Indiana Books

Mind you I have both catalog books from this collection (Vol. 1 & 2). They're for anyone who's a die-hard Tchaikovsky fan. I've never in my life been so touched by anyone's music other than Tchaikovsky's. Great pictures are included in this book - pictures that you cannot find anywhere at the library or other places. All of his works, known to man, are in here. If you need it, this book has got it. I recommend getting both; it's hard to get volume 1 without volume 2.

I just got this book from Amazon and I am very satisfied indeed. I waited too long to get it, not realizing that it was huge and heavy, like a text book in school, well worth it's price, and that it had Tchaikovsky's works completely documented, even the posthumous ones, ... and that this would make life easier for a complete fan of his, such as moi. Now I can properly look up the work I am interested in, with the proper title so as to inquire whether the music store can get it for me, since it has not been easy just to get a particular Tchaikovsky piece online.

This book also has the very beginning of each musical piece, the score that is.

A TEMPORARY SORT OF PEACE is a moving memoir of the author's experience in Vietnam. It is by turn funny, ironic, and tragic as Jim McGarrah narrates the events of his boyhood in Indiana, his naive entrance into the Marines, and his eventual disillusionment with the U.S. government's involvement in Vietnam. McGarrah's reflections on Vietnam and the American culture of imperialism are especially timely. It is almost impossible to read this book without comparing the terribly flawed wars in Vietnam and Iraq. A TEMPORARY SORT OF PEACE is a testament to the devastating effects of war on the individual and an earnest call for change--just the sort of book today's complacent Americans need to read.

Jim McGarrah's "A Temporary Sort of Peace" is worth your attention. Many contemporary Vietnam war writings are predictable and some end up being unbelievable. Jim McGarrah went way beyond being predictable when he exposed his young life and shared it with the reader. His youthful years before Vietnam are so representative of thousands of young guys just before their butts ended up in the military. You will laugh. Jim weaves humorous yet serious stories together leading up to his welcome to Vietnam. Then the funny stops and real life is played out. McGarrah's war is not over. It rages on in his head to this day.

McGarrah doesn't have a politically correct thought in his head. He writes well and tells it like it is. He is an artist with words. He will paint pictures in your mind you won't forget. You won't forget his stories. But isn't that what a good book is all about?

I stepped off the edge of normal thinking and rose to new heights of awareness. I have appreciated Mr. Eco as an author of great books, but I see him now as Dr. Eco, the man who makes words speak new meaning. When I listen to people, friends, family, (yes and God forgive me, TV talking heads) I no longer hear what they say, I see they are trying to express ideas with words they do not control. I just wish I could control them, the words, as Dr. Eco does. An excellent read, and excellant study and a great way to build your mind. Thank you Dr. Eco, mille gracie, mille, mille gracie.

The Italian Umberto Eco is a towering figure. A literary critic, novelist, and semiotician (studying symbols and symbol systems), he gained international recognition with "The Name of the Rose" (1980) in which he brought the study of semiotics to fiction. In this book, "Theory of Semiotics", he makes his contribution to the theoretical study of signs encompassing all cultural phenomena. His focus is on the development of a methodology of communication.

Like Roland Barthes, Eco starts from the foundations of semiotics in Saussure (Course in General Linguistics: who developed the idea of sign-systems and the sign/signified distinction, as well as the distinction between langue/parole - language and speech) and Claude Levi-Strauss (Structural Anthropology). Yet Eco surpasses this tradition to move into new territory, recognizing the limits to structuralism and Saussure's ideas. He recognizes, for example, that meaning is not merely governed by structure, but also interactively constructed by the reader/interpreter, who often inserts or fills-in missing meaning to construct a coherent picture.

Those interested in an introductory work to this fascinating field should be pointed to Eco's work "Semiotics and the Philosophy of Language" which is easier to start with.

Anyone who had a friend or family member serve in Special Forces during the war in Viet Nam will find this excellent insight to life on an A-team. The best I've read to date, clear communication without any macho or self agrandizing nonsense. The author was not a romantic war dreamer but someone who felt he had an obligation to do what he could do for his country when asked. I'd be curious to know how he felt when he heard Kennedy speak those words on the day of his Innaguration: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ...." This man answered the call, his family and country can be proud of him. Had we more of these corn fed bright earnest soldiers taking the war out of the big bases and into the jungle we would have done much better and most likely have had a different outcome. Thank you for your service Mr Fitzgibbon. Live long, be happy, be well....

This book is the real deal---letters from a decorated combat leader in the Vietnam War. If someone tried to duplicate the smash hit PBS documentary "Ken Burn's Civil War" with the late Shelby Foote discussing and reading letters home from soldiers serving in Vietnam, the letters from this great book would surely be part of telling the story of that war.
Author Dan FitzGibbon has captured the essence of Vietnam in this realistic book which publishes the letters he sent home from Vietnam in 1968-69 (the high point of the Vietnam War).
If you were there at that time (as I was), the events in the letters will bring back the smell and sounds of your war.
If you didn't make it to Vietnam, FitzGibbon's book is the next best thing.
Articulate, accurate, informative, and engaging--"To Bear Any Burden" is a rock-hard five-star read!

This book is great it involves Brian Davis leading the Jefferson High Patriots through the Regionals and Sectionals and advances them to the State finals.

This book is great Brian Davis moves from Paintville to Indianapolis because his dad is an alcoholic and is worried that he won't be able to compete with the kids from the city. He learns that the kids from the city aren't so tough after all.

This book addresses two principal issues: how people were governed (and perhaps increasingly come to govern themselves); and, within that context, how we might understand schools (where they came from, how and why they arose when, where and in the form they did, and their significance). It explores patriarchy (understood as rule of both father and husband, and as constituting both age and gender relations) as a mode of government within families, workplaces, and the institutions of state.

It is an ambitious book. It draws on an impressively wide range of scholarly literature, from religious, family, demographic, economic, social, political and military history.

It ranges widely over Western European societies and their colonial offshoots from the sixteenth to the end of the nineteenth centuries (and beyond). It examines the complex impacts of demographic, economic, political, institutional and 'cultural' changes on patriarchal organisation, and the ways in which patriarchal understandings and practices mediated and shaped those changes, in institutions, and in everyday life.

It keeps a sharp eye out for similar tendencies across different situations and circumstances, for the unevenness of the developments it traces, and for the connections between between different aspects of social life, and between the different social and regional conditions which constitute 'uneven development'.

At the centre of its analysis are the sheer materiality of human existence and the ways in which the production of material life is conducted. But it is theoretically subtle and sophisticated, grafting onto its marxist heritage a qualified theoretical eclecticism and a concern with such things as the formation of particular personality characteristics in particular socio-political regimes.

It is roughly chronological in its overall organisation, but rather than a chronological narrative, it proceeds as what the author calls a 'patchwork' of 'case studies' to map important developments, to explore both what they have in common with what was happening elsewhere and their particularities and contingencies, and to note the diversity of conditions and practices across western societies. At the same time, it concerned to identify causes, and to make connections between seemingly disparate aspects and levels of social life.

The book is clearly written and well organised. I'd rate it as a useful book and important book. It is impressively scholarly. While it attempts synthesis it avoids any sort of singular, homogenising ('that's it in a nutshell') formula. And, third, because contemporary academic politics offers substantial inducements to turn out small, self-contained, 'do-able' bits - they get the publication points for a minimum of time and effort. But academic life needs, somewhere, works which assemble a breadth of knowledge and attempt the large-scale synthesis which that makes possible.

This book addresses two principal issues: how people were governed (and perhaps increasingly come to govern themselves); and, within that context, how we might understand schools (where they came from, how and why they arose when, where and in the form they did, and their significance). It explores patriarchy (understood as rule of both father and husband, and as constituting both age and gender relations) as a mode of government within families, workplaces, and the institutions of state. It ranges widely over Western European societies and their colonial offshoots from the sixteenth to the end of the nineteenth centuries (and beyond). It examines the complex impacts of demographic, economic, political/institutional and 'cultural' changes on patriarchal organisation, and the ways in which patriarchal understandings and practices mediated and shaped those changes, in institutions, and in the everyday life. This is an ambitious book. It ranges over a wide geo-political and chronological span, and draws on an extensive body of literature from religious, family, demographic, economic, social, political and military history. It keeps a sharp eye out for similar tendencies across different situations and circumstances, for the unevenness of the developments it traces, and for the connections between different aspects of social life, and between the different social and regional conditions which constitute 'uneven development'. At the centre of its analysis are the sheer materiality of human existence and the ways in which the production of material life is conducted. But it is theoretically subtle and sophisticated, qualifying its marxist heritage with a qualified theoretical eclecticism and a concern with such things as the formation of particular personality characteristics in particular socio-political regimes. It is roughly chronological in its overall organisation, but rather than a chronological narrative, it proceeds as what the author calls a 'patchwork' of 'case studies' to map important developments, to explore both what they have in common with what was happening elsewhere and their particularities and contingencies, and to note the diversity of conditions and practices across western societies. At the same time, it concerned to identify causes, and to make connections between seemingly disparate aspects and levels of social life. The book is clearly written and well organised. I'd rate it as a useful book and important book. It is impressively scholarly. While it attempts synthesis it avoids any sort of singular, homogenising ('that's it in a nutshell') formula. And, third, because contemporary academic politics offers substantial inducements to turn out small, self-contained, 'do-able' bits - they get the publication points for a minimum of time and effort. But academic life needs, somewhere, works which assemble a breadth of knowledge and attempt the large-scale synthesis which that makes possible.

(Adapted from History of Education Review 28 (1) 1999, 77-79)

We came across posters that we had not seen elsewhere in this book. Great documentary for a bygone era and the prints are excellent.

The American railroads sold their services using posters but had a problem deciding what should be shown. European train posters mostly favored showing the end destination rather than the American graphic idea of showing the train. The first few posters shown in this beautiful book are a mixture of route maps, flamboyant lettering and illustrations of trains, sometimes all on the same poster, too.

Santa Fe, to my mind, really kicked off the great railroad poster by using the talented Louis Treviso and Oscar Bryn. They both produced knockout, straightforward graphic solutions, with bold colors and strong typography, clearly influenced by the leading European poster artists, Ludwig Hohlwein, Lucian Bernhard and the Beggarstaff Brothers. Into the twenties Santa Fe used Sam Hyde Harris to continue the trend in strong graphics. Southern Pacific used Maurice Logan to design equally powerful posters, page sixty-two has a stunning Logan graphic of two trains selling the Great Salt Lake.

Other artists and designers who get a good showing are Hernando Villa, who developed the memorable Indian's head for Santa Fe, Leslie Ragan for the New York Central (he has the most illustrations in the book) Sascha Maurer for the Pennsylvania Railroad and many artists who have one or two works shown. The authors combine all these creative folk and the way their output was used by the rail and ad industries up to the Fifties.

I thought the book was very well produced, though the caption typography is rather fussy, using the rather old fashioned Fig.33 and then capital directions in brackets (FACING PAGE TOP LEFT) in every case there is enough space to put the caption below each poster. The back of the book has a bibliography and index.

This is probably the best (and only) title about American railroad posters, some good work is shown in 'All Aboard' by Lynn Johnson (ISBN 0811817474) which also covers general railroad graphics. European travel posters have had plenty of coverage and I can recommend a really super book of British work, 'Railway Posters 1923-1947' by Beverly Cole and Richard Durack (ISBN 1856690148) with over two hundred illustrations in a well designed book.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover,

This book was delivered in a US Mail Sack and was just short of causing my Postie to have a hernia. My reason for buying this magnificent Tome was because on my first visit to Turkey I was impressed with the quality of their ceramics and pottery. So I sought a guide. At an arcade in Marmaris I found the shop keeper himself had a copy of this work. So I made a note and purchased it. On reading the introduction etc. I was staggered at how little time it took the author to collate this work.
It covers a massive amount and is well worth acquiring if you are interested in Turkish Culture and Craftmanship.

I wasn't particularly interested in Turkey prior to reading this book. I was, however, interested in the writing of an ethnographic study of the folklife of potters, weavers, and other artisans. By the time that I finished reading Glassie's rich description of the life and work of the people of Turkey, I found out why he was so amazed at the quality of artwork in this exciting land. To begin to understand the work of the potter, the weaver, the calligrapher, and the woodworker in Turkey, Glassie takes the reader on a pilgrimmage into the Islamic nation. The words, narrative, and rich photographs are the physical manifestations that bring the reader into a shared sense of presence with the artists. By the time I finished reading this fine book, I came to feel as if I was actually experiencing the sense of peace and presence that inspires master artists in Turkey. As I closed the book, I found that I not only was more intrigued by Turkey and Islam, I had gained a glimmer of a shared experience of working as an artist in this nation. Glassie inspires the author by showing that printed words and reproduced photographs in a book can provide a sense of the presence that is evoked when one admires woven rugs, woodwork, and ceramic plates. Through ink he provides a glimmer of the light that shines out from the ceramic glaze covering the pot of a master artist -- or usta -- in a Turkish ceramic studio.

I am from Roseto PA, and also have ancestors who have come over from Roseto Itay. For me it was really enjoyable especially since my family was mentioned in the book and are well known in the community. I found the book extremely intersting and very true as to how the Rosetans in PA once lived, although as Carla mentioned, Roseto PA is now very Americanized. The stories and folklore are very similar to what I heard from my relatives growing up. I highly reccomend the book to anyone interested in learning more about the Italian way of life.

Anyone interested in Italian life and especially those who know of Roseto, Pa, or have ancestors from Roseto Valfortore, in Italy will have a good time reading this. The folktales, the explanation of the Malocchia, the names of the primary families of both towns are not to be missed. The maps and photos are very interesting. Those who are reading this may want to visit the website of POINT (Pursuing Our Italian Names Together) an Italian geneolgy group with over 3500 members and a database of thousands of surnames. Enjoy yhis, and if interested, there is a Roseto Cookbook available. Details on request

There is nothing I want to know before I bought this book. I thought it was okay the way it is. The book is very informative and rather technical. Other than that, it is very, very enjoyable. Dinosaurs have always been a favorite of mine, and I always wanted to learn at least a few new and exciting things about the subject. I hope to continue learning more, which is why I enjoyed Tyrannosaurus Rex--Life of the Past.

This is the best book, to date, devoted entirely to the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex. While it is not perfect, it is as good as they get. I highly recommend this book. It will inspire those who will take us to the next level in understanding these magnificent creatures. I wish this book existed when I was doing my own research; it would have saved me quite a bit of time.

Dr. Stephen W. Templar, Author: rexGun rexGun