Instruction Books

There's something about this guy I really love. His art appears simple at first, but after awhile it can get as complex as I want to imagine it to be. It's funny too. Large book and very well printed and bound. Just an all around great art book, nice on the coffee table too.

Stunningly beautiful comprehensive retrospective of Baseman's relentlessly consistent, yet amazingly entertaining style. Short on verbage, which in this case is a breath of fresh air, this is a must-have for any Baseman fan as well as fans and students of contemporary American graphic arts. A treasure of a book.

I got this book thinking it would be a dinky book with few pics of Gary's work, I was highly surprised when I received it today. It's a thick heavy duty chunky book, filled massively with brightly colored photos of his work, with a combination of black and white photos. A perfect combination. Gary is one of my all time favorite "low brow" comic artists. I fancy Keith Haring, but something about the cheesiness of Gary's work appeals to me. Not only that, but it reminds me of my own kooky poptoon paintings. Many people say that my work is like him... and it's odd that now seeing more detailed examples of his work, I can see the close resemblance in some characters. Definitely check out Gary's work when you get the chance! This book is awesome.

You gotta love Gary Baseman. His stuff is just so damn much fun that it's really no wonder he can parlay it into such diverse projects as Disney films and Starbucks board games. The surprising thing is that I can still look at it after all that - but "Teacher's Pet" IS exceptional for the schlock-factory that is Disney, even though it represents a somewhat cleaned-up version of Baseman's style. But if you prefer the Baseman of Blab! and Juxtapoz, the gritty oil renderings of his bug-eyed psycho cartoon world, here you go. You've got your naked chicks, your "dorks," your devils and skeletons, often in pinata form, often clubbing each other to death or otherwise violently expressing their angst and ennui. Spare yourself the really laughably pretentious forward by Barry Smolin, by the way: "Baseman's multivalent imagination conceives a panoply of diverse characters..." Please give me a break. "Sometimes a nose is just a nose," meaning that sometimes it's obviously a phallus; but we don't really need to invoke Freud to analyze the mysteries of Baseman's work - it's simply not that deep. It's "Dumb Luck." Let's not suck all the fun out of it!

Finally got my hands on this bad boy, and just have to say, Wow. This book is big (in every sense of the word), jam packed with pictures of Baseman's art and designed incredibly well. Coffee table books watch out, there's a new kid on the block.
Paging through this massive tome you become fully immersed in Baseman's World; a world full of amputee Bunnies, drooling ice cream cones, masochistic snowmen, doggie Dunces, feline pinatas, plus unattainable beauty and human desire. Though many aspects of Baseman's career are on display (advertising, animation, editorial, packaging and product art), it is his paintings that truly shine. This is where Baseman can let go, and let go he does with a torrent of cute and fuzzy creatures mired in the most horribly painful human experiences. The humor is oftentimes juvenile and sadistic, but somehow it manages to engender a smile from the viewer, maybe because we're glad it's the Snowman who is getting his heart broken (by a mermaid no-less) and not us. There is something else, that elusive "indefinable" quality, that gives Baseman's work it's mass(ive) appeal. His characterizations harken back to old Warner Bros. cartoons (who hasn't grown up on those?), which tickle the child inside, but the emotions and situations are purely human, which grabs the attention of our grown-up self. Baseman's greatest trick, however, is creating what appear to be very simple paintings. As with most great art repeated viewings are required to be able to peel back all the layers, and really see what's going on. And believe me, there is a lot going on.
I doubt that many people unfamiliar with Baseman's work would get this book, but anyone who has been exposed (a very appropriate term actually) to his paintings, magazine/book covers or toys should jump on it. Highest rating possible from me.

Although this book is now a few years old, it's still 100% applicable to the e-learning situation in today's workplace.

This book is still the most consise and most readable quick overview of e-learning. A busy person like me will find that an investment of less than a couple of hours will give you a comprehensive overview, and let you really understand the issues and the tradeoffs at stake.

After reading this, I feel I could hold my own in a discussion with experts that have years of experience.

Henderson's book on e-learning is one of the most straight-forward, honest looks at e-learning that I have seen in recent years. His Q&A format allows the reader to quickly jump to points of interest without spending time on topics that do not pertain. As a person who has had to deal with business training "gone wrong", Henderson's suggestions for a successful e-learning environment make a lot of sense. As other reviewers have pointed out, I believe that this book and the concepts it describes will translate over to academia readily. Universities and Junior colleges would greatly benefit from taking a step back and focusing on the basics. Schools that are currently attempting online classes could be improved if the took to heart the topics that Henderson describes. Since his experience at IBM has given him a first hand look at how online learning can be done right, companies and learning institutes would be wise to pay attention to what he has to say.

By focusing on technical details, real-life cost, and the practicality of using learning on the web, the reader is able to quickly get up to speed on all the issues that must be considered when online training is attempted.

The practical guide was very useful; it was so easy to find information quickly that I am recommending it to my company's training division.

Allan Henderson's E-LEARNING tells how to make the most from an online learning environment. From budgeting costs for e-learning to supporting employees who respond to e-learning opportunities, this is packed with interviews with experts plus examples of e-learning in sales, legal training and HR. An exciting survey.

This book is a quick glance through various aspects of e-learning. The coverage is not deep, but very broad. This book tells what is e-learning all about; provides specific case studies and interviews with e-learning leaders; presents economical analysis; shows how to apply e-learning to your business; and describes the IBM 4-tier learning model.

However, I do not agree with the author's assertion that "Learning is work, not entertainment". A good learning is always pleasurable and amusing.

This title is easy to read, you may wade through it once and then keep it as your personal e-learning FAQ reference book.

Al Henderson does an excellent job of demystifying e-learning by describing the many facets of corporate e-learning in a style that is both informative and enjoyable. This book will appeal to a wide audience, whether the reader is new to e-learning or has spent many years in the field. The book can be used a reference, an introduction, or a guide to the capabilities and possibilities that e-learning has to offer. The case studies are useful in linking concepts to practical application. Readers will enjoy the perspectives on the future of e-learning provided by industry thought leaders.

If your organization is considering e-learning, I would recommend reading this book and reviewing the concepts with your stakeholders to ensure your are pursuing e-learning for the right reasons, and are approaching it with realistic expectations.

This book is well-organized, gives a useful set of analyses to help you understand your deficiencies, and gives a methodical process for improving your listening, note-taking, and study skills. I often recommend it to my high school students. Those who have taken it seriously and applied the skills found rapid improvement in their grades within the semester.
As one kid wrote to me "I now have 5 A's and 1 B thanks to ESS". That B was from me. Maybe the insights offered into effective studying aren't so new or compelling, but it is a system simple to apply with the right attitude.

Going back to study in my 30's I was concerned if I would be able to achieve results and balance other work and family commitments. ESS helped me to do all three.

This is a logical, easy to apply system for study. It takes commitment and work but - come exam time - to have an entire subject outlined and then condensed onto a handful of cards a week before the exam was great.

I recommend this to anyone looking for skills for higher education.

I used this book and system in college. I made staight A's.
I am buying this book for each of my kids. To be effective you must use the entire system. It works!!!

I found this book when I was a high school science teacher and passed the title along to my students. When I went to medical school, I was concerned about making the grade. Using the skills taught in this book, I was able to study efficiently and make excellent grades. I definitely recommend this book.

When I found myself taking a break from school, with a C+ average, I pretty much had no direction. I didn't really have much passion for school or anything else. I got this book on a whim, and just the first part which dealt with motivation and goal setting was an eye-opener to say the least. It made me seriously reexamine my life and my direction.
The study skills portion and the skills in school (picking a teacher, staying organized, etc) were both very beneficial as well. I still have to wait until the fall semester to get back into school, but I'm confident that I'll finally have the tools that I'll need to get where I need to go.
I would definetely recommend this book to any one else who finds themselves just floating through life.

This book is easy to read, but the material contained within is very basic. If you have any chemistry knowledge, you might find the book boring. I like it, so I am enjoying it.

This book helped me a lot in understanding complex sections in chemistry usually covered in biology. I am a nursing major, and I find this book very helpful in the following classes (prerequisites): Human Physiology, General Microbiology, and Chemistry (Chemistry for Allied Health Majors). I let my friend barrow this workbook and she told me personally that it is easy to read and very effective in teaching concepts...
This book summarizes in a very informative and interactive way Chemistry concepts that will sound foreign for a non-chemistry major. Very good and very concise. It's worth the price.

My biology professor recommended this book to help us refresh our knowledge of the chemistry needed throughout the course. It is well written and covers all necessary information. It has a student friendly format which helps you retain the information as you work your way through the book. If I hadn't had this book, I would have been more than a little confused. Happy reading!

This book is the BEST!! it's format is extremely easy to understand because it tells you what you need to know and then right after it has fill in the blanks about the concepts it covered so basically it tell you something, then has you answer a question on the concept to help you remember it. HIGHLY recommended for Biology students...I'm really struggling to understand my biology course because the first 6 chapters of biology deals with chemistry so this is a life saver.

This is one of the best educational books I have ever come accross in my entire life. The answers are on the side of the page that you are doing the questions. He teaches by asking. Its a perfect book. More than 5 star!!

This is a straightforward and understandable text on engineering mathematics. It talks to the student and tries to anticipate his difficulties. The authors lead the student by the hand and the examples are solved step by step. The beginning student will have no difficulty with this book. An advanced student may find this book a bit too elementary. It is a good book to study engineering mathematics if you are new to it.

I was searching for a math text with practice problems and this item is the most comprehensive that I've found so far! It covers everything from algebra to calculus to ordinary differential equations. I also like the clean format. There's an accompanying cd-rom but I haven't played with it yet. Overall a great book!!!

That's the book I use in my remedial math class because, contentwise, it's comprehensive and well organised.
Its programmatic approach is very similar to the Kumon system: you have to master each frame before you can move onto the next, and complex topics are broken down to manageable chunks. The foundation topics (part I) roughly correspond to the maths skills a pupil should have mastered by the end of 6th form/grade 12.
I would also recommend it to homeschooling parents who need to brush up on their maths skills and for their children too, because the prerequisites needed are fairly low; one should need only basic arithmetic and geometry in order to get the most of this book, as well as pupils preparing for their GCSE/AS/A level Maths.
It's one of the best maths self teaching book one can find, but be aware it doesn't contain anything about abstract algebra, it's purely engineering maths.

I was struggling through a statistics class at school, with a book that was nearly all words and very little in the way of specific mathematical examples. The author of that statistics book would spend several pages talking about an equation and then just glance over the example of it, or only show a very simplistic example, forcing you to figure out how to apply it in more complicated circumstances by yourself. Maybe it works for some people, but I learn by doing math, not by reading about it.

When I saw this book at my school's engineering department, I flipped through and saw the statistics section. About 70 pages of plain and simple math, with only a few very short paragraphs here and there to define or explain the concepts. It was exactly what I needed, so when I got home I went directly to amazon and ordered it. I figured it would turn out to be a good companion to my statistics text, but it was my stats book that was the companion to this book instead!

The rest of the book follows the same format, and covers a huge amount of content. I plan on keeping this book on my shelf to refer to whenever I need assistance in anything math-related.

I would generally give this 5 stars and agree with the bulk of the reviews that merit its breadth and approach to teaching and referencing maths. But I give it 4 stars because, in comparison with other math books of roughly the same intent, it comes out being rather bulky. This may be necessary as the one reviewer mentioned that he was able to cut through allot of statistics material by referencing the processes in this book. So, yea, compared to taking up a book on each subject matter, this book probably still needs the bulk, but if you want to cut through to even a more succinct explanation and forgo the process examples then there are better or equally qualified books around, such as Engineering Mathematics with Bird (5th ed). As mentioned in that review, I still keep both around, just tend to refer to Bird more. But if the evolution of a concept isn't automatically registering then I kick it back to Stroud.

This incredible book for me is a totally new
way of illustrating a fairy tale.
The description of this fantasy world using
postcards is innovative and very interesting.
I strongly suggest this book to all the
art lovers.

As an artist of middle age, I sometimes think of my art as good and my growth as complete... that is, until I look at work like this.

Suddenly I feel like a beginner again, with nothing to do but learn and get better at my art. Mr. Scheurer teaches this teacher how to teach better, just by the inspirational settings he creates and the drawings he does from deep in his imagination. There is a whole world residing in him that is too fanciful to describe. He is my new favorite artist.

Even though this book, at first glance, appears to be an art book, there is a very charming story woven into the "stamp" descriptions, as well. Each page features an illustration of a stamp from the imaginary realm of "Entropia" and a description of the event or history the stamp is commemorating. I read this book in two sittings, only because I had an appointment to keep that tore me away from such a beautiful book. Once finished, this book left me with a strong desire to read and see more of Christian Lorenz Scheurer's "Entropia".

Christian is one of my favorite artist. This new book is full of great stories and wonderful pictures! It's great for all ages.

Bought this book as a gift for a friend but then ended up keeping it for myself.
The fantastic story and beautiful illustrations felt like a mix between Nick Bartock's Griffin and Sabine and Miyazaki's Spirited Away.
This is most inspiring fantasy book I read this year!:)

What they say is never what they mean - "Every Man Sees You Naked" is a satirical dating handbook taking the view that men are sex crazed pigs and placing it obviously without any regard to subtlety and political correctness. Although satirical, the truth sits alongside it to a degree, mixing the humor and advice aspect throughout, leaving no topic of common relationship problems and how a little bluntness can solve them uncovered. "Every Man Sees You Naked" could do well to find itself on either dating or humor shelves alike, and is highly recommended to fans of both.

All my friends were going on and on about this book, so I had to find out what the big deal was. Wow. I started reading and finished the book in one sitting. That's how riveting it was. I thought I knew a lot about men, but this was like a revelation. And it's written in such a humorous manner, even the really scandalous secrets about men are easier to accept. I love this book!

It's about time there's an inside look on what goes on "behind the scenes" in the male mind! I sat down to read this book and I was finished in one sitting...it's THAT entertaining...it's THAT funny...I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get an insight into the very straight forward male brain! No more wondering about what he's thinking...GET THIS BOOK!

I think this book should be read by EVERY woman. EVERY WOMAN. Reading it is like listening through a key hole in a men's club or locker room "to hear what men really think and want". Matthews writes `Every Man Sees You Naked' in a very "up and fresh" style - yet in a VERY honest way, too. At certain points he made me literally laugh out loud because of the manner of his humorous way of stating things about dating all the way to certain taboo subjects (especially confusing to the female sex). After they read this book there should not be any more confusion.

Matthews is not condescending at all - but "all telling" with a humor that makes the "medicine go down" very easily for the female reader.
After reading it I was not "mad" at men anymore, but felt as if I understood them much better and even had an advantage over men - which feels great! Based on my own past relationship experience, some things he writes are incredibly shocking - but I would rather know the truth than go around confused and dressed like a crafty sweet Martha Stewart (unless that was what I wanted to be like). Now I know "what men think and want". He cuts to the chase making it easier for the female.

Matthews does not fault women in the book either, nor does he fault men. He just explains with great humor and candor "the secret facts, differences between the two sexes and why that is the way it is"...and writes it in a way I have never heard before. I now have a total new insight to men, my men friends, and my husband. Now I can finally help other females who are always forever plighted with the mystery and woes of men and relationships! I would say to them - "Just buy this book and READ it! Life will get BETTER for you." You may think you know some things, but Matthews let me know and understand things that I just didn't "get" before. Now I do! I feel very empowered after reading this book and cannot wait to "experiment" a bit with his sound advice! I also could not put this book down. I literally turned off the phone, sat and read it with no interruptions. It is not only a fantastic read, it was about the most informative factual book on men I have ever read. His honesty is informative, VERY fresh and different -plus a total page turner! Excellent book!!

This book is jam-packed full of insight!! While this author entertains throughout with funny and creative thoughts -- the information provided here is so clear, so useful... such an eye-opener! It's like the first look under the hood of a new car; if nothing in there looks familiar... we feel damn lucky the car comes with a book explaining the location of the basic fluids, right??!! Up until now, it's been women struggling & struggling to understand men without a manual that gives it to us straight. Now we have that manual!

In addition to it being entertaining, this book is in a riot of a fast-moving format; I'm thinking this should be 'Required Reading' for any young woman just entering the dating world; any woman re-entering the dating world after a long time away; or any close friend or co-worker who is driving you crazy talking endlessly about how much she loves her guy, but just can't understand him or the things he does. Enough already, give her a copy of this book -- she'll finally get it too!!

Whether you are wanting a companion to the wonderful film, to learn more about animation, to keep a little piece of the fantastic art for yourself or simply to inspire you by sitting on your coffee table, you will not be disappointed with this book. The layout and presentation are stunning and you will treasure this beatiful book for years to come.

My suggestion is to also buy the soundtrack and listen to it while flipping through the pages of this book. You will find yourself inspired - no matter what sort of day you've had.

Congratulations to John Culhane for a beautifully realized presentation.

Fantasia 2000: Visions of Hope was an extremely good book. My entire family enjoyed looking at the photos. The book provides an extensive overview of every segment of the film.It helps you to understand the framework of each segment, and prepares you extremely well for the movie. The book even lets you in on hidden jokes in the movie such as where to spot Mickey and Minnie in "Pomp and Circumstance," or where to spot a hidden Nina in "Rhapsody in Blue". The book is a must have for fans of Fantasia 2000, fans of Disney, or even other people who just love these sorts of coffee table books.

This book is really spectacular. The illistrations are supurb and the writing is just great. Whether you like Fantasia/2000, or you're into classical music, or you love Disney animation, this is a really wonderful read. Well worth the price!

This was a beautiful book. Interpolated with pictures from the new Disney film it is for any fan of the new film. I did enjoy his other book on the Fantasia more. This though in detail on each of the ssegments individually there is not enough info on the overall creative process. I thimk this book belongs first for any Fantasia 2000 fan, secod for any Disney fan, and and a distant third for anyone who enjoys reading about the making of movies.

This is a brilliant companion to a brilliant film. Countless colorful stills from the film and commentary from its creators makes this a must for collectors and fans of the film. Culhane continues to be a master of Disney animation and this book is consistant with, if not better than, all of his worthwhile looks at the Disney animated films. If you like this book, you'll adore The Art of The Huntchback of Notre Dame. This oversized art book in some ways is more satisfying than the film itself. Huntchback the book provides an in depth and pictoral overview of the classic story and the development of the animated film, including beautiful conceptual artwork from illustrator Peter DeSeve and insightful character development sketches. Where the film, while almost perfectly animated, lacked heart the book makes up for. If you can find it, get it. But unitl you find that, Fantasia 2000 will more than keep you and your eyes busy.

This is a really cool book. Great for artist. filled with tons of great info, techniques and referrence materials.
i would highly recommend this book to any one who likes to draw. you won't be disappointed.

This is one of the better art books I have found up to date. It does give some instruction on painting and drawing but I feel is meant more for an advance student of fantasy art than a beginner. Some one with some art experience will find it very helpful in many areas. It is definitely one of my favorite additions to my own reference library.

This book was helpful for determining things like color choices for skin tones, and was inspirational for trees, and different creatures. Their choices of finished artist's works were neat. However, this book did not give much information for techniques in acrylics, which is what I work in. For people who need help drawing fantasy characters, and fleshing them out, this book is great, but I do this naturally, so it wasn't a really big help for me.

This is a light-hearted, profusely illustrated book on the making of fantasy art, with a nice gallery of other artist's works in the back.
It is, though, not necessarily a book for present illustrators looking to get into the fantasy market; it is really more for a young person just starting out. Artists who are further along with fundamental skills in drawing and painting would benefit more from John Howe Fantasy Art Workshop, a more in-depth and less elementary approach. But for lovers of fantasy art, either book is a pleasure to see.

I found this book, and a few others like it to be absolutely indespensable when it comes to building a library for the functional artist within this genre. Well written, informative, and lavishly illustrated with how to's as well as finished peices meant to inspire the aspiring and the pros alike. Recommended.
John F Willis

This is a great book. It covers all the subject areas for the young aspiring pilot or for the seasoned veteran pilot. I've been an airline pilot for over twelve years and I find this book to be a must read. I highly recommend it regardless of experience.

This is a fantastic book that comprehensively covers the areas pertaining to flying large aircraft. It is well written and interesting to read and follow. Few books cover this subject so expertly and clearly as this one.

The areas covered range from aircraft performance to instrument flying and weather. The experienced pilot as well as the newly minted ones will benefit immensely from the enlightening and erudite presentation.

Overall, an excellent book that every career minded pilot should possess and thoroughly read.

As a Check Captain for a major airline I have to stay up on procedures and techniques. This book has been my constant reference source for over 18 years. Every time I pick up my dog-eared copy I am astounded at the wealth of information that is contained between its covers. It is a postgraduate course in flying in the real world and should be on every pilot's bookshelf. I recommend it to all the new hire First Officers I work with. The other book that belongs on your shelf is Robert Bucks "Weather Flying".

I have read many books from introductory student pilot texts to Operating Manuals for the A-320, L-1011 and B-747-400 in my aviation career, but if I had to pick any one book that best explains the nuts and bolts of advanced turbine flying, this is my pick, with no close second. This book has no peer.

Jim Webb makes this information come alive and makes often difficult to grasp (or remember) concepts like weather and aircraft performance second nature. I have instructed in many models of jet transports, and when I can't find an answer to a tough question, I never fail to refer to my well used copy of "Fly The Wing." Many of Webb's examples reference information specific to the DC-9 and L-1011, but understand that the general points being made translate equally well to all commercial jets. As a side note, I have been to school on both the DC-9 and L-1011, and Webb's information is as good as gold, which reinforced the solidness of the underlying text for me.

If you are a turbine pilot now or have any interest at all in becoming one, this book is absolutely indispensable to have on your bookshelf. If you are a student, private, or new commercial pilot, this book has loads of accessible, relevant, and important information for you. Don't worry about the turbine specific information and you will still find this a most worthwhile book to read. No pilot should be without it!

"Be your own greatest critic. Accept each flight as a challenge. . . . Work to your maximum ability; endeavor at all times to fly clearances exactly; stay right on your heading and course and altitude; try to fly so smoothly that the passengers will never know when you've made a mistake. You will know when you've flown a good flight, and your self-satisfaction will surpass any complement that may be given you."

Where 'Stick and Rudder' is perfect for a Cub student 'Fly The Wing' is perfect for the SAAB 340 or B-757 student. It's one of my most dog-eared books, as I try to read it before every training session. Covers in detail all major procedures required to master handling a large airplane. Written by a master who learnt to fly with a barnstormer, earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses flying B-24's, and retired as an airline check airman with 35,000 hours and 500 students taught. If you are going from a Cessna to an RJ, buy this book now.