Pins Books

Elvgren is a master of his art. This book truly is a gem at this price. If you love pinup art he is the master. Its a slice of days gone past and pretty girls to write home about. Elvgren will live on forever. Take a piece of history home.

If you love this era of art, this is a beauty. Great coffee table book to spark conversation.

He wasn't the first but he was the best. In terms of technique, taste and visual impact Gil Elvgren ranks as the modern day Rembrandt in the world of illustration of beautiful women. He was my principal inspiration as I am a nationally published illustrator and am frequently called upon to paint beautiful girls in ads. As a student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in studio art, my style and artistic goals were the pariah of most of the art faculty except the very best artist they had on the faculty staff. He understood what I wanted to achieve and I never got less than an A in any studio class. In my senior year I visited Brown & Bigelow Company in St. Paul, where I lived, and submitted samples to Clair Fry, the famous art director who commissioned Elvgren and many other top flight artists for their famous calendars. It was then that I learned that none of these men were on staff but located across the country. He loved my work and gave me great early advice as to how to get going in the commercial art business as they knew nothing about that at the U. of M. I followed his advice and started my career which has lasted over thirty years.

Gil Elvgren was the best for the reasons I previously stated but in addition his work was always in good taste. His girls were downright wholesome and "the girl next door type". They often had the look of being unaware that they were being watched and were usually caught in somewhat innocent and private moments. His work could never ever be termed salacious or perverse as so many of his later day copiers are. The art of the pinup, for the most part, has degenerated somehwhat since Gil Elvgrens day. It probably started with the advent of Playboy and Penthouse magazine and their "foldouts". As long as we have these wonderful retrospective books on artists like Elvgren the public will have the chance to see what great pinup art used to be by the absolute master of the genre.

For anyone interested in my contributions to this art genre my official website is www.dickbobnick.com .

Wonderful picture book, many "suitable for framing." There is something charming about these pinups from another era, not at all sleazy.

What a great Chistmas present this great book made!
There are countless images of funny, sexy and clever pin up situations.
This book spans several decades of incredible art.
Gil Elvgren is indeed a master of his craft.

As someone who enjoys beatiful women, art and illustrations; This is a great book to add to any collection.

Ed Schenng

Like most Taschen art books, this is a high quality publication, nicely printed and bound. There is a good deal of information and many paintings for the top artists (Elvgren, Petty, etc) and short bios and paintings for dozens more. The paintings are why you'd buy it of course, and the reproductions are excellent. Often the editors did not have originals to work from but that seldom shows. A very few of the larger prints of what must be reproductions are a bit blurry, but not many. However, I personally would have preferred fewer examples so that more of the paintings could be full page. Lots are, but in more cases the reproductions are quarter page and sometimes nine to a page. They are still very good due to the quality reproduction, but lose much of their impact. And impact, after all, is what pin-up art was all about. Still, there's something to be said for quantity too, and this 447-page book has hundreds of fine paintings. Two other quibbles. This hardback has a printed cover, rather than a paper cover, which to me makes it less classy as a display book. I know, I know, it's a pin-up book, but still. Also, like many art books, all the descriptions (the words) are in English, German and French. No complaint, but it's worth knowing in advance that many pages are dedicated to this duplication. That said, if the subject interests you, this is a must have, just like another of the authors' pin-up books for Taschen, Gil Elvgren: All His Glamorous American Pin-Ups (Taschen 25th Anniversary Special Editions).

If you like this genre of art, this is a good reference with a wide spectrum of artists and good quality pictures. Nothing obscene, but a bit of titillating work consistent with the style. Good background summaries. Not an all inclusive or exhaustive reference by any means. If you want a lot of a specific artist then you need a book on that artist alone as there is too much out there for one book. This one makes a good coffee table book and is good for art/ fashion inspiration.

I love this huge book. It gave me background on the artists that I wasn't expecting, and discovered new artists that I hadn't seen before. Covers a wide spectrum of styles too. It's my #1 coffee-table book.

They adorned American calendars, magazines, and paperbacks: playful on water skis, glamorous in evening gowns, seductive before their bedroom mirrors, each one presented in luscious, candy-coated colors to beguile the sensibilities of the businessman, the mechanic, the G.I., the clerk. They were "Pin-Ups," artists' near-fantasy renderings of femininity designed to catch and hold the attention of the American male. They were also, unfortunately, disposable--disappearing into the trash when the calendar was out of date, the latest magazine edition released, the book cover worn to tatters.

Fortunately, however, Charles G. Martignette and Louis K. Meisel have gathered together a wide array of these paintings and reproduced them in THE GREAT AMERICAN PIN-UP, a collection drawn from Martignette's own personal collection. And from 1920 to 1980, from Vaughan Alden Bass to Ted Withers, this book offers 447 pages crowded with full page, half page, quarter page, and inset reproductions of the best of the best.

The book opens with a series of essays on the subject--essays which are offered in English, French, and German translations and which cover the social trends and historical events that gave rise to the genre. The entries are listed by artist and ordered alphabetically, each artist receiving at least a small note and some, such as the legendary Vargas, considerably more. But this is all extra stuff: then as now, the real attraction is the art itself, and it is all beautifully reproduced in the full brilliance of original color.

Whether the portraits are bathing beauty cheesecake, sultry glamor, or ill-concealed nudity beneath transparent robes, what most marks the classic pin-up is a sense of playful innocence, and that comes shining through in this truly entertaining, colorful, and often beautiful book. If you are looking for a glimpse of the art, here it is--in all it's radiant and sometimes naughty glory. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

An absolutely brilliant book. It bridges the gap between coffee table book and text book. An excellent overview of pinup art with glorious reproductions of the original pinup girls.

I cannot rave enough about this book. As I'm sure most translators or more authoritative people will point out, the translation quality here is superb. But, from the angle of the guy who knows almost zilch about that, the book offers guidance and discipline. While the original is short and to the point, this book offers a more 'warm' (if I can call it that) feeling, with photographic, smooth paper and various related pictures from the time.

That being said, this book also features commentary by other guys from the time relating to their opinions of Sun Tzu's words. It's definitely interesting to get perspectives from them and not just the author or translator. I felt that was a unique addition that really added to the book. You can read the whole thing of Sun Tzu's words in a couple days or so, but the deep discussion behind it offers a whole 'nother book in and of itself.

book arrived on time and in condition described

This edition makes for a terrific gift for the college graduate. The illustrations and photos add visual interest; the text layout makes for "easy" reading. Although we already own several editions of this classic, this will be added to our personal collection.

This is a classic work on what works and doesn't work it war. It is from the 3rd century BC and cuts through the BS of modern war science. Must reading for all future Presidents, Secretaries of Defense and General Officers.

As a Chinese, I can say that author grasp the essence of Art of war and the English is beautiful.

I see adiobook on this topic. What no one for this version? strongly suggest and if come out I would buy it firstly.

This is an outstanding summary of Bettie's life and her impact on modeling, art, pin-up, photography, and those needing encouragement in overcoming obstacles. The book is a nice way to learn about Bettie Page and those individuals she worked with during her career and growing up. It stops short of telling about recent events, but gives one a good understanding of the lady. The information is factual and well written. Much speculation has been made about the time she walked away through the present, but this is a nice account with the facts that we know to be true without the speculation. The pictures within this book are amazing and many won't be seen anywhere else. The information about those individuals she touched, encountered was interesting as well. Good read.

So said one of her photographers. What a marvelous book. If you're like me, and have been a Bettie fan for years, you've been waiting for this book. For years one could find stuff on her only in comic shops and the like, dealing in old memorabilia from the Fifties, or in various "alternative" shops that sold her image on T shirts. As a teen that's where I learned about her, thanks to "The Rocketeer," the comic "The Bettie Pages," and psychobilly trash-punk band the Cramps, who for a short time had a bass player the spittin' image of our fair maiden. Now that we've finally opened our eyes, we can buy several books on her, this being by far the best. It is the ne plus ultra of Bettiebooks, of pin-up books in general. What a trend-setter; a humble, troubled, open and honest woman who was not exploited, who has not turned herself into a PC victim--she's idolized by smart, hip young women who see in her freedom, sexuality, playfullness, life itself. This book had better be reprinted--it's an absolute crime to be unavailable. Get this book by any means necessary!

I bought this book for my husband's birthday last year; he has always thought Bettie Page was great, and he is the one who enlightened me about her. As an artist, I was drawn to her style and unpretentiousness, and have drawn her twice so far.

This book is well-written and leads the reader through Bettie's life; from her start and to her present day in a respectful and fascinating manner. I came away from this book understnanding the appeal she had to men, and wanting to draw her portraits over and over.

There was one another 50's icon who rivals Marilyn in popularity today--Bettie Page. True, she didn't make any A-movies, but like Marilyn, embodied that woman who drew a fine line between good girl/bad girl and crossed the lines as easily as one drank Coca-Cola. Unlike Marilyn, Bettie survived, but like Marilyn, her legend lives on for one simple reason: she dropped out of sight in 1957 following the fall of Irvin and Paula Klaw by the Kefauver Committee on indecency and pornography and refused to have herself be photographed as she is now. Thus, she is remembered as she was back then. And as her life has become simpler, she values her privacy. She says so as much in the hand-written foreword, at the same time surprised and honoured that so many people are interested in her.Karen Essex and James L. Swanson book is a great place to start for those curious about Bettie Page. Basically, it's a biography accompanied by lots and lots of colour and b&w photos, many of them topless. There are two of them which has her completely nude. She also posed for countless magazine covers and photographers. Art Amsie's photos are the best of the lot here. Bunny Yeager is touched on briefly, but that woman has a book on herself so... Looking at the early Bettie, before she became a pin-up from 1947, is also quite a revelation. She is still beautiful, but in an ordinary way, like a typical girl growing up in 1940's America.There is clearly a dualism going on here. There's the pretty wholesome girl in the bathing suit or maybe not, and then there's the darker leatherbound fetish girl, be she receiver or giver. That latter half led to her downfall. The point also was that she enjoyed her work, mainly the lighter beach stuff. You can see it in those twinkling eyes and smile of hers.The last section of the book features models who have been influenced by her, be they in clothes or just looking like her. Of the lookalikes, Eva Herzigova, Debi Mazar, and Janice Dickinson have got it down to the bangs, (it's the bangs that did it for Bettie, after all), long black hair, and prominent eyebrows.Apart from being one of fantasy artist Olivia's favourite subjects, Bettie's images appear on album covers by My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and the David Lee Roth Band. Her three videos, Teaserama, where she acts opposite stripper legend Tempest Storm, Varietease, and Strip-O-Rama have come out. She'll live on, no doubt about it.Anyone interested in Bettie Page-start with this book. You won't be disappointed.

This is the ultimate book on Bettie Page. This book is for every true Bettie fan. Even contains an introduction from Bettie herself.

If you really want to follow the history of legend, this is the ultimate book on Betty Mae Page!

This is a must-have resource. Gorgeous illustrations, detailed descriptions and referenced by the leaders in the field.

it is amazing that such an authoritative text can actually be written. but there it is!. a masterpiece, which is so encompasing that words fail. braunwald has a tradition and every new edition is a towering giant over the previous.seeing is beleiving, thus i strongly recommend this text to any one wishing to perfect himself in any aspect of cardiology.

Anyone familiar with Dr. Braunwald's superb cardiovascular exploits in the "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine" would not be surprised by the richness of this book.
The diligently crafted chapters are comprehensive, authoritative, well-illustrated, and include all the 'ins' and 'outs' of contemporary cardiology. It is one of the most consistent and coherent multi-authored texts in the field.
This single-volume CD-ROM package is a rich blend of evidence based medicine, best practice, and all the user-flexibility an e-book enthusiast would expect.

Dr. James Thogtam: A classic book for those in the field

WITH THE SEVENTH EDITION OF BRAUNwald's Heart Disease, the editors have accomplished an impressive feat: improving on an already classic text. With 36 new chapters and full-color figures and photographs, the new edition is substantially altered in both content and appearance. Compared with the rather limited color-plate photographs in the sixth edition, the color photographs, figures, and tables in each chapter significantly enhance the new text.

Informative chapters on the foundations of cardiovascular medicine remain, including detailed discussions of history taking, physical examination, and electrocardiography, topics often overshadowed in an era of rapidly progressive medical technology.....

The seventh edition of Braunwald's Heart Disease would be a worthy addition to the medical library of any practicing cardiologist, cardiology fellow, or health care practitioner with a special interest in heart disease.

THIS MASTERPIECE IN CARDIOLOGY BRINGS TO SPECIALISTS AND HEALTH PROVIDERS IN GENERAL THE APPROACH TO KNOWLEDGE FOR SUCCEDING IN THEIR TASKS.SINCE THE BASIC AND SIMPLE TO THE MOST COMPLEX UPDATED AWARENESS, THIS ENCYCLOPEDIA CONVEYS THE READER THROUGH THE RIGHT PATH, AS A DIDACTIC AND AMUSING STORY OF CARDIOLOGY.
RAUL M. MARCH MD

I've read virtually every bowling book available (and quite a few that are out of print) and this is by far the best.

It is incredibly detailed, advanced bowlers will love it, new bowlers may be a bit overwhelmed at first.

An excellent book. It's not an easy read by any means but for any bowler looking to improve their average, this book is a can't miss! Kouros breaks the game down into elements I either hadn't even thought of or completely took for granted. If you are serious about your game and buy this book I guarantee you will not regret it! Buy it now!

Mr Kouros' tome combines a scenic tour of the game and a technical manual on how to play it. His chapter on the various releases alone is worth the cover price. Other insightful items include a behind-the-scenes peek at PBA Tour conditions and a thoughtful piece on the mysteries of the "mid-roll", probably the Holy Grail of all serious bowlers. Heavy stuff to wade through - then again it's never easy to haul pure gold out of them mines. I've read through the book a couple of times now and there is always something new to catch my attention. This book is the next best thing to a full-time coach. If you love the game, you should get a copy to keep.

Par Bowling is one of the great books on bowling. Kuros goes through all the intracies in the game. Well worth reading and studying. It has helped my game tremendously. The book does need to be updated to more modern conditions and it would be wonderful if Kuros could expand more on the ideas and even use more elaborate graphics. To some, the book may seem too detailed, but that is its strength. Kuros does a masterful job of breaking down the elements of good bowling and develing into them. He also is wide open to what's good bowling and what is not and also where one can be flexible. I especially enjoyed is talk abot "mid-roll" - a real secret to putting good action on ball.

I've had several copies of Tom's book including the original `Par Bowling'. They never seem to find there way back to me. While there are various reasons why this is so, the foremost reason is the value of the content. Carmen Salvino a true legend of the game is reputed to have called Kouros after the release of the initial book asking him how he could publish all of this knowledge for $3.95 (original price). Actually, the term Tom used in the interview was that Carmen was livid (source: Phantom radio show). Personally, I've read, watched, listened, attended seminars, gotten certified as a coach, most of what I've learned and know has it's genesis in Tom's book. Yes, it's encyclopedic in nature, he explains the how's, why's when's, discusses exceptions etc. While it's true that the game has changed due to an evolving environment and equipment revolution, Tom's book remains a primary repository of bowling knowledge. Tom has been cited by other top coaches as being among if not the best.
Truly if bowling had a Mount Rushmore Equivalent, Tom's image would be there.

This is a great book. It describes the slow descent of humanity into an abyss.

Pin Yathay's biography is a unique dramatic and shocking report on the Red Khmer regime in the 1970s in Cambodia.
It contains an excellent first-hand account of the disorderly evacuation of Phnom Penh after the Red Khmer victory in the civil war. After the evacuation, the whole country was turned into an experiment of totalitarian economy (no money, no private property, spying on everybody). The main ideological aim was equality at any cost, not freedom, except naturally for the members of Angkar (the Organization) themselves.
The whole system resulted in murderous labour camps with hundreds of thousands of deaths from hunger, exhaustion, torture and summary executions of 'enemies' of the system. A terrible shame for humanity and for the ideologically pure left.

The escape to Thailand reads like a nail-biting but bitter thriller. It was a real and, for some family members, deadly escape, not fiction.

Apart from its uncontested historical value, this book should be read as a warning against the madness of pure ideologists, who, once in power, accept without the slightest remorse millions of human casualties in order to implement their maniacal policies.

For a more political (national and international), economical and social analysis of the Cambodian history and the Red Khmer regime, I recommend the works of David P. Chandler and Ben Kiernan, as well as William Shawcross's 'Sideshow'.

this book should really help all of us appreciate our lives. It is amazing what he and his family went through! I could not put this book down! BY the way, does anyone have any recent info on the author? It would be interesting to see what he is up to now, and how his life is going, and if he ever contacted his son Naweth, or obtained any information.

This tragic biography traces the story of an educated man and his family in Phnom Penh. Subjected to the indescribable barbaric cruelty that the Khmer Rouge inflicted on its own countrymen, the writer provides the reader with their sense of hopelessness that gripped their nation less than 30 years ago. His hardship and ultimate triumph is the very definition of human survival and the will to survive. Anyone wanting to gain a better understanding of the plight of the Cambodian people under the Khmer Roughe MUST read this book. I can guarantee that when you finish reading this book you will undoubtedly take a moment to think about humanity itself.

Pin Yathay's amazing account of his ordeal under the Khmer Rouge is truly unforgettable and deeply moving. He was a successful engineer who had gone to college in Montreal and had a big happy family in April of 1975 when everything about his world changed forever. At first he and other members of the family didn't believe that anything was going to happen with the new rulers in power (after all, he had supported the Khmer Rouge against the opposition leader Lon Nol and believed they would give Cambodians a better life). Even when they were forced to evacuate Phnom Penh soon after the takeover of power, he didn't believe that anything horrible would happen to them. Most of the people forced onto the road believed that this would merely be a temporary evacuation and that before long, once the political situation became stable, they would be allowed to return home and be put to good use working for the new regime.

It wasn't long before the true intentions of the Khmer Rouge became known. In their ruthless fanatical quest to purgue the nation of anything smacking of the old regime, they took away anything deemed to be "imperialist," even something like the registration for a car, a pair of glasses, or certain types of clothing. Their hatred of all things "imperialist" was so irrational and fanatical that they would even throw away or destroy things like cars or foreign money, things that could have been very useful to them in their position of power or quest to supposedly reform the country. Although Thay hid his true background from them, fearing execution or imprisonment if they knew how high-ranking he'd really been, he and his family were still deemed "New People" (as opposed to the "Ancients," or peasants, who were left alone because they hadn't lived or worked like "imperialists"), and therefore sent from work camp to work camp in the forests and jungles, made to work the land and do other backbreaking hard labor. Hunger, disease, and fatigue soon began to take their toll on the people in these work camps, and before long only he, his wife Any, and one of his sons were left. He and his wife made the incredibly difficult decision to leave their surviving child Nawath behind in a hospital, in the care of an older woman who promised to look after him, so that they might escape and live, and then one day be able to return to Cambodia to look for him.

The account of Thay's arduous trek through the jungle and into Thailand is incredibly powerful and compelling, a true testament to the will to survive. After he was left alone, he knew he had an obligation to all of his lost loved ones to live, to testify to the world about what was happening in Cambodia, so that their deaths would not have been in vain. It gave him the courage and strength to live even after he ran out of lighter fluid and food supplies and had to resort to eating the raw meat of animals such as tortoises and bats, and to escape again after being recaptured by some Khmer Rouge near the border. And all along the way, the dying words of his father, ordering him to stay alive, urged him on even when succumbing to the elements or his hunger and fatigue might have been a welcome relief. This book is both excellent history and a moving story of survival against the odds, and, when it comes to books about this era in Cambodian history and this particular genocide of the 20th century, is as good a place to start as any.

What a thrill to find Jeff Meyer's book at Amazon and Barnes& Noble! I had no idea he was working on one - and one so comprehensive as this. I knew he was extremely involved in the historic tree/seed program and research. There is also a very interesting documentary on this subject that Jeff appeared in and advised on, which was aired on PBS this year. His mother, Joanne, has been a strong influence on Jeff in this field. She is a tireless member of The Garden Club of America and, by her efforts, raised the conciousness of many.This book is a fine explanation of all the work that has been done to preserve history, as well as to make us more aware of how important beautiful trees are to our quality of life on this planet. The photography is marvellous and the book is a wonderful read, as well as a great coffee table book for just a quick pickup. We all love a "picture book", don't we?

Nurseryman and author Jeffrey Meyer started the project called America's Famous and Historic Trees, wherein said trees are rescued for posterity through seed propagation. Seventeen specimens are discussed, each featured in a chapter that relates the tree's historic significance, botanical description and instructions for propagation and placement of the tree. There is one color photograph of each of the seventeen trees, with many small black-and-white photos and drawings. Initially I was disappointed that the book did not take more pains to represent these trees more lovingly with good color photography, but the inspiration is in the text and the companion project, and one is struck by the brilliant simplicity of Meyer's idea for preserving these lovely old giants.

America's Famous and Historic Trees is a wonderful book that seamlessly blends history with horticulture. I found the biographies of the trees immensely interesting. The John F. Kennedy tree story was particularly touching. Equally apealling were the various descriptions of "how to", grow your own trees from seeds. I never realized how difficult this could be without the right information. This book is a must for every home gardener and it might just teach you something you didn't know about history.

I bought, "America's Famous And Historic Trees" as an Arbor Day gift for an old friend who loves all things trees. In looking it over, I decided to buy another one for myself because it's just too good not to have. The author of the book, Jeffrey G. Meyer is a latter day Johnny Appleseed who has been planting trees successfully since he was five years old. I loved all of the stories, particularly the Elvis Presley and George Washington portions. This is not only a fascinating read, it

contains really valuable information on how to actually grow trees from seeds. This is also an excellent book for all ages.

Here is a book that combines a love of trees with famous American individuals to make an outstanding addition to any book collection. The author, Jeffrey Meyer, gives an account of 17 of the most noted trees and the historic persons associated with them. From the Indian (Comanche) Marker Pecan or George Washington Tulip Poplar to John F. Kennedy=s Post Oak or Elvis Presley=s Pin Oak, Meyer goes through pages of American history to pick out some the most significant figures of the time (Patrick Henry, Lewis and Clark, Johnny Appleseed, Frederick Douglass, Wyatt Earp, etc) and the trees (Osage Orange, Cottonwood, Rambo Apple, White Oak, Black Walnut, etc) that meant so much to them. In so doing, he provides the reader with a fine book, easy to read, beautifully published, with magnificent black/white and color photos and illustrations, and sidebars on how and where to grow the particular tree. As a idea and as a published work, America=s Historic Trees ranks in the top five per cent of books I would urge all to read and enjoy.

Having always been a fan of Betty and Veronica (I'm more of a Veronica type myself), I was happily surprised to see the release of this book. Mr. DeCarlo's art is a great romp through thrugh the golden age of comic pin ups. It's a treasure for anyone who appreciates erotica with a sense of fun and for those of us who in our younger days wished that the Archie Comics girls were just a little more scandalous!

Dan DeCarlo is considered by many comics fans to be the quintessential Archie artist -- and considered by all comics fans to be the best delineator of Archie's rival girlfriends, Betty and Veronica. DeCarlo, who died in 2001, also had a prolific career as a pin-up artist for humor magazines, and this little tome collects some of his best work from the late 50s and early 60s. DeCarlo had a knack for making his women appear funny and sexy at the same time. While most of the gags aren't much, the girls are simply TOO much. There's some (relatively tasteful) nudity here, but most gags involve skimpy clothing and lingerie, so I'd rate this between a PG-13 and a "soft" R.

I had heard of Dan DeCarlo from the older Archie Comics and was surprised to see that he had done more provocative works in other magazines. His art style was the basis for the female characters in Archie's gang, and has been imitated many times since. There are a LOT of his older single-panel gags from several adult magazines. If you like nice artwork and nicely-drawn woman, it's a must have!

The Pin-Up Art of Dan DeCarlo is an absolutely gorgeous collection of work from 1956 through 1963, when the cartoonist was at the peak of his powers.

For those who came late, Dan DeCarlo got his cartooning start working at Timely (later Marvel) Comics drawing such fare as Millie the Model and Sherry the Showgirl for Stan Lee. From the late 50s into the 90's, DeCarlo was the quintessential Archie artist, best known for his work on the daily Archie comic strip and his definitive depictions of the yin and yang of Riverdale sexuality, Betty and Veronica. Millions of adolescent boys felt peculiar stirrings while reading about the exploits of the wealthy brunette and the wholesome blonde (particularly while engaging in their titular Summer Fun... no pun intended).

The discovery years later that DeCarlo was moonlighting as a girlie cartoonist for the Humorama line of men's magazines was, for some fanboys, the sociological equivalent of the discovery of the early nude photos of Madonna or Vanessa Williams. As sexy as Betty and Veronica were, they were chaste (to Archie's eternal frustration). The women DeCarlo drew for Zip, Joker and Laugh Riot were not innocent. And they were often naked.

While DeCarlo's drawings of men came in all shapes and sizes, critics charge that all of his women looked exactly alike, with the same rounded face, turned-up nose and hourglass figure; That the only differing feature was the hairstyle. It's a valid point, but in the end it doesn't matter. It's like criticizing the Ramones for recording the same song over and over. Yeah, they did. And better than anyone else.

DeCarlo's art was pure cartooning, clean and distinctive, with a masterful line and a sense of design that rivalled anyone's. He drew clothes better than almost any cartoonist this side of Hank Ketcham (not that there's a lot of sartorial evidence in this book) and his comedic timing was exemplary.

The Pin-Up Art of Dan DeCarlo (compiled by Alex Chun and Jacob Lovey) is beautifully printed in a black and orange two toned scheme, mostly full page cartoons with some devoted to detail from the art. There are a few problems. An out of place pin-up drawn by DeCarlo in 2000 awkwardly stretches across two pages near the end of the book, none of the cartoons are dated or annotated and the text for the gags has been redone, but those are minor complaints (the absolutely hideous sliced lettering used for the title of the book is unforgiveable, however). This book is indispensible for anyone who loves pin-up art, beautiful cartooning.... or ever wanted to see Betty and Veronica naked.

Not that I ever thought about that.

I just love this stuff. For every time our parents claim how properly they were brought up, there is a cartoon in this book that reminds me that they were every bit as bawdy as we are today. They just had better taste about it. This book starts with a history that isn't all that much to read and then single panel cartoons each page. The art is what it is and the jokes are the ones we've been retelling for years so it must be good stuff.

I've gotten a lot of use out of this book. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Would make a great gift for a teen or pre-teen.

I bought this book shortly after receiving a ton of beads for Christmas and I had a great time making these! They are easy to make and the instructions are simple and clear. The best part is that it comes with all that you make them. The bobby pins turn out beautiful and I love wearing them in my hair!

I love this book. It is easy to use and turns out beautiful beads. The one thing it lacks is a ruler. I used a permanent marker to make a ruler on the inside back cover. Then all you need is wire cutters and you're ready to start crafting!

I bought this book hoping to learn a new skill--and I did. The instructions are simple to follow, and quite varied, enabling the reader to make a wide assorment of designs. Most importantly, all materials needed come with the book. Although I purchased additional beads, wire, and pins so as to not yet take the supplementary package apart, I was still able to make some beautiful hair assortments. What's great is that these bobby pins take so little time to make, and they can be customized to an infinate extent.

This book is not only easy to use, providing all supplies along with crystal-clear insructions, but the results are also spectacular. Whenever I wear a pin in my hair, people ask about it, and always respond, "You MADE that?" The only complaint I have is with the dragonfly instructions. It looks much better to use two E beads with a faceted bead in the middle for the body and tiny seed beads for the eyes. Look at the pictures to get ideas for your favorite construction. The pictures in this book are a true inspiration. I love making these pins and have become an addict.