Brian Books

This is a wonderful glimpse into the development of Hopper's paintings. It appears to be a photocopy of Hopper's working journals, which were assembled and maintained by his wife Jo over a period of 30+ years. Jo wrote the text and Edward drew a thumbnail sketch for the paintings. For many of the paintings, the text includes the brand of paint (e.g., Rembrandt, Blockx, W&N), the type of canvas and the priming, the studio in which it was painted, and to whom it was sold. Jo frequently included a description of the place, the people, or the mood portrayed in the paintings.

If you're an artist or a serious Hopper fan, you'll enjoy this book.

The synopsis for this title is incorrect. The text refers to the title "The Poetry of Solitute". THIS publication is a facsimile of Hopper's record keeping journals. It includes mostly thumbnail drawings, paint recipes and sales information for many of his works.

I just want to add the note that this book contains a selection of the Hopper notebooks, not the complete works. However, it is, as far as I know, the only way these are published, and the pages are very interesting indeed. It is amazing to see how fine these little sketches are of his more famous paintings. It was meant to be a record, a simple catalog, but it reminds one that Hopper was an excellent graphic artist as well as a painter. i think it is a brilliant idea for any artist as a way of keeping touch with larger works instead of with photographs.

El Diablo was an entertaining ride trough a mysterious spaghetti western style tail. If you like Deadwood (which reminded me of it), High Plains drifter, Mystery and just plain old westerns and shoot `em up films, you will like El Diablo! Sheriff Moses Stone has a lot of cool lines and so does the book itself. Stone is your antihero with a secret past that he wishes to obliterate and not even a mysterious phantom can stop him from living a good life. I highly recommend it. Have a fun read!

This is a great western story with a ECish ironic twist ending. The Sheriff of a small town organizes a posse to hunt down legendary killer El Diablo after some men are murdered. El Diablo is more legend than man and his mysterious clues are leading the sheriff and his posse back to the town where the sheriff originally came from. This is where it really gets good and I don't want to spoil it for anybody so you'll have to read it for yourself to find out what happens but I will say that I have to give writer Brian Azzarello a lot of credit for his excellent terse dialog. The only problem I would mention is the very heavy ink work that at times looks kind of blotchy. The coloring is good with a sparse, dustbowl feel and works well. I reccomend this book to fans of westerns and anybody who is a fan of a good ironic story.

For nearly every amount of critical acclaim that Brian Azzarello garners (100 Bullets, Loveless, Startling Stories: Banner), there always seems to be just as much criticism (Superman: For Tomorrow, Batman: Broken City, much of his run on Hellblazer). Then again, every now and then Azzarello reminds us just how he made a name for himself in the first place, and El Diablo does just that. Bounty hunter turned sheriff Moses Stone is enjoying his life for what it is. His town is peaceful, he has a loving wife, and life is good. All of that changes one night when the demonic fugitive known as El Diablo pays a violent visit to town, with Moses in his sights. What follows is Moses and his posse tracking El Diablo to a town called Halo, which holds a special place in Moses' past, as well as some nasty secrets. What makes El Diablo so good is that Azzarello doesn't pull any punches in the storytelling or dialogue. El Diablo is nearly every bit as violent and vulgar as the old west was, and the twists and turns that Azzarello weaves manage to entertain the reader. The artwork from Azzarello's occasional Loveless partner Danijel Zezelj may be an acquired taste for some, but it is a more than fitting look for the time, setting, and content of the story. All in all, El Diablo is an entertaining and nasty western comic that proves once again that Brian Azzarello is one of the best gritty writers in the business today.

The book is very clearly written with good explanations and application to real world situations. I especially find the instructions about how to use the TI-83 and MS Excel very helpful. I will not be reselling this book; I intend to keep it as a reference book for some time to come.

I used this book for an online course and found it very easy to use. I had never taken a statistics class before and ended up with an A in the course and had little to no help from my professor. This book does an excellent job explaining concepts with clear examples and instructions on how to perform problems using Minitab, Excel, and a TI-83 calculator. I usually sell my textbooks back, but I just might hang on to this one.

I used this book last semester. I then sold it. Now, I want it back. I am taking a follow-up stat course, but this book is my bible. It really is a great addition to any stat study. Will be buying a new one.

This is the book! If you are the person in your organization who needs to get the job done, not just discuss the theory, then this is the book. The authors tell how a Lean Enterprise looks, how to get there and the pitfalls to look for along the way. They tell you where you will find the most benefit, and where you will find the money when you become a Lean company. It is readable, understandable and it is excellent. The pages in my copy are marked up in yellow, underlined and dog-eared. If you were afraid to try Lean before you read the book, you will put this down at the end thinking, "I must do this." And, having read the book, you will say, "And now I know how."

This is a very easy read but is packed with everything you need to know to go through the lean transformation AND avoid the mistakes many make.

I would highly recommend this book!

I have just finished this book and it is excellent! This is not just another book on Lean. This is an indictment of executives, managers and concrete heads in organizations that aspire to mediocrity.

These authors have obviously been in the trenches and understand what most of us go through as we try to implement this process. There is great advice and hard-hitting commentary on why companies are failing to get the full benefits of Lean. Check out the Lean Math Chapter where Offshore Outsourcing is compared to a Lean alternative.

Executives and managers have a huge responsibility and they are not (from what I exerience) living up to it. The authors explain why engagement is critical as well as commitment. Management should read this book and then ask themselves a lot of tough questions. Also, the whole discussion on education and institutionalization is right on the money.

This book shows why you need to change and how to do it. It focuses on the whole Enterprise and not just Manufacturing and explains why Lean is not a new fad and why it will not go away.

You are going Lean or you are not going anywhere, and this book shows why you need to do it before you are forced into it by your customers or your competition.

I hope these guys write another book. This is a breath of fresh Lean air.

I am a Pastor and I believe this book is a must read for both people in leadership roles and Christians seeking a deeper walk with Christ. My pages are highlighted, written in and dogeared. It is a MUST READ!

I first ran across this book on the shelves of my seminary library and was intrigued; I even checked it out, but never got around to reading so much as the first chapter. But after a difficult spell in pastoral ministry, I ran across a note I'd made of the title and ordered it. It was the right decision.
Dodd brings a unique perspective to his writing: having absorbed broad swaths of leadership literature (both mainstream and Christian/church-oriented) he entered a PhD program with the intention of learning Paul's management techniques. What he found instead was Paul's total focus on Jesus and the cross, and his radical dependence on the Holy Spirit.
I highly recommend this book to any pastor or Christian lay leader. It is not a book you ought read through in one sitting - there is much to ponder. But the time and effort will be worth it.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It changed they way I read the scriptures and it has changed my life. I would recomend this book to all church leaders and any christian as it will minister to you. Brian Dodd is a first class writter and you will find it hard to put this book down. Its worth every penny.

Brian Doyle is simply one of the two best essayists writing today. This book proves it--- once again.

I discovered this author when I picked up a copy of his book of essays - "Credo" in a used book store a few years ago. I was stunned at the power of his prose, read the book cover to cover twice, and gave copies to family and friends. I bought this book thinking it was more essays. At first I was disappointed to have been 'tricked' into buying poetry (what an embarrassing admission) - but what a brilliant and pleasant trick. Some of this writing left me close to dumbfounded. Certainly speechless. Amazing, amazing stuff. I anxiously await more.

Wonderful! But then I love anything Brian Doyle writes. He makes you laugh, he makes you cry. He makes you just feel good.

I have a poem included in this incredible offering from some of the world's finest (as yet) unknown poets from around the world. They are not only brilliant artists, they are also some of the most compassionate, intelligent and loving people I've had the pleasure to know. It is a distinct honor to be among them. I am humbled by their graciousness and talents. This is a worthy piece to add to anyone's collection.

Eyes of the Poet: Love and Passion in Lasting Splendor represents one of the few instances where an editor's expertise shines through nearly above the work itself. Given the outsider status of these poets, Douthit's attention to unknown artists is incredible and refreshing. I don't know any work by these writers, but thankfully I have a great starting point for future exploring.

Usually, when I read a poetry anthology, the poets represented are famous (for poets) and so I tend to lend their work a lot of advanced credit that it doesn't necessarily deserve. This collection, on the other hand, is filled with the work of unknowns, so each magical and inventive verse surprises and intrigues me accordingly.

The subject matter is what I found most rewarding here. Melodrama aside, love poems tend to fall into two camps: innocence and experience (thank you, Mr. Blake). The innocent ones, unless they are intentionally bereft of maturity, can easily fall under the wheels of the melodrama train, the old showing v. telling mantra espoused in so many creative writing classes. Experienced poems, likewise, can come across as haughty or flamboyantly literary. Yet what Douthit does here is find poems that fall into neither category. They tend to inhabit a gray area where not only are they enjoyable, but also unassumingly honest. It's difficult to find love poems that don't fall into the traps of amateur writing, especially in an age where all literature is suddenly so SERIOUS, so to say Douthit has succeeded here is really to say that he has advanced the notion of what great poetry can be, and what love means in 2007. 5 out of 5.

"you laugh and
a river of warmth
flows into me
because for now...
I swim in your love"
~Kimberly B. George, When Love Flows

Eyes of the Poet is a book so exquisite, you may find yourself completely lost within the romantic dream of love, only wishing to experience everything a poet experiences in moments of perfection. Brian Douthit and David Robertson have created an elegant and emotionally fulfilling experience where life is lived as art and poets play with words in sensual beauty.

This is a collection of poems to celebrate love and passion as seen by over fifty poets from nine countries including: Canada, The United Kingdom, Australia, India, The Philippines, South Africa, Trinidad, The United States and Malta.

Zayra Yves' poetry is breathtaking in beauty and unveils sensuous beauty in a morning filled with cherry blossoms and a kiss mingling with tastes of olive oil and basil. Wanda Lea Brayton brings new beauty to images of reading as she remembers how her lover turns her pages with a "soft whisper" and reads her with a "silk-spun touch." The vivid imagery in "Japanese Garden" makes you long for the scent of orange blossoms.

"we speak in
breathless whispers
as I trace your lips with my fingertips
searching your eyes
for my soul"
~Rohina Anand, Whispers

Rohina Anand captures warm moments of connection. The lush intensity in Patricia Gibson-Williams poetry displays a deep connection with sensual writing. "Eyes of a Poet" holds some of the most beautiful poetry you will ever read in its soothing embrace.

This collection takes you beyond sensual creativity and introduces you to the unique soul of each poet. Exquisite, intoxicating, comforting and deeply intimate, these poems let you swim in the soul of the writer like nothing I've ever felt before. If this book was a delicious secret, it is one you would want to share with someone you love. The lush imagery truly speaks for itself and leads you on a poetic journey of the heart.

"in my winter room I listen
to the night wind
unbuttoning the clouds,

throwing water stars,
blue-tinted liquid florets,
against the window"

~Nicolette van der Walt, Eyes of the Poet

As you finish reading this elegant poetic escape, you may remember the ending to Diane Anjoue's poem where she captures a deep heart longing:

"waiting only
to be lost within again..."

~The Rebecca Review

I love these books they make reading and learning Spanish fun. My little one likes all the bright colors and the illustrations.

I loved this book! It took me through the Spanish alphabet connecting each letter to a Spanish word in a sentence dominated by English words. In the very front of the book is a glossary of Spanish words used in the book.

Although the book helps the reader learn a little Spanish as well as English, it has a little story behind it. The setting is a kid's birthday party and what happens at such an event. The text is very good and the illustrations were a joy to look at.

I would have liked the book better if the "birthday kid" had been introduced at the beginning and we had learned a few things about him (or her) by reading the book. We never do get to put a name on the birthday kid in this book. 5 stars!

I teach in a preschool classroom made up of 50% English speakers and 50% Spanish speakers. I love using this book in my classroom because it ties in the Spanish culture and both the English and Spanish language. My English speakers feel special because they are learning to say some Spanish words, and my Spanish speaking children feel comfortable hearing words that are familiar to them. All the while we are having an open dialouge about the letters of the alphabet!

Each year, I purchase new Christmas books for our home collection, my now adult children and the children of friends. By far, the all time family favorite Christmas book is Leon Garfield's Fair is Fair. It is the one most frequently chosen for reading aloud on Christmas Eve. This year, I was delighted to find additional copies of the book which I had first purchased in 1986. Now each of children have their own copies in their own homes.

I remember reading this book to my much younger brother, he absolutely loved it and would check it out of the library at every opportunity. It is truly a wonderful children's book, and I am amazed that it is out of print. If you get the opportunity to read it, do so! Your children will love it, and so will you.

I can't believe this book is out-of-print! It has all the right ingredients for a really lovely Christmas story: orphans, a dog, and a wonderful ending. I had to make a decided effort to obtain this book, but my search was well-rewarded. However, my desire to purchase it as a special Christmas gift for three children who love Leon Garfield's other work will not be satisfied...'tis unluckily out-of-print! Very un-fair!

...comes the observations and opinions of one certain Brian Griffin, a cultured philosopher and recovering alcoholic. This book recalls the style of the show in both its style of writing and in its use of "guest essays" (resembling the cutaways the show is famous -- or infamous -- for). Particularly memorable are thoughts from Stewie (who tries to convince all readers not to follow any advice from "the dog") and a guest essay from Jasper, which is nothing short of hilarious. Overall, if you are a fan of the show and seeking more exploration of Brian's character, this is the book for you. "Family Guy" followers won't be disappointed, and in fact may tend to agree with the many witty statements made by one of the funniest talking dogs ever on television.

It's a quick and hilarious read. My favorite parts are the "guest essays" from Stewie and Peter. If you're a Family Guy fan, you'll love this book.

This book is awesome. Any self respecting FG fan must have this book. Its a perfect read on the commode