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Instruction Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Instruction
Tiaras: Past and Present
Published in Paperback by Victoria & Albert Museum (2008-05-01)
Author: Geoffrey Munn
List price: $16.95
New price: $10.41
Used price: $11.74

Average review score:

Just Beautiful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-26
What a lovely book. The photos are absolutely superb. So clear. Love the photo's of the owners wearing them. Such a diverse range of designs. The skill of the designers & the jewellers who made them is just brilliant. If you love jewellery this book will not disappoint you.

Tiaras - always in good taste....
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-13
Excellent adventure into an art form using precious metals and jewels to make the perfect man made crowning glory. The text and photos bring a historical context to enjoy the art and creativity this subject requires. The gems , the glitter and imagined glamour make this book a must have along with Geoffrey Munn's definative text published earlier "Tiara's : A History of Splendour" .

Beautiful
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-18
I was lucky enough to SEE the exhibition at Vic and Albert in London and that is where I got this book. Tiaras were absolutely fabulous and the book transportes the magic and splendor very well. I gave this book to a friend who owns antique jewellery shop and am thinking about getting another copy for myself.

WOW!
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-12
Wow! I just got this book, and G.Mann's huge other tiara book. This one is based on the exhibit that was done at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and contains not only old tiaras, but modern ones done just for the exhibit. There is very little overlap between the two books, so I was not disappointed. The photos are huge, clear, and show lots of detail. There's also lots of good information. The other, bigger book is a better deal at $47, but this one's no slouch either, and the price and size would make it a great gift.

[...]

Best of Past & Present
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-13
I recived this book as a gift. It was one of two books on tiaras by G.C. Munn, this book gives you a look at what kind of Tiaras are being made and worn by todays Women. The Photos are of good quality and sharpness You can see the Craftmanship in each piece.
If you ever wanted to have your own Tiara this is the closest thing to it.

Instruction
Time
Published in Paperback by Abrams (2008-09-01)
Author: Andy Goldsworthy
List price: $35.00
New price: $23.10

Average review score:

Mature Work by a Great Artist
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-09
This is perhaps Goldsworthy's most elegiac and moving book, a profound meditation on time and change. If you like his work, you won't be disappointed. This volume and "A Collaboration with Nature" are wonderful and permanent sources of inspiration.

Amazing photos - great complement to the DVD "Rivers and Tides"
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-11
I had viewed the DVD "Rivers and Tides" which is a tour of Andy Goldsworthy's artistic endeavors. It is very compelling and left a lasting impression. I wanted more and discovered, to my delight, that a large number of Andy's creations shown in the DVD were documented in the book "Time". There had to be photographs of Andy's work since most of them are not permanent in either time or space. In the DVD, we see the creation process as it occurs and then it may dissolve or move. In the book, it is "frozen" in time and space and can be appreciated as a work of art. I recommend seeing the DVD first so the book's contents can be appreciated even more.

Another superb look at Andy Goldsworthy's ephemeral art
Helpful Votes: 23 out of 23 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-04
Andy Goldsworthy's artwork is utterly ephemeral and fleeting, and perhaps because of this, utterly transfixing. There is something of the ancients in the way Goldsworthy puts together stone, or wood, or leaves--or even in the way he lays himself down on a dry patch of ground in the rain so that when he gets up, we see a sort of reverse shadow of his body. There is an astonishing intellect at work here, and a soul which sees the value in what some art snobs might term "mere beauty."

Goldsworthy's many mediums are covered in "Time," which features sumptuous photography by Terry Friedman. We see perfectly constructed stone cairns--some pyramidal, some only half done and all the more startling for what isn't there as for what is. We see ruddy sandstone arches four times the height of a man. But Goldsworthy's most consistently inviting work is done not in stone, but in the ephemera nature leaves for him everywhere he looks. Goldsworthy's work is sometimes so fleeting as to question the very nature of whether it constitutes art when it lasts only minutes or hours. The frost shadows, for instance, are simply photographs of the still-iced patches of grass over which Goldsworthy stood in the early morning, then stepped aside so that a photograph could be taken. Of course these are gone within minutes as the sun warms the now-exposed grass. Is this art? Merely the fact that you question it shows your engagement with the work--Goldsworthy fosters a kind of subtle dialogue between reader and artist and the dialogue is consistently engaging. Another heat-destroyed piece is the thinnest imaginable sheet of ice, laid against a moss-covered rock, and Goldsworthy's handprint visible on it. As it thawed, it buckled and disappeared and we see its disappearance in the photographs. It's lovely, it's witty and it is, improbably art.

Other things disappear, too, but not from the sun's warmth. There is a "stick hole" Goldsworthy built early one spring which he and Friedman came back to photograph throughout the summer until the final photograph shows it utterly covered with the lacy ferns which grew up around it. There are the perfectly circular or perfectly ovoid leaf rafts Goldsworthy stitches together, then sends on their way down a meandering stream, having their path photographed before they disappear. There are the piled of rocks he constructs leading into the ocean so that the tides swallow them up--each stage meticulously recorded on film.

Perhaps the most transformative art in the book is the mud wall displayed on the cover. Goldsworthy applied mud to walls and floor in such a way that when the mud cracked and dried, it showed the meandering, snakelike pattern he'd put into it. It has become something entirely different solely through the passage of time. This book is filled with surprises and delights, and will have you utterly absorbed, charmed, and astonished. I can't recommend it highly enough.

What a work of creative and artistic genius!
Helpful Votes: 26 out of 28 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-18
What a work of creative and artistic genius!

What to say about such an amazing work? For the first few times I
mainly absorbed the photos of his works, with only reading the
little captions and it wiped me off my feet. After a few rounds
of these I decided to read all of the writing in the book that
accompany the works he made and it totally blew me away. This
book has definitely altered something deep inside about the way
Ilook at nature, change, the seasons and time in general.

Time, as the title of the book suggests is the main topic of the
book and Andy Goldsworthy's art in general or at least his
approach and intention towards it. The body of work presented in
numerous photos and with corresponding writing in the form of a
journal covers the whole range Goldsworthy's work. For example
works made from stone, wood, leaves, snow, ice,...

As a result it gives an excellent overview and introduction of
his work and via the numerous writings a very deep, personal and
detailed insight into how he approaches different places, how he
reacts to change and works with the weather. The writing is on
par with his work. Very clear, direct, honest and poetic.

His insight into the concepts of time and change and seasons and
nature is truly breath taking. The introduction he wrote for the
book is a wonderful example illustrating this. Part of it can be
read by using the "Look inside the book" feature of Amazon.

Spending time with this book really cracks ones mind wide open
about time, change, nature and seasons and how to look at it and
perceive it.

And honestly I don't know what's more amazing. These amazing
and unbelievable pieces of art. Or the incredibly crisp and poetic
writing, deepening so much ones understanding of the works and
give insight into Goldsworthys view and approach and thoughts. Or
simply that out there somewhere a human being is walking this
earth with such an amazing understanding of time and nature and
able to transform this into amazing art an writing.

If the idea of Goldsworthys work is for him to work with time and
change and nature and to further his awareness of these concepts
and make sense of them in the most beautiful way then that is
exactly what this book excells marvelously at for the reader.

Nature inspiration
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-10
Andy Goldsworthy's work inspires me to look at nature in a very deep way.
His use of the environment and natural materials provokes me to look at how I can
incorporate more natural materials into my own work. I am in awe everytime I open up the book and look at the images. I especially like red clay and the way it went through it's own process through time.
a gem, a timeless exploration of our natural world!

Instruction
Tommy Igoe - Groove Essentials
Published in Spiral-bound by Hudson Music (2006-02-01)
Author: Tommy Igoe
List price: $39.95
New price: $25.05
Used price: $27.51

Average review score:

exellent dvd!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-23
this dvd is very well made,lots of beats to practice (years of practice actualy),
Tommy teaches you every beat first,then plays it slow and fast,wow!! very easy to follow.i highly recommend it!!!

A must-have for the beginner (and probably the veteran as well)
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-17
Not only is this package a great deal, it's a great deal on two must-have products. The book is written in the same casual, personable manner in which Tommy speaks on his DVDs, which keeps things lively and light even as the grooves get progressively more difficult. I am a neophyte drummer, but Tommy's clean charting style makes everything seem easy. Furthermore, the play-along pieces on the DVD are perfect; playing along with your favorite artists is one thing, but this DVD allows the beginner to really feel as if he or she is part of the band rather than just robotically following another drummer. Finally, Tommy's emphasis on grooves over fills (which come in time as your creativity and skills develop anyway) ensures that the student isn't distracted by the flashy stuff before learning the real business of rock-solid drumming.

If you're even remotely interesting in learning to play drums or expanding your existing drumming skill-set, buy this package deal NOW before the publishers realize it's worth three times the price.

Groove Essentials.....Lessons, Fun, and a little bit of Attitude (in a good way)
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-11
I saw Tommy Igoe with his Big Band at Birdland in September and was blown away by the music and even more so by the fun the guys were having. I came across his Groove Essentials (Book, DVD, and CD) bought it,and have both been having fun, and improving my playing. You get a DVD of Tommy working more grooves than most drummers will ever know. The book gives you charts and variations of these grooves and the CD (encoded in MP3) allows you play extended versions of the grooves laid down on the DVD, minus the drums so you can play along.
You also get some insight as how a professional approaches learning and playing percussion, done with humor (sometimes a little wry) but he communicates an obvious joy in the technique, art, and teaching of the drumset.

Very nice!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-04
Tommy is good. This is done by really talented teacher and cool drummer. If you are interested primarily in blues as much as I am, the is another one I really liked Blues drumming techniques and musicianship with Dave Russell 4 DVDs set This set teaches essentials and to my opinion should be sold in a set with every drum set. The presentation is very clear and still inspirational and it is something that every beginner is needed.

Good purchase
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-22
This is a very inspiring dvd, a clear book and a good cd! Tommy is very inspiring and a good educator!

Bob Pen The Netherlands

Instruction
Tonal Harmony Wkbk with Wkbk Audio CD and Finale CD-ROM
Published in Paperback by McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages (2003-08-13)
Author: Stefan Kostka
List price:
New price: $47.46
Used price: $37.48

Average review score:

Stuff
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-04
The workbook is like the excercises inside the book. Well they are the excercises in the book just on paper so you can write on it.

wow
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-26
It was everything i ever wanted. thanks.
and it came very fast. i appreciate that

tonal harmony workbook
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-17
The book came really fast and I was really pleased with it's condition hope to do more business!!!

Tonal Haramony workbook
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-09
A great asset to the Tonal Harmony book. The workbook makes the lessons come alive. Far more experiential than just reading the book.

Perfect supplement to the text!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-15
The tonal harmony workbook contains exemplary exercises to provide efficient practice of the material covered in the text. The audio CD are definitely helpful in supplying aural guidance, and the Final Workbook CD-ROM is perfect for the Theory student (not yet in need of the complete, and extremely costly, version of Finale). Overall, the Tonal Harmony text and workbook are a great asset to any student of Music Theory over the lifetime of his/her musical career.

Instruction
Trench Art: An Illustrated History
Published in Hardcover by Silverpenny Press (2004-12)
Author: Jane A Kimball
List price: $65.00
New price: $45.52
Used price: $54.66

Average review score:

FINALLY AN to Z COMPLETE HISTORY OF TRENCH ART!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-26
DID YOU EVER WONDER JUST WHAT THOSE STRANGE ARTISTIC BRASS SHELL CASEING VASE "WHAT YOU MA CALL EMS " WERE THAT YOU ENCOUNTERED TOO OFTEN AT FLEA MARKETS , ANTIQUE & MILITARY SHOWS ? THAT IS JUST WHO TOOK THE TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF A QUITE BUSY WAR TO MAKE SUCH SIMPLY MARVELOUS MASTERPIECES OUT OF ALL THINGS BUT BRASS WHICH IS A MOST DIFFICULT MEDIUM TO WORK WITH IF AT ALL!WELL WONDER NO MORE AS THIS TRENCH ART MASTERPIECE ANSWER ALL BOOK IS BUT THE "BIBLE" ON A VERY SPECIAL & UNIQUE TOPIC SELDOM EXPLORED IN TRUE DEPTH & DETAIL!THE BOOK IS VERY EDUCATIONAL AS WELL AS ENTERTAINING WITH ALL IT'S MANY EXCELLENT PRETTY COLOR PICTURES & WILL CERTAINLY PUT THE POLISH ON AN INSIGHT TO A WORLD AT WAR FROM NOW ANOTHER TIME , MENTALITY , CAUSE & CENTURY FOREVER PAST! THIS BOOK IS REALLY A MUST FOR THE HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR ALIKE!PRAY THAT WE NEVER SEE THIS TYPE OF WAR ART EVER AGAIN AS THE BOOK IS A STATEMENT OF THE ORDINARY TORTURED FRONT LINE SOLDIER SOULS TRYING TO FIND & CREATE BEAUTY FOREVER LOST IN A WORLD CONSUMED BY THE EVIL MADNESS OF TOTAL WAR! SOUND FAMILIAR? WHERE ARE ALL THESE LOST ARTISTIC SOULS NOW? PEACE! A+!

A Valuable Study of Trench Art
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-20
Jane Kimball has written a book of great value to those who have interest in this form of art. Her wrtting and illustrations bring forward the intricacies of area not generally understood. With this book, Mrs. Kimball is now accepted as recognized authority of trench art.

Casual history fan
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-07
What an amazing compilation! The information is fascinating and the photos are beautiful. The author is clearly an expert, not only about Trench Art, but also in terms of how to present material in ways that make it come alive for the casual reader. The excerpts from letters written at the time make history come alive. It's fitting in this time of war to be reminded that beauty can survive despite the hell that surrounds it.

Monumental Reference on Trench Art
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-31
This beautiful reference book is a must have for anyone remotely interested in the field of trench art. The author has done a marvelous job of documenting the development of this curious art form. Copiously illustrated with examples from her personal collection and others, TRENCH ART--AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY is the most comprehensive book on the subject. The collecting world owes Ms. Kimball a huge debt of gratitude for her work on this monumental book.

Gary Hollingsworth
Orlando, Florida

Lavishly Illustrated and Comprehensive
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-22
Trench art is unique, the creation of sometimes beautiful, often novel and perhaps practical objects of art. Very interesting aspect of both social and military history.

This book covers the World Wars in great detail. Techniques and numerous examples are covered. Writing style is informative and easy to read - the text is lavishly illustrated. Book covers older items (Napolionic bone carvings - not trench art in the literal sense, carved by French POWs in Dartmoor and Portland prisons), through to more recent conflicts such as Vietnam.

I collect trench art as a hobby. See reference below for a couple of my pieces:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze48sdz/id1.html

Wonderful book for any collector of trench art. Fascinating objects to collect - this book really helps to understand the background to these items.

Instruction
True Vol. 1: Real stories about God showing up in the lives of teens
Published in Paperback by Zondervan/Youth Specialties (2004-02-01)
Author: Irene Dunlap
List price: $12.99
New price: $0.89
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Great book about
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-19
This is a great book about God. This book gives you a feeling that no matter what God is always there for you and is going to get you through anything. No matter what is going on in your life you can read this book and you will feel better. This book also has some good bible quotes in it too. I liked that with every story they found a bilbe quote to go along with it.

It speaks the truth
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-04
This book is an incredible compilation of real life stories that show the true heart of God. Some stories are hard to read because it is difficult to imagine someone going through such hardship, but each story ends with the message that God is alive today and working in our midst. True will bring hope to struggling teens. Adults who read will be renewed in their faith through the words of teens. It is refreshing to find text that is so candid about real tradegy and yet so candid about God's Love for us. It doesn't take long to read and you will only want to put it down when you are picking up a tissue because you realized you are not alone in the World. God shows up in the most difficult circumstances, He is always there.

a generation, a revolution
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-10
(...)
This book brought some new things to my attention. After being away from home for 6 months experiencing God, and then returning home, it pumped me up to the sharing teh reality of God all over the world. Over those past 6 months, I TRUELY saw God's powerful hand, and how real He is, coming home I was a bit worried and disturbed that I wouldn't see God as clearly as I did in Asia.
I picked up this book right away and it was and still is the first book and only book i've read since my return. Let me tell you, i'm not much of a reader, but I couldn't put this book down! It was full of the REALNESS of God and the way He works in the lives of people in our everyday lives, people who we might not know we're impacting or effecting, but God many times uses us to be His vessels, to pour God's love and His Wisdom and Power onto those who are hurting or in a difficult time or situation, that God is there and many times He brings people are way to help with the process.
I think ANYONE, young or old, should read this book. Why? Because it's TRUE!, It's REAL! It's Inspiering! It's a book I would and am recomending all my peers, friends and family to READ!
I'm not a very emtional person, but this book brought me to tears as I read the TRUE STORIES and how God's REALNESS is all over the place, and we can all SEE the TRUE the Living and the REAL God, who wants to be made known, and this book does a superb job of accomplishing that.
This book taught me more about the Character of God, and how He uses the little things and the big things to make Himself known.
"if we don't praise His name even the rocks will cry out"
God wants to be known and wants us all to know Him in a REAL way. So GO AND PICK UP THIS BOOK. IT COULD JUST CHANGE YOUR LIFE, YOUR THINKING AND THE WAY YOU SEE GOD!

This Book is Great for Adults as well as Teens
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-22
This book is worth reading and passing on to your friends - teens and adults. I felt all kinds of emotions as I read the teens' life stories. I laughed and cried - which is essential for a good movie. The book "TRUE" was better than a movie because I learned something about life, myself, my friends and God from each story. There is something that will touch each person in the situations covered in the book. Another advantage is that each story is well written and short enough for the busiest person to read in between activities.

I shared different stories with friends in the midst of trials. The book inspired and encouraged me. It's great for teens to get a taste of what can happen in people's lives - tragedies that can happen with a simple choice or a random act and how God can use it all for good in incredible ways.

For Christians and non Christians alike
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-11
This is a book that I, as a young woman who follows the Lord passionately loved and took in, I can't say enough how much it opened my eyes to things I'm not doing enough as a Christian, and the little things I can be thankful for. And I've a devoted Christian of 2 years, think of what it can do for a person who's never accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Instead of opening their eyes to the little things that I missed, maybe they'll open their eyes to the huge thing: Salvation. I won't sit here and explain how incredible God's love is because for those who haven't experienced it no explanination will ever be enough and for those who have experienced it no explanination will ever be neccasary.
In His Grip...

Instruction
Twelve Days of Christmas
Published in Paperback by Outskirts Press (2006-10-01)
Authors: Diane Zimanski and Adrea Scheidler
List price: $17.95
New price: $16.06
Used price: $16.45

Average review score:

Gorgeous Illustrations
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-01
Each verse of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is depicted on its own page along with a large, gloriously-hued watercolor illustration of the verse. Even cooler is the two-page spread at the end of the book, which brings all of the pictures together and shows how they flow into one another like a mural. The art in the book makes it a wonderful gift idea for the holidays. I actually ordered 3 copies of this book, one for our family and two to give as gifts to other family members.

Great gift!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-18
I love the artwork in this book--it's amazing to see how well the two artists work together and compliment each other. I already have this book displayed among my other Christmas books for the season.

Wonderful Artwork
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-20
The drawings are simply wonderful to share with people, and a great read over tea on a cozy Christmas eve.

A Seasonal Must-Have for Every Family
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-01
As a huge fan of the work of these two wonderful artists, I highly recommend this book. Their gorgeous illustrations for "The Twelve Days of Christmas" make this a treasure for all time, and a highly recommended purchase for anyone, whatever their age, as a keepsake of the magical Christmas season.

A beautiful book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-28
This book is wonderfully illustrated and showcases the talents of these two artists. Each page could stand alone. I'm looking forward to more tales of Christmas from them in the future. You won't regret buying this one!

Instruction
Type in Use: Effective Typography for Electronic Publishing
Published in Paperback by W. W. Norton & Company (1999-06)
Author: Alex White
List price: $29.95
New price: $31.43
Used price: $9.82
Collectible price: $55.95

Average review score:

Where is the white space?
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-05
A very broad book on design, the content is insightful and thorough. The best part of this book is the timeline. I was especially inspired by the last entry. Why is the letter "i" upside down on the cover?

quite possibly the finest...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-19
quite possibly the finest book i have ever been in the preface of

"The most significant book of the digital publishing age"
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 18 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-29
TYPE IN USE by Alex White transcends the trendy DTP "how-to" bookshelf with the real story on how to craft truly fine pages of typography! The first edition was the top selection for publication designers in The Designers' Bookshelf of The Design Center, but has been out of print for more than two years. Now this important work is back, and the editors at graphic-design.com agree -- Type In Use is the essential book for anyone who wants to really understand how to make typography do what it's supposed to do! . . . Alex writes: "Our job [as designers] is to compose elements to make them maximally interesting and comprehensible. 'Maximally interesting' does NOT mean 'Hey, Wow! Pop! Zoom!' It means revealing the content of the story instantly and efficiently." . . . Type In Use will train you how to accomplish that goal. You'll know where to put type on the page, and how to put it there. But unlike any other book in the past 25 years... Type In Use will tell you WHY! If your goal is persuasive, successful publishing, don't wait for this one to go out of print too... just click up there and buy it NOW. You will be very glad you did.

Excellent Resource for Print & Electronic Designers
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-11
As a newbie to typography, I found "Type in Use" to be an excellent introduction to the field. It's written in a clear and concise manner; though it's straightforward and easy to understand, I didn't feel as though the information was watered down, either.

At least half of the book consists of pictorial examples, which serve to illustrate the principles laid forth in the text. There's also a good deal of "white space," which demonstrates White's ability to practice what he preaches. As a result, the book isn't too heavy on actual text. Nonetheless, White has an envious ability to express himself succinctly, efficiently, and in as few words as possible - so the lack of actual reading doesn't pose a problem.

The book's divided into twelve chapters, with one each focusing on the following topics: text; headlines; subheads; breakouts; captions; department headings; covers; contents; bylines and bios; folios and font lines; web typography; and the history of type. White begins each chapter with a discussion of the fundamentals, and then turns to real-life examples to help illustrate his points. A short paragraph accompanies each picture, and all are arranged in an organized, pleasing manner.

I only have two issues with "Type in Use." The text which sits alongside the examples is printed in red as opposed to black (black is the color of the introductory text). I'm not sure if my copy of the book was flawed, or if this is a universal problem, but the red type on some pages appeared to be smudged and smeared, making it difficult to read. Even on those pages without blemishes, I found that the red type strained my eyes; there's just so much red that it becomes distracting.

Also, I was happy to see that White included a chapter on Web typography, but I would have been happier had the discussion been more in-depth. The final chapter, "The History of Type in Use," was wholly unnecessary and didn't contribute much to the overall discourse; White's readers would have been better served had be omitted chapter 12 and extended his discussion of the Internet. I realize that the book was written in 1992 and revised in 1999 - and six years may as well be six eons in "tech time" - but the Web chapter struck me as very out-of-date. For example, I had to smirk when he announced that Photoshop 5.0 had recently introduced "significant improvements" in the area of type; I don't think I even know anyone who's using a version earlier than 7.0! He also appeared to be agreeable to Flash animation, which today is so overused and abused that it has become the bane of web design.

Nonetheless, I would most definitely recommend "Type in Use" to both novices and experienced typographers alike.

- Kelly Garbato

Author, ePublisher, Web Mistress
Peedee Publishing / Hot Dog!, LLC

Great for web designers who want to improve their type skill
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-24
As a web designer, I always found adding typographical elements to my layout to be the hardest part. I would create a great looking page only to ruin it with a weak looking headline or inappropriately selected font settings.

I've looked for a good book to teach me typographical basics and decided to try Type In Use, even though it is geared toward print.

I have to say I've been extremely satisfied with my choice and have noticed a great improvement in my designs. The greatest proof of the change in me is how I began to look at the design of the book itself differently, analyzing it and seeing how Alex White practices what he preaches.

In each chapter, Alex begins by explaining a different part of the printed page and then showing and analyzing real world examples. There are chapters about text, headlines, subheads, breakouts, captions, department headings and more. This may sound a bit boring (devoting an entire chapter to captions?) but Alex manages to keep it all very readable with plenty of inspiring examples.

I've found this book to also be a great source of inspiration to my work after I finished reading it and I come back to it whenever working with any kind of type, online or offline.

The only weak point I found in this book is the chapter about Web Typography. I don't know if Alex aimed this chapter at people with no web experience at all or at web designers who want to learn typography on the web but he failed either way. The entire chapter in nothing more then a series of facts (some of them plain wrong) about writing HTML, designing sites, file formats, etc. Feel free to skip this chapter, the rest is gold.

Instruction
Unmistakably Mackie: The Fashion and Fantasy of Bob Mackie
Published in Paperback by Universe Publishing (2001-09-22)
Author: Frank DeCaro
List price: $35.00
New price: $36.00
Used price: $29.95

Average review score:

I Went, "Holy Cow, That Person Looks GREAT!"
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-28
And that thought never wavered once as I agonizingly slowly fiddled with the corners of each page to the next, completely awed and feeling like I wanted to go to New York and show off my skinky legs as well. This book is unreal.

There's flash everywhere. There's pizazz. There's an army of sequins, a rainbow of sparkles, a lifetime of gorgeous reds, beautiful greens, and dazzling blues that you would have never dreamed would have graced this earth in all of eternity. They all flash, they all sparkle, they all wink out and grab you by the eyeballs and force you to gawk and gawk at them until you feel like all your pupils have dried up and you can't possibly gawk anymore, but you just do.

The book is sort of divided into sections, but the reader (or watcher) won't pay too much attention to that except for the divisions for the Hollywood and Barbie section. You've got funky fonts that pop out at you from this unknown corner you never knew was there; you've got these curvaceous paragraphs shaped like a woman's body; and you've got so many other things that I couldn't possibly explain to you until you've bought the damn book. So buy it already.

My only complaint is that the "Hollywood", "Barbie", and his own fashion line sections are too brief. How can you possibly fit more than forty years of glory, fashion, and Bob Mackie into just over 150 pages?

It ain't nobody, but Mackie. Get it for yourself! You will never, *ever* regret that decision.

The Fashion and Fantasy of Bob Mackie
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-16
Wonderful book! Such gorgeous pictures and I loved the Bob Mackie story too. My only complaint is that it just wasn't long enough.....hoping for a sequel.

For fashion fans everywhere!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-02-03
This survey of the fashion and fantasy of fashion designer Mackie examines his many contributions. Mackie created works for popular television as well as film and stage: Unmistakably Mackie considers his life, fashion designs and revealing outfits. Plenty of color photos of actresses in full outfit abound.

Deliriously happy at [any price!]
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-28
I bought Unmistakably Mackie after drooling over the book for nearly a year. It is beautiful, it is entertaining, it is over the top, it is history. It is also a fine education in costume design and fashion illustration.
I have other books that feature Mackie's unrivalled fashion illustrations, but here I can see and almost touch the finished costumes that made Cher and Carol and Ann-Margaret. I can finally analyze how they are made.
Please, don't wait to buy this wonderful book. and it is well worth getting a new, pristine copy of this treasure.

Unmistakably Mackie -- if you love fashion...you'll love Bob
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-18
WOW! WOW! WOW! Unmistakably Mackie is a fabulous fashion book! This is by far my favorite book! The photography is stunning. The creative type layouts are imaginative. The sketches are wonderful. Anyone interested in costume &/or fashion design will LOVE this book writen by Frank DeCaro ("Style over Substance" columnist for the NY Times).

As a designer & illustrator just starting out, I find no end of inspiration in this book! The sketches are delightful and the outfits are always immaginative. (Looking at the photos & sketches, I found out I can draw Cher too!) :o)

Before reading this book on Bob Mackie, I had no idea the extent of his influence. I just knew I liked his designs. Now he is undoubtedly my favorite designer. (I want to do what he does!) This man has done everything...from his own ready-to-wear fashion line to Broadway, television (Cher and Carol Burnett), movies, ballet, an opera, Vegas and Barbie! If there's something he hasn't designed for, I'd be surprised.

I heartily recommend this book!

Instruction
Vanishing Point: Perspective for Comics from the Ground Up
Published in Paperback by Impact (2007-12-08)
Author: Jason Cheeseman-Meyer
List price: $19.99
New price: $12.28
Used price: $12.82

Average review score:

Excellent resource
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18
I thought I had a fairly good handle on perspective drawing, but this book goes into significantly more depth. (Pun intended.) It provides exciting options for approaching a piece of art beyond the ordinary, and many little tips and tricks on solving perspective problems. Even though it is themed towards comic and fantasy art, I would recommend it to any artist who wants to have a greater understanding of perspective, and more tricks up their sleeve for producing believable and emotionally impactful scenes.

Perpective for Comics
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-08
This book is good and clear for beginners and the more advanced. It touches some topics I haven't learned at art school. Definitely a book I will be using frequently. All other books talk about the same vanishing points.
The practical examples in this book will help the student grasp the subject quickly. Love it!

perspective in comic art
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-05
I highly recommend this book. It is a simple read with simple diagrams and explanations on how to draw in perspective. i have recommended its title in other reviews i wrote. I think you will be very pleased with this book if you want to see, read and practice from a book.

A Very Complete Perspective Manual
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-20
When I was able to understand a couple techniques just by LOOKING at the illustrations in this book I knew this perspective book was a keeper! Most of the written examples is concise and clear. Another book I would recommend is How To Draw MANGA: Putting Things in Perspective.

Excellent book on Perspective
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-04
I'm an artist by hobby and have read 8 books on perspective but this one is exceptional. It's not just a book for comic artists but a great book for learning perspective. I was surprised when I received it. It covers topics that I have not seen covered in any other perspective book I've read. Such as, curvilinear perspective. It covers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 point perspective. I never saw any other coverage of 4 and 5 pt perspective before. Great book for any artist, comic or not and great illustrations. A+


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