Arts Books


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Arts Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Arts
The Art of Pricing: How to Find the Hidden Profits to Grow Your Business
Published in Hardcover by Crown Business (2005-10-11)
Author: Rafi Mohammed
List price: $24.95
New price: $4.00
Used price: $3.99

Average review score:

Pricing by value
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-04
This book was a delightful read not only because it was short and to the point, but also for it's many real-life examples. I've felt for a long time that prices need to be set to the customer's perception of the value of the product or service, so it was very encouraging to read a book where the author was able to break down the reasons and supply applications for this type of pricing he calls "Value pricing". As with an auction (a theme covered in the book) there is a price for every interested buyer, but it is not always the same for everyone. Just as only one person is willing to pay the highest "winning" bid, there are those who will pay more for any product or service than the average customer. This book helps you to identify those people.
Rich

Good Solid Advice
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-27
The suggestions about add-ons, segmenting your buyers and really trying to assess the value of your product when you price it were helpful. The problem of "goodwill" opened my eyes as I think this isn't an uncommon way that profits are bled from businesses. After reading this book, I'm really thinking more and more about getting to know my customers in terms of (1) what they want and (2) precisely how much they value my product. This is a great first step to obtaining optimal pricing. This book gets you thinking and can stir your creativity about how to better price your good/service.

Good Ideas for Novices!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-15
Key to Mohammed's thinking is to set different prices for different customers having different valuations of what they are willing to pay - eg. matinee and evening prices for movies, early-bird prices at restaurants, discounts for those willing to order airline seats ahead of time.

To minimize sales staff giving away profits it is useful to show them the differential profits/product (and hopefully link their compensation to the firm's profits). Beware of sales-boosting gimmicks (eg. frequent-flyer miles) that can be "gamed" by focusing on high-volumes of low-cost purchases. One can test different strategies via eg. varying coupon offers placed within catalogs.

Other important concepts include add-ons (warranties, financing), differential pricing according to location, and taking a long-term perspective (eg. fairness during disasters and temporary product shortages).

"Cost-plus" pricing is not one of Mohammed's recommendations - however, it is increasingly utilized by successful low-cost retailers such as Costco and Wal-Mart. Setting prices using data about alternatives/substitutes is a suggested approach - however, Mohammed does not go into eg. focus-group assessments of how much specific options or new products might be worth.

Great book
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-19
I am a small business owner and get involved in pricing daily. This book provided extremely useful insight into how to make the most money from each deal. An easy read about a topic that is all too often neglected by the small business owner.

Advice that Can Instantly Increase Profits
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-16
Rafi's treatment of the subject of pricing was just what I needed to open my eyes to a whole new set of strategies for increasing profits. As a former Corporate Engineer and Manager turned entrepreneur, I needed a more thorough understanding of pricing and found exactly what I was looking for in The Art of Pricing. I appreciated the easy to read and entertaining writing style along with the many examples presented in the book. Books that make it easy for me to remember new concepts also make it easier for me to quickly apply those concepts in real world situations. I will be honing my new pricing skills for years to come. The Art of Pricing has become one of my favorite books to recommend to others.

Arts
The art spirit: Notes, articles, fragments of letters and talks to students, bearing on the concept and technique of picture making, the study of art generally, and on appreciation
Published in Unknown Binding by J.B. Lippincott (1923)
Author: Robert Henri
List price:
Used price: $19.50
Collectible price: $20.00

Average review score:

The title says it all
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-05
Any artist who does not have this book in his or her library is being cheated out of great insights:

"There are mighty few people who think what they think they think."

"Be willing to paint a picture that does not look like a picture."

"...pictures which do not represent intense interest cannot expect to create an intense interest."

"Effects of perspective are made or defeated by sizes of strokes or by their tonality."

And this is just the teaser.

Every painter should own this book.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-10
George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Patrick Henry Bruce, Stuart Davis, Rockwell Kent, Guy DuBois, Alfred Maurer, Carl Sprinchorn and countless others studied with Henri and went on to do great work. There are too many for this to be simply coincidence. The "Art Spirit" is the closest thing we can get to the Kool-Aid that flowed in Henri's classroom. One can glean quite a bit from the pages of this book. It is both practical and inspirational. I have to say that it can be a bit frustrating not being able to see anything or ask a question, but its much better than nothing (thank you Ms. Ryerson!). Buy a copy and read it.

Excellent
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-20
If you are an artist, have an interest in art or even just like to read thought provoking quotes then you could do a lot worse than have this on your shelf. The book is collection of conversations, thoughts, writings. There isn't much of a structure to it - more a random collection although the index helps somewhat. It lends itself to just opening the book at a random page and reading whats there. It contains one salient point after the other on the how's, whys and wherefores of painting, drawing and sculpture. This book should be on every artists shelf.

"Art," before commercialism took over.
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-13
Finally a review of art, for the sake of art, without becoming cluttered by commercial concerns. Paint color, composition, line...The book is written as a painting with no particular beginning, middle, or end. It needs to be absorbed as a whole to fully appreciate its contents. The pedantic English can tire but it does not subtract from the freshness of the message and the pleasure it provides to every student of art.

An Art Spirit for Everyone
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-08

The Art Spirit. Now there's a bold title. The implication is not only that there is such a specifically identifiable thing as an "art spirit", but also that the author, painter, and teacher, Robert Henri knows these specifics; a bold implication indeed. The difficulty (wherein lies the boldness) whenever one attaches the word spirit -or spiritual- to anything, there are, of course, as many understandings or perceptions of that word as there are hearers and readers of that word. This may exist to no greater degree and appear no more obvious than in the world of visual arts. Henri himself acknowledges this, writing in the forward, "...the opinions are presented more as paintings are hung on a wall, to be looked at at will and to be taken for what they are worth. If they have a suggestive value and stimulate to independent thought, they will attain the object of their presentation..." And later, "There is no idea that anyone should agree with any of the comments or that anyone should follow the advice given. If they irritate to activity in quite a different direction, it will be just as well." Although he embraces this free thinking, to-each-his-own, take what you will from it approach, it is merely one of the specific personality characteristics evidenced in the Art Spirit. Henri intends to show there is an "art spirit", and it is the province of every human being.
This is the crux of the issue for Henri, his point of departure from other artist/writers, and the chief value of this book: The Art Spirit is attainable by anyone, can be exhibited by everyone.
Other works on the subject tend to be either the less specific, more nebulous notions where we are expected to buy the fancy explanations and just accept that there is something spiritual, or of the spirit, going on here, or the very specific, artist-only oriented varieties. For example, consider Mandarin's grid "composition" series and his writing about them. While his theosophically induced explanations may help some to a degree of understanding, we are essentially left to take his word for what we are supposed to be seeing in the canvas. In his "Concerning the Spiritual in Art", although Kandinsky presages Henri -discussing psycho-emotional, expressive, and contemplative states of artists out in the real world and before the canvas- he ultimately leaves it with the artist, not really taking it out of the studio and into the factory, construction site, or office cubicle as Henri does. Whereas Kandinsky seems to digress at times into a sort of "how -to" instruction guide for defining and placing spiritual elements into a picture, Henri takes it further, defining his Art Spirit, then setting about showing us how to tell when it's present. This every-man definition is offered at the very beginning of his book:
"Art when really understood is the province of every human being.
It is simply a question of doing things, anything, well. It is not an outside, extra thing.
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens ways for a better understanding. Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it, shows there are still more pages possible.
The world would stagnate without him, and the world would be beautiful with him; for he is interesting to himself and he is interesting to others. He does not have to be a painter or sculptor to be an artist. He can work in any medium. He simply has to find the gain in the work itself, not outside it."
Henri then spends two hundred and forty five more pages illuminating and reiterating how one is -or can be- an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature; how to live life to the fullest. The Art Spirit manifests itself in the appreciation of the non-material things in life; in the "true student" who self-educates and explores feelings, meanings, who contemplates, who really sees, who learns to express "who is you"; in what comes from the external world and inside you; in the full enjoyment in the living of life; in doing a thing well ... anything.
Henri accomplishes a difficult task here; a book with specific and important information for the artist, yet within that structure filled with insight and compelling ideas for the non-artist. One is urged to make a full reading, since quite often both are mingled in the same sentence or statement. For example, a non-painter might be tempted to skip the ten-page section on brush strokes (pg. 62-72), seeing no need for it. The unfortunate reader would then miss out on many little gems of insight and information. What is a brushstroke but a purposeful committed action by an artist? So then, consider the message in these statements when you substitute the word "stroke" with "action" or even "attitude" (parenthetical insertions are mine ):
"Strokes carry a message whether you will it or not. The stroke is just like the artist (person) at the time he makes it. All the certainties, all the uncertainties, all the bigness of his spirit and all the littleness are in it."

"There are more strokes which laugh, and there are more strokes which bind laughter, which freeze the face into a set immoveable grimace."

"(There are) bad strokes which are bad because a brush (a method) or a condition of paint (situation) were chosen which could not render them."

While Henri plays to both artist and non-artist audiences, it is at these times when he addresses the artist more directly he more closely aligns himself with Kandinsky. Both men bring their great passion for the subject into their text in their strong, clear, and pleasing voice. Kandinsky, sounding alternately-yet only slightly more- poetic here, technical there; Henri with a bit more enthusiasm. They share the same territory on many issues, such as the shape, direction, and function of line, intention of every stroke, careful planning followed by exuberant expression and more. Yet, while they may travel the same road, they do not share the same vehicle. There is an important distinction in each man's approach to spirituality, or the art spirit. For Kandinsky, there is a spirit world out there, and a spiritually inspired painter can -and should- find ways to represent both that indwelling spirit and that exterior spirit world to which we are all connected. Henri says (when) we search the external world with appreciation and wonder, and we search within ourselves, and when we become more self-expressing creatures, we have the art spirit...we are the art spirit. Kandinsky believes only non-objective images can reveal the spiritual, Henri says it matters not what you paint but how you paint it-compelled by the spirit. So while Kandinsky can use the "psychic effect" (pg. 24) of color to manipulate the viewer's emotional state toward a comprehension of the spiritual, Henri says the artist's mark itself can manifest the Art Spirit. While, in both cases it takes a more or less purposeful opening up to the notion of the spirit, for Henri it is not trying to grasp the spirit and record it, it is about internalizing and building the spirit inside ourselves, and our resulting expressions will, by definition, represent the Spirit. And it is possible for all of us.
The long quote above (from pg. 5) is written exactly as printed in the fifth edition printing not only as expository text, but as a means of illustrating Henri's bright, clear and energetic voice that runs throughout this book. The subtitle for The Art Spirit reads, "notes, articles, fragments of letters and talks to students, bearing on the concept and technique of picture making, the study of art in general, and on appreciation," and that is exactly how it reads. Much of this is due to Henri's considerable gift of communication, and the balance is credited to the physical layout of the book. There are no chapters, even very few headings to sections, lending itself very well to opening to any page and beginning to read. At times, a lecture, or perhaps advice to a single student goes on for five, six, seven pages. Other times, pages are divided into two or three sections, or set up in individual sentences which concern the same subject, yet stand on their own. The resulting effect is the feeling of being in the very classroom of Professor Henri. There are also considerable instances of repetition here, albeit in subtle variations. The index, however, is usefully repetitious as well, helping to differentiate between those subtleties when one may be in need of a specific quote or reference.
The last thirty pages are exact notes taken by Margery Ryerson, a Henri student who eventually compiled the notes, fragments, etc.(in the revised edition, she is credited as Editor). This is an excellent addition to the book. Reading Henri's comments and insights in her necessarily abbreviated, note-taking style provides fresh psychological weight to the reality of Henri's classroom.
One area of disappointment concerns the photograph illustrations of Henri and his work. In the fifth edition, the plates are in black and white. Although understandable at the time of inclusion (1930), they do not allow for close comparison with Henri's ideas and techniques about painting elaborated in the text. The real disappointment is to find that the current edition available from booksellers has not updated to colorplates, but jettisoned the pictures entirely, save for the full color cover.
I recommend The Art Spirit to anyone involved in the creative process. It is a must have, particularly for those times when one may be experiencing a creative burnout, or to shake off the cobwebs. I am recommending The Art Spirit to non-artists as well -anyone who is looking for a little spark, a little positive push toward self-actualization.
For the artist, I am not recommending The Art Spirit over the Kandinsky classic; I see Henri's work as more of a continuation, or a rounding out of what Kandinsky started years before. Artists and aspiring art appreciators must read both if there is to be any hope of understanding

Arts
Barlowe's Inferno
Published in Hardcover by Morpheus International (1998-12-08)
Author: Wayne Barlowe
List price: $24.95
New price: $368.41
Used price: $28.50

Average review score:

Fantastic art that can get you thinking
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-17
When I saw this book and seen the reviews, I figured that it was just going to be "cool". Then when I finally got this in the mail I was completely overwhelmed by the imaginative visions that Barlowe puts into each of the paintings. Each picture is filled with detail and rich color. The captions get really in depth with what the picture stands for and which Demon is shown and when you think about it, it can be fairly creepy if this is what Hell was really like. Barlowe talks about making his way into the lowest reaches of Hell and bringing back the images to share with the world. The artwork in this book will completely blow you away.

What a trip
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-12
Wayne Barlowe has long been one of my favorite artists, up there with Bekinski and Giger. He has a real talent for pulling the viewer into his world, so that we can almost smell the sulfur. This and its companion piece Brushfire are my (current) favorite art volumes, as I seem to be in a very hellish phase right now. But even when I'm not feeling hellish, I'm in awe of Mr. Barlowe's talent. I love the texture of the worlds and characters, the deep, roaring, ash-filled atmosphere of the environs of hell he portrays. I am always inspired by his work.

The best!!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-29
Normally I am reserved in my reviews but this one stands out as an entity that deserves high praise. I had been researching visions of Hell for some years when this book came out. It was an exquisite find as the author's vision was finely detailed and provided a wealth of information. His Hell is different yet similar to Dore's vision which appealed to me. It is as if he took Dore's vision and placed his own ideas and concepts on top of Gustave's.

This is highly recommended. The pictures are stunning and the text adds some nice thought as well. One reviewer wrote that he thought the souls looked to much like statuary and while I do agree with that criticism it is a minor quibble and is not always the case.

A very strange and hellish book.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-12
The book was not as good as I thought it was going to be. When I read certain passages of it at the bookstore I thought it was going to be a fictional narrative of a doomed person's experience in Hell. Instead it was more of an artists explanation about his paintings. The book still drew me in and made me think and feel about what Hell might be like. For this reason, the books ability to make me seriously think about Hell in a literal sense, I will give it four stars.

Beautiful color work and imagination
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-16
This collection is basically Barlowe's visual interpretation of Dante's Inferno from The Divine Comedy. Each painting has a page of description pointing out the purpose and reason for every detail in the image. From a tortorous picture of Lillith, to the haunting painting of a minor demon riding on the backs of several tortoured souls held together with muck, they are each fascinating to examine. Like Dali and other fantastical artists, one can look at these paintings and see something new every time. The color work is fantastic, and in some paintings actually appears to be digital photography until one looks closer. A ver well-thought-out project, it is pleasing to see another side of Barlowe's intelligent work.

Arts
Basic Stained Glass Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started (Stackpole Basics)
Published in Spiral-bound by Stackpole Books (2003-10)
Author: Michael Johnston
List price: $19.95
New price: $12.79
Used price: $12.80

Average review score:

Good Fast Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-15
Quick, easy and lots of pictures. Binding allows all the pages to turn easily, preventing the pages from 'closing' up on you while you try to follow the instructions.

A very great reference
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-14
I have been checking out many of the books that are available and this one gives the best directions and it has made my first project half way easy.

well written book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-18
Seems fully informative and well done. I have yet to try it out, but sometime soon after I've accumulated the equipment.

Just What I needed
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-18
The title says it all. I went from never having worked with stained glass to completing the first two projects in the book - and it was fun! Now, I'm working on my first original stained glass design. This book is great for anyone new to stained glass - the step by step instructions would probably be excrutiatingly slow to someone who already has a lot of experience, but they were exactly what I needed to get started! I also really liked the explanation of all the most common tools and equipment.

It is very basic, but easy to understand
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-06
I got the information that I needed to get started on stain glass creation, it is a very basic book. It is easy to understand and has step by step instructions for both copper foil and lead techniques and supply lists for both!

Arts
The Best of Business Card Design 6 (Best of Business Card Design (Hardback))
Published in Hardcover by Rockport Publishers (2004-03-01)
Author: Blackcoffee Design Inc.
List price: $45.00
New price: $72.37
Used price: $57.16

Average review score:

Great inspiration
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-21
I found this book very useful. It gave great examples of wonderfully designed business cards and letterheads. Great inspirational tool.

Cutting Edge and Practical
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-29
The stunning collection of cards displayed in this book are inspiring. Just one element in a card can influence the rest of my design and get me on a roll. This book is full of classy, eye popping designs to edgy, out the box designs. It is a sure fire fit for any designer.

Wonderful. wonderful book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-19
Such a great source of inspiration for us right brainers! The BEST OF series never disappoints!

good reference
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-30
There are so many awesome designs in here, I come back to it time and time again for inspiration.

I waited more...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-26
The content leaves to desire. The election of cards that compose the book could have been better. The majority of them is common and it did not deserve to be in a book.

Arts
A Book is Born: 24 Authors Tell All
Published in Hardcover by Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing (2007-11-01)
Author:
List price: $24.00
New price: $14.60
Used price: $14.58

Average review score:

A Must Read for Authors and Wannabe Authors
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-07
I wish I had this book when I started out on this writing journey over six years ago. A Book is Born is a wonderful, informative, fun read for all the writers out there. All the inside secrets and how to's are shared in a fun way.

Reading this book is like having a mocha latte at a corner Starbuck's and getting the scoop on this writing journey from some of the best writers there are!

Thanks, Nancy. What a great read!

Trish Berg
Author, Book Reviewer
[...]

Rattled: Surviving Your Baby's First Year Without Losing Your Cool

The Great American Supper Swap - Solving the Busy Woman's Family Dinnertime Dilemma

A Book is Born
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-01
Nancy Cleary's "A Book is Born" is a hands-on, photo and graphic-filled blueprint for the regular person to use starting when they're tossing around an idea to get published, all the way through actual publication. Told from the point of view of 24 different authors as they journey from book idea to publishing that book, there is always a different voice to tune into if one person's perspective isn't the direction you're interested in. With so many unique voices, Cleary shows that there are as many techniques to prepare for publishing and the aftermath of publicity as there are writers. Very easy to read, extremely helpful for the frazzled writer in the midst of publishing chaos. Cleary breaks the demons of publishing down into easy steps, and offers solutions for the up-and-coming writer. A fun essential for any writer. Cleary's concise and practical book makes the trip toward publication a natural and interesting journey. Definitely order one!

Inspiring!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-17
I spent the weekend reading this book and found it truly inspiring. It was wonderful to hear about all the women's experiences and the paths they took, going through the process. The touch of "baby" humor throughout was an added bonus.

All the advice given throughout the book will help any aspiring author reach their dream, including myself. This book offers both encouragement and motivation. A great read!

Birthing a book...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-04
A Book is Born is a wonderfully laid out and written book for all of us who dream of becoming an author. Even if you have never given birth the idea of nurturing a dream is common to us all. In this book the chapters are laid logically through the birth or creative process. As an example; pre-natal care can relate to preparing your inspiration for completion.

Included in the book are the real life stories of women who have taken their dreams of a book and brought it into reality.

The bonus and gem in A Book is Born is the section of Secret and Science of Getting Published. Why recreate the wheel again and again? Learn from Nancy Cleary and cut your publishing time. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in publishing a book.

Practical Advice to New Authors
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-05
As a first time author, I have been struggling with the complexities of how to get from point A (writing) to point B (published). This book provided really practical information: details about terminology, chronological checklists, and actual experiences related by authors. I enjoyed the tales of the authors even as I was being instructed by them. The book is like a user's manual supplemented with "dream potion recipes", and will undoubtedly launch the careers of a new generation of writers who have been waiting in the wings for stage directions.

Whatever else they do in life, Nancy Cleary and co-authors have left a legacy of impactful guidance that will further the goals of storytellers yet unrecognized.

Arts
Capturing Soft Realism in Colored Pencil
Published in Hardcover by North Light Books (2002-08)
Author: Ann Kullberg
List price: $27.99
New price: $240.64
Used price: $205.66

Average review score:

Spectacular!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-04
This is a wonderful guide to rendering all the little details that can make a colored pencil painting special. There's a CD (available separately) of short movies of the author working on the projects in this book, and the CD and book together are an unbeatable combination. It's almost as good as private lessons from a master artist. I learned a great deal from this book.

Capturing soft realism in colored pencil
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-17
It is not only a pretty book but very interesting and helpful.

This artist has an incredible technique
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-30
This book is beautiful, full of great step by step information, color recipe information, and tips for beginners to advanced. A keeper!

Great book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-14
I really like a lot of her techniques. They are easy to follow and very basic. Her books are good starting books. I have found others to show more techniques too that are great. It's just good to have a variety, since many artists have varying approaches. I basically will go with colored pencil artists whose work is excellent. I will not buy a book by an artist who does crappy art work, even if the techniques are great according to other readers. To me if the techniques are great, so would be the artwork.

Stunning Art
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-05
Ann Kullberg's art is stunning. She openly shares her techniques in her books. Her books are so good that I intend to take a colored pencil workshop from her when she's in my area.

Arts
Cards As Weapons
Published in Hardcover by Images Graphiques (1977-06)
Author: Ricky Jay
List price: $9.95
Used price: $417.73
Collectible price: $995.00

Average review score:

PLEASE REPRINT THIS BOOK!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-17
It is crazy that I would have to pay over $200 to own this book! Is it bound in human skin? Does it have the secret of eternal life and youth?As another reviewer noted,reprinting this book will NOT result in frenzied card throwing mobs overturning cars and looting stores.The first press run seems to have come and gone without causing civil unrest on the part of card throwers-I've never met a card thrower in my life.In fact,I've never met anyone who mentioned WANTING to learn card throwing.The audience to whom this book appeals is tiny and nothing will ever change that.Relax, folks.This will turn out to be "too hard" for 9 out of 10 people who try it-all 50 of them.Now, REPRINT THIS BOOK, Please!

Reprint This Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-26
I was "forced" to get this book online without paying for it because no economical alternative exists. I completely disagree with the people on here who don't want this book reprinted because they think that the world would soon become saturated with card-slingers, thus taking away some of the glory of being the only guy in town who can chuck an Ace of Spades through the Washington Post. Please keep in mind that like ALL hobbies that require:
a) reading a book
b) lots of practice and dedication
...means that 99% of the population will buy the book, skim through it and put it on the shelf next to their dusty diet, magic coin trick and gardening books.
Even if his fellow slingers & magicians busted his ballz for releasing trade-secrets, Jay should definitely reprint this book so 1% of people who read the book and follow through with it will keep the art alive.

A well written How-To by the master of the art.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-27
If you want a hobby and might try sticking a target on the back door and spending your nights throwing cards at it ... you will find this practical guide just as helpful as I did. Fully illustrated with good pictures.

Keep this on the DL
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-15
This book is amazing, as previously stated, but I am STRONGLY against any reprinting of it. One of the things that makes card throwing so amazing is the fact that so few people know about it / how to do it. Imagine everyone being able to throw cards. Personally, I think this book is perfect in its current rare form, and should NOT be reprinted.

Good techniques
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-09
I am a semi-pro card thrower in the national card throwing league (ctl), and I have to say that this book is the bible of card throwing. The techniques I have learned from Jay's book have helped me a lot. I was struggling on the tour last year when I got to talk with the famous Bill 'the Hand' Strongtide who recommended I read this book and it has really helped my form this past year.

Arts
Caribbean Elegance
Published in Hardcover by Harry N. Abrams (2002-05-01)
Author: Michael Connors
List price: $39.95
New price: $18.99
Used price: $16.49

Average review score:

Glad to Have This Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-27
Not so long ago I saw Caribbean Elegance at a friend's house. My friend was gracious enough to lend it to me to read. After reading it, I felt I should have my own copy, so I ordered a copy from amazon.com.

Not only is Dr. Connors' narrative comprehensively informative and enjoyable, but Bruce Buck's photographs are absolutely beautiful.

Together they have introduced me to a heretofore, to me at least, world of fascinating furniture and decorative arts. Kudos to Dr. Connors and Mr. Buck.

I look forward to acquiring the rest of their work.

Furniture is the Focus
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-25
This book has great pictures of West Indian furniture and its focus is only on the furniture. I was looking for some ideas on how to design using this style, but not much can be gotten directly on how to do this from this book. However, I did come away with a good sense of the various influences on the West Indian style.

FABULOUS!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-10
I have owned this book for over a year and always thought it was an excellent book but wasn't inspired to write a review until just recently, when I received a new book I purchased called "Caribbean Style". This book, "Caribbean Elegance", is everything that the other book is not. I love this book! The photography is incredible, encompasing everything from the smallest furniture detail or accessory, to entire historical exteriors & interiors, and exquisite scenery!
The text gives a detailed history of the settlers and islands, really giving you an understanding of how the various styles of West Indies architecture and furnishings came into being. It also distingushes the furnishings by their various European influences, such as Spanish, English or Dutch, among others. As an interior designer I found this book fascinating and educational. But even for someone who just has a love of the islands, the photography alone is worth the price of the book.

Moderately interesting
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-15
This book had some interesting facts, but as an interior designer who was looking for inspirational pictures for room designs I thought it had moderate value.

Caribbean Elegance
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-17
This book was exactly what I was searching for. Not only is it visually stunning, but it provides a wealth of historical information on Caribbean style and furnishing. A wonderful resource if you want to understand how this very unique style of interior design came to be.

Arts
Cheetah Girls Bind Up #1: Livin' Large!
Published in School & Library Binding by Tandem Library (2003-09)
Author: D. Gregory
List price: $19.30
New price: $19.30
Used price: $12.83

Average review score:

The Cheetahs go solo and get back together
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-18
The characters in this book are four famous girls. There names are Galleria, Dorinda, Channel, and Aqua. Dorinda is there best dancer that teaches them the moves that they will need for there next chance to be on stage. Aqua is there best singer because she has such a great voice. Channel and Galleria are the ones who work together to write the songs and make the cover on there disk. Aqua, Dorinda, Galleria, and Channel meet Jackel Johnson and get this big chance to live there world wide dream. But Galleria says no and decides to turn her back away from this big chance. Latter her and Dorinda, and Aqua, and Channel meet down town because Galleria's dog gets stuck and shows up on live tv. You wanna now if they become friends again well you'll half to find out yourself by reading this magnificent book. This was typed by: Jenny

The Cheetah Girls Livin' Large: Book 1-4 [ Spoliers!!]
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-26
Hello.
I'm a Cheetah Girls fan. This book is special. Because it tells different stories from each girl.

Wishing On A Star: You mostly get to know Galleria in this book. So yeah, this is mostly about Galleria with The Cheetah's, Chanel, and the weird guy, Derek with this sidekick, Macarol. Spelling this right??? But anyway, this book is funny and fun!

Shop In The Name Of Love: Chanel uses her mothers credit card and she visits her stepmothers salon. Her mother gets angry. But later lends Chanel the credit card for one thing. Chanel buys more like 20 different things. Then, she gets in big trouble and has to work at Toto in New York....Fun in Diva Sizes. [ Galleria's mothers shop.]This book is hip and hot!

Who's Bout To Bounce: This one's magical. It's amazing how Dorinda has so many brothers and sisters. She really loves them. Miss Bosco [ Her Foster Mom.] Has an adoption party. But, the twist is, for " reasons" she can't adopt her. It's a good book.

Hey, Ho Hollywood!: This is a great book. Angie and Aqua's dad's girlfriend Aballa Shalla whatever. But they [ Cheetah Girls] perform at the Apollo theater and they lose. But this book is sweet.


This is one sassy book! Buy this lovely book!

It's Awesome!

Thank you for taking your time to read my review!

The Cheetah Girls Livin' Large
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-29
"Welcome to the Glitterdome." Galleria Garibaldi is a diva in training along with Chanel, Dorinda, Anginette or Angie for short and her twin Aquanette or Aqua. All of these girls dreams are to get a record deal, go to Hollywood and become famous. Galleria and Chanel have been friends ever science they were little. Galleria met Dorinda in a chat room and found out that they go to the same school.She met Angie and Aqua at a meeting but soon found out that they go to different schools. Dorinda loves to dance and sing but one day her dance teacher told her to try out for a dance compotion. Dorinda did not think that she would make it but she did. What would you do in her situation? Would you choose to just not to do the dance compotion or to leave the Cheetah Girls? The girls relationship is very strog because they help eachother out all of the time. This book is apart of a series. The plot of the story is these five girls are having a really hard time on finding a record deal so they can go to Hollywood. Will the girls be albe to find a record deal? Find out by reading this fantastic book.

The Cheetah Girls Livin' Large
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-29
"Welcome to the Glitterdome." Galleria Garibaldi is a diva in training along with Chanel, Dorinda, Anginette or Angie for short and her twin Aquanette or Aqua. All of these girls dreams are to get a record deal, go to Hollywood and become famous. Galleria and Chanel have been friends ever science they were little. Galleria met Dorinda in a chat room and found out that they go to the same school.She met Angie and Aqua at a meeting but soon found out that they go to different schools. Dorinda loves to dance and sing but one day her dance teacher told her to try out for a dance compotion. Dorinda did not think that she would make it but she did. What would you do in her situation? Would you choose to just not to do the dance compotion or to leave the Cheetah Girls? The girls relationship is very strog because they help eachother out all of the time. This book is apart of a series. The plot of the story is these five girls are having a really hard time on finding a record deal so they can go to Hollywood. Will the girls be albe to find a record deal? Find out by reading this fantastic book.

Cheetahlicious
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-26
This is a great book! I first saw the movie and it was GREAT! So then I decided to read the books.It only took me about 5 days to read this book,because I got into it. It is worth every penny and you won't be dissapointed!


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