Artists Books

The book "Letters from Vinnie" is about a teenage girl who follows her dreams. She started sculpting and knew it was what she wanted to do in life. After sculpting a brilliant bust of President Lincoln's head, she entered a contest to sculpt a statue in remembrance of Abraham Lincoln. Though her lover Boudy wants her to stop sculpting and, marry him, she rejects the proposal because of her passion for sculpting. By winning the contest she gets $5,000 and decides to use it on a vacation to Europe with her parents. When things go wrong in Vinnie Ream's life she stands strong and fights her way through them.

THis is a great book for lovers of art, romance, and Civil War history. Vinnie is an intriging person that draws you in from page one- worth your time

I recentely finished "Letters from Vinnie" , a story of a young girl's letters from herself to her Counsin Regina. The time period is the time of Abraham Lincoln , and the subject on everybodys mind: Whether this war will end. Vinnie Ream , finds herself falling in love with sculpting and Abraham Lincoln himself. When she finally gets a grant to sculpt Mr.Lincolns head after his faitful death , all changes for Vinnie Ream. This book is based on true accounts and true characters.

I recentely finished "Letters from Vinnie" , a story of a young girl's letters from herself to her Counsin Regina. The time period is the time of Abraham Lincoln , and the subject on everybodys mind: Whether this war will end. Vinnie Ream , finds herself falling in love with sculpting and Abraham Lincoln himself. When she finally gets a grant to sculpt Mr.Lincolns head after his faitful death , all changes for Vinnie Ream. This book is based on true accounts and true characters.

History has always been fascinating to me.When I picked up the book, Letters From Vinnie by Maureen Stack Sappéy, I was transported back through time to Washington D.C. during the Civil War. There, through a girl's letters to her best friend, Regina I learned about Vinnie Ream, a high spirited, stubborn, head-strong individual. In the year 2000 with the advanced computers, e-mail, chat rooms, cell phones, and overnight rush delivery services, it's pleasant to read an author's version of a letter from a time period over one hundred years ago. The letters were composed so well that I actually began to believe that those letters were real and that I was Regina! You may not agree that learning about the hard life of an unwanted sculptress isn't the best plot for a book, but guess what? To me it is!

With equal parts Loony Toons, light romance and Pin-Up poster, Frank Cho has created a brilliantly original notion here. "Creature Comforts" is a grand addition to a series that will certainly keep its following happy for years to come.

In "Liberty Meadows", two vets (one: a short, bespeckled, star wars geek. the other: a broad-beamed, voluptuous beauty) take on the dubious honor of caring for and looking over a host of quirky, maniacal anthropomorphic creatures. This includes a midget circus bear who fancies himself an inventor, a lunatic frog, and a sweet, naive duckling. Along the way, there are laughs, blunt trauma humor, and a little romance.

Cho's artistic talent for the toony style of, say, Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck is impressive, but nowhere near as incredible as his style of creating Brandy and other female characters. His ability brings to mind the glorious age of the pin-up girl: artists like Alberto Vargas come to mind. Cho's females are buxom, and beautiful, but also fairly reubenesque- nothing at all like the waifish glamour girls we see in magazines today. This is part of his appeal.

Artists and writers could learn a thing or two from Cho, who has created "Liberty Meadows", a hysterical and beautiful comic so flawless that he makes it look easy.

I have discoved Liberty Meadows by accidentally. Since then I have become a big fan of Brandy and all the animals. Just enjoy the spririt and the drawings of Frank Cho!

Get Volume one and then get this one. Well written, well drawn, great story arcs... the Liberty Meadows series is simply the best.

This hardcover trade paperback is an excellent bargain instead of buying the back issues. Again, one of the few comics I would lend to friends, even girls. ;-)

Frank Cho's "Liberty Meadows" was one of the most original comic strips in years, with its hard-partying, gun-wielding animals and often insane storylines. And things get even stranger with the second collection of strips, "Creature Comforts."

The animals (and people) of Liberty Meadows are still up to their strange hijinks, including Leslie getting A flea (big one), Frank being set up on a blind date, and Ralpha having some problems with a hair growth formula that includes female hormones ("Gimme a kiss, sweetie." "I'm a man, Dean").

But all those disasters pale when a spark ignites the forest around Liberty Meadows, and the inhabitants have to flee a raging fire. The animals escape in a boat, while Brandy ventures back into the fire to find Frank. And Death himself comes to claim Frank... while a hapless copilot accidently looses the experimental H20 bomb on the sanctuary.

Okay, enough seriousness. In the wake of the fire, Frank and Brandy have to room with the animals, and deal with their craziness. Which means coping with Truman's hatred of Thanksgiving, spiked punch, offended supermodels, poison ivy, Oscar getting "fixed," savage beavers, Dean's pig porn ("Miss Piggy's dungeon of delight? Hold it!"), and a techologically advanced toilet that sucks Ralph in. Literally. And of course, a highly competitive wiener dog race that Oscar is training for.

No, it's not your ordinary comic strip. Not only did "Liberty Meadows" stretch the boundaries of what syndicates would allow, but it also was a lot more self-mocking and intelligent. Even in the most absurd situations, Cho can throw in an artistic namedrop ("We're outta anesthetic, Frank. All we have left is this can of Bud and a copy of "Ulysses" by James Joyce!")

Not that most of the humor isn't pop culture related, like driving out the beavers with Barry Manilow, or physical, like Dean getting thrashed by the attractive women he hits on. Artistically, it's sort of the love child of sophisticated graphic art and Looney Tunes.

And the characters are as lovable as ever -- hypochondriac frogs, midget bears, chauvinist pigs, and timid ducks. Frank and Brandy continue their sweet romantic angst, with the dorky Frank feeling that he has no chance with his gorgeous coworker, especially when her sharp-tongued mother and hunky ex turn up.

"Liberty Meadows" only got funnier with the addition of "Creature Comforts," more hilarious hijinks from the animals (and humans) of Maryland's best animal sanctuary.

Being a great fan of Frank's strips, just from seeing an ad for his old strip collection 'University squared,' I am now a big fan of this current incarnation and even have his entire comic book series. So why should I even buy these books? For the extra scenes, redrawn strips and colored versions of Brandy!

With Frank's drawing mastery of beautiful women and hilarious images, plus a great sense of humor and timing, this book is a good place to start if you're looking for a good thing to read if you're having Calvin and Hobbes withdrawals.

Disney does a great job with their Fairy books. Each story teaches children things; not to lie, etc. My daughter loves to read them and now has her friends reading them too.

My nine year old daughter loves books about Tinkerbell and all her friends. She absolutely devours them as soon as I get them. What a boost for her imagination!

We own all of this series! Started reading them when my daughter was 4 (she just turned 5 now), and they are age appropriate. Not too scary and always a happy ending. One book only takes us about 4-5 nights worth of reading together. The longer ones are good too "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg" and "Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand", but they are a little bit scarrier than the short books (more appropriate for ages 5-7 I would think).

Opinion: I liked this book more than The Trouble with Tink, but not as much as I liked Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg and Vidia and the Fairy Crown though. Lily is much better than I imagined her to be and so is her story. Lily's friend Iris is funny and sensitive, making the story have a deeper meaning than just what you're expecting. This made the sory mean more to me.

Summery: Lily is on a walk, she told her "friend" Iris she was looking for possum ferns just to get away from her. Although she does see a possum fern, she also finds a strange seed. Being a garden talent fairy, Lily can't help but plant it. Since Iris dosn't have a garden, Lily decides to let Iris help her out. But, although Lily and Iris would be heart broken to uproot the plant, they might not be able to help it. Although all the garden talent fairies are trying to defend her, Queen Clarion and the other fairies want it uprooted now! But, the garden talant fairies and Tinker Bell can't outnumber the rest of the fairies, so they might lose, especially if Vidia can help it. Vidia hates this "vile" plant. But is it really what they thought it was? This will ever puzzle them by the mysterious plants likeing and life cycle.

Reporter's Opinion: I thought that this was one of those books that you can't put down no matter what! I really couldn't put it down, so I read it all in one night! I was a really, really great book!

Summary: Lily is one of the best Garden-talent fairies in all of Pixie Hollow. When she was walking in the forest, she found a seed that she never heard of. She decided to plant it in her garden. The next day after she planted it, all of Pixie Hollow smelled bad because of it. The next day, it let off pink pollen that made everyone and everything in Pixie Hollow pink and sneeze. The fairies and sparrow men were about to cut it down, but Lily said to let it live one more day. That evening, it grew fruit. She tried it, and it was delicious. Lily told the fairies and sparrow men to try it, and they all loved it! After you pi a fruit, another one comes in it's place. Lily asked her Garden-talent fairy friend, Iris what kind of tree it was. Iris looked in her book and it was an Ever Tree. All of them were destroyed, but now they know that there is one left. Everyone comes to get fruit from it. It was a good plant after all!

Little Sap And Monsieur Rodin combines Michelle Lord's engaging text with impressive illustrations by Felicia Hoshino to tell the remarkable story of a young woman who in the year 1906 was a member of the dance troupe from the Royal Palace in Cambodia when they all made a trip to the beautiful city of Paris. Carrying young readers through Little Sap's encounter with the famous French artist, Augustine Rodin, Little Sap And Monsieur Rodin follows the painter and sculptor's interest with the classic beauty of Cambodian dance in general, and the dancing girl Little Sap in particular. A beautifully presented picturebook story, Little Sap And Monsieur Rodin will delight young readers and prove a popular addition to school and/or community library picturebook collections.

With two Cambodian-born children, this book is a treasured addition to our library. Beautifully told and illustrated, its graceful imagery draws children into the story, and with the muliple readings demanded soon has them practicing the hand poses and dreaming of dance.

My kids will be reading this for years, and I now give this as a gift for all new baby girls ... and Khmer boys, as well.

Young girls especially will be able to identify with Little Sap as she starts her first dance class, all awkward and clumsy compared with the more experienced girls in the room. But as Little Sap grows more comfortable dancing, the reader grows more comfortable in the world of early 20th century Cambodia. And then the reader feels the same thrill Little Sap does when her dance group boards a huge ocean liner -- bringing along costumes, props, and even elephants! -- and sails for France.

The story is like a magical time machine that sends us back to a time when the world was much larger than it is today and foreign cultures were much more exotic. Cambodia of a century ago was a very artistic society, and the illustrations are superb in communicating the details of the clothing, dance, music, and architecture of the period. Together, the words and pictures convey a genuine sense of being there and sharing in the experiences of Little Sap.

A truly delightful childrens book about a young cambodian girl who leaves her family and her village to become a dancer for the princess's royal dance troupe so that her family can have a better life. Along the way, she learns hard work and self worth. I found this to be an inspiring and touching story with a unique cultural angle not normally seen in childrens books.
The bright and colorful drawings bring the story to life.

I highly recommend this book! An exceptional book from a first time author that I hope publishes many more in the years to come.

They say not to judge a book by its cover. Obviously this rule is true some of the time. Some of the time, however, the cover is EXACTLY what you need to see in order to judge a book correctly. How many times have you seen a cheaply produced cover on a children's picture book also to find the story inside laughably simplistic? More than once, I'd wager. By and large, however, I do not seek out books based on what their covers look like. Then I took a gander at "Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin" and my little heart went pitter-pat. Oh how pretty. We've all seen those picture books that show a small child getting to know some great artistic figure. There was "Beethoven Lives Upstairs", and "Degas and the Little Dancer" (which bears no small resemblance to this book), and the truly disturbing "Picasso and the Girl With the Ponytail". What drew me to "Little Sap" however was partly its content. I don't know how many Cambodian picture books you can recite off the top of your head, but my count is pretty low. Add to that the fact that the book talks about Rodin (oddly ignored by picture books, by and large) and you've got yourself the makings of something particularly good.

The royal dance troupe of Cambodia is recruiting new members from a number of girls around the country. Little Sap is from a small village, but despite her dirty nails and awkward balance the child wins a place on the court's troupe. That means unceasing practice and training. Over the years she gains confidence and poise and is allowed to go to France with the troupe to perform abroad. While there they attract the attention of the great artist Auguste Rodin. Drawn to the dancers (no pun intended), Rodin spends much of his time in the villa where they stay, sketching their moves. Little Sap in particular gets his attention and by the end of their stay in France he purchases a pair of fancy French shoes and gives her a sketch of herself. The back of the book includes an Author's Note that describes the facts behind the story and what is and isn't true.

Rendered in ink, watercolor, acrylic, and paper collage the illustrations done by first-time picture book artist Felicia Hoshino are quite pleasant. Hoshino's girls wear silk sampot, or pantaloons, which let the girls look as if they're wearing slightly baggy pants all the time. This accurate detail has a dual purpose. On the one hand it means that the book is historically and culturally appropriate. On the other, it means that the girls in this book look particularly familiar to today's jean-shod young lasses. The style Hoshino uses here tends towards odd proportions in characters. Feet tend to be particularly small and heads particularly large. Just the same, this technique never strikes the reader as out of place. It's simply a different style.

Lord is careful to note at the back of her book that Little Sap's story is, for the most part, made up. There are elements to it, however, that were true. One thing I noticed in a photograph displayed of Rodin watching a dancer was that the performer is wearing a costume far more elaborate than any pictured in the book. During the professional dance of Robam Makaw the costumes are made evident, but we never get a scene similar to the one in the photo. One has to wonder why this is. Why, for example, did artist Felicia Hoshino choose to include plenty of scenes where the girls dance for Rodin, but not one where they are dressed up? Still, there was much to enjoy in this book. I was particularly pleased that Lord thought to include some of the hand motions mastered for the purpose of the dance. And though there isn't an official Bibliography at the back, a quick gander at the publication page shows the books, videos, and websites that Lord and Hoshino owe their aid to.

There are plenty of child-influences-great-artist type books out there, but by and large they are of white children with white artists. You'll still have the white artist in this book, but at least there's a bit of multiculturalism going on as well. You may be able to find Cambodian folktales in your local library, but not many will be stories based on real life occurrences involving the Khmer empire. A lovely little book and a nice story to boot.

Much of what I'd like to say has already been said by those who have reviewed the book before me. Suffice to say that this book brings to life the images that might have been contained in Lovecraft's mind when he wrote those wonderful stories. Gibbering demons and gargoyles, nameless creatures too hideous to describe and of course, grotesque monsters from outer space - they're all here in their full glory. As Ellison said in the intro, if only HP could have lived to see this magnificent tribute.

This was quiet literally an amazing and magificent book. At every turn of the page, vivid horrific scenes jumped out at me. The art work is truely glorious and inspiring. As a previous reviewer stated, Matthew, there simply are no words to describe this book, and his review fit this book to a t. It took me 3 1/2 hours to go from front to back, reading each text and introduction, the brief stories contained, and taking in each breathtaking glimpse into a remarkable surrelistic world. This will be a very fine addition to my Giger books, Bezinski, and Barlowe's Inferno. Now all I can do is sit down with this book in front of me, re-read some classic HPL tales, and go to bed at night and let the nightmares begin. Simply fantastic.

I only accidentally stumbled upon this book not long prior to its publishing, but after half a second's consideration, placed my order at Amazon with quite the discount. Having read the works of HP Lovecraft since I was about 13, I simply could not resist this. Incidentally, my first book was "The Road to Madness", who's cover a teenage boy could not resist, a cover that I found in this book. Small world indeed. What can one say about this book? It includes literally hundreds of pages of supreme quality art, both black and white and in full colour inspired or related to the literary works of Lovecraft and to a certain degree his milieu. Some of the pieces are even spread over fold-out pages, and the binding and covers is of supreme quality. It just doesn't get any better than this. The book is about half a meter tall and I guess about 5 kg's, so don't expect to sit and hold this while you read it!

There are small introduction texts for all the artists; some perhaps a bit excessively long, but oh well. Having Stuart Gordon write an introduction is a complete miss, Lovecraft must be turning in his grave considering what Gordon has done to wreck Lovecraft's work in all his "great films". That being so, I found so much great art in this book, I enjoyed myself immensely in its company for hours on end, and it is certainly a prize item to show your friends and loved ones. Granted, making it fit in a normal bookshelf might be hard, but if you can cough up the money, I can hardly recommend this book enough. Annoyingly, it has a lot of spelling- and editing-errors, enough of them to almost make me take away a star, but it is in the end a book with paintings, so it doesn't really matter. Buy it before it is too late, if you have even the faintest interest in Lovecraft's work, a book of this quality is something we don't see often in our shady circles. I think my favourite ones in the book might be Les Edward's excellent Innsmouth-related paintings; wow! 5 stars plus!

I received my hardbound slipcased edition of this last week. Jerad and Co. have done an absolutley amazing job in compiling, editing and reproducing at the highest quality level years and years of Lovecraft-related images. I cannot really add much more to Matthew Carpenter's review - he really covered everything and excellently so. The old paperback covers he alluded to were the same for me - my introduction to Lovecraft - and I was very excited to see them here. This is a one of a kind publishing event well worth the seemingly heavy money, but as was stated my Matthew, in a few years you won't miss the money and you will have a fantastic gem of art and craft that will be irreplaceable. Congratulations to all involved in the production of this piece, may it have a long long life.

Like the others said before me, words will not convey the sheer volume and quality of this book. I can barely hold this book in my arms, much easier to look at and enjoy on a coffee table hah. Anyway, there is more wonderful Lovecraft-inspired art in this book than you could ever imagine. From the 1930's pulp comic art to current CGI enhanced portraits, this book has it all. It even has pictures of SOTA's Nightmares Of Lovecraft figurines that quickly went out-of-print last year! If the price of this book had been a grand, I would still have bought it. It is a one-of-a-kind item that Lovecraft fans will be talking about from here to oblivion. I can safely say that no Lovecraft fan's collection will be complete without this book. Simply amazing.

This book is a great escape from the everyday world of the ordinary into Mary's world of bright and cheerful whimsy. It's perfect for sitting back and nestling down because of its warm, friendly, and comfortable format. I will buy this for Christmas gifts.

Hi i just got this book last night as one of my graduation gifts from one of my many Aunts, she thought i would like it caues im planning on attending art school and she thought that this book would encourg me, and it has, even though i just got this book last night. I flip through the pages and i was so amazed at the drawings Mis.Engelbreit has created, she can take her own imagintion and child like expirence and make it come to life on paper.In this book It tells about her life and how she got started, It says that she started out drawing when she was 11 or younger and i belive it caues there is just to much passion in her work for it not to come from starting out in childhood. And her drawing are just mamerizing, I think every drawing she has ever made is in this one book. i mean you can look at this book for hours on end, i stayed up for hours last night just looking at the drawings alone. I think one of the reasons her art sells is becaues out of all the drawing that she has created someone can pick one and relate to it in one way or the other. This is the first book i own from her but it wont be the last. If you are looking for a sentamentle gift or just want a this wonderful book for yourself or LOVE Mary Engelbret's work and want to know about her and know how she got started then buy this book! It's worth every penny!!

This book was the first one of Mary's that I purchased and it made me want to have more of her wonderful volumes. When you are not feeling too great, this will cheer you up ... it has the ability to transport you back to your childhood and to happier, gentler times. The artwork is so beautiful and almost edible!

Want to know how Mary got her start? Want to see what she was drawing when she was just a kid? A fan of Mary's? This biography is THE book to get about Mary Engelbreit! Pictures, interesting content, and inspiring writing, this book is worth every penny and will not disappoint!

I bought this book because i was looking for inspiration for some illustrations for a children's book I am working on, and it worked! I've never bought or seen any of ME's other books, but this one is fabulous! I love reading about her home studio and her experiences trying to make a living off her illustrations. The characters she has created are fantastic! I recommend this to anyone who needs inspiration or who wants to have a lovely book to leave on the coffee table for people to flip through, it's colourful and sweet!

This book is a MUST have! The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, the words powerful. What a wonderful book to bring out season after season.

If you have ever heard the beautiful song, "Mary Did You Know?" then you can truely understand the excellence of this book. The illustrations are magnificant giving a young child more understanding to the words of the song. It also inspires us older people as well. I just shared this book with the members of my choir and am back here tonight ordering many of them a copy. It is an excellent book for this wonderful time of the year to be able to sit back and reflect rather than get caught up in all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Enjoy and God Bless.

This beautifully illustrated book is a keepsake item that the receiver will treasure for years to come. The story of Mary and Jesus' first hours together is so tender and meaningful to all who are familiar with this event. It's really hard to describe the impact this book has. It is a companion and expansion to the Christmas Song "Mary, Did You Know?", written by Mark Lowry.

The words to this Mark Lowry song are awesome enough, and, to add the beautiful pictures makes this book a must have. We have a continuous check out of this book from our church library, and will be purchasing it for our daughter's next birthday!

My kindergarten class did a Mass based on this book, they themselves had come up with very similar questions. Did Mary know everything? This book really makes one think, and such beautiful questions.

A Mirror Garden: A Memoir dispels the media's worn-out image of Iran as only about enriched uranium. Authors Farmanfarmaian and Houshmand create an image of Iran that envelops a complex country. Telling the story of Farmanfarmaian's life, they weave together images like a distinctive Persian rug or tapestry, filled with all the bright colors and some very dark ones that exemplify Farmanfarmaian's long life.

Farmanfarmaian begins by showing herself lying on blankets looking at the ceiling where "lines of gold and black traced nightingales and roses on wooden panels of cobalt blue, the color of the night sky," while she listened to her grandmother tell stories. Always aware of color and light, she leads the reader through the ups and downs of life to her emergence as an artist in a land where women were supposed to be confined to the home, cooking and cleaning for their families and raising their children.

Farmanfarmaian grows up amid wealth inherited from her grandfather who traded along the Silk Road. Although she lived a privileged life, she still experienced pain and struggle with the loss of two sisters, one who died from tuberculosis and the other from appendicitis.

Always relating through an artist's eye, she renders even her grief beautifully. Visiting her sister, Iran, dying with tuberculosis, Farmanfarmaian and her nephew, Bahram (her chaperone), ride their bicycles on weekends to visit Iran, "pumping uphill all the way but still pleasant through the dappled shade of the sycamores watered by rushing streams on each side of the road...Listening to the river, invisible a hundred meters below in the ravine, the rushing sound echoed in the windy rustle of leaves." Her sensuous words carry the reader along throughout the memoir.

After Iran died, Farmanfarmaian's grief was boundless. "At Abdolabad that summer, I haunted the two special rocks where Iran and I had sat so often. I remembered the silky feel of her hair as I wove it in braids. I remembered the nights we had sat there, the moonlight casting shadows on the rocks and washing the plains below...I sat on the rocks and cried, my tears drying in the wind with a tiny chill almost as fast as their trails could run down my face."

Schooling for girls in Iran seemed to lack seriousness as Farmanfarmaian remembers childhood pranks where she and her friends often had to stand long hours on one foot facing the wall for punishment while trying not to giggle.

In spite of her privilege, Farmanfarmaian maintains a self-effacing attitude untouched by arrogance. Even though affluent, she addresses the needs of the less fortunate, readily acknowledging that "I knew I wasn't going to solve the world's problems." After graduation, she emigrated to New York with her fiancé, and her brother, Hassan. A difficult marriage did not prevent her from pursuing her artistic interests, although she soon found herself abandoned in New York with her daughter, Nima.

Eventually she divorced and moved back to Iran and married Abol Farmanfarmaian, an oil dealer and engineer who became her champion and the love of her life. Her love for her country, Iran, shows as she begins acquiring relics from the Persian past that had been neglected or were about to be destroyed. The disruption after the 1979 revolution that deposed the monarchy forced the Farmanfarmaians to return to New York. The new bureaucracy confiscated Farmanfarmaian's home and her art.

In New York Farmanfarmaian continued making the "installations" she learned to create while living in Iran, mirror mosaics with tiny slivers of cut glass and mirrors, and paintings behind glass. After the death of her beloved Abol, she moved back to Iran to reclaim her art. Now in her eighties, she continues her art.

by Susan M. Andrus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I chose this book because my knowledge of this part of the world is so limited. Although I consider myself to be fairly enlightened and not influenced by stereotypes, I realized about 10 pages in that I hadn't conceived of the richness of a woman's life in Iran. Monir's life is a personal, cultural, political, artistic journey in which she rejects self pity and creates and sustains beauty around her. Very inspiring.

I loved this book. I felt as though Monir was speaking to me as an old and trusted friend, revealing secrets and intrigues without hesitation. I cried, too. The author's descriptions of places and objects were exquisite; I could see the artwork in my mind before seeing photos later in the book. I particularly enjoyed reading about Monir's interactions with her countrymen, her compassion and her persistence in a culture dominated by men. This is a fascinating view of an Iranian woman which is certainly different from what most Americans would imagine, a must-read for those of us who need a more balanced outlook into the culture. It piqued my curiosity to learn more about the history and politics of the country. The photographs and drawings contribute much to the experience; I found myself looking back at the glamorous "Day and Night" several times. Coincidentally, my 16-year-old daughter was reading the graphic novels Persepolis and Persepolis 2 at the same time, and we were able to share our observations. I hope to hear much more from Ms. Houshmand.

Such a beautiful story. I could not put it down until finished.
Although I've never been to Iran, I feel as though I have now. The imagery in this book is wonderful, as is the writing. Thank you Ms. Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian and Ms. Houshmand for sharing this with us.

This is a beautifully written biography capturing the life of an Iranian woman artist as she grows in confidence, from her childhood in Iran in the 20s, to her globe-hopping success today. The book captures the wonder of a child experiencing the colors and smells of her environment in Qazvin and picks ups pace as she moves to New York (crossing the Pacific during WWII). It describes her return to Iran and growth as an artist as she discovers, collects and preserves traditional arts, all the while evolving as an artist herself. For those familiar with "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by A Nafisi, the juxtaposition of the life of an adventurous and exceptional woman during the Shah's era is in striking contrast to that of Nafisi. Illustrations and photographs are sprinkled through the book - my favorite is of the giant nudes painted in a swimming pool. They give the reader wonderful examples of the influences on the artist and of her own art. The book fascinates as it provides a unique view into Iran before and after the revolution, from the perspective of a spirited and unorthodox woman finding her way in a unique society and emerging into her own as an artistic force.

I finished the Halstead book last night and it was more than I thought it would be. It is more than photos out of the past. There are stories. I remember all of the events (does that mean I'm old) and seeing the photographs. Halstead is a dedicated professional. Thanks for the memories (good & not so good). KJH June 25, 2007

Not long after I started reading the book I found it to be a lot more than a lifetime Photographer's experiences. It is a thinking and caring Photojournalist's eye witness insight to Historical events of the latter half of the 20th century.Dirck gives a romantic vieu of Saigon City with the range of honest emotions that war times generate. He also presents unique insights to the performances of past presidents that served while he was a White House photographer. Dirck does this with an eye for significant events through both word and pictures. The historical and artistic content of the pictures is a bonus.A rewarding read.

From Douglas Kirkland
This book is an incredible and riveting look at the some of the most important events from the last fifty years.
Not only is Dirck Halstead a great photojournalist but he is also a superb raconteur. There is a wonderful mix of war, politics, Hollywood and humanity which make this book difficult to put down once you've started reading it.
We recognize many of the iconic images but the words give an important dimension which adds still more to their meaning. Congratulations Dirck Halstead and thank you for bringing us this significant treasure.

THIS BOOK EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. IT WAS PORTRAYED AS TRUE LIFE-LIKE. I DID NOT WANT TO PUT THE BOOK DOWN. I TRULY FEEL LIKE I HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE HISTORY MAKING EVENTS ALONG SIDE MR. HALSTEAD. HE CERTAINLY PUT A LOT IN THIS BOOK. I THANK HIM FOR SHARING THE HIS OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE WORLD. AS MORE AND MORE AVID READERS DISCOVER AND READ THIS BOOK, A THIRST FOR THIS KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BE QUENCHED.

Over the course of a long airline flight, I picked up Halstead's book and found myself unable to put it down through three cross-country legs (even through the obligatory bit about putting everything away and raising tray tables... but I digress). Far more than the tale of a photographer's look through the lens over the course of several decades, this book provides insights, commentary and background to some of the most photographed events in the last half century... as well as the pictures themselves.
Exceptionally well written for a guy who is known for his reporting via a lens, Halstead's work is at times, funny, always intriguing and a thoroughly engrossing read.

Jonathan Santlofer has done it again! I read this book in two days because I just didn't want to do anything else but be involved in this wandering, interesting, smart story. At times I was on the edge of my seat. Santlofer has a wonderful crisp style that makes you feel he is just talking to you. No extra words. No long descriptions. Kudos for doing this again, Mr. Santlofer!

The author once again uses his excellent talents as a writer and artist to create a spell-binding novel. A series of murders followed by the suicide of the killer baffles the police task force headed by Nate Rodriguez' girlfriend, Detective Terri Russo. Nate, of course, is the sketch artist whose insights, surpassed only by those of his witch-like grandmother, enable him to create likenesses so good that evil-doers are instantly recognized.

In this plot, his drawings are essential to the conclusion, as is his stubbornness to dog every possible clue and angle. It seems the victims and their killers are veterans of the Gulf War, suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Meanwhile, Nate continues to labor under the belief that he was responsible for the death of his father, an undercover narcotics cop, 20 years before.

This well-researched novel provides all the chills of a 1984 intrigue. The combination of fluid writing and the artwork moves the reader forward at a breathtaking pace. The characters are portrayed sharply and realistically. The book is accompanied by an extensive bibliography on various topics germane to the story. Highly recommended.

This is the second book I have read by this author. Keep them coming!

The metropolitan area in which I live is blessed with a college of art and design that, over the past 20 or so years, has acquired a fine national reputation. Lately, business matters have taken me past the school frequently. I have noticed during the course of each trip that a number of students have been carrying ANATOMY OF FEAR by Jonathan Santlofer. It is not surprising; in that fine novel Santlofer performed a fascinating interweaving of art and dialogue, making the art an integral part of the story. He performs similar magic, arguably on an even greater scale, in his latest work of fiction, THE MURDER NOTEBOOK.

While this is a sequel to ANATOMY OF FEAR, one can read it without having any familiarity with its predecessor. Santlofer does a fine job of filling the new reader in with respect to what has gone before in the life of NYPD sketch artist Nate Rodriguez. His creation is possessed of an uncanny, almost supernatural ability to bring out the best in witnesses --- including, at one point, himself --- and bringing their observations to the page. Rodriguez is also a gifted facial constructionist, and as THE MURDER NOTEBOOK begins, he is tasked with attempting to recreate the face of an arson victim. He is quickly shifted to another task, however, as he is called upon to sketch the face of a suspect being sought in connection with a particularly brutal and apparently random murder. When another such killing occurs, followed by a spectacular suicide, Rodriguez senses a nexus among all of the deaths, even though he cannot identify it.

Terri Russo, Rodriguez's paramour and fellow police officer, is heading up the team to which Rodriguez is assigned. While she is behind his intuitive curve, she remains --- how shall I put this? --- skeptically open-minded about his hunches, slow to come around but willing to go with the flow at full throttle once she is convinced. The investigation and the sudden mysterious involvement of federal law enforcement put a strain on their relationship, even as it appears that Rodriguez himself is being targeted by whoever is ultimately behind the mayhem occurring on the streets of New York.

As the investigation resumes, Rodriguez has been continuing the facial reconstruction to which he was originally assigned on his own time at his own expense, little knowing that his work is the first step in resolving one of the major conflicts of his life. Yet both investigations pale when compared to what ultimately awaits Rodriguez, and the reader, at the conclusion of THE MURDER NOTEBOOK.

Santlofer's writing and plotting abilities have improved since ANATOMY OF FEAR --- a great read in its own right --- and are nicely counterpointed in THE MURDER NOTEBOOK by his artwork, which again advances the story and narrative. His sketches are stark and deceptively simple (no four-color plates here), but they are infused with a haunting realism that attracts the reader's attention and interest, even while they occasionally make one's skin quietly crawl. Upon completion of the book, I found myself going back and looking at the drawings more than once, particularly the author's renderings of the stages of Rodriguez's facial reconstruction models.

I would recommend that those students I mentioned --- and everyone else --- make room in their backpacks for THE MURDER NOTEBOOK.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Nate Rodriguez is a forensics sketch artist who works freelance. He is still dealing with the death of his father a few years ago. He and his mother don't have much to say to one another since that time. Deep down Nate feels guilty about the death.

Terri Russo is Nate's girlfriend. She works for a task force for one of the departments. As the leader of the task force, she has three men under her. Terri and Nate don't tell others they are a couple and try not to work together unless necessary.

Nate gets assigned a skull to recreate. It is a "John Doe," and they feel he may be the person to figure out whose skull it was. Terri is coming across people dead. She needs help with the case and hires Nate to help her. Nate is taken off working on the skull but now works on it in his free time. He and Terri are questioning people when another body turns up dead.

Nate's mom comes to town for a visit. He introduces Terri and they hit it off. Nate thinks this is finally his one shot to talk to his mom about his dad's death. Just when he gets the nerve he backs down. Mom leaves with the words still unspoken between the two of them.

They are not getting answers as quickly as they need them, so Nate takes to the streets to find answers. He finally finds what he's looking for. The only problem is getting the task force to see the clues for what they really mean.

With all the sketches and clues, Nate finally figures it out. Then when the skull is all done, a bell goes off in Nate's head. Now after all these years since his dad's death, there might be another break in that case as well.

I love how you see the sketches and the book tells you how to recreate a skull. The book is very interesting and keeps you turning the pages.

Armchair Interviews says: Another page-turner.