi plants have a 2% mescaline content, while this is actually the peak of the range that can be determined through a survey of the scant few published isolation analyses (which dips down to 0.33%, and even lower in published HPLC analysis), and may not be typical. In new cases when ranges are presented, such as the case with Mimosa tenuiflora root-bark said to contain 0.57 to 1.0% DMT, the information may not be correct. (M. tenuiflora has been reported to contain 0.31 to 0.57% DMT with specific analyses available in the literature of Gonçalves de Lima 1946 and Patcher et al. 1959, and there have been unsubstantiated counter-culture claims of 1% to 11%, see ER Vol. X, No. 3, 2001 and Ott 2001). Both the new and the old editions of this book are riddled with statements about alkaloid contents that are presented as if they were fixed amounts, when in reality alkaloid content can be highly variable.

Some new errors are introduced with this edition. Spelling mistakes are peppered throughout (they've misspelled author Hofmann's name on the back cover!), and awkward phrasings are not uncommon in those sections that were translated from German. In some cases, plants are presented as containing specific alkaloids that they do not have. For example, it is remarked that "The Turkey Red variety of the grass Phalaris arundinacea contains liberal amounts of DMT." This is in error, as this variety contains liberal amounts of 5-MeO-DMT, not DMT. Also, photographs of four cacti-Ariocarpus retusus, A. fissuratus, Astrophyton asterias, and Aztekium riterii-known in México as "peyote" are depicted, with the statement "They primarily contain the substance mescaline and other psychoactive alkaloids." This too is in error, as only A. riterii has been found to contain trace amounts of mescaline, and no mescaline has been found at all in the others. (It was interesting to see that Rätsch considers a heftier amount of mescaline, "0.5-0.8 gram" to be a dose, compared to the Shulgins' more conservative 200-400 mg dose listed in PIHKAL; I tend to agree with Rätsch.)

Any and all criticism of this book should be viewed as minor, as it is truly a marvelous work. Rätsch has taken a great book and made it better. Especially if you own the first edition, you owe it to yourself to pick up this revamp. It is visual delight, a joy to read cover-to-cover, and it will no doubt be revisited repeatedly for years to come.

I was given this book by a friend years ago when struggling with seemingly everything. Many of the concepts at that time flew over my head but through the years, they return in poignant, aha-like flashes. The idea of having a warrior's heart-able to withstand great joy and great pain and accepting both as reasonable in life-is the concept that stands out most. I love this book and just bought another copy for a friend looking to be more present in her life. I recommend it for anyone who is truly serious about living life openly and honestly, not just being herded along.

Dispite Chogyam Trongpa's controversial lifestyle, this is the best Spiritual book I have ever read. I agree with the sentiment that I would like to have this book if stranded on an island.

Quoted from the back cover -- "In this practical guide to enlightened living, Chogyam Trungpa offers an inspiring vision for our time, based on the figure of the sacred warrior. In ancient times, the warrior learned to master the challenges of life, both on and off the battlefield. He acquired a sense of personal freedom and power -- not through violence or aggression, but through gentleness, courage, and self-knowledge."

In his view not only was individual enlightenment not mythical, but Shambhala Kingdom referred to an enlightened society that could actually be realized. The practice of Shambhala vision is to use mindfulness/awareness meditation as a way to connect with one's basic goodness and confidence, as well as with that of others and the world. Shambhala vision is described as a secular approach, rooted in meditation, but accessible to individuals of any, or no, religion. In Shambhala terms, it is possible, moment by moment, for individuals to establish enlightened society. source: wikipedia

also a must read Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Enjoyable read. Easy to relate with examples book provides. Author draws out ideas presented in the book pretty well. Reading is light but entertaining.

This was the most inspritional book I have ever read. I give as a gift to everybody I haven't already givin it too. BUY this book and if you don't like i will buy it from you!

This book makes a unique contribution to the quest for sanity and significance, for ourselves and our world. It stresses our essential goodness and authenticity. and charts out how we can achieve a standing beyond fear. We can re-focus from fear of death to the "Great Easern Sun vision," appreciating ourselves and our world: a very gentle approach. Written in an approachable and comfortable way, it can help us to reframe our lives, move us to a standing in bravery and tenderness, an orientation so vital to the planet now.

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in slate roofs. Very comprehensive and detailed. Exceeded my expectations.

very useful and very usable. Instructive for those with background in roofing, but helpful for most people..good book, worth purchasing

excellent and very comprehensive. as a layman i feel jenkins has a knack for imparting his vast knowledge on slate roofs.

This is a comprehensive book and one of the few books devoted to slate roofs still in print. It tells you everything from installing to the care and repair of the roof. It's true that slate roofs can last 100 years but our roof is 80 years old and is between fair and poor condition. Slate roofing is a specialized art, slate roofing material is difficult to find, and the tools are expensive. It is very difficult to find someone to repair a slate roof, and it needs to be checked/ maintained every year. Despite this, we wanted to repair our roof because it is attractive an possibly less expensive than replacing the entire roof. When I was unable to find someone to repair our roof, I went on line and found Joe Jenkins site. Later I found his book at Amazon. Although the book is complete, it is difficult for a lay person to read though. We were able to tell that the last person to repair our roof didn't know what he was doing (sloppy tar all over). We couldn't find slate to match our roof anywhere. Luckily we discovered some extra under our porch. We bought ladder hooks to convert our ladder to a hook ladder, and this is as far as we got.

Whether you are and experienced slate roofer or a homeowner who might be considering investing in a slate roof, you'll enjoy this book.

I'll let the other reviewers talk about pictures and text and history and other aspects of the book. But the overwhelming sensation I got from this book is the passion Joseph Jenkins has for slate roofs. This is a man who absolutly loves what he is doing. When reading this book I really received the impression that slate roofs are a part of Joe Jenkins soul and he really, really wants to tell you all he knows about them. It's rare in life to find someone so impassioned about their occupation. I became absorbed not just for my own self interest but because Joe Jenkins knows what he is talking about. I was interested in finding out about slate roofs before I purchased; after reading this book-- I REALLY wanted one.

$30 is cheap tuition to have Joeseph Jenkins experience.