Themes Books

WHile this is a good book , "Goddesses DOn't Buy Green Bananas" does it better.

sometimes, the reconstruction goes well, the surgeon was kindly and skilled, and the women go on "to live fully"....what is missing everywhere i search, are the stories, the pictures, and the advice for women whose after-reconstruction stories aren't as graceful as what we find inside the covers of this book.....i wanted to write this review, as i am one of the unlucky women...one who suffers, and is fighting the medical and insurance establishments while in pain 24/7, and still waiting for my own healing after the nightmare of a drive-through bilateral mastectomy....i feel like any woman who sees this book should know there is another, darker side to this process....and very little assistance if things go wrong.

kathie larsyn M.Ed., M.C.

I was diagnosed this past May, at age 41, with breast cancer. I had a mastectomy and immediately began the reconstruction process of tissue expander and silicone implant. I saw this book in my reconstructive surgeon's office and it just floored me. The women presented are simply beautiful, and their joy leaps out of each photograph. I'm hoping someone gives me this book for Christmas (hint, hint).

As the interviewer and compiler of the text profiles in Reconstructing Aphrodite, I think often about the work I do and what kind of a difference it makes in the lives of others.
Last night, I attended a spiritual healing ceremony for a friend who was just diagnosed with breast cancer. A small group of us recited and sang prayers for healing, held hands in a circle, and watched our stricken friend gather hope, strength, optimism and faith from our shared energy and love.
The cancer is small, self contained and the prognosis for recovery good. But it's comforting to know that if my friend needs more inspiration and information, this book is available for her and the millions of other women who may need it in the future.

As a woman who has had breast cancer and is looking at bilateral reconstruction, I found "Reconstructing Aphrodite" to be a book of hope, life, and beauty. The beauty is not in reconstruction without scars but is in the very scars themselves, scars that speak of courage, determination and, above all else, the choice to live life to the fullest. The reflections accompanying each photo communicate the pain of living with cancer. But the stories do not stop with pain; they continue with love, laughter, celebration, joy and delight in bodies that have more to say now than when they were flawless. A truly exquisite book in all ways, one that I will share with many other women because it is so real. The scars are not airbrushed; the pain is not denied. I came away from this book uplifted and encouraged by the lived experience of my sisters on the journey with breast cancer. Forget "Playboy"; the women who have lasting beauty are the ones in this book.

WOW!!! What a group of luscious photographs from a man who obviously loved photography and the Kennedys, a great combination! As a portrait photographer I was impressed by the rich quality of the prints as well as the overall stories told with these photographs and I can only imagine what a 1st generation print would have looked like. Thanks to all who helped put this book together, but especially to his daughter Thomasina.

very interesting photos that I had never seen before. too many books on this family are filled with all the same photos. Nice to see some new ones.

The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 may have destroyed Jacques Lowe's negatives of the Kennedy family, but not the photographs or the brilliance evident in the camera capturing this shining light that once was Camelot. On the fortieth anniversary of the assassination, which is astutely, not for the first time, linked with September 11, 2001 as a turning point and a loss of innocence in our country's history, the magic of the Kennedys portrayed through Jacques Lowe's wise, perceptive lens makes us mourn for all we've lost.

Modern pundits and social critics might decry our fascination with the Kennedys, but their influence is felt strongly, especially now in Maria Shriver and hubby Ah-nold, a fierce Republican but a believer in the service to God and country that JFK practiced. You can't ignore Jack and Jackie keeping company with Premier Nikita Khrushchev, or Kennedy shaking hands with coal miners. Lowe's close-ups of the miners illuminate the dignity and strength of these men.

The Kennedys romp through a time of change in social, personal and political home movies. Particularly striking are the unguarded JFK moments, such as the photo of JFK thinking with a cigar (no Clinton jokes, please), or the sequence and closeup illustrating Kennedy's distress over hearing of Prime minister of Congo Patrice Lumumba's murder. We see the Kennedys, and they are us, with the added weight of John-John's salute. The intimacy lends more depth of history to this important, moving book.

What a surprise when I found this book.To think that after 40 years a refreshing new book on President Kennedy could still be published.All the photos were taken by Jacques Lowe,who was essentially the Kennedy family photographer.His photos show the personal and human side of Kennedy and the Kennedy family as well as the people who were close to the family.
Once JFK became President, things changed drastically,and we no longer saw the same kind of photos Lowe gave us.It is a shame that Lowe did not continue on as the family photographer and hence continue with the personal glimpses he gave us.This book also has many photos which were not previously published,which show the real emotions of the people involved.Also surprising is how good the text is that accompanies the photos.
Of the many Kennedy books I own or have seen,none is better or more personal and character revealing ,than this one.
One can only imagine what a treasure trove went up in smoke when all of Lowe's negatives were lost in the World Trade Towers destruction on 9/11.
This is a large,heavy,well printed and bound book using top quality paper;a little expensive,but worth every penny.

A real treasure of intimate photographs of the entire kennedy clan by the photographers who was granted access to them before jfk became president. this book is a treasure.

Raghubir Singh's River of Colour is a book that beautiful in many ways. Not only was he a very talented photographer, he also brings out a tremendous sense of patriotism with his book. His photographs capture the essence of Indian culture.

I was given this book (softcover edition) by a friend some years ago, and it has resonated with me as one of the finest compilations of documentary photography on India. Raghubir Singh's photograph captures moments in the lives of ordinary Indians, in a way that is without a doubt timeless. This book is a collection of his best works from his many years of photography in India and it's simply a marvel, especially for anyone who has a special interest in India or comes from India, who can really appreciate the imagery.

I hands down recommend this book to anyone and everyone and always show it off to friends. Try and get some of his other works as well - Bombay, The Grand Trunk Road, Kerala, Banares, Kashmir, if you can find them. You will be equally impressed.

Raghubir Singh was born in India and began his photography career in 1965 - but until this collection, very few of his works reached audiences outside the country. RIVER OF COLOUR: THE INDIA OF RAGHUBIR SINGH uses a wide-angle panoramic layout which will prove a shelving challenge to most art library collections - but a delight to any who seek fine display materials. It's the only retrospective of Singh's works and by choosing an elongated, oversized display format, the color photos of Indian topics come to life and nearly spring off the page. RIVER OF COLOUR is recommended not just for art photography libraries, but for any collection strong on India history or culture.

I first bought this book in its paperback edition... I was so taken by the photographs that on learning that Phaidon was re-releasing the book, I gave my pbk copy to an Indian friend of mine (who loves it, as it reminds him of home). Looking forward to the re-release of this book, I was eagerly looking for it to become available.

The re-release arrived just the other day. I can say that the photos are just as moving, heart-melting, and colorful as the original copy. HOWEVER, Amazon's "shrink-wraping process" ruined the cover of the book, and many of the pages of the book.

So, I paid full Amazon price for the book, but were I to try to re-sell it, it would be "damaged."

To say that I'm a little piss#d is an understatement.

It _is_ a beautiful book, with a wonderful overview of Singh's work - my favorites are the boys diving from the tops of submerged temples on a flooded Ganges, and a pic of a muscician from Tamil Nadu...

I just wish the condition of the book were better.

India is a difficult country to understand and even more difficult to explain, in words or pictures! Rughubir Singh has captured the chaos of India which take you right into the bylanes of Varanasi/Banaras. This is my favourite(infact the only picture book) gift to a lot of my western friends, most of whom have visited India before. The pictures are simply too powerful. If you have any facination for that land, you cant afford not to have a look at Mr. Singh's pictures.

Even if you don't live in the Southeast, this book will wow you with truly gorgeous photography. Highest recommendation from me!!

I saw the book over at a friend's house and started looking thru it...limited on time and cound not read much. The pictures are the first thing that caught my attention; so much nature and serenity. I couldn't help but come home and order the book thru amazon and have not been disappointed. It sits in my living room where I can pick it up and look thru it on a regular basis. The stories of their travels make you feel you are there with them. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who is into nature, the river or just down to earth living.

I ordered this book for research on a screenplay I'm writing about Atlanta. The detailed information was thorough, easy reading and quite useful. I wasn't really expecting the beautiful photographs, which also added a certain "atmosphere" to the screenplay as it developed. Makes a great coffee table book.

If you appreciate old fashioned values and true Americana, get this book. Truly unique and is capturing a part of our histroy that is being lost to development.

This book has won a Southern Books Competition Award of Merit in Book Design from the Southeastern Library Association. This award is given in recognition of the book's aesthetic appeal and design and for fine craftsmanship in its printing and binding. Congratulations to authors Joe Cook and Monica Cook, designer John Langston, printer Pacifica Communications, and the University of Alabama Press.

A very detailed book about the Stones. So many pictures. They don't come any better than this!I recommend it for all Rolling Stones Fans

I'm so happy with the great deal that I got on this book from Amazon.I also own the companion book on The Beatles which I purchased used,but this book was brand new and sealed in plastic and there were no remainder marks.Enough about the deal,now about the book itself-it is very thick and there are many fascinating photos,many of them in black & white just like The Beatles book.The Stones book definitely portrays them as being much darker than The Beatles,as it focusses on the more lurid aspects of their career and that's a shame because in spite of the drugs and the sex there really were a lot of bright moments in their career.Some of the photos of Mick Jagger are definitely not flattering and one wonders why they were published at all.I know that he's often not considered to be very attractive,but he obviously does have a sex appeal and thankfully there are better photos of him throughout the book.I didn't buy the book just to look at pictures of Mick Jagger.I bought it because I'm a huge fan of the group and I'm so glad that there was accompanying text and not just pictures.Two of the photos that stand out are The Stones on the same stage in Britain with none other than Tony Bennett(he was the compere at an awards ceremony and he also presented awards to The Beatles and a similar photo is shown in The Beatles:365 Days)and the very lovely Marianne Faithfull in lingerie.She was to The Stones(particularly Mick Jagger)what Patti Boyd was to The Beatles(likewise,George Harrison).The Beatles book features a nice photo of beautiful Patti,but unfortunately,it's not as provocative as Marianne's.Despite the book's focus on sensationalism,it really is an entertaining read and a worthwhile purchase.I recommend purchasing it with The Beatles:365 Days if,like me,you love both bands.Some people are fans of one group and not the other(it usually seems that more people prefer The Beatles),but they were both great and it's nice to see their careers commemorated in this way.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RA4RLLN7E0LRI This very thick picture book is much larger than I had expected for this low,low price.
It's packed with photos, lots that aren't that common .Some color,but mostly in black and white.
I am very happy with this purchase and it will take some time to go over all the pictures and the information about them.
Recommended for fans.

Need a present for that Rolling Stones fan in your life? Then look no further as this book should fill the bill quite nicely. With about 460 pictures, this collection will satisfy even the most jaded Stones fanatic. Why? Because the bulk of these photos are from the 1963-1969 era (1-203) with the 1970-1979 decade (204-296) being fairly represented and the 1980-2006 years (297-365) breezed through at the end. With the majority of these shots never having been seen before, you'll get more enjoyment out of this book then those other ones that are filled with rehashed stories and sprinkled with stock concert and album pictures. Add to this a quick note about each photo and a pertinent quote and you've got yourself a gift that's sure to please. Of course, you could just do what I did and buy it for yourself. While the Rolling Stones still haven't gathered any moss, they certainly are gathering more shelf space.

This is a fantastic book for fans and, at this bargain price, it is a steal. There are 365 mostly black and white photos from the beginning up to last year and many of them I have never seen, and I have plenty of Stones' coffee table books already. The text describes the photo and gives a bit of a plot line about the time the photo was shot and there are plenty of quotes from the fellows and others to underscore things nicely. My one request would've been some Exile recording session shots, but that's simply being greedy and I won't let my greed drop a star off of this otherwise excellent purchase. If you don't own it, do yourself or a loved one who is into the band a favor and buy it.

I visited the Salton Sea to photograph birds and found it impossible to describe, telling friends they had to go there themselves to experience the place and the people. Now I tell them to read this book. From the creation of the Sea to the creation of Salvation Mountain, deBuys tells it's colorful history in a prose that fills you with the sounds and smells and people of the Sea and Imperial Valley. Anyone with an interest in man's unlimited folly, vision, corruption, and the coming environmental train-wreck in southern California needs to read this book.

*Winner of the 2000 Norris and Carol Hundley Award from The Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association.

*Winner of the 1999 Western States Book Award for Creative Non-Fiction. *Winner of the 1999 Clements Prize for the Best Non-Fiction Book on Southwestern America.

Bravo! Salt Dreams is the first of its kind to wrap up all of the issues surrounding the Salton Sea and Colorado River delta in one volume. The best since Cadillac Desert in its cinematic portrayal of a complicated host of issues. Awesome writing on the heroism of US Fish and Wildlife staff. My only criticism is that Congressman George Brown is slighted; Sonny Bono often called him "Mr. Salton Sea". Certainly, a book Mr. Brown would have loved.

Superlative read revealing the vast natural beauty of the desert and its inhabitants and man's irreversable errors in judging it as a fallen Eden. Together with Cadillac Desert it ranks as a southwest water classic. Beautiful writing and stunning photographs.

Lahr's book is a real treat. Not only are there dozens of full page reproductions of some of the most famous art works containing images of Mary Magdalene, the text itself is well written and, for the most part, historically correct. Then there are the occasional gems - an 11th century mosaic portraying Mary and the angel more like aliens. Moreover, Lahr offers large selections of text from just about every major document dealing with Mary Magdalene, from the 1st century through the 20th century.

One criticism of this extremely valuable book is that a lot of the artistic analysis seems to be based on Lahr's own impressions, rather than giving us the painter's perspective. While Lahr's opinion is obviously of interest, I'd also like to know what the artists' intentions were.

Another shortcoming is that there are many paintings of Magdalene that are not covered (I'm thinking, for example, of Rosetti's 1877 stunning portrait of the curly haired woman, or Da Vinci's sketches, or his very sexual Mary with breasts exposed). Instead, she has many paintings that do not include Mary, but focus instead on Jesus or the disciples. While this makes for a well rounded book, the title suggests that we'll focus on Mary.

Another problem is that Lahr sometimes gives us a painting with no explanation, and often it's difficult to understand what's going on and to distinguish Mary Magdalene from the other characters. This problem happens, for example, in Ruben's "Resurrection of Lazarus."

None of these minor criticisms should stop any serious student of Mary Magdalene from buying this book. It is a one-of-a-kind and very well done.

Mary Magdalene rules! I had no idea she is told in so many different stories-not only in the canonical gospels, the apocrypha, but also in poetry, stories, and songs. You don't need to look to the traditional bible to find her-she is everywhere. And these writers and poets knew this; all these years, all these centuries, they all knew. Her story is told everywhere. The church tried to suppress her and keep her hidden-in your dreams, jerks! The Magdalene was never quiet, nor will she ever keep quiet. Long may the Magdalene reign!

In accepting Jane Lahr's invitation to time travel through centuries of artists and writers whose attention to Mary Magdalene illuminates profound truths, this is a transforming read, a moment in which to reflect on beauty and truth and really what it is that we do need to know in life. Exquisitely rendered by Lahr's finely tuned sensibility and scholarship, this book is a blessing and a great gift.

A beautifully illustrated work of original scholarship, Searching For Mary Magdalene: A Journey Through Art And Literature by author and editor Jane Lahr is an in-depth and comprehensive detailing of the modern and historical history of the enigmatic Mary Magdalene as reflected through the literature and art of the last two millennia. Introducing readers to a collective survey study drawn from historical writers, philosophers, artists, and scholars, Searching For Mary Magdalene accessibly presents a concise and intricate descriptive analysis of Magdalene based upon the many known resources. Searching For Mary Magdalene is very highly recommended to non-specialist general readers with an interest in a life and history of Mary Magdalene.

A beautifully illustrated work of original scholarship, Searching For Mary Magdalene: A Journey Through Art And Literature by author and editor Jane Lahr is an in-depth and comprehensive detailing of the modern and historical history of the enigmatic Mary Magdalene as reflected through the literature and art of the last two millennia. Introducing readers to a collective survey study drawn from historical writers, philosophers, artists, and scholars, Searching For Mary Magdalene accessibly presents a concise and intricate descriptive analysis of Magdalene based upon the many known resources. Searching For Mary Magdalene is very highly recommended to non-specialist general readers with an interest in a life and history of Mary Magdalene.

When it comes to my kitchen calendar, I usually get stuck with whatever somebody gave me (my mechanic offered me one this year, I was SO GLAD to be able to tell him I already had one), or if I can, I go for some landscapes, but I saw the Secret Garden Calendar and it just seemed so lovely and soothing and happy, that I intend to enjoy it this year and not ever be stuck with a calendar from the drycleaners ever again. I wanted images that would bring enjoyment to my day, and this certainly is a good step in that direction.

I search for this calendar every year because of the beauty of each of the gardens profiled through out the year. The photos bring back many happy memories of the picturesque places that I have traveled to over the years.

The calendar is as pretty as was advertised. I love looking at the pictures. I look forward to each new month.

I had the 2006 Secret Garden calendar, and it hooked me good. The 2007 edition is, if anything, even better than before. It's the only calendar art I've ever seen that I'd love to just crawl into and live there.

I gave this calendar as a Christmas present to a coworker and everyone who passes by literally stops to go through each picture one by one. They think it is beautiful.

This was purchased as a gift for a friend that LOVES shoes. She absolutely loves it! She keeps it on her desk and every morning changes the date and has fun with her husband deciding if the shoe is her or someone they know. If you're thinking of buying this for someone, don't hesitate, they'll love it!

I enjoy seeing the shoes of the past and present. Some of them I have purchased during a shoe relapse. It is pleasure at its best. I would highly recommend this calendar for any shoe addict.

My wife refuses to believe it's Christmas until she sees her Shoes Page-A-Day Gallery calendar !!

This calendar is so fun, hip, and feminine! The photos of these shoes are like Lays Potato chips -- you can't look at just one -- you want to look through the entire calendar every day. I plan to buy the 2009 version!

My 81-year-old surrogate mother loves the shoe calendars so much that she keeps and displays them all, no matter what the year, changing the date on each of them every day. She was really upset when a leak in the ceiling ruined one. I will continue my Christmas tradition of the Shoe New Year and purchase the latest edition. I'm a shoe freak, too.

I use this book frequently, especially when studying art books of Christian art as well as during a recent Bible study of the Book of Exodus. This was an invaluable guide to the symbolism used in art and the various meanings. For example, when studying the symbolic meaning of the priests robes of the Old Testament, the meaning of the pomegranate for the OT and NT is significant. In the OT, the pomegranate stood for the 613 Mosaic laws (the pomegranate was thought to contain 613 seeds). In the NT, the pomegranate is the symbol for the resurrection of Christ. The Hebrews believed following the law led them to God. For the Christian, belief in Jesus' death and resurrection leads to God! Enjoy this read.

When I bought this book, I needed a quick and dirty reference to religious symbolism in western art--I was pleased and surprised to find out that it's small, lightweight, and therefore portable when I visit museums. (Why don't more publishers consider weight and size when they print books for travelers? Lonely Planet and DK, I'm looking at you.)

Its easy size belies the incredible amount of useful information it contains; there are fourteen sections covering everything from the significance of certain animals to religious garments to a brief hagiography for commonly portrayed saints. About one-third of the book is a set of reproductions (sadly b&w in this edition) of famous renaissance religious paintings. There's no discussion or explanation accompanying the paintings--which is the only thing I don't like about the book.

And if you read one of the earlier reviews and are wondering about the chocolate mouse in Rosemary's Baby, it's a reference to mice as a symbol of evil because of their destructiveness.

Although not encyclopaedic, this book, first published in 1954, is indispensable to the art history, religious art, iconographic, and religious lives student. The essays are of significant depth without excessive volume, and the illustrations, although of a limited period (Medieval through Renaissance), are pungent enough from which to learn. Two limitation I will remark:
There are no representations from Eastern- or Byzantine- iconography.
The illustrations are all black and white.

I study Art history, and christian art. This book primarily focuses in on Renaissance paintings and thier symbols. I found it to be useful and detail orientated. A very good reference book.

If you are an art history student, this book is an absolute must. While there are many books that contradict one another when it comes to symbolism, this book is one that commonly agrees with others I have read or consulted.
For as inexpensive as this book is, you cannot afford NOT to get this book!