Rich Books

This book talks about Justin's life. It contains much about his acting career--like how it started and how he progressed into being the successful actor/producer he is today. It includes personal quotes from him, his filmograpy, and great, full-colored pictures. It also tells of how Justin contributes to communities all throughout the US through the Ronald McDonald House Charity. I recommend this book to any Justin fan. It's quite a catch.

I tried teaching my students Java with a very traditional approach and met with disaster. I researched different options for my students and came across the old Karel the Robot.

Karel the Robot was excellent for its time, but its time has definitely passed. I was delighted to find that Professor Bergin had released a Java edition through CafePress.

I started over with my students using Karel J Robot and we are all thankful for the positive change seen in the class.

An excellent resource for a teacher to introduce students to Computer Science. Do keep in mind however that the text is only meant as an introduction and is not designed to fill an entire course. While an independent read would likely be useful for a beginner, I do believe that without the proper emphasis on the subtleties that an instructor can provide, something would be lost.

Any California wine buff readily knows the name of Fetzer Wines: but how many know the entire story of the family's rise in the wine industry? To get that you have to turn to KATHLEEN'S VINEYARD: THE FETZER FAMILY MATRIARCH SHARES HER STORY. Written in collaboration with longtime family friend Sarah Suggs and with the aid and input of the entire family, KATHLEEN'S VINEYARD tells of a teen who journeyed from her Minnesota home to the San Francisco Bay Area, looking for work and independence. Her discovery of romance in one Bernard Fetzer led to their involvement in the California wine industry and their creation of a family empire. Add vintage black and white photos and you have a winning story of a family's experience along with new insights on the California wine industry's evolution.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

The Kennedy assassination is an open chapter in the history of the US. The Warren Report has been the official version of the tragic events in Dallas all these years. The investigation conducted by Congress concluded that there were more than one shooter. The American public did not believe the findngs in the Warren Report but there was not enough proof that the investigation done by Congress found the truth either.
Kennedy Saga presents texts dictated by the people personally involved in the tragedy, which made it their tragedy, as well. The story behind the story of Dallas is revealed. At long last the terrible truth about this event, which touched the lives of so many is told. At long last everything makes sense. The Conspiracy and the Cover Up involved top US Government officials. The CIA prepared the killing ground and made sure the assassins could escape. The FBI was in charge of the massive Cover Up, which cost the lives of many who could have revealed the truth. The man in charge of the operation was the Attorney General of the United States, Robert Kennedy, the victim's brother. His was the worst and most devastating tragedy of all.

Infomation was easily displayed and to find. I've used the information over and over.

Teaches children the basics of finance, money management and real estate investment.

Teaches children and adults how to manage and invest income to achieve financial goals.

Written for all ages.

Written in an easy to understand format with basic dialogue and colorful images.

Provides insight into the courses that are essential for securing financial success.

Guarantees a childs understanding.

Kids will remember how to be rich, and continue the concepts into their adult lives.

Includes Workbook and financial literacy terms made easy just for kids.

Teaches kids to have wealth!

The word genius is thrown around awfully lightly these days so I won't use it here. Instead I'll use brilliant to describe the art of Fastner & Larson, still going strong after more than 25 years. It's hard to nail down just what it is about the pair that I like so much...I think it's the humor they inject, often uproarious, and often quite subtly into their work.

Kiss of Death is a collection of much of the duo's earlier works from the 1980's and early 1990's. It collects some magnificent pieces from many of their portfolios over the years such as "Daughters of the Disk" from 1988. You'll get a rare glimpse at a solo portfolio by Rich Larson called "Angels of Death" and it's interesting to see Larson's gorgeous pencils and inks without Fastner's trademark airbrush. "Petz" is a portfolio featuring sexy warrior women and their beasties, "Clan of the Claw" is a prehistoric set with scantily clad cave women battling Dinosaurs.

In the "Seven of Swords" portfolio, a fantastic collection of Swordswomen, SQ productions gives us a chance to see the illustrations take shape from rough, preliminary sketches, to the final, completed piece, and all the steps in between, less you think it just came easy to these guys.

While the bulk of the book is in (glorious) black & white, there is a color section in the middle including a dazzling, 1950's-style "B" movie alien menace painting with a woman running for her life from a blob-like creature. A holiday painting features a lovely swordswoman in Santa Miniskirt, hugging the literal North Pole, while razor-fanged reindeer battle to the death with pirate elves.

For you spanking fans there are the usual giddily humorous corporal punishment pieces that the pair is so well known (and worshipped) for. One interesting thing I learned about from Kiss of Death is that SQP took over the art direction for Fleetway Comcis/Quality Comics. This led to Rich doing a number of covers for the hugely popular British Scf-Fi character, Judge Dredd. Many of these unbelievable covers are reprinted in this collection.

Kiss of Death is a different collection than the more recent Little Black Book and other Fastner & Larson collections from SQP. It's more straight-up Sci-Fi and Fantasy than the more recent books which are more pin-up oriented. It's a great collection for their legions of fans who may be unfamiliar with their older work.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

this book is available brand new, not "nearly new" from the stockman grass farmer bookshelf (Mr. Nation`s publication) for $35.50, not $40.00. Please be wary of some used book sellers.

Krazy Kat was never popular; it is probably the most under-appreciated influential comic strip of all time. Artists in other genres, not just comic strips, cite it as an inspiration.

Because Krazy Kat had such a limited appeal, both then and now, reprints have been few and far between, taken up by small publishers who know that sales are going to be slow and small. Modern reprints began in 1990 with Eclipse/Turtle Island's collections of Sundays, one volume for each year. They managed to print the first decade of the strip before folding. In 2002 Fantagraphics picked up where Eclipse left off, and has been publishing reprints in two-year volumes. As I write this (Dec 2003), they are up to 1930.

During the gap between Eclipse's demise and Fantagraphics's release, Kitchen Sink Press tried their own series of Sunday reprints--also in a two-year format. But they began in 1935 when the Sunday strip began running in color. They planned for seven volumes, which would take the strip through the end of its run in 1944. Volume 1 got mass distribution. Volume 2 got a very limited run and is very hard to find. Volume 3 has an Amazon listing but I do not know if it really exists, or in what numbers.

As an edition, the Komplete Kolor Krazy Kat, Volume 1 is nearly everything one would hope for. The size is large enough to make the comics reproduce well. The colors look lively. I think the strip was reproduced better here than it was in The Smithsonian Book of Comics.

Plus there are a couple of extras--introductions by both Bill Watterson (who drew "Calvin & Hobbes") and Bill Blackbeard. Both offer insights and comments that are worth reading. Hopefully Fantagraphics will reprint these as well if and when they catch up with their own releases.

All in all, a great find if you like Krazy Kat.

The irrepressible Esmeralda has given us another fine, fun read! Author Margaret Graham has developed a character who is sincere, humorous, fallible, honest, and clever. Esmeralda is no spring chicken. Hooray for older characters with whom we can identify--and to whom we can look up! No need to drift into the sunset. Why not set the prairie on fire? Land Sakes--like th two previous books starring Esmeralda--is fast paced, interesting, full of local color, and brightened by Esmeralda's charming backwoods idioms. I highly recommend it!!