Themes Books

A fresh,bold book focusing on the sensual appeal of the mythic latin symbol of machismo: The Bull Fighter, starring actual pros and amateurs of the bullring.
It's wonderful how despite the bright, feminine colors and extraordinarily ornamented uniforms, they never once compromise the sex appeal of these exceptionally handsome young men, who are all inspired by the legendary (and controversial) blood sport.
A book of professional male models pouting and posing in bullfighters'costumes would have been a silly, easily forgotten cliche.
There's a lot of Helmut Newton's influence in the photography and considering Newton's obsession with women, it's funny to see men being eroticised in his famous pictorial style. In a perfect world, there would be lots of books of this artistic quality celebrating the heroic beauty of other actual professional sportsmen.

The photographs are beautiful and erotic. I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates male Hispanic beauty.

A truly stunning collection of photographs concentrating on the erotic appeal of the torero - an aspect that has probably struck most honest aficiandos at one time or another. Quite apart from beautiful boys in (and out) of their trajes de luces, the collection is interesting for concentrating on very young toreros from South America - notably Colombia and Peru, though Madrid features strongly - and the less well-known names too. Miguel Angel Gomez and the brothers Pardo are especially notable: congratulations and thanks are due to Noel Pardo especially for his bravery in posing for some very fine nude shots. The additional frisson of the eroticism is the extreme danger the boys face, and here also is graphic photographic evidence of beauty marred in the corrida. There is nothing pornographic here, which is good, and the entire book is faultless in production. It should be on the shelves not only of every aficianado of young male beauty - but of every aficianado of the corrida also!

Ruven Afanador seems to be the spiritual heir of the little boy in the story of the emperor's new clothes. He insists on seeing--and proclaiming through his work--exactly those visual elements of the bullfight that everyone else sees but adamantly ignores. One of his major themes, perhaps the major one, is clearly announced on the dust jacket by the image of a semi-tumescent lad wearing only his taleguilla and grasping a pair of bull's horns (which may be why Amazon shows no cover illustration above). Afanador's style might be described as a cross between the baron von Gloeden and Helmut Newton, or maybe Diane Arbus with more than a dash of Robert Mapplethorpe. Like Mapplethorpe he finds morbidly erotic beauty in places where some would not care to venture, but beauty it is. And like all the above-mentioned photographers, he is an absolute master of his craft. Whatever you might think of the subject matter, the photos are technical marvels--one wants constantly to reach out and touch all those rich textures! The prospective buyer should also be aware that the range of subject matter goes beyond toreros in--and out of--their tight pants, and I would be doing Afanador an injustice to leave the impression that his work is merely pornographic. (One of the most striking images in the collection is a shot of four matadors' jackets hanging from meat hooks in the abattoir). And beyond all the possible influences I've mentioned, his is a style--rather, an inseparable combination of style and subject--that's very much his own.

I suppose that the few poems sprinkled throughout the volume are appropriate accompaniments to the photos, though they could easily have been dispensed with. The introduction is quite helpful, as is the thumbnail index at the end which identifies models and locations. The volume itself is richly produced and beautifully printed, with a sewn-in ribbon bookmark. ...

Even Hemingway, through Lady Brett, couldn't help remarking on "those tight green trousers," but for too long the majority of people (especially artists) associated with bullfighting have pretended to ignore all those lurid paquetes y nalgas. Afanador's stunning collection goes a long way toward remedying that ignor-ance. Overall, a long-needed addition to the body of art and photography associated with toreo.

In this bold and beautifully designed book, the bullfighter or "Torero" finally gets the attention he deserves, not as an object of the bull's attention, but as an object of desire, in a very sensual, yet masculine way. This is not to say these images by this talented photographer are of torero's just showing off their erotic appeal in tight costumes. There are many other photos of the rooms, equipment and costumes in settings by themselves that are very artistically photographed. The erotic appeal of the bullfighter is no longer censored and relegated to the background. These black and white photographs display many nude and semi-nude poses of very handsome, young, and athletic men in their tight fitting torero costumes, where little is left to the imagination. Afanador's admiration of male beauty is very apparent in this book of images. He has an eye for capturing the attitude, machismo, and inherent beauty and vulnerability of these brave men. I thought it was pleasing that Afanador features some of the torero's in their costumes on one page and nude on the opposite page in the same pose.

The poems by Gloria Marie Pardo Vargas, interspersed throughout the book, add to the enjoyment. This is a large over-sized book that is beautifully designed and bound (included is a red ribbon marker) that is a must for any collector of male erotica or for anyone who has always had a fascination with torero's and their beautiful costumes. I have only one regret, I would love to see a book of these same images in color showcasing the beautiful colors and patterns of the torero's costumes. This is a book that I will enjoy over and over again. As a collector, this is at the top of my list.

Joe Hanssen

In Touching Quiet: Reflections In Solitude, Mindy Weisel combines twenty-four of her remarkable paintings with her reflections and personal journal entries. Both her art and her contemplations were brought forth during her one month stat at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Very highly recommended, Touching Quiet will result both visually and philosophically to serve as inspiration for anyone seeking nurture for their spirit, creativity for their mind, and harmony in their life.

this books is such a gem. the reproductions of the paintings are very nicely done, and Ms. Weisel's writing is graceful. I recommend it heartily; you will want to pass it on to everyone you know!

Mindy Weisel has managed to reach that place inside each of us where beauty resides and grows. Her journal gives an insight into the mind and heart of a perpetually busy woman who while at first stunned by silence, later finds the latent joy in celebrating who she is and can be.

The paintings add a depth to the journal unequaled in print today, and make me wish I had the money to buy an original of each one!

Thank you Mindy for such a glorious escape and discovery!

Mindy Weisel's book is both beautiful and inspiring. The paintings are gorgeous, and each time you look at them you see a new meaning. But most of all what I took away from this book is that we shouldn't be afraid to take a moment or two for ourselves and do the things we enjoy. A must read for anyone who is stressed out, or just looking for a few moments of beauty.

Mindy Weisel's Touching Quiet is a soothing journal of one woman's experience with sudden solitude and quiet. After being awarded a fellowship to paint for a month without interruption, Ms. Weisel discovered that not only was solitude and quiet welcome, it was also a bit frightening. Each of the fourteen paintings, beautifully reproduced in the book, draw the reader into the stillness, the beauty, and at times the struggle of "touching quiet."

Having met Trevor at a book signing of this book, You find that he is more than his artistic works can possible portray. He has worked in many mediems from paint and canvas to metal to plexy glass.

He is not afraid to portray man in all his glory nude. He has use many models and is a master in his own right.

I had the privelege of staying with a man who owned many Southey works of art. He told me the story about the only 2 plexy glass portraits Mr Southey had created. One was in a prestigeous Museum until it crash to the floor and shattered into a million pieces (It was valued at well over $100,000 at the time), the second is owned by this idividual and kept close to the floor. The Museum piece can ow only be seen in this valuable book (for which I paid $90.00 and had it signed). Last I knew, this book has a value well over $100 and worth every penny.Trevor Southey: Reconciliation

Next to Leonardo DaVinci few painters have influenced me so heavily as Trevor Southey. His keen mind and ability for spatial depth and detailed renderings simply transform a flat surface into mystical caves and places as if the canvas is the looking glass and one could easily step inside and enjoy a very real world, even more real than this one is.

Trevor floats a painted object on the painting effectively so that the meaning of the portrait is even more burrowed effectively in one's mind.

I first discovered Trevor when he supplied some fabulou sketches for Carol Lynn's pearson's early work and have since made him my most prized and collected artist. I was pleasantly surprized when Carol Lynn surprised me with his autographed book as a thank you for some work she and I tackled together.

I love you Trevor! As well, Trevor is the only artist I have ever asked to paint my portrait. I just can't feel that I've been accurately captured as a human being until he puts my image on canvas with his stroke of the brush.

First, if an artist's history must be interesting and a struggle to be great, Trevor Southey is one of the greats.

And to this untrained yet appreciative eye, his art, whether he means it to or not, exudes the meaning of spiritual struggle and communion. From his early works to today, his works speak to this part of the human experience. I would suggest you take a look at his piece 'The Prodigal Son" to see this. This piece is about spiritual struggle with god, with love and with yourself. It can have two meanings with this theme, but I'll let you figure them out.

His retrospective "Reconciliation" is an excellent book to give you a grasp of the works and thoughts of this great artist. His prose in descriptions of his works is almost poetic and the book includes a large selection of his works that well represent his life's work.

If you haven't, you should get aquainted with this artist's work and "Reconciliation" is an excellent way to do this!

Trevor Southey is an artist of rare gifts. Not only is he a fine technician ( one of the finest figurative painters working today), he is also of bountiful spirit. This monograph is far more than an elegant artbook...it is a journey of a life which though rich in history and substrate is obviously a work in progress. Southey's paintings, prints and sculptures are presented in chronological order. But more importantly the well written texts introduce us to a life most unique even before we see an image. Once the man's paintings and other works are the focus we are treated to a running poetic dialogue from the artist's own pen. Finishing the first read of this lavishly produced book merely opens a door through which we may pass, transformed, into the whole volume again. Tender, breathtakingly beautiful, and spiritually uplifing. This belongs in the library of everyone who is commited to figurative art, to all who care about the sanctity of the individual spirit.

This is a beautiful book, and more than most monographs it gives a very personal sense of the artist. The paintings, prints and sculpture are reproduced beautifully, and a great deal of the text is written by Trevor Southey himself. From his upbringing in a white farm family in Rhodesia, through his conversion to the Mormon faith, his influence on the Mormon art movement, followed by his excommunication once he came out as openly gay, his life would make a fascinating movie. But the artwork in this book is worth the price all by itself.

Underworld is one of my `special' books. Much of my collection is either focussed on the technical aspects of photography or the product-high quality photography, usually applied to either Glamour or Erotic applications and a smaller collection of the best of Landscape or Sexual photography. Underworld falls into one of the smaller categories again and is one of the collections of classic photography. Underworld touches me at a certain deep level and I only usually realize after I've paused long enough to do my occasional casual flick through it.

Underworld takes my emotions back in time. Underworld obviously so well captures the sense of history that I find myself re-living being a child in the `60s and `70s flicking through the magazines in the newsagent of a small remote town. I don't just remember those moments but for some moments I am there again. I see the images of the lifestyles that seemed so surreal to the bright starry eyes of my innocence in the photographic styles represented, possibly taken by some of the same photographers. It brings back a time and place where it was normal to find people sun-baking or swimming naked but seeing my first published photo (outside National Geographic) which included a nipple, I thought `someone's going to hell for that' because it was obviously in a licentious context. This is a book of classic images that snapshot many points in history well. By the same token, there is very little nudity as such or sexual content, so much of it just having the undertone that was the hallmark of the style then, inferred but never spoken, in your mind rather than in your face.

This is a book I'd be happy to share with my Father, who, because of his and my shared interest in photography subscribed to `Australian Photography' magazine, in part so he could pass them on to me. These magazines came to me but not before any articles about shooting nudes or images containing such things as nipples, pubic hair etc. had been carefully scissored out. What little there may be in Underworld that would challenge my dear Dad's values and view of the world is in context enough and with the subtlety of the time and style, as opposed to the gratuity of our more brash, and superficial styles of more recent times.

I love this book because when I flick through it I don't just remember periods in history, I re-live them. I feel the sand between my toes, feel the emotions I did as a kid finding photos of the rest of the world bewildering and enthralling, I can smell the dry rot in the timber and a million other forgotten moments it triggers in my mind.

Underworld is a very nice book, in which you can see pictures taken by the world's most renowned photographers.

Calvin's wife Kelly must share his edge for selling underware and hers is magnificent.A collection of old,new,boy,girl,tops only ,bottoms only,jumping through the air two friends seem to glide in a coming of age.Bawdy women and curious men seem like a midsummer's night dream.

This classy collection of photographs (most of them black-and-white) from the famous, infamous and anonymous covers 100 years of shutterbuggery of the least public aspect of fashion--underwear. She, he, straight, gay, in between--this book will be appreciated by all connoiseurs of photography, fashion, and the art of the book. Underworld is a loving appreciation of the human form with often whimsical arrangements (the Maidenfrom center spread is a masterful touch) featuring the work of Andre Kertez, Steven Meisel, Man Ray, Robert Mapplethorpe, Brassai, Robert Doisneau, Imogen Cunningham, Cindy Sherman, and 70+ other surveyors of the human landscape.

A great gift for newlyweds or that special someone in your life.

Photographs taken by old masters of photography,new masters,and amatuer photographers make underworld complete. This book is as safe as you can get to another person in their underwear or lack of without the risks we face,today. Very sexy,innocent,and liberating! Bravo,Kelly...

Having lived in Venice for five months, each scene in this book is the actualization of my own memories. I bought one book about Venice and gave it as a gift to my parents who were not there to see the city firsthand, and this book was it.

While not a travel guide or an in depth history book, this book does better than many others at capturing the light and true essence of Venice, the Serene Republic.

Whether you have traveled to Venice and are already under its magnetic, elusive spell or whether you plan to visit...or even if your fantasy world includes bits of Serenissima, VENICE SKETCHBOOK is bound to please.

Artist Fabrice Moireau travels Europe with his sketchpad, rendering quick sketches in watercolor that capture the light and moment as reflected by the architecture of the place. This book is his prolonged visit to Venice and he has visited every island, canal, bridge, and hidden place that make this wonderfully decaying old Queen of the Adriatic a romantic paradise. His sketches are beautifully executed, not always with scholarly perspective, but capturing the Venetian light, an amalgamation of sun, water, fog, and mist, like few others have in this medium. Sensitive hand written notes on each page by the important 'models' make the sketches come even more alive.

The book is graced by a fine Introduction by Deborah Howard who teaches architectural history at Cambridge and has written extensively about the architecture of Venice, Veneto, and the Italian Renaissance. In her elegant writing she sets the mood for viewing the sketches with an abundant but concise discussion of the history of Venice.

The book is divided into sections of the city and writer Tudy Sammartini, who lives and works in Venice, opens each sector with fascinating comments about the history of the buildings, the churches, the monuments, and all the sights that sector holds. Her background in the history of her beloved Venice enhances the value of this book beyond the simple coffee table picture book. Her writing is warmly readable and very informed.

Marry the contributions of these three talented people and the result is a book that is not only visually attractive and lovingly published on 'watercolor paper', but is also an informative and meditative volume of praise for the city known as Serenissima. Grady Harp, January 2005

I bought this book before I visited Venice last year and it proved to be a very effective way - together with my Dorling Kindersley Guide book (also recommended) - of creating a short-list of places to draw. Saved me hours of slogging round trying to find "that view"!

The drawings and watercolour sketches are extremely competent (if somewhat stylized) and give lots of inspiration for those working in watercolour of some the ways in which Venice can be portrayed.

A wonderful book for lovers of Venice and for those who would like to look at some of the incredible treasures of this magical, romantic city!

This book was a gift from a close friend who knows I am planning my first trip to Venice this spring. I have been immersing myself in guides to Venice, and this book, with its charming and skillful watercolors and expert commentary, seems the perfect introduction to this fascinating city.
It is not a guidebook per se, more of an artistic appreciation. Many of the comments are in cursive writing, so it seems you are looking at a personal sketchbook with running comments. The watercolors convey the interplay of light and color better than any photographs I've seen.
This book is clearly a labor of love.

This is one of those extraordinarily rare books that inspires me to buy not one, but 100...for family, friends, and colleagues. The idea is so simple and so brilliant but more important, it is beautifully executed. Truly inspired virtuoso selections, gorgeous photography and wonderful writing-- rarely, does one find all of these qualities in one body of work. My only regret is that the book wasn't available during the holiday season or I would have used it for ALL of my X-mas gifts. With tremendous respect, LCLJ

Not just the famous. Not the infamous. Not the obvious. This amazing book actually delivers on the promise of the title. I didn't realize how jaded I was until I sat down and moved through the text and images. Simply brilliant. Don't miss the experience and integrity of this book. ADDED BONUS: The book's superlative design and extraordinary photographs.

What's great here, in addition to stellar photos and high production values (what kind of paper is this?) is the surprising quality of the selection of the people. I like seeing boxers and map makers, basketball players and glass blowers set next to each other.

Joseph Campbell's sadly over-used expression "Follow your bliss" is personified in the 40 profiles that fill the pages of The Virtuoso. What a revelation to find that the world possesses such remarkable individuals in places we might least expect to find them. The Virtuoso says much about taking risks, about going as far as you can to arrive at a place that is larger than yourself. Love, and a dash of madness, are at the core of every choice a Virtuoso makes, shaping the lives of these extraordinary talents in the most unimagined ways, and those who come into contact with them. It takes a vision to see the vision in others. Clearly this author has that. Bravo!

Wayne Gretzky's retirement from hockey seems a fitting occasion to remark on the phenomenal collection of virtuosos Ken Carbone has gathered together in his new book. The gift of a Virtuoso like Gretzky, and of this book, is the realization that absolute focus and dedication to a passion can lead one beyond oneself. That message resounds like a gong through the handsomely designed pages and expressive photographs of The Virtuoso. The thrill of sharing a Virtuoso's talent is the transcendence it offers, the visceral feeling that one is witnessing, in the Eastern sense, life lived fully in the moment. Inspiration, indeed.

This large-format book brings together paintings, etchings and other visual images of how humans envisioned travel to the moon and the planets from early Renaissance times to the 1950's. Most were illustrations accompanying published works of fiction. These images, collected by Ordway, are very well reproduced and have useful captions.

Until the second half of the nineteenth century, these depictions of space vehicles, other worlds, and their possible inhabitants were wildly fanciful. After Jules Verne, improved astronomical observations and better engineering made these visions increasingly recognizable for those who grew up with the Space Age. The book, which includes photographs of early rocket experiments, ends with an extensive section on the 1950's, covering the ideas of Wernher von Braun and illustrated with paintings by Chesley Bonestell and Fred Freeman.

Readers may wonder why there are no visions from non-western cultures; were none sufficiently interesting, or do they really not exist? The foreword by Arthur C. Clarke is disappointingly flippant.

Beautiful "coffee table" book. The author's love for the pictorial material in his collection and this book shows at every page. The author is at his best with the "post-Goddard" material and 20th century representations of space flight. Being the proud owner of some of the original, older material, I did notice that a couple of captions for Flammarion and Terzi are wrong but I am just being picky... Enjoy!

All of the paintings in this volume are dated, the paintings are for the most part not accurate as we see spaceflight today, but their historical value is immense. For example, early paintings of the lunar surface often exhibit sharp peaks on mountains, of course we now know eons of cosmic bombardment smoothly rounded most features. Text at the beginning of this book explain how these paintings were collected over many years, they date from before the 1600's to the 1950's, a fascinating story in itself, and there is also a foreword by Arthur C. Clarke. Each painting is accompanied by a caption in this large-format book.

From our perspective today many of these paintings look very quaint, though when they were first published they must have appeared very futuristic. Buy this book for it's historical and art value, not for scientific accuracy.

Author Ordway's absorption with rockets and spaceflight began before NASA even existed: he was one of the first to work in the space industry and assembled a beautiful collection of images relating to astronautics and rockets. Five centuries of spaceflight images are presented here, in a stunning collection of both real rockets and illustrations of imagined creations. Many a science buff as well as science fiction fans will find Visions Of Spaceflight fascinating.

Fred Ordway has to be the world's leading space historian. If he isn't recognised as such he darned well should be! True to form Fred delivers an outstanding book filled with beautiful reproductions of some of the greatest space art ever painted. In the past fifty years Fred Ordway's contributions to the documentation of man's preoccupation with the heavens has to be unsurpassed. This book is a brilliant and perfect addition to any space enthusiasts collection. Trust me...buy this book!

i saw this book at a financial advisor's office and immediately came home and purchased it. it is a fabulous melding of text and photography, beautifully rendered. if you have visited this part of new york, you will enjoy the memories....if you have not been there yet, look at this before you go and it will greatly enrich your experience.

This is a holiday gift to open more than once. Beautiful! Useful! Fuses text and illustrations in a way that enriches both!

with all the mega mergers going on this may be the last photographic history of the old Wall Street.

This book makes a wonderful gift for the person with everything. A real treasure for all those who own stocks or those who want to visit NY.

This book is a pleasure to read and to keep around for others to enjoy. I keep it on my desk at work so that my visitors can enjoy the incredible photography. The book also gives a unique insight in to the history of the many firms on Wall Street and how consolidation has led to our current list of players. Many find it interesting to see how certain firms came to be what they are today.

One example of an interesting foreshadow is that the author has included a picture of the Banker's Trust building reflecting off of a Deutsche Bank conference room table. The two frims merged several years after the photo was taken.

Since buying this book I now enjoy walking around lower Manhattan. While before I was caught up in the rat race, I know see the beauty of the arcitecture and can better appreciate the history of Wall Street. This book is full of insightful anecdotes which lead to interesting stories for me to share.

This book is a must for anyone who works in the finacial world for its insight and to keep around for others to enjoy.

I was happily surprised when I saw one of the authors books on Nantucket while on vacation there. I bought the book and was again happily surprised at its combination of photography and narration. I would rate Nantucket Island five stars as well.

Having read Michael's personal journey thru his vision and writings, I am anxious to start my own travels. His personal discoveries expressed thru his imaginative eye and creative mind, have convinced me that it is time to "seize the moment" and explore a few of his countries he shared with us : exotic (Oceania/Fiji), mysterious (Machu Picchu,Peru), inviting (Namibia), and cool (Antartica).
I have a feeling that Michael's first 100 countries is just the beginning of many more in his personal journey to fullfill his dreams.
Mary Rolland

These photos exceed my imagination of far away places. Each and every photo pops off the page in Michael Clinton's own version of technicolor. Not only does he seem to capture the magic of so many countries, but he does it with an eye for composition that is flawless. Most prople are lucky to over-achieve at any one thing in a lifetime, this guy is on a mission.

As a world traveler myself (only about 40 countries not 100.... but give me a little more time), I greatly appreciated the photography and writing in this book. I sat down with my kids (8 and 10) and we spent a lot of time learning about the world through its rich pages. The pictures are spectacular and organized so that one feels like you are actually taking a trip from your livingroom as you go through the book. Now my kids want to take some international trips....OY! This could be expensive :)....I highly recommend this book for young and old.

I don't have wanderlust. I find New York to be all the world I crave. But Michael Clinton has brought the world into my living room and taken me on a journey through his astonishingly beautiful photos from the awe inspiring sculptural frozen icebergs in Antartica (my favorite) to a dwelling in La Boca in Buenos Aires that's as fancifully captivating as an abstract painting at the Whitney Museum of Art. His photos illuminate places, nature and people as I've never seen or never could should I ever venture out. Because Clinton captures an angle, a diversity, and a place in the moment as only his individual spirit can. His writing is as beautiful and compelling as well. This is a book to give to yourself and others for the pleasure of years of traveling through the sense of sight.

A beautifullly realized voyage of photo and text that make you want to book immediate passage and realize your travel dream. . The cover is compellingly gorgeous and the shot of the cesna over tha Namibian coast is a stunner ! LOts to see and ponder.

If only a book like this was done for each salmonid species. Great photograhy, very interesting text. This is still the only stunning volume on salmon fly fishing as seen through the eyes of a master photographer. Bravo!!!!!

Of course I would like to review this addition, but since there is a limited supply here in the salt water environs of the Virgin Islands, it has been extremely difficult to find a copy. Therefore, please don't hesitate to send us one for our perusal and subsequent comment. Hope all remains well for you and Paula. Mollie and John

This book has some of the best photography that I have ever seen. I ordered it because it has a very special place in my heart. My father is in it,in the Margaree River chapter. Your description of him just warmed my heart and the photo did too. He is Willie Joe Chiasson and I am his daughter Ethel Clark (formerly Chiasson). I now live in California. I was so pleased and proud to see this and I cannot tell you how happy you made me as well as him. I would also like to send my regards and appreciation to whoever else was involved in putting it together, such as Mike Crockett. Do the three dogs in the book belong to Mike? They look like the are having the time of their life travelling around and playing in the rivers all over the country. I would love to hear from you please.

I WAS NEVER REALLY FOND FLYFISHING UNTIL I ORDER FLYWATER AND WATERMARK...I NOW AM MORE CURIOUS ABOUT IT. THE PHOTOGRAHY WAS ABSOUTLY PHENOMENAL!!! I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH INCREDABLY SCENERY BEFORE. WANT TO THANK MIKE AND GRANT FOR GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY!!!!! LOVE FROM ST.JOHN USVI

Incredible photos from North Carolina, Virginia, and other East Coast venues. The stories that accompany the pictures are an extra treat. Any fisherman would love to receive this as a gift.