Studios Books

ISBN 0717283364 - My faith in Disney is restored. Having just reviewed another Disney edition of this book Disney's the Jungle Book (Little Golden Book) that was a small letdown, I'm thrilled to find Disney really is as good as I think. I'm copy and pasting the recap portion of that review, because it's the same:

Mowgli, left in the jungle as an infant, is taken, by Bagheera the panther, to a wolf family's den to be raised. The animals are his friends and he learns from them until, suddenly, Shere Khan returns to the jungle. Like all tigers, Shere Khan hates man - and Mowgli, now ten, is a "man". His friends work to convince him to leave the jungle, but Mowgli doesn't want to go, facing various dangers to stay in the place he knows as his home. Until, that is, he sees a young human girl singing at the water and follows her home to her village.

Disney's illustrations in both editions are worthy of 5 stars, but this one actually GETS those 5 stars because the text is much better. Without being excessively wordy, this edition goes into more detail, not leaving out important details (in ISBN 0307003264, Mowgli's adoptive wolf mother doesn't even say a word when the pack votes to send him away, for example). The pace is a little slower here, allowing the story to feel far less hurried.

Disney's Wonderful World of Reading series are, indeed, wonderful - a set no child's library is complete without - and the added bonus of introducing your child to Kipling early in their life is just the icing on the cake.

The artwork in this book is very colorfully attractive and true to the Disney's Jungle Book movie. It is amazing that so much detail was put into the illustrations.

Another excellent feature about this book is how well the story was condensed from the film. It's almost all here. Often the Golden Books base their stories from segments taken from the movie. That is not the case here.

The story of Mowgli, the man-cub, befriended by the animals of the Jungle in India comes to life in concise and easy to read words. Bagheera the wise panther, Baloo the bumbling bear, and all his other jungle friends are all here as they make their way to the man-village. Mowgli saves the day by fending off the sly tiger, Shere Khan.

This is a very good book.

This book is so many wonderful things. To begin with, it is simply a first-class, wholesome adventure story that all ages, child to adult, will enjoy. Any parent can be totally comfortable introducing this book to their children. It is just plain wholesome, exciting adventure!!

But it is written from an obviously exhaustive and extensive study, as well as first hand experience, as it depicts endless authentic details of this ancient native American people and their environment. It is written with a simplicity compatible with its time and setting, but with a flair for action and suspense.

Above all, it is presented with deep and delicate compassion and affection for this people and their land. ANYONE with a heart to be simultaneously entertained as well as educated in early native American culture and adventure will certainly enjoy this unique and well-written novel!!

This book is a mixture of Jean Auel, Louis L'Amour, Tony Hillerman and the 1940 vocalist Phil Harris. Late elementary school youths will enjoy this book as will their parents and grandparents. There are no swear words and no sex in the book, which proves these are not needed to produce a good story.

Don, an AM-ARCS (Amatuer-Archaeologists) member, grew up in Nevada and as a teenager worked on a cattle ranch in Long Valley. There he was friendly with the Washo Indian ranch forman and his family. Through the Washo grandmother, Don heard first hand the stories and legends incorporated throught the book.

A fine read, exciting adventure, authentic stuff!

It's a thoughtful, honest, pleasant review of what every woman should have and what every woman should know. I've shared mine with close friends and family. It's unanimously appreciated.

My girlfriend gave me this book and I loved it. It's great for mothers, sisters, friends, etc.. any woman would love this. The how to's and what every woman should have are hilarious and very true to heart.

Works are so numerous in this excellent volume that it is almost too imposing to write something specific enough to be helpful in a brief review. There are long poems, very short poems--translations and original work, and then prose pieces too. The artistry is of the highest order. Very helpful, is that if all these works were not organized well, "When the Tiger Weeps" would have a problem, but the book is not only of high quality, production wise, but organized in such a way that it "works" fine. It is organized in Books One and Two, the former hallmarked by "Orion's Sword", a long poem of the American Civil war. Long poems are the most difficult and challenging for a poet to manage, and O'Conner establishes himself as a literary artist in his highest, most mature form. "Orion's Sword" captures the cadence of military tragedy like few others I've read. Yet there are numerous shorter poems in both parts, and a list of standouts would be long. My favorite short poem in part one is "When the Blue Jay Goes to Bed", from the section on Ishi, the tragic native American, "the last of his kind". In part two it is "Words for XN". This poem is included in Mr. O'Connor's translations of diverse street poetry written anonymously during the Tienanmen Square protests. The epigram which opens this book--a quote from Bullfinch's Mythology-- seizes perfectly my feelings for this book and its poet: "Orpheus sang his complaints/to the rocks and the mountains/melting the hearts of tigers and/moving the oaks from their station.

This was the first time I have ever read a book of poetry cover to cover in one sitting. The books gripping opening poem on the Civil War caught hold of me and I could not stop reading until I had travelled in the book several thousand miles and a few centuries later to Kyoto where a small gesture from a stranger brings this magical work to a stunning close. Relax, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and read this book. In a short while you will feel wonderfully enriched by the great spirits who inhabit these poems, the historical events that swirl through the pages, and the deep and elusive insights that suddenly snap into focus in odd places. Its one of those books that makes you want to buy all the other books an author has written. If his other works are half as good as this one I'll happily read them all.

This book was a gift for someone who collects Willy's jeeps. They loved it. It was a cute unique gift for someone who is hard to buy for.

My husband owns a red Wrangler so when I saw this book, I knew I had to have it for my daughter. It's an adorable story, a true story at that, but it is a long book. It will be better when our daughter is a little older, not for young children that can't sit still. But it is a great book, I recommend it.

Wishbone Dog-a-Day is a full-color calendar, featuring the of snappy patter (and none of the boring humans or plot) of the Wishbone television series. Each page features a beautiful photo and a witty one-liner by Wishbone. Also suitable for children. (:

Yes I'd like to rate this calender..It's filled with great pictures for all ages.. Wishbone as an actor is one of the best animal actors of all times... If not the best.. I just love the way he has done his job on all his shows.. Jackie Kaptan has done well in training him and wearing all the different clothes is a big feat in itself.. Paws up for the Calender and for Wishbone... Great Four Legged Actor ! Check out his show and Movies and His Wonderful Books.

I was at the same reading as Richard Pepperman and Louis Phillips and I heard Louis' story too and it was excellent! He is a great writer; his THE AUDIENCE BOOK OF THEATRE QUOTATIONS (that my press published, WORLD AUDIENCE) is nothing short of extraordinary, and it sells well, by the way. This book of stories -- KING LEAR -- is another one to buy. Mike Strozier

I'll say it at the outset. I'm a friend of Louis Phillips. I spend lots of time with him. I'm lucky. You're not...yet! I went to his book signing yesterday and bought a copy. Then I sat and listened to Louis read from "Lee Harvey Oswald's Can Opener." A grand treat. Then I started reading other stories on my train ride home. More superb time with Louis. And! Now I'm buying two more copies for other friends. Bet they'll be lucky quicker than you??!!!

in this book of selected poems by rumi, interpreted by raficq abdulla, illustrated with persian and islamic manuscripts and published for the "bargain" aisles of barnes & noble, i found the most extraordinary introduction to islamic poetry.

i am interested in reading more about islam, because i don't understand it at all, and i want to learn more from the poets about the kind of belief system that inspires young men to commit a bloody jihad in the name of allah and the 41 virgins. i will never understand 911, or where that kind of hate comes from, or the perpetuating historical circumstances that continue to fan the flames of hate from arabs toward jews, jews toward arabs, arabs toward america, america toward arabs. i will never understand how the muslims i've met and loved, observed from afar as a friend or neighbor or fellow mom, can be part of the culture of terrorists we take off our shoes at airports because of.... i imagine these terrorists are like the clansmen of my race--ones i would not claim as indicative of my kind of christianity. and since we are at war because of some disagreement among the gods, and the contempt their devotion inspires, i thought i might spend a little holiday time learning what i could from this very beautiful and intriguingly affordable book.

on the whole, this work is eloquent, beautifully illustrated, an extraordinary and in some places highly erotic interpretation of islamic devotion. in abdulla's introduction, he says, "reading rumi's poetry is like making love. we should be ready to lose ourselves in it, as only then will we find the Other, that greater energy which contains us." he is right, of course, the learned man who interprets this extraordinary work, and conveys the author's meaning with a devoted touch.

i could not bring myself to write in this gem of a book due, in part, to the pure beauty of the illustrations, with each page appearing as a piece of art. where usually i regard my scribbling as a way of loving a book better, this edition kept me wanting to preserve the pristine pages. as a consequence, i cannot list for you, as i usually do, all the brilliant lines and passages that affected me so deeply.

another difficulty i face is in telling you about the individual poems--as they are unnamed. there is, however, scripture like notations at the bottom of each passage. one i particularly love, for the universal story of acceptance of all religions, is mathnavi ii, 3668. with deference to the author, rumi, and his interpreter, abdulla, i will retell this one work here:

o friend do you see this sky-planted
tree of knowledge, you who know?
see how high, how generous
the rich tapestry of shade from it flows,
the merciful vein of water as great
as life-giving as pliant as the ocean.
but in your ignorance you see only
the opaque husks, the futile motions
of forms, for you fail to drink from
the fountain-head of the one: you only see
the names which crush and crowd
the traffic of your senses--sun and tree
capricious lake dressed in silver, growling clouds
heavy with thunder -- make their entry
as auspicious names, glinting facets
of the diamond of the one again and again
countless words and notions kissing
the fine compliant air like a curtain of rain.
the One may be father to you, to me another,
to yet another a new-born son,
he is justice and wrath, mercy and vengeance,
revelation of faith, cherished. he runs
like a river through the fertile eden
of particular forms disposing of dancing names,
all this show seems sundry different, contradictory,
paradoxically it's all the same;
made up of a million prancing disruptions
which our credulous minds deceive
as we chase the froth of names as truth and destination
to the end of life and only believe
in what we see and say, we miss the mark,
the salt which makes us thirst we cannot conceive
of in what is inconceivable - so why tie yourself
so closely as your blood with seductive labels
only to be sullied, taken apart, besmirched,
gulled and clogged like dung-filled stables?
travel lightly o friend with your enchanted senses,
take careful stock leaving names behind
so you may be guided to the pity and pith of things
where resides the One; there your heart you'll find.
we quarrel and coral our faiths in walled enclosures
of demeaning words, those preposterous names.
but only pierce the surface of your eyes, see
beyond your blinding sight, bathe in his eternal flame.


this, beyond the love-making poems of devotion that remind me of the bible's song of solomon, beyond the whirling dervish poems and the access they open up for me to the ecstatic experience of the devoted, beyond the loss and loneliness poems of being human, here, without the beloved god...this poem gives me access to the thing i, too, believe. all the gods are the one big creative force that gives us all life. if we could just quit trying to label that one god, and quit fighting about who's brand and version of the one god is better than another, perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, we could take a closer look at our humanity and find it is the same, too.

i know this is simplistic. i know this is too easy. i know what i'm saying is naive and just like a girl...and it is. just like a girl who grows up to be a woman who grows up to have children she loves, to want as i want my children to be able to live in a world with muslim mothers who love their children, and jewish mothers who love their children, and hindu mothers who love their children, and buddhist mothers who love their children and to entrust, to all our children, the love of our particular devotions, too. and for those devotions to be seen as a spectacularly beautiful expression of love--and never to be used to start wars our children will have to fight by spilling each other's blood.

anyway, this beautiful book gave me a better glimpse at something--and in it, i found a place to begin to try to reach toward understanding. of course politics is not poetry...and this whole war torn world is again at the mercy of the righteous and devoted. devotion, in any religion, is always beautiful in words...just not always in the world. in this book, islam is conveyed through rumi, as something beautiful.

A delightful book which stands out through the beauty of its art work, and even more through the power of its poetic vision. Raficq Abdulla has brought this 700-year-old poet and mystic to life in a way which speaks to those who are seeking an experience of Rumi's spirituality, but equally those who delight in the sheer sensuousness of his erotic imagery. Although the poems are well grounded in the spirit of Rumi's originals, Mr Abdulla hasn't shied away from interpreting them in a way that is inclusive of his modern audience - notably, the earthly image of the heavenly Beloved is no longer exclusively male, much in keeping with more modern perceptions of the nature of God. Altogether, the poems provide a delicious taste from Rumi's cup of Love.

Anyone who can't laugh about sex probably isn't doing it right. By that reasoning, Foglio depicts it done very well. (If it's not a laughing matter for you, just skip the book and the rest of this review.)

Volume 5 continues Foglio's visual exploration of the funny side of sex, collected from comic books printed some years ago. It's a series of short stories, all with fantasy or science fiction themes, allowing a lot of room to explore outrageous ideas. That means, for example, that the reader should have a liberal attitude towards dating outside of one's species.

Like the other XXXenophile books, this expresses a generally happy and consensual approach to adult play. The overall goofiness assures that the plots won't be taken too seriously. For example, most people wouldn't think that a dark spirit, sent to enforce an evil curse, would be open to seduction. Well, I guess dark spirits have to have a love life, too.

None of the short stories are especially memorable, but that makes them easy to enjoy more than once. That's what makes this a book worth owning, the fact that it can be funny more than once.

//wiredweird

Everyone should be able to read this book lovers of DND, LOVERS OF PORN, LOVERS OF LIFE, LOVERS OF anyone who can say they just injoy Scifi.. Its a great book and i feel phil did a great job.. I hope Phil Foglio lives on for my childern to read its a great book.. but maybe not for the younger.. maybe younger adulty though ^^;; Later and hope you love reading and funnie and sex.. everything a guy will love and a nerd at the same time..

This fabulous collction of virtually every one of the most vital contemporary artist is, simply put, a must. The talent and diversity of these works are astounding and envigorating. The title "Drawing" conjures up images of simple sketches, pencil works and other trite mediums of drawing. However, these works prove that drawing, the element of art that is the product of the artist's mind directly onto a surface, is fulfilled in every way. Works like "Detail from Cremaster 3" by Matthew Barney and other works by Ellsworth Kelly, Sol Lewitt, Anish Kapoor, Lari Pittman, Charles Ray and many others make this mini-volume a treasure worth investigating.