Works Books

I cannot say anything bad about this book! WHAT THE SHADOW TOLD ME is clever and irreverent. Engaging characters take you on a wonderful ride while at the same time poking the publishing industry in the eye.

With the embedded screenplay it is also a two-fer the price of one, an excellent value. Cameo's by such notable icons as Satchel Paige and David Hasselhoff too!

Buy it, borrow it, beg for or steal it-this is a must read!

I couldn't put it down. Very funny. My favorites things in the book were (don't worry, this will give nothing away!): the Baby Bomber; all the names; the Biminim re-translations; Rufus' letter at the funeral; the character of Timm Clifton; the haikus; the clocks; the old propaganda film; Henry David Monroe; and Christians Against Kwanzaa. Sign me up.

WHAT THE SHADOW TOLD ME by Kurtis Davidson, the writing team of Kurt Jose Ayau and David Rachels, begins when Rufus Walter Eddison, America's greatest African-American writer, dies suddenly. His editor, Justina Patterson, is left scrambling to find the manuscript to his second novel before an unscrupulous senior editor at her publishing company can generate a fake to be passed off as the work of the dead genius. Justina has been brought up to revere the famed author, as has all of America and most of the world. The only problem is he wrote his great American novel in 1951 and for forty-eight years has failed to deliver the manuscript of the sequel as he was under contract to do. Eddison was so paranoid that his second novel wouldn't live up to the world's expectations that he never even wrote a grocery list after that. Or so it seemed. Justina has to find his book or face grim alternatives: seeing Eddison's elderly widow, the sweet Maisy May, impoverished because she has to pay back the large advance the publishing company paid Eddison years before or allowing her publisher to perpetrate a literary fraud in the name of book sales.

In the effort to locate the lost manuscript, Justina meets a wide assortment of hilarious characters, which are well-developed and unique in their voices. Among them is Biminim Strimpoonanamam, an Asian man with an unpronounceable name and nearly unintelligible English. Biminim translates novels from English to another foreign language to English for people who speak English as a second language. The result is outrageous translations of great literary works in Pidgin English that border on the racist, but land on the side of just plain funny.

Ayau and Rachels as Kurtis Davidson have written a story that takes humorous stabs at the publishing industry, sports, music, the rural South, academia, and literature, in general. Most of the characters in this story are African-American, but the theme is so universal in its appeal that it doesn't feel weird that two white guys wrote this novel. WHAT THE SHADOW TOLD ME is clever and satirical. It is the winner of the 2003 Faulkner Society of New Orleans Award.

Reviewed by Kim Anderson Ray
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Who would think that in a city of 8 million people (and those living in Monrovia) there would be a tight knit group that would all be touched in a big way by the hunt for a phantom manuscript? Learn of the secret (and not so secret) lives of all involved. With a celebrity list a mile long, penned in cameos include; Olga Korbut, Susan Dey, John Lennon, Tammy Faye Bakker, David Hasselhoff, Satchel Paige and Adolph Hitler. Follow Justina on her mad search while she is "on vacation" for the jewel of a famous black writer's career. After reading this I felt I was back at the magic kingdom riding my favorite ride mesmerized by all the children singing, "it's a small world after all". I haven't read that much in one sitting since I read to my son Melville's "Moby Dick" and he wouldn't let me stop until the exciting part was over. Thanks guy's! It sure was wild,

Blake

I *loved* this book. Couldn't put it down, even though I had deadlines. I laughed my ass off the whole way through, and I found myself caring about the characters. I hope KD will consider writing a Biminim Strimpoonanamam spin-off novel. You'd be crazy not to read this.-Torin Alter

The book is user friendly and offers specific recommendations for pain relief based on the location of the pain in the body. The exercises are quite simple and helpful when one is trying to avoid surgery and/or when other options are not feasable. A real life-saver.

GREAT book and easy to use, has really helped me with my problems. I have shared the book with everyone I know that needs to know how to help themselves at home.

This book is truly a "Do-It-Yourself Pain Relief." I found myself using the book as one would use a dictionary to look up a word but instead I am looking up the right recipe for the terrible pain. The illustrations are very easy to follow as well as the short narrative describing each activity. The book format is user friendly. I highly recommend this book for anyone intersted in learning good stretching techniques.

I am a 100 percent, true believer in the program set forth in this book. I was training for my first marathon with the Team in Training program set up by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society when I was introduced to the book. I had injured my IT bands (on both legs), and was having great pain in my hamstring as it attached to the outside portion behind my knee with just 2 months until race time. These injuries had virtually shut down my training. I was relegated to cardio workouts on my stationary exercise bike.

Being cautious about these injuries that wouldn't go away, I saw an orthopedic doctor one month before the marathon. I was diagnosed with bad IT band inflammation and told myleg muscles were really tight - thus causing some of the additional pain. I was released to go back to running, but told I needed to start stretching my hamstrings and quads. By this time, the pain had subsided a little bit, but not much. When I tried my first run, the pain immediately returned, by this point I started thinking about opting out of the marathon.

Luckily, my doctor had given me the number of Kim Ortloff, one of the authors of this book, to help me stretch. At this point I had already been stretching the traditional way (you know by holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds) with no reduction in pain. I was getting little to no benefit from my efforts so I decided to set up an appointment with Kim.

I was able to professionally work with Kim (3 times before my Marthon) and use the exercises and stretches in this book at home. I was completely surprised, that in a couple of days of following this program I was actually able to start exercising again (walking and jogging 2-3 miles) with greatly reduced pain. During my second session with Kim, and just as a stroke of good luck, she told me that they had just released a DVD version of this book showing the different stretching, exercises and self massage techiniques of the book. I bought the DVD right away.

My injuries had almost completely resolved themselves within 3 weeks of starting this program. I met with Kim one last time, 3 days before the Marathon. By this time my injuries were completely resolved. I was amazed that in three and a half weeks of starting this program I was back to 100 percent.

Less than one month after starting these stretching and exercise routines, I finished the Marathon. I did it my using a technique of walking and running at set intervals, because I felt I had not trained sufficiently and didn't want to reinjure myself.

Additionally, using the techiniques in this book made my post-marthon recover a piece of cake. I was completely recovered from all sore muscles within 3 days. My IT bands are fine, my hamstrings don't hurt at all, and I was walking better than most marathon runners at the post-marathon celebration.

I could not have even thought about competing in the marathon, let alone finishing the marathon had I not followed the techniques that are being taught in this book. I am so excited at the immediate and lasting results that I got from this program, that when anyone asks about my marathon, I make sure to plug this book (and DVD). I even gave 2 copies of the book to my Team in Training run coaches, in hopes that they would employ the principles used in their coaching.

My wife has even used the principals for non-sports related injuries she had in her feet.

As I started off saying, I am a true believer in this program.

"Pain is the No. 1 reasons for doctor visits. If you live with pain, you are not alone--it is estimated that 100 million Americans live with chronic pain."

These various pains, the authors say, leads to $60 billion in lost productivity and missed workdays.

This is a book that will be handy reference for me as it contains stretches, self-massage and exercise, as well as hundreds of pages of sound advice.

The two expert authors have written an excellent guide to help you and me achieve a life that is active, healthy and free of pain and learn to regain control over our health.

When we are in pain, we are not ourselves, and usually are crabby, can't see or think clearly and get stressed out. Our productivity and personal relationships are affected.

Did you know? The human head weighs 7 to 12 pounds, depending on the individual. No wonder neck and shoulder muscles get tired and weak.

Computers, couches and reclining chairs contribute to poor posture and pain. Sitting--which most of us do a lot at work, and then again at home watching TV or on the computer--places eight times more pressure on the lower back than standing does.

Of the two basic types of pain, acute is when you have an immediate pain from injuring yourself. Chronic, such as arthritis, hangs around and sometimes never goes away.

Several of their chapters deal with specific areas of pain. Those particular chapters make sense if first you read, "Why the Body Hurts," and "How to Manage your Pain." Each section helps us become advocates for our own health and pain-free living.

The last chapter, "If Your Pain Doesn't Go Away" includes questions for when you should see a doctor; what to ask; how to work with your doctor; and how to prevent your doctor from putting you off.

Armchair Interviews says: Even if you get one tiny helpful hint toward your pain control, this book is worth it. Their simple-to-do exercises and strategies have proven to be effective in relieving aches and pains in others. Whose body is it anyway?

This book is perfect. It is perfectly written and the story perfectly told. There are moments when you feel joy for the author, but there are also moments when you are heartbroken because of the battles that she must fight. However, through it all you learn that she will always continue to fight for the things that she believes in. It is an amazing story that shows we all must continue fighting are own daily struggles. The book was an inspiration to me and I must thank Sally for having the ability to inspire. I cannot express enough the impact that this book has had on me. It would be a cruel injustice for someone to miss the opportunity to read this book. It can help no matter what type of situation you are dealing with.

While I was walking is like having a peek into someone's journal. Sally Russo expertly chronicles a period of her life with honesty and raw truth. A must read for anyone needing inspiration through tough times. And a big Aplus for the truth about Lyme Disease and how it is NOT be handled by our country's doctors so well.

Sally the book is amazing and I could not be more proud of you. I am so impressed with how well you are able to open up and tell your story of stuggles and the way you are persevering. You truly are an insperation to all. I wish nothing but success and happiness for you so don't give up and keep up with the fantastic writing!

What a remarkable story illustrated in such a vivid way. Sally's fight & passion for life is so touching, and her story truly made me realize how important the simplicities of life are. Sally's struggles and challenges have sculpted her into a very strong and brave young woman. I would highly recommend this story for all ages!

No surprises here. I couldn't put the book down. Sally is and always has been an extremely strong and determined person. This book evidences how she has persevered through things in life that would have made many of us give up. I commend her for turning these life experiences into positive ones to share and educate those around her. This book can be read by any college bound student, any parent with college bound children, and any person or parent who has experienced these same tragedies. It is truly an inspiration to take this journey with Sally through her writing, teaching the reader that it is possible to move on and face life head on to conquer any obstacle. Not only does it address her emotional distress while in college, she then addresses her next obstacle of facing a life altering disease yet still presses on. This book may open the eyes of some people experiencing these same unexplained health problems leading to, and in some cases, masking Lyme Disease and perhaps face them in the right direction. If nothing else, this book can make many others feel that they are not alone. This book is a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences. I cried a lot and laughed some but all in all, I am so proud that Sally is doing better and has chosen to own this journey and share it with the world.

As a fiber artist, I am very interested in the history of fiber. Elizabeth Barber's "Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years" is fantastic, both as a history of the use of fibers and as a history of working women. I learned a great deal about women's role in society from her research, and it makes me proud to be a modern woman working with fiber, just as my ancestors did. Highly recommended!

Anyone interested in so-called gender studies, textiles, prehistory, or just in regular people ought to read this book. The authoress, in incredibly simple language (she can't REALLY be an academic, can she?), tells the story of women and the textile work that has (pre-) historically been theirs. Bringing the insight that only a practicing weaver or spinner could have to the dusty world of archeology, she sweeps the reader into the homes of real people. Lots of metaphors, but honestly, it's that kind of book: rich. I only wish I could read it again for the first time.

I ran across this book almost by accident. I was feeling rather glum one day, and I asked my wife to recommend a book for me - something that was out of the ordinary and would cheer me up. She recommended "Women's Work". I was a little skeptical that it would appeal to a techie guy like myself, but soon I was absorbed in Elizabeth Wayland Barber's storytelling.

"Women's Work" tells the story of textiles in human history. In nearly every society, spinning, weaving, and sewing have been done almost exclusively by women, so the history of textiles is also a history of women's work - or one important part of it. That's still reflected in our language, for example, when we refer to the "distaff side" - a distaff being a stick used to hold fiber for spinning.

Wayland Barber tells her story with with wit and clarity. And more than that, she tells the story of the story - that is, she traces not only what we know about textiles in ancient times, but describes how we know it. So, this is not only a fine history, but it's a fine, readable treatise on historiography as well.

I can warmly recommend this book to anyone interested in textiles, or women's history, or how history is written, or who has the blues and just wants to read a darn good book.

Interesting history of some parts of women's work. I enjoyed it very much. Whether you are interested in fabric or not, I think you'll enjoy this book. It is scholarly but still a good read that keeps your interest.

I bought this book on the recomendation of my spinning instructor. I was expecting the documentation of early spinning and weaving techniques, and the discussion of preserved textiles. I wasnt expecting to be inspired to go out and buy a copy of the Iliad and the Odyssey to read about the textile and history references that she brings up! I had no idea that Greek mythologies mention items of clothing that have been found in the area and dated to pre-Greco times....and were stil identifiable items of clothing in the last century.
Basically this book is a textile and history junkies best fix.
If you are a re-creationist,(such as the SCA) or particpating in Lving History demonstrations, you will definately want this book for its discussions of documented cloth finds,
If you like this book, you may also enjoy reading "Salt, a World History" as they mention several of the same places, and historical finds.

The other reviews cover the content, but as for the format (at least in the elder edition this reviewer has), the pages are stubby and short given the length of the binding. Increasing the width by another 1.5'' would have reduced the somewhat crammed text, but Norton must have needed the paper to print other books at the time.

Works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Includes Capital (Das Kapital) and Communist Manifesto. FREE Authors' biographies and essays in the trial version.

This ebook contains essential works of Marx & Engels. Great digital item!

then this is really the volume to get. Besides it's Norton: headnotes, footnotes, delicious paper, quality binding, good selections, a good look at Marx as far I can see.

This is an excellent compilation of Marx and Engels's works. Tucker's version is one of the foremost used by scholars and educators in the academic setting and is considered one of the best. Although I admittedly have not read all of the works in the reader, I was consistently impressed with the classics such as Capital, Crisis Theory, and the Communist Manifesto (most of which were actually written by Engels, not Marx).

The Marxist legacy lies not in his theories, but in the questions and concerns that he raises regarding other Enlightenment theorists. Indeed, Marx continues in the Enlightenment tradition in that he is deeply committed to science and rationality as a basis for legitimating a certain governmental regime and he has an intense regard for individual rights, which he believes can only be ensured if class differences are eradicated through the elimination of exploitation. Marxists believe that the role of government is to prevent exploitation, although more contemporary theorists such as Roemer have argued that exploitation theory is little more than a distraction from what they should actually worry about--which Roemer believes is domination. Anyone interested in exploitation theory should read Marx and Engels alongside Roemer's "Why should Marxists be interested in exploitation theory?" which is a great companion in helping you scrutinize Marx and Engels's argument.

Although the communist utopia where distributive justice is defined as, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" (as opposed to the transition state between capitalism and communism, socialism, has distributive justice defined as "From each according to his ability, to each according to his work") never does emerge as Marx predicts, Marx and Engels do raise some interesting arguments that everyone interested in political philosophy should be familiar with. Although their belief in their own infallibility and the failure of their theories--notably, the crisis theory--to hold up empirically have been used to downplay their relevance, Marx and Engels left behind several important tools with which to critically analyze all other political theories. The concerns they have with the existing system are not altogether irrelevant.

This book was used in one of the classes I took as an undergraduate. It seems to be a thorough and well chosen collection of the writings of Marx and Engels, with some insightful commentary by the editor, Robert Tucker. I'm not a scholar of the work of these two men, but reading through this again I'm struck with the notion that their ideas are still very much alive and relevant today. Marx is much maligned in the United States, but in many ways he was a humanitarian who wanted to change the world into a better place. And, as he argued, capitalism (including how it is practiced today) is deeply flawed in many ways. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

If you are a veterinarian and don't have this book, get it! Great client education handouts on cd included.

This book is awesome! Does not go indepth, but has ALL the pertinent information related to specific diseases/clinical signs (definitions, Physiology, symptoms, lab work, treatment, follow up care)all on one page! A VERY useful book so far, especially from a tech's point of view!

Just replaced my 3rd edition, the 4th addition is a bit better has some new information, doseages for new drugs and a CD with Client education handouts.

I needed this item ASAP and I received it on time which was excellent since I paid for fast shipping. The cover of the book though looked a little worn. The book was supposed to be new but looking at it I wasn't 100% sure. If I had time I probably would have returned it for another copy. Besides that I was satisfied with my purchase.

Whenever I encounter a new disease, or need to refresh my memory about one I haven't seen lately, I reach for this book first. I find it to be concise, informative, and useful. While other medical texts make for good fireside or bedtime reading, this one cuts to the chase, and is useful in the midst of a busy veterinary schedule.
I use this book as my "nerd book", jotting notes in the margins when I learn something new about a disease from reading journals. Overall I am quite impressed at how up-to-date and complete the information is vis-a-vis JAVMA, the Compendium for Continuing Education, etc. I also appreciate that this book comes out in new additions often enough to keep up with the rapid changes in veterinary medicine.

I've only begun to scratch the surface of the recipes presented in this book. So far, the ones I've made taste great, though the length of time it takes for many of these traditional preparations is beyond what I often have available. Iyer's personality and sense of humor shine through in his descriptions of people, ingredients and recipes.

I'm pleased I got this book - it's comprehensive and has accessible recipes. There is enough "theory" to explain how and why to do things and enough simple practical experience to be useful. I've only tried 2 of the recipes but the coconut black eyed pea curry was even better than it sounded in the recipe.

note for international readers - it's American. Only US quantities are given in that arcane and quaint pound ounce thing. Requires translation into metric.

I've been cooking Indian food for well over 10 years and my cooking repertoire is filled with more Asian dishes than American. But, there is always something to learn, especially when you are not a native to a particular style of cooking.

660 Curries is a wonderful book filled with plenty of dishes to satisfy your Indian food cravings. I've tried a number of dishes from this book and they do not disappoint. I own a decent collection of Indian cookbooks and this is one of my top, without a doubt. If you are a lover of dhal it is worth the purchase price alone.

The stories that accompany the recipes are also nice to read.

Add this tome to your library, it is worth it.

I just got this book about a week ago. I've already tried several recipes and spice blends. I couldn't wait to write a review and tell everyone who loves Indian food that this is a "must-have" Indian cookbook. If you're only going to get one Indian cookbook, get this one! The recipes are pretty easy and just plain wonderful.
I lower the heat in most of the recipes by reducing the amount of chili peppers.
I just made the Spicy Potatoes and Spinach with Blackened Chilis and Coconut Milk. Superb! My husband loved it! I served it along side crispy fried chicken(it's the 4th of July weekend so I needed something with lots of deep fried goodness.) Indian food goes very well with fried chicken or roasted chicken. Try it, you'll be hooked.
This potato recipe called for a special spice blend called Panch Phoron. The dish(including the spice blend) was extremely easy to make.
I get all my spices and dried chilies from Penzey Spices. I buy the tiny fresh Thai peppers from a local Asian market. They are sold in a small bag by the produce section(tiny red and green ones in the same bag.) When I don't have any fresh chili peppers on hand, I just use some cayenne pepper.
What I love so much about this book is that no two curries taste the same. It's all about the use of spices and herbs. Once you get the hang of grinding and blending the whole spices, the curries come together in a flash. You will be so happy with the results! Penzey's makes it easy to make these flavorful spice blends. They even have hard-to-find spices like Nigella seeds and white poppy seeds.
I must say that have blended and grinded my own spices for years, using recipes from other Indian cookbooks. But, Raghavan is "spot-on" with all his spice blends. He instructs you to use these specific blends for each curry. The results are complex and delicious.
As a person who has spent about 5 years(in her own kitchen) learning how to cook Indian food, I consider this cookbook to be the best one so far. I have lots of Indian cookbooks ranging from classics like Madhur Jaffery's "Indian Cooking" to the gigantic "The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking." Already, I can tell that 660 Curries is the one book I will be reaching for again and again. I'm so excited to try many more recipes.
Thank you, Raghavan, for your hard efforts in searching for and testing each one of your wonderful recipes. You've created a truly amazing cookbook!
Oh..vegetarians will love this book too(tons of flavorful veggie and bean curries.) Raghaven also does wonderful things with the humble potato, which he is very fond of. He will have you re-thinking boring mashed potatoes.
I can go on and on about this cookbook! I feel certain that if you buy it, you'll love it!

Whether you're a novice or expert at Indian cooking, you're bound to love this thick cookbook that just bursts with flavour. Raghavan Iyer describes his first attempt at cooking with the generic American spice called "curry powder," and his subsequent disappointment at its failure to evoke the spicy heritage of his home. His book 660 Curries is both an homage to the great foods of India and a guide to making those foods for people who have perhaps always thought of curry as something blazing hot that's seasoned with a can of curry powder.

But just what is curry? If you had asked me before I read this cookbook, I'd have responded that it's a dish consisting of vegetables, perhaps meat, cooked in a fiery sauce and served with rice. Very nondescriptive. Here's what Iyer says about curry:

In England and the rest of the world, "curry" describes anything Indian that is mottled with hot spices, with or without a sauce, and "curry powder" is the blend that delivers it. In keeping with my culture, I define a curry as any dish that consists of meat, fish, poultry, legumes, vegetables, or fruits, simmered in or covered with a sauce, gravy, or other liquid that is redolent of spices and/or herbs (p. 3).

I remember once making a curry for dinner, and later meeting up with a friend. "You had curry for dinner tonight, didn't you?" she asked me, and I stared blankly at her, wondering if my telltale breath had given it away. It turned out that she had already seen my husband, who told her the news. That curry, like every other curry I've ever prepared, was seasoned with a curry powder blend that I purchased at the grocery store. Now, however, thanks to Iyer, I'll be preparing my own blends. He gives you a variety to work with, tells you where to find ingredients that may not be readily available at your grocery store, tells you the best ways to prepare and store them, and a variety of useful tips.

Many of the recipes in the book relate back to the section about "spice blends and pastes," as those are the essential ingredients in preparing the other dishes. Iyer recommends-and I wholeheartedly agree with him-that you carefully read the entire recipe before you begin preparation, and make sure you have everything in place and at hand. If your recipe includes a spice blend found on page 28 (Sesame-Flavored Blend with peanuts and coconut-Maharashtrian Garam Masala), prepare the blend, if you haven't already, and make sure it's ready for use.

This book has curries and side dishes to tempt any appetite, including appetizer curries (did you ever think of having a curry dish as an appetizer?), meat curries, paneer curries, legume curries, vegetable curries, contemporary curries, and biryani curries. There is also a section on curry cohorts, in case you were wondering what to serve with the Cauliflower and Potatoes in a blackened red chile sauce (Alur Phulkopir Jhol) on page 481, for example. I like a good naan, and on page 729 there is a recipe for Salt-Crusted Grilled Flatbread with ghee (Naan) that I will be trying out before I get very much older.

The recipes are laid out step-by-step so that they can be easily followed, and tips about techniques, alternatives, etc., frequently follow the recipes. The recipe section is followed up with a very useful guide that includes metric conversion charts, a thorough glossary of ingredients, the basic elements of curry, mail-order sources for spices and lgumes, and a good bibliography for the chef who wants to learn more.

I have read about half the book so far.

One thing that irks me is all the footnotes. I have not counted them but they must total in the thousands. While I agree that it is important not to use somebody else's work without acknowledgement, this book seems to take it to the extreme. I can tell that the author(s) must be English majors because normal people would simply not use so many footnotes. It would have been better to use the "shotgun" approach - a statement something like "some statements in this book are not entirely those of the authors, other works have been used blah, blah, blah...."

As for the content of the book, there is the overwhelming hint of inside advertising for various companies. Examples are good, I agree, but I get the feeling there are many hidden advertisements for various companies.

A lot of the information is common sense. I thought this book would give me more insight into the way advertising works, so far I have been underwhelmed to the point of disappointment.

I can only hope the rest of the book will make up for a lackluster beginning.

If I had to choose one book as a survival book in the adfield, this would definitely be my weapon of choice.
It has down to earth and truthful advertising insights about how things work or don't in the advertising universe.

It really, really is a must have for all us who deal from the agency side or the marketing side of the ad business.
Better if any agency and client read this before to fully understand one another, in working better off as one team aiming to one vision.

This book details and focus everything from the psychological point of view.
This one is definitely a keeper!

I was introduced to this book several years ago when I was in the ad agency industry.
Since then, my issue has been read and re-read, referenced countless times.
My copy mysteriously disappeared (hey who could blame them??) so have just rebought the newest version of this book.
The book is brilliant because it gets behind the psychology of the buyer, allowing you to really and simply understand the thought process behind the buying decision.
Others who have touched on the subject of the psychology of reasons why we buy have made the content too heavy, too theoretical and let's face it - Boring with a capital "B" ... but not these authors.
It has great examples of ad campaigns throughout the book.
Personally this book has helped me design and write more responsive advertising campaigns as the many learnings from this book have stayed.
This is a must-read for anyone in an ad agency, students of marketing and advertising, and anyone in the marketing industry.
Buy this book, you won't regret it.

and you should read it. it keeps it's promise(advertising and the mind of the consumer:what works what doesn't and why).its all there in the book, explained, with plenty of examples and pretty complete. if you are interested in this field buy this book, and then consider other books if you really want to, but dont miss out on this book.simply a very good book. we should have more books like this.

The most clearly illustrated book about the once mysterious mechanics behind advertising. I wish I would have read it ten years ago when I joined the ad. industry.

I've always been a fan of feminist comics. I wrote my thesis in 2003 on underground feminist comix as resistance art and include Arnoldi's work because it's so outside the norm. Autobiographic with stark images of people who've abused her turning into monsters. Her story of resistance and self-preservation is inspirational and moving. Her artwork is simple; it doesn't need to be more complex. Her story has enough complexity. It's a phenomenal read for an adult but it's also a great book to share with teens. I've used it in middle school and high school therapy groups and had a great response. I can't recommend this book enough!

Arnoldi's graphic-novel about a single mother is great. It is not only a direct and clear critique of the problems facing young single-mothers today (an increasingly large demographic in the U.S.), but it is also a hopeful and inspiring story about the way out of those problems -- a way out created by young single mothers cooperating as they find solidarity with one another. Although the story is simply told and very easy to read, it is not a simple story, and she weaves together issues of sexuality, family, and labor union politics.

I'm not a teen mother (or any sort of mother), but after reading a story about her struggles and her decision to put it in a comic form, I was intrigued. Her drawings describe her transition from being neglected by her mother and having no other place to go, other than to live with her sister and abusive brother-in-law. She was raped by a stranger in a car, after she left her sisters house and was again rejected from her mother, which left her to wonder the streets. She had the child from the rape, and she dreampt of leaving the town and attending college. When she was fired from her factory job after exposing hazardous working environments, she took off with her new boyfriend to Arizona. When her boyfriend began beating her, she left him, even camping out in the desert under the stars. Eventually she met up with a positive peer group, and began attending college. Great story, helps analyze the variety of circumstances that can happen to teenage mothers, particulaly alot of the negative social backlash that affects them.

I don't have a lot of experience with graphic novels, but this one is really powerful. It almost moved me to tears in several places. I love the illustrations in which she imagines what's going on in her daughter's brain. A great book to share with teen moms or any young mom who needs some encouragement about pursuing a college degree. Accessible even for those who aren't big readers.

This is the true poignant story of a young woman and her struggles to make dreams come true. Katherine Arnoldi, raped and left with a baby at 17, was forced, out of necessity, to take a dead-end, hazardous factory job. Her dysfunctional family tried to crush her and her dreams; her boyfriend turns on her and beats her. Yet through all of her pain and despair she does not give up. Arnoldi shows, in her comic book form, that if you hold on and pursue your dreams that you can overcome the ugliest past. This book is a treasure. It is simply great. And because it is so good you will want to pass it on. This is a book that can speak to the broken hearts of hundreds, if not thousands, of struggling teenagers, single moms or not. Her enduring love for her child, her courage to change her circumstances, a little luck, and a few kind people, transforms what could be a disheartening story into an inspiration.

Review from Ryan Brenizer's Amazon Blog

America at Home
8:45 AM PDT, June 16, 2008, updated at 8:47 AM PDT, June 16, 2008
If millions of photographers around the world have a collective bias, it's this: The more interesting the better. Generally, that's a good thing -- the last thing the world needs are thousands of photo documentaries on "Things I Found in My Belly-Button." But if you're trying to document the way we live, it can be dangerously deceptive. Someone hundreds of years from now looking only at the professional photography of the era might assume we spent most of our time getting married and killing each other, but never went to the store or drove to work.

Photojournalist Rick Smolan tries to ameliorate this with "America at Home." Documenting as broad an idea as American domestic life is a daunting task, but Rick handles it adeptly, with a number of clever flourishes. His curating of the collection is very well-handled. It's unselfish, with his own work playing roles only where it fits best (and one of my favorite photos in the book, of a girl resting on the couch in the dramatic shadows of twilight, is his). With few exceptions, the photos that look best large are given the space to shine, and the photos that can convey messages in smaller sizes are paired up on a page, maximizing visual impact. The work itself tends to be both brilliant and familiar, trending toward subtle compositions that tell a story without being garish, appropriate for the topic.

Where it starts to get clever is in how the book is arranged. There are essays by writers such as Amy Tan and Terry Teachout breaking the book into chapters, but the photos are arranged around prominently displayed salient facts about American life, such as how much TV we watch a day or that the average American woman has one hour less free time per day than the average American man (I tried to hide that page from my wife).

It's a book that's supposed to teach us about us, and Rick wants readers to make it their own -- literally. The book has a companion Web site, MyAmericaAtHome.com, where you can order the book with your own photo as a customized cover. Since this is all about domestic life, I tried it out with a photo of my nephew at the ice cream shop instead of my professional work:

As you can see, the process is well-designed and easy to understand, showing how the final product will look with the headline and logo, as well as whether your photo will have enough resolution to make a good cover print. It's not only an easy process, but a bit addictive, so be careful lest you order 20 different copies of the same book.

This book represents an important topic well-handed, and a copy will be sure to grace my coffee table.
[...]

I have spent hours of enjoyment with this book....losing myself in faces and places unknown to me, yet at the same time hauntingly familiar. Rick Smolan has captured America at the very time when so many of us feel we are losing a connection to the vitality and promise of our country. But in every page and every essay, there are precious reminders of where our strength for the future lies...in America's people and in our homes an communities. Thank you, Rick Smolan.....

I have followed Rick Smolan's books for many years. This book touched me as few others have done. My Czech wife often seems to miss the diversity of the true America. I think all of us that have suffered these past 8 years where we might not have felt proud of our country can find something to feel proud of in this book. Here one can see so clearly and beautifully the diversity, the imagination, the love of family and friends that we who have grown up in America hold to be the true America. I shared this book with my wife who I think was quite surprised to see how many America's there are and to see what the true fabric of our society looks like beyond the slick magazines and endless TV glitz.

This is a book that you can give to someone who wants to see and better understand what America is truly about.

A beautiful and elegant celebration of american life at home.
The authors also offer a great way to personalize the outer cover of the book with your own pictures. Very cool!! Customizing the cover makes a great conversation piece for your home as well as a great gift for friends and family.

I love the warmth of this book. I travel the world and am disturbed by the misconceptions many foreigners have of us here at home. (I can't say I blame them with the present administration having devastated our reputation and the relentless negative news reports.)
I would love to share this book with everyone abroad. It paints honest, touching, personal, everyman images of true Americans in all sorts of everyday activities in their homes.
Whether as a gift to people abroad or enjoyed with friends and family, this beautiful book presents who we are as everyday people. Honest, simple, good, loving Americans.
Thanks to Rick and Jennifer.