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Novela ganadora del prestigioso Premio Alfaguara (Madrid, 1998) cuyo jurado fue presidido por Carlos Fuentes. Sergio Ramírez se consagra como un gran escritor con esta documentada y entretenida novela que cuenta la historia de dos vidas tan contrarias como paralelas: la del príncipe poeta Rubén Darío y la del tirano Anastasio Somoza García. Espíe o hágase cómplice de los conspiradores del asesinato! Siga a Rigoberto López Pérez en su entrenamiento para convertirse, a un mismo tiempo, en mártir y asesino. Vea cómo "Tacho" Somoza bailaba al son de un rico mambo de Pérez Prado poco antes de ser tiroteado con balas envenenadas por un arrecho y cellinesco orfebre. Llore o ríase de la esperpéntica y triste historia de la Caimana, la lesbiana más famosa de Nicaragua. Conozca a Margarita, la niña inmortalizada en el célebre verso que da título a la novela. Admire o apártese del bisturí del Sabio Debayle, amigo de Darío y difícil suegro de Somoza. Lea cómo todos estos "dramatis personae" integran humorosa comedia o tragedia sangrienta. Sergio Ramírez, respetado político y escritor, conoce la espada, y conoce la pluma. En esta novela nos ha obsequiado con literatura seria, con gracia original, y con estilos y formas modernos y variantes. Creo que este hombre se ha merecido los ciento setenta y cinco mil dólares del Premio Alfaguara. En el 2004 fue publicada su MIL Y UNA MUERTES. Como siga así, siguiendo los pasos de García Márquez, Ramírez podría un día llegar a recibir el Nobel.

Whether you are Nicaraguan or not and whether you know or do not know about their history, this is something you definitely need to read. Ramirez wrote an excellent story from history's point of view with a great touch of imagination. Furthermore, there are touches of humor throughout the whole story that will suit the reader in the right moment. The author has succesfully written a story which contains history as well as fiction. I do not want to say more for it will be better for you to discover what a great story this. Yo will also enjoy the book for it is rich in culture ...

Esta novela es más de lo que dicen los demás lectores que la recomiendan y que por aquí han dejado sus comentarios. Es el ejemplo claro de cómo un autor como Sergio Ramírez utiliza su talento literario para narrar en forma novelada, artística y educativa, y con alturas universales, eventos históricos que a primera vista pueden parecer cansinos y efímeros relatos de provincia. Si, por otro lado, usted no es de los que siguen de cerca la literatura hispanoamericana -centroamericana en este caso,- y no necesariamente quiere añadir este tomo, materialmente más perdurable a su colección, le recomiendo la edición de bolsillo de Punto de Lectura, también de la editora Alfaguara, disponible a mitad de precio. Después de todo, es la misma novela, sólo que más barata.

Even if your native language is Spanish, this is a hard book to read and comprehend. But what an unforgettable experience it brings to the reader! This book will haunt you and impact you for a long time. It is one of the best books of modern Spanish literature. A must read!

The poetry is definitely missing from this novel. It is beyond me how Sergio Ramirez could portray Ruben Dario, the greatest Nicaraguan poet and one of the greatest Hispanic poets ever, as a womanizer and a drunkard. He is a disgusting character. To make things worse, Ramirez does not reveal Ruben Dario's brilliance as a poet, omitting the poem that gives the book its title (Sergio: not everybody reading the book knows the poem by heart). The good side of the book is the story relating to Somoza's assassination, though the sexual innunedoes are very strong here too. Whether or not the assassination plot is fact-based, it is interesting and sort of a cliffhanger. Rigoberto Lopez-Perez, the hero/assassin, has a poignant story; the description of Somoza's first lady is unforgettably humorous. Nevertheless, this could have been a better book.

When I started to read manga's I was always looking for something new. Not the same old "shoot 'em up" or "magical girl" story but something unique. Mermaids Scar is an excellent example. I recived this novel with much delight, and was even more enthralled with the series afterwards. Rumiko Takahashi gives a reader an array of emotions that help to create one of the most emotional and interesting novels to read. It is well worth your money to purchase this book, I guarentee you will not be disapointed!

Like the Mermaid books that preceed and follow it, this work is a masterpiece. This is an edgy, disturbing horror story with likable characters and a friendly drawing style. People who started with Inu Yashu should try the Mermaid stories next. (Mermaid Forest is the first of three). They may notice some similarities between the two heroines! Anyone who enjoyed the video should also read the manga, since the story is slightly different, and the second part of this book was never animated. Enjoy!

Rumiko Takahashi is better known for her romantic comedies than for dark fantasies. But her brief Mermaid series is an excellent display of Takahashi's dark side, in a world where a handful of humans who eat mermaid flesh become immortal, and the rest turn into fishlike, monstrous creatures called "lost souls."

Like the other two collections of Mermaid stories, "Mermaid's Scar" focuses on the immortal duo Mana and Yuta. In "Dream's End," Mana encounters a lost soul who has somehow retained his human soul, turning him into a tormented monster. "Mermaid's Promise" brings Yuta back to where he once met a young girl who fell in love with him -- and who has somehow been brought back to life as a soulless creature. "Mermaid's Scar" brings Mana and Yuta to a town where a woman somehow recovered from deadly burns -- and discovers an immortal boy with a horrifying secret. "The Ash Princess" goes back to 17th-century Japan, when Yuta was still wandering alone. Here, he finds a travelling old man and his young daughter -- a girl brought to life with a mermaid's liver.

Perhaps the most common comparison to the Mermaid series is the action/fantasy/romance series "Inuyasha." However, the Mermaid stories have none of the humor and goofiness that pop up in "Inuyasha" (although the story of the undead, tormented ex-girlfriend is quite familiar). The tone is melancholy, sometimes outright macabre, with a few sweet scenes of romance between the two immortals. Perhaps the best scene is the hauntingly lovely last moments with Nae and Yuta.

The relationship between Yuta and Mana is pure Takahashi -- they love each other but somehow won't admit it (and Mana gets pretty jealous at times). They stick with one another through thick and thin, and occasionally show little indications of how they actually feel. ("It sounds like you've fallen for me," Yuta says half-jokingly at one point)

Takahashi's dark "Mermaid's Scar" is a fantastic mixture of dark fantasy and gently understated romance. Sweet, terrifying and deeply satisfying.

This is a very, very violent manga, even by MY standards. Even though it's JUST a comic book, I often found myself cringing and flinching just looking at the drawings (I didn't even flinch while reading 3x3 Eyes, but this one... just the way things are drawn makes them look REALLY painful)... speaking of that, the art is very good, obviously Takahashi-style. Anyways, even though it is SO violent and bloody, it is actually quite enjoyable. In fact, after reading it I almost completely changed my taste in manga and went on the reading more violent ones instead of the usual silly ones, and even drawing one of my own (heh heh don't ask!). Yes, it really entertained and inspired me! Nice, creepy story! Hard to believe it was created by the same woman who made Ranma 1/2 and Lum!

Legend has it that whoever eats the flesh of a mermaid will be granted eternal life and youth. Yuta is one of those who have received this "gift". But is it really a gift? Yuta has been forced to watch his loved ones age and die through the years. For five centuries he has roamed the world searching for a "cure", or for someone like himself. As fate would have it, Yuta chances upon a girl named Mana. She too has been bestowed with immortality like Yuta. Together they travel through Japan longing for a normal life. Soon, they meet others who have also experienced the mermaid's "gift". But as they soon discover, mermaid's flesh affects each person differently. Yuta and Mana are just the more fortunate ones...

Rumiko Takahashi's Mermaid Series is really quite a masterpiece. Each chapter presents a different tale and yet everything is tied together by the main characters, Yuta and Mana. It's like a group of short stories unfolding inside one main plot. It's not episodic, as the stories can stand alone. They are, however, greatly enriched by the base storyline about the legendary mermaid flesh. It's really quite an inventive approach, and I really admire Ms. Takahashi's imagination. The overall atmosphere is grim. The tone is serious, as darker facets of human nature are revealed. Everyone wants a piece of the mermaids, and all for various reasons. Greed, vengeance, selfishness... they are the driving forces in the pursuit of the elusive mermaid flesh. Yuta and Mana are plunged into the situation, being immortals on an unending quest for something... even they cannot be sure of what they're truly seeking. The art is simple in style, yet pleasant to look at and effective -- as is always the case with Ms. Takahashi's works. Panel layout is quite conservative if compared to her later works like "Inu-Yasha". The Mermaid Series definitely is a suspenseful page-turner which will leave readers very satisfied. Each volume packs a lot of punch. It's a pity because this is not enjoying as much exposure as "Ranma 1/2", "Urusei Yatsura", and "Maison Ikkoku" are. In some ways, this series is even better than Ms. Takahashi's more popular works.

Meru Puri Vol. 2 is a great shojo manga. If you like romantic comedies then this manga is worth owning. Hino Matsuri did a great job. Buy it, seriously. You don't know what you are missing.

Take a school and a magical world, a fifteen-years-old girl who searches for true love, a bratty but cute little prince, connect them with a star-shaped mirror, add some idiot brother, a lot of misteries and - above all - love... and you'll have a very fresh and funny manga, definitely worth reading!
Plus, Matsuri-sensei's style is gorgeous, rich and sensual at the same time, so you won't be disappointed.
The icing on the cake is Viz's edition: best image editing, lettering, paper quality, image-printing.
I'm very happy with this item <3

Let me start off by saying that "MeruPuri" is one of the best manga I have ever read. I read the first volume at Borders several months ago and loved it, but I did not want to start buying a new series. Recently though, I found out that it was only four volumes long, so I immediately went out and bought it. And I'm really glad I did.

"MeruPuri" is a story about a girl named Airi who dreams of finding her soul mate and living a simple life with him, raising a family and appreciating the simple things in life. Things are going well, and Airi has found a boy named Nakaoji whom she thinks would be a perfect match for her. But things are about to change. One day, much to her chagrin, Airi's plans are disrupted when a little boy named Aram, who claims to be from the magical kingdom of Astale, appears from her heirloom mirror. He is rude and a little annoying, but cute, and he and Airi quickly become friends. The next day, Airi is shocked to find that a spell has transformed Aram into a handsome young man, and worse, he says that she is his "favorite", and only her kiss can return him to his original self. And it just gets better from there.

I absolutely fell in love with this series, mostly because of the characters and their relationships. Airi is a well-balanced heroine. She is not too whiny or perfect or unbelievably strong like the girls in a lot of the manga I read. I can easily relate to her. And you can't help but love Aram. He's a prince in every way, courageous and fair, but he's still acts childish. The romance between Airi and Aram is really sweet, it really has me hooked. The supporting characters all have personalities of their own and contribute to the story well.

This is also a pretty funny manga, especially when Aram looks like a teenager but acts like a child. Airi too, is humorous in her obsessive quest to find the perfect man.

The art is beautiful, and the story is very interesting and creative. I love all the fantasy elements. It's a bit of a cliched subject, but Matsuri uses original and fresh concepts.

I cannot reccommend "MeruPuri" strongly enough. Everything about it is absolutely wonderful. But don't take my word for it, read it for yourself! You won't be disappointed!

Tired of manga where guys are surrounded by hot girls who are all in love with him, a la Tenchi Muyo, Love Hina or Ranma 1/2? Try a manga where a girl is surrounded by a bunch of hot guys who love her. Toss in some magic, mirrors, and mayhem, and you have something of an idea of what MeruPuri is like.

Airi Hoshina searches tirelessly for the perfect man. She wants a family life just like the ones in her favorite soap operas. One day, whlie checking her appearance in her antique mirror, a boy climbs out of it. A cute little boy, too. He tells her his name is Aram and that he is a prince. Airi decides to take care of him because he has no place to go, but imagine her surprise when she finds out that he turns into a gorgeous teenager in the darkness, an appearance which can only be reverted by her kiss. This bizarre change is a side effect of a spell placed on Aram by his older brother, Jeile. After meeting Aram, Airi is constantly surrounded by...er...very NICE looking boys, like Aram, Jeile (Aram's goofy older half brother, caster of the spell), Nakaouji ( her prime suitor, the only non-magical one in the bunch), Raz (who doesn't love her but wants revenge on her over something that happened in the past), and Lei(also doesn't love her, just surrounds her because he is Aram's servant), but are any of them the perfect man she's always dreamed of?

Hino-sama's often funny, sometimes touching love/comedy/drama story is made even more appealing by her gorgeous, flowing artwork. The characters are, as a bonus, fleshed out and believeable, even though the story sometimes isn't. And, of course, the guys are all totally gorgeous.

If you like MeruPuri, try Hino-sama's other stateside published manga, Vampire Knight, which, though an entirely horse of a different color when compared to MeruPuri, is still very, very good.

I was given this 4 volume set by a 15 yro friend, I am 31. She said I would like it. AND I DO! - to the point that I wish there was an after story or even a movie. A movie off this book would be good.
Story is good; makes one want to turn the page.
Characters are good.
Illustrations are good.

I was extremely happy with the service I receivec. I requested that this book be sent to the county jail, via Overnight Mail, for my son, and it wzs received the next day. Time was of the essence and you delivered. I can't rate the book myself, because it was not for me. I would definitely use Amazon.com again.

I have been admiring and studying the Art of Boris Valejio since 1988. This is a collection of Art (late 1970s-mid 1980s) from his career PEAK. Details and tones duplicated from a MASTER Painter. If you buy ONE collection of Boris's fantastic Art, IT MUST BE MIRAGE...

There are some beautiful pencil renderings with precision use of the eraser to bring his sketches to life. An added bonus to pages of glorious full color women and men in the god-like exploitation of the human form.

I'm a long-time Boris fan. I actually own this in hardback, purchased over twenty years ago. It still is one of my favorite art books even after two decades.

Okay, why "Mirage" and not some other Boris book? This isn't a just some anthology of book covers. Quite simply, it has the finest collection of sensual fantasy art I've seen. I say sensual and not erotic because there is a difference. Boris paints lots of skin in this collection... plenty of gorgeous female pulchritude, but it keeps to the tasteful side lecherous. Oh, there are a couple of male figures as well, and they're just as well executed as his females, so you can't fault him there, either.

But don't think this is a series of illustrations with some poetry (by the artist's then-wife) thrown in to justify a book full of nudes. There's always a heavy element of high (or sometimes low) fantasy in every scene... that's fantasy as in mythic, not fantasy as in Penthouse Letters, even though Bob Guccione would have jumped at the opportunity to have any of these women grace the pages of his magazine. And to the surprise of some, there are several very humorous images as well.

Yet there is some truly incredible art in this collection as well. There is one painting of a triton and mermaid... uh... "disporting" themselves underwater that still stands out after twenty-plus years as one of my favorite pieces of art regardless of style, genre or medium. That's saying something.

If you find nudity objectionable, skip this book... you'll never get past all the skin to see the art behind it. Some of the images are slightly disturbing. Some are what I'd consider "filler" to add volume to the book, not as appealing or creative as many of the others. Yet there are some that are simply stunning... breathtaking in color, style and subject, and that makes up for any weaknesses the rest might suffer.

And as I mentioned, there is poetry included as well, contributed by Boris' wife (before Julie Bell). As far as open verse goes, she does respectably well. Some of the poems are rather forgettable, but others may appeal to the individual reader. I like Dylan Thomas and a few other modern poets who use free verse, so the style doesn't bother me a bit. Still, on the whole, the art is why I got the book, not the poetry.

If you want art by daVinci and verse by Tennyson, save your money... you'll be disappointed. Personally, I enjoy art by Boris and poems by Doris just as well.

Overall, an incredible collection well worth the acquiring.

This book collects a series of Boris' paintings, plus a few very detailed pencil drawings, done between 1979 and 1982. If you're not already familiar with Boris' work - well, you probably are whether you know it or not. He has done years work of book covers for Edgar Rice Burroughs, as well as reams of posters. The one constant through all his work is passion for the human form and human power, both male and female.

These paintings range from the lush and sensual to humorous or macabre. A hookah come to life has a demonic presence, but a bar of soap come to life (and licking the bather) is more charming and a little silly. Even the simplest pictures have overtones - that bather is truly a beautiful woman, leaving me just a little envious of such close contact. Maybe not envious either, but off in thoughts of my own. And the preface is right, 'erotic' is much too simple a word for all the different feelings and combinations of feelings that come from having or holding a strong, healthy body.

My only complaint is a sameness in the female figures presented. The faces are beautiful, long and elegant, but mostly the same. The figures - the one figure, really is beautiful, but I value the uniqueness of a figure and the differences between figures. Cloning can serve a narrative purpose, certainly, but sameness wears. Even the loveliness of Danielle Anjou, acknowledged as a principal model and collaborator, wears.

Boris is the master of the figure in fantasy art, and has been for many years. This is a great sample from an earlier time in his career. It's almost impossible not to like.

//wiredweird

If you are a fan of Boris Vallejo, or are thinking about buying a book of fantasy art -- this book should be the first one you buy. This is an absolute must-have for any art book collection, fantasy art or otherwise. Of all of Boris Vallejo's work to date -- this book by far has all his best art.

Boris Vallejo is by far the best fantasy artist EVER! His 1970s and 1980s art is by far much better than his current work, as is evident from the Mirage book. The figures/subjects in his early work in the Mirage book look like they actually belong in the painted scene. Many other fantasy artists draw subjects in scenes that look like models posing for a painting -- and look really stiff like cardboard. Boris meshes the scenes perfectly and transports you into another world with his vivid depictions of fantasy characters.

I recommend buying Boris Vallejo books in the following order:
1) Mirage
2) Fantasy Art Techniques -- buy it even if you're not an artist.
3) Enchantment
4) Dreams
5) Sketchbook

Verdict: Buy it!
Reviewed by Harrison Chua.

Wow another great book from naruto, this book was sweet and great the fight between haku and sasuka was great, and the whole thing of this book is awsome nice and enjoyable books to read i have 14 naruto books and there were awsome iam going to get more but this was great.

My 9 year old son won't rest until he collects the entire series; I'm just happy he wants to read!

Time for climbing...and more training...and more Tazuna and family and find out about Inari's Dad. More of all cool manga. Guess who's baaaaaaaaack You'll have to find out

Time for climbing...and more training...and more Tazuna and family and find out about Inari's Dad. More of all cool manga. Guess who's baaaaaaaaack. You'll have to find out by reading

Kakashi is resting his poor body with training Sasuke,Naruto,and Sakura.Let's see if they can get the hang of runing up trees.Also,Naruto unknowing meets Haku who he thinks killed Zabunza.We also see Inari's real problem with heroes.Last but not least,a final confrontation between Zabunza and Kakashi.Wait a minute...he seem to have brought a friend...

I picked up the Corax book when I grabbed three or four other Breed Books at my local game store seeing how they were three or four dollars each. Of all the books I bought that day, this was by far my favorite. The Corax are a changing breed in Werewolf: the Apocolypse, but have a completely different feel than anyone else I have tried. Corax are bird-brained scouts. Their style is great if you are the one at the game table constantly cracking jokes.

The book is, as per the norm for a White Wolf supplement, almost completely written from the perspective of an older Corax explaining the world to a younger bird. I personally found myself laughing on regular occasion at this narration. However, the history, purpose, style, and techniques of Corax were well covered.

The book also carries its standard comic in the front, something that was lost with the Revised editions of White Wolf games. This story gives you a short tale surrounding one of the supposedly legendary Corax, Raina. She is more deeply detailed toward the end of the book as well, if Storytellers want to include her in their story.

Overall, this book is quite possibly the best Breed Books White Wolf put out. Its humor, mechanics, and concepts will sell a player on the Corax quickly, and it will give STs something to play with that can both save their werewolf players' lives and annoy them to no end.

I have used this book many, many times to either make a Corax Character for myself, or to help others make their characters. The book is well written, and takes a turn away from the normal kill first and ask questions later style of the Garou (werewolves). The book is very informative and had a lot of background info for the Corax. If you are looking for a different type of character to play in your tabletop or LARP group, this is a great choice. Besides, how can you go wrong when you can have a character that can FLY?

Honestly--I picked up this book because I was going to be creating a character to help a friend out and I was immediately hooked! I read the thing from cover to cover and have several times since. The text is written with a great sense of humor and gives valuable insight to the workings of those wacky little were-ravens.

The wereravens are the messengers and scouts in the world of Werewolf. The history of the breed is narrated by a humorous Corax, who takes things that you think to be written in biblical style writing, and translates it into modern english (VERY funny)
I suggest this book to anyone who plays Werewolf but is getting tired of strictly garou and wants to add some color to the game.

I'll say openly that I'm no fan of Werewolf. Don't get me wrong, I understand the system and I've played my share of the characters, but werewolves always seem to be played a bit to slash and kill for my taste. Well, you can imagine my surprise when a friend lent me this book and told me, despite my less the cheerful comments on the subject of werewolves, that it wasn't like the others. He was definitely right. Not only are were-ravens extremely interesting, and the book it's self amusing. It's a wonderful change of style from the typical werewolf characters. Were-ravens aren't slash and kill characters, but they have other interesting skills that lend depth to any game I've seen them in. Not only would I suggest this book to were-creature fans, I would suggest it to people who aren't (like me) because if you think that were-wolves are all about death, be prepared for a wonderful surprise.

After Toji's kiss Momo has mixed feelings. She wants to have enjoyed the moment, but her emotions are clouded by Sae's warnings that he is just a lecherous pervert, so she feels wrong about it all. But a surprise visit from Toji at Momo's home in the evening goes a long way to restore her faith in him...until Sae begins to unsettle everything again. She's pulling out every weapon in her arsenal to besmirch Momo's reputation, including telling Toji that a newly formed bruise on her cheek is from Momo hitting her after she saw Sae and Toji kissing one another.

The two want to make up, but with Sae's poisonous words entering both of their brains it becomes difficult to do. Suddenly, Toji is not coming to school and Momo is concerned that it might be because of their fight, though the rest of the class knows it's because he has appendicitis. When Kiley is the one to tell her the truth she rushes to Toji's side, to find Sae already there. Then things just go from bad to worse.

I am really starting to appreciate the subtle nuances of character development in this series. Momo is strong despite her self issues, and manages to stand up for herself often...just at the wrong times, usually when Sae has spent time blackening her name and Momo's reactions predictably follow the pattern of Sae's machinations. Sae is scheming, manipulative, conniving, and has no originality to her whatsoever... and yet she still manages to dominate a number of people in the story. Toji is hard to be sympathetic with at times, true he is being manipulated and doesn't know who to trust, however he is quick to believe the bad in people, so naturally he falls into Sae's scheming. And then there's Kiley, who though he is a lecher seems to be the one who legitimately cares about Momo... he is always there when she needs him, he is always worried about her feelings, but she is so quick to blow him off because of her "idealized" crush on Toji for too long... given the choice between the two I would have chosen Kiley long before this point...at least he is genuine and caring and accepts Momo with all her flaws that he never seems to see.

Overall, I am quickly getting addicted to this manga. This is high school angst at its juiciest, and I plan on reading the rest of the series as soon as is humanly possible.

I'll try not to write a review with any spoilers in it, but you really do have to have read the first two novels in order to understand what's going on in this book. I buy the Peach Girl manga for two reasons: 1) the story is so close to highschool reality, that most of the time, it's hard not to understand what the characters are going through, and 2) Miwa Ueda's artwork is absolutely beautiful! Continuing from the last book, in part three, Sae is still working to make Momo's life a living hell, and there are few people who Momo can really trust anymore. Toji is beginning to smarten up, and Momo is being more friendly to Kiley. If you liked the previous two books, there's no reason why you shouldn't like this one.

This was my favorite of the three published Peach Girl manga. The ending was satisfying, and they had a lot of good Kiley moments! If he's your favorite character, you'll love him more this time around.
In a way, this could be the end of the series, but there are a lot of unfinished questions, which you'll discover in the end of the book. If you thought that Momo ended up the underdog in the first two, you'll be satisfied with this one.

I gave this volume of the Peach Girl series five stars because it is the best of the first three. When the story starts, Sae has finally gotten what she wants; Momo and Toji have broken up. As if this is not enough, she enters Momo in the end of term swim meet... in every event. Not only will Momo be tanner than ever, but she will probably exhaust herself competing. To top it all off, Momo's classmates are crueler than ever. It's Kiley to the rescue, looking out for Momo no matter what... and all he wants in exchange is a ...hug?
The first part of this series comes to a grand climax in the last scene of this manga. For all Peach fans rooting for Momo, your heart will break and then you will cheer... buy the book if you want to know what I'm talking about. It will be well worth it.

Great! Toji finally gets a clue, Kiley finally gets a hug, and Sae finally gets her comeuppance! It didn't quite satisfy my lust for vengeance, because Momo really does get terribly abused and I feel Sae should at least be hit by a truck, but there you have it. I also feel some crueler punishment for Toji is in order, as I harbor a deep grudge against him for his previous actions in books 1 and 2, but we'll see how it goes in book 4. Tantalizing and full of poignant moments, as well as some funny ones.

I'm not a student, but I've found this book to be the best reference available for a comprehensive introduction/reference to photography. I obtained my copy at half price books (1st ed.) for [...] $, and were it not for that store i would have never known this excellent resource as I'm neither a "student" nor rich. The only other book that I've seen that approaches this one is René Bouillot's "La photographie argentique", which approaches that of Mr. Warren's in content and exposition but lacks the excellent paper/pictures and may be a little pretentious for néophytes as myself. Bruce Warren's Photography is by all accounts the best photography book i've encountered.

This book goes through the very basics of photography and is great for the student photography major or for someone wishing to further their knowledge in photography. Warren does not specialize in one specific area, but gives an over all to photography, it's special effects and bits of darkroom information

As everyone knows, college books are quite expensive and often hard to find. It's good to turn to Amazon.com and quickly find the textbook, for less than retail, and shipped in time for class!

This book should be on every new photographers buy list. In fact I think I'll put together a photo list and add it!

It's a largish textbook that is both well designed and clear. A rare find in textbooks, it actually teaches! I've found it very useful, very comprehensive and it's taught me quite a bit.

It's stylish, color, and will replace a lot of other books simply because it covers so much ground (not just technical aspects, but stylistic and subject matter). Amazon has it for a good price. I found this while shopping at Fry's and Amazon had it much cheaper.

I actually attended classes taught Mr. Warren and was around when he
was developing his first edition. He loved what he did and it showed in his
teaching and this is what is in his book. A love and practical understanding
and teaching to bring out the "best photographer" in you.

Most books go over all the essentials. Even Deke McClelland's find ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS2 ONE-ON-ONE is great at introducing the NEW features and changes. But Ben's book is a quickie, one-day overview of what's new and improved and changed. For the price, there is no better book for someone buying PSCS2 to upgrade from any older version (like I did, from quaint old Photoshop 5.5). Full color pictures and clear typography -- making it easy to go back and review -- just make this book a steal at Amazon's discounted price. Get it!

Ben Wilmore is one of the foremost Photoshop trainers in the world. When he has time, he writes articles he sends to his photoshop mailing list (well worth joining). His tips are always on target and have provided me with extremely valuable insights into using Photoshop.

If you are a novice with Photoshop, or have never used a version before CS2, this isn't the best book for you. Willmore assumes you have substantial experience with Photoshop CS. However, if you are a CS user who is moving up to CS2, this book is an invaluable guide to the many new features in CS2. I have found this book extremely helpful and very readable. As usual, Wilmore's style is clear, easy-to-read, and the color illustrations very helpful. No, I don't get a cut of his royalties, I just love it when I find a reference that is truly worth the price!

Title: Photoshop CS2 : Up to Speed
Author: Ben Willmore
Publisher: Peachpit Press
Number of pages: 171
ISBN: ISBN: 0321330501
List Price: $24.99

Photoshop CS2 - Up to Speed was written for users of Photoshop CS (v8.0)who plan to or have just upgraded to CS2. The longer you have been using CS the more you will appreciate and benefit from this book. Expert Photoshop user/author/teacher Ben Willmore had access to the Adobe Photoshop design team to review chapters and technical issues which resulted in an in-depth
and accurate detailed description of the changes made in CS2(v9.0).

Each chapter starts out by providing an overview, and a section called "Where's My Stuff". From there each topic in the overview is explained in detail. Visually the book is well written and easy to read - using bold colored text, and colored screen
captures (with additional descriptions below each screen capture). Occasionally the small screen captures can be difficult to read. There is an overwhelming amount of information contained within each chapter. Ben covers all types -what's new, what's changed, what's been removed, changes to menus and keyboard shortcuts.

The 1st chapter provides lots of details on Bridge but may be better served from a DVD based video explanation. Bridge is a very visual application. The 2nd chapter on General Tweaks covers numerous miscellaneous tweaks that is a must read for
CS2 upgrade users. Chapter 3 covers the new Layers palette in fine detail. Chapters 4 and 5 on Smart Objects and Variables respectively are worth the price of the book alone - well done Ben. Chapter 6 covers small gems (WYSIWYG Font Menu, Smart Guides, Animation Palette, Swatches, PDF-X, Adobe Stock Photos) sufficiently. From here the next chapters cover photographic related topics (Camera Raw 3, - High Dynamic Range imaging, Retouching & Filter Enahancements, Small Gems). These chapters are clearly explained through a thorough use of screen captures and photos.

Summary: If you are a long time photoshop CS user then this is the 1st book you should buy and read. Ben covers every area (except ImageReady which had esssential no changes and Version Cue) in great detail and leaves no area untouched. Since there is an overwhelming amount of information (changes) described in this book (that's a good thing) I would suggest while and or after reading each chapter to bring up CS2 and go over the information just covered. Also, you do not need to read the book in the order in which it was written. Choose the areas you are interested in most first then come back to the other chapters. Finally, if there is one suggestion I would make to the author for the next version of "Up to Speed" consider creating a DVD based visual guide to describe the changes going from CS2 to CS3 to accompany/supplement the written book.
Overall I highly recommend this book for the target audience just described and the price of the book with an online discount is a bargain.

This book does exactly what it says on the cover, and it does it extremely well. It has been my constant source of reference for the past three weeks as even the often neglegted Index is well thought out.
I was always a big fan of the File Browser and was sorry to see it replaced in CS2 by the Bridge, which I must admit it took me some time to get my head round (where has the Desktop gone?) until this book came along. Ben goes through it in great detail, as he does with everything, and I now find it a breeze.
Everything new, and everything moved or hidden, is covered in a very well explained and simplistic style accompanied by detailed illustrations. The presentation and layout of the book is absolutely superb, and for anyone with a knowledge of Photoshop, moving up from CS to CS2 this book must be at the top of the shopping list.
It is not for anyone coming straight into Photoshop at CS2 level

The biggest challenge to anyone upgrading to a new version of an application is figuring out what's new. Willmore makes this easy. In a clear, concise format, he lays out exactly what's new in CS2, from the relatively mundane to the great new hidden features that you wouldn't likely find without a tour guide like this.
It's important to note that this is not a beginner's guide. The very format of the book should make this clear, but this isn't a starting point for someone looking to learn Photoshop - it's a book for people that are already familiar and comfortable with Photoshop who, as the title says, just need to get "up to speed" with the latest release of Photoshop.

I consider buying a Pearls collection to be a health investment. Doctors say that laughing is good for your heart, and Pearls Before Swine has to have added at least a year to my life. I think this collection is all of 2005 comic strips, and I would recommend reading the previous 2 books BLTs Taste So Darn Good, and This Little Piggy Stayed Home. Or better yet, get the treasury Sgt. Piggy's Lonely Hearts Club Comic, which has both (and the Sunday strips are in color). I haven't read the "Lions and Tigers and Crocs, Oh My!" treasury yet but I suspect it has all the strips in this book.

Ever since I discovered PBS in our local paper I have been a devoted fan of Pastis' different? sense of humour. I have turned my friends and relatives on to PBS as well. I have made it a goal to buy all his books so I will have a complete collection that I can put beside my 'The Complete Far Side' and 'The Complete Calvin & Hobbes Collection'. PBS has earned the right to be in this great company.
Buy this book, in fact buy all his books; a mind this warped deserves to be rewarded.

Very funny, so much so that I read it through 3 times before I gave it to my parents to laugh and enjoy. I still get a smile when I thumb through it. Of all Mr Pastis books, you should have this one for sure.

Mandatory reading for Pearls fans, plus you'll gain new insights into the secret lives of condiments.

I am a huge fan of Pearls Before Swine, and bought this book to add to my collection. The comics are great!

My only complaint is, I already owned one of his anthologies: Lions and Tigers and Crocs, Oh My! All but about three of the cartoons in this book (Ratvolution) are in Lions and Tigers and Crocs. It was really disappointing to spend another seven or eight dollars for all the same cartoons.

Otherwise, it's great, classic Pearls.