Cultural Books

Dr. Paul Linde's book "Of Spirits and Madness" is a wonderfully entertaining and insightful look into the culture and psyche of the Zimbabwean people. As an American psychiatrist in this third world African country, he becomes immersed in a cultural quagmire of ancestral spirits, evangelical Christianity and traditional healers all colliding with modern Western medical practices. The results, a train wreck of frequently amusing and sometimes very sad situations: experienes which challenged the author's intellectual and medical skills while raising questions in his own mind about the modern world's pursuit of indivudual gain and blatant consumption. This is a great book which will make all readers laugh, think and reevaluate one's own views of what is truly important. The best book I've read this year!

I have worked in Zimbabwe for two years as a photographer and film maker. Of Spirits and Madness gives western thinking a new vantage point. Remember, there is no reality only perception. One of the best books I have read on Shona culture. The spiritual basis of life forms all other truths in Africa. Great Book, wonderful to read.

In the spirit of the preeminent novelist/psychiatrist Irvin Yalom, Dr. Paul Linde has written a touching and inspiring book about his experiences as a psychiatrist working in Zimbabwe under very difficult circumstances. Despite the "depressing' subject matter (mental illness, poverty, political strife, AIDS, sexism. etc.), Linde has written a surprisingly uplifting account of the human condition. Using well-crafted prose, the reader learns many interesting things about the state of mental health in this Africa nation with its relatively advanced mental health system. Compared to other "third world" nations, Zimbabwe's treatment of the seriously mentally ill is good, but it is still a far cry from that of most Western nations. Linde is an excellent storyteller, telling the stories of his patients with poignancy, humor and deep compassion. All mental health professionals, both the experienced clinician and the neophyte should read this book. This book would also of interest to those interested in African current events. The reader will find himself deeply concerned for the plight of Dr. Linde's patients.

There's never a dull moment in this psychiatrist's travelogue on a mad journey with his patients. During his year as a government psychiatrist in Zimbabwe, Dr. Paul Linde has to adjust to the cultural challenges that have his patients as likely to consult a witch doctor and herbal treatments as modern medicine.
Packaged in a series of literary narratives, the eleven character studies--one per chapter--personify the cultural and medical challenges he faces, from a young man convinced he's suffering to spare his community to the delinquent employee who claims she needs to rest her mind.
Linde approaches his new assignment with an open mind and writes with sensitivity. He invites the reader along in an exploration of the African supernatural and psychological landscape. This is stuff Karen Blixen didn't see in the Kenyan hills; it's more the twisted psyche Conrad explores at the heart of the Congo.
Of Spirits and Madness is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the human condition.

I bought this book to be polite. When a friend of 10+ years writes a book... you buy it. And the day before his reading... you start the first chapter. What I did not expect was that I would absolutely inhale the text. My brain lit up with pleasure. There are so many good things about this book. Not only is the writing itself excellent, the information that Paul tucks into the narratives of each patient is downright fascinating. He takes up politics, economics, spirituality, culture, context, and mental health. The story of each patient's illness is refracted through Paul's Western training, his good heart, and his growing understanding of the local explanations for why things happen as they do. Along the way he provides a terrific set of curbside lectures about a wide spectrum of mental illnesses. He interweaves factual information about disease states with tender compassion for and curiosity about the people he served. I learned a lot from this book and plan to read it again. Maybe I should be polite more often....

A VERY GOOD JOB ON DOING WHAT YOU DO BEST I BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY ONE MISTAKE IN LIFE AN THAT WOULD BE NOT GETTING YOURSELF RIGHT WITH THE (LORD)BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR LAST BREATH ANYTHING ELSE,IS MEANT TO HAPPEN TO LEARN FROM, AN BEOME A BETTER PERSON FROM IT. THANKYOU!

I can't say enough about these Two Great Minds of Tavis Smiley&Tom Joyner.it's important to bring to Light about Slave AUctions at Christys? folks have to Understand that Majority of AMericans don't Care about No African-Americans.Slavery is treated like Properity or a joke.folks don't really want to know the full History of this country and how the past is still very much the present.it's Important that our voices are heard mad Props to Brother Tavis&to the Hardest working Man on Radio Brother Tom Joyner.Thank you for Given up The Real On The ONE.

Mr. Smiley receives two thumbs up, two snaps, one exaggerated smile (all teeth included), a complete roll of the eyes, and a full Sista girl neck rotation. Tavis did not talk off the "cuff" but had back-up for his commentaries. It is great to know someone is letting actions speak louder than words. Tavis, Keep on! Keeping on!

If you're a Tom Joyner Morning Show listerner, you will be quite familiar with this one. It is an easy read since it refreshes your memory of Tavis' commentaries and those well known campaigns; like saving Living Single & New York Undercover, Texaco's boardroom racism, Christie's planned auction of slave "memorabilia?" and bringing hate crime cases to light. As I read it I could hear and feel the voice and emotion of the original spoken words. I really liked it and read it in just one day.

If you catch Tavis Smiley on BET here's your chance to read what millions of radio listeners get to hear each week. As the cover and text designer for this title, I had a coveted front row seat for Mr.Smiley's "AIR" show. This book is a welcome insite into the author's advocacy (a planned- then aborted auction of slave memorabilia at Christies in New York), opinions and reflections on a variety of subjects from voter registration to Tiger Woods. He's at his candid, passionate, verbose and articulate best.

Too bad we in the central NY/NJ area don't get the Tom Joyner Morning Show! Every radio within range would surely be tuned in for the fun and commentary. I look for it on the dial whenever I'm out of town. So why didn't I give it a 10? I wanted more!

The Best to Tavis, Tom, and Denise!

On the Shoulders of Giants speaks of a bygone, sometimes forgotten piece of America and its culture that nevertheless has great, reaching tentacles into our present, and that will continue to shake and embrace us well into our future. Beautifully written, with a title that says it all, this book is just as evocative and fascinating for non-sports, non-jazz fans as it will undoubtedly be for those entrenched in both subjects.

A wonderful discovery.

Especially interesting are the musicians and music that originated or passed through Harlem during this time.

The Harlem Renaissance continues to contribute to society today, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explains why in this memoir.

It is an eye opening account of Harlem. I didn't realize that Harlem had such a diverse group of writers, musicians, singers, etc. A very eye opening book.

If the winner of six NBA championships and just as many MVP Awards wanted to write a book of passable reflections on the Harlem Renaissance and make it sound like a big deal when it wasn't, he could probably get away with it. Fortunately, that's not what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar chose to do in "On the Shoulders of Giants." He took the opposite route, providing readers with a superior work of lively history, passionate memoir, keen social commentary, and entertaining musical appreciation.

Dozens of books on the Harlem Renaissance have hit the shelves since the 2003 publication of Facts On File's Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance . Few (if any) have illustrated as precisely as "On the Shoulders of Giants" exactly why and how the Harlem Renaissance remains a vibrant cultural and spiritual force. Like other competent authors on the subject, Abdul-Jabbar provides literary snapshots of the major players and events that produced the Harlem Renaissance. Unlike other books, his gives us something more. He includes chapters on how elements of the Harlem Renaissance directly impacted the development of his own life as a son of Harlem and that of others who picked up where the Renaissance left off and kept it going in other forms.

The world knows Kareem Abdul-Jabbar mostly as a champion athlete. In "On the Shoulders of Giants," we meet him as the teen-aged scholar Lew Alcindor working beside famed educator Dr. Henrik Clarke. With Dr. Clarke, Abdul-Jabbar helped publish a weekly journal on Harlem and discovered how his birthplace earned the title "The Capitol of Black America." We see the youth inspired by the world famous Harlem Globetrotters give up his dream to play professional baseball in exchange for a plan to conquer basketball. We meet the great lover of classic black literature, the connoisseur of jazz, and the defender of his beloved community.

Aside from his individual highly informed observations of the Harlem Renaissance proper, Abdul-Jabbar also offers some daring interpretations of the movement. Take, for example, his contention that "The Harlem Renaissance didn't end... [it] pried open a lot of reluctant doors and those who came after learned how to shoulder those doors open even wider. The guiding principles of the Harlem Renaissance survived and flourished." Towards that end, he cites both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., as products and embodiments of Harlem Renaissance ideologies. This writer agrees with that assessment.

As important as "On the Shoulders of Giants" is for what it says about the past, it's even more important for what it indicates about the present and the future.

by Author-Poet Aberjhani
author of The American Poet Who Went Home Again
and Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance (Facts on File Library of American History)

I found this book in the middle of nowhere at Barnes & Noble and I am SO glad that I found it. This might be the best book I have ever read.

This is a wonderful book; staring with the beginning and going all they way through till the present day. The forward is written by Nolan Ryan; my favorite Player of all time; I have such vivid memories of Ryan on the Angels, from His 4th No Hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on June 1st 1975 angels 1 Baltimore 0), which I listened to on a bright and sunny Saturday on KMPC 710 AM in cali with Dick Enburg and Don Drysdale announcing; to his near no hitters, to all the strikeouts, to the 79 Playoff game; what great excitement. I was so sorry to see the Angels make a big mistake and let him go to Houston. I also enjoyed the introduction; where Goldman talks to Leroy Stanton. What memories this all brings back. I have been an Angels fan for a long long time and the first game that I got to go to was early in the 1975 season, It was against the White Sox and Leroy Stanton Hit a Walk off game Winning Home run in the 10th and the (California) Angel's won 4-3. I can still remember the starting line up that day some of whom were; Dave Chalk, Joe Lahoud, Jerry Remy (Rem-dog), John Balaz, Rudy Maeoli, Elli Rodriguez, Mickey Rivers, Morris Nettles, Dick Lange and Tommy Harper. What Winsome and Wonderful memories. The Book is centered around 10 interviews with 10 great Angles players; Rod Carew, Jim Fregosi, Don Baylor, Nolan Ryan, Dean Chance, Albie Pearson, Alex Johnson, Reggie Jackson, and Jim Abbott; and about there individual Angels teams the personality's on those teams on and off the filed. Goodman covers there whole History from the beginnings to today and he does it though the players, coaches, and fans eyes. He really centers on there character and what Characters some of them were and are. Some of this history I know, but I am leaning so much I did not know and am grateful for the education. Goodman, who was a bat boy for the Angels in the mid 70's, has done a great job hear, he covers the good, bad and the ugly and the championship (2002) and this is a MUST READ for every angels fan.

This book covers the history of the Angels from the earliest days at Wrigley Field in West Los Angeles to the world championship team of 2002 and beyond. Lots of memories, not just from the main interviews with Angel greats like Carew, Abbott and Fregosi, but with the lesser known players that make the history really come alive. If you like the Angels, this book is a definite must. Reading this brought back a lot of memories of sitting in the cheap seats ($2.00 general admission!) for the '79 division championship. Jimmie Reese will never die!!

This is like no other baseball book I've ever read in my life. Whether you're an Angels fans or just a baseball junky like me, you'll love reading this book. It's written from the point of view of some of the greatest players of the game and will give you unique insights about what it was really like to be a member of the Angels - from the club's expansion year until they became world champions in 2002. I read this book over a weekend and was really impressed by Mr. Goldman's excellent writing and the specific, never before told details about each player's special contributions to the game and to life. If you're a fan of baseball, how can you NOT be interested in knowing more than the usual 15 second soundbites on Sportscenter about Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson or Nolan Ryan? If you're looking at buying a baseball book stop your search right now and pick up a copy of Once They Were Angels. It's a must read for true fans of America's pastime. You'll love it, just like I did!

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Goldman at the annual PCL Reunion show last month and purchased this book for a friend who is a lifelong Angels fan. As I looked over the book that weekend, my only regret was not buying a signed copy for myself.

This is one outstanding book and a must-have if you're an Angels fan. The anecdotes and interviews from former Angels past and present are all here and include names such as Bo Belinsky, Dean Chance, Jim Fregosi, Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, etc. All in all, this is one helluva great read.

PURCHASED FOR MY HUSBAND FOR HIS BIRTHDAY AND HE HAS HARDLY PUT IT DOWN SINCE RECEIVING IT! AS WE ARE FAIRLY NEW TO THE STATE, WE UNDERSTAND THE PLACE WE NOW LIVE AND WHAT LEAD UP TO THE WAY WE FIND OREGON TODAY. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN NORTHWEST HISTORY AND IT PEOPLE.

Although we did purchase this as a gift for a friend and colleague moving to Sisters, Oregon we did scan it and it is a wonderful book.

Being a former Oregon resident and to this day occasional Oregon visitor, I was fascinated by this book, which is a history of the Beaver State, and one that is done quite well. From the chronology of the state, to recording historic events, and sidebars about influential people in its history, this book takes a wonderful look back over the past 150 years.

Since the book was written by staff members of the Oregonian, it reads like a "newspaper account" of the days leading from Oregon's inception to the present. But what an entertaining account. From the early days, through the "turn of the century, the roaring 20's, the Depression, wartime, the fifties, turbulent 60s, up to the year 2000, all events are well-documented.

I never knew for example that Tom McCall when he was governor in 1970 staged the only ever state-run rock concert. I only saw him years later when I lived in Oregon and saw him deliver commentary on the evening news. I knew of course about Vanport and its horrendous end. I also remembered the bad flooding in 1996, having been in Portland the weekend before it happened. And of course, who could ever forget Mt. St. Helens erupting in 1980? These of course are just a few of the events that have occured in Oregon's history

I mentioned sidebars about influential people. People like McCall, Artie Wilson (a famous Pacific Coast League baseball player now living in Portland), Beverly Cleary (who wrote the Henry books I loved as a kid), Neil Goldschmitt, and the current Portland mayor Vera Katz, among others.

I have always loved the state of Oregon and its people, even if I'm a dreaded "Californian." This book reinforces my love and admiration of the state to the north of me.

We recently moved to southern Oregon and my wife wanted a few coffee table books. I thought "How about books on Oregon?" That way, I could learn a few things about my new environment while satisfying the coffee table's needs, too. So I made an Amazon.com list of several books that looked attractive to me and then narrowed it down as best I could.

I put on hold the more expensive historical atlases and books on Indian folklore that were calling out to me, then I bought three bona fide coffee table books, the kind with plenty of obligatory photos of the beautiful northwest. But I reserved at least one spot on the table for a book with some intellectual interest in it.

I finally settled on "The Oregon Story." It seemed a central and topical enough choice to warrant it as a coffee table book, while at the same time it appeared (in the Amazon "book description") to offer a good amount of material on Oregon history.

How happy I was to discover this excellently written book on Oregon history! The layout is concise and topical enough to be a good book to lightly browse through in the presence of company (hence, coffee table book), and there are dozens of fascinating historical photographs.

The text itself is large and reader friendly, the photos include captions and there are several separate, half page descriptions of the most famous luminaries of Oregon history. The book is not too thick, further qualifying it as a coffee table book, but once opened, the reader is in for a nice selection of easily readable historical pieces, each dedicated to a decade of Oregon history.

Okay, so it's a good coffee table book - but how might it fare for the more serious reader? Well frankly, after it arrived in the mail, I couldn't wait to get right down to reading it. I found it an exceptionally engaging read from cover to back. Granted, I'm the kind of person who will pick up my children's history textbooks and read them through without hesitation (what can I say? I love history), but there's also a special reason why "The Oregon Story" is a particularly excellent historical documentation.

That is, it has been written by newspaper journalists. Such journalists know how to write concisely and entertainingly. I only wish my old school's history textbooks were written so well!

I truly believe that this team of journalists is on to something good here. In fact, I consider this one of the best history books ever conceived. There are subtle reasons for this, not the least of which is the unbiased yet in depth coverage of Oregon political and social events throughout its history.

The chapter on the controversial 60s is a case in point. It is topical, but what is covered is provocative and gave me the feeling that I'd read between the lines without actually having to sift through several paragraphs of detailed information. This is the real gift of this kind of historical reporting.

These newspaper reporters truly are talented writers. But it's also apparent that each and every column has been edited by several more journalists. In the end, one begins to understand the value of team written, thus finely edited, journalistic writing. The person who benefits from this artfulness is the reader. I truly felt as if I was getting a great bargain as I read through the set of refined articles fairly detailing, yet not dwelling in detail upon, Oregon history.

Nothing is held back, it seems, from the editorial process. This is exciting historical reporting, not boring academic facts. The journalists' opinions are often exposed, both conservative and liberal slants, and this ingratiates the reader even more to the material at hand.

Did you know that Oregon had its own home grown suffragette? Some of the most influential political figures in American history were Oregonians. I learned that Oregon has been, since its 19th century pre-state years as the Oregon Territory, a place of controversy, where people have traditionally come to "escape" the world, yet where some of the most important progressive ideas and social achievements of the 20th century have originated. Much of the environmental movement, for example, was spearheaded in Oregon due to the controversy that came as a result of the inherent problems attached to the logging industry.

I was also fascinated to read about the slanderous exploits of Oregon's early entrepreneurs and about details of the Ku-Klux-Klan's "legal" criminal behavior during the 1920s. There's much information concerning Oregon's roller coaster economy; particularly interesting are the chapters on the boom of the 1970s and the relative bust occurring during the most recent two decades.

On the down side, most of the more detailed material - biographical study (particularly businessmen) events and photos - is concerned with Portland and the Willamette Valley, which is understandable considering that The Oregonian newspaper is located in Portland. I was hoping that there would be more information on southern Oregon, where I now live. Strangely, the only picture of Ashland (home of the Shakespeare Festival) is one showing the Ku-Klux-Klan marching through the streets during a 1920s parade. Scary!

If journalistic reporting of the history of Oregon sounds as if it may be your cup of tea, then this book is exactly what you need. All in all, I consider it well worth its price. And I can only imagine, with relish, what such a journalistic team could create on the subject given more space and freedom of their collective pens.

This is better than a history book. I lived in Oregon for years and never knew half of the things that are in this book. It is laid out so that you can pick it up for a few minutes of quick facts or read it as a novel; I did both. I think this will be a great gift for someone who has roots in Oregon

Diffusionism, which was dead in the water only a generation ago, has made a spectacular reappearance, as more and more people see the obvious similarities between the Maya and the cultures of South, Southeast and East Asia. But with Carol Miller's wide range of interests, keen powers of observation and delightful writing, it all comes alive as never before. I heartily recommend this book to both serious pursuers of the subject and casual travelers, who will be enriched by its pages.

A valuable and enticing source for archaeologists, historians, anthropologists and art historians, and thought-provoking as well for the general reader. This is the most unusual book in ages on the Maya.

The possibility of an East-West connection had often occurred to me, but never in such graphic and broad-based terms, easy to comprehend. There are rich facets to this issue, but fun to read. This book is charming, also knowledgable and serious, and definitely thought-provoking.

A thorough insight into a facinating subjet. Rarely have I dad the privelage to submerge myself into a realm so magical and capturing as the one this book provides. This is a book for anyone who possesses the magical gifts of wonder and curiosity.

The fascinating story of the Mayas is richly interwoven here with the even more intriguing story of the connection between this American hemisphere culture with the peoples of South, Southeast and East Asia, with travels back and forth and with exchanges of knowledge, products and situations. The book is provocative, readable, and really worthwhile.

Chicken fried steak isn't the only yummy thing served in Texas.

Ever since the Spaniards encountered the Native Americans, the opportunities in Texas have attracted people from all over the world. Many families continue to celebrate favorite traditions carried from their original homeland or culture.

Our Texas Heritage includes traditional recipes, modified for today's kitchen, that are fun and simple to follow. Just as enticing are the stories and traditions the author liberally sprinkles among the recipes.

Use the book as a travel resource when exploring the Texas highways. Discover the Polish and their customs in Panna Maria, the Wends in Serbin, or the Danes in Danevang.

As a newcomer to Texas, I found this book a delightful way to discover the diversity of my new home.

Books about which ethnic groups came to settle a region tend to read like rough drafts of a master's thesis--all stray facts gleaned from sources, and no really interesting stories. Multi-cultural cook books tend to be filled with instructions such as "find restructured ghee at your local Bengal market", rather than practical ways to prepare meals with food one is likely to have on hand. Thus, one might imagine that Dorothy McConachie's survey of ethnic traditions and recipes of the folks who settled Texas between the Civil War and World War I might be a dreary hybrid of the trivial and the impossible-to-prepare. Instead, the book is an easy, enjoyable read, and the recipes are all within reach of the average cook using average ingredients. I am of the "heat and serve" school of cooking, and yet I think I can prepare most things in this book.

I particularly liked that the book, while non-trivial, has lots of "important little details" that such a survey written thirty years ago might lack. Among the native American groups, we get not only the expected discussion of Comanche practices, but also the oft-forgotten Caddo groups are discussed. The interrelation among the Polish, German and Wendish settlers is noted, making for an interesting contrast between the "old country" and the new.

The style of the book is very easy to follow. Each ethnic group gets a discussion of a few pages in interesting, anecdotal detail, followed by a few recipes which utilize "normal" American kitchen ingredients. The recipes are not mere curios, but instead are things one might wish to prepare--empanaditas from Mexico, a Czech dill soup, a challah (rich egg bread), and good old-fashioned spoon bread.

Too often we think of "Texas cooking" or even "southern cooking" as a monolith, just as we mistakenly think of the Anglo settlers of Texas as one ethnic group. This book helps explain who settled Texas, and provides special dishes for each group. Best of all, the whole thing is readable, fun, and devoid of that "footnote feel" which a zealous graduate student or addicted hobbyist can give this type of book.

Although the focus is on groups which settled Texas, the book is quite useful to generally understand the diverse cuisines which came along with the "pioneer experience". If you like your history to be real, anecdotal and laced with recipes for things like spritz cookies, you'll enjoy this.

Our Texas Heritage: Ethnic Traditions And Recipes is a truly wonderful compendium and survey of the history of Texas food culture that is the result of the combined influences and culinary legacies of thirteen unique ethnic groups ranging from early Texas settlers down to the present day. From Grandma Techa's Menudo, Dark Irish Soda Bread, and German Potato Salad, to Ukrainian Pickled Mushrooms, Kneydlakh (Matzo Balls), Kransekage (Traditional Danish Wedding Cake), and Italian Baked Eggplant, Our Texas Heritage is an outstanding testament to the rich and diverse culinary spectrum that has fed and feasted Texas for more than two hundred years.

Chicken fried steak isn't the only yummy thing served in Texas.

Ever since the Spaniards encountered the Native Americans, the opportunities in Texas have attracted people from all over the world. Many families continue to celebrate favorite traditions carried from their original homeland or culture.

Our Texas Heritage includes traditional recipes, modified for today's kitchen, that are fun and simple to follow. Just as enticing are the stories and traditions the author liberally sprinkles among the recipes.

Use the book as a travel resource when exploring the Texas highways. Discover the Polish and their customs in Panna Maria, the Wends in Serbin, or the Danes in Danevang.

As a newcomer to Texas, I found this book a delightful way to discover the diversity of my new home.

I learned so much about my _own_ heritage by reading Ms. McConachie's book. She simplifies the recipes of our grandmothers into a form that we can all use -- and the recipes are delicious! I especially enjoyed making the Danish apple cake and the Syrian-Lebanese Meat Pies. I've tasted a bit more of Texas through this book. Whether you're a history buff, cook, or one just interested in the life and food of years past, this book is for you!

After 10 years, I bought the book. I visited the exhibition of the paintings in Rotterdam (Netherlands) back in '97 and was pleasantly shocked by this project and the results. The book was out of stock then, but the surprising results kept haunting my head for a decade. Now I finally have the book and it still makes me laugh.

Although the whole project has an entertaining dosis of irony, it can be a guide in understanding art and demographics - oh well, it can even help you design for the masses !

Lastly, I think every Dutch designer should buy this book or maybe it should be governmentally issued to every Dutch citizen. Why ? Just look at the very last pages of the book. I understood that the "Holland" results came in too late to be submitted to the edited content of the book. But fortunately Komar and Melamid decided that this outcome deserved a very special place, like a well kept secret that defies the other 200 pages...

I'm proud to be Dutch !

Are our senses previously designed conditioned respect our artistic tastes? , or better still is there a source of genetic origin that really predisposes us before the artistic fact ?.

The question looks so absorbing that really invites to rethink and restate ourselves several premises; the environmental conditions, for instance, must be determinant. Think about in the fact the nest of three of the most important religions (Christian, Jew and Mussulman) were founded in dessert (maybe you think it was a mere casualty, but i really don't) while the Protestant movement and Lutheranism arouse from places in which the four seasons completed its cycle naturally. This circumstance surely made propitious conditions for a major discussion of ideas, keeping in mind if you were not agree you might migrate (an unthinkable possibility in a desert).

This is the final outcome of a series of interviews in several countries about what the people wants to see in their pictures. According Melamid the uniformity of the results suggests a genetic trace. "In every country the favorite color is blue and in almost everywhere the green occupies the second place. In everywhere they wanted outdoor scenes with wild animals, water, trees and some people."

So, on the basis of this invaluable observation, they depicted the most requested image in every country.

That is why this book is so worthy to read, because it states us a plausible chance to other questions. Don't miss it.

This is one of the coolest art books I've seen, Komar and Melamid are geniuses! The whole idea art designed to please isn't that new but the idea using polls and statistics is. By using a random survey from several countries ( THe USA France China Kenya Russia Ukraine ect) they create each countries most and least wanted painting and take you through a wonderful romp discussing what art and expression and stuff are really all about. I gave this sucker out as X-mas presents! I can't reccommend it highly enough. Buy everything by Komar and Melamid...even their souls.... they did a thing in Moscow where they auctioned off their souls.

If you ever get a chance to see their 'Nostalgia' series of paintings, it's a hoot. Sort of satires of Soviet/Stalinist paintings, very good. THey also did a series of NYC as ruins in the jungle....

It's hard to express how fantastic this book really is in a review. Komar and Melamid's paintings, which threatened, for a time, to turn the art world on its ear, are supreme farces on what statistics can tell us. Obviously the principle is consiously flawed. The artist's interpretation of the statistical data is largely abstracted, but the paintings themselves are superb and outragiously funny takes on national culture. The question of the book is "What do people want in their art?" It isn't likely that you'll find a more interesting, fascinating, and entertaining answer than "Painting by Numbers."

This book will get anyone thinking about what qualifies as "art". Have you ever gone to a modern art museum or picked up a modern art magazine and wondered "how can anyone call that art?" Well this book will get you thinking about questions like that. Using scientific polling methods 2 Russian immigrants canvased the U.S. to find out what the average American considers art.

The results are exactly the kind of works most working modern artists or their patrons would be dismayed over. Get this book. It is a fascinating and entertaining read. One interesting note from the book - the editor of The Nation said that when they published the results of this poll it drew an avalanche of reader mail. It generated the largest reader response of anything they'd published in the history of that magazine to date. Several newspapers interviewed owners of prominant NYC art galleries as well as some prominant artists. All of them were horified by the results of this poll. One commentator sniffed the poll just proves Americans are boors when it comes to art - prefering only the safest, most banal subjects. What is interesting is that the book shows the results of this poll were duplicated in many other countries around the globe. Countries as diverse as Kenya and Iceland showed their own polls duplicated the preferences of the average American - i.e. a liking for landscapes with peaceful blue skies.

The book reproduces in full the entire questionaire used by the polling company along with an interview with Momar and Kelamid. The two Russians also gained notoriety by creating pictures of each countries most-preferred and least-preferred paintings. Each painting had the canvas divied up to match the percentages shown in the poll that respondents wanted (or didn't want in the case of the 'Least Preferred' paintings). Thus if the poll showed 65% preferred landscapes with a blue sky then 65% of the painting surface had a blue sky.

Interviews as well as commentary on the nature of art and what this might mean also fill the book. There is even a chapter by one of my favorite modern-day philosophers - Arthur C. Danto (I have several of his books). He asks the question "Can It Be The 'Most Wanted Painting' Even if Nobody Wants It?"

The results in this book lead to many questions. Not the least of these is 'what is art?' and 'what does this say about human nature?'. One article from the Jan/Feb 2002 issue of American Spectator illustrates this problem very well. It seems a few months ago a very famous photographer was holding a one-man exhibit at a London gallery. He is quite famous for the nauseating and offensive subject matter of his work. That night he gathered together the cigarrette butts, empty paper cups, and other assorted trash from the opening-night party and "artfully" arranged it in a pile in a corner and took a picture of it. The pile was promptly announced by a London art-critic to be worth at least 5K (in pounds). Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the janitor that night that the pile was art, not trash. So you can guess the ending of this story.

I recount this to make a point. That is, this book will shed some light on why so many people have trouble - even the U.S. Supreme Court - on saying exactly what Art is. Get this book. It is fun and fascinating look into not only the tastes in art around the world but also a window into the science of polls and polling.

It is a little known fact that the Chinese and not the Japanese invented Bonsai which in China is called Penjing. With a rich history dating back over 2000 years Penjing is one of China's most esteemed traditional art forms, along with Gongshi (scholar's rocks) and landscape gardens amongst others. It is an art form steeped in poetry and philosophy, borne of a deep and mystical love of the Chinese landscape. Long the exclusive domain of the literati and scholarly classes, bureaucrats, monks and the aristocracy, Penjing sadly fell out of favour in its homeland during the tumultuous last quarter of the 19th century. As with much Chinese art and architecture of the period many prime and irreplaceable examples were tragically destroyed. By the beginning of the early 20th century it was a little known and under practised art form, it languished that way in almost total obscurity for most of that century.

Thus in the West the limelight has mainly fallen on its younger and more famous Japanese cousin Bonsai. This is understandable since most Western artists working in the field have been trained in the art of Bonsai and most if not all English language books, journals or magazines on the subject have been on Bonsai as well. Unfortunately this "obsession" with Bonsai by members of the vast majority of clubs or societies has resulted in many enthusiasts being ignorant of Penjing's very existence. If some have been aware of Penjing it was viewed as a footnote to the historical development of Bonsai and arrogantly dismissed or belittled. Penjing in Western countries at least was considered to be rather unimportant even as an irrelevant curiosity. Much to my irritation most Westerners still refer to Penjing as "Chinese Bonsai" this is a gross mistake, for they are markedly different in character. All this misunderstanding is slowly changing... In the past few decades in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan Penjing has undergone something of a resurgence, a revival of interest from academics and aficionados alike. Penjing clubs and societies have sprung up like wildfire saving this noble form of art from an ill-deserved extinction. Finally Bonsai lovers in Western countries are beginning to take serious notice of this long neglected and refined art form. The National Bonsai Museum in Washington, for example, along with the purchase of a select collection of Penjing from an artist in Hong Kong has in recent years even changed its name to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. This is sure recognition of the highest order, and a positive sign that Penjing's fortunes have changed for the better.

With three different categories of Penjing (tree Penjing, landscape or rock Penjing and now land and water Penjing) and many regional schools and styles it is a fascinating art form. Qingquan Zhao is one of its most talented and creative exponents working today, having mastered all three categories as well as the sub-category of tree Penjing, Wenren Mu or literati style... probably the hardest and most rewarding style of tree Penjing. Mr. Zhao however has a particular passion for creating aesthetically beautiful land and water Penjing that defy belief. A form of Penjing that he pioneered, at least in the modern sense for there are tantalising records of its existence in Chinese art and literature going back centuries, as this wonderful book will show. Being a mixture of tree and rock Penjing the "Penjing stylist" tries to capture and distil the essence of a natural landscape (scenic lakes with islands, meandering streams or rivers for example) using dwarf trees, mosses for grass, rocks and occasionally water in a shui pen (a marble, ceramic tray or pot). When this is done well and with skill as is the case with Mr. Zhao, the effect is magical. This book is a portfolio of some of his most distinguished creations to date, with chapters that shed light on Penjing's important role in Chinese culture and literature.

The book also offers practical chapters on finding the right materials for creating a land and water Penjing, it shows you how to select rocks and trees, how to place and combine the various elements in a pot so that they look natural and harmonious, and how to properly display, maintain and care for your Penjing. This comprehensive volume also discusses Penjing's interrelation to its larger counterpart the classical landscape garden, and the related disciplines of landscape painting and Chinese nature poetry, which at intervals intersperses the text. While the quality of many of the photographs in this long overdue book vary greatly (some are under or over exposed) this doesn't detract from the sheer beauty of the Penjing shown. For those who love and appreciate Bonsai, Penjing: Worlds of Wonderment will be a breath of fresh air, a revelation and a welcome glimpse into one of China's revered, and least known artistic legacies. This book is a milestone in the long and arduous journey to rehabilitate and revitalise this timeless natural art form, one that is hopefully the first of many such publications to come.

This is one of the most beautiful books you'll ever see. If you don't know what Penjing is, you're in for a real treat. Think of Bonsai; those small oriental trees. Then imagine a Chinese landscape painting represented with these small living trees as well as with rocks, moss, etc. If you are already familiar with Penjing, you will love this book for it's inspirational quality. Quingquan Zhao has masterfully composed all the dramatic pieces in this colorful book. The large, full color pictures are good enough to frame and hang on the wall. The naturally inspiring beauty of the images make this book a great candidate for a coffee table book. Techniques and descriptions given are very useful to beginners and intermediate Penjing artists, and perhaps even seasoned veterans will find something new and useful. This book is directed towards creating and displaying Penjing, with accent on the artistic aspects rather than the technical. Less attention is given to their care and maintainance. One of the treasures of my library!

As a beginner, this book not only led me through the entire process of penjing but it taught me the philosophy of the art. I love the pictures....beautiful scenery of China as well as Chinese gardens. A great gift to share with EVERYONE who loves plants!

Who would have thought that rocks and bonsai, combined into Chinese style landscapes, could be luscious, and sensual? This is a gorgeous, gorgeous book, on a rarely-seen, elegant art form. Extensive plates, good description.

Succinctly descriptive thoughts on the cultural, philosophical and aesthetical perceptions of the living relationships between stone, water, plants and earth, examined both in the big context of nature and in the smaller, representative context of Penjing. This book is never a remote dirge and never from a remote master. Words herein flow from an active artist. The simple knowledge of years is put forth for all. A balance of engaging photos and words on all of the pages, with scenes of nature, gardens, Penjing, historical art and with no shortage of "how to" instructions both in visual and in word forms. Also contains a brief pronunciation guide and a chronology of Chinese dynasties.

In the past, I have read many books and articles by Fred Grandinetti about one of the greatest characters ever created - Popeye the Sailor. By reading this book, one finds out what Mr. Grandinetti has already discovered, the truths he has uncovered, opinions he has cultivated and even what he continues to learn and he shares all of this with us about Popeye. Even though this is an expanded update from the first edition published many years ago, one can still learn many fresh things about the character and history of Popeye from this book. With the information, descriptions, photos and illustrations provided, this book is a great springboard for the mind to rekindle one's own personal memories of Popeye from years past. If one is discovering the character of Popeye for the first time, or just revisiting him, this book can introduce and establish who he is and what he is all about. This book is one I continue to enjoy, as it can be read and re-read again and again.

This book is nothing short of genius. A detailed account of the creation of this legendary cartoon character that is still enjoyed by millions. This is the type of documentary that you just can't put down and it answers many, many questions about the history of Popeye the Sailor. Fred Grandinetti has put together an in depth analysis of the old salt and has delivered a classic piece of literature to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Indulge in all that is Popeye! Mr. Grandinetti has put together a book on the American pop culture icon, Popeye the Sailor Man and it is nothing short of fantastic. Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History is a must for any book collector's library. It is filled with information documenting Popeye's career in print, radio, film and television. The writer has gone to great lengths in his research on the subject matter and it is apparent when admiring some of the rare and hard to find illustrations of Popeye's past layed out in this book.

With the holiday season at our door step I couldn't think of a better gift for that special someone in your life.

Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History is a brilliant book dedicated to one of the most enduring comic book / cartoon characters of our time - Popeye the Sailor. Written by Fred Grandinetti, the co-founder of the International Popeye Fan Club, this splendidly illustrated book provides an astonishing and thoroughly researched overview of the charismatic sailor's rich history and exciting career. The author leaves no incarnation of the brusque, yet charmingly humble swab untouched - from the pipe-tooting runt's beginnings in daily funny pages, his extremely successful ventures on the silver screen, to Popeye's career on TV, radio, and stage. Mr. Grandinetti also includes a great episode guide with short summaries of every Popeye cartoon, emphasizing significant aspects of particular and/or groundbreaking "Popeye" shorts. As if that is not enough, this magnificent book provides appendixes with selected scripts from Popeye cartoons and information about the International Popeye Fan Club.

What is particularly fascinating about this book is the fact that Fred Grandinetti does not simply reiterate the familiar "essentials" about the muttering sailorman's exciting career, but also includes what has traditionally been marginalized and overlooked within the dominant Popeye discourse. For example, in the "Popeye in Print" section not only does Mr. Grandinetti deal with Popeye's creator, E.C. Segar, and his superb art of storytelling, but he also incorporates various interesting accounts on Segar's imaginative successors and their own versions of Popeye (Doc Winner, Tom Sims, Bela "Bill" Zaboly, Ralph Stein, Bud Sagendorf, Bobby London, Hy Eisman). The author also touches on the gruff mariner's incarnations in comic books and even Mad magazine.

As with his writing on Popeye in print, Fred Grandinetti tries to stay away from the homogeneous interpretations of Popeye on film. For example, not only does Mr. Grandinetti discuss the "best" of Popeye cartoon shorts (Paramount theatrical films), but he also challenges (in a rather refreshing manner) the monolithic/mainstream perception of the King Features Syndicate made-for-TV Popeye cartoons by recognizing the heterogeneous nature of these animated films in terms of different directors' styles, quality of animation, use of music, etc. Here is an example of just how meticulous and comprehensive Mr. Grandinetti's research can be: Beside dealing with the easily distinguishable versions of the spinach-munching mariner (i.e. Fleischer vs. Famous Studios vs. KFS versions of Popeye), the author goes on to display/discuss different visual designs of Popeye used by different animators (i.e. Hugh Frasier, Ed Friedman, Ken Hultgren, Alan Zaslove, etc.) within Jack Kinney's unit that worked on King Features Syndicate's TV "Popeyes" in the period between 1960 and 1961. And that is just one example.

Unlike Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny who have had numerous official releases of their best cartoons on both VHS and DVD, Popeye the Sailor, one of the most popular cartoon characters of all time, has been a very unlucky victim of a rather complex corporate quagmire that has been keeping him in a sort of legal limbo for many decades now. In other words, the pipe-smoking sailor's magnificent animated shorts have never been officially released on either VHS or DVD (You can read more about this in the book). But, unlike Mickey or Bugs, Popeye is very fortunate to have the most dedicated, passionate and hard-working fan/historian in the world - Fred Grandinetti, who paid a fantastic tribute to this timeless animated hero in this splendid book. Written with love, admiration, superb knowledge and thorough research, this beautifully illustrated book (with many original frame grabs from theatrical/TV cartoons, comic strip clips, posters and advertisements) is an homage no other classic cartoon character has.

Recommended to animation fans, students of pop culture, history/animation/film, adults, kids,...in one word: recommended to EVERYONE !!!

The breadth of Grandinetti's knowledge about Popeye is truly astounding! This is good news for readers because it means that his book covers all things Popeye. From comic strips to animated cartoons to collectibles to live action to sound recordings to theme park appearances and more, it's all here. Those wanting to learn about the sailor, or find answers to trivia questions, or rekindle childhood memories and finally solve mysteries like "What was the name of that cartoon where Bluto was a bullfighter?" will find what they need. Even long-time diehard fans like me will learn new things. And the
illustrations are wonderful! There are sample strips from all the creators of the comics over the years, stills from the animated films, theatrical posters, sheet music, ads, model sheets and more. Fred includes episode guides, sample scripts, colorizations gaffs, character profiles, mini-bios of the voice artists, a section on the censored Popeye cartoons, and information about The International Popeye Fanclub written by club co-founder Mike Brooks.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should also say that there are two pages about me and my views toward Popeye and the Famous Studios cartoons, but even without those pages I would recommend the book to anyone wanting an education in Popeye and those curious as to why, 75 years after his creation, people all over the world still talk about the one-eyed, pipe tooting hero.
Not everyone will agree with all of Grandinetti's opinions about the various incarnations of Popeye, but Fred tries to be fair and will get you to think. And fans interacting with other fans' thoughts is what fandom is all about.
Bottom line: This is a good job from perhaps the number one Popeye fan in the world.