Woody Allen Books

This book, is one of the more complete on the oral pathology subject, excellent for students and essential for the dentist's office

I am a 2nd year Stomathological Medicine Ms. resident and have had this book from the beginning and must say it is a first class reference book.

Not only it is physically well done (thick glossy paper, full colored images and state of the art design), but it has a very complete content organized by clinical features, histopathological characteristics, treatment and prognosis and so on. It has also got an appendix with differential diagnosis.

To be an OMF Pathology work it has a very good OMF Medicine approach.

It is a must not only for undergraduate, but for postgraduates as well.

Simply put, this is the best text available for Oral Pathology. Incredible pictures, concise yet detailed information, etc. The change to color photos in the newest addition was a tremendous upgrade. Every dental practitioner should own a copy of this book.

I am a U.S. Army oral and maxillofacial surgeon and have enjoyed using this book since its first edition in dental school. Dr. Neville taught at my school and he and the other authors are passionate about their work. The book is comprehensive and well organized to help dentists and physicians care for their patients. There are certainly other great books to consider buying additionally, but this is a must have for a basic collection of textbooks. I refer to it often in my practice.

This book is very easy to use and is detailed yet not too detailed. All the information I have read so far has been very relevant and easy to read.

There are lots of pictures and the pages are thick and shiny, a pleasure to read

...it contains all the basics the beginner needs to start and offers enough of the advanced stuff to make you ready to work on any academic paper about MRI, MRS, DTI & fMRI after you have finished it.

Great book!

All review books,whether blue,yellow or green are good.The way I did it to prepare me for the MRI test: MIC course,any good cross sectional anatomy book & all the colorful review books you can find.

I used the first ed. of this book to study for my MR registry exam & found it most helpful in understanding pulse sequences & MRI physics. The author(s) answer the questions in concise, easy to understand jargon that won't confuse the student, yet is technical enough for experienced technologist's to benefit. The second ed. is a continuation of this tried & true method of teaching & I most certainly would recommend this book, especially for anyone that is just learning MRI or getting ready to sit for the registry exam.
Greg Wassenberg, MSRS, RT(R)(N)(MR)
MRI Technologist

Most excellent book. If you are looking for an easy MR book to read with a good format, this is the book for you. It contains many answer to MR questions you have and never dare asking. I went thru many MR books, this is by far my favorite, I use it all the time. Would highly recommend it.

A great resource for anyone working in MRI!!

I discovered this material in the early '80s about the time it was released. I was blown away then and still am. I'll never forget the feeling - something similar to having uncovered a profound and precious secret. I remain convinced that other than ACIM, this may be the ONLY channeled material out there that is what it purports to be. Much more recently, I've begun kinesiologically calibrating books, people, spiritual teachers, institutions with the method taught by Dr. David Hawkins. The Law of One books collectively calibrate (or they did with my calibration) at over 800, in fact somewhere in the neighborhood of 850 if I remember correctly. Astounding, considering that Hawkins states that less than 5% of channeled material calibrates over 455.That's about all I can say. Uh...Adonai.

This book contains very interesting information inside which I'm not sure if they are true or false.. But, it is so detailed and realistic that I want to believe it and after I read the book, I realized that it may be like the book says.. Ra Materials answer all the unknown about cosmology, from where men came, what will happen etc... Even if the book is full of false information, it is worth reading because of it's interesting theme..

This "contact" is the only example of so-called channeled material to which I would give an unqualified endorsement -- if by "channeled" one refers to communication with another entity, not one's own subconscious or superconscious, nor "angelic" or hierarchical sources, while in trance.

Guaranteed to interest students of forteana, metaphysics, and matters of the spirit... But, to those of you on the straight and narrow spiritual path, a cautionary note is advised whenever the possibility arises of engaging in "spiritual gossip" that may accompany the "true teachings". And said Goethe: "Thought widens, but paralyzes; whereas action enlivens, but narrows."

Hope I haven't confused you too much with this electronic "contact". Happy distorting.

The Ra material is the transcription of the taped communications between researcher Don and the entity RA, a being that is talking through Carla, often referred to as the "instrument" throughout the book (s), in a state of deep trance. The transcriptions are carried out by Jim and the three are always present during all sessions, creating a triangulation of light that allows for RA, a sixth dimensional being, that calles itself a "socialmemory complex", to come through and speak.

RA has choosen this group because of the purity of their intent and makes himself available to them for questions about the Universe, the Creator, the dimensions, Karma, the law of One and any other material that might aid people in understanding universal truths that might be helpful for mankinds evolution.

The materail is very esoteric and requires some concentration. However, it is well worth the effort, as it is enlightening, very precise, accurate and informative. The explanations around the shift in dimensions we are about to undergo on the planet, that Ra defines as the harvest, are devoid of hype and sensation. Harvest is a process that all beings and planetary bodies eventually encur, following physical/spiritual law just as eclipses do or the seasons.The science of the harvest ( ascension) is explained in depth here as is the chakra system and it's role in Soul evolution.

Also extremely interesting the explanation of the polarization of entities into Service to Self orintated entities and Service to Others orientated entities and the implications these have in the ascension process and the roles they play within the bigger picture.

A really deep read and well worth the effort. I have read all four volumes and I am about to tackle vol 5. I thoroughly recommend it.

There is a lot of channeled material out there, some good and some not so good. I think it is important to use discernment when reading channeled material, just as it is important to use discernment when reading anything, or when listening to a preacher talk.

Ultimately, the truth is inside of us, but we don't know it. So it helps to have it confirmed by `outside' sources. Sometimes we come across something that has that ring of truth in it, and we know it is appropriate for us in this point of time in out lives. Not necessarily appropriate for everyone at all times, or even for ourselves at all times, but appropriate in the now, for where we are at right now.

Thus, I have encountered many books and other sources of info that have all had varying degrees of what I consider `truth', but no one of them being THE TRUTH. (I have long ago dismissed the bible as THE truth, but consider it to have SOME truth in it, while most of it has been distorted.)

The Law of One books are the closest I have found to being THE truth. Many of the channeled works out there are cheesy, or they come across too `authoritative' ie `...in such-and-such year this WILL happen...', `...that IS the way it IS...', etc.

Ra, on the other hand, does not claim to be an authority. Rather, this entity repeatedly tells us to please use discernment and accept only that which resonates as truth within ourselves. Then proceeds to give info that totally rocks your socks off!

This stuff is deep, very deep. I have never read anything else, channeled or not, that even comes close to such high caliber! It is just completely obvious to me that the info really is coming from a higher being, cuz no way anyone could have made all this up!

OK, maybe someone could have. But this info came thru a woman in a trance, and she did not even know what she was saying until she woke up. Even very specific details are consistent throughout the text, over the course of several years of channeling.

AND, the material describes a cosmology that was ahead of its time. Certain aspects of quantum physics, for example, described in the books had not yet been discovered. So no, no one could have made this up!

When you read the material, you get a very strong sense of HIGHER KNOWLEDGE. It's just really obvious that this is NOT coming from a human source, the way most other channeled material seems to be. I had a lot of 'Aha' moments while reading it...in fact, pretty much every sentence!

But, my purpose is NOT to try to convince you. B4 the skeptics start, let me say that I am NOT trying to prove that this channeled work is authentic - if you are searching for absolute proof, then clearly this book (or any channeled work) is not for you. Better to stay in an organized religion and do as they tell you.

However, if you are a serious seeker who is not afraid to think for yourself, then I highly recommend you give these books a try. Prepare to have your mind opened!

If you're still with me, then maybe you'd like to know what the books are about. OK, for starters: the nature of life, the universe, how the pyramids were built, who the aliens are, the chakras, other dimensions, the important elements of a spiritual path, the nature of sexuality, etc. and lots of other interesting topics. But that is not what makes these books stand out - other books have tried to address these topics as well.

What makes the Law of One stand out is the explanation of `Good' vs `Evil'.

If you find the idea of a `good God' being in a constant war with the `evil Satan' oversimplistic, or if you believe that God is all-powerful and beyond good and evil, or if you have a hard time believing that God will `lose' most of the world's population to the `devil', and you are searching for a more intelligent explanation of why there is evil in the world, then these books might be for you.

Or, if you are tired of all the `doom and gloom' prophecies and would like to rekindle hope, then these books might be for you.

Be forewarned: these books are NOT light and fluffy. And whatever you believe, they will challenge you. But they will also inspire you, and give comfort.

This book offers many wonderful tools to help children relax, reinforce their value, and visualize a fantastic episode of imagination. It is organized and cross referenced which makes it easy to quickly find just the right message of the day. I teach yoga to 5th graders who now beg for "relaxation at the end of class". Some of the kids have ADHD, autism, and other learning differences. This has been one tool that will never get old or redundant. It spans a broad age range. I have coordinated some of the stories a week before big achievement tests which seems to help the kids with a bit of empowerment. Nothing speaks to the success of my class like having children ask to borrow my books, DVDs, or my music. I would like to know of a better book or another book like this one since it has been such a huge hit with everyone.

We ran through the "Ready, Set, RELAX program when our child had a serious illness. It helped him overcome his fear of treatment and helped reduce the anxiety level of our whole family. I am hoping for a sequel.

Ready, Set, Relax provides teachers and parents with an important resource for helping young children learn valuable self-regulation skills. Jeff Allen and Roger Klein make us aware that learning requires both physical and mental preparation. By introducing physical relaxation and positive mental imaging skills into the classroom environment, children develop essential learning prerequisites, increase self-confidence, and enrich creative interactions between teacher and child. The lessons of Ready, Set, Relax should be eagerly integrated into every elementary school curricula.

Great book for short relaxation scripts, with lots of em. I have used them with several kids so far (I am a child therapist) and they seem to like them. However, you can also find lots of relaxation scripts on the web and elsewhere...so if you want them all handy and in one place, buy the book. If you can be patient and scrounge together your own, go for that.

Lots of "I am calm" and "I am relaxed" affirmations. Very good selection of "scripts" which are short visualizations meant to relax children. This is very mainstream and a great way to introduce children to relaxation. Great emphasis on breathing however, to teach the mechanics of proper breathing, I have coupled this with Indigo Dreams and The Children's Awareness Curriculum. The kids really enjoy relaxing and love talking about the visualizations in Ready Set Relax. Great way to teach children, especially if you are short on time.

Inspired by Joe R. Lansdale and DC comics such as Weird Western Tales and Jonah Hex, Dark Highway's Skull Full of Spurs left a big ole smile on this cowpoke's face. Jack Ketchum's story Luck, about a man who continues to get himself killed over and over and the unfortunate fates of his killers was one of the books highlights. Another was Richard Laymon's story The Hangman, a great and surprisingly funny story about a vengeful ghost. The stories about the midget sheriff, a magic bullett which hangs in midair in the middle of main street and Cthulhu mythos in the old west are all also great. Pick this book up.

I just finished Skull Full of Spurs and I thought it was great. My favorite was the story by Edward Lee. It's a real departure for him. The Brian Hodge story is also quite good. I haven't enjoyed a book this much since Razored Saddles. I'd like to see more of these weird western type stories hit the shelves.

Highly recommended.

Skull Full Of Spurs lives up to its name: It is truly a roundup of weird Western tales that will shock you, scare you and entertain you to the uttermost degree. I had a blast reading this book and anyone who's a fan of horror fiction will, too.

The book contains 12 stories, all of them good, none of them bad. But of course, some stand out against the others. Jack Ketchum's "Luck" is a great little campfire tale, Rick Hautala's "The Screaming Head" is about a horrifying folklore legend that comes to life and Yvonne Navarro's "Divine Justice" plays with the idea of heaven and hell in a Western setting.

But there are three great masterpieces of the bizarre in this book. Richard Laymon's "The Hangman" is a classic ghost story mixed with the elements of the Western tale and ends up being a great, satisfying read. Lawrence Walsh's "The Devil's Crapper" is a funny and twisted story that will make you laugh with every word and every sentence. And Adam-Troy Castro's "The Magic Bullet Theory" (the longest story in the book) is an epic tale that is brilliantly written and highly satisfying.

And if that's not enough for you, there are also stories by Edward Lee, M. Christian, Nancy A. Collins and a very twisted, very disturbing story by Robert Devereaux. Skull Full Of Spurs has it all; horror, action, fantasy, humour... It has something to please every reader of the genre. This is one collection you'll want to come back to time and time again. So saddle up part'ner and get ready to be entertained!

I'm always wary of any collection of stories. Usually you get couple good ones, a couple mediocre ones and the rest is largely forgettable if not just plain crap. This anthology breaks that mold by having quality throughout. From the first spell-binding tale by Brian Hodge of a man who just won't die, to the last by Robert Devereaux of sexual insatiability, these stories keep you wanting to read the next.

This book is a must-have for your next camping trip to scare the dickens out of the kids. Read them "The Hangman" by Richard Laymon and "The Screaming Head" by Rick Hautala and there will be nightmares in abundance. If those don't do the trick there's another half dozen that will keep that campfire stoked all through the night.

I look forward to a to sequel "Skull Full of Spurs" in the near future.

So, you want to read this here anthology, but you're worried only a few of the stories will rock, while the rest blow. Well, never fear my friend, SKULL FULL OF SPURS has the makings to go down in history.

This book has 13 of the best Weird Western tales ever collected in one place. You got a tale about a cowboy with a virus that won't let him be killed. There's one about a magic bullet traveling down Main Street at a couple inches a year. And who wouldn't love a story about a midget sheriff? Oh, and for you nymphos out there, the sexiest, most erotic, Old West showdown ever written on paper is printed in these pages, too.

To top it all off, each story is followed by the author's bibliography. The search for the rest of your favorite author's work is right at your fingertips. Now that's a nice touch.

Yep, SKULL FULL OF SPURS has it all. Buy it. And pray Dark Highway Press puts out a SPURS part II.

My 22 month old daughter wants me to read this book to her every night! If your child is a Sesame Street fan then this little book will be a big hit.

My 17 month old usually has a hard time settling down at bedtime. She adores the Sesame Street characters, especially Elmo, and we read this book just before tucking her in and turning out the light. Elmo and Big Bird and their friends are getting ready for bed, and showing them all sleeping helps my little girl to accept bedtime a little more readily, since anything Elmo does is automatically cool!

My daughter and I have read this book over 100 times, at naptime and bedtime. She seems to never get tired of it, and is now reading it to me! It's a great book that seems to be perfect for a 2 to 2-1/2 year old attention span.

My 22 month old son loves this book. It very sweetly winds him down by saying good night all of his favorite friends as they go to sleep. It starts with Elmo at the park playing and ends with him being tucked in for bed. Therefore the child is able to relate to being awake and playing and is then brought down to falling asleep with all his Sesame Street friends. This is a wonderful book to lull your child to sleep with.

Our 21 month old son loves reading this book, both at bedtime and anytime we are reading together. It starts with Elmo at the park with his Dad, and they head home to get ready for bed. Along the way, Elmo sees different Sesame Street Monsters getting ready for bed by brushing their teeth, jumping on the bed, reading to their teddy bears, etc. Everyone is getting ready for bed, and at the end, it's Elmo who is fast asleep in his bed. This is a wonderful bed time storybook, but note it's paper pages not a boardbook so be careful with toddlers who like to grab pages.

I am a youth psychosocial group leader and I was looking for a book that I could use with my middle school and high school students. Even though this book is geared toward adults, much of the information can be useful for older youth, especially those kids who have had to grow up so fast due to their home environment. At the end of every chapter I would create either a jeopardy game or have them play a wheel-of-fortune/hangman type game to review the essential points of each section. The information was also helpful to me in a sense that it's good to remind yourself to practice stress management.

This book is a great resource if you are not very good at stress management. It covers a lot of good ways to deal with stress in your life. It follows the same easy approach to the subject> Just like all For Dummies books along with some humor thrown in for good measure. In my opinion it is a great book for anyone that wants to learn how to deal with stress the right way.

I'm still reading this one, but so far I love it! It's got humor and helpful info, so I can de-stress while I'm reading about how to further de-stress. This may sound sad, but I think this has got to be one of my favorite books! It seems to have covered every place that stress can derive from and it gives useful and reasonable tips on how to handle it when it comes up or even before. It actually helped me to get through a would've been flaming-arguement with my husband without losing control and yelling at him when I read the section on venting beforehand. He wants to borrow it now. lol The tips in this book are easy enough so that you don't get stressed out even more trying to do them. There's nothing there that I've read so far that tells you that in order to deal with your stress better, you must first go to a field in the countryside over in Japan and be one with the grass and the air and the flowers and the birds. No crap like that. Just humor and help. My job isn't stressful but the trip to and from it here in Atlanta is, so that's where my stress areas begin. I carry this book from home to work with me and then back home and around the house to do more reading. I highly recommend this book!

I was feeling stressed out so I saw a psychiatrist (with my insurance a psychologist is not reimbursed). The only thing he could propose me was a few sessions of relaxation (I won't call it hypnosis). It helped me relax, but as soon as I left his office back into the stressful world I realized that it didn't really help me. So I ordered this book. My coworkers made fun of me but I don't care, they're all stressed out right now and I'm not. One of my coworkers even told me that I'm not showing that I'm committed. I guess people think you're really committed to your project when you stress out over all the things overwhich you have absolutely no control.

This book is great. He covers all the major areas of stress management and gives plenty of concrete ideas for reducing stress. The book is very practical, meaning you can practice it and improve your health. I read it about 6 months ago and I think I'm going to go back and read it again. If you're feeling stressed out I highly recommend this book.

It seems we're not at all reluctant to admit how little we know as there are now over 50 million "Dummies" books in print. And, thank goodness for many of them, as my "WordPerfect for Dummies" has often saved me.

Now, we can learn to be tension free with "stress-busting advice and exercises."

Read by the author, a clinical psychologist, in his most affirming and encouraging voice, he promises that we can combat stress with diet and exercise and even diminish our anger and worry.

This is what a Lovcraftian collection should be. Almost all the stories are spot on good. While one or two stories in the collection fell flat for me, most were excellent. I will not go into each story in the collection, as others have done that justice already; but "The Insider" was so good that it still gives me a shiver thinking about it.

Any fan of the "mythos" needs to have this collection. While dovetailing closely with HPL's writing, it has originality and freshness that made it a joy (or horror) to read. And you have to love the cover.

These days one of the hardest problems facing Cthulhu Mythos authors is to be able to write exciting tales within Lovecraft's framework, and yet tell these tales in a new and exciting voice. A fresh approach unfortunately seems to be something that numerous authors who've recently contributed to the cannon have been unable to do. So it is refreshing when an author such as Stanley C. Sargent succeeds to do just that, bringing a new perspective to the worlds of cosmic nihilism.

The Taint of Lovecraft is Sargent's second collection of Mythos tales, the first was , also published by Mythos Books LLC. This later collection contains nine tales, nine poems, two essays and numerous illustrations, including interiors and a cover illustration by the author of H.P. Lovecraft dressed up as a Pharaoh.

The standout tale in this collection would have to be "Nyarlatophis, A Fable of Ancient Egypt" which draws us back to the life of Pharaoh Amenemhat I, founder of the Twelfth Dynasty, and his encounter with Nyarlathotep (in the form of Nyarlatophis). The Outer God once more attempts to destroy humanity as we would expect, but this time in a land and culture nearly three thousand years distance from the time when Lovecraft penned his first tale. It is evident that Sargent knows his subject, both Cthulhu Mythos and Egyptian history, and so is able to take us lovingly back to this splendid age so often referred to, but rarely visited by other cannon authors.

One of Stanley C. Sargent's great strengths as a storyteller is his ability to adapt Lovecraft's style, yet make it his own. Stories such as "Live Bait" and "Double Screetcher" incorporate those horrific twists readers expect at conclusion, a trait Lovecraft used so well. But these stories also allow us to see the comic side of the mythos, and to see that our perceptions of what is right and wrong is based purely on our `humanness', and that sometimes we are no better than the horrors we ourselves fight against. Sargent's favourite of his own work, "The Black Brat of Dunwich" likewise has a similar theme. This story tells "The Dunwich Horror" from a completely different perspective, in this case from the viewpoint of Wilbur Whateley, and makes for interesting reading, especially if we consider that Lovecraft's protagonist Armitage is seen as the antagonist here.

The end of the collection contains two essays, the latter of which provides an interesting analysis of "The Dunwich Horror" offering a rarely discussed insight into what self-inflicted and societal-inflicted demons Lovecraft might have been fighting against all his life, but demons that also allowed his fevered artistic expression to flourish. Lastly, each story is introduced by steadfast scholar Robert M. Price (I can see this guy on his own Mythos Collectable Card), who provides his own special touch to the collection providing insights on each story for those who like to know how and where such tales originate.

In summary The Taint of Lovecraft doesn't take the Cthulhu Mythos into new places and new times, rather the reader is drawn back to Lovecraft Country - be that Arkham, Dunwich, Innsmouth or Ancient Egypt - and once arriving there, Sargent turns everything on its head. Nothing it seems, is what it seems, but isn't that what the Mythos is all about?

The Taint of Lovecraft is a joy on many levels. Stanley C. Sargent writes with wit and insight that are equally incisive in crafting the tales collected here. These brilliantly original takes on the Mythos fiction created by H.P. Lovecraft will undoubtedly please fans of horror fiction in general and Mythos readers especially. Sargent labors over the historical research that forms the backbone of many of his tales, and the results show in the authenticity and accuracy of his work.

This mix of stories, poems, and two highly entertaining essays is an important contribution to Mythos fiction. More importantly, though, it is a highly satisfying read.

The centerpiece of the book, "Nyarlatophis, A Fable of Ancient Egypt" is one of the most impressive Mythos-inspired stories I've ever read, and achieves the almost unheard of feat of rivaling the work of HPL in its sense of dread and eerieness, even though it is set in time period far removed from that in which HPL wrote.

What may stand out most about Sargent's tales in this collection, though, is their unerring capacity for nurturing the humor and sense of irony that is native to HPL's work but is often lost or overlooked among other Mythos fiction efforts, and bringing it to the forefront.

In short, this is a beautifully written, fantastic book.

A devoted student of the Lovecraftian writing, Stanley Sargent has brought fresh and exciting blood to this art form in his book TAINT OF LOVECRAFT. His stories grab you at the beginning and hold you spellbound to the final words, often those that are unexpected and surprising.

You need not be a student of ancient history to understand Mr. Sargent's stories. He brings everything to life for you, keeping you on an exciting journey through words that are alive and ready to leap out at you as you turn each page. If you are ready to be shocked, surprised, thrilled, and mystified, this book is for you.

In this, his second collection of tales inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's writing, Stanley C. Sargent firmly establishes himself as a master of his craft--a compelling storyteller in his own right and an important torchbearer for the legacy of Lovecraft's Mythos. The best tale in this collection is "The Black Brat of Dunwich," an insightful reinterpretation of Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror" that meshes so well with the original one cannot help but think Sargent found the key for cracking a sinister code Lovecraft intentionally wrote as a hidden subtext. It almost begins to feel that one needs Sargent's later work in order to appreciate the antecedent text on all of its multi-faceted levels. I don't want to overstate the point, but I wish future collections reprinting Lovecraft's original tale could all include "Black Brat" side-by-side with it. That being said, Sargent's story may lose some of its relevance for the uninitiated.

Most good Mythos fiction is not only steeped in a sense of otherworldly terror and the macabre, but is also solidly grounded in real-world history. "Nyarlatophis" is no exception; Sargent's knowledge of ancient Egyptian history and mythology appears exhaustive, and this tale--the longest in the collection--was obviously well researched. In some ways, it may actually have been too well researched, as the first third of the story is rather ponderous as the reader wades through what often feels more like an historical essay than a novella. But again, readers who stick with this tale will be glad they did, as the pace picks up significantly half-way through, and the dark, cataclysmic ending is all the more powerful for the grounding in history Sargent provided earlier on.

As for the remainder of this collection, it is a varied mix: an effectively disturbing science fiction tale that brings the Mythos to the stars, a prequel and a sequel to two other Lovecraft classics that also stand on their own as powerfully creepy narratives, a handful of comic takes on HPL themes (fun but probably my own least favorite pieces in this bunch), and one or two twilight-zone style horror pieces with only very loose connections to the Mythos per se. These stories are handsomely illustrated throughout, including a drawing or two by Sargent himself. The author also throws in nine of his whimsical poems, written in a style that blends Edward Gorey with Shel Silversetein. Two of Sargent's non-fiction essays complete this set, one that is really little more than a collection of anecdotes about the possible influences of Lovecraft on the EVIL DEAD films, and the other of which provides some fascinating insights into Lovecraft's biographical self by finding clues in his stories.

For all those enthusiastic minions of things Lovecraftian out there (among whom I count myself one), THE TAINT OF LVOECRAFT is a book that should have a prominent place on your shelf. For the rest of you, TAINT might well serve as a good introduction to the expanded Mythos, but if nothing else, it offers a handful of diverting tales.

The debut monograph of photography artists Thomas Allen, Uncovered: Photographs by Thomas Allen presents surprisingly lascivious images from pulp paperbacks of bygone decades, constructed into humorous and witty scenes (utilizing no digital aftereffects at all!). For example, in "Thirst" a sexy woman reaches her hand toward a man with a bottle on an adjacent volume, while in "Teeter" a man losing his balance is about to hit a precariously stacked set of paperbacks. A board book with a die-cut cover, Uncovered lets its twenty-seven four-color images speak largely for themselves. A treat for anyone who fondly remembers the trashy novel covers of yesteryear, featuring a wealth of creativity and re-imagining of bygone themes.

I really liked the approach the artist took in preparing this book- it was really interesting! Turned out to be a great gift, but the cardboard pages make this book deceptively skimpy. Still quite enjoyable, especially to see that child-like expression of glee on that pulp fiction fan in everyone's life.

I always knew that someday, if I flew long enough, I'd read a worthwhile article in one of those dreadful inflight magazines they stick in the pocket of the seat ahead of you next to the sick bad. My eureka moment came in December when I read United's latest issue of "Spirit" (I think it was) and an srtist called Thomas Allen was featured in quite a slick spread. I must have been exclaiming over it out loud, for later on i found out that not only had I gone ahead and ordered a copy from Amazon, but my wife did too, thinking that aha at last she had found a good Christmas present for hard-to-shop-for me.

Some of you may be wondering by now is the book worth it, or is Allen a one trick pony? I have no idea how he does the things he does with a razor blade and a steady stack of old, sometimes crumpled up paperbacks, but they say a documentary is coming and will soon be on public TV to show the artist at work. You can see in UNCOVERED how, in an effort to keep the sliced out cover image at least minimally attached to the book itself (what a curious, seemingly irrational restraint), he has been known to carve out a single line--one here shows a line of smoke mounting moodily from an unfiltered cigarette, so slim and tenuous you wouldn't think anyone could get in that narrowly.

Are they suggestive? And how! It's an Oulipean art practice, born of subtraction, that nevertheless extends itself into eros and beyond. The campy aspects of the original covers seem to dissolve under the application of all that rigor and man meets woman, woman meets woman, man meets man, and undresses right quick, just the way the Lord meant it to happen. The sensual just pops right out, almost like a physiological reaction. Just as his name, "Thomas Allen," seems to have been leached of personality, UNCOVERED clarifies the intents and purposes of one of America's favorite guilty pleasures, pulp fiction of the 40s, 50s, 60s. Wish I could see the Dallas exhibition of Allen's work at Light and Sie (the gallery has a nice slide show so you can sort of see the dimensions of his work and mind).

Wow! I'm between pays, but one look at this ripe book, and I dished over
whatever they asked. A babyboomer who found Dell Mapbacks all over the
house---and have since collected a few of the best-----
I had that instant feeling of "fullfillment" as I turned every page.
The essence of time/place perfectly realized.
Could Thomas Allen's accomplishment here be loosely called "RETRO" ?
It's totally transformed, and playful, yet retains the originality
and period flavor of that long-ago-era. And yet still modern. A winner.
(But I agree with those critics who expect the original artists to be
prominently credited.)

What a treat to get a book, open it and immediately be grabbed by the contents. 'Uncovered' did that for me. Mr Allen has been scouring pulp paperbacks for years it seems, his fight photo 'Red' was done in 2002 and used by designer Chip Kidd for the cover of James Elroy's 'Blood on the Moon'.

The twenty-eight photos in the book actually turn out to be a varied selection, a sort of template for Allen to go and explore other print media besides pulp paperbacks from past decades. 'Swell' shows a galleon tossed on the wave pages of an encyclopedia, the delightful 'Uplift' has two children on a swing or 'Migrate' with two birds having flown from a spread but leaving their shape so you can see the text on the previous and next page.

The book's production is rather intriguing. The thick cardboard like pages, round corners on two sides and a sepia tinting for an aged look on some pages are suggestive of children's books from yesteryear but the violent and suggestive nature to many of the photos seem at odds with fun and frolics of children's playbooks. The cover is brilliant though. The sexy blond is actually on page three, her shape has been die-cut from the cover.

'Uncovered' will delight anyone who opens its pages. It all looks so obvious yet it was Thomas Allen who seems to be the first person to realize the creative potential of the cut cover tableaux.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

Korean-American executive protection expert Allen Choice has doubts about his failing romance with Hispanic reporter Linda Maldonaldo while concerned with his weak business. The adrenaline that fueled the beginning of his relationship with Linda (see OVER THE SHOULDER) is gone along with the thrill. The lack of executive protection clients in the Bay area has forced Allen to accept sleazy sleuthing that he knows is way below his skill level, but allows him to eat.

Adding to his depression is his feelings of guilt for not being there when Linda's brother died in a drug-related car crash. To ease his remorse Allen travels to Malibu to be there for his girlfriend. Already feeling like a fish out of water, instead of finding a family mourning a tragedy, Allen walks into a nasty Internet child pornography venture that could leave him as the next accident victim.

Readers who took delight in Allen's first tale will enjoy this story, but will quickly realize that it is not quite on a level with its predecessor. Perhaps it is the change of location, but Allen seems out of place in Malibu because he fits so well in San Francisco. Still readers will appreciate his self-deprecating doubts about himself and Linda, and enjoy his latest investigation just not the first choice.

Harriet Klausner

Wow. I was up all night reading this. I loved Over the Shoulder, and found Underkill to be equally engrossing. Chang does an incredible job of writing literary fiction (his use of language is just gorgeous) that's propelled by a real, page-turner plot. I wish more books combined being this well-written with being this suspenseful.

Choice makes a great reluctant protagonist, and his thoughtful, candid narration is enough to make this book worth reading by itself (even without the raves, car chases, and gun fights!).

This series is turning out to be one of the best and most interesting ones I've read, and I've read a lot of them. I love Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane and Sue Grafton and a bunch of others, and this one definitely ranks up there because Allen Choice is a very realized and intriguing character. I was trying to tell a friend about this series and found it hard to describe because it's so centered on the character instead of just the mystery. It's almost like this is a regular novel about an investigator and so there's naturally a mystery because it's his job, but it's not about the mystery...it's about the guy himself. The writing is awesome.

This is a series that continues to improve and reward the reader. Leonard Chang is writing some of the best current detective fiction now available in these books. And it doesn't hurt that he's also able to address issues of race and alienation at the same time. _Underkill_ brings back reluctant investigator Allan Choice to look into the apparently accidental death of his girlfriend's younger brother. The investigation takes Choice into the underground rave scene and competition between ecstasy dealers, which may have had something to do with the death. At the same time, Allan's relationship with his girlfriend, Linda, seems to be unravelling and try as he might, he can't figure out how to prevent it. This is an excellent, fast-paced mystery that left me wanting more--Bring on Book #3!

I'm a literature grad student, and I've had the opportunity to follow Chang's writing for some time now. His first two novels were clearly attempts to delineate the racial dynamics in America (Asian/African American as well as class issues), and with this Allen Choice series he seems to be trying to write about Korean Americans in a similar but almost subterranean way. He is writing about an Americanized Korean American man as a Private Investigator, a man who looks into the grit of American lives (Korean American lives in Over the Shoulder, and now the L.A. Underground and ecstasy scene in Underkill) all the while investigating his own life, both external and internal life. Allen Choice has no ethnic or racial ties--he's afloat and alone. He actually has NO ties (familial or relationship), which on some level echoes Chang's previous novels. The archetype of the PI is the isolated man, and here Allen Choice is isolated on so many levels it's dizzying, because family, race, profession, and now relationships have served to separate him from conventional society. Chang has taken the model of the PI and used this to exploit his other themes of alienation. This takes not only mystery fiction but Asian American fiction to new levels. I highly recommend this series for readers looking for exciting, well-written stories with a bit more substance than the usual genre entertainments.