By Subject Books

Waaay back in the early days of Bear Magazine, Brahma studios was born... and with it wonderful photography. This book is a collection from those days. Simple, masculine, erotic. To call this 'bear porn' is a mistake. This is classic male erotic, with a wonderfully bear-ish 'slant'. (just wish it was hard back to allow it to stay open!)

Still a classic.

My not-so-insignificant Otherbear and I are both fans of anything the British critic and photographer Edward Lucie-Smith puts his name on, so we both got off on both the Lucie-Smith bearish books of photos by Chris Nelson and Jack Fritscher which are Amazon.com musts for any serious bear collector of not-at-all-insignificant Otherbears, especially with the end of Bear magazine.

Chris Nelson's "Bear Cult" makes a perfect companion with Jack Fritscher's "American Men" which afterSeptember 11 terrorist attacks is an apt title. Both books came out about the same time---in fact, Fritscher is in Nelson's "Bear Cult." Do all bears know each other? Both are very different photographers. Nelson: stills only. Fritscher: stills backed with videos. British bear critic Edward Lucie Smith wrote the intro to both books. I confess I've used them both as art and as bearotica. Plus the bear look really is an American invention. These two prime bear photography books should lead the way to more bear photo books. I recommend both these landmark books for every gentleman's library.

I found this book tremendously helpful before my first visit to Beijing. It gives perspecitve for all vsitors to the city and puts Beijing in the context of the history of China. Easy to read for the nonacademic, I found this essential to a full appreciation of this remarkable city.

You are in for a treat! To understand China one must understand Beijing. While written by academics it is highly accessible to the lay public - it is MUST READ for anyone who has ever visited Beijing or is contemplating a visit. The photos and color plates are fascinating. It will be of interest to anyone who wishes to understand the culture, food, customs and the multi layered history of Beijing and of China - it also provides a nuanced view of urban planning gone awry in one of the fastest changing cities on the planet.

This is a great reference book for historians doing research or for anyone who wants to learn more about Beijing and Chinese history. The book leads you from Beijing's rise as an imperial capital city to its emergence as an Olympic City. Although Beijing's history is long and complicated, the authors have succeeded in the difficult task of putting so much information into a book yet keeping it succinct, interesting, and easy to follow. The fascinating stories of ordinary residents add a personal touch to the book, while the pictures revive many details of the past.

I have been to Beijing many times. But after reading the book, I felt like wanting to go back right away to find out more about this capital city.

This book came as a answer to a Dream. Just what I wanted. An insight into what Textil-Arist are doing. And some of them are Masterpieces. Of course I have my favered pieces, hope you find your's.
A book I will keep on my coffetable for a long time.

I've been eyeballing this book for quite some time and finally added to my collection.

I have a BFA in Crafts and am always on the lookout for books which address craft as a fine art form versus craft as a DIY/hobby. By Hand definitely covers it.

this book is a really interesting look into the crafty end of fine art. the photos are lovely and the short essays are fun to read.

This is an excellent book. It has something for everyones taste. I highly recommend Villa Vista Magica. It is the one on the cover and is fantastic!

I went and visited at one of these houses. It was the most amazing place I had ever been. I recommend anyone to go there. It is heaven and the area is great not yet insanely americanized like Cancun. 5000 a night to rent these places check it out.

This book was enough to start me dreaming of retiring to Mexico--or maybe just taking a looong vacation there! The photographs are stunning--really incredible. I also enjoyed the writing style in the sections where they discuss the goals for each house and the owners and architects input toward the whole project.

The story told in Conquest by Law could be the Enron scandal of the 19th Century...the irony is that it is all true and that you wouldn't have imagined it in your wildest dreams. We are used to a context in which the Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court of the land. It is implicit today that when the Supreme Court says what the law "is"...that is it, 'the final word'! However, when this story began there was no such confidence and no history of Supreme Court precedent! The Supreme Court was just another forum for speculation and that is what the protagonists do in Conquest by Law.

The speculation on land and the profiteering that was the underlying motive was not originally designed to marginalize or dispossess Native Americans...but that is quickly what it became... It was, as so many scandals are, all about money. The King and then later the Congress implusively protected Indian Land, but not for the Indians, for themselves. And that is where the conflict begins, with a tug of war over who had the right to buy land directly from the Tribes. The nation's first and arguably, most important jurist eventually crafted the answer...an answer that created a "legitimate" dispossession of Indian Land, a legal conquest that remains the most devastating defeat in the history of Native Americans.

Prof. Robertson exposes the scandal and legal manuevering behind Chief Justice Marshall's answer. The truth is a story of lies, bribery, politics, and and scandal that reads like a cross between McCullough and Grisham.

This is a great read if you are interested in legal scandal, Native American History, the Supreme Court and/or corporate intrigue. Enjoy!!!

I love a good mystery--and the resolving of the twists and turns that led to it. This book is not only a good "who dunnit" but is also a serious study of a fascinating subject of interest to all English speaking people in the world. I enjoyed the book from cover to cover--it is well written, sprightly, serious, detailed, and generally a good read.

It is not granted to every historian to discover a trunkful of old documents up in an attic somewhere. The fact that the Illinois-Wabash papers, which fortuitously fell into the capable hands of this particular historian, were located in a basement instead, hardly alters the aura surrounding this discovery, nor does it affect the drama of the issues involved. In sifting through the evidence brought to light by this remarkable find, Lindsay G. Robertson has provided more than a mere tale of "olden days" which might be of interest to a cloistered few: he has produced a revolutionary document which may have far-reaching consequences on the "history" of the future, as well as on our reading of the past.

Mr. Robertson's capable exposition of a complex history, and the drawing out of the major themes and undercurrents informing the events of the period makes this work of interest to a broader public than just those who may find themselves involved professionally, or by association, or in the case of Native Americans and aboriginal peoples elsewhere, because it is very much part of their own story. Indeed, the wider ramifications of the judgment in the case of Johnson v. M'Intosh for both Canada and Australia and the indigenous peoples of those far-flung lands, heighten the importance of the decision itself and extend the range of interest of this original work of historical detection and analysis.

It is not an easy story to come to grips with, and our thanks must go to the author for his careful unravelling and clear explanation of the facts surrounding what has partly been obscured by the mists of time, and partly intentionally covered up by many of the original participants. We live in age which has much to consider in the way of recognizing past faults. Much is owed to exploited populations in many lands: from the time of Cortez, no treaties have been signed in South America, and those lands have been subject to plunder for centuries. That the native peoples on our own continent have been herded and exploited perhaps to a lesser extent is no reason for not now attempting to reconcile the historical faults of which all Americans and Canadians now living are the heirs. Mr. Robertson's sensitive review of how the legal foundations for the transfer of Indian land into the hands of speculators, prospectors and other worthies of the period came into being, deserves our full attention.

All in all, Mr. Robertson has produced an eloquent, eminently readable text that ought to foster much debate within the United States and abroad. It is a commendable work of scholarship which should not, must not, go unnoticed. It can, should we decide to take heed, contribute greatly to the furthering of better relations between communities in North America and around the globe - and, in a world which stands in dire need of developing governmental systems that take a diversity of communities into account (Liberia, Rwanda, and the Balkans come to mind at once, but the problem is widespread), that is no small accomplishment.

This book won a book design award by the Association of American University Presses (AAUP) in 1999 in the trade book illustrated category. Book designer: Heidi Haeuser; Publisher: University of Texas Press.

Superb black and white photographs by a premier photographer, displaying the lives of ordinary people and the native customs of various parts of Mexico. A real bargain at the price.

This book contains some of the most extraordinary photographs taken in Mexico. The camera travels through the country capturing images of people, their art, and their environment.

Marion Patterson's book of B&W photographs on the California landscape is visual poetry. These are not the big scenes of an Ansel Adams (who was a dear friend and mentor to Marion), but an intimate vision of nature through a lifetime focused on seeing and expressing her relationship with the living landscape. The print quality is superb, so one can really appreciate the subtleties of these beautiful images.

Marion Patterson is to be commended for her excellent photographic work. A journey of spirit, a delight for the senses, tactile photography at its best....words can't quite capture the essence of these marvelous images, frozen with the click of the shudder for all to see.

This album of delights will be treasured in any collection.

In this stunning collection, photographer Marion Patterson shares her mystical vision of the western landscape. She focuses on the intimate details of the environment-a hidden waterfall cascading down a rocky stair, the twisted roots of a fallen redwood, patterns of foam bubbles and pebbles left by the receding tide. She guides us in savoring the small delights of nature.

A wonderful look at a number of very special women who are forever entwined with this sacred place.

A very inspirational book and a must for anyone interested in the Grand Canyon. Betty's sense of humor captivated me throughout.

Ms. Leavengood delivers a captivating look at the lives of women who helped to shape the Grand Canyon - not geologically, but culturally. These early explorers helped to open up the Canyon for the millions who would follow, and the author does a great job in capturing the both the appeal of the Canyon and of the women who first made the trip. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the Grand Canyon or the human spirit.

Mr. Driebe has done beautiful creative work in his compilation of In Search of the Wild Indian. It is packed full of photographs and has enough history and information to provide the reader with a great understanding of the photographer's life work while instilling the desire to want to learn more about these native peoples. The subjects in the photos are uplifting, haunting and expressive. The energy in this book is amazing. I thank Mr. Driebe for this gift -- it is ageless and will continue to take top billing on my coffee table.

Not often am I willing to spend this amount on a book; this one is worth the price. Excellent pictoral, and the details are just wonderful. Portrays Native Americans as no other work has; in detail and with respect!!

A BEAUTIFUL book and great addition to a home library. This book is about Carl and Grace Moon who had a special connection to the Indians of the southwest, however it is also about the wonderful Native people who inspired them. Many beautiful photos and very in-depth text! These people are still there, I have visited with them often. I hope this book will serve as a wonderful tribute to them.

A.J. Liebling is a quirky, funny, one-of-a-kind writer whom I adore. He's often mentioned in the same breath with Damon Runyon, and they both profile similar obscure wise guys in a clever offhanded idiom. (Runyon's prose is more caustic, and practically a new language.) But I found myself thinking of Mark Twain, too, and even the television program Seinfeld. Liebling will come up with something absolutely hilarious or some wonderfully turned phrase in the midst of a lot of pleasant-enough "nothing." He has the same way of deflating the grand and inflating the trivial that Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George have.

But even I couldn't finish one of these essays, and he's not going to be everybody's cup of tea. I almost bailed on the initial outpouring on the subject of food, but I'm glad I persevered. (I had recently read The Sweet Science and knew this would get better!) He does an extended riff on the idea that to really enjoy food one must have "just enough" money. With too much or too little money you won't be properly adventurous. Nice image, and unless I'm mistaken it applies to just about everything in life.

There is a great range of topics Liebling writes about. Food is one, and be forewarned that his approach is artistic rather than scientific. But also Paris, World War II, boxing, New York, the press, William Randolph Hearst, General Patton, Theodore Dreiser, Sugar Ray Robinson, Stalin, the Louisiana politician Earl Long. My favorite pieces are "Quest for Mollie," about a remarkable soldier in the North African theater, and "Ahab and Nemesis," about Rocky Marciano and Archie Moore.

These stories and many others are simply transcendant, they are so good. Excerpting him is like excerpting a couple of bars of a Brandenburg Concerto, but I'll run the risk. After he decides that Marciano and Moore match up fairly well with the greats of the past, he ends this particular story with a wonderful, lucid image: "...it proved that world isn't going backward, if you can just stay young enough to remember what it was really like when you were really young."

Is there ever enough Liebling? One of the classic observers of American life. If you have never read him, be prepared for a realy good time. A. J. Liebling was basically a reporter with a sense of observation that can only be called vibrant.

This book is a collection of some of his better work. About a third of the book covers World War II where he becan in France in 1939 and continued through a visit made after the war. This is reporting from the field, not to say anything about this unit doing this and that unit doing that, but about people. People not so different than you and I or out soldiers in Iraq.

I read the review in the New York Review of Books and bought the book. I'm not disappointed. A. J. Liebling was just a wonderful writer!