Blake Books

This book was purchased as a gift for a friend whom remembered some of these very jokes from his childhood. Corny and innocent, expect these jokes to be memorable and just fun.

My parents had this book, and I remember loving it when I was a kid. I couldn't for the life of me remember the title, so I searched for a while before buying this one off Amazon, hoping that it was the right one. This is ripped off on tons of Internet websites...it's the original source of the on-going Tarzan and Jane elephant jokes. The jokes contained in here aren't meant to be standalone--the book is intended to be read cover to cover (it's short) because the one-linder jokes build on one another.

This book is so cheap that you should take a chance and go out and buy it. Enjoy!

I can't stop laughing. Especially loved the Pygmies joke.

For a very long time I had been curious about Meditation, but did not know how to go about Meditating. A friend told me about this fantastic book "The Power of Stillness". What I liked about this book was that it had daily Meditation exercises for 30 days. Very easy to read with great tips on how to get rid of chatter in ones mind, visualization and breathing techniques. After the 30 days, I felt more inner peace, not so stressed out and clarity in my mind. Meditation is now a very important part of my day thanks to this book. I would highly recommend it.

I have never been one for meditation but I absolutly love this little book. I find the subjects Blake discusses fascinating and compelling and he discusses these principles in a way that is accessible even to the common layman who has never ventured into spirituality before. Blake also adds believability by talking about his own experieces with meditation and spirituality in the book. It is down to earth and honest. He does not offer a cure all for problems people face in life but rather suggests one path to inner peace and strives to remind us what is really important and how to set our priorities or re-evaluate them. This book is beneficial to everyone even if you don't want to start practicing meditation. In the very least you will get out of the book a better and deeper understanding of spirituality and the inner world of everyone including yourself. This book I highly recommend to everyone.

"The real in us is silent; the acquired is talkative." ~Kahlil Gibran

If you have decided to learn to meditate, you can follow the chapters in this book for thirty days. While you are learning to meditate, you can also enjoy wise quotes, Tobin Blake's insight and follow the "stop and practice" tips at the end of each chapter.

Tobin Blake addresses pertinent topics like visualization, forgiveness, resistance, mantras, breath, attachment, thought webs, mindfulness, devotion, contemplation, faith, fear, patience, gratitude, prayer, healing and power.

The fluid creative style of his writing allows you to understand meditation like never before. If you imagined you had to be a mystic, monk, saint or prophet to understand meditation, this book brings meditation into daily life where you can enter into peace on a daily basis.

"When you are meditating to music, don't let yourself get caught up in the melody or lyrics. Instead try to focus entirely on letting go, as you would in any other meditation." ~ pg. 114

On day 15 you are introduced to the idea of using music in meditation. This section explains how to get the most out of your practice and the type of music to look for to enhance your experience. Tobin Blake also shows you how to record a guided meditation.

Even if you have been meditating for years, this book takes a look at meditation from a new perspective, all while combining ancient wisdom and modern practice. The Power of Stillness is a beautiful gift to the world as the ideas and practical applications will encourage more peace and less stress in daily existence.

~The Rebecca Review

This is so much better than your average ski history.

It covers a time when the hardcore ski community was much smaller and tighter than today, and all of the pioneers of skiing were finding their places to make ski areas. Tremendously real, told in the words of the pioneers themselves, this is just fantastic reading. Probably the most wonderful aspect of the book is how well it goes with the actual experience of being in Taos Ski Valley today, many of the subjects of the book, including the editor, are easy to find in TSV, going about their daily business. The experience of reading this book, then seeing it all come to life in front of you is spectacular.

The incredible life of Ernie Blake and the desire to celebrate his wonderful legacy may have inspired Rick to start this project, but the finished product turned out to be much more than just a book about a fascinating person and a wonderful ski resort. This is by far the most comprehensive collection of ski lore (complete with accompanying photography) that I have ever had the pleasure to peruse, most of it directly transcribed from personal interviews with those who were the midwives at the birth of lift-served skiing in North America. If you have any sense of history and have enjoyed making turns on snow, this book should be in your collection.

This book contains incredible interviews with skiing legends along with wonderful pictures illustrating the history of skiing. I found that I did not want to put the book down, both because it contains skiing history as told by the participants and because the writing holds your interest. It is really a shame that the author did not film the interviews, because it would have made an outstanding documentary.

This book is a story of a great adventure. A little boy starts a lonesome journey back to his home in Maine. When he sets sail he can only think of the legend of Captain Slocum, the first man to set sail around the world and was never seen again. Later in the day his ship flips over and is pulled aboard ship by the hand of Captain Slocum and the whole adventure begins.
I thought the illustrations in this book really help the reader to imagine being on the same journey and make them feel like they are actually there. The book would be great for the young as well as old who have a love for the sea.
In this book the author connects a true-life legend with the journey of a young boy.
I would recommend this book because it tells a story of survival and hard work as well as a great adventure. ~Kellie~

This book is a story of a great adventure. A little boy start a lonesome journey to his homein Maine. When he sets sail he can only think of the legend of Captain Slocum, the firstan to set sail around the world and was neve seen again. Latr in the day his ship flips over and he is pulld aboard another ship by the hand of Captain Slocum and the whole adventure began.
I though the illustrations in this book really help the reader imagine what is going on and they tell the story so that the reader feels like they are on the sea as well. The book would be great for young as well as old who have a love for the sea. The author connects a true-life legend with a young boy and his journey home.
I would recommend this book because it tells a story of survival and hard work as well as a great adventure. ~Kellie

I really enjoyed this book. The detailed pictures that filled each page made you feel like you were sailing at sea as well. Justin, a young boy who sets off in his dory, to get away from the new life he doesn't like. The strong winds work against him throwing him into the water. He is then helped by Joshua Slocum who teaches him how to work with the sailboat not against it. As Justin heads home Joshua fades away underneath the sea. He is no longer sailing the Spray, he is back on his own little dory. This story incorporates the true story of Joshua Slocum's sailing adventures with the fictional adventures of Justin. Joshua and Justin are both similar in the way that they didn't fit into their lifestyle and set out on their sailboats to escape that life. I think this book is better for older children to read because it could be confusing for younger readers. Also some of the pictures are very realistic and may not be suited for some younger readers. As an older reader I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned about the life and accomplishments of Joshua Slocum and got to read an interesting story about the adventures Justin encounters on his day out at sea.

Although arguably the greatest painter of horses to date, British artist George Stubbs (1724 - 1806) would never imagine the prices his canvases would some day command. Some 40 years ago the late Paul Mellon added to his collection of Stubbs's work with a check for tens of thousands of dollars, today anyone lucky enough to come across an available Stubbs had better have a million to spare. London's National Gallery paid 11 million pounds for a life-sized painting of the thoroughbred "Whistlejacket," a monumental work breathtaking in majesty and beauty.

Those fortunate enough to visit the Fort Worth's Kimbell Art Museum though early February of this year will be able to see not only this incredible piece but the finest works of Stubbs in the first major collection to fully capture his genius as a painter of horses.

Almost as good as being at the Kimbell is leafing through "Stubbs & The Horse," an exquisite 256 page volume holding 200 illustrations. Authors Malcolm Warner and Robin Blake present a comprehensive portrait of Stubbs, as Warner discusses the low regard in which the British held horses in Stubbs's time, the surprising connection the artist's horse-and-lion compositions, and the evolution of the English thoroughbred. Offering a different perspective Blake tells us of the Whig nobles who were Stubbs's initial patrons and offers insights into the inclusion of the grooms, jockeys, trainers and other figures in the artist's paintings.

As Warner notes in his Preface, "The horse was at once the mainstay of Stubbs's success and a problem for his reputation. In his lifetime he attracted much praise for his abilities as a painter of horses.......But this won him little prestige in his profession." In fact. During Stubbs's time British artistic tastes ran to paintings of historical events, myths, the Bible, and allegory. A painter of horses was rather low in popular opinion.

Nonetheless, Stubbs persisted in his study of equine anatomy eventually rendering remarkable ink drawings which presaged his later paintings. He would later take these anatomical drawings to London where they were well received, and resulted in several commissions. Eventually he acquired an enviable reputation as an equestrian painter and earned a comfortable living from equine enthusiasts.

Stubbs lived to the age of 81, and died in 1806. Throughout his life many considered his incredibly beautiful lifelike work to be second class. History has deemed it quite differently.

- Gail Cooke

This book is outstanding. The plates are all in color and large enough to see easily. Stubbs anatomical drawings are very detailed. I had been having trouble understanding how horses moved before I saw those drawings. Seeing the skeleton and muscles helped considerably. When I took it to class and showed my professor, she got online and bought one for herself. She draws/paints horses beautifully and owns horses herself.

Reading the background information about George Stubbs and the symbolism used in his paintings was very interesting and educational.

Excellent purchase. I saw this book in the National Gallery, London having just viewed Whistle Jacket. I wanted it because my own passion lies in painting Horses. The book is full of fascinating information on Stubbs himself, his love of horses and has his excellent illustrations / studies of equine anatomy. A useful and beautiful book filled with his striking paintings.

INSIGHTFUL, THOUGHT PROVOKING, A CHALLENGE TO LIVE ON THE "HIGH" ROAD. HE ADDRESS A VARIETY OF TOPICS AND GIVES THE READER A BUFFET OF CHALLENGES TO USE AND APPLY. A MUST READ.

For Chris Blake, spirituality isn't some abstract thing that just floats around in the clouds or in your "heart" or someplace. It's something that impacts where you live. The author outlines where many of today's "currents"--injustice, lack of mercy, pride, mediocrity, consumerism, competition, selfishness etc--are taking us and our families. Read the book and you'll want to join him in the swim of a lifetime.

Too often books with a "religious" bent either put you to sleep, have you searching for a dictionary, or leave you wondering, "What's the point?" This book is fast-paced, fresh, uplifting--and funny. It usually takes Bill Bryson to make me laugh out loud. This book had me doing it pretty regularly, too.

Read this book if you're Blake's intended audience--someone looking to connect the God you love and the religion you practice. Read it if you're a family--"even a family of one," as Blake puts it--just for the chapter titled "Family Values." And finally, read it especially if you're a church leader, pastor, or theologian.

The theology in this book is daring but grounded, principled but pragmatic, and at its core, compassionate. Blake is serious about topics like activism, spiritual bullying, prejudice, and valuing the church's youth, but the tone of the book is never preachy or heavy. The reader encounters, instead, openness, warmth, and a generous dose of humor in assorted anecdotes that lead to refreshing insights on spirituality.

Blake doesn't set out to thrill everyone on every single page. Reactions to this book will be as individual as its readers and as various as its chapter lengths, tones, and topics. Some chapters may elicit a shrug; others, fierce dissent. But I posit that at least one of the chapters will leave you awestruck by the God you love.

I read this book in the early 80s and was thrilled to find a new edition. Set in the romantic antebellum south, Melanie vows vengeance on Roland Donavan, whom she blames for her grandfather's death, but his noble character and tender passion throw her plans for revenge into confusion. Add her disappointed suitor and an adventurous quest for riches in Cuba into the mix, and you have the ingredients for a fabulous novel that can't possibly disappoint the most critical of romance fans. Blake's knowledge of history is evident (aside from a few minor mistakes with period fashions) and her love scenes will leave you panting. Highly recommend!

I read this book a while back (I NEED TO FIND IT)so I can reread it. This book's setting is also in an old time period. It starts off with a plot for revenge but turns into a love that was oh so sweet! There's alot of shock factors in this book but if you like romantic books with twists this is the one.

This story held my interest, it had many aspects to it. I cared about the main characters. They went through a lot. Love wins in the end. Very sensual and erotic. There is just so much to this story that it is too much work to try and say more. Read it, you wont be sorry.

After gazing at the stunning vistas of nature transposed by Blake Gardner,I realized what a meditation these photos became for me. I was immersed in the depths of colors,shapes ,forms and the sensation of being there,standing next to this inspired artist,silent in the wonderment of the beauty and ancient stillnes that has been captured.
Every photograph is a unique tribute to Vermont,our earth and the talent of one who sees.

I'm really impressed by Blake Gardner's new book Untamed Vermont for several reasons. First and foremost, Blake's photos of the Green Mountain State are outstanding. With his large format camera, he captures both grand scenic and intimate landscapes of Vermont's forests, mountains and lakes - everything from fiddleheads pushing themselves up through the oak leaves of a recently thawed ground to the sweeping vista of the Mountain State from atop Camel's Hump which adorns the cover of this book.

The second reason I like this book is that the photos are accompanied by some excellent text. Senator Patrick Leahy himself, whom has been a US Senator from Vermont since 1974, writes the Foreword. He not only takes this opportunity to boast of Vermont's "inspiring colored leaves in autumn, the rivers and lakes that dot the countryside, and the countless hiking trails that weave up and around the Green Mountains." He also takes this opportunity to tell of the importance of protecting Vermont's wilderness areas. "It is important to preserve Vermont's Wilderness for our enjoyment and that of generations to come," he writes. "Vermont's first-rate quality of life is partly due to the accessibility of open lands, mountains, lakes, and rivers. Being surrounded by nature offers a time for solitude and reflection, recreation and quality moments with loved ones." I can't agree more.

Most of the book's text is written by Tom Wessels. Tom is an ecologist, writer, and founding director of the Conservation Biology Program at Antioch New England Graduate School. Of course Tom's going to get points because Antioch is my wife's alma matter, but he also has written a beautiful narrative text which manages to add an additional layer of satisfaction to this great nature photography coffee-table book. The book is full of interesting facts about the Green Mountain State and it's ecology.

I have been visiting Vermont since the late 60s -- and every arrival is a fresh falling in love with its landscapes. Blake Gardner's new book, "Untamed Vermont," is an extraordinarily powerful evocation of the place at its best. It roams around and finds both the grand vistas and the quiet, small miraculous patches. Gardner's compositions are stunning. One of my favorites is a photo of wild grapes in the Big Branch Wilderness that has the serene lushness of a painted still life. Another one in the same woods: a portrait of a warbler's ground nest, half-hidden by ferns and browned leaves. He captures a forest coated with rime ice in the Camel's Hump area -- a wildly intricate, hypnotic vision. Though it's obvious that Gardner has hiked and climbed to some pretty remote spots to make these photographs, he also shows places that anyone can visit. If you're addicted to Vermont -- or wild lands anywhere -- you'll want to own this book.

I recommend that any fan of William Blake buy this volume and the other 5 in the series. The books are beautiful, large, and handsomely bound. Each book is reproduced in full color, using a six-color printing process rather than the standard four. The pages are heavy, opaque and have a gorgous lustre indicating very high quality paper. The text of each book accompanies the color reproductions in standard typeface with very competent commentary to boot.

I recommend that any fan of William Blake buy this volume and the other 5 in the series. The books are beautiful, large, and handsomely bound. Each book is reproduced in full color, using a six-color printing process rather than the standard four. The pages are heavy, opaque and have a gorgous lustre indicating very high quality paper. The text of each book accompanies the color reproductions in standard typeface with very competent commentary to boot.

These three works in some ways develop the characters Blake used in the three Continental Prophecies. But don't expect any kind of coherent development or to be able to fathom out any kind of understandable timeline. This is Blake after all. Most of this book is helpful introduction, commentary, notes, and supplementary materials.

"The First Book of Urizen" is the longest of the three and the most illustrated. It has images that are absolutely unforgettable. They have a power and emotional impact that holds the viewer. I have met people who find them repulsive. I think the emotional impact makes them uncomfortable so they want to get away from the images and so push them away.

"The Book of Ahania" and "The Book of Los" are much shorter and the illustrations are limited to the title page and the last plate ("The Book of Los" also has an illustration on the opening page of text.). The other pages are done in particularly fine Blake script.

As with the rest of the volumes in this series the quality of reproduction is very high and these images are delightful to study. The scholarship is quite good and the writing is focused on opening these works up to the general reader - at least a general reader who enjoys studying Blake and is willing to put in the time it takes to fathom these rather wonderfully strange works. A treasure for the shelf of any Blake lover.

"Despite the relatively affordable price, there is nothing cut-rate about the look and feel of this volume: both are equally attractive, right down to the little motifs from the visual designs that are placed on the verso side of pages that begin and end sections to the crisp, readable typeface of the printed sections, and the pleasurable feel of good paper stock."

I originally ordered this book in order to do a presentation for a graduate course at a local university. It worked out perfectly for the presentation as the pictures are beautiful and the editor, Robert Essick, does a marvelous job describing each picture and even transcribing the notes and illustrations from Blake's own notebook. Further, Essick adds a section entitled "Commentary" which I relied on heavily to explain certain aspects of Blake's life to the students. Essick's writing reads easily and beautifully, so there is never a dull moment, even though it is a scholarly work. If you are interested at all in William Blake and his works, I believe you will enjoy this book very much.

Deftly edited by Robert N. Essick (Professor of English, University of California - Riverside), Visions of the Daughters of Albion is a full color reproduction of William Blake's classic literary blend of verse and art, which was first printed in 1793. Enhanced with a straightforward, easy-to-read, separate transcription of Blake's poem, drawings from Blake's sketchbook related to the final work, and an extensive and erudite literary commentary on the images plate-by-plate, Visions Of The Daughters Of Albion is the definitive edition of a timeless classic and would grace the collection of any academic reference library or William Blake enthusiast.