Brandon Books

This is a handsome book--the settings alone make it very pleasant to leaf through, gorgeous country homes, beautiful gardens and models with character. Kaffe Fassett's influence is everywhere in the designs, but they are still handsome; however, the basic Fassett style, using simple shapes and 5,000 colors of bloody expensive Rowan yarn, makes them difficult for some people to reproduce...especially if the yarn is discontinued. Aside from that, there are certainly designs there I would make, particularly because they are shown on all ages and types of people. Perhaps a few too many Big Main Color pullovers with A Motif on them, and some of the sweaters, like the Green Olive number, are witty but would quickly be memorized by one's friends--"There he is! Oh, God, he's wearing that sweater with the olives again!" However, many of the checks and patterns are wonderful, like "Tie Dye" and "Cut Diamonds." In general, he also does good vivid colorways for men that they would actually wear... well, maybe there are a couple that college boys would squirm away from as too bright, but not many. The main reason I haven't tackled one of the ones I like best is the cost of Rowan yarn, and alongside that, laziness; intarsia with a million colors is nervewracking, and as for cost, I know I could substitute, but that's asking for trouble and a lot of preliminary figuring work...or unraveling. I'm not sorry I bought this; if nothing else, some of the pattern motifs and colorways could be transplanted to sumptuous shawls for entertainment without so much accountability. I'd say, give it a try!

Very inspirational knitting in this book. Be prepared to spend a wad on yarns as they call for many, many colors. Nice items, something for everyone.

Brandon Mably is a member of popular knit designer Kaffe Fassett's studio. I really liked many of Mably's designs, which are in some ways simpler and bolder than Fassett's--though clearly inspired by his mentor. But the design work here is spotty. Some of the ideas such as a Gypsy-striped scarf and vest, are simple in concept but look stunning. Others are Kaffee-clones, such as stars on complicated backgrounds. And there are complete departures from the Fassett style, such as a sweater with an intarsia design of pitted olives. Very cute.

The problem with this book, however, is that the quality of the knitted models varies from great to just awful. I would never have let some of those photos see the light of day, let alone the pages of a book. Knitting boo-boos jump out of the page such as uneven motif joins in intarsia, bulgy and uneven increasing above the ribbing and other amateurish-looking knitting that would have a competent knitting editor shouting naughty words. Another problem is the reliance on Rowan yarns, which are expensive and go out of production rapidly. If you want to reproduce these styles exactly, in the colors and weights of yarn specified, you may find yourself on a wild-goose chase. And the yarns used are often cotton. Now, cotton is able to be dyed in deep and bright colors, and the sheen on a mercerized cotton yarn lends a brilliance to knitting that a matte wool cannot achieve. But knitting intarsia (a technique where yarns are knitted in independent color zones and linked on the wrong side with a twisting method) is incredibly difficult to do with cotton. This is because cotton drapes and does not adapt to fill gaps in tension variations. Wool is forgiving in this matter and the fuzzy surface also hides knitting flaws. With cotton yarns, the inevitable variations of hand knitting are magnified, though master knitters can compensate. If you are not experienced in intarsia, let me tell you that a horrific experience awaits you if your first attempts are with cotton yarns. So be forewarned. If you don't believe me, look at the "Olives" sweater which sadly illustrates the difficulties that even an experienced knitter can have with cotton and intarsia. Tragic.

The sweater shapes in this book do vary from the wide and loose Fassett style (that does not always flatter the wide and voluptuous among us) and there are slimming v-necks and nicely done tunics. That's good. There are many design ideas here that are interesting and attractive, as well as some good colorways. However, other color choices were garish and muddy-looking.

So, if you like the Fassett style and are looking for more inspiration, you may find it here. But the uneven quality and the fact that many of these styles were previously published in Rowan books elsewhere, limit the value of this book.

Well presented clear photographs and graphs Hard to decide which to knit first

As a warning, almost half of these designs are already published in Rowan magazines. The remainder, all new for this book, are often variations on Mably's style, which is similar to the well-known Kaffe Fassett's, although much simpler. The sweaters are really abstract, skirting the avant garde, although the fundamental styles are basic pullovers and cardigans. It's the color schemes that are dynamic and innovative, although Mably shows most of the sweaters in bright, bold, and sometimes almost garish color combinations. Since I prefer a more classic and muted look, it is difficult for me to see past the colors to the actual sweater and choose my own schemes. However, if you like lots of color, this book is an excellent choice. Most of the yarns used are Rowan (with some Jaeger), which is a sad choice since if you have used Rowan yarns, you are aware that as soon as a pattern is published, Rowan stops manufacturing the yarn. For instance, some of these patterns call for DK soft, which was recently discontinued. Pluses to this book are the introduction, which is concise and helpful, bearing tips on handling intarsia and fair isle in a nicely laid out presentation. Also, Mably introduces each pattern with a brief notation that describes his inspiration and intention, adding a charming touch. The patterns themselves are clear and simple to read, as are the large-size black and white charts, although there are no size diagrams, making it difficult to substitute yarns or handle your differing gauge. A huge plus is the photos of the sweaters. Unlike some publishers who concentrate more on the dramatic pose of the models, obsuring the sweater, this publisher paid lots of attention to showing the sweater. You know exactly what you are looking at and getting, including two or more photos of the sweaters, even with back views, to give you a strong idea. The book is really excellently executed, on fine quality paper. A nice presentation. I'm only sorry that these sweaters aren't my sort -- but if you like Mably's cover sweater, I'll bet you find you'll want to knit most of those included in the book!

So many years back, I came across a movie called "Chopper". It's about a guy, in Austrailia, who goes around killing/beating up & shooting drug dealers because he believes that the police want him too. Messed up movie & more messed up book. Believe it or not Mark "Chopper" Read is a best selling author with a more than checkered past. Though this is the only book in the series that I've read, I can imagine that the others are entertaining too. The bopok basically gives you a glimps into his life, & whilke blended with humor it can be pretty graphic violent as well. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then give the book a shot you're sure to love it.

The autobiography of Mark Brandon Read `Chopper' gives us a unique and seldom told insight into the criminal underworld of Australia, particularly Melbourne. The story begins by an infatuation with guns, explosives and military history crossed-wired with a young child who spent a lot of time drugged up in a psychiatric rehabilitation prison. Mix two vital ingredients together and you're left with a dangerous man.

Probably the most sought-after criminal in Australia, Chopper acquired his enemies through his friends' enemies and from robbing the bank robbers and other similar criminals. He's killed plentiful, but protests "I'm no murderer...I'm a garbage disposal expert" and from a certain perspective, his tales hold a strong point of view. The only men he has claimed to kill are murderers themselves, drug dealers and rapists. Any other men he has killed may well have been innocent, but Chopper was acting purely in self-defence.

Spending most of his life behind bars, Chopper inevitably made friends with other inmates and also confronted his worst enemies. Cleverly thought out antics and plots to burn down prisons are just a range of things Chopper and friends would execute in an attempt to relieve boredom and pass time. Nevertheless he claims: - "It is a madhouse in prison - and twice as bad outside,"

Packed with hilarious non-chronological stories about imbecilic big shot gangsters; Close attempts to wipe out Chopper; And a world where criminals fear Chopper over the law; this book will keep you thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

In his own words; "You can fool some of the people all of the time, And you can even fool all of the people some of the time, but in the real world of blood and guts you don't fool Chopper Read any of the time."

If you like books about facial stabbings with needle nose pliers, blowtorches on the soles of bare feet and short anectdotes about having ones ears removed, this is the book for you. Mixed in with some graphic imagery, is the witty humor of an Australian Robin Hood. He's a confessed torturer, murderer, theif, thug, extortionist, etc. Mark "Chopper" Reed's claim to fame is that he has never hurt an innocent person. Everyone he's hurt, mamed, killed has been a "crim" of some sort. His favourite kind crim to deal with is the drug dealer. To Mark they are the lowest of the low, and in his experience, the most spineless.

Yes, the imagery is a little graphic but the humor is witty and greatly balances the violence in this novel. Since the publication of "Chopper", Mark Reed has become one of Australia's best selling authors and celebrity. Also check out the rest of the 8 books in the Chopper Series.

The autobiography of Mark Brandon Read `Chopper' gives us a unique and seldom told insight into the criminal underworld of Australia, particularly Melbourne. The story begins by an infatuation with guns, explosives and military history crossed-wired with a young child who spent a lot of time drugged up in a psychiatric rehabilitation prison. Mix two vital ingredients together and you're left with a dangerous man.

Probably the most sought-after criminal in Australia, Chopper acquired his enemies through his friends' enemies and from robbing the bank robbers and other similar criminals. He's killed plentiful, but protests "I'm no murderer...I'm a garbage disposal expert" and from a certain perspective, his tales hold a strong point of view. The only men he has claimed to kill are murderers themselves, drug dealers and rapists. Any other men he has killed may well have been innocent, but Chopper was acting purely in self-defence.

Spending most of his life behind bars, Chopper inevitably made friends with other inmates and also confronted his worst enemies. Cleverly thought out antics and plots to burn down prisons are just a range of things Chopper and friends would execute in an attempt to relieve boredom and pass time. Nevertheless he claims: - "It is a madhouse in prison - and twice as bad outside,"

Packed with hilarious non-chronological stories about imbecilic big shot gangsters; Close attempts to wipe out Chopper; And a world where criminals fear Chopper over the law; this book will keep you thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

In his own words; "You can fool some of the people all of the time, And you can even fool all of the people some of the time, but in the real world of blood and guts you don't fool Chopper Read any of the time."

This man has a style of writing which can be compared to no other. He is witty, funny, illiterate, genuine and above all: psychotic.

The book starts off great but halfway lost its grip over me as it became a decoupled series of short stories where he tells of friends he has had in prison. Despite this, some of the stories are hilarious!

Having read the book, I eagerly ventured onto the Web in search of more stories and tales of the feared Chopper Read. This was far more rewarding than the book itself, but obviously something I would not have done had I not learned of his background via the book.

Chopper definately made an impression on me, that is, I even christened a boisterous new kitten after him: Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read.

Mr. Raymo has a seasonal home near Mt. Brandon, has climbed the peak dozens of times and clearly loves the region and its history. The author interweaves tales of local natural and human history - both documented and legendary - with religious history, a smattering of Irish literature and his personal experiences on Mt. Brandon. But this book fails, in my opinion, to capture the feel and atmosphere, much less the spiritual aspect of the region of the Holy Mountain.

Instead the author focuses on how his interpretation of pre-Christian and early-Christian Celtic spirituality - mostly conjectural due to absence of contemporaneous written records - contrasts with what in his view is the rigid, obsolete, anti-human, anti-science Roman Catholic dogma that came to dominate pre-Enlightenment Europe as well as Ireland. That's the same dogma taught to Raymo in his alter boy childhood, a worldview he totally rejects in favor of the "truth" of contemporary western science which Raymo asserts is only reasonable modern worldview (Try telling that to the mullahs!).

At the same time Raymo keeps referring to the need for the scientific world view to incorporate "mystery" as a means to meet what he acknowledges is an innate human need for spiritual matters. But the religion-rejecting author never explains how this can be done. As near as I can tell he endorses - seeming for others but not himself - a return to a sort of pantheism that encourages people to replace prayer - demonstratably meaningless according to Raymo - with exaltation and celebration of daily natural phenomenon such as a mountain sunrise. In the single instance in which Raymo tells of a semi-supernatural personal experience - a solitary night vigil in an ancient Christian church in which he becomes "spooked" by his sense of an unseen "presence" - the entire experience is explained in the light of day - to himself at least - by the discovery of a bird's nest with newborn birds just above where he sat in the dark during the night. Mystery solved, once again, by science. Apparently Raymo thinks only other people - those too weak-minded, unlike himself, to boldly live in the "real" world where human logic and reason reign supreme - should experience or even believe in the possibility of mystery.

Finally, Raymo's obsession with Roman Catholicism's supposed blight on human thinking and history limits his ability to assess the reasonable proposition that a lot of the early Irish Christian church's supposed (superior) Celtic spirituality actually came, at least in part, from its documented historical connections directly with what we now refer to as Orthodox Christianity as opposed to the Roman variety.

There's an excellent generalized map of southwestern Ireland opposite the title page (a much needed map of the Mt. Brandon region is lacking), some nice sketches of local scenes illustrate the start of each chapter and there are reference notes and an index. The most interesting hisorical tidbits involved the author's version of the origin and practice of celebrating "cross dates" that evolved into Groundhog Day, May Day and Halloween.

Recommended to those who enjoy one-sided arguments for Mr. Raymo's worldview, but of limited interest for those seeking information to explore the Dingle Peninsula and its fascinating history, landscape and residents, much less, may I say, its spiritual aspects and opportunities.

Mr. Raymo has a seasonal home near Mt. Brandon, has climbed the peak dozens of times and clearly loves the region and its history. The author interweaves tales of local natural and human history - both documented and legendary - with religious history, a smattering of Irish literature and his personal experiences on Mt. Brandon. But this book fails, in my opinion, to capture the feel and atmosphere, much less the spiritual aspect of the region of the Holy Mountain.

Instead the author focuses on how his interpretation of pre-Christian and early-Christian Celtic spirituality - mostly conjectural due to absence of contemporaneous written records - contrasts with what in his view is the rigid, obsolete, anti-human, anti-science Roman Catholic dogma that came to dominate pre-Enlightenment Europe as well as Ireland. That's the same dogma taught to Raymo in his alter boy childhood, a worldview he totally rejects in favor of the "truth" of contemporary western science which Raymo asserts is only reasonable modern worldview (Try telling that to the mullahs!).

At the same time Raymo keeps referring to the need for the scientific world view to incorporate "mystery" as a means to meet what he acknowledges is an innate human need for spiritual matters. But the religion-rejecting author never explains how this can be done. As near as I can tell he endorses - seeming for others but not himself - a return to a sort of pantheism that encourages people to replace prayer - demonstratably meaningless according to Raymo - with exaltation and celebration of daily natural phenomenon such as a mountain sunrise. In the single instance in which Raymo tells of a semi-supernatural personal experience - a solitary night vigil in an ancient Christian church in which he becomes "spooked" by his sense of an unseen "presence" - the entire experience is explained in the light of day - to himself at least - by the discovery of a bird's nest with newborn birds just above where he sat in the dark during the night. Mystery solved, once again, by science. Apparently Raymo thinks only other people - those too weak-minded, unlike himself, to boldly live in the "real" world where human logic and reason reign supreme - should experience or even believe in the possibility of mystery.

Finally, Raymo's obsession with Roman Catholicism's supposed blight on human thinking and history limits his ability to assess the reasonable proposition that a lot of the early Irish Christian church's supposed (superior) Celtic spirituality actually came, at least in part, from its documented historical connections directly with what we now refer to as Orthodox Christianity as opposed to the Roman variety.

There's an excellent generalized map of southwestern Ireland opposite the title page (a much needed map of the Mt. Brandon region is lacking), some nice sketches of local scenes illustrate the start of each chapter and there are reference notes and an index. The most interesting hisorical tidbits involved the author's version of the origin and practice of celebrating "cross dates" that evolved into Groundhog Day, May Day and Halloween.

Recommended to those who enjoy one-sided arguments for Mr. Raymo's worldview, but of limited interest for those seeking information to explore the Dingle Peninsula and its fascinating history, landscape and residents, much less, may I say, its spiritual aspects and opportunities.

I only recently reencountered the writings of Chet Raymo. For some number of years a first edition copy of HONEY FROM STONE has graced my bookshelf. This summer though I picked up a copy of NATURAL PRAYERS and THE SOUL OF THE NIGHT the latter of which was my favorite, that is until I read CLIMBING BRANDON.

For anyone with a passion for Raymo's dense yet wonderfully expressive writing style so reminescent of Loren Eiseley's best, for anyone captivated by the tensions posed by the mysteries of science and faith, and for all of us who are fascinated with things Celtic, you can't do better. This is a prayerful book -- there is no better companion to climb and discover the mysteries of Mount Brandon with than with Chet Raymo.
R. Bruce Craig

Climbing Brandon by Chet Raymo was a little bit of a disappointment to me. The last book I read by Raymo, Walking Zero, felt like being in a college science class with a great, enthusiastic instructor. This book just wasn't as engaging. While Raymo does a good job with his descriptions, they tend to be a bit dry. If ever a book called out for pictures or illustrations, this is it. I'm not familiar with all of the terms for parts of mountains so when he talks about a corrie or a moraine, I'm lost as to what I should be picturing in my mind. The book is supposed to trace Irish faith with the history of Mount Brandon, and I felt that Raymo wandered from that goal a bit often as well. He says over and over that the Celts infused their brand of Christianity with their naturalistic beliefs, but he never gives any examples of it. Ultimately it seems that the book is about Raymo's own search for faith and God, and I ended up feeling a little sad for him. He decries the belief in a transcendant God who answers intercessory prayer and cites double blind studies proving that it doesn't work. But then he offers prayer himself to a immanent God who exists in all of nature and is worth of praise and thanksgiving for the beauty of creation. Raymo is missing the most important part of God: the personal relationship and joy of talking to a God you know is listening. I get the opinion that Raymo isn't done with his search, and I hope that he finds what he's looking for.

Raymo does it again! As in his book: "Skeptics and True Believers", his continuing search for harmony between religion and science leading to universal admiration and awe of God's creation, he writes a compelling argument for removing the detritus of dogma and the sterility of science- not that easy for a person who was brought up on Catholicism and schooled in science (physics, astronomy) where he started to articulate his personal misgivings about strict dogma and contradictions.

Climbing Brandon was written at his part time home in Ireland on the Dingle Peninsula near the foot Mt Brandon where pilgrims/tourist come from all parts of the world to walk the paths and visit the contemplation centers of long passed saints and monks, i.e., St Patrick, Brendan, et al.

With geographical descriptions, especially those garnered from various view points in the surrounding mountains where past contemplatives meditated/prayed, poetical/prayerful/anecdotal/scholarly treatments of Irish/Celtic religious history, including numerous citations, this beautiful book comes off as part: Travel Guide (and watch out- after reading this book, one might be compelled to drop everything and go tour the region!), a crash course in Irish/Celtic cultural history (Paganism, Pantheism, Christianity, etc.), Religio/Science dissertation, etc.

The premise that God is in all and not the exclusive property of humans (anthropomorphism) is cited in an early Irish poem attributed to one of the "Milesian" princes, Amergin: "Song of Amergin" or "The Mystery". Think of everything that exists and the poem covers it- this is God. Same notion as in the sermon of St Columbanus which ends with: [Those who wish to know God, he says,] "must first review the natural world". This same notion is put forth with citations from: Thomas Berry , E.O. Wilson, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and many others. Thanks again to Chet Raymo for another beautiful, thought provoking book!

I can't write little enough about this book, it all sounds like bull to me. This book made me take the next day off work sick it was so bad. A real page-sticker. Recommended to people with bad eye-sight and bad hearing with mimimal interaction with other people. Jay Brandon could ruin your life like he has ruined mine.

All that said I would still rather read this than talk to anyonre in my hostel, the USA Hostel in San Francisco.

The story is laid out above (Editorial Reviews). So I'll just add that I liked it. It was pleasantly different than most legal
mysteries in that it was about regular people in a rural town, not your wealth blahblahblah clients who can and do buy and
manipulate everything and everyone in sight.
This is the third book by Jay Brandon I've read and enjoyed.

The only blooper I found was that the lawyer went looking to see if the defendant was wearing a ring. Everything is taken
from you when you are processed into jail.

Wicked. Cool. Sorted. Jay Brandon is da man. Aiiight! Boo ya!

Jay Brandon is the man... and I've only read one of his books. Cool cat - good courtroom stuff. Excellent. Wicked. Aiiie! Boo yah!

Unlike the works of John Grisham, this classic coutroom drama is told at a bit slower pace, leaving enough time to watch the story unfold and enjoy the characters, yet it never gets boring and pages are turned just as quickly, maybe even faster.

I specifically enjoyed the fact that the mystery unfolds around one single case only, and is solved within the confines of the original setting (a small village and its courtroom) without resolving to surprising outside developments which in other courtroom dramas sometimes come from left field. This allows the reader to keep guessing at the solution without "changing the rules" halfway through the book.

Brandon needs no subplots and doesn't have to jump between multiple storylines to spice up his book, the suspense comes from the classic "whodunit" question, which in this case is overshaded by the questions of "whydunit" and the mystery of the strange behavior of the entire village.

I would! certainly recommend this book, however, for readers that look for more action-packed drama, there may not be enough "meat" in this novel.

Pointless rehash of information that's been around for years.

This book is very good. It is divided in various chapters, each one talking about one disc or year. There are short trivia questions, some are "true or false", others have complete answers. They are divided by numbers (there are 909 questions) and in the end of each chapter there are the answers. There is a nice introduction and in the end, a bibliography (useful for those who want o go deeper into the trivia). I bought it on a trip to New York, and althought I had read about it on Amazon.com, I would have bought it either I hadn't, because its backcover has attractive questions that incite you to buy it. It's a narrow and small book (not a pocketbook, taller), a typical paperback.

Maybe I'm biased because I am a contributor to this book, but I found it highly entertaining and informational. Oh, and by the way, Eleanor Rigby's grave wasn't found by Paul McCartney until sometime in the 1980s. Eleanor Rigby is really a combination of Eleanor Bron (an actress in "Help!") and Rigby's stores found all over England.

I have no idea how the author went about researching this book, but the end result is such enjoyable, and interesting reading. Very quick and interesting reading for a fun night with friends(who are interested in the Beatles) or when you only have a few minutes to read some quick interesting tid-bits.

Gear book. I liked it because it had questions I knew the answers to immediatley, ones I had to think about and ones I didn't know at all, so I learned quite a bit about the Beatles from reaing this book. I had a groovy time goin' through and tryin' t' figure out th' answers before I 'ad t' look them up. I'd recommend reading it wether you're a HUGE Beatles fan with a ton of knowlege, or just a novice who's looking to learn more about the GREATEST ROCK GROUP OF ALL TIME.

The fantasy genra is a tree with many branches, if you are an exclusive reader of epic fantasy tomes or expansive trilogies. Then this one is not for you. If you've just come off something that ripped your bag, hurt your back, or rearranged your brain. if you need a breather but can't give up the addiction, give The Wild Reel a go.

True it is heavy on the romance, but this is not a bodice ripper.(not that they are bad) Say rather an honest love story with, a great cast and a lot of humor. There's no new twist on old favorites here, you won't say "Wow, I've never seen that before." The books not the worsr for it though. I liked The Wild Reel, it's genuine and sweet. like a pleasent day dream on a rainy afternoon. Give it a try!

What would you do if you found yourself being pursued by the Faery King in your dreams and had no interest in his pursuits? How would you stop him or deter him? This is the problem Natty faces in her native Ireland. As an artist, it is she who creates the "magic" so craved by the fey and their King that ultimately sets him on a path to pursue her hand. But time is running out for the King who must wed before Halloween or face the loss of his kingdom.

To escape the pressures of her life and nightmares, Natty takes a trip to Austrailia to attend the wedding of a close friend. Little did she know that her pursuer would follow her around the world to a very foreign landscape, both for Natty and the King, in an attempt to win her hand before Halloween.

This story has very believable characters, especially the pooka and King Finvarra. There is some court intruigue, contentions between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and their followers. There is humor, romance and a wonderful blend of folklore and urban realism to keep you interested and entertained.

I highly recommend this book!

This book is original and beautifully written. I love the idea that fairies hang around artists! It's funny too, and romantic. I loved it.

This seemed to be a pretty interesting book. A bit slow at first, after the main character (Natty) finally took a vacation to Brisbane, Australia, the book seemed to pick up. The author has a genius for bringing the reader into what the character is thinking and feeling! But I felt that the ending was lacking. The author endlessly describes every detail of absolutely everything in the book and then seemed to stop caring when he got to the end. I was utterly disappointed.

This is a book that started with a tremendous amount of promise, and somehow ended up being a little less than adequate. The author gives us a wonderful premise - a talented artist has somehow created a musical conduit between the real and the realm of the Sidhe when she paints, and then goes absolutely nowhere.

Perhaps I should have been forewarned when the author wrote in his acknowledgments ("Author's Note) that "Despite the title, there is little actual music in this book." What you've got is a soupcon on Celtic fairy overlaid on a fairly average romance - of the Harlequin variety. The author should have also noted that "Despite the presence of fairies, there is very little magic in this book."

Not particularly well written or particularly poorly written, just average.

A wonderful book for up to about 8 years old. The book rhymes, which all children love, and the illustrations are phenomenal! Highly recommend!

A watchful wizard waits alone within his tower and ponders evil in Jack Prelutsky's THE WIZARD. What's he planning on doing? A flea, a bird, and others fall victim to his evil changes - but there's a surprise in store. Brandon Dorman's fine and colorful full-page drawings are powerful accompaniments to a full-flavored, fun story very different from your usual wizard or fantasy tale - and easy to read.

I don't know what book the other person read but this book is not about a wizard turning kids into toads.

The wizard takes a toad and turns him into other things. All the author says in the end is the next time you see a toad or lizard look carefully you never know what you might see.

The wizard does change the poor toad into many things but he eventually turns him back into a toad.

Besides it is by Jack Prelutsky. The art work by Brandon Dorman is just beautiful.
Barb - Ohio

It seems like such an obvious notion that I'm more than a little shocked that other publishers haven't dived into the idea first. Step One: Locate a book of children's poetry. Say, Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep, by Jack Prelutsky (circa 1976). Step Two: Say to the author of the poetry (if that person still happens to be alive, of course), "Gee whiz. Wouldn't it be great if we made that old poem of yours, `The Wizard', into its own picture book?" Acquire permission to do so. Step Three: Find an up-and-coming illustrator. Someone you've worked with before who you're fairly certain will end up the Next Big Thing. Step Four: Observe your clever idea hitting the New York Times bestseller list and smile at how logical and easy this entire process was. Is this simplifying things a bit? Yup. But when I saw "The Wizard" by Jack Prelutsky in its full glory I realized just how ripe the market is for this kind of poetry picture book. Douglas Florian and various Shel Silverstein heirs may wish to consider the advantages to this kind of artistry. Add in current Greenwillow baby Brandon Dorman and you've got yourself a book that's primed to win more than a few fans ASAP.

From the benign fellow on the cover you might think that this was a cheery tale of your average everyday wizardy fellow. Not so. As we learn right from the start, "The wizard, watchful, waits alone / within his tower of cold gray stone / and ponders in his wicked way / what evil deeds he'll do this day." Down below sits a happy little cluster of houses, while up in the nearby tower the wizard turns his attention to a frog. He changes it into a pair of mice, a cockatoo, a small cockatoo, chalk, a silver bell, and then finally a frog again. Then, just when the poor thing is about to escape, the frog is at last turned into a cloud of thick smoke. Now fully amused, the wizard takes note of the kids down below and we are warned, "Should you encounter a toad or a lizard / look closely ... it may be the work of a wizard." A telltale chameleon sitting on a skateboard suggests as much.

We're at the point right now where CGI needs to figure out where it wants to go. Is there any reason to create art on a computer when it just ends up looking like paint on a canvas? Maybe so, if the result is as natural and enticing as that of Brandon Dorman. I seriously doubt that anyone who picked up this book on a whim would leap to the conclusion that it was done entirely digitally. Indeed, there's been a lot of care taken with these images. The two-page spread I was particularly fond of involved the moment when the Wizard changed a cockatoo into a section of chalk. A rainbow-swirled piece sits neatly on some stone as the old man's cracked and blackened fingernails delicately reach to pick it up. Taking into consideration Dorman's eye for light, textures, and details, this is wizardry of an entirely different sort.

Dorman's Wizard is an odd fellow. Prelutsky makes it pretty clear right from the start that he's a nasty nut. But though a supposedly "tangled beard hangs from his chin," Dorman chooses to go the Gandalf/Dumbledore route at first and give his wizard a smooth almost creamy kind of facial hair. Vanilla pudding wouldn't be a bad description. Basically, the Wizard starts out looking like a nice guy, somewhat at odds with the writing. Only as the story continues do we notice how gnarled and gross his long fingernailed hands are. Yet as he turns a frog into a variety of objects and creatures, the man's features begin to harden. By the time he stands in front of the window observing the now returned frog sitting on his fingertips, his eyes are definitely cold and his smile cruel. The end leaves you with few doubts as to what the villain's next move will be. The text lacks the bone-chilling warnings of such poets as Shel Silverstein (I am still convinced that the gypsies will be after me any day now) but it's strong enough to stand alone in this new set of packaging.

I enjoyed the at odds setting of the story too. Dorman places his action at the end of a suburban cul-de-sac. The title page shows your average everyday houses, ending in a ramshackle skeleton of a hut with a tall stone tower just behind. It makes you wonder how the Wizard got his zoning permits. I like to think his tower was around first and suburbia grew up around him. That would certainly explain the dislike he has taken to the children that play in the street below him. And then other details begin to pull at your eyes the more you read. Why are there slash marks on the Wizard's walls? Did he create those or were they done by something he's holding prisoner? They seem important, if only because they're on the book's endpapers. And why are there pushpins connected by yarn on the large globe in his home? Is this to show how the Wizard can appear anywhere so watch out little children?

Leading kids to fun poetry books can feel like leading calves to the slaughter if it's done poorly. Consider pairing this book with Adam Rex's, Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich for a truly original, colorful, kid-friendly exercise in modern poetic storytelling. This title is sure to have a built-in following of kids either too young for Harry Potter or just beginning him. With its rich deep colors, surprising artistry, and fun rhymes and story, the pairing of Prelutsky and Dorman feels almost natural. Like a partnership that's had time to build and grow. For anyone looking for some new additions to their poetry shelves, consider this combination of the new and the old a dynamic, collectable pairing.

If only you could give half a star or "0" stars in these reviews ... First of all, this book seems to have one major goal --to scare children. Basically it has one story arch if you can call it that. An evil wizard turns kids into toads. That's it. For those of you who are Wiccan or just looking for positive books on witches or magic folk in general should turn to Harry Potter or for younger readers, may I suggest "The Follower" by Richard Thompson?

I'm mainly writing this review because I wanted to counter some of the negative things that have been said about "All-American Monster." If Stickney has come across to some reviewers as biased, there's a reason for that and that is that all the available evidence pointed to McVeigh's guilt! He later even admitted as much himself, showing no remorse for the children that he killed, calling them, as I recall, "collateral damage." But Stickney's greatest accomplishment here is in fleshing out just how an American war veteran with no truly distinguishing characteristics pulled off the single worst case of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. It's the same thing that has been said about the Nazis, that whole banality of evil thing. McVeigh was a total loser who decided to let his boredom and hatred lead him down a road that caused the destruction of innocent lives. As Stickney has deftly chronicled here, he was no different than any other work-a-day stiff living in any corner of this country--except that he decided to lash out at a perceived enemy (the "government"), that was in reality made up of people just trying to make a life for themselves, thereby gaining himself notoriety and priming the country for the greater human toll of 9/11. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to plumb the roots of evil.

I got this because I wanted some insight into how the story all came about and definitely more information.I got it here.A lot of questions were answered here,so if you want insight and revelation into what happened and why this book is a good place to start.I liked it because it was so informative.I considered that a book should have a certain amount of information to be able to be fair and the writer is fair to all sides.

'All American Monster', by Brandon M. Stickney, chronicles the life of convicted Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh, from childhhood up to, but not including, his trial. Keeping in mind that his trial had not yet occured, I found it incredulous that the entire book was written on the assumption that McVeigh was guilty. The author even went as far as telling us what McVeigh was thinking as he watched the Murrah building explode. I'm sure writers need to make some assumptions when doing an unauthorized biography, but I found the assumption of guilt a bit unsettling. One has to wonder about how much editing was done from interviews with those that know McVeigh, in order to fit the bias of the author. To his credit, Stickney seems to have put a lot of legwork into this book, and interview numerous people. You get a general idea of who Tim McVeigh was as a teen, but from there on, I don't think the author was able to get past his own political ideas to give the reader an accurate view. Mr. Stickney even went as far as 'correcting' the political views expressed by Jennifer McVeigh, Tim's sister, in a letter she wrote to her local newspaper. A biography shouldn't be used as a personal forum for an author's own beliefs. I found it both irrelevant and unprofessional. Perhaps there just wasn't enough information available, or those who know McVeigh just didn't want to talk about him, but there was a fair amount of repitition throughout the book, and I felt it could have been 100 pages shorter, and nothing would have been missed. In short, although the book had quite a few facts, and a fair amount of research was done, I found the book much too biased to be a truely accurate story of Timothy McVeigh. Thanks, Kary

Although this book is does not take a sympathetic approach to McVeigh's story, it becomes pretty apparent how McVeigh may have been lead astray. He was abandoned by his mother, had an emotionally detatched father, etc. Shows both sides of this tragedy. The tragedy of the bombing and the trajedy of McVeigh's disenchantment with America; especially after he was treated like a human guinea pig by the army. Very interesting book, I couldn't put it down.

The workbook uses a scripted approach to exercise basic CATIA V5 functionality and is exactly what I was looking for. The material is presented in a clear logical manner. The many graphics and clear explanations greatly assisted me in learning CATIA V5.

Finally a Catia Course book written for the average person instead of the Catia V4 veteran. I found the course simple and easy to follow. It was complete with examples of common parts and followed a step by step course.

The sample chapters at the Schroff web site shows nice colorful graphics for this book. In reality, the book is a poor reproduction with only black & white graphics. As a result, some of the screen shots in the book are very hard to make out. For the price ..., I would have expected a much higher quality book. Otherwise, the content is good if you're a beginner with Catia V5.

This book has a been a great organization tool for the newer or even experienced CATIA user. The clear and consise explanation of the workbenches and their functions is a great reference tool.

The lessons build on each other and break down the sold modeling process into small easily understood pieces. This book has answered many, " i wonder what the thougth process was behind this function...", questions. This book will stay within arm reach of my CAD station!

Well illustrated, this book follows the historical development of collage in terms of the various art movements of the early part of the 1900's, up through collage in the '60s, and today.

Authorative, thorough, only occasionally does the author fall into ridiculous art-critic-speak. [Please, art critics and academics, never use the word "problematize" ever, ever again. It's a stupid wretched word].

If you want to understand the social and art-philosophical thought that created and sustained collage, read this book. Besides, if you're going to practice an art, you should know its history.

I have to agree with Nagagirl, this is really one of the best compendiums on the history of collage and the culture that surrounded it. I constantly reference it in my discussions to my students. Not only hits on the well-known works, but also gives in-depth discussions of lesser known works and movements within the U.S., Britain, and beyond. A must for anyone interested in this amazing medium and the history connected to it!

Surrealism, Picasso, Dada, artists response to Nazi expansionism in Europe...well, sure these subjects will involve "a lot of words" to understand!! Geez, collage began way before your local craft store had
several isles of pre-made stuff to "create" one. It is, after all, a
response of artists to the world...and the results are seldom cute or
enjoyable. Sorry, I feel nasty when a book as great as this gets dissed.

If you want, go to the craft store and buy one of the churned-out dull
books which will tell you step by step how to glue buttons and old photos
to something else they will sell you. If you want to understand how and
why artists began tearing things off of walls and using them in art then
read this book. You may be surprised at how moving real art/collage can be.

I felt this book really didn't live up to the promise of its cover. I expected much more modern, adventurous work. Also way too many words, too many black and white pics and not enough full-colour art for my liking.