Brandt Books

very useful reference book for inspirational creativity.

There was nothing written on this true master of Art Deco metalware, and this book is as comprehensive as a book can be on an artist. Written with respect, admiration and love for the Art Deco style and the metal craft. Cannot be surpassed. Nothing missing, nothing redundant.

I am a practicing metalsmith of 35 years. This much needed book covers it's subject from every perspective. It will become a valuable asset to historians, collectors and craftsmen. My only critique is that Joan did not include a picture of Brandt's stamp and other ways of varifying his work from fraud.

The author has produced a comprehensive work covering this great Art Deco artist and the exciting era in which he flourished. Joan Kahr's tremendous depth of knowledge and understanding comes through on every page of this beautiful book.

This book is a "must have" for any fan of French art deco/art moderne style. It is beautifully researched and written. The wonderful photography only made me long for more.

the first
a visual street photography book of new york city
my winnogrand's work set the standard
this is a great coffee table book

I recently took a class in street photography at New York's ICP and Winogrand's work is something I could never even hope to approach. Some of his images are startling, you feel like the crowd is STILL headed right at you and that you must somehow get out of the way. He was fearless in the street and this collection proves it.

Gary Winogrand was the type of photographer who had a very itchy camera trigger finger. When he died he left behind around 10,000 rolls of undeveloped film. If it moved he photographed it. Did he shoot so many good pictures simply because he took such an unbelievably large number of them, i.e. if you take a million shots aren't you bound statistically to get at least a thousand good ones? Good question, yet GW is one of my favorite people. If you like street photography with insight and humor he is almost unbeatable. These are candid portraits that catch people gawking, staring, laughing, having fun, showing pain, and often being oblivious to everything around them. Gary was not shy; he thrust his camera right into people's faces, and caught them in off guard moments. A man crawls along a sidewalk unnoticed by a group of American Legionnaires. Another man walks nude through a crowd without attracting much attention at all. Another man walks through a crowd carrying an immense poster of the Beatles. Why is he doing this; where is he going? A man with a bandaged nose stares strangely at his female passenger as he drives along. Is he angry with her or is he perhaps lusting after her. You decide.

It takes you forever to get through this book as you sit and look at each picture for a long, long time. How revealing are the faces, the postures, and the gestures; each shot prompts you to weave a story around the captured event. Winogrand seems to be made up of equal portions of Elliott Erwitt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Diane Arbus, and Andre Kertesz (if you are unfamiliar with any of these folks, and you like Winogrand, you had better check them out). The saddest thing is that almost all of Winogrand's books are out of print. This is a breathtaking collection of his work.

As far as I know, this is the only in-print book of Winogrand's photography available. For me, relatively young and new to photography, I am thankful for the opportunity to see some of his photos. They are a revelation. Even a cursory first glance through the book, I was struck at the complexity of the scenes photographed. These photos speak volumes, though I'm not sure what it is they say. In fact, the attraction of these photos lie in their mystery. Repeat viewings will reveal more nuances...so many layers emerge that interpretations will get lost in themselves. Well, that is TRUTH.

Regretfully, the printing quality of this book stinks. The duotone curve they used for this book is all messed up. Many photos end up looking like sepia prints rather than a black and white print. There are few pure, deep, dark blacks in the book. Instead you get this black-brown color which is really ugly and does a disservice to GW's work. True, Winogrand himself said "anyone who can print a photo can print my work" downplaying the importance of the printing process. And while the poor reproductions in this book does not take away from the strength of the photos, I still find it annoying and most of all...UGLY. All I can hope for is another book of Winogrand's work to be published. With all his millions of negatives, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

This book is worth reading by every person loving cities, not just photograph-lovers. A book so real, you feel you are walking through a cith while flipping the pages!

I have had a very difficult time setting this book down since I recieved it. If you have any interest in Astrology, you need to read this book! If you are interested in the events of 09/11/01, read this book!
Not until I received the book did I notice the long list of astrologers/authors involved in it's creation (Robert Hand and Johnathan Keyes get special mention as they are two of my favorite authors).
All I can say is "simply astounding, I love astrology".

This work is a terrific resource for anyone interested in understanding not only the astrological correspondences to 9/11/01, but also the implications for the economy and for the collective psyche. Essays are written by top-notch astrologers and are accompanied by maps and charts for illustration. Well worth reading!

The nature of the subject and the writing quality of the seven astrologers involved (the most famous being Robert Hand) make this a very unusual book. A very, very, very broad range of astrological and non-astrological perspectives are very carefully covered in this assessment of the terrorist attacks on America and some of the possible implications for all of us.

Astrologically the main emphasis is on interpretations of the charts of the events in September, together with related charts such as those of the United States, George W. Bush and, to some extent, Osama Bin Laden. Many other charts are also considered such as the World Trade Centre bombing in 1993 and the national chart for Israel. Interpretations of the Saturn-Pluto opposition transit through 2001 and 2002 receive particular attention throughout the book.

The astrology is continually placed in a broad context, with extensive considerations of the historical, political, and economical background to the attacks, together with similar perspectives on the consequences. Many questions are asked. Did the perpetrators use astrology? Did the terrorists intend to crash into the White House? Where do we go from here? Very occasionally some of the views appear rather fanciful, but overall this is superb stuff that does intelligent justice to modern astrology.

As I am sure with most folks, I felt a strong need to look for answers after 9/11. I have always looked to astrology as a focusing point in my life, to get guidance and answers, and was delighted to find a book with an astrological perspective on the tragic events of that day. It is written in a not too techinical way, very professionally done. The authors obviously are experts in their field. It looks at the major players, the city of NEw York, the Trade Towers, Bin Ladin, Rudy Giuliani, and analyzes their charts, and most importantly the interaction of their charts that lead up to the tragic events.
To summarize, I found this book extremely helpful on a number of levels.

Explore these powerful astrological evaluations of the causes and effects of the September 11th attacks. With a selection of readings from popular astrologers such as Robert Hand and Jonathan Keyes, you'll have the opportunity to look at these events from several perspectives. How were the charts of George W. Bush and the United States itself, impacted? What were the economic influences involved?

I particularly enjoyed the fact that every perspective wasn't devoted to the USA, corporate, we are the chosen children of capitalism viewpoint. Instead, we're treated to far more objective looks at the events (and the provocations) which led up to them.

Finally, we're shown a glimpse of what is to come. Offering some astrological probabilities of upcoming aspects, we are invited to see fresh possibilities and insights.

I enjoyed this book far more than I usually do, when several astrologers get together and caucus over the same bit of information. The repetition we may see only serves to reinforce particular ideas and the articles are woven together into a seamless and unified whole.

We received this book as a gift and it was been a life saver. As new parents we had no idea of all of the information we were expected to keep track of. This book makes it so easy to track feedings, diapers plus sections for gifts, excercise and food. We now go to our doctors office and just hand them the book so they can see how much she eating and how many diapers she goes through. We encourage you to buys this if you are a new parent, you will be glad that you did.

We received this book as a gift and it was been a life saver. As new parents we had no idea of all of the information we were expected to keep track of. This book makes it so easy to track feedings, diapers plus sections for gifts, excercise and food. We now go to our doctors office and just hand them the book so they can see how much she eating and how many diapers she goes through. We encourage you to buys this if you are a new parent, you will be glad that you did.

Makes tracking feeding, diaper changes, gifts received, etc. brainless (read, idiot proof)-- which is just what a sleep deprived new mom needs. I found it really helpful to have prepared "logs" waiting to be filled in and to have one book/place to input all the things I needed to keep track of. All I had to do was remember where I'd put the Baby Daze book (e.g., I kept it at my feeding station with a pen attached to it) and the book led me through the rest. Plus, it's a nice keepsake of those first moments.

Although I don't have any children of my own, I've sent this book to all of my friends with kids and they gush over it. Amazon.com makes it so easy to send the book off, which I always do along with my regular "Dr Seuss" books for the kids. If you know someone who's about to have a child, do them a favor and drop this in the mail to them; they'll thank you often.

After I had my first child, I was so sleep deprived that I hardly knew what time it was, let alone how much my baby had eaten, whether she had wet six diapers a day, and what was the last "side" she had fed on. I tried writing things down in a regular spiral notebook, but it wasn't terribly organized. Baby Daze was great for me and my husband -- multiple categories well laid out, from feedings to diapers to gifts. It helped us to manage all the details of a very tumultuous time. Highly recommended.

After alot of waiting GLPro Foundations made my dream true by publishing this book of the latest version of the most powerfull Fastest smallest multimedia language. With huge No. of examples and one cd contains all what you want to make a program with this language and all of this for only 40$ it's very good to learn this powerfull language

I needed to get a good grounding in GLpro before undertaking a major project in Calgary, Canada, later in the year. I bought a copy via the Internet soon after publication in February 1998 and found that it met my needs in many ways. Firstly it includes an edition of GLpro on CD sufficient to learn the language (but not enough to make an executable or screensaver - for that the full commercial edition must be purchased). Secondly it is written in an easy to read style which as a novice I appreciated very much. Thirdly, it includes enough of the huge GLpro command set to get a working feel for the basics of the language. Fourthly, as I write I am nearing the end of my project and often turn to it as a reference. As a bonus the CD includes examples of commercial products made using GLpro. I am convinced this book and CD significantly shortened my learning curve and I can recommend it as very good value to anyone starting out with the superb GLpro multimedia authoring tool.

After alot of waiting GLPro Foundations made my dream true bypublishing this book of the latest version of the most powerfullsmallest multimedia language. With huge No. of examples and one cd contains all what you want to make a program with this language....it's very good to learn this powerfull language

When GMedia, the publishers of GLPro, released their version 7 in August 1997 a small and concise printed manual accompanied the software. This was intended to provide an overview of the many features of this amazing software package. However, the broad scope of the product called for a manual that would cover many of the questions that a new or intermediate user might ask. Dick Brandt has met this requirement with his "Foundations" book. I purchased it when it appeared and have returned to it for information, methods and code on almost every GLPro project since August 1997. Like the online GLPro listserv support this book should be on a GLPro user's list of helpers.

If you are new to GMedia's GLPro get it!

John Rankin Seattle WA.

If you are new to GLpro but don't know how to begin (which was pretty much my situation a year ago), I would recommend this book without hesitation. Dick Brandt assumes no prior knowledge, and begins with very easy examples that put the reader at ease. In his down-to-earth style, he takes the reader on a very thorough (and enjoyable) tour of the territory. In fact, having read the book, I now feel that I have a pretty fair command of a very powerful language.

The book comes with a CD-ROM, which contains its own version of GLpro, all the sample scripts from the hundreds of examples in the book, and some clever utility programs that the author has written (and which you will end up using over and over again). These support materials are a very nice complement to the book.

GLpro is a deep and and dynamic language and I am glad that someone as knowledgable and as thorough as Dick Brandt took on the job of presenting it in such a clear way. In short, this book fills an important niche and does it beautifully.

This a beautiful version of one of my favorite stories. It is just perfect for read-aloud. Must have!

I have always loved the story of "The Elves and the Shoemaker" and have searched and searched for an adaptation that evoked the memories that I carried from my childhood. (As children, my sister and I fell in love with the Scholastic version which, sadly, is off the market.) But this version is as good, if not better! The pictures are simply beautiful ~ so full of color and expression and detail! And the story is told in a simple yet profound way so that children as young as three but as old as eight or nine will be able to find meaning and enjoyment. I can not recommend this book enough! In my mind, it deserves a space on every child's bookshelf!

The illustrations in this book are wonderful. A true artist. Very cleverly hides the elves in each page and its much fun for a 3 year old to find them and the mice and birds too.

Everyone knows the story of the elves and the shoemaker - the poor cobbler who is visited by a pair of elves who (for reasons that are purposefully never revealed) help him out by crafting exquisite pairs of shoes. After the shoemaker is made wealthy, he and his wife stake out the workshop and discover their secret benefactors. Seeing how poorly they are dressed, they make for them tiny clothes and shoes, and delighted with their gifts, the elves leave forever as mysteriously as they came.

It is an unforgettable story of anonymous charity and giving, and children all across the world love it for its simplicity and mystery. Jim LaMarche is utterly faithful to the old Grimm's version of the tale and using vibrant colour throughout his illustrations.

Jim LaMarche's illustrations are lovely when depicting the old shoemaker and his wife, as an old and loving couple in the warmth and cleanliness of their little shop. However, the elves themselves were not quite to my taste, though I have no doubt they'll appeal to most parents reading to their children. Rather than show them as miniscule adults, they are portrayed as small children with pixie-features. However, to my eyes they looked very modern, especially the girl who actually reminded me of a Jan McLean doll.

However, this is a personal gripe due to memories of my childhood version of the tale in which the elves looked adult, mischievous and vaguely wicked, making it all the more interesting that they were helping an elderly couple in need. Anyone else who picks up this book will be certain that they've found the definitive version of the famous Grimm's fairytale.

This book is a wonderful companion to any collection of classic fairy tales. The illustrations are lively and charming; the tale is retold simply and well. This book also does an excellent job of conveying what a cobbler does, if you are looking for some books to bring history alive. Not many children now think twice about where their shoes come from. Above all else, the illustrations really bring the tale alive. The quality of the expressions on each character's face is truly incredible and any small child can easily "read" along by seeing the delight on the faces of the customers, the patience and careful work done by the elves (you can practically hear them whistle as they work), the astonishment and gratitude felt by the shoemaker and his wife. This heartwarming story is a must for any preschool or first grade classroom.

I could not more highly recommend any book! The story is told in a manner that is thoroughly compelling. As the students prepare to work with the refugees, the author provides the reader with snapshots of the struggles facing the refugees. The cast of students is highly inspirational. I would recommend this book to all law students, especially those interested in asylum law or immigration more generally. As a law student who spent a semester in my school's immigration clinic, much of the frustration and joy I felt was also experienced by the students in this book. I only wish I had read it before starting clinic!

I was at Yale Law School when the events described in this fast paced and well written book took place. I played a small role in the events but I had no idea how much time and effort went into this campaign on behalf of Haitian refugees. Brandt Goldstein describes a law school experience unlike any other but at the same time gets at what the law school experience can be like for all law students and professors if they take advantage of the opportunities offered. This is a must read for any aspiring lawyer and for any lawyer who may have forgotten why he or she went to law school in the first place. And any non lawyer will be fascinated by the events that took place here and the challenge of upholding the rule of law here in the United States not just in places like Haiti.

Can't wait to see the movie!

I found myself storming through this book - it is, as already noted, a page-turner, and concerns politically- and socially-charged events in our recent past, and is enormously moving and personal on top of all that. What's that line about being doomed to repeat mistakes if we fail to study our history? I'd recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the importance of America's international relations and immigration policies, and who wants this country to live up to its supposed ultimate respect for civil liberties, human rights, and individual dignity.

Normally I wouldn't consider a legal work like this, but after continually hearing Storming the Court's a must read, I finally picked it up. It's a completely engaging story - I couldn't put it down.

If we as a country had known then what we know now, perhaps the prison at "Qitmo" and the status of individuals being held there would not be the legal quagmire that it has become. It is to the credit of the Yale law students and faculty that the situation was repeatedly challenged in the name of freedom for refugees.
Storming the Court is a great read. I did not expect to find it to be a "page turner", based on the subject matter, but it was. The research for this book was outstanding, with all the supported documentation cited. There wasn't a wasted sentence, yet the author was to capture the personalities and challenges of the legal defense team and their clients.
After reading the book I sent copies to friends, asking them for their opinions. Everyone has found the story to be moving and incredibly well written.
If you want to learn more about how the U.S. has come to use Guantanamo as a purgatory, you must read "Storming the Court".

As one of the men that is very proud and honored to have been mentioned in Thunderbird Lounge, I am absolutely amazed at General Brandt's accuracy and detail. His sentimental chronicle of our personal experiences with the 33rd transportation Company is inspiring and emotional. Moreover, I am sure that this work will be intrinsic to future scholars who realize the historical significance of this unit with respect to both the Vietnam War and Army Aviation, and recognize the value of General Brandt's personal accounts. The scope of General Brandt's work is such that I am completely satisfied that the mission that we accomplished and the sacrifices we made are fully appreciated and realistically portrayed. He has told the story of real men at the beginning of a savage war with the compassion and thoughtfulness of one who was there.

Bob Brandt did a masterful job of saving, sorting and presenting data as well as remembering so many facts that most of us have long since forgotten.

The book is a keeper, and supports the efforts and brave acts of the many unsung participants at the outset of this strange venture of our country into a truly foreign land.

It is quite evident that Gen Brandt did considerable research into the events that took place during that time period. Some people might question the facts as presented about some of the operations or events, however, I think the book speaks for itself. The author did an outstanding job depicting how the Company functioned in that environment and how the officers and enlisted men endured the stress and strain of life away from home and family. The humorous side depicted in the book is probly as accurate as can be remembered and certainly contributed to the over all high moral of the organization. The book is well written and a pleasure to read.

I swapped my book, OUTLAWS IN VIETNAM, for Bob's book at the VHPA reunion in Las Vegas, 2002. This is a great book by Gen. Brandt typifying the events and life-style experienced at this early moment in Vietnam. The H-21's are graphically described in all their quirks and needs, as well as the skillful men who had to fly them. I find the earliest years of VN helicopter warfare fascinating to read, as these men not only laid down the tracks for we later aviators to utilize in mid-sixties on, but they quickly found out the political reality of Vietnam--which never changed. As Halberstam has stated, "the war was lost in 1964, not at the end of its duration." Our aviator job was tremendously enjoyed by all of us, but the Washington administrations never totally got it what a fluky scenario Vietnam was. We helicopter pilots surely got it, though.

Pi'-o-neer' a noun meaning: "One who goes before, preparing the way, for others to follow." There is no other way to define the original members of the 33rd Transportation Company (Light Helicopter)(CH21), except as pioneers in U.S. Army Aviation history! All original members of the 33rd left their families in the U.S. and quietly departed Ft. Ord, CA with their destination as-"unknown"! The move was classified as Top Secret and no one was able to tell anyone, including families, where they were going under penalty of court-martial. Vietnam was not classified as a combat zone in 1962, but as an advisory zone...but no one told the VC. Thunderbird Lounge is a very good historical book written by a man who experienced it all. 1LT Robert J. Brandt, a National Guard officer newly assigned, became the Commander of the 573rd Maintenance Detachment and, would be the only Commander of the 573rd Maintenance Detachment for the entire year.

The 33rd was originally to deploy to "unknown" locations in March of 1962. The orders were delayed and many of their helicopters were transferred to two other Transportation Companies (8th and 57th), which did deploy. Then the U.S. was scoured for low time CH-21's to replace the ones given up by the 33rd. The unit was again alerted to move in August of 1962. All aircraft and all other equipment finally departed for Hawaii by ship scheduled to stop in Hawaii to pick up the aircraft and equipment of a sister unit, the 81st, before continuing on. Then, the day before the main body of personnel was to depart Travis AFB, 1LT Brandt was diagnosed with pneumonia! After spending a night in the Ft. Ord hospital and receiving a massive dose of penicillin that led to a rapid improvement, Brandt convinced the Army doctor that he HAD to go with his unit the next day. Convinced by his improvement, the doctor loaded Brandt up with more penicillin and off he went. He recovered enroute with no ill effects.

The arrival at Tan So Nhut and Saigon was exactly as anyone who has been there remembers...a sensory shock and memorable! The year was 1962 and, Saigon was "unspoiled" by western influences; full of interesting foreign sights, sounds and smells. The USNS Croatan, carrying 40 cocooned helicopters and equipment, arrived within 48 hours, on schedule. Following unpacking, unwrapping and assembly, the 33rd's 20 CH-21s were flown to Tan So Nhut and ultimately to their new home on Bien Hoa airbase about 30 miles north of Saigon. The time was the monsoon season and no member of the unit had experienced the tropics or the problems the heat and moisture would ultimately bring to their aging CH-21 helicopters. The 33rd had arrived and "Wow", were the conditions primitive!

Throughout the remaining pages of Thunderbird Lounge, MG Brandt tells a complete story of the first year of the 33rd in Vietnam. People, places and incidents are described in very vivid detail. Almost every pilot is mentioned as well as many of the key enlisted men and NCO's. Using letters sent home to his wife along with the help of several comrades he is still in contact with, MG Brandt reconstructs many events that tell the story of their first year. Combat assaults, re-supply and medical evacuations are carried out in two aircraft flights because of engine and maintenance concerns. The red soil and extreme moisture conditions made maintenance of the CH-21 radial engines and wooden rotor blades very, very difficult. Brandt estimates that his engine shop rebuilt a CH-21 radial engine every 8 days! Thunderbird Lounge is a story of missions, maintenance and mayhem.

Never has a book been written after 40 years that is more complete with dates, names and locations. Every page is brimming with tales relating the many humorous incidents and events that made life in combat and the poor living conditions of Bien Hoa airbase bearable. Great photos are placed at the end of each chapter that compliment and highlight the people and incidents within the chapter. MG Brandt carefully remembers some of the sad events of the year, concluding with the loss of the first two 33rd pilots just after his returning home.

Thunderbird Lounge is truly a wonderful book. It tells a positive story about men as pioneers overcoming adversity, boredom and the enemy. Some of the participants may have seen things differently than MG Brandt, as he looks back after 40 years. However, no one can say he didn't tell it candidly, and fairly, as he saw it. After all, 40 years is a long time. 1962 was truly a time when real men pioneered the use of helicopters in combat and developed the textbooks for US Army Aviation airmobile operations. Those textbooks, as well as the lessons learned, were effectively used by thousands of pilots over the next 9 years in that "unknown" location so very far away.

Tom Payne
Sec/Treas
VHPA

I used the First Hebrew Primer up to chapter 10 without this aid and, after I ordered it found that I really needed it sense chapter 4. It just gives the proper answers to the exercises but if you are studying at home without the group you do need to know if you are on track.

I had gone through the Hebrew Primer Years ago and doing so again and being able to compare my answers has been very good.

This is a great Hebrew learning tool to use in a class or alone. Be sure to get the companion if you do it alone so you have the answers. It is taught well and easy to understand and grasp. I had a heart to learn this language and have enjoyed this study very much.

"The First Hebrew Primer" textbook is easy to understand and easily facilitates learning biblical Hebrew, but, unless you are a savant, you MUST have the "Answer Book for The First Hebrew Primer" to know if you have a clear understanding of what is being taught. The Answer Book has been an invaluable tool in providing the correct translations, spellings, and grammatical solutions to the hundreds of chapter exercise challenges.

Anyone who has read the long standing Executioner series of men' action/adventure books has heard of Michael Newton. But who knew he could write such engrossing and entertaining westerns?

With the character of Matt Price he has struck gold, expecially humanly showing Matt to tired and weary of burying in double figures, less fast gunmen. All he has to show for a lifetime of gunfighting is his horse and nowhere in particular to go. So up comes another young gunny trying to make a rep and also comes a telegram prior to the fight from an old friend 10-years back. 'Come to Texas, need help' is pretty much what Belle has written. True to friendship and more, Matt heads out to Texas, several week's ride away. Stepping full force into a hornet's nest of greed, killing, and a past that just hasn't gone away.

As this book weaves way to an ending we begin to like and approve of Matt Price more and more. He has a son, Jesse, now that he never knew about, that very fact will change his life in this book as well as the others that follow.

I'm a late comer to these books of Lyle Brandt (Michael Newton) but have now purchased all, and have even read his 1st book in the new series, LAWMAN, too. 2nd LAWMAN due out soon. As long as Lyle Brandt/Michael Newton continues to write 'em, I'll be reading them.

Semper Fi.

Terrific book! Who'd believe a new modern Western could be this good?

Matt Price is the fastest gun alive.But a good smart moral man,trapped by his own speed and knowing what's ahead. In a dusty town after a blazing-fast reputation-hunting kid draws a little too slowly against him, Price gets a telegram.The woman he loved ten years before --who left him because she saw him gun down two men who came against him in the night--is in trouble.

Most modern Westerns are terrible. Bad Westerns and bad pornography.Matt Price is a stand-up guy. Ethical,troubled,thoughtful, gentle in his own way. And the best there is at what he does, when forced to it. A rousing tale..

get this one and the sequel--justice gun, and finish them in one sitting. this writer is better than others who just got more hypes and better marketing strategies but would not surpass this new upcoming and very promising writer. so far, only louis la'mour and a few others are actually readable in this genre. mr brandt will be definitely among these few. tks very much.

When I first started reading this book, I thought I was galloping straight into cliche-land. What saved the book for me was the characters. They were likable and fleshed out pretty well, so I cared about what was going to happen. The bad guy was suitably bad, and there's plenty of gun-fighting action. Ought to be, based on the title. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.