Commercials Books

Thanks to DuPont, American Federal Furniture is now much appreciated, and is some of the most expensive period furniture in the world. It's hard to fathom, that not long ago this type of furniture was not coveted at all, it was thought too austere and understated, the wealthy in the ninetenth century and early twentieth century wanted all things French, thankfully they finally came to their sences and now this style is considered one of the most beautiful. John Townsend was a master of the style, along with John and Thomas Seymour and Duncan Phyfe. This book does a wonderful job of highlighting his best work and the text is highly informative and the writing scholarly. If you have any appreciation for great craftsmanship or just love American Federal Furniture, then I have no doubt you will love this book.

This book mirrors the wonderful exhibit of John Townsend's work that was on display at the Metropolitan Museum, and for people like me who make reproductions of Colonial and Early American furniture, it is a source of ideas, inspiration, and goals.

It's also a source for humility. Seeing the work that this man produced without the help of table saws, routers and the other tools of the 21st century is humbling.

The book is definitely worth every penny for those who love the furniture of the period, who enjoy knowing the history behind a particular piece, or who just enjoy seeing objects that are beautifully built with matchless craftsmanship and care.

This was originally written for the Washington Woodworkers Guild Newsletter, Sept 2007
This lavishly photographed book is a summary of all the currently known and likely works by John Townsend and his shop in Newport in the late 18th century. It is the catalogue associated with the 2005 exhibit of John Townsend's works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2005.
This is not a woodworking book per se. The first portion of the book details the history of Newport, with an emphasis on how it turned into a great cabinetmaking city. The extended family Townsend is then documented, and the links to the Goddards, the other great "name" of Newport cabinetmaking is explained. John Townsend's life is then described in as much detail as is currently available, with some speculation on why and how his furniture is distinguishable from the other major makers in the town. The bulk of the book is photographs of every piece currently known or believed to have been produced by him and his shop, organized by type, and with descriptions differentiating the pieces.
There is some description of technique: 10 pages of the more than 200 in the book are in the section "Observations on John Townsend's Cabinetwork". Most of the book is about the time and place that these masterpieces were created in, and the pieces themselves. As a furniture design, construction, and appreciation aid though the book has major strengths. These include 110 pages of large high quality photos and descriptions of 47 major pieces, including many very similar pieces made over decades. Being able to see the effects of subtle changes in proportion and decoration, and of different wood grains on otherwise similar pieces, is worth the price of the book by itself. There are also many photos of the undersides/backs of pieces, which provide additional understanding of how structural issues in the pieces were managed.
For documentation on technical specifics, more detailed references are required. This book contains no plans, and no exploded drawings. There are references to other sources in this book, though most are of historical rather than a technical nature. This book is appropriate as inspiration, for some technical details, and for the very high quality images that could be used to help make reproductions.

The gulf between appreciation and understanding is immense and while anyone can look upon a John Townsend highboy and see that it is beautiful, understanding the world in which it was built (which was without electric tools), the builder and the technological aspect of cabinetry makes these fine pieces of furniture all the more awe-inspiring. John Townsend, who was a shining star in the rather large furniture industry in New England of which Newport might be considered the capital, is all the more interesting because his pieces and his life have been documented. This work that was produced by the Metropolitan Museum of art is fascinating even if you aren't a connoisseur of fine furniture. It is brilliant, well written and most importantly full of beautiful color photographs of all of the known John Townsend works along with several other masterpieces of 18th century New England furniture.

I don't know whether its best to call this work an art book, a collector's reference or a history book but it serves well in all capacity. As an art book it does an extremely great job of describing in word and image the qualities of a master cabinetmaker. Being a master cabinetmaker was (is) a talent and a skill not unlike being a great painter. The difference is the medium but similarly unique styles are developed skills are honed and a great deal of personality is brought about in each work. As a collectors reference this book shows what makes Newport furniture and furniture of New England unique and also gives a great catalogue of the work that is currently in existence. Finally as a historical account the book does good justice to describing Newport's furniture industry and what made New England the place where Furniture making would reach its American zenith in the mid 18th century.

I am happy to own this book and know that it will be often viewed and re-read. If you are a fan of colonial America or fascinated by early American Furniture you need this book. While it may appear expensive it is an excellent reference a great book for the coffee table or to be gently placed on your Chippendale lowboy.

Ted Murena

Kerry Gammill has always been one of those artists who I thought was underappreciated. His art was always consistently good without trying to be overpowering the way so many artists are today. "Drawing Monsters and Heroes for Film & Comics" presents a wonderful cross-section of Gamill's work throughout his career, both pre and post-comic book days. Gammill's early life was not unlike my own...except for the being a talented artist part. He was a big fan of classic monsters, horror movie hosts, silver age art, and those great old monster model kits by Aurora.

Gammill discusses how he eventually broke into comics with Marvel and gives aspiring artists some great advice on how to do the same. As he points out, back when he broke in there weren't many publishers like there are today and if you wanted to draw superheroes you had to work for Marvel or DC. The playing field has changed and there are many more outlets available to artists today but Gammill still recommends that putting together a great portfolio not only of pinup type pages, but also examples showing how to flow a story and action. He also recommends getting to know the human anatomy. As a long time comic fan I could not agree more. There are many talented artists in comics today but the best are those that can tell a story, not just draw splash pages. Dozens of examples of Kerry's work from his comic days are on display including many pieces that were never used. Gammill again emphasizes the need for artists to study anatomy and facial expressions which are especially critical when drawing characters from a particular perspective.

Gammill abruptly left comics and began doing conceptual work in a number of different areas. He provided concept drawings to a toy company who made premium items for fast food meals. A number of these drawings are included in the book and feature things like R2D2 band-aid dispensers, and Darth Maul mouse pads. Lunch boxes, tooth brushes, model kits...Gammill provided the concept art for dozens of different products. And you never would have known that one of our favorite comic book artists was partly responsible for the design of Taco Bell kids meal toy!

Gammill would go on to do concept drawings for film and TV and work on projects such as "Virus" starring Jamie Lee Curtis and the new Outer Limits television show. We get to see drawings he did for the shelved "I am Legend" film that was to star Arnold Schwarzenegger was and based on the story by Richard Matheson. Another project that Gammill worked on that has since been scrapped was the "Superman Lives" film that has since been replaced by "Superman Returns". These drawings show off his vision of Superman's adversary `Doomsday' who has a very different look than the comic book version.

Gammill's very diversified career is given a bright spotlight by Vanguard Productions and his advice to aspiring artists is invaluable.

Kerry Gammill is a one superhero of an artist! Boy, I've read his comic book work over the years (SPIDER-MAN to SUPERMAN to POWERMAN/IRON FIST) but never knew the extent of his talent until I read this wonderful book. Gammill not only can draw, he can tell a crackerjack STORY! Please, Hollywood. Use this guy more often! (Your current crop of films are so lame). Looking over the beautiful illustrations it's no small wonder that he was picked to design make-ups for horror movies and TV shows. I learned volumes of helpful tips from the background information concerning his influences. Every kid should use this for their own references on who and what to study if they want to be the best. And Gammill's youthful experiences doing homemade make-ups for his little backyard "movies" got him friendly with STAR WARS make-up artist Rick Baker! Baker who has won six Oscars and probably will again for the new PLANET OF THE APES! How can you beat that for an inkling of how good Kerry's make-up designs are? If you want to learn what it takes to become a professional artist AND how much fun it can all be in the process (with lots of drawing to get there), get this book! Buy it for yourself but you'll probably have to get one for a kindred soul/best buddy that loves comics and movies. This will become a special book among those up and coming "new" comic book artists and special effects make-up designers of tomorrow. Someday, I'm sure one of them will list it as one of THE books of their formulative years.

Kerry Gammilýs drawing Monsters and Heroes For Film and comics is a great book for beginning drawers and advanced drawers . It is great for learning muscles and for animation . It goes from basic figures to story boards for film and T.V. Learn to make comics and Body suits . I learned a lot from this book ,you will too. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to draw comics .

I know Kerry Gammill slightly, so you're free to dismiss this as a Buddy's Puff Piece if you wish. The title of the book is a misnomer; it sounds like a how-to book, when in fact this is a guided tour through the portfolio of a very gifted, very flexible artist. Useful for any adolescent with an interest in monsters or superheroes (or for anyone with an adolescent heart), Kerry's book strongly illustrates the changes in horror/hero art stylistics over the decades. Starting in the Sixties (when Kerry was a schoolboy), we see him recreate the stark imagery of the Universal horror heroes, followed by the "so busy I think my eyes will pop" style of Jack Kirby's Marvel comics, and we close with a detailed view of Special Effects artistry, and see the heavy hand of H.R. Giger (Icky ooky organs! Spooky spiky spines!), which seems to predominate in this unheralded branch of the art world. No, Kerry's not Vermeer (I like to imagine the Dutch minimalist leafing through a copy of X-Men), but he is a very talented artist working in a strange but awfully fun corner of the imaginative world. If you (or your children) love monsters or superheroes, or you're interested in an insider's view of the Special Effects world, this book is an excellent addition to your library. Note: general intensity of imagery and a few nudes and kinda-nudes make this book inappropriate for very young fans.

Succinct, informative and entertaining, too, this useful guide includes many helpful examples of good writing, as well as thoughtful explanations of what works and, most important, why. I have found it indispensible for supervising and instructing younger writers-as well as brushing up my own skills when I get stuck.

What's most valuable about this book is it doesn't offer a 5-step program to learn how to write copy. Instead it discusses the different uses of language, from Hyperbole to Understatement, and then shows examples of real ads that employ these usages to communicate their brand's virtues.

What I particularly liked about the book is that it doesn't show old favorites, show horses and prize-winning ads, but everyday work of the kind that earn most writers their daily bread.

This is obviously a book written to help writers write persuasively...and considering how many poorly written ads there are out there, it's certainly a book that's time has come.

Kiss & Sell is undoubtly one of the best if not the best copywriting cum advertising book to be released. Complete with visual ads and step by step advise on how one can improve one's talent and skill in copywriting, all this explained in an insightful, easy to read and arty manner.

As a creative writer myself, I found it extremely difficult to acquire "good" books on the craft of copywriting. And its about time a book of this sort is published. Definitely worth the price tag and a valuable collection for any copywriter, junior or senior positions.

I sincerely hope this book will become a benchmark for more publications on the subject on copywriting to be released in the near future. Advertising people like us definitely need them. :)

Kiss & Sell is a top quality ad book. Kudos! to the writer and the publisher for a job well done!

Full of great examples and insights from the masters. This book will inspire anyone interested in writing for advertising, but is also an enjoyable journey for anyone who happens to pick it up. A lovely addition are the quotes on each page, from poets, philosophers, song, and film.

This is being used as a text for a graduate level class. It is enjoyable to read, interesting, lucid, and well organized. The index and glossary are well structured. The authors make excellent use of bold text within the material and have plenty of helpful sidebar notes.

Great Book. Better than the other Legal Business books. Great cases. Easy to read and understand. Great for Business law. Other books are more about law instead of business law, Not this book. You be the Judge DVD-Rom is great similation of legal business situations. Book is great for learning Business Law.

This was the textbook for an introductory course in business law I took. It does a great job at laying the groundwork of the US legal system and explodes many common myths. A large amount of material is covered clearly and consisely. The chapters on contracts and constitutional law alone are worth the price of the book. The authors do a good job hitting the high points and not getting bogged down in details that are inappropriate for an introductory course.

There are a few typographical errors that carried over to the thirteenth edition and ought to have been caught. Because this is a survey course, the reader may find supplemental material such as a law dictionary necessary to understand some of the finer points.

Like many Americans, I didn't know much about our country's principles of government or its legal system. This book helped me to become more knowledgeable about both. I admit, this is not reading I would choose to curl up with in front of the fire; this was part of a requirement for my MBA. However, I will remember what I've learned in this text long after my class ends. Having previously been clueless about the legal system, it is now exhilarating to read about, say, how the nine US Supreme Court Justices are dealing with the aftermath of the Gore vs. Bush debacle and actually understand what is going on. The chapters are well-organized and easy to understand. There are even helpful study tips and ways to brief a legal case in the beginning of the text. After completing this book, I not only feel better equipped to handle business decisions, but also feel empowered and enlightened for better understanding our great country.

Nolo's Legal Guide to Starting and Running a Small Business was exactly what I needed to help start my company off on the right foot. I don't have a very strong legal backround and would have been way over my head if I'd tried to forge ahead totally alone but at the same time I didn't want to spend a fortune consulting a lawyer. If you're in a similar situation then Nolo's Legal Guide is the perfect solution. It is well written, well organized, thorough, and very easy to use. It's a great general start-up kit that would be helpful to any fledgling business that I can think of. If I had had to call a lawyer to answer every legal question that arose in the first couple of months (a huge number) then my company may easily have never gotten off the ground. I was so pleased with this product that I have since purchased two more Nolo books (Tax Savvy for Small Business and The Employer's Legal Handbook) that are more directed at business owners who have gotten through the initial start-up phase. Both of these books are also excellent and I would recommend them as follow ups to the Legal Guide to Starting and Running a Small Business.

There are several books in the market on how to incorporate your company based on the state. Even though there is an advantage to these books as you get state specific information for filing paperwork to incorporate, usually there isn't any other information in these books that you can use.

This Nolo guide on the other hand stays kind of generic in the sense that they don't spend too much time in how to fill out the incorporation forms and where to file. Instead, they give good information on every subject you would need to research when starting a small business.

The book starts off by explaining the different legal forms of corporate entities you can choose for your business and details each of these forms in the next three chapters. After this, there are more than 20 chapters devoted to almost any kind of situation you may encounter. For example - there is a chapter on Resolving Legal Disputes, a chapter on Small Business Contracts, a chapter on Home Based Business, etc. Some of the topics I had no prior knowledge of and gained tremendously from - Retail Pricing and Return Practices, Zoning Laws, Deducting Expenses for Business Use of Your Home, Workers' Compensation, Thirteen Common Sources of Money, and Strong and Weak Trademarks.

This is a good book to read when you are STARTING your own business. After that, you will probably need to research more into the topics that are relevant to your situation. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many different legal guides that small businesses can use (from Nolo). Obviously, as your particular situation becomes more unique you need to refer to the specific books that have an advanced treatment of that topic. And finally, it is always better to seek a lawyer's help after being aware of the basics of the Law.

As usual, Nolo does a fantastic job of covering a broad range of topics in a very detailed fashion without losing the reader's attention. There are a lot of examples to explain the various topics and everything is in plain English. I especially like the references to the IRS forms and publications you need in various circumstances. When you go to the IRS website, it isn't clear which form is relevant to you. It's neat that Nolo makes sure to reference the right form when they are discussing a particular subject.

I hope your small business succeeds and that you find this book helpful in getting things started. Be sure to check out the other Nolo books when you are past the initial stages and definitely build a good working relationship with a trustworthy lawyer for times of need. Good luck!

This set me straight on a few things while setting up my business. It is well written and easy to understand. I would recommend this to any 1st time business owner starting out.

Full of the information you expect based upon the title of the book. The information is detailed so you have the guidance you sought.

This book is like an encyclopedia of small business. I'll definitely be returning to this book throughout the years.

An impressively organized and presented 288-page compendium of information, "The Lighthouse Encyclopedia: The Definitive Reference" by lighthouse enthusiast and expert Ray Jones provides a wealth of information and trivia that will be especially appreciated by lighthouse fans and students of maritime history. Offering answers to hundreds of questions about lighthouses, their history, key people associated with them, lighthouse technology, lighthouse organizations, as well as specific lighthouses, "The Lighthouse Encyclopedia" truly lives up to its title. Enhanced with a literally hundreds of full-color photographs and archival images of lighthouses, sidebars addressing light house preservation, lighthouse collectibles, and tips for photographing lighthouses, "The Lighthouse Encyclopedia" is a superb contribution to the growing library of lighthouse literature and a core addition to any personal, academic, or community library reference collection on the subject.

Wonderful photos, lots of information. Loved it
I make clay sculptures and I created a lighthouse so this book came in handy for details needed.

Colorful & informative. If you like or love lighthouses this book should be in your collection. If you don't, buy it, place it on your coffee table (if you don't have young children) - and let others that visit your home enjoy it.

Lighthouses have fascinated me for over 60 years. Although never seriously smitten by these structures,I will always go out of my way to visit one whenever I get the chance. I grew up in Nova Scotia which seemed to have a lighthouse around every bend in the roads along the coast.They are always an excellent place to stop for a picnic lunch. I lived in New Jersey for a few years and again many lighthouses were nearby.My favorite was the Highlands Twin Lights in Navesink,which I visited often.I now live near Toronto,and my Birding trips often lead me to lighthouses which ring lakes Ontario,Erie and Huron.Other Birding trips along the East Coast ,Cape Hatteras,Southern Florida and California are continually providing new and exciting lighthouses. I have never made a list of all I've seen;but the total must be well over 100.I often thought it would be fun to photograph,or maybe even draw them as a hobby;but just never get around to getting serious about it.
So,when I come across a "Lighthouse" book,I am always interested;and there are many around.
This book is very different for several reasons.It is more than just a bunch of pretty pictures.As its title says,it is an encyclopedia.It covers many aspects of lighthouses,including,history,preservation,lots of technical information,examples from many countries,hints on photographing them as well as their present status.Of course, any one of those subjects could fill numerous books. This author alone,has written 14 books on lighthouses, so one can't expect everything about all lighthouses to be found in this one book
With that in mind,I have the following comments;
The quality of the paper,printing and overall construction of the book is top of the line.
The photographs range from mundane to excellent.This hit me as surprising.For instance Robert's photo of the Crisp Point Light on page 174 pales in comparison with his supurb photograph of the Dunkirk Light on page 177 .Again, we see the same thing with the Pigeon Point Light on page 222 and the Point Area Light on page 223.Then, we get those amazing photographs by Jean Guichard.You gotta wonder if he ever took a poor or average snapshot.Then again,I must admit ,the photo of the Peggy's Cove Light left me cold.Is this the best of the millions of photos taken of this super-famous lighthouse? Quite a few photos are attributed to magazines,the Coast Guard,Harbour Lights,etc.,which are very average.Again,there is the excellent photograph of the Port Bill Light,England ,courtesy Harbour Lights on page 235.The otherwise great shot of the Portland Head Light,on page 236, by Roberts,makes one wonder if it was Roberts or someone in the editing room who lost the top of the lighthouse.
I was also somewhat disappointed over the part on "Lighthouses around the world".There were none that I can recall from such coastline countries as Russia,China,India,Japan .

In spite of my comments,this book is an excellent resource for anyone with an interest in lighthouses. It would be a good companion to "Lighthouse Spotter's Guide" by Michael Rhein which I have already reviewed.

In many american universities there is a sharp division between the classic art historians and the linguistics-inclined post modernists. Bryson's range encompasses both.

If you're wavering on your decision to purchase this work, just go for it. I took a seminar from Professor Bryson one semester, and let me tell you, this man simply exists on a whole different intellectual level. He constantly confronts and re-perceives art and artistic theory, pushing your mind to process visual information in radically different ways.

There is not much literature available on the subject of still life painting that goes beyond the obvious surface information. This is the first review of the history of still life painting which reexamines the human implications of different still life ideas throughout history. The four essays are in depth explorations of the challenging questions asked by seemingly ordinary subject matter and the formal ways in which artists engage these concepts. I wish I would have known about this book years ago.

This small and highly accessible book reflects on the significance of the slighted area of still life painting. It is a gentle and reflective reminder of the significance of domesticity and the interior in painting.

"Delicious", sumptuous... full of beauty! This book is for anyone who loves to look at jewelry at its best!!

It may seem an era long gone by but the art work is as vital and enthralling today. The photos are numerous and magnificent and it is a valuable addition to anyones library.

The book offers insight into the most important jewelry designs and the artistic talents of their creators. It gives an overview and biographies of the most important jewelry artists of the recent history and how their businesses got started: Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef and Arpels, Lalique, Verdura, Bulgari, Boucheron etc. The photos are wonderful; I only wish there were more of them. A great book for anyone wanting to learn more about the most important jewelry creators and jewelry pieces. It is also a great way to start your own favorite jeweler/jewelry book collection and get more specific books.

I really enjoyed my first scan of this book and look forward to many more in-depth visits. The jewelry is absolutely breathtaking. The color photos are extremely well done.

"McDonnell Douglas MD-80 & MD-90" is a very nice book that describes thoroughly the last single-aisle family built by McDonnell-Douglas and a must have item for those that are interested in the airliner industry.
It contains an extensive historical background, chronology of the development and production, aircraft specifications, production list and airline operators.
It's photograph selection is excellent and extensive, practically covering every operator of the MD-80/MD-90.
Unfortunately, I'd guess due to fact that this excellent aviation writer passed away while the book was in production, some photograph captions are incorrect or misleading, just to name a few: in pp. 6-7 AOM is mentioned as the biggest domestic carrier in Mexico, while it is widely known that AOM is a French Airline; in pp. 44-45 there is a photo of an Austrian MD-81 (OE-LDT), while the caption says: "Austrian OE-LML, taken in 1987". In fact the picture of Austrian MD-87 OE-LML is shown on pp. 40-41 with a correct caption; etc.
I'd love it, if the publisher some time later would re-publish the book with corrected information, so it would truly represent the author's exceptional work.
In any case, these are minor mistakes, so I'd recommend this book to everyone who needs to know more about the MD-80/MD-90.

Rest in Peace Arthur Pearcy and thanks for your invaluable contribution

This is a must have for anyone who is interested in the MD-80. Its got alot of great pictures. I highly recommend this book.

The Airlife's Airliner series of books cover individual commercial aircraft types in an interesting, in-depth manner.

Each volume of this British series covers a unique commercial aircraft type from its design, production, entry into service, its usage by airlines, and in some cases eventual demise.

Each volume features plenty of color and black and white photographs of the subject aircraft along with a complete construction list (accurate to date of publication for aircraft types still being built).

This volume of the series covers the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and MD-90 series of airliners ... including most if not all of the airframe's variants and derivatives and provides an interesting look at the genesis of these short/medium range commercial airliners.

Of interesting note is the section covering the MD-95 (now the 717) as well as the unducted / propfan studies that occurred in the late 1980s / early 1990s.

I highly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in airplanes. Mr. Pearcy delivers the goods on an American built airliner that has become a global workhorse. Lots of outstanding photography and good information, this is a must have for every aviation library.

One of the great architectural achievements of the second half of the 20th century is an exciting story in Ms. Shulman's well written book. This musicologist has been able to capture all of the fascinating nuances in this amazing project from its conception, political and economic issues, design, building, the grand opening and the Meyerson's very positive impact on the community.

A sumptuous read - Laurie Shulman's inimitable wit and style grace the pages of this handsome book. The details she shares are as fresh and lively as her trademark program notes. Like many others who worked in the Arts District, I watched the Meyerson being built - from crater to finished perfection. The knowledge Shulman imparts expands my appreciation and most certainly will enhance my enjoyment of another concert in this dream hall, the Meyerson.

This is a great book about a wonderful place for music. After reading the book, I purchased copies for my relatives who are professional musicians, and those who care about such music. One might ask how can you make a story about building a music hall interesting, but Laurie Shulman has done so.

Excellent and interesting book on a fantastic community effort.