Themes Books

I absolutely love coffee-table books that are nude-male themed, and this offering by Adam Raphael is worthy of any, and perhaps all coffee-tables. The photos are lyrical, the men magnificent.

Few photographers have the ability to capture the playful innocence of young men; Adam Raphael is one of these few. His artful photographic style brilliantly showcases the beauty, eroticism, and perfection of the sculpted male form. His ability to seize this is a testimony to his talent. Every photo has a spontaneous quality, and those in black and white (ie, the majority) also convey timelessness. From the first photo to the last, I was absolutely enthralled by the natural mesmerising qualities of the models' sheer good looks. This is a photobook full of youthful Adonises. It is indoubtedly one of the best photobooks I have that celebrates the adolescent male form.

For those connoisseurs of fine photography who happened upon the refreshing work of Adam Raphael in his successful debut monograph FRIENDS, this new collection appropriately entitled FRIENDS & BROTHERS will come as no surprise. Raphael's vision of the male form differs from those of better-known photographers: he is more concerned with the vitality and natural beauty of his models than he is in creating dramatic, titillating portraits. And as a result his images capture more of the essence of youth, of the radiance of the young males at their most fit moment in life, that elusive but eloquent Walt Whitman Presence.

Working with primarily non- (or pre-!) professional models, Raphael avoids the practiced pose, opting for the transient moment of interaction both between groups of beautiful young men and between individuals and the photographer. At times he captures technical virtuosity as in #83 Sven Florida where the whiteness of the undershirt appears almost otherworldly against the more natural tonality of flesh and leather ball. In the opening portfolio #2 - 5 Brian & Gerard Florida, two men are at play on the beach in a captivating progressive motion of game that echoes Muybridge pioneering studies that have influenced artists for the past century. In #21 - 26 Justin, Sven & Curtis Florida and in # 61 - 63 Buddy & Paul Florida the joys and tenderness of male bonding is fresh and robust and never cloyingly sentimental. And as for sensual celebration of masculinity the closing portfolio of John New York is about as fine as it gets.

Adam Raphael grows as an artist with each book and each exhibition: FRIENDS & BROTHERS is satisfying on every level for the ever-growing wide audience for appreciation of the fleeting joys of the male form at its zenith.

Grady Harp

I absolutely adored this book. The beauty of the men and how Adam Raphael captures them is brilliant. I had a hard time getting past the cover! SVEN is the EPITOME of the well sculpted and beautiful specimens that Raphael is able to photograph. I will always treasure this book.

Touching and tender, and beautifully designed, what a dedicated display of youth this book is. It is a world of good-looking, sensual, yet innocent young men that Adam Raphael seems to capture in all of his photography. Where does he find all of these hot looking young guys? I am really impressed. It is a tribute to these young men that he immortalized them at the peak of their beauty and fleeting youth, a time that will not last forever. Ask any former model for the proof. It is also to these young guys's credit that they worked with a talented professional photographer like Adam Raphael to frame their beauty forever.


Following Adam's first book, "Friends", this is a welcome addition and new collection that includes more "Friends" and now "Brothers too." The sepia toned, color, and black and white images are printed on sepia colored backgrounds and are beautifully photographed displaying these handsome young men wrestling, playing ball, enjoying a day the beach, and just having a good time. Adam has accomplished what he set out to do (be sure to read his foreword) capturing the innocence and beauty of these masculine & handsome young men at the peak of their athletic ability. What is intriguing about these photos is the playfulness of these young guys, who are naturally photogenic as they peel off their shirts to expose all the hard work they done in staying in shape, and improving their bodies.


Adam is a gifted photographer and each book he publishes seems to get better and bigger. This book belongs in every serious collector's library, and in the hands of everyone who appreciates excellent photography and youthful beauty. A stunning achievement!

If you are looking for a book that does it all, this is it. Each page is a wonderfully modern treatment of the wildlife and artistic essence of unspoiled Africa. Beautiful collections of drawings, and sketches using photographs of field notes really sets off the wonderful format of the book. The artwork is breathtaking and the paintings will make your heart stir with the desire to be in Africa yourself. This is the next best thing.

Africa: An Artist's Journal comes from Kim Donaldson, a renowned wildlife artist who grew up in Zimbabwe on a ranch. His lifelong passion for capturing wildlife in art lends to a journal that covers the wildlife, culture, and history of Africa as a whole. A highly recommended pick for any interested in wildlife art.

This book is for anyone who loves Africa, wildlife and or artwork. It has pages and excerpts from his field sketchbooks, drawings, sketches and paintings. The artwork is exquisite. What makes it a must have is that you also get a well written brief history/description of the countries, the national parks, animals and people residing in each region interposed with Kim Donalson's personal experiences. It makes you feel like you have been there.

For anyone who has been on safari or only dreamed of going, for animal lovers everywhere, and for those who love Africa or want to know more about the continent, this is an extraordinary guide. What I loved was the quality of the art (virtually photographic), but with a translucence and depth that photographs cannot match coupled with the insiders commentary that is incredibly humble, given the authors obvious knowledge of the subject. One of the finest African wildlife books ever and a definitive addition to my collection. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

The Strand Book Stall at Bangalore was having its yearly sale in DEC.2003. I was out there browsing when I ran into this gorgeous elephant on the cover of this book. I get this feeling about books and knew I had to buy this one - it reminded me of the book by Ernest Thompson Seton that I read way back in 1986. It set me back by INR 1,615, but what the heck; the "Lions of the Serengeti" on pp. 12-13 itself recovered the cost of the "investment"!

The more I go through this book, the more I am amazed. Somehow, Kim Donaldson has come out with a masterpiece on Nature in Africa in all its glory and has been able to capture the many animals and their many moods in their natural habitat in a style that makes you feel that you have "walked the walk and experienced the silence" of Africa. Here's Kim's idea of a painting: "The way I decide the worth of a painting of Africa is by the feeling it evokes - whether it makes me homesick."

There are real gems right through the book. Tucked away at the top of the painting titled Grevy's zebra on pp. 154-155 is this African song of praise to the zebra:
~~~~~
You, who are night & day in one body
You, who are dark & light in one form
You, who are good & evil in one shape
Animal of two colors, animal of perfect harmony.
~~~~~

I browse this book at the junction points of a day: dawn and dusk. It reminds me of Sri Ramakrishna's observation that Nature is a majestic expression of divinity. It also reminded me of a particular verse in the Bhagavad Gita. So I hunted for the same in the copy of the Bhagavad Gita that I have, which is a translation by Barbara Stoler Miller (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553213652/104-8977925-4483157).

After some searching, I found the verse:
~~~~~
Deluded men despise me
in the human form I have assumed,
ignorant of my higher existence
as the great lord of creatures.
~~~~~

Imagine my shock when I noticed that the number of the verse was 9.11 (Chapter 9, Verse 11)!

What a wonderful idea for a book!
The brothers Jodha have excelled themselves...this is a thoughtfully conceived, well-shot, well-written and nicely presented books.
It makes one think...

After visiting South India (Dec. 03 - Feb. 04) and buying a lot of books about country, politics, demographics and landscapes, I looked for something that represents India as a whole. "Ageless Mind" is an excellent in-depth mirror of the Indian society in all its dimensions. Not so much the photos but the texts-interviews of the people are unveiling Indias magnitude and tragedy.
Highly recommended for some who would like to understand the dynamics and roots of "future coming world power".

I have recently picked up this book and read it only in bits and pieces but I must say that I am enjoying it immensely. I am not much of an expert on photography and can't speak about the technical aspects of this book but I must say that the photos with matching oral histories make this one a really absorbing affair. Some of the stories are quite hilarious, such as a patriarch who is bit of a tyrant as well an expert on time pieces, having written many books on the subject including a dictionary! He has got his own wife, his sons and their wives, and the grandchildren into this subject and so you have this extended family living with an unbelievable collection of watches and clocks. There are clock fashioned inside a banjo and a guitar, and there are these five-foot high, giant alarm clocks. It is also a very fascinating insight into the whole extended family system that you find less and less in neighborhoods today. The old patriarch says that nobody grudges the watches and clocks taking away all the space in their small flat because this was the condition "I put before my own marriage and then before the marriage of my two sons." So you have this photo of this eight-member family living in this one room tenement with these 2000 watches and clocks.

Photography on serious themes like homelessness, HIV, old age homes are always being done in that grabbing shots/reportage style which work very well in a newspaper context but don't have the same effect when put out in the form of a book. This book however goes in the other direction, taking the large format environmental portrait route more common to celebrity portraiture. More importantly, both in terms of the pictures and the narrations accompanying them, it addresses its theme with a lot of thought and patience. Just as well, since the book deals with the theme of ageing. Although, it has its share of celebrities, I could recognize only one - Pandit Ravi Shankar the famous sitar player, what makes it more interesting and valuable is its focus on the unknown, the forgotten or those who are simply down and out.

In another important change from the work done with such people and such environments, this one lets the people do the talking for a change, even when they don't seem to take very kindly to the book's writer or photographer. In the process this book highlights a world that even when far removed from ours, has human connections and concerns that are universal. The optimism, as one lady in this book puts it, "the years are like sugar in your tea cup. The last sip is sweetest," or the pessimism, as a traditional toy maker puts it, "what is a long life worth for those with limited means?" Then there are characters with their own peculiarities, a 100-year old soldier who thinks his teeth are coming back or a Chinese newspaper publisher, (that India also has a Chinese population was a revelation), who feels that the motto of the young is, "go for the cupboard keys first, then just say bye-bye."

The most inspiring person I came across among the 130 in this book was an eye surgeon who has been going around to really far removed places that have no hospitals and treating people for free. He has done more surgeries than anybody else in the world and has been at it for last 50 odd years. To me he seemed to be like Dr. Sheiwitzer who spent all those years in Africa and was immortalized in Eugene Smith's photo essays for LIFE magazine. But unlike the missionary-doctor this one wears his achievements lightly and says, "I am just an ordinary man and will serve as God wants me to. My instruments are my prayer and the operating room is my temple. My work has therefore been my pilgrimage."

Photography on serious themes like homelessness, HIV, old age homes are always being done in that grabbing shots/reportage style which work very well in a newspaper context but don't have the same effect when put out in the form of a book. This book however goes in the other direction, taking the large format environmental portrait route more common to celebrity portraiture. More importantly, both in terms of the pictures and the narrations accompanying them, it addresses its theme with a lot of thought and patience. Just as well, since the book deals with the theme of ageing. Although, it has its share of celebrities, I could recognize only one - Pandit Ravi Shankar the famous sitar player, what makes it more interesting and valuable is its focus on the unknown, the forgotten or those who are simply down and out.

In another important change from the work done with such people and such environments, this one lets the people do the talking for a change, even when they don't seem to take very kindly to the book's writer or photographer. In the process this book highlights a world that even when far removed from ours, has human connections and concerns that are universal. The optimism, as one lady in this book puts it, "the years are like sugar in your tea cup. The last sip is sweetest," or the pessimism, as a traditional toy maker puts it, "what is a long life worth for those with limited means?" Then there are characters with their own peculiarities, a 100-year old soldier who thinks his teeth are coming back or a Chinese newspaper publisher, (that India also has a Chinese population was a revelation), who feels that the motto of the young is, "go for the cupboard keys first, then just say bye-bye."

The most inspiring person I came across the 130 in this book was an eye surgeon who has been going around to really far removed places that have no hospitals and treating people for free. He has done more surgeries than anybody else in the world and has been at it for last 50 odd years. To me he seemed to be like Dr. Sheiwitzer who spent all those years in Africa and was immortalized in Eugene Smith's photo essays for LIFE magazine. But unlike the missionary-doctor this one wears his achievements lightly and says, "I am just an ordinary man and will serve as God wants me to. My instruments are my prayer and the operating room is my temple. My work has therefore been my pilgrimage."

The Ajanta caves can be considered among the wonders of the ancient world, both in terms of their artistic and their spiritual value, and this book captures the beauty and detail of the remarkable murals. If I were to make one criticism, it would be that it emphasizes the murals at the expense of largely neglecting the sculptures, which are magnificent in their own right. The book might better be titled, "Murals of the Ajanta Caves." I ordered it without seeing it first, and I was a little disappointed to see how few photographs were included of the sculptures. Nevertheless, the beautiful and clear photographs of the murals alone are worth the price of the book, and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone interested in the Ajanta caves, or in ancient Indian or Buddhist art.

If you, like me, have never been to the Ajanta Caves and would like to get a feel for the treasures they hold this is the right book to get. The quality of the prints is great - the artistry is beautiful. Very delicate and sensual in most places and quite bewildering in others. At times I wished the captions offered even more insight on the individual scenes but then I remember that this is not what this book is about. It is a delight to simply sit there, browse through this book and imagine what life must have been like in those faraway days. This book takes you places. If you are into ancient India you will not be disappointed.

although many of the old frescos hardly survived,
their essence and perennial beauty remains intact in the excellent reproductions, taken without any flashlights of this masterly book
I consider this book the most impressive in my big collection of works on Oriental and Buddhist art,
the expression of the faces, their compassion and their gestures are so delicate
and well represented in this book

If you are planning a trip to India, you should consider visiting the caves at Ajanta. If you are planning to visit the caves, you should read this book before the trip. You will get a lot more out of the experience of the caves if you know the Jataka stories and understand the Buddhist iconography described in this book.

Even if you have no plans to travel to Ajanta, the boook contains beautiful photograpghs which will make a nice addition to any collection of art books or, for that matter, to any coffee table.

This book offers the best color photographs of the Ajanta caves that I have seen. The text offers an excellent explication of the history and iconography of the images. Having been to the caves, I can honestly say that you see the paintings more clearly in this book than at the caves themselves. (This is due to crowded conditions and poor lighting at the caves.) This book is an important adjunct to any study of Buddhist art and inconography. If you're planning to travel to Ajanta, buy this book first.

This is a lovely book that I find I can only express my enjoyment in somewhat paradoxical criticisms: I wish there had been more and I wish it had been slightly larger. That is to say, the photographs were so striking that I wanted more and I wanted them larger.

As other reviewers have noted, the book consists of low-level aerial photographs of various wilderness and wooded spots in the United States taken from an ultra light aircraft. Not every area of the country is represented, but I'm not sure that that makes very much difference. Even areas that I know looked completely fresh to me. This really is America as you've never seen it before.

If you enjoy nature photography or "from the air" books, you should definitely check this one out.

What a great time to appreciate America and what better way than to see it all from a different perspective! Many books offer images of our beautiful country but seeing it from the air is breathtaking. As an amature photographer, I have visited and photographed many of the places in this book but I feel like I'm seeing them for the first time all over again.

I met Bill Fortney on one of his Great American Photography Workshops and have never forgotten him. He is one of the most special people I have ever met and his passion for photography is infectious. You'll see that passion in the photographs in this book.

Bill Glenn & Wesley Fortney's book America At 500 Feet contains superb photography (one could only expect that from Bill Fortney)but contains an equally important sub-story--one of a unique father/son relationship. Every father who views this book will be jealous of the unique adventure that Bill and Wesley shared. Here is a son who was willing to quit his job to pursue a new identity and, in the process, becomes an accomplished photographer. Bill's reward is deep seated in strengthening the bond with a father's most precious possession--his son.
The pilot's logs personalize this book and bring the adventure into your living room. I don't know when I have enjoyed a book like this so much! This is must for anyone interested in outstanding landscape photography and a story of a unique father/son adventure of the highest level!

I was given your great book for Christmas this year. It is a terrific concept and even better execution!

However, as a confirmed and dedicated Westerner, I have to tell you that you need to study up on your geography. Your first book section is the beautiful West, and most of you second section (mislabeled Central) is of the beautiful West.

Credit needs to go where it is due, and there is no place on earth to match the American West.

Your other obvious mistake is missing Oregon. It has more variety of land forms and natural beauty than any of the other 50 states. And I'm not prejudiced! From the rugged coast to the Cascades to the Columbia Gorge to the great high desert and ponderosa forests of eastern Oregon, it is unbeatable.

About my outdoor life in Oregon, I'll excerpt your quote on p 59 of the book.

"all my days...each one holds its surprises and I have seen almost more beauty than I can bear."

In my Oregon experience that beauty has been a pigmy owl, a black bear at 20 yards, an eastern Oregon rainstorm that swept by us raining 20 feet away while we were dry, elk feeding along a forested slope with the herd bull bulging, the majesty of Steens Mountain and its 5000 foot eastern drop-off, a flock of 300 swans migrating south over the Blue Mountains, a pair of great horned owls high up in an old ranch barn along the edge of a high desert miles long lake, the multi-colored layered rock of the John Day Fossil Beds Monument--for miles and miles.

You gotta come to Oregon where you can do a book just on this great state!

Thanks for your book...really.

Lee Findley

I have collected many works in the genre over the years. This particular one by Fortney I find especially compelling. I gasped in abject wonder at the first facing photograph when turning the page following the author's introduction. Extraordinary imagery. Captivating perspectives, rich in composition. Handsomely reproduced so the printing effectively achieves resonance. Definitely one for the coffee table. If you've had the opportunity to drink in aerial vantage points when flying commercial airliners, you will be in for a treat because of the immediacy inherent within most shots. Thoughtful commentary into the context of certain photographs enhances the overall appreciation for what ultimately contributed to the finished product. I truly hope more works of this stunning artform emerge. What's next, Mr. Fortney?

At 6'0' 185lbs of muscle, Sansone was a good example of aesthetics, health and fitness for men to aspire to, unlike the 5'9", 275 lb behemoths common to bodybuilding today.

Next to the photographs of Sansone shown here, much of today's male photography seems crude or overly "artful" [that is, with the setting as important as - and sometimes more important than - the figure itself]. Whoever Tony Sansone was when not posing - the total person, I mean, in all his complexity - the images he left us and given us here have, for me, a very moving un-selfconsciousness. There seems to be no effort whatsoever made to be alluring, provocative, "sexy", or particularly erotic. He stands there quite openly, ingenuously, a man gifted with great beauty of face and form and innate grace of movement as well, his sense of line surpassing that of many classically trained dancers. He presents us his beauty and grace as a gift to be enjoyed. It is done with great simplicity and - I have to say, at least for me - with what seems to be genuine innocence. And it is this sense of innocence that I find so very moving - even as much as his beauty is moving. There are many books full of images of beautiful men. I have found none that have Sansone's touching simplicity and, I am tempted to say, purity. This is indeed a rare book - in this or in any genre!

John Massey has created a genuine monument, a beautiful and remarkable book about a beautiful and remarkable man. It seems strange to apply "beautiful" to a man, but in the case of Tony Sansone it's the perfect word. The astounding collection of photos included in this sumptuously designed volume reveal all aspects of Sansone's near-perfect anatomy. They are rare nude poses showing not only the well-muscled landscape of Sansone's body, but the details of his classically handsome face and, who could fail to notice, his well-proportioned genitals. Many of the photos, especially those by the famous Edwin Townsend of New York, are true works of art, reproduced with painstaking fidelity in this book. Massey's biographical treatment reflects extensive research and diligent attention to detail. His clear, concise style presents a straightforward and uncomplicated view of Sansone. As the author implies, there was a complicated personality hidden behind the bold nudeness of this American Adonis. I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the true sculptural beauty of the human body and the story of a pioneer of modern physical culture.

John Massey in a herculean work of original research has rescued both a significant figure in the history of the emergence of public gay culture in America in the early 20th century, Tony Sansone, and his photographer, Edwin Townsend, both of whom were on the verge of being completely forgotten. This book is a notable contribution to the history of gay culture and art and deserves to be in any comprehensive collection of such materials. It is beautifully produced by Universal, an affiliate of Rizzoli, and was printed in Italy. The book will be at home on the most sophisticated gay and gay friendly coffee tables, not that the book is overtly gay, even with all the beautiful full frontal nudes of one of the most idolized body builders in the history of the sport.

Tony Sansone is important because he circulated in fascinating intersecting circles which existed in the early 20th century in New York and Hollywood. Born the son of poor Italian immigrants in Brooklyn, by sheer grit Tony rose to become a protege of the powerful publisher Bernarr Macfadden, one of the wealthiest men in America and even once a candidate for president.
Through Macfadden and his famous bodybuilding exhibitions at Madison Square Garden he met Charles Atlas, who became a friend and fan. By his late teens Tony was stepping into the worlds of art, theater, bodybuilding, and moviedom.

None other than Gertrude Whitney facilitated his career and used him as a model as did other lesser scuptors of the period. Sculptures from these associations are still held in the Whitney Museum of American Art's collections. David Belasco, the flamboyant theater producer who was one of the most significant figures in the golden age of Broadway in the 1920s and 1930s, picked up Tony to play the semi-nude role of a demon in an opulent and phantasmogoric production of Mimi, more or less a staging of Dante's Hell as a paradigm for modern industrialization. Edwin Townsend, a fashion photographer who also did portraits of many leading artists of the period, discovered Tony in this production and asked him to model.

A series of booklets of nudes of Tony were published from this association which quickly become collectors items among the underground cognoscenti. Due to the laws of the times, these portraits were meticulously airbrushed. But photographs of Tony in all his glory were also produced and squirreled away unknown and unseen by generations of admirers and collectors of male erotica. It is these photographs which John Massey has uncovered. These works were an artistic collaboration between the photographer and model. Their serious intent still reverberates in the 21st century.

Tony also was picked up for a Hollywood role where he was associated with many stars who are still household names, but the movies were not his thing. He returned to New York, opened as series of gyms, and did his modeling and publishing. He was a lifelong habitue of the famous Washington Baths in Coney Island, New York another of whose other patrons was Paul Cadmus and a circle of New York artists and theater people.

He and his wife Rita, also a child of Italian immigrants and physical fitness aficionado, worked with poor children on physical fitness in their declining years. He died in his 80s shortly after Rita did.

American Adois is a glimpse into a glamorous, erotic, monied, and fascinating world which touched on many facets of culture which only something as sexually charged as bodybuilding can do. That world still exists and in the career of Tony Sansone we see the paradigm worked out. John Massey has done a masterful job of piecing together this complex but highly intriguing story from rare and previously unknown materials. What stories he certainly he must have yet to tell us which he could not include in this book.

Rarely do I write reviews but I felt compelled to with this book. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in celebrating the beauty of the nude male physique. I discovered pictures of Tony Sansone a few years back on website of vintage muscle men and was immediately taken by his classical beauty--he stood out among the many other images. Needless to say, I was thrilled to discover this book and it did not disappoint. Tony has the one of the most perfectly symmetrical bodies that I have ever seen, and it is showcased beautifully throughout the book with a plethora of tasteful and classical nude poses that are pleasure to look upon. Tony appears so comfortable with himself and the camera that it makes the images all the more appealing.
As the pictures are from the early part of the 20th century, I also thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the photographer captured Tony. And though the images are not paritcular homoerotic, I did not find this to be a negative, actually I found it a refreshing respite from the Abercrombie style homoeroticism that most books in the genre love to portray. In the end, all I can say is you are sure to enjoy this book if you appreciate classic Roman/Greco beauty.

Gargoyles have gotten to be very popular recently, and any gargoyle fan ought to get the book _American Gargoyles: Spirits in Stone_ (Clarkson Potter) by Darlene Trew Crist, with photographs by Robert Llewellyn, because American gargoyles are fun. It wasn't the original job of gargoyles to be fun. One of the explanations of how gargoyles got into their exalted positions in churches is that they were placed there to entice pagans to come and worship at Christian locales. Those who ran the churches thought that pagan symbols, and scary ones at that, were a good marketing ploy. Perhaps we American moderns are simply amused by carvings of fearsome dragons, but there are plenty of gargoyles shown here that are deliberately humorous caricatures.

The pictures are a treat. This is not a big, coffee-table book, but there are scores of pictures from many American sacred, commercial, and academic buildings. Though American gargoyles reflect the traditions of Europe, many are truly American. The University of Pennsylvania, for instance, has a strictly medieval style of quadrangle, complete with gargoyles, but one of them is a football player. At Washington National Cathedral, there is a gargoyle showing a crooked politician; he has horns, a big belly, a cigar, and a pocket full of dollar bills. There are a pair of gargoyles there which were given by a grandmother in thanks for her two grandsons. One is angelic and one is demonic, and she never said which is which; the grandsons are now grown up and still don't know. A weeping sea turtle is there as a statement of environmental protection. Out of the mouth of a monstrous duck stares a tourist with a camera, a payback from the carver who was the subject of thousands of pictures as he worked.

_American Gargoyles_ could have been a lot bigger, but Crist has included a reading list for those who want to see more. It is a good-looking and informative book.

Having read this book, I have a new outlook on American Gargoyles which truely are spirits in stone. This book is very educational, picturesque,informative, well written and I simply love it!

I bought this as a gift for someone and now I wish I would have also bought myself a copy! The pics are great, as is all the information regarding gargoyles. Only drawback for me, I thought it was going to be bigger, it's no bigger than maybe 10x10 or so.

This book is one of the best books I got from amazon. I got the two books Holy Terror's and American Gargolyes... it was a great deal. The book is loaded with pictures of gargoyles from across america and desrcibes what type of gargoyle and where it is located in america. The photographs are beautiful and descriptive through out the book. If you gargoyles get the two books for the price of one. Highly Recommended!!!!

I was a little skeptical when I first picked up "American Gargoyles: Spirits in Stone" but a friend had reccomended it so I decided to read it. Boy, am I glad I did! If I hadn't I would have missed out on the wonderful details, breathtaking pictures and an all around fascinating history of American Gargoyles. The pictures are well shot, and I have to admit, were the first thing that caught my eye. But, when I sat down to read the text the author shared all these captivating little details about the gargoyles which I loved! The author tells you the story behind a particular gargoyle and if there is anything special you should look for when you see it. This book was so fascinating that I was inspired to take a trip to some of the sights mentioned in the book and check out the gargoyles for myself. I reccomend this book to all readers, it appeals to all audiences.

This is one of the best Ansel Adams books out there published by Bulfinch. It uses heavy paper stock and the print quality is excellent. To appreciate its quality, you have to view it under a brighter light setting, preferrably next to a window. You'll notice all the details in the shadow area and appreciate the overall print contrast.

In terms of subject area, the book covers many National Parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Glacier... Unfortunately, it does not have all the famous Yosemite prints, but it does have many other gems that's not over exposed to the public.

Some people may complain about the price, buy I think its worth every dime. Buy one and enjoy it.

This book is flawed by the images selected to be in it. The other main weakness is that the book is clearly overpriced.

The good news, however, is that the image sizes are large enough to capture the power and majesty of Adams' work. The reproduction quality is superb, as well!

The essay by William Turnage is an excellent discussion of the roles of Thoreau, Muir, and Adams in creating the awareness that has helped us to save and cherish some of what remains of our American wilderness. The artist-turned-conservation leader, Adams' role, is a particularly important function in our society. The artist helps us to experience what we have never seen while the conservation leader takes actions that galvanize the emotions that are evoked by nature and the artist into helpful improvements. When the artist and conservation leader are the same person, there is a combined power and continuity of vision that is irresistible. Thank goodness!

Adams is someone we should all admire for another reason. His nature photography and conservation efforts were hobbies, labors of love. Photography of nature is a field that offered meaningful remuneration only in recent years.

His day job was doing commercial photography. He took pictures of dead people in the Los Angeles morgue as well as of open pit copper mines in Utah.

What we admire about him was what he did on weekends, before and after work, and on vacations. Because he wanted the most remarkable images, this often meant hiking before dawn in difficult winter conditions to remote peaks to get just the right perspective.

Andrea Stillman did a good job of selecting Adams' quotes for her opening remarks. "Photography is a way of telling what you feel about what you see." " . . . [T]he turning out to the light the inner folds of the awareness of the spirit . . ." is what his work is about.

Throughout the book, you will find other quotes about Adams' reflections on the wilderness. They are well selected and add much to your consideration of what his images mean.

Here are some of my favorite photographs as reproduced in this book:

Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas, 1947

Monument Valley, Arizona, 1942

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, 1942

Sand Dunes, Sunrise, Death Valley, 1948

Sand Dune, White Sands National Monument, 1942

The White Stump, Sierra Nevada City, 1936

Terraya Creek, Dogwood Rain, Yosemite, 1948

Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite, 1944

Half Dome, Winter, from Glacier Point, Yosemite, 1940

Leaves, Mills College, Oakland, California, 1931

Maroon Bells, Near Aspen, Colorado, 1951

Old Faithful (4), Yellowstone, 1942

Mount McKinley and . . . Lake, Denali National Park, Alaska, 1947

After you have finished being refreshed and rejuvenated by these inspiring images, I suggest that you contemplate what the wilderness meant to your grandparents and parents, what it meant to you as a child, what it means to you now, and what it means to your children. If you are like me, you will see that wilderness is rapidly receding as a concept as well as a reality. What are we losing? How can we reverse that loss?

Understand all of Nature's message for us by living in harmony with her!

I have received this book as a birthday present from my wife. There is nothing much to critique, its really really good! Nevertheless, here it goes......

Ansel Adams shot with large format and never intended to print them small. Some of the photographs of this book could have been printed at a larger size. I have seen same photographs printed at much larger sizes in other books, for example in Ansel Adams Guides I & II.
Overall the sizes of the prints are adequate or just adequate.

For whom this book is intended?
My personal opinion is that it is primarily intended for the serious (nature) photographer and then for the nature lover.

What has it got for the Photographer?
A gallery of Master's work, in very high print quality with the entire tonal range beautifully depicted, it's simply like owning a gallery by Ansel Adams.

If a beginner or an intermediate photographer has come to the stage of learning his/her craft by looking at, and then carefully analysing, how a champion of the craft has controlled - framing, by carefully placing the subject in the view finder and then by cropping - tonality, by placing the particular areas in the `zones' he wanted - print quality, with his precise technique; this is the book for you - its a master class in photography.
For those who do not have such interests - It is still a visual treat.

My only other criticism is that there should have been some technical details about the photographs, at least one or two lines; Nevertheless, it gets my five stars!

The photographic images of Ansel Adams are among the most significant pieces of artwork which have been created within the 20th century. His techniques have revolutionized the world of the black and white photographer, and his images are the rule by which all others are measured. His art has spoken to the soul of millions, and you should not be left out! This book contains some of the most beautiful images of nature ever made, and is a bargain at twice the price! Review by Edward Lynn, student of commercial photography, The Art Institute of Seattle

... because you can put four legs on it and use it for a coffee table. If you're going to have a single Ansel Adams book, this is the one. His images just don't work in any smaller format.

There is nothing like great images and insight to bring back a long ago era. This book does a great job at setting the stage! Buy it and enjoy!

l have always been fascinated by the 1950s, it was like no other era in history,The American dream, good old fashion values, and families.It was portrayed as an era of blissful harmony and peacful existence for all. When l came across this book by charles phoenix, l was delighted, you cannot be amazed by this book of ordinary people, capturing their lives, on film in excellent quality. The fact that these pictures still remain, in wonderful quality taken by amateur photographers is truefully historical. If you never lived through the 1950s, and l didnt, because lm 35 years old, and your only glimpse of this era is in the movies, then this book is a real gem. His other book, californialand, is equally great book, which he showes more of these great photos of ordinary people living in the 50s. Great historical books.

Americana the Beautiful is a trip down memory lane; especially for us Baby Boomers.

These old shapshots are great! What a wonderful trip we took every summer when we visited my mother's family in South Carolina. Remember those luggage racks on station wagons? I remember being on the New Jersey Turnpike one time and luggage thtat was tied to the roof blew off. Dad had to pull our station wagon to the side of the road and pick up a suitcase full of diapers for my younest brother!

I have fond memories of the Dairy Queen and the Good Humor mah. The smell was sweet mixed with raw exhaust fumes! What great times those were!

Charles Phoenix has done it again! We've loved each of his books, and the last few we've bought almost as soon as he released them. This one has even more of Charles' trademark old, but crisp, bright and clear, color Kodakchrome slides, all taken by amateur photographers like you and me (or our parents and grandparents!), from all across America, and all with brief, nondistracting, colorful, very witty and informative commentary. It's a perfect gift for a "Fourth of July" Party. You'll laugh as well as be a little saddened by this colorful, visual reminder of our treasured, more innocent and playful past. Cheers and thanks once again to Charles Phoenix. And if you get a chance, check out his website and go see one of his hilarious live shows or tours.

Another selection of snaps rescued by Charles Phoenix just before they might have ended up in the local landfill. In the same format as his excellent 'Southern Californialand' (ISBN 1883318424) and so much better than the earlier 'God Bless Americana' book. The two hundred amateur slides feature a rich seam of everyday life full of white middle class detail (which of course does raise the question: didn't colored folk take photos back then or perhaps they never junk them).

Overall I thought the photo selection was fascinating and grouping them in themes worked well. The last few pages have some intriguing architectural and transport slides like the 1964 flying saucer style State Capitol Bank in Oklahoma City or the late fifties General Motors Aerotrain pulling into a station. On page thirty-six onward there are several pages of people at home showing all kinds of domestic activity, food on tables, kitchens, watching home movies or just enjoying company. It's interesting looking at these photos because they are so unlike anything taken by professionals though sometimes the composition, lighting and color does lift them out of the mundane.

Like 'Southern Californialand' the editorial format works well with photos one to a page, allowing for a deep caption or several slides butted together. My only criticism is that sometimes out of focus images are too large, for example the soft-focus Jefferson Drive-in on page ninety-seven would have worked better much smaller or even rejected. Also captions frequently describe in words what the reader can obviously see in the picture but fortunately many of them also have plenty of historical background detail about things in the photos.

Charles Phoenix has hit on a successful publishing genre and there surely will be more titles to come but until the next one you can follow the latest finds on his website.

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

Beautifully photographed portraits of wearers of tattoos and body markings in many locations around the world.
A must for the library of anyone interested in the topic.

Ancient Marks contains absolutely stunning photography. It was great to see some rock markings from Western Aus. This book delievered way more than i expected. It is so beautiful i was wasnt sure how to turn the pages without touching them and getting marks all over them. I was absolutely blown away at the quality
Great stuff

This is truly a wonderful book. Rainier's other book, "Where Masks Still Dance: New Guinea" was fabulous in its presentation and images, but this book goes one better with a dvd enhanced with music by Anoushka Shankar which can be viewed on its own. The music perfectly complements the starkness of the haunting images. Tattoos,scarification, and other bodily modifications of many cultures are showcased here without calling unecessary attention to these adornments as bizarre/freakish as in some other books which are designed to shock/titillate.

I bought this book as a gift for my girlfriend but stole it back. It isn't all about tattoos, which it may lead you to believe, but includes bits about all types of body modification techniques. The photographer is a well known National Geographic photographer, and his work certainly doesn't fail here. Good coffee table book if you have stuck up inlaws like I do that would be made uncomfortable by the sight of it.

The subtletly and artistry of this book is apparent from the very first turn of a page. Chris Ranier, one of the world's foremost documentary photographers, has created a artful, evocative record of the human canvass posed against the natural landscape. The photographs focus mostly on tattoing and scarification, and are oriented toward the tribal, both traditional and modern. This is an essential addition to any body art library, and at less than $30, the paperback version (which also includes a DVD) is a real bargain. I cannot recommend this enough.