Bell Books

This is a simple book but very satisfying. There is very little text. The 6 page Introduction by Julian Bell is the only narrative but it is a wonderful introduction to the subject of self-portraiture in western art. Each picture has a brief caption that lists the artist, her/his birth and death dates, title and date, a brief description of materials and size, and the location of the original. The portraits are arranged in the book in rough chronological order. At the end of the book is an index by artist and a list of acknowledgements.

Each page consists of one self portrait as large as the page will allow with its caption description. One of the drawbacks to the book is that it is only 4.5" x 7", and the reproductions are small as a result. A larger format would have allowed for larger prints but would have cost more to produce.

Sadly, the work limits itself primarily to western art and I was left wondering about the role of self portraiture in African and Asian art. Outside minor limitations of physical size and scope of coverage, the book is exquisite candy to the eye and mind.

By century, the works break down as follows: 24th c. B.C.E. - 1; 9th c. - 1; 11th c. - 1; 12th c. - 1, 14th c. - 4; 15th c. - 35; 16th c. - 57; 17th c. - 78; 18th c. - 57; 19th c. - 89; 20th c. - 193. The compilers put all of an artists self portraits side by side. There are 10 Rembrandts, 4 Van Goghs, and 4 Picassos. There are also 45 self portraits by women.

Geographically, the artists are from 36 countries. 26 of these countries are in Europe, 4 are in the Western Hemisphere, 3 countries are in the Middle East, 2 are in Africa and one in Asia. The index in the back of the book lists the countries the artists were born in or worked in, as well as their occupations and specialties. The countries represented are Armenia, Austria, Belorussia, Bohemia, Britain, Canada, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, Flemish Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Moravia, The Netherlands, North Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, South Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

I would have liked to have read this book with an encyclopedia of artists at hand. This is a valuable addition to any art library. Highly recommended.

This small scale (though weighty) tome is a compact , wide-ranging survey of Western art in the most personal of terms - self portraits of artists both well known and obscure. The brief essay by Julian Bell sets the overture tone for this enlightening stroll through art history from 2350 BC to 1997 AD. And though we know well the self portraits of Rembrandt, Durer, van Gogh, Andy Warhol, and Cindy Sherman, it is a pleasure to explore the vast frescoes of the Middle Ages and the commissioned paintings of the Renaissance and find subtle artist self portraits in the crowd scenes! Another aspect of this important survey is the inclusion of women painters from history and recent past/present. We all know the stature of Artemisia Gentileschi, but who has had the pleasure of viewing Judith Leyster, Sofonisba Anguissola, Catharina van Hemessen, Elisabeth- Louise Vigee-Lebrun in context with Goya, Velasquez, Carravagio, Whistler, Ingre, Freud, Bacon, Saville, etc.? The reproductions are rich, intimate, often enhanced by well-cropped details if the painter's image is one face in a huge canvas. How better to take quietly study art development, technique, subject matter, social commentary than to slowly page though this engrossing collections of artists as they viewed themselves. Buy this book, before it goes out of print!

I purchased this book as a gift for my father in law, an artist and it was very well recieved. I did not get to peruse it at my leisure becaue it was wrapped in plastic, but once I did I regretted not buying a copy for myself.

Derrick Bell is the well known former Harvard law professor who left his tenured position at Harvard because of the school's refusal to deal equitably with women of color. He has written a number of books, and those featuring Geneva Crenshaw are among his best. This latest book focuses on racism, and takes a deeper look at Jewish-black relationships, and the property rights in white skin color. While most thinking black Americans wouldn't find much to challenge here, many whites will find this a disturbing book on a number of levels.

The statement made by the fictional president of the USA that "we can no longer afford whiteness as an assumed right of citizenship" is one which should engender serious thinking among whites who want to really understand 21st century America. Even though this book was published in 1998, the issues it raises have not disappeared with the change in the century, increased numbers of "mixed" race children, and increased intermarriage between American blacks and others.

Would I buy this book? Yes. Would I keep it? Yes. This is a worthy read with plenty to think about.

Derrick Bell returns to his "legal fiction", which again proves fascinating. Prof. Bell amplifies the sub rosa elements of race relations in the US, and holds them up to the light. This is a great read for any thinking person. Not to be missed.

What I found most impressive about this book is the way it challenges assumptions and attitudes about Jewish racism and hegemony. Bell is a courageous and brilliant writer, and this is the best novel I have read in several months. And as a feminist and white woman, I found it much more interesting than many other books by white writers who attempt to address these issues. Highly recommended.

as a person who has read many books on Alcatraz, i can say that this is an excellent book to read, filled with many pictures. Describes all the escape attempts, and generally keeps you from putting it down to read it in one sitting..... I highly reccommend it!!!Great insites on The Birdman, Creepy, etc...some facts that other books dont reveal...

I have read about ten books on Alcatraz and this one is by far the best. The author is the son of one of the guards that was at Alcatraz. He has certainly done his homework before writing this book. He lists each attempted escape from the first to the last listing the participants and what happened during the attempt and also what eventually happened to each inmate.

This book was great!!! It contained much precise information about the Island, from beginning to end: Conquistadores to the closure of the Federal Pennitenary on March 21, 1963. It personified many individuals who lived on Alcatraz, both families and inmates. It also gave a very descriptive overview of almost every part of the prison and it's operations. The book also has much information about individual prisoners and their escape attempts. Not to mention, the book is loaded with tons of pictures. I believe this book was the greatest book ever writtten about Alcatraz Island Federal Pennitenary. I guess enough to make me want to go into the field of Corrections Administration. The book is very easy to read, along with many vivid pictures on each page that makes the entire book very impressive. Mr. Donald Hurley did an outstanding job!!!

World limnologists predict that the global water supply will, by 2060, cause greater concern to human existence than a shortage of fossil fuels. The Anandrous Journey is a highly readable adventure about a female protagonist and a zoology professor who managed to triumph over everything from the sexism of the early 1900's to physical dangers encountered on scientific expeditions. Her study of microscopic plankton continues to be a vital ecological factor in determining the projected life of Earth's bodies of water. How Hattie Bell Merrill, a petite five foot tall women, stood up to her male counterparts is described with amusing and revealing imagery of the moral, social and professional mores of her era.

Hattie Bell Merrill stood barely 5 ft. tall from her men's boots to the top of her pompadour. The author describes her delicate 100 pound frame as, "usually encumbered with camera and specimen gathering equipment as she trekked through hazardous, unknown terrain." She traveled by steamship, river boats, cog rail and horseback to areas where few white women ventured. She mingled equally with peasants, wealthy industrialists, natives of the rain forest and men of letters and science. When Merrill ventured out from her sepia-toned academic community in the North to the vivid spectrum of the tropical Amazon and South America she stated,"It was as liberating as loosing the constraints of my corset stays and changing into a shift." This is a biography that will make the reader want to cheer for the heroine who coped with obstacles more of man than of beasts.

M. L. Hartridge writes with accuracy and compassion this turn of the century saga as one who actually lived during the life of her heroine. The vivid descriptions of cultural contrasts in The Anandrous Journey are exiting visions in print!

A gripping novel set to the historical background of the NewMexico Territory in the 1870's. It deviates from the atypicalapproach of bar room fights, contrived sex scenes, and shallowcharacter development found in the paperback novels of today. The primary characters, Jack McLarem and Kriss Andersen, have depth and feeling. It's almost like I've known them as friends. I couldn't put the book down from start to finish. Great novel. END

Set in New Mexico in the late 1870s, Hewson's tale of brutal revenge and retaliation uses the last year of Victorio's hostilities as a framework. That Apache leader and other historical figures make token appearances, but center stage is held by peaceable, somewhat cynical rancher, Jack MacLaren, friend of Victorio and a man of honor. Much better written than most straight westerns, but bloody. Reviewed by Books of the Southwest.

This Western novel is more real than most. Well researched. The story twists in unusual ways with an excellant conclusion. The epilogue puts some closure on everything so the reader isn't left wondering. I can't wait for the sequel "The Copper Queen". I'm not a Western novel fan but enjoyed Apache Sundown a lot, it's a book anyone should enjoy

This is an excellent resource for lunar and planetary events, both past and future. I have been regularly consulting it for many years. The section on lunar occultations is especially invaluable for those seeking to predict local conditions. I own six books by Meeus. All are significant contributions to my astronomical library. Meeus is the master of celestial mechanics. Anyone interested in astronomy and the movements of celestial objects will appreciate any book by Jean Meeus.

So....a woman with a bright, happy sheen to her voice calls me, the Planetarium Manager at the Bishop Museum in Hawaii, and asks "when is the full moon in August of 2003?" "You're getting married then, right?" "Yes, how did you know?" When I get such questions...and I love getting them, love that chance to help connect astronomy with the personal lives of our visitors...I reach for Mr. Meeus's book. This is an invaluable resource. If you need moon phases, or equinox times, or whatever, deep into the new century...this book has it. Anyone who has any role in the public interpretation of astronomy needs it on her/his shelf. -Shanahan

For anyone wanting to find out exact times of celestial phenomena several decades in advance,I recommned this book. Excellent writing done by the world's most expert on calculations of this nature.

I've spent decades searching out truths about existence which made sense, gradually gravitating toward Hinduism. The ancient Vedas contained details about the physical nature of reality (corresponding to quarks and string theory etc) which only recently have started to be confirmed by modern science, due to the increasing power and sophistication of microscopes and telescopes. They were written thousands of years ago, allegedly revealed by "higher masters."

This incredibly informative and concise book explains the deepest, most profound beliefs in clear simple terms. Beautifully written, there is nothing excessive about the prose. Every page contains important information explaining everything you need to know about God and life and the nature of the universe.

Hinduism is the only major monotheistic religion on earth which acknowledges there is some truth in the others, and it is (to my mind) clearly the most objective and intelligent.

Forget all the "New Age" books and read this instead. It is the REAL DEAL.

I give my highest recommendation to this book. It was my first introduction to Vedic philosophy and I found it to be an excellent one. It explains the existence of the world and God in a way that accords with physics, string theory, and science despite the fact that this philosophy was developed 4,000 years ago or more. I was also fascinated to read about the connections with Buddhism and Christianity (in the footnotes).

Very few persons have taken the time to read the entire collection of writings comprising Vedantic wisdom.
Some have read the Upanishads; many more the Bhagavad Gita. Very few have read these and the most ancient texts -- the four Vedas.

In this very short book, Chatterji, a respected Indian scholar presents the "gist" of Vedantic wisdom.

As the author says in his preface, his purpose was to present "...a concise and comprehensive statement as to how the Veda, the most ancient wisdom of India, regards life, its origin, purpose, and goal."

In my opinion, he has succeeded admirably.

This book (and all in the portable poets collection from Everyman's Library) is wonderfully presented, bound, printed and the size is truly perfect for carrying around day to day or packing for a trip. The selection of Tennyson's work is broad - as such it is has something for everyone and every occasion, though if you have or desire a complete collection your money would be best spent elsewhere, unless you don't mind duplicates. As with all Everyman's Library publications it is hardcover with a nice cloth page marker, making it all the more portable.

This is one of the best collections of Tennyson's poems I have ever read. Tennyson's wonderful poems are artfully compiled into this book. I would recommend it to anyone who loves Tennyson's poetry or just wants to see what its all about.

According to Wikipedia , Tennyson is the second most quoted author in the English language, after Shakespeare. This collection provides a surprisingly broad survey of a poetic career spanning more than sixty years. The book is portable , attractively packaged and needing you, to take it on a trip to mountain or beach.( Or a mid-winter's read by the fireside.) The selections are often stirring and profound and there is an over-arching ambience of melancholia...." Come down , o maid , from yonder mountain height "...It's all high drama I tell ye.

July 19, 2008
Review of The Bell Witch Unveiled at Last!

All of my life, I have heard the story of the infamous Bell Witch of current day Adams,
Tennessee. I have heard the story many times and in many different ways, but the most prevalent factor in all stories is that Kate (Cate) Batts was the cause of the "witching" and that she was solely responsible for sending old John Bell to his maker. So, when I learned of the book, The Bell Witch Unveiled at Last by D.J. Lyons, it was like a breath of fresh air. The book's sole purpose- to give a voice to the disenfranchised Cate Batts, who has been a whipping post for far too long. The book brings the legend to life in a very interesting way- through the words of Cate Batts herself.

The book paints a image of Batts that the reader can now associate with the legend. Cate Batts is no longer a faceless feature, but made alive by Lyons to tell her own tale, and by doing so, discloses the true identity of the mysterious Bell Witch.

Hold on to your pants, reader, because Cate Batts will take you for a ride back in time, to the small town of Adams, Tennessee and the home of the Bell Witch!

Adam T. Southern, Reference Librarian
Maury County Public Library System
Columbia, Tennessee

Hi DJ from Teresa,
I just finished your book! And....,Wow!

I hear your voice, your mannerisms so clearly. Now I see why you were the perfect teacher for Conflict Resolution.

My favorite chapter is 77. I feel that this chapter better helped me to learn forgiveness.

My least favorite chapter is 81, Betsy Bell and Joshua. I do not like to hear about child abuse. When it is in the news, when I learn about it from friends who it happen to, I am sad. I am glad that I have not had this experience, but somehow, I internalize their suffering. Somehow, when I read about the abuse to Cate, I expected that. Knowing how strong Cate was, I knew that with her powers, she could succumb. However, I felt different for Betsy...she was so young.

DJ, there is so much more I could say. This is the first book I have read where multiple people speak in first person. I believe you. I believe what you have written. I think I understand your message and purpose for this book. To me, it goes deeper than solving the mystery. Again, I refer to Chap. 77. As one is led through the events, through the dialogue, one begins to understand the underlying message which must be your purpose on this Earth Plane. Do I have it right?

Who Was The True Bell Witch Of Tennessee?

John Bell, of Adams, Tennessee, died on December 20, 1820. Why not? He was old. He was sick. He was comatose. Yet dozens of newspaper articles; a handful of published books, movies, videos, and websites; and countless amateur and professional storytellers all erroneously claim that John Bell was killed by a poltergeist.

Who was this poltergeist many called the `Bell Witch'? Newspapers, books, websites, and countless people familiar with the 1817-1821 haunting gave the finger of blame to a neighbor woman, Cate Batts. Her alleged guilt was purely circumstantial. For the first time, this breakthrough publication reveals the actual identities and motives of the three poltergeists. These three male entities followed John Bell from his former home in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to Adams, Tennessee, seeking their revenge. Within the covers of this book, the Bell Witch is unveiled at last.

About the Author: DJ Lyons

DJ Lyons earned her masters degree with a specialization in storytelling from East Tennessee State University in 1989. She has been a professional storyteller and writer ever since.

To make a very long story short, the storytelling professor requested that DJ research and write the story of the Bell Witch for a Halloween exclusive entitled "Special 1990 Halloween Edition: Appalachian Ghostlore." DJ wrote the story from the point-of-view of Betsy Bell, the teenage daughter. DJ refused to perform the story at the ETSU Halloween Storyfest as she found the story way too depressing.

Three years later, a Knoxville, Tennessee, high school art teacher hired DJ to tell scary stories at her school. This very insistent teacher wanted DJ to tell the story of the Tennessee Bell Witch. Initially, DJ refused. Then a whole series of events transpired that literally changed the whole course of DJ's life. The end result? Not only did DJ perform the story of the Bell Witch at this high school in late October of 1993, she spent the next two years of her life researching and writing this book called "The Bell Witch Unveiled At Last! The True Story Of A Poltergeist." Her goal? She wishes to empower the reader, alleviate superstition and fear, and to bring light to a story that has been shrouded in fear and mystery for far too long. Happy Reading!

I find this guide a be a great source of information for Realtors and Property Managers, from the novice to the old line pros. It covers the many faucets of sales, maintenance and the administration of real property. As a property manager I find it most helpful in my everyday work. The charts and graphs have been great assets in preparing my maintenance directives and checklists. The sections dealing with security and environmental issues have been very helpful in the preparation of various directives. Bell's Guide truly covers real estate from AtoZ and has found a definite spot on my desktop as one of my most important reference sources.

This is a handy little reference - basically a pocket encyclopedia of real estate. I find it useful as a homeowner and even more so as I consider making a change to a new home.

I found this book to be very easy to read and quick for referencing the topics covered. While it may have been designed for use by Real Estate agents and other professionals, as a homeowner (and buyer/seller at different times in life) it includes solid information on repairs, safety and security , mortgaging and keeping property in top value. The next time I move, the charts will be helpful in keeping a focus and going through the process in an organized manner. In the interim, the finance section is helpful in watching opportunities to refinance or restructure my mortgage. I would recommend the book to anyone who owns or who is thinking of owning a home or other property.