Articles Books

Nancy Cott's Public Vows: A History of Marriage and the Nation seeks to illuminate marriage as government control of the population politically and socially by the U.S. government purposely regulating marriage with legal measures. Cott further depicts how gender and race were discriminated against by the Christian monogamous based institution of marriage in the United States. Cott's intention in this book was two fold. Firstly, to highlight how the concerted efforts by the U.S. government to promote Christian monogamous marriage and discourage other forms of marriage had a significant impact especially on gender roles in society in which all forms of public and private lives of men and women were affected. Secondly, the institution of marriage had a strong hand in creating the definitions of gender itself.

Cott asserts that the institution of marriage that has been promoted by the government shapes human identity in both public and private spheres and strongly influences gender roles within society and that these pieces of information are integral to understanding society as a whole. Cott sets out to accomplish proving her assertions by giving a systematic historical account of marriage from the beginning of the United States until present day. Cott discusses at great length, legal measures that supported monogamous marriage and discouraged other forms of human union throughout United States history. Cott also discussed in great length the changing economic positions of men and women through the history of marriage. Cott definitely demonstrated that Federal, State, and Local authorities whether the legislative or judicial had a strong role in shaping and charting the direction of marriage in the United States on a course of Christian, monogamous marriage. Cott in turn analyzes the results of government intervention in the institution of marriage and how it related to men, women, and minorities. As the reader of Public Vows there is not a dispute that this is a correct interpretation of monogamous marriage as a government promoted institution and it had differing effects on men, women, and minorities. If this book was written and published in the 1950's for example, it would have been shocking new information, however, since this book was published in 2002 the information that marriage is bound within a legal institution with civil benefits attached that benefit those married is now ordinary information that most know, or at least most who have been married know. The question for this reader was what kind of new information does this provide?

The answer is none because after hearing her explanation of the origins of her idea for this book in the seminar I attended, it was clear Cott's goal was not to provide new information nor were the goals of the book solely the ones mentioned in the book. Firstly, Cott mentioned that the inspirational idea came from her observation while standing in line to purchase a ticket at a movie theater. She noticed that people pair up as male and female couples and she wondered why this was so. Secondly, her association with a colleague that works for a civil rights organization for gay and lesbians wanted her input and expertise to help justify their cause for gay and lesbian marriage. Cott's intention was to illuminate the idea of marriage as an institution that provides legal and civil benefits for the individuals that are married. Cott's true goal was to provide tangible written evidence for what people in the 21st century already know which marriage is a heavily legal institution that provides civil benefits to those that are married. This assertion subtly implies that all couples should be able to enjoy the civil and legal benefits marriage provides. Cott provided evidence for the true goal of this book with her own words in the seminar.

Two pieces of evidence from her own explanation of why she wrote this book points to the fact her intention was not to provide new information, but to lend credibility to the idea of marriage as civil institution to hopefully benefit couples who are currently not allowed to enjoy the civil liberties marriage provides. Firstly, Cott hinted to the fact this was common knowledge in the 21st century because of her surprise at the reaction of the people who listened to her testimony in Vermont about marriage as a civil legal government institution. According to Cott, the people listening to her testimony were taken aback at the thought of marriage having more to do with civil liberties than a religious and spiritual bond between two people. Secondly, Cott mentioned that these individuals were from the small state of Vermont and implied these people were not in tune with modern thinking on marriage. The mere fact that Cott recognized these people listening to her testimony on marriage were not representative of main stream thought on marriage by people in the United States in the 21st century provides evidence that she knew she was not providing new information, but only taking a common cultural idea that marriage is a legal institution and illuminating it for those few who are not in the know already.

After listening to Nancy Cott in the seminar it is clear that the book was written with the main intention to take an intangible idea floating around in the cultural consciousness and transforming it into a tangible idea in the printed word to ultimately serve a cause. Cataloging an intangible idea in black and white on the pages of a book inevitably gives any idea more credibility. Nancy Cott''s goal was to lend credibility to the idea of marriage as a legal and civil institution which hopefully in the long run would prove that gays and lesbians should have the right to marry and enjoy the legal and civil benefits marriage provides individuals.

Although the institution of "marriage" among humans is generally considered to be thousands of years old, it has a much shorter history as a public insitution in the United States. Nancy Cott's book dives straight into the history of marriage in the U.S., from early societal attitudes and government regulation during the push westward to later government attempts to reign in those with differing sexual mores throughout the 18th century. Her discusison of the state of marriage in the 20th century is equally revealing.

Nancy weaves a tale with many facts that few people are probably aware of: that marriage was frequently unregulated in early America, that divorce was relatively common (but frowned upon), and that religious and utopian communities were challenging the status quo of marriage and state control of the institution from very early on in our nation's history. She makes the best case I've ever heard for proving that marriage is a public institution subject to the will of the state and men in power, transformed and changed over decades by government, often for purposes of exercising control over the population (especially women) and for imposing on the nation the perceived natural order of things.

Marriage may be ancient in origin, but Nancy Cott does an excellent job in the end of showing that "marriage" in the U.S. did not simply grow organically from these ancient traditions, and that government is capable of altering the institution for its own purposes as it sees fit, regardless of what might truly best for society or the individuals in it. While Cott does not explore the impact of her findings on same-sex marriage in great detail, it is very enlightening to understand that debate in light of the changes in marital law over the past 200 years that Cott cleverly elucidates for the reader. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to understand the evolution of the institution of civil marriage in the United States.

Just shy of 300 pages and 9 Chapters that cover An Archaeology of American Monogamy; Perfecting Community Rules with State Laws; Domestic Relations on the National Agenda; Toward a Single Standard; Monogamy as the Law of Social Life; Consent, the American way; The Modern Architecture of Marriage; Public Sanctity for a Private Realm; and Marriage Revised and Revived.

As the author notes Mae West had the best quote about marriage when she said "Marriage is a great institution ... but I ain't ready for an institution yet". But it is the rich historical facts she shares that provide great insight into the deep misogynist roots of marriage and how it was usually and in some cases still is a contract a man has with a woman. This is why I have always seen marriage as nothing more that legalized prostitution and a protection of material wealth.

The author shows how Protestants and to some degree Catholics have decreed what marriage should be as well as how strong men and women have risen up over the decades and even centuries to denounce attempts to regulate whom they could have sex with and attempts to require that people marry to have sex, own property in common.

The books discusses Americas racist and sexist history with marriage and how some politicians were as eugenic minded as well. And how the rich were and have always been given the slight nudge and wink to do damn well what they want which included having lovers. The hypocrisy of American marriage laws.

A detailed history of how legal, lifelong, heterosexual monogamous marriage has been actively promoted, mandated, and enforced by various means throughout the history of the USA, with little or no tolerance for those who espouse nontraditonal relationship forms. Well researched and well written. Highly recommended.

This book doesn't say anything that most don't already know, that marriage is a form of public institution. The goodness of this book comes from that fact that most people can't really explain exactly how or why marriage is a public institution, and if they can their arguments are short and unsupported. Cott gives us tons of strong evidence and supports her arguments with alot of outside sources, so that the reader can get a real understanding. Of course with all books, there is some bias on the part of the author, but the reader doesn't have to agree with Cott in order to get something out of this book.

I read a lot of "how to" guides (trying to find career that I can enjoy) and Mrs. Zobel's is the best so far. She does a great job expanding on the basics and injecting her own personal stories when examples are needed. I re-read the book before every trip so that I don't forget any of her advice. I've already started research on one of my favorite destinations.

I have the 2002 edition of the Travel Writer's Handbook (the 5th ed.). While it was updated to include the problems of post 9/11 problems it did not cover the Internet as much as one would expect. And the section on photography is still set in the pre-digital era.
That said, this is still the best all-around book on travel writing. Zobel covers different article types, how to do basic research,whether to accept freebies, what to take along on trips, keeping records for tax purposes and so forth. She spends a lot of time on interviewing techniques and different ways of capturing the sights and sounds of a travel destination.
I assume the newest edition (written with a co-author)is meant to bring this classic into the 21st century with references to pdas, laptops, digital cameras and other accoutrements that were hardly mentioned in the 2002 book. But when it comes to the basic elements of writing the travel article--whether for magazines, newspapers or the many travel websites out there--this book is still founded on solid information.

I really liked this book. The first six chapters are a little hard to get through, but the rest of the book is well worth the effort.

The chapters on interviewing, what to take with you, and market research are great. I learnt a lot from Zobel, her writing is friendly, helpful and crammed with useful and unusual facts.

A couple of years ago, I found a copy of the fourth edition of this book at a library bag sale. I read it cover to cover, devouring each word, and absorbing hints and tips into the molasses of my mind. To this day, some of these have shaped the way I approach my trips, and when I learned that a new edition had come out, I thought that it would make me a good Christmas present.

It's certainly an excellent book. But I found a few faults with it, all but one quite firmly the fault of the publisher. Let me get that over and done with before I continue with the good bits.

Criticisms:

1. There is no index. There should be. There is so much in this book that forcing the reader to re-read each chapter to find one nugget of information, or to take notes, seems very poor. Admittedly my copy is now covered in x marks and orange marker pen, but do you have any idea how far against the grain defacing a book goes?

2. I don't have any idea why, for this edition, there is a co-author. As far as I can see, this is not explained anywhere in the text. I'm not sure what a second author really contributes to the book. A second author certainly doesn't take away from it, but the major difference I can spot is that sentences beginning with "I" now begin with "Louise" or "Jacqueline". I don't get it. A brief introduction or explanation would have been nice.

3. Speaking of introductions, or the introduction, perhaps somebody should have proof-read it? It is quite obvious that someone did a quick and dirty search and replace and made a complete hash of it. Here is the first sentence of the book:

"Although the travel writing profession is seeing some difficult times this spring and summerthese (sic) past few years, this does not, by any means, indicate an end to the power and pleasure of the written wordtravel (sic) related stories."

This, the very first sentence of the introduction, was very off-putting. Howls of derision followed as I found other printed bloopers.

4. While there is a lovely updated chapter on digital photography, not once is my burning question answered: "What do you do when your magazine listing in "Writers Market 2007″ says 'send slides/transparancies/prints?'" It would have been so nice to see a couple of paragraphs defining these terms and explaining how to go about handling the requests. The book seemed to assume that everyone would be using a digital camera, which is very nice because I do, but also seemed to assume that everybody who is a budding travel writer has some kind of in-built knowledge of what magazines want, which is not very nice because I don't. This book purports to be the definitive guide to travel writing, and in my opinion that's not something that should be missed out.

So saying...

This book is thorough. It covers all aspects of freelance writing for travel publications. It starts with a heavy emphasis on research: how to do it, where to get resources, what to look for. It covers interviewing: how to find sources and how to interview them. There is an entire chapter on querying, which I found very useful, as well as etiquette and ways to make yourself look professional even when you're a rank newbie.

I found the chapter entitled "being there is never enough" particlarly useful. It covers how to take notes, how to start noticing, and how to make sure you don't forget what you've seen. You are coached in what to bring along and how to handle it, as well as being reminded that some countries have different dress codes and you'd better be looking like the locals if you go there and want to fit it. Travel is about getting in amongst the people, and if you're wearing clothes that scream "tourist" you're never actually likely to get that far.

One key point emphasized over and over again is that you never write "generally"; always, always you must key your writing to a specific audience...and that without marketing, without learning that and working out your own system (I didn't really "get" the author's system as described) you'll never get far beyond "Gee, I want to be a writer." One of the last chapters in the book, and one of the most helpful, lists 25 different types of travel articles to help you a) find your voice and b) get the most mileage out of your existing writing.

There is some information in here about running the business and organizing yourself, dealing with editors and even the ethics of press trips. A little like having your own personal coach, despite my quibbles this book still thoroughly deserves its title as a classic. And it's highly likely that come the seventh edition, this one will be so thumbed over and have so many pages hanging out from constant reference that I'll need to buy that one, too.

I am now reading this book again before departing to Italy. I am not exactly a "travel writer", but I need some of the same skills to write and edit my travel website. This book is a tremendous help in preparing for a trip knowing I will come back with the information I need. This books coveres everything from packing to writing. It is very readable and very useful.

A Writer's Guide to Magazine Articles for Book Promotion and Profit by Patricia L. Fry is a must have for any writer wanting to learn how to use their magazine articles to promote their books. Patricia doesn't offer a lot of filler information - only the most useful tips and tools to help you succeed at your writing business. Her 30 plus years in the business have provided her with the knowledge of what works and what doesn't and she shares this valuable information in an easy-to-use format. You will refer back to this reference gem over and over again...

A Writer's Guide To Magazine Articles For Book Promotion And Profit is a 66-page compendium of ideas, tools, and inspirations for writers with respect to coming up with saleable magazine article ideas, finding the right magazine for them, writing effective query letters, working with editors, conducting interviews, doing research, locating expertise, actually writing the article, even recycling articles. Practical, effective, easy-to-read, A Writer's Guide To Magazine Articles is highly recommended for aspiring writers seeking to break into print, extrapolating articles into books, crafting news releases, submitting book reviews, and any other aspect of writing articles professionally -- and profitably.

A Writer's Guide to Magazine Articles for Book Promotion and Profit is filled with practical easy to understand information for writers interested in writing for magazines. Sprinkled throughout the pages are wonderfully helpful tips. The book also includes a bonus section on how to submit press releases and book reviews.

Fry's book includes how to come up with ideas, how to write a query letter, finding the right market, how to recycle articles and more. If you are interested in getting more out of your freelancing pick up a copy today.

Carmen Leal, author of WriterSpeaker.com

Magazine articles are a great way to get started toward your book. By writing these shorter pieces, you will advance your writing style, bank a reservoir of material and develop a readership or following. My first book took eight years (The Parachute Manual, 590 pages, 8.5 x 11, 2,000 illustrations) off and on (mostly off) as I wrote a column for Parachutist magazine. The articles were poured into the book's manuscript.

This book covers the writing life, how to research and write the article, the business of writing and the most important part: how to sell your article. There is no need to buy a larger book at a higher price when Patricia Fry delivers more for less. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com. D-454.

In A WRITER'S GUIDE TO MAGAZINE ARTICLES FOR BOOK PROMOTION AND PROFIT, Patricia Fry provides a candid, insightful resource that any writer targeting magazine writing will find useful. With clarity and knowledge gleaned from over 27 years in the article-writing field, Fry teaches the skills necessary to become a success.

As the Senior Editor for WordWeaving, I receive many excellent writing related resources for review. Yet I found Fry's tool different from other resources for several reasons.

First, although most writers seem aware that reviews are important to publicize their books, A WRITER'S GUIDE TO MAGAZINE ARTICLES FOR BOOK PROMOTION AND PROFIT is the first resource I have seen that directly discusses the advantages of requesting book reviews and what to include in a review request.

Second, I like her tip sections. For example, in the section regarding book reviews, Fry includes the following tip: "Start by building your portfolio of reviews locally. The hometown newspaper is generally eager for news of local authors." Not only is this not a tip I have seen repeated in every book I read about writing, but it also is something that applies to both epublishing and traditional paper publishing.

Finally, Fry also addresses many other extremely relevant topics with a brief, no-nonsense approach that will have writers motivated to begin before turning the last page. And she cautions against many of the same mistakes I see crossing my desk such as not including a social security number.

WordWeaving always looks for fresh articles for publication and is pleased to give authors space to mention their books, yet I see very few authors that take advantage of this unique vehicle for promotion. Therefore, I strongly encourage any author in the epublishing or traditional publishing business to read Fry's A WRITER'S GUIDE TO MAGAZINE ARTICLES FOR BOOK PROMOTION AND PROFIT.

This book is one of the most useful tools you can buy to help you succeed in law school. Sure, there are plenty of study guides and study aids out there for law school - teaching you the ins-and-outs of proximate causation, useless stuff like the meaning of "possibility of reverter," and how to say if a statement is hearsay. But success in law school involves much more than getting good grades in Contracts, Property, or Evidence. The key to distinguish yourself in law school (and immediately after) is your writing ability: Are you on law review? Have you written a note/article worthy of being published? Do you have a stellar writing sample for that clerkship application? Until this book, there was not a practical guide teaching academic legal writing. Every 1L should buy this book and read it before they attempt to take a seminar class or write a law review note. It will make a difference.

My only complaint about Prof. Volokh's book is that it was not available until my last year of law school. Had it been published earlier, its lessons would have drastically improved my seminar papers and law review note. But if you're like me and no longer in law school, still check this book out. It isn't solely for law students. It is an extremely useful guide for new attorneys who hope to write publishable articles after law school.

To borrow from the "give a man a fish...teach a man to fish" cliché (and thus horribly violate a lesson of Chapter 4), Prof. Volokh teaches law students and lawyers to "fish" by showing them how to write their own scholarly works.

If you're writing a law review comment, Eugene Volokh's slim volume "Academic Legal Writing" is indispensible. However, anyone who wants to learn how to write clearly and how to cut the fat from their prose will benefit tremendously from the book as well. Especially good are the sections where Volokh takes you step-by-step through the editing process, turning a flabby piece of writing into economical, muscular prose. His appendix of words to avoid (eschew "eschew") is also excellent. So don't be fooled by the title. Good writing is good writing, in the legal academy and elsewhere. This is a book about good writing in general, and a terrific one at that.

I highly recommend Professor Volokh's new book, Academic Legal Writing: Law Review Articles, Student Notes, and Seminar Papers.

As the title suggests, it focuses primarily on legal writing, especially for aspiring and current law school students. However, anyone who wants to improve his/her writing and critical thinking skills should read this book. The book--which is only 189 pages--abounds in smart advice on how to write better and avoid common errors such as wordiness, unduly harsh criticism, overly technical language, etc.

Speaking as someone who starts law school in a month and a half, I am glad I read this book. It gave me a nice view about what type of writing is expected in law school. And unlike some academic books, it is affordable and highly readable.

Volokh addresses every possible question that a pre-law student could have about academic legal writing--how to choose a topic, how to test its claim or hypothesis, how to research it, how to use evidence (i.e., cases, law review articles, statistics, surveys, etc) correctly, and how even to publish and market your work.

To take one example: Volokh advises that in the process of conducting research always check the original source. In other words, do not simply assume that a secondary source will correctly represent the original article or case. For example, even the most revered Courts (such as the Supreme Court of the United States) sometimes misstate facts, arguments, and holdings in cases.

I can personally attest to the soundness of this advice. I once cited an article by a political science professor of mine in a paper I wrote for him. I relied on a secondary source to summarize his main thesis. When my professor graded the paper, he circled in red ink the citation of his work and wrote, This is not the argument I made. Did you bother to read the article?

Again, this is a great book for anyone considering law school. It should be on every pre-law student's must-read list.

I teach undergraduates, many of whom want to be law students. Sometimes I help them get started on legal writing.

Since the day I read Volokh's book, I have not sent a student off to law school without it. Given the amount of writing that is required of any law student, and given the substantial career advantages to publishing, everyone should try.

Volokh is clear and very usefully organized for students who have to parse their time carefully. He includes insights about the practicalities of law review publishing and shopping an article that go far beyond anything available when I was a law student.

This book is also a great tool for graduate students in fields akin to law. To those students, refereed journals are the norm and law review publication is a mystery. This book is an excellent, readable way to make law reviews less mysterious.

Eugene Volokh is a genius--well, maybe not a genius--almost nobody is a genius--but he's pretty darn smart.

Founding Character: The Words and Documents that Forged a Nation opened my eyes to the whole picture of our origins. First, I hadn't read the Declaration of Independence nor the Constitution since college. And, the original draft of the Declaration by Jefferson? It was never mentioned in high school or college, so I missed its relevance altogether!

Then there is the Treaty of Paris which I know see in a whole new light - it's the formal recognition of our country after all. And, I had never read the full text of George Washington's farewell address until Founding Character; what an eye opener!
The significance of a peaceful transfer of power every four to eight years now seems trivial, but it really isn't.

But, the most eye-opening part of this book is the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms; written a year before the Declaration of Independence, this resolution from the Continental Congress called for armed resistance to the crown. I had completely missed this in my history studies.

This is much more than a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, with the additional content, this is a complete picture of the character of our nation at its founding.

If you are tired of the tiny pocketbook edition of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and want a version with more substance, then Founding Character: The Words and Documents that Forged a Nation is the book for you!

Not only do you get the Constitution and the Declaration (both final version and Jefferson's original version), but you also get the Articles of Confederation, The Treaty of Paris (a very important document where the United States are recognized as a nation by England!), as well as the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (never included in other books, but oh so important!) - a document from the Continental Congress that predates the Declaration by a year!!

This is a book that I have given to each of my teenagers as well to take off to college!

I found this book "Founding Character:The Words and Documents That Forged a Nation" to be outstanding. In todays climate of Red States vs Blue States and the Division that the last election has wrought, it was uplifting to read the words that
formed our nation.
I highly recommend this book for every American whether they are liberal or conservative. It gives you pause , makes you think and appreciate what we have today.

I really like this book. It almost has everything you need. If the editors had included "Common Sense" it would have been perfect. Still, though, it is the best all-in-one reference I have found.

Found this book while doing a search for the Constitution and was pleased to find that it had everything in it I needed for my American History class. Saved me from having to buy a couple other books.

The first thing that strikes you about "Growing the Distance" is its unique format and layout. Unlike many books written strictly for business, this publication is alive with style, relevant quotations, humorous quips and interesting fonts. Whereas beauty is only skin deep, this book has helpful and attractive information from cover to cover. Author Jim Clemmer is the founder and president of The CLEMMER Group, a strategic consulting firm. Jim is a best selling author, workshop/retreat leader, and keynote speaker on organization improvement, leadership development, and personal effectiveness. Clemmer presents the values and philosophy he models to others in this fine book.

One of the main messages that clearly jumps out at the reader is this powerful theme...leadership and change is a living philosophy that must permeate every aspect of life including family, career, personal responsibility and self-fulfillment. Many business books on leadership put the various life roles of a leader in separate boxes. Business is one box, family life is another box, personal goals and self-actualization in yet another box. It is often assumed that these various roles have little to do with each other and for this reason family life and spirituality are typically ignored. "Growing the Distance" is not afraid to challenge this misconception by boldly discussing a leader's various interconnected roles!

"Growing the Distance" is a book about creating positive change within yourself rather than being the victim of change. Its powerful premise is that we can begin from where we are today, and choose where we want to be tomorrow. By making these choices we can grow the distance. Clemmer believes that each of us can develop the qualities of leadership that reside inside us no matter what our position in life. This publication discusses what leadership is, why change is essential, and the importance of vision, values and purpose. Clemmer encourages personal accountability for our choices and writes how we can learn and grow from disappointments. He encourages us to find commitment and passion in our workplace, as well as in spirit, and meaning within our lives. He proceeds to discuss growth and personal development while reminding us that great leaders are able to energize others to motivate themselves.

If you want to read a book and be enthusiastic about your leadership potential, "Growing the Distance" is a must. It will inspire you and help to mesh together the various roles and activities of your life. This book is truly different and will find a happy home on your bookshelf!

Jim starts the book with the point that too many development books are "like a pair of steer horns--a point here and a point there, with a whole lot of bull in between." When you are finished with this book, you won't be asking "Where's the beef?" I liked his philosophy of using quotes throughout the text, "If I couldn't have said it better myself, I won't make you wade through pages of text to prove it." And he didn't!

I picked up this book as I was thinking of my professional growth, but found the principles even more applicable at home in my role as father. I learned along side my children how to keep our rate of internal growth faster than external change so we won't be victims. Now my kids use Jim's comments of not getting "The Victimitis Virus" and staying out of "Pity City".

If this were a novel, reviewers would be saying things like "fast-paced," "exciting," and "inspirational."

This book connects leadership, personal growth and success in life in a format designed for easy reading and high impact. Although I actually read the books I'm asked to review, not just scan for content, I've found some books can't be read straight through because they aren't designed for it. "Growing The Distance" is one of those. It is in digest format, a collection of short, short articles that follow a common theme, each building on the prior articles to form a coherent book. Each article also is able to stand alone without reference to the others. Thus, you can explore the ideas in the book at random, sampling here and there according to your attraction to a title.

And, it is preferable to read this book by scanning and sampling. Each "article" has so much condensed meaning that you need to stop and think about the ideas, anecdotes and quotations within. Like eating peanuts, you keep going back and nibbling some more.

I've grown tired of business books that have good lessons but don't inspire me.

Jim's book IS NOT one of those.
It is fresh and inspiring. I really like the writing style.

I can truely say this is my favourite book!I have read it at least 3 times already and I'll probably read again and again!

Keith was nothing if not a straight shooter; with guns and with his writing. He told it like it was in his gun articles, unlike the common modern situation, where the writers seem to follow the advertising dollars, and no reviewed new gun is anything but great.
Good gun read.

Keith's Gun Notes are a good read for anyone who has read any of his other writings. Newer cartridges, guns and reloading equipment are available now but his advise and opinions on most things concerning shooting still right on target.

A great collection of the works of Elmer Keith,,whatelse can you say!!

Keith, cowboy, lawman, big-game hunter, world-class marksman and gun expert, wrote the long-running column in Guns & Ammo magazine upon which this book is based.
Ornery, opinionated, and thoroughly knowledgable on his subject, Keith writes about ballistics, hunting, hand-loading, and accuracy in shotguns, rifles, and handguns, always clearly and cogently, and never leaving the reader unsure of where the writer stands.
Keith is always interesting, and most of his work is relevant today, but the publisher of this compilation takes pains to warn the reader that some of Keith's data is unscientific and suspect, and must not be relied on uncritically, especially with respect to bullet velocities and chamber pressures.

(The numerical rating above is a default setting within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

Keith, variously a cowboy, big-game hunter, world-class marksman, and famous gun expert, for many years wrote a regular column in Guns & Ammo Magazine, which is the basis for this collection, in two volumes.
He was a gun and gear designer of some note, having been instrumental in the development of the Winchester Model 70 and also the .41 and .44 Magnum cartridges. His writing skills matched his technical expertise, and there is never any doubt about where he stood on any issue. His advice, especially on safety, is cogent and just as applicable today as when it was written.
Keith was a also an inveterate experimenter with cartridge modification and propellant loads, and the publisher takes pains to warn the reader that Keith's' data is unscientific and suspect, and must not be relied upon uncritically, especially with respect to bullet velocities and chamber pressures. Understanding that, the reader will find a wealth of useful hunting and shooting information here, clearly presented.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the age. This reviewer does not 'score" books.)

This is the catalogue for the landmark Pollock exhibition held at the Moma and the Tate in 1998-1999. Considering the steep rise in the insurance value of Pollock's paintings, such a comprehensive retrospective is not likely to be repeated in the near future and we are therefore fortunate to have such a brilliant book to help us remember it. The late Kirk Varnedoe was one of the best interpreters of contemporary American art and his text, never anecdotical and always informative without being pedantic, does justice to the masterpieces without falling into any of the cliches that often pollute our view of this great artist.

Beautiful illustrations make this book an indispensable presence in any arts library.

Having just taken in the MoMA show, I was very satisfied with the Pollock catalog. Very nice job reproducing the works (a difficult task in the printing of art catalogs!) Many fold-outs assist in conveying the size of Pollock's larger works. Large, full-bleed detail shots add a nice touch, complimenting the entire painting. While I'm not thrilled with the cover design, the interior is well-written, well-presented, and well-worth reading.

I picked this book up at the MOMA Pollock retrospective a couple years ago and have used it extensively. Having seen many of the paintings in this book firsthand, I can say that these are some of the best reproductions offerred in book form on Pollock's work. Another plus is that several paintings are printed on fold-out pages, so that the work doesn't cross the book's seam. So many of his paintings are extremely wide that this makes a lot of sense (otherwise, there would be hardly any resolution in the height dimension).

If you're interested in Pollock and need to refer to the reproductions, I absolutely recommend this book above all others out there.

This breathtaking catalogue is simply the best single volume available on Jackson Pollock, and this is primarily--but not only--because of the number and quality of the reproductions it offers. Almost every one of the dozen or so Pollock books in my library contains a painting not available in the others, but this book collects and beautifully photographs the greatest number and variety of his canvases--outside of a catalogue raisonee.

As the other reviewers state, there are many generously-sized fold-out pages here, and the crispness and resolution of these big reprints and of the more modest pages are simply amazing. To take two essential examples, this book's reprints of "One: Number 31, 1950" and "Blue Poles: Number 11, 1952" are astoundingly clear, better than any of the many other versions I've seen in art books, even in Ellen Landau's large-format survey, a book which also includes gatefolds.

(Another reviewer, by the by, states that "Lucifer" is not available in any other book, which is not true. Among other places, it appears in Landau, in Elizabeth's Frank's concise volume, and as the sole color reproduction in the book for the 1965 MOMA retrospective. Anyway, it gets terrific treatment here.)

Another invaluable inclusion in this book is a great number of full-sized detail photos of the canvases. For example, on a page adjacent to "Lucifer" and "Autumn Rhythm" and "Full Fathom Five," we see another photo of just one small section of that same painting but in 1-to-1 scale; these details reveal much of the dynamic, kinetic, urgent quality of these works, their encrustations of sand, glass, pennies, paint caps--traits which even this book could otherwise never offer a livingroom Pollock-viewer.

Further, having seen the exhibit in January of 1999, I can attest to the generally excellent fidelity of the color-balance. (Curiously, no one seems to be able to capture "Autumn Rhythm"'s grey-teal passages in a book, but if you were at this show or have viewed the painting at the Met you've seen them.)

The accompanying articles are excellent. Kirk Varnedoe overviews of Pollock's life, artistic aims, his accomplishments, all illustrated with family and archival photographs and drawing on Pollock quotations. Pepe Karmel uses the extensive photographic and film record of Pollock painting to analyze Pollock's physical movements. Most wonderful are Karmel's computer reconstructions of early states of the painting "Autumn Rythm," based on Hans Namuth's photos of Pollock at work.

In sum, this book gives the finest, fullest offering of both Pollock's life and art.

Excellent companion piece to the MOMA show (which traveled to London's Tate) goes beyond all other Pollock explorations. A "must" for students of modern American art as well as those just wanting to get a better understanding of what Pollock was REALLY DOING.

Large format features fold-out reproductions of breathtakingly high quality. Among these, incredibly, are paintings not found in any other published sources. (The incomparable Lucifer (1947) is one such work).

The text is scholarly but readable, and although there is a considerable amount of it, each open page of writing offers at least a couple relevant and highly interesting photos or other illustrations. The many large color plates would certainly make a gorgeous and impressive coffee table book for anyone who doesn't choose to read it.

Kirk Varnedoe writes definitively about Pollock's mercurial life & career. Varnedoe's nearly 75 pages of biographical analysis are a welcome alternative to the kind of misguided mythologizing about Pollock that has for a long time colored the artist as an overrated art "star."

Pepe Karmel's contribution to this book is an amazing analysis of Pollock's painting process through an exhaustive examination of the famous films and photographs of Pollock at work. This was a fascinating, ground-breaking part of the exhibition, and is equally wonderful in the book.

Well worth the price.

This book shows the life of what the sisters of charity do and it is excellent. I say the pictures here touch your heart. Seeing all these pictures of the lives of the Sisters of Charity and Mother Theresa are great. Looking at what they do is more touching that just hearing it.

This is an assemblege of photography of Mother Teresa and her nuns doing their work in various locations around the world. Picture speak a thousand words, and this book gives a true sense of the daily works they do.

Collopy's volume on Mother Teresa is a spiritual journey even for the atheist. The compassion, humility and love that was Mother Teresa and lives on in the work of her Sisters is caringly portrayed in Michael Collopy's book. You see a rare side of Mother Teresa whose warm smile could light up a room. Collopy adds a tremendous dimension with his own recollections of speciifc instances noted in his photogrpahs. His own spiritual depth and the impact that Mother Teresa had on his life is apparent.

I am a photography major at Purdue University. I have the book and believe that Michael Collopy is a brilliant photographer. If there is anyone out there who knows how I can get in touch with him, please let me know. I want to do a report on him for one of my classes.

Collopy's volume on Mother Teresa is a spiritual journey even for the atheist. The compassion, humility and love that was Mother Teresa and lives on in the work of her Sisters is caringly portrayed in Michael Collopy's book. You see a rare side of Mother Teresa whose warm smile could light up a room. Collopy adds a tremendous dimension with his own recollections of speciifc instances noted in his photogrpahs. His own spiritual depth and the impact that Mother Teresa had on his life is apparent.

This book gave me even more valuable information than I anticipated. I recommend it for anyone who may want to write and get published in magazines.

I have developed a life-long habit of taking notes of every book I read. My bookmark is a blank piece of paper on which I write things of interest that strike me as I read along. Within a couple of pages of "The Handbook" I stopped taking notes. If I had continued, I would have had as many pages of notes as the book is long. This book is jam packed with very useful information for those thinking of a career as a magazine writer. I have just begun working in this field, and I must say that there is not an area not covered by the 56 contributors to this work. This is like a college course that instructs you on how to find ideas for articles, how to write a great query letter, the dollars and cents of running your own free-lance business, researching, interviewing, developing a style, it is all-inclusive. If you have thoughts of becoming a magazine writer, you can cut out a lot of the uncertainty, stress, waste motions, and rejections of this business by studying this book. I daresay I'll be turning to this handbook on at least a weekly basis. Thank you to the editor and contributors for a job very well done.

The information covers the entire non-fiction magazine market, not just journalism. Includes the best ways to break into freelancing, and compares small and large markets. Creating a niche for yourself versus generalizing is also covered. Some writing tips are offered, as well, but the focus is on selling your work.

I am very pleased with this book, and I recommend it.

I had to purchase this for an online writing course. I didn't expect much. I have read about half a dozen other books on magazine writing that weren't required reading. But this book is really solid and doesn't meander aimlessly, like a couple others I've read. I'd first recommend Jenna Glatzer's book, but this is a good addition to your writing reference shelf.

The "Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing" takes information from a wide variety of highly successful freelance writers and edits it together into a seamless instructional manual. It starts off with a discussion of finding ideas that addresses more than inspiration--it delves into methods to find topics that will sell. "Querying" and "Finding Markets" teach you to pick markets for your work and get assignments from them. "Selling Reprints and Rewrites" and "Business and Rights-Related Issues" help you to understand what your work is worth to whom, and how to make sure it remains worth as much as possible to you.

"Researching" and "Interviewing" get you through the information-gathering phase, which can take longer than the actual writing. "Avoiding Problems" helps you to avoid accidental plagiarism and similar legal problems. "Writing Techniques and Revision" deals with general issues of writing magazine articles, while "How to Write Common Articles" delves into specifics on article types such as profiles, roundups, how-to articles, service journalism, art-of-living articles, and even pieces for children's magazines. "Working With an Editor" shepherds you through the relationships that will make or break your career.

Because the book gets into so many specifics (there's even a sidebar on writing book reviews!) regarding particular article types and so on, you're likely to find it useful even if you've already done some magazine freelancing. It's so helpful to know all the little rules of thumb and instructions regarding different types of articles, not to mention what editors are looking for and get the least of in their submission piles.

The chapter on working with editors presents particularly valuable information in a remarkably even-handed and balanced format. It presents a number of ways to maintain a good relationship with your editor, and these tips are useful and specific. A "damage control" section is included, since everyone runs into trouble now and then despite the best of intentions. There's information on "problem editors" to watch out for and how to best work with (or avoid) them, as well as types of writers that editors hate to find themselves working with and how you can avoid being one of these writers.

Quotes from freelancers and editors liven things up and bring a personal touch to the book. Clear, bulleted lists of helpful points are balanced by enough detail to make sure that you can figure out what you're doing in specific circumstances. The information presented is broad enough to be applicable to any sort of magazine freelancer, and specific enough to be applicable to every sort of magazine freelancer.