Carter Books

Original breakthrough research that crosses the barriers of anthropology, theology, psychology and cross-cultural views of the dying process and beyond. Dr. Miller is a gifter writer and researcher who provides the entree for both the skeptic and the inquisitive to explore the most profound issues that we will all eventually confront. She accomplishes accomplishes her goal while providing the reader with extraordinary insights into alternative perceptions of life and after death. I could not put this inspirational book down until I read the final words, "we can only imagine."

After Death is a book that can offer not only solace but meaning to anyone facing death, their own or that of a loved one. We are used to thinking of dying as an unalterably lonely experience, but with this book as a companion it need not be. There is great comfort in discovering the depth and range of how our fellow humans imagine, understand, and, in some cultures, even know the after-death.

As important as the content, to me, is the author's voice-a voice of great warmth, compassion, and intelligence. As one reads this book, one feels more and more deeply the sense of human kinship in this journey-a profound antidote to loneliness and fear. I found this to be a truly transformative work.

This readable, page turner engages the reader from the start in asking the fundamental question of life, what begins after death? The author is widely traveled and well-versed in comparative religions and belief systems. Written in an anecdotal and open style, the author states no positions but offers different views from Native American philosophies to Brazilian religious beliefs. A must read for anyone with the smallest sense of curiosity about how our global neighbors wrestle with the place/voyage after death. Great gift for New Agers to seniors to skeptics and saints

Andy Warhol is one of the best known American artists of the 1960s and renowned for his uncoventional life and art as well as is enduring influence on American pop culture. An influence that continues down to the present time several decades after his death. Famous for his iconic images of Marilyn Monroe and Campbell Soup Cans, he also made art out of the facial images of political, social, entertainment, sports, and music celebrities of his day. This particular body of his work has been compiled and edited by Tony Shafrazi, who enhances this 320-page coffee table art book with 350 color illustrations and informative essays by art critic Carter Ratcliff and art historian Robert Rosenblum. The men and women whose images were made immortal by Warhol range from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giorgio Armani, Truman Capote, Jimmy Carter, Joan Collins, Clint Eastwood, Herman Hesse, Alfred Hitcock, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Lenin, Robert Mapplethorpe, Liza Minnelli, Princess Diana, Yves Saint Laurent, O.J. Simpson, Elizabeth Taylor, Tennessee Williams, Natalie Wood, Mao Zedong, and hundreds of others. An important contribution to academic library 20th Century American Art History reference collections, "Andy Warhol Portraits" is a 'must' for the personal collections of Warhol's legions of admirers.

This book enables the reader to discover some rarely seen paintings by Warhol, representing many personalities from the sixties, seventies and eighties, from O.J. Simpson to Pelé, from the Queen of England to the Shah of Iran, artists, art dealers, art collectors, musicians (John Lennon...), actors, fashion designers and friends of the artist's. Even though it was this kind of work that drew the harshest criticism (Robert Hughes, critic for Time Magazine, dubbed Warhol the new Van Dongen, meaning by that that he only painted superficial portraits of the rich and famous of his time), they still show the scope and depth of Warhol's creative power. The book is lavishly illustrated and the text was written by leading Warhol authorities (dealer or critic). A very complete checklist of all the portraits illustrated is given at the end of the book. A valuable addition to the albeit extensive Warhol literature.

When most people think of Andy Warhol, images of Campbell's soup cans and a vividly colored Chairman Mao come to mind. For those who know Warhol better, memories also include Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, most wanted posters, and self-portraits of the artist.

What few appreciate is that portraiture was the bread-and-butter that Warhol used to finance his experimental work at the Factory. Before this book, you could not see the full range of this work. Unframed and grouped with similar and complementary works in the same time period, these 300 portraits show a considerable range of style and expression that will be a new perspective for all but collectors of Warhol portraits. I found the work to be so impressive that it totally changed my sense of who Warhol was as an artist.

In this book, the portraits do the talking. The brief essays merely describe the processes that Warhol used and that he tried to make people look good . . . and larger than life. But you knew that already, didn't you?

The range of the ways he captured the spirit of his subjects is what's most impressive in this volume. Repetition of the same image in one work with different treatments could help us see many different expressions of the person (see Natalie 1962). In other places, many images of the same person in one work express mood, movement, and a story (see Sixteen Jackies 1964). In other cases, multiple images of the same subject give us deep insight into personality (see Ethel Scull 1963). In other cases, the multiple images show the reality as well as the personality (see Merce Cunningham 1963 and Triple Rauschenberg 1963).

Exploring different use of colors and backgrounds, Warhol could totally change our emotions as viewers (Silver Liz 1963 gives us a sense of coolness and elegance while Liz 1963 shows a woman of great emotion and passion).

In Warhol's process, subjects were photographed around 100 times using a Polaroid camera. The subject then picked the images (or image) that she or he liked best. The images were turned into silk screens. Then, Warhol added the background and color to capture what the mere shape could not. The degree of focus also creates more or less power and immediacy (compare Donald Judd 1967 and Robert Rauschenberg 1967).

The portraits also create dialogues, such as when married couples had their portraits done around the same time. In the book, these images are often on facing pages. You'll be arrested to see Nelson Rockefeller 1967 and Happy Rockefeller 1968 looking off into the same spot in space . . . but not each other. The color overlap is minimal, emphasizing their differences.

These images are even more arresting when the pair are portrayed looking away from one another as with Gianni Agnelli 1972 and Marella Agnelli 1972.
In places, painterly backgrounds add remarkable depth and power to the images as with the Agnellis.

In places, the painterly treatment is sufficient to remind one of the work of Degas such as Lee Radziwell, 1972.

Portrait creators have always arranged sitters carefully to emphasize a certain point. Warhol does this in a very minimal way, often adding more than part of a hand touching the face or a bit of clothing. Because of its slight use, the impact is much stronger.

How do the subjects fare? Those with strong personalities do best. Those with complex personalities are rendered beautifully, but aren't as accessible. Subjects who want to look physically attractive often appear merely decorative, like a background model at a party.

Warhol's talent can best be seen by comparing the various ways he renders eyes. Male and female subjects alike receive slashes of color that sometimes resemble eye shadow and other times seem like tiny masks.

There isn't much that's soulful about these works. They are more about promotion than about moral uplift. It's all the more surprising when that soulfulness appears as in Farah Dibah Pahlavai (Empress of Iran) 1977.

Seeing Judy Garland 1979 and Liza Minelli 1979 made me wish that Warhol had done more mother-daughter combinations. These two stunners crawl right inside you.

Part of Warhol's art comes in knowing something about the person. Where the subject is unknown, you'll find yourself a little more baffled about what the message is. Think of each of the celebrity portraits then as being in part a reflection of the public image and our current perceptions. Warhol uses this celebrity awareness to good purpose in creating very minimal works that express the dominant impression of a person (see Martha Graham 1980).

As his career continued, the works became more daring. I was particularly drawn to the line drawings with bold bands of color such as in Paul Delvaux 1981 and Jean Cocteau 1985.

Some of these portraits will cause you to stop and rethink what you know about the people. I had that reaction to the pairing of Prince Charles 1982 (coolly displayed as a young symbol of the monarchy) with the almost flirtatious Princess Diana 1982 (appearing as a powerful force with an earthy grounding).

The portrait of John Lennon is simply stunning (1985-86).

For a good sense of Warhol's progress, you'll enjoy seeing many of his self-portraits.

Enjoy a good look!

If the charming, graceful, and intelligent Appaloosa has won your heart, then make sure Haine's masterpeice has a place on your bookshelf. Concise yet extraordinarily detailed text is complimented by exquisite art depicting spotted horses through time. An amazing peice of Appaloosa literature, and written by one of the founders of the ApHC, no less! Absolute necessity for all Appaloosa lovers.

A magnificent book, full of gorgeous full color photos of ancient and modern artwork depicting the appaloosa. This book is also a well-written history of the evolution of the appaloosa and the attitudes towards the color. For example, did you know that spotted Lippizans and Lusitanos used to be prized and not prohibited? Highly recommend for those who love spotted horses!

Written by one of the founding fathers of the Appaloosa Breed, this book provides a great historical narrative of this colorful American breed. Illustrated with marvelous color prints, it recounts the travels of Appaloosas across the world from early times to the present. A must for any Appaloosa fancier!

I got this book a few years ago after trying some beef and pork on skewers from a local Korean place. At the time I knew very little about Asian food preparation, and the book helped quite a bit:

The book begins with a glossary of basic terms and ingredients used in Asian kitchens, and also a rundown of grilling techniques, then proceeds to a series of ready meals (main grilled dish offered with one or two side dishes that are a traditional complement to the meal).

The sauces and marinades are easy to prepare and the flavors are bold and very fresh. The book utilized fresh vegetables and fruit in side dishes and salads that are amazing with the marinated and grilled meats and make a gorgeous presentation.

Furthermore, as I have discovered in the years of using the book, the recipes are also flexible and open to improvisation-resulting in possibly less authentic, but still wonderful and fun party food that can be prepared on a small tabletop hibachi grill right in front of your guests (you'll have to do prep work and make side dishes in advance, but grilling the meat and fish in front of guests has been a great way to bring a party together in my experience).

Overall, I found no fault with this book at all even from a beginner's (at the time) point of view-but the recipes are interesting enough for the more experienced chefs as well.

I also recommend "A Flash in the Pan: 100 Fast and Furious Recipes for Wok and Stir-Fry" by Liz Trigg and Shirley Gill for wonderful wok and stir-fry recipes for those beginner cooks who want to learn more about Asian food than just grilling.

If you are bored with steak, hamburger and chicken on the charcoal grill, here are recipes for Bulgogi (Korean Fire Beef), Salmon in Miso Glaze, and many skewered chicken and shrimp dishes that are easy to make, but certainly a different take on grilling. There are a lot of marinades that could be adapted to other items--you can miso-glaze chicken breast, or make flank steak in a number of flavorings. Good little book if you are bored with grilling or want fancy skewered recipes for a party.

This little book transports Asian flavors and textures simply to the Western reader without compromising flavor and integrity. I've tried three recipes from this book and they are very, very good. I plan to try several others but first have to replace the book. I took it to work and ended up giving it away. This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who loves grilling and Asian flavors.

The shipping was quick, and the book is in perfect condition. I would use this source again!

As a novice gardener, I have found many instructional books to be overwhelming; their scope is often too wide for my purposes. The Garden Project Workbook Series, however, provides clear instructions for a variety of creative yet practical designs.

With help from "Beds and Borders" I was able to implement my own design for a small border in my tiny front yard, a step that I would not have been able to accomplish on my own.

All of the books in this series are topical and very worthwhile. I highly recommend them.

This is a good book for the beginning gardner in need of ideas for planting a garden. It illustrates 21 planting schemes and provides brief how-to-do guidelines. Generally included in the instructions are: the latin name of all plants needed and he number of plants needed; special tools and equipment when indicated; designing, spacing, and planting the bed; care and maintenance as well as alternative planting schemes.

This is a cute story for children entering or in 2nd grade. Most children can read the story themself and the pictures are bright and cute.
My son really enjoyed it.

I bought this book for my grandson who has just completed the first gade. I think the book is funny. The vocabulary is easy enough and the illustrations are excellent. Even without them, a beginning reader can picture everything. It contains a strong appeal to the senses, and the situations are easy for a second gader to relate to. I highly recommend this book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone! It is a lovely, enchanting, and funny tale, and the pictures complement the story beautifully. I read it to my son recently, and we both loved it. He listened the entire time and wanted to hear it again! It has quickly become one of his favorites! We also have Katharine Kenah's book The Dream Shop (illustrated by Peter Catalannotto), which is a gorgeous picture book. I recommend her books to everyone!

Mary Randolph Carter, aka "Carter", is Queen of all things Junk! Others may use that title, but Carter owns it. The fourth (!) book in her "American Junk" series, "Big City Junk", finds our heroine Carter trapsing through the junk yards, stores and flea-markets of more cosmopolitan outposts. As usual, Carter's unique gift is her ability to photograph junk in its "natural state", and giving the discarded, outdated and seemingly unimportant the artistic presence it deserves. Subconciously, every compulsive junker has always understood the "power of junk", and Carter's "Big City Junk" is a celebration of that understanding. Particularly poignent in "Big City Junk" are Carter's photographs of various paintings, sketches and souvenirs of New York and The World Trade Center. Odd and touching how a few photos of humble junk express that which cannot be said in a million words.

BIG CITY JUNK, which was probably in production on September 11, 2001 (it arrived in bookstores a couple of months later), carries a special resonance because of the events of that day. What would otherwise be a lark of a style book appealing to the collectibles crowd becomes a small shrine as well for a piece of the New York lifestyle and psyche. In the course of celebrating the cast aside and disposable, Mary Randolph Carter, the author and photographer caught a lasting, brave, prophetic comment about fear and city living rendered in the temporal medium of a sidewalk chalk message. But she is also onto something else that is so very much a part of the economy and ecology of the city: the cycle of "stuff" in a population intensive, small place. The sociological angle raises this volume in Carter's Junk series above the others.

This is not to say the book isn't fun. It is fun. And it is very fair: Carter gives very specific information about how much things cost (or don't) and where they were found. She provides lists of flea markets and thrift shops in the major metropolitan areas she covers. Her method is to focus on individual collectors in locales like New York, San Francisco and LA, profiling how they find their stuff and what they do with it.

Like a novelist who succeeds in creating a world and staying true to it, Carter has established a vision that makes junk matter. I need open, less cluttered surfaces in my own environment, but when I read the Junk series, I can certainly enjoy that collectible urge.

I love this book, and I will admit, I am the subject of one of the chapters in the book (Lost and Found). But I was a big fan of
Carter's books before I met her 2 years ago. I remember the excitement I felt when I saw "American Junk" for the first time.
A woman after my own heart! (I have been making art from junk for the last 6 years.) Thank you Carter (she prefers to be called that), for helping us to see so many fun ways to decorate inexpensively and recylce, reuse, and clean up the environment.
Carter writes in an inviting, cozy manner that makes you feel like an old friend. And I really enjoyed watching her photograph
for my chapter, no fussy rearranging of things, she captures the
images as she sees them and moves on. Packed full of inspiration!

I own several bluegrass and flatpicking guitar books. Bluegrass Guitar Classics is my favorite, and it's also the least expensive. The song selection is great and the arrangements are simple enough for a beginner. I've been playing for four months and I learned to play Wildwood Flower and Down in the Willow Garden over a weekend. The book is a great introduction to Carter style guitar. The tab is clear and easy to read, unlike other books I own. This may be the vest $7.95 I've ever spent.

This book is an excellent buy for the money and contains some of the most important traditional Bluegrass songs in both standard musical notation and guitar tablature.

This is a compilation of flatpicking guitar solos, arranged in a "Carter" style (after that of Maybelle Carter of the renowned Carter Family). It has songs as "Jesse James, "Down Under," "John Henry" and many others. The Carter method uses single notes followed by chords which plays not just the melody, but the harmony, too. This is a very practical method of playing, especially if you're just one player. You can, essentially, play both parts at once. This book is a must for any flatpicker.

This book helped me to realize, that the only thing that I could change in a situation taking place in my life, was ME. If I could change myself and adjust to the situation, it would in turn change the affect the problem was having on me. I highly recommend this book to anyone...but especially to anyone who has trouble in their life.It was a big help to me and I believe it will be to others as well.

I'm a fifteen year old and I thought the book was very interesting. It was quite humerous, yet it made me cry at times also. I reccommend Wm. Lee Carter's books to anyone.

It touched my heart and soul, only wish we had more books like this

This is a great book for anyone who is a fan, but also a real treat for people living in the metro-Detroit area, as a few of the celebrities asked are local TV and radio stars. She wrote to a lot of people over the years and has a great collection of stars' heroes, from Soupy Sales to Les Paul and of course Davy Jones! It's neat to find out who inspired the celebrities to be who they are today.

Mary Guerra is an authority on fandom as she is a member of a fanclub or two herself. I know this since she belongs to the fanclub I run for Davy Jones, Davy Devotees. Though the concept of fandom is normally perceived as being something the nonfamous possess, Mary spent years contacting various celebrities asking them just who they consider themselves a fan of and what fanclubs they would join if they could! She received personal responses from legends in the field of entertainment like RoseMarie and Phyllis Diller to Les Paul, inventor of the electric guitar, Richard Petty, of racing fame, columnist, Liz Smith and "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe. Shirley Jones, Peter Noone and Mary's personal favorite, Davy Jones of The Monkees, are just a few of the many other highlighted celebrities. If you've been a fan of anyone at anytime, this book gives you an interesting look at who those we admire actually admire. At times the featured celebrities provide laughs and at other times intriguing revelations. Overall this is a fun read with a lot of heart!

This book is fabulous. My husband and I found it to be a quick, entertaining read. We particularly enjoyed the entry from Mike Clark, our favorite radio DJ. It's interesting to see what people celebrities find heroic, and it conveys more of an inside look into their personality as well.