Galleries Books

"This collection of thirty postcard reproductions of the paintings of Mark Rothko traces his development from the figure painting of his youth to the large-scale paintings that made him one of the best-known exponents of Colorfield Painting in the United States during the 1950s."--Strand Bookstore

This is a great introduction to the works of Mark Rothko. The reproductions of his work are very interesting. There is some background information on Rothko and some essays from other artists.

I got to flip through this book thanks to my art teacher, who brought it to my seminar on traditional Chinese art, and had it passed around among the students. When my turn came, I simply sat spellbound for about 20 minutes, forgotten about the class, forgotten about everything excelt the amazing paintings that unveiled themselves before me. Unquestionably, Bada Shanren is one of the greatest artists that ever lived; moreover, his paintings simply do not age - I've asked many people, and most of them, even those who were familiar with Asian art, put Bada's paintings in the 20th century, in this way he's even superior to the great masters of the Renaissance.

This book is an excellent catalogue of Bada Shanren's works, one that does the godlike skill of the artist justice. The reproduction quality is uniformly excellent, and the accompanying text is a very informed and interesting analysis of the works.

If you're going to buy one art book, this should be it... if you can find or afford it, that is!

Exhibit catalog with brilliant and interesting text about an enigmatic artist, of noble lineage with a style which appears contempoary but of it's time. A wonderful experience.

This book is one of the best books done on Maya art. Hundreds of well-done photographs. Looking at the photos in this book was the first time that it finally sunk in that Maya art is on par with the art of any of what is considered the "best" art from around the world. The articles interspersed with the art are interesting too. Well worth the money.

This important, lavishly produced book will more than satisfy all, including scholars, students and collectors, as well as the casual reader. The highly descriptive/photographic catalog of the comprehensive '98-'99 Palazzo Grassi exhibition (514 artifacts listed on 142 pages of 696 total) is worth the price by itself. The photography is absolutely superb, making this a fun book to just browse through. With more than 20 scholarly articles covering all aspects of the most current knowledge on the MAYA, this is the definitive "Must Have" book on this most amazing culture. Easily worth double or triple Amazon's price.

[NOTE: If you haven't seen The 9th Gate & plan to, you might want to read this review later. I give away the ending here & don't want to spoil your 9th Gate experience.]

It's not often I can again be like a child who has found a bright, shinny treasure, who is so excited with the find, by the act of its discovery, that he wants to run about, proudly showing the treasure to everybody crying, "Look at this, look at this, look at this!"

The shinny treasure is, of course, MERCURIUS The Marriage of Heaven & Earth by Patrick Harpur.

I first became acquainted with Harpur's work while reviewing his book DAIMONIC REALITY, a sort of light hearted examination of the inner psychic forces giving birth to such wonders as UFO's, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, pixies, fairies and Visions of the Virgin Mary. MERCURIUS is very different. It's a metaphysical novel, a serious work, but still very acessible. It crosses borders & surmonts barriers. It fuses time & cultures as a revelation of inner histories.

MERCURIUS is magnificent.

On one level it is a novel that intertwines the lives & different times of Smith, a 1950's Church of England cleric (who when off duty dabbles in the pursuit of alchemy and the Great Work) and Eileen who discovers Smith's secret when she moves into his house at a later time.

On another level the novel is a sort of modern treatise on alchemy and the Great Work.

So what's the Great work?

Well, if you're totally unfamiliar with the metaphysical implications of the term, MERCURIUS will let you learn all about it within the framework of an enjoyable reading experience. If, like me, you thought you pretty much knew all about The Work--you may also discover that there may be a lot more to it. The really amazing thing about this book is how the text effortlessly weaves alchemical facts into a "great work" modern fiction.

For people who saw THE NINTH GATE, the Great Work is also at the core of that drama, but while it's close--it's not exactly the same thing.

Pursuing the Great Work is a solitary devotion, it has been known to drive people mad. The great Swedish playwright August Strindberg (1849-1912) is said to have severely burned his hands attempting the Work. In THE NINTH GATE the antagonist who has stolen & killed for the sake of the Work immolates himself while trying to perform it. Johnny Depp, however, discovers the secret & disappears into the dawning light--after also having sex with Lucifer in the form of a beautiful woman.

Patrick Harpur provides notes on each chapter at the end of the book, and the notes themselves are highly informative, based on extensive scholarly investigation. In fact, they're so good that I would find myself looking up a single item, but then another fascinating note would catch my eye & I found myself just reading all the notes for the chapter first.

An alchemical process heads each chapter: Calcination, Solution, Separation, Conjunction, Congelation, Sublimation & Projection. Each chapter also displays its own great alchemical woodcut. These images are very much like those featured in the Ritual Book of THE NINTH GATE--a work apparently devised by Lucifer himself.)

Returning attention to the purely fictional aspects of MERCURIUS, you may think that the metaphysical element might give an over all mystical feel to the book, but actually it makes the physical more vivid, even more real. The literal & psychological/daimonic meet in a creative expression of unified awareness. It took me about 20 pages to "get it" and from that point on I could relax & enjoy the trip--or I could just read the notes & get pleasantly educated, not only on the history of alchemy, but also the author's views on Carl Jung & other philosophical interests. Harpur's interpretations of Jung are particularly insightful & helpful.

A chapter later, I felt that I reached yet "another level" of understanding based on the storyline & text. This process--dare I say "initiation"--continued throughout. This may have been intentional on the author's part, maybe not. You can't completely pin Harpur down, he does not intrude in his own story. I'll say this: MERCURIUS is no lightweight, New Age, fantasy fluff. It is a serious, mature work demonstrating the skill of a brilliant writer & metaphysical investigator.

The reader who hasn't explored previous works by Harpur, might benefit by reading DAIMONIC REALITY: A Field Guide to the Otherworld, and definitely check out PHILOSOPHERS' SECRET FIRE: A History of the Imagination.

NOTE: I plan to post more on The Great Work, and in my research "discovered" the remarkable film Pi (listed on the list below.) This is a MUST SEE for people working on The Work. Pi is an absolutely fantastic movie operating on many levels--including Kaballah, atsro-physics, numerology, theory of everything, unified field theory,etc.

Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld
The Ninth Gate
The Book of Secrets
Plays By August Strindberg: The Dream Play - The Link - The Dance Of Death
Man and His Symbols
Modern Man in Search of a Soul (Harvest Book)
Mysterium conjunctionis, tome 2
Pi

Alchemy is a very difficult subject to weave into a novel while maintaining the page turning suspense that keeps a reader rivoted to the book. Harpur has managed to do just this - he has created a novel and an historical treatise - added a wealth of alchemical information - a hefty dash of psychology - a pinch of prose and a good deal of interesting speculative philosophy. The result is an enjoyable, highly readable and educational novel that will leave you wondering long after you have finished the book.

The story is basically written by two people, with an introduction by a third. John Smith is the village vicar - attempting the Great Work of creating the alchemical Philosophers' Stone in the basement of the vicarage. Predictably, the village inhabitants are very suspicious of his activities, and one by one, members of his congregation drift away. Pandemonium ensues as his young housekeeper becomes pregnant - his friend and local glassblower, Robert, suffers the torturous pangs of impossible love, and day by day Smith becomes more obssessed with his alchemical quest.

The obssession continues years later, when Eileen, a young lady now living in the vicarage, discovers some alchemical manuscripts hidden in the water-logged cellar. The narrative volleys between Smith and Eileen as they attempt to put their experiences into words. Harpur has very eloquently woven a tapestry in which the strivings of the Work are reflected in the chaotic lives of Eileen and Smith and all the people involved with them.

I was surprised and enchanted to discover that often Harpur was able to articulate many of my own deep 'unthinkable' thoughts - a magic Jungian touch that makes the reader feel very much a part of the story and the outcome.

The references to various alchemists throughout the novel are greatly expanded upon in notes at the end of the book - an interesting treat to finish off with. Highly recommended.

I took the time to review this book because I feel strongly that it contains excellent photographs which deserve a wider audience. Michael Smith is one of the best living photographers and a national treasure of the US. He is known well in the photographic community but remains fairly obscure outside this group. I recommend this book to anyone interested in excellent photography.

Michael A. Smith has traveled many miles photographing the land, the cities, and the people across America, and is possibly the greatest photographer of our time. Not only is his subject matter interesting, every picture in this publication reveals his mastery of seeing, composition, and print quality. An excellent book.

This is the first Fathers' Day gift that my husband has showed off to his friends. The photos are excellent.

As I find out today, the late Mr. Richard Stankiewicz was my great great uncle. Many would say that this is a distant relationship, and seeing as I have never met the man I would have to agree, but I believe this book to be a great inspiration for all artists. My grandmother tells me stories her experiences with Richard and how he turned a pile of scrap in the yard into a beautiful design. Many see this art as trash or just pieces of metal put together, but you have to look deeper into the soul of the art, and I think this book does a beautiful job at giving you a look into the soul of this great artist so you can see it from his eyes.

I ordered the copy of Monets house and inadvertently entered the wrong address. The shipper kept me updated and sent me the book as soon as the post office returned it to them. I was very impressed with the service of the bookseller.

The impressionist master,Monet's home represents a palette of vibrant color harmonies, and light fused into a radiant home of personal warmth and beauty. A perfect setting for the lush gardens flourishing outside. A full view of the rooms, that made Monet's house truly an artists abode with its elegant, yet simple furnishings.

I just came from seeing this adaptation performed in a spectacular production at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery. The great Irish playwright Brian Friel has infused the text with wonderful, ironic humor. The language plays elegantly, but with a nice contemporary bite. If you love Chekhov, you'll love this version.

During 1 month in 1840s Russia, Natalya, a well-to-do 29-year-old married woman, has an infatuation for Belyayev, her son's tutor. However, he only sees Natalya as an "older woman" and his employer. Vera, Natalya's 17-year-old ward, also is interested in Belyayev, but he doesn't want to get involved with her either. Rakitin, Natalya's male friend and confidante, wants more than just friendship from her and is jealous of Belyayev. Bolshintov, a 40-year-old neighbor, makes an offer of marriage to Vera, an idea that she finds ridiculous. Obviously, with this set-up, many needs and desires are unmet and frustrations abound. This is a great play about human relationships, with the action being more psychological than physical. As a masterpiece with a timeless theme, I highly recommend it.

This is a high quality guidebook from respected company Moon Handbooks. I love the smaller format, medium-small type, and thin pages, so when you tote this along, it is very lightweight. It's also very durable for a paperback--it's meant to be carried around in your backpack during your journeys.

This covers just the island of Oahu, which is home to Waikiki and Honolulu. It's broken up into chapters on the land, the ecology, the history, arts & music, sporting & recreation, and so on. All of this makes great plane ride reading. The bulk of the book is a geographically-divided tour around the island, listing beaches, attractions, accomodations, food & drink, etc. I used this to get around Waikiki and found all the info to be up to date and very useful.

This book contains a lot of information about the island and its many beaches.

I bought this book from AAA before my first visit to Hawaii. What really surprised me about this book was how the first few chapters were about the Land, Flora&Fauna, History, Government & Economy, and People of the island. From these pages I learned more about the island and its people than your average Hawaiian sun-worshipping tourist.

The book also offers lots of ideas and information for Sports & Entertainment, Shopping, Food and Drinks. Each different area of the island is detailed with a map and minute details about the beaches.

The book lacks the colorful touristy postcard pictures but makes up for it through the sheer amount of information (and good organization) for everyone, be they young or old, jocks or bums, artists or history-buffs, food-connoisseurs or Hawaiian-drink enthusiasts.

Overall a great buy, and will use it on all future trips to O'ahu.

NOTE: This book covers O'ahu island exclusively (and not any of the other 6 Hawaiian islands). There is information on how to reach the other islands though, but nothing beyond that.

More Beautiful Purses is considered by most serious purse collectors to be the "Bible" of purse collecting. Ms. Haertig does an outstanding job of taking us through the history of purses, the process of constructing all different types of purses, different styles of purses, purse frames, beads and so, so much more. Her book is augmented by some of the most unique and gorgeous purses ever to be seen. If anyone is a serious purse collector or even interested in this fabulous lost art, this is definitely the first book you should buy.

More Beautiful Purses is the definitive reference source for both the purse collector and browser who longs for indepth information. Evelyn Haertig
combined years of research and personal passion to write this comprehensive
and knowledgable resource book. The photographs used are beautifully
portrayed. This book is more than a casual read; it combines extensive
knowledge with beautiful images that can serve both as a reference source and a coffee table masterpiece. It is well worth the price!