Richard Books

The Italians Newby depicts in this memoir (and also in his "A Small Place in Italy") are often funny, but never buffoonish. Newby's warm admiration for country folk is always evident, as in this passage where a retired stonemason helps remove an enormous boulder from the hideout the locals are making for him:

"He went over it with his hands, very slowly, almost lovingly. It must have weighed half a ton. Then, when he had finished caressing it, he called for a sledgehammer and hit it deliberately but not particularly hard and it broke into two almost equal halves. It was like magic and I would not have been surprised if a toad had emerged from it and turned into a princess who had been asleep for a million years."

Readers familiar with Newby's travel writing will find all his strengths here: his eye for detail, his warmth of character, his humor (mostly self-deprecating). They will also find a love story -- one made all the more poignant by Newby's craftsmanlike selection of few but telling scenes.

During World War II, the rural citizens of northern Italy vowed to assist Allied soldiers on the run in their mountainous region. They were operating on an informed heart, on the Golden Rule, wanting to give aid to those who opposed the hated Fascists and Nazis as they would hope someone would help their own sons. And while the Allies were protected by the Geneva Convention should they be captured, the citizens were not and they were subject to less humane punishment, sometimes torture and death, if their actions were found out. But they did it anyway. It is these people, who otherwise lived a pastoral, ancient way of life, whom travel writer extraordinaire Eric Newby profiles in his memoir, LOVE AND WAR IN THE APENNINES.

Those familiar with Newby's other books will find his signature wit, self-deprecating humor and descriptive powers at work here, but his curiosity and appreciation of other people and cultures is in highest gear. He comes to meet the peasantry of northern Italy after fleeing a prison during the chaos following the ouster of Mussolini in September 1943. He is helped by a succession of individuals and families, including the woman who would become his wife and companion in later adventures, the estimable Wanda. The book ends with his unfortunate recapture by the Germans and in an epilogue he revisits the people who took him in ten years after.

Newby is a hugely gifted writer, his sentences are knowing and clear as a bell. He orders information rhythmically, always knows when less is more and more is more. He never bows to sentimentality, never sells anyone out. He does a remarkable job of expressing the fear and dispiritedness that politics and war heave on a people, at the same time revealing their resilience. There is much to admire in this book.

Eric Newby knows how to tell a story. This is one of the few books that I started over again immediately after finishing it the first time. The insight into the minds of these extraordinary Italian farmers who hid prisoners of war without thought to their own lives and safety is one of the great adventure reads to come out of World War II. Having passed through this countryside so many times traveling between Milan and Florence, I know first hand how rugged it is. Just to get through these mountains by train is an adventure, as there are dozens of tunnels to pass through after one leaves Bologna. Newby brings the setting to life for the reader, and we walk in his footsteps as he falls upon adverture after another. There is almost an unreal quality to this story, expecially his meeting the wonderful mountain men who live in the most remote parts of these mountains. If you want a really good read, grab a copy of this book. You will not be disappointed.

The Italians Newby depicts in this memoir (and also in his "A Small Place in Italy") are often funny, but never buffoonish. Newby's warm admiration for country folk is always evident, as in this passage where a retired stonemason helps remove an enormous boulder from the hideout the locals are making for him:

"He went over it with his hands, very slowly, almost lovingly. It must have weighed half a ton. Then, when he had finished caressing it, he called for a sledgehammer and hit it deliberately but not particularly hard and it broke into two almost equal halves. It was like magic and I would not have been surprised if a toad had emerged from it and turned into a princess who had been asleep for a million years."

Readers familiar with Newby's travel writing will find all his strengths here: his eye for detail, his warmth of character, his humor (mostly self-deprecating). They will also find a love story -- one made all the more poignant by Newby's craftsmanlike selection of few but telling scenes.

Newby's writing can be rather dry, but in this recounting of his escape from the Germans in WWII Italy, he strikes a fine balance between mawkish sentimentalism and tough-guy posturing. An engrossing narration about the extraordinary measures ordinary people can and will resort to, to stay alive and to do what they think is right. Encouraging, inspiring, and highly recommended.

This book is very fun and imformative. It gives us information, but in a fun way...I recomend this book to anyone under the age of 13, and who enjoys history...if you get this book in school, dont be scared it is fun!

I love the writing in this series, it's such a pleasure to read, I wonder why are so many other textbooks so boring?

I'd love to give it five stars, except that there are recurring themes I find grating - some of her "fan club for the US government" stuff is just in totally inappropriate places. For instance, "American slavery was a horror. We should never pretend it was anything else. But the American system of government lets us correct mistakes. When you study history you see we usually do. Of that we can be proud." Gag me with a spoon, slavery was not abolished until more than 240 years after the first slave was delivered in 1619! Hakim does such a great job of fairly telling the story, why ruin it?

Another place I found disappointing was the perpetuation of the myth that the first settlers at Plymouth were called "Pilgrims" and that the Europeans started Thanksgiving. She has a box on Thanksgiving saying the story of the first Thanksgiving is a "real turkey", lists some other European Thanksgiving celebrations, and then neglects to mention that the Indians had been conducting Thanksgiving celebrations at harvest time for generations. I'd love to see someone do such a great job TELLING the story, who could also not perpetuate those irritating little false stories that schoolchildren are always taught.

Gosh, this doesn't sound like the positive review I inteded, but I see others have already told the good stuff. It's wonderfully well written!

I just borrowed this book from the library and now plan to buy the whole set. As a home schooling parent, I am always struggling to find quality materials and this series is just that. Hakim's books are easy to read and comprehend. Most importantly, they give a realistic view of history, not the politically correct one so often taught.

As I teach my children U.S. history, I want them to know that, yes, the white people were sometimes violent and unfair to the Native Americans, but some Native Americans were that way too. Before the Europeans came, they kidnapped and killed each other. I want my kids to know the whole truth and these books are very fair. No matter what the race, some people are good and some are not.

I highly recommend these books for teaching history to children and even adults.

"Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740" is the second volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US." The first volume covered how the first Americans crossed over from Asia to become Indians and the first Europeans, mainly the Spanish but also the French and English, began settling the New World. This volume focuses on the narrow string of settlements established by the English that became the thirteen colonies whose people began moving westward and who also started to question the relationship they had with England (there is a small amount of overlap between this and the next volume, which covers period of American history from 1735-1791).

Hakim begins with a preface that looks at the vast mixture of ideas that were brought over from the Mediterranean world and took root in the Americas. Along with the first chapter, which talks about the comet that appeared in 1607 as a portent of great changes for the world, this preface sets up several key themes that will be revisited throughout this and future volumes. "Making Thirteen Colonies" has 42 chapters and it the book is divided into five main sections. The first (chapters 2-12) tells how English settlers came to stay by establishing the first permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia. The second (chapters 13-23) looks primarily at the Puritans arriving in New England, although Hakim also touches on what was happening between the Indians and the Spanish in the southwest. The third section (chapters 24-30) tells about the mid-Atlantic colonies, most notably New Amsterdam/York and Pennsylvania. The fourth section (chapter 31-39) returns to the South, looking at not only Ole Virginny but also the two Carolinas and Georgia. This unit also looks at the Triangle Trade and other considerations that united the four southern and nine northern colonies. The final section (chapters 40-42) is a transitional unit, that looks at how the colonists began to move westward and the stage was set for the period of history that would make those thirteen colonies into a new nation.

One of the great advantages to writing a ten-volume history of the United States is that unlike most standard American history textbooks "A History of US" is able to clearly establish the unique identities of each of those original thirteen colonies. I recently finished reading an excellent series of books, each of which was devoted to an individual colony, and Hakim ends up being closer to those volumes than she does the standard textbook. Consequently, in addition to the traditional stories about Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown, William Penn and the Quakers of Pennsylvania, the Salem witch trials, Ben Franklin as the quintessential American, and Daniel Boone finding routes through the mountains, Hakim establishes an individual identity for each colony.

However, the main strength of this series is how Hakim engages young readers, the same way you would expect a "real" teacher to do in a "real" classroom. This shows up primarily in her ability to anticipate and answer questions that students might have (e.g., why the Indians were not enslaved). I can easily see why this series is popular with parents who are home schooling their children. The book is richly illustrated with dozens and dozens of historic paintings, etchings, drawings, maps, engravings, and assorted reproductions. The margins are crammed with interesting facts, definitions, and quotations, and features on topics such as Land Green and Africa: The Unknown Continent are sprinkled throughout the book. The After Words this time around are devoted to cartography and has some superb examples of 16h- and 17th-century maps. It is easily to see why this series has impressed so many people and why Hakim is able to get such good responses from young students who are used to getting their information from computers and the Internet.

"Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740" is the second volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US." The first volume covered how the first Americans crossed over from Asia to become Indians and the first Europeans, mainly the Spanish but also the French and English, began settling the New World. This volume focuses on the narrow string of settlements established by the English that became the thirteen colonies whose people began moving westward and who also started to question the relationship they had with England (there is a small amount of overlap between this and the next volume, which covers period of American history from 1735-1791).

Hakim begins with a preface that looks at the vast mixture of ideas that were brought over from the Mediterranean world and took root in the Americas. Along with the first chapter, which talks about the comet that appeared in 1607 as a portent of great changes for the world, this preface sets up several key themes that will be revisited throughout this and future volumes. "Making Thirteen Colonies" has 42 chapters and it the book is divided into five main sections. The first (chapters 2-12) tells how English settlers came to stay by establishing the first permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia. The second (chapters 13-23) looks primarily at the Puritans arriving in New England, although Hakim also touches on what was happening between the Indians and the Spanish in the southwest. The third section (chapters 24-30) tells about the mid-Atlantic colonies, most notably New Amsterdam/York and Pennsylvania. The fourth section (chapter 31-39) returns to the South, looking at not only Ole Virginny but also the two Carolinas and Georgia. This unit also looks at the Triangle Trade and other considerations that united the four southern and nine northern colonies. The final section (chapters 40-42) is a transitional unit, that looks at how the colonists began to move westward and the stage was set for the period of history that would make those thirteen colonies into a new nation.

One of the great advantages to writing a ten-volume history of the United States is that unlike most standard American history textbooks "A History of US" is able to clearly establish the unique identities of each of those original thirteen colonies. I recently finished reading an excellent series of books, each of which was devoted to an individual colony, and Hakim ends up being closer to those volumes than she does the standard textbook. Consequently, in addition to the traditional stories about Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown, William Penn and the Quakers of Pennsylvania, the Salem witch trials, Ben Franklin as the quintessential American, and Daniel Boone finding routes through the mountains, Hakim establishes an individual identity for each colony.

However, the main strength of this series is how Hakim engages young readers, the same way you would expect a "real" teacher to do in a "real" classroom. This shows up primarily in her ability to anticipate and answer questions that students might have (e.g., why the Indians were not enslaved). I can easily see why this series is popular with parents who are home schooling their children. The book is richly illustrated with dozens and dozens of historic paintings, etchings, drawings, maps, engravings, and assorted reproductions. The margins are crammed with interesting facts, definitions, and quotations, and features on topics such as Land Green and Africa: The Unknown Continent are sprinkled throughout the book. The After Words this time around are devoted to cartography and has some superb examples of 16th- and 17th-century maps. It is easily to see why this series has impressed so many people and why Hakim is able to get such good responses from young students who are used to getting their information from computers and the Internet.

I enjoyed the cross section pictures and thought that the text was interesting. There is lots of fine detail, I see something different everytime I flip through it. Be sure to watch the movie "Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World". The movie director did an excellent job portraying life aboard the Man-of-War. In my opinion, the movie is the book put in motion. The movie and book captures what life could have been like aboard the Man-of-War.

This is a great book for getting an overview of the pieces of a first-rate ship of the line. In this case, the British first-rate, triple-(gun)-decker, 104 gun HMS Victory. The Victory was launched in 1765 and commissioned in 1778, but is best known as Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship in the victorious Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 (in which Nelson was killed by an enemy sharpshooter while standing on the quarterdeck).

The amount of detail packed into this book's 25 or so very large pages is mind-boggling. In fact, the book's so large that you may have trouble finding a place to shelve it. Although it took less than an hour to read all the text, I'm still finding new things in the pictures. It provides a great sense of just how crowded these ships were. The illustrations are in the very clear line-and-watercolor style of the rest of Biesty's "cross-section" books.

There is a lot of information on day-to-day life and practice in a ship, detailing foodstuffs (including weevils and bargemen), officer's roles, disease, the working of the guns, the cooking of food in the galley, the use of the heads, floggings, scurvy, etc.

Oddly, the book only concentrates on illustrating the decks; there is almost nothing said about the sails or rigging, which is a real disappointment. I found it very hard to get a sense of the fore-to-aft arrangement, with each cross-section being so narrow.

I wish I had found this book before reading about a dozen series of nautical fiction (Aubrey, Hornblower, Ramage, Kydd, Lewrie, etc. etc.). After all that background, I actually didn't learn anything reading this book I didn't know from reading the fiction and other supporting materials. For depth, you'll need "The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor" written by Darcy Lever in the early 1800s, and comprehensive on everything from rigging to stepping masts to club-hauling off a lee shore. And its images are both beautiful and a complete contrast to the ones in this book, being early 19th century etchings.

Though some of the photos are a bit funny and maybe a little "crud", but it's a neat book anyway.

Also try another DK ship book called the Visual Dictionary of Ships if you can find it (it's out of print).

you should definitely try to get this book. I am a landlubber, who has just discovered the pleasures of Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin (via Austen's Persuasion). Along with a number of more serious naval non-fiction reference works, notably THE WOODEN WORLD by N.A.M. Rodger (ISBN 0393314693; ASIN 0393314693)I found a copy of this wonderful book first at my public library and then in a sale at my local store.

This is an oversized book, thin but full of detailed information. A man-of-war, one of the mainstays of the Georgian fleet during the wars of the 1700s and early 1800s, is "cut away" section by section and deck by deck to illustrate life on board as well as the structure of the ship. The first works better than the latter, although I got a very good idea of how the ship's anchor works as well as how the ship crew handled guns and gunpowder (as well as the dangers of a loose gun). I wished that the authors had provided a bird-eye view of the ship from the top of the masts, and showed sailors working the sails. Apart from this and other minor quibbles, I think I learned more from this book faster than I had expected.

Yes, this is a children's book, but it is highly recommended by sites specializing in naval fiction of the Georgian and Regency era (think Napoleonic Wars, Revolutionary Wars, as well as sites devoted to O'Brian and Forester). Children will be delighted by various grosser aspects of life abroad (the very basic toilet and bathing facilities, the surgeon in action during battle, and of course the maggot-filled biscuits), not to mention trying to find a certain stowaway. Adults will revel in little details that explain things that have puzzled them.

I started out not knowing port from starboard, and very little else. By the end of this book, while I cannot claim to be proficient, I certainly understand that a ship has three masts in several sections, that it has several decks, and that life at sea was more complicated than is sometimes depicted in fiction.

You might also want to try "The Visual Dictionary of Ships and Sailing" (ISBN 1879431203; ASIN 1879431203) which apparently discusses different types of ships, the sails and ropes, and so forth. I have not seen this book yet, but it looks interesting.

Dorling Kindersley has in the past twenty years quickly established itself as an outstanding publisher of niche books--children's reference books, travel guides, atlases, and the such. What I find so remarkable about a number of their children's books is how enormously satisfying they are for adults as well, even adults who are fairly familiar with the subject matter. One of the better series of books in their impressive list are the Cross-Sections books by Stephen Biesty. As someone who is interested both in the history of ships and the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian, I find this one even more interesting than most.

Two things stand out about this book: its remarkably detailed drawings and the enormous amount of information that gets stuffed into the book's relatively short length. This book provides a pictorial rendering of one of the great ships of the line of the Napoleonic navy, similar to H.M.S. Victory. Virtually nothing gets left out, and the book can actually serve as a surprisingly comprehensive introduction to the Royal British Navy during the time of Nelson and Napoleon. It is somewhat misleading in that the ship depicted was the exception and not the norm, the British navy possessing only a handful of ships this size. Apart from that the book has no serious flaws, except for the unaffordable one in a visual guide that it is sometimes hard to locate information in its closely packed pages.

I would also recommend another Dorling Kindersley book, also unfortunately out of print, THE VISUAL DICTIONARY OF SHIPS AND SAILING. It does a bit better job than this one of defining many nautical terms. Each represents a marvelous addition to personal library of books on the age of the sailing ship.

I had to get this book for an Economics class I took in pursuit of my MBA. It is an easy read with good problems. It really helps understand economics in a simple way.

The book was brand new just as described and had absolutely no flaws. The only problem I had was the slow delivery. The book was not sent out within two or three business days as promised and this caused a delay in getting the book.

Product arrived quickly and in the condition advertised. Seller also included extra study material for no additional cost. I would recommend purchasing from this seller.

Very fast delivery, great price (for a textbook- all of which are rediculously overpriced anyway)and arrived in excellent condition. Thanks.

I ordered the book and requested to receive it on the next day. I recieved it the next day!! It doesn't get any better than that!! Thanks Amazon!

This little book packs a big punch. I start off every morning with this book. I believe it makes a me a little wiser everyday. It really makes you think about a lot of things we usually do not think about. Buy this book. It is a small price to pay for a lot of wisdom.

This is a wonderful book which I purchased as a gift. People enjoy these powerful daily reflections that are thought provoking and inspiring. They point to the awesomeness of God and use short proverbs from around the world that undergird the author's point. Each also contains a prescription for improving our daily lives. Not the usual how-to book.

An extemely stimulaing, insightful book that is in an easy-to-read format. Its call for balance and simplicity in life in this hectic, 21st century world is pertinent and practical. Written by a medical doctor, it includes a daily prescription for applicaion of truth.

This is one of those books that you won't want to put down. Dr. Swenson challenges you to think deeply about the true issues of life. And, after reflecting on what really matters in life, you will be left with no better alternative than to slow down and enjoy life and your loved ones. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is "too busy." It is a simple read and is broken down into two-page reflections, which take (surprisingly!) about a minute to read. Enjoy.

Outstanding book. Short but profound daily thoughts that help keep life and priorities on track. Outstanding gift to business colleagues, family and friends.

Mr. Modem's book is filled with wonderful information for surfers of all ages! It's a terrific resource and so much fun to read. I couldn't believe I found myself laughing outloud while reading a computer book.

When my dad got his new computer a couple of months ago and wanted to start surfing the Internet, I let him borrow my copy and now I can't get it back from him. He's learned so much and is now a real pro.

My personal favorite chapter is the one on web sites. This is by far the best collection of web site URL's I've ever come across. I also learned so much in the chapter on search engines which has really helped me find what I'm looking for on the web much quicker.

Thanks, Mr. Modem, for writing such an educational AND entertaining book!

I read the reviews then bought Mr. Modem's book. Paul Harvey was right. This IS the book that takes the gobbledygook out of computers. I'm 72 years old. This book was fun, easy-to-read, and helped me greatly. I would recommend it to anybody. Thank you, Mr. Modem. Please write more books.

If you or anyone you care about is reluctant or afraid to get connected to the Internet because it seems complicated and time-consuming or because you think you can't teach an old pup new tricks, you should get connected to "Mr. Modem's Internet Guide for Seniors" first. Clear, concise, and all-encompassing, this guide anticipates a learner's questions, allays technical fears, and proceeds in an orderly way to cover what it takes to get up and running on the Internet. Best of all, Mr. Modem keeps it simple, safe, satisfying, and fun for those who did not get to attend Internet classes in a previous life. You can move through the chapters at your own pace and, in some cases, in your own sequence.

Although I have been surfing the Internet for a while, I found many useful tips, new links, and great sites in this guide. If I could have only one Internet guide in my life, Mr. Modem's guide would be that one.

Good work, Mr. Modem!

I bought this book as a holiday gift for my dad (who has always been a bit stymied by his desktop computer) -- he dove right into it & didn't speak to any of us for a couple of hours, so judging by that reaction, I'd have to guess that it was pretty readable for your average intelligent-but-techno-naive senior. Mr. Modem covers a lot of ground (how to get online with an ISP, how to use a search engine, etc.) without going too deeply into any particular topic. Instead, the book gives lots of URLs and places for the neo-surfer to try out his new skills. Hey, maybe Dad will even get the hang of Amazon.com soon ;-)

This is a great book for people intimidated by the Internet. Information is presented in a fun and friendly fashion. Nice work, Mr. Modem!

It was about 5 moose that couldn't find a Christmas tree. It was okay. I rate it three stars.

My 4 1/2 year old daughter is an avid reader. We got this book last year around Christmas time, and so far, I've read it to her way more than 100 times. (At least 3 times a day for the whole month of December 2004 and January 2005. I lost count afterwards.) By around 10th read, she knew exactly where to say "perfectly perfect". By around 20th read, she read aloud with me every "check" and every "perfectly perfect". I dare say by around 50th read, she memorized the book front to back, and would tell you if you skipped a word and which word that was. When we weren't reading, she would mumble to herself this marvelously rhythmic story over and over again. I had to hide this book after the holidays to end her obsession. Now, my daughter is a wonderous adverb-maker, thanks entirely to this book. We've read literally hundreds of stories so far, but no other book rises to this level of loyal infatuation.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I had trepidations about a moose with a moustache, but it turned out to be hilarious. My 5 and 3 year olds were laughing hysterically. I ended up buying a bunch of these from Scholastic and giving them as neighbor gifts.

Escape the frantic pace of the holidays by sitting down with your child and reading about it in this book. Margie Palatini's wild, rhyming writing style will keep kids entertained. They may recognize their parents' yuletide behaviour in Moose's manic preparations -- and his inevitable forgetting of a key Christmas element. The moral of the story is a tribute to those who will do anything to make everything just right.

I fell in love with Moostache first. When I read Mooseltoe I was hooked again! My daughter is 3 and has already asked me to read it over and over. I even volunteered to read it to her class and it kept the attention of almost 10 2-3 yr olds! I have ordered 5 copies of this book(so far)to give as gifts this year. I promise you will love this book!

I was never much a fantasy fan before. I watch the Si-Fi Channel and I love the fantasy movies but I would refuse to read. Then my dad gave me the original hardcover copy "MYTH Adventures" (Another Fine Myth, Myth Conceptions, Myth Directions, and Hit or Myth) with the original cover illustrations (just to show how old my copies are) and ever since I have been addicted to fantasy books. Especially the MYTH series.

Just to warn you this is a laugh-out-loud story. I would not recommend reading this in public. You might get some odd looks from people that obviously have no sense of humor. Everything is a play on words and the characters are amazingly thought up. The plot is actually imaginable and it flows smoothly. The magik (not magic, there's a difference) has rules. What Skeeve and Aahz can and cannot do in the world of magik does not change throught the series.

To make a long review short, get this book. If you don't enjoy it then don't read it. It just means that you are a boring and unimaginative slouch. However, I can guarantee that from the very first chuckle you'll be hooked. Take it from a fantasy skeptic turned MYTH addict.

First, if you haven't read the first two books in the Myth series, this book is a great chance to correct that. If you own the first two books, there's not much point in buying this collection. However...

According to the Asprin's new publisher, Meisha Merlin, the next few books, Myth Adventures 2 and 3 will both have NEW Myth Adventure novellas written by Asprin and Jody Lynne Nye. The short story in number 2 will be Myth Congeniality.

Also according to Meisha Merlin, there are at least two new Myth titles forthcoming, both of which will be by RLS and JLN. The next is due sometime in 2003 and will be called Myth-Alliances. The one after that is is Myth-taken Identity and is due August 2004.

Just thought you might want to know.

If you like fantasy books, if you don't like fantasy books it doesn't matter you'll love this series of Books. Robert Aspirin (who by the way, edited the theives world books) has written an inceredibly hilarious series of books. Skeeve and ahz are the main characters and the situations they get into and the witty and inventive way they get out of those situations is very comical these books have everything from demons ( not demons as we know them but demons= short for deminsion traveler) to dragons ("Bleep"). I have been blind sided more than a few times by these books they are anything but predictible... you can't even count on the main characters being alive at the end of a book..( of course it's just a cliffhanger for the next book). Each book is a continuation of the last. I could talk about these books for hours, and i can get lost in them for even longer.... I have never met anyone who hasn't finished one of these books after starting it.... It is a good idea to start with the first book in the series, Another fine Myth, that way you have a good idea of what kind of relationship ahz and skeeve have and how they became friends.... the myth series is hilarious witty inventive and overall the funniest books i have ever read. I have read and re-read these books a hundred times and they never get boring

In reading the back of the book you would think this is anything but the first book in the sieres. But it is. Other then that I only have good things to say about this book.

ok! I'm a long time Myth fan, so I was very suprised to see the new (old?) books brought to life again! Now, I hate to say it, but I always felt that pretty much all of the Myth books have pretty....short endings. Some are cliffhangers, some, maybe the publisher said, no only X # of pages and are very abrupt, and some are just totally unexpected.

But the concept of the Myth books is fascinating, and I have gone back many times to read then again and again... Much better when you have the whole series to continue on to! But the series is a must read for anyone who considers themselves a sci-fi fantasy fan! They are hillarious and definately worth the read (I don't suggest reading them IN a library cause I always end up stiffling my snickers and laughs!)

Essential, amazing images, zooms, according texts.
If you are a figurative painter, you will need as milk for a baby.
He is part of the offspring coming from Goya, Velázquez, Rembrandt ...
EXCELENT

Amazing. One or probably the most impressive paintor's book I have. Not easy subjects sometimes, but anyway, always beautiful.

I came upon his name by accident when I was reading about some other painters.

Scoffed and rejected by the 'modern-art' world (which is just fine with me), Odd's work is beautiful to look at and become a part of. The stark landscapes that he places his figures in are peaceful yet convey an uneasiness. I can't wait to visit Iceland to see if it's really as beautiful as he paints it.

This is a comprehensive collection (and heavy!!!). Well worth the money.

Well, if so-called modern art makes you sick/laugh/sigh (or whatever), here's one artist you may like, as long as you appreciate sur-realism combined to the works of the Old Masters. Try this book that seems to be the best among the few, with clever lines that explains the approach of the painter and fine and numerous reproductions. Last but not least: go to see his exhibitions (big formats to fill up your eyes) and try his own book "On kitsch"

Odd Nerdrum is a painter who polarizes viewers and critics. This very beautifully designed and produced and written tome shows more than just an enormous amount of paintings by the Norwegian giant; this book contains one of the finest essays by Richard Vine about the artist and his place (or misplace!) in contemporary art. It is provocative, haughty, seductive, and honest and as such gives a realistic picture of one of the enigmatic artists of today.

Nerdrum decided early on that he wanted to paint in the fashion of the Renaissance painters and though he had formal training, he soon progressed to self-taught techniques to enter his world of artic terrains which harkens back to the beginning of man as the hunter, gatherer, and sexually obsessed monolith.

The book is generously graphic, giving not only full page and two page spreads of the large works, but accompanying pages of details from these massive canvases. Nerdrum's characters and scenes have changed little since his foray into the tundra landscapes populated by limbless warriors, infants, hermaphrodites, couples and choreographed folk who dance to Nerdrum earthy tunes. The most recent works shown and discussed reveal a loosening of his brush technique but little else changing in the works of the past 25 years.

The term 'kitsch' is usually used as a derogative adjective, but not so with Nerdrum. He feels that most paintings today have nothing to do with gut level reality and it that sort of representation is 'kitsch', then he proclaims himself the king of kitsch. Use that information as you will: critics are still debating the issue. But no matter the titles or the content or the repetition of the themes, there is no denying that Nerdrum has become a household word in the art salons, and this fine monograph certainly justifies much of the clan-like adoration he has gained.
Grady Harp, December 2004

I searched and searched for this book. My search was almost more difficult than finding a real mystery animal; but at last I found a decent copy and spent too much on it.
It was worth it, though. This book is a classic for a reason. The author presents the material in a thorough and engaging way. And he is skeptical at the right moments.
I have no regrets about buying this rare book. If you're into cryptozoology, yet also have a brain (a rare combo), this is a book that needs to be in your collection.

Heuvelmans has written an absorbing work that falls just short of masterpiece stature. The scope of the coverage is breathtaking, revealing the author's encyclopedic command of the field and unmistakably belying his tremendous enthusiasm for the material. From the outset, I would argue that the opus is more "archaeozoological" than "cryptozoological," as the author tends to devote nearly all of his attention to the details and history of collection of evidence for this cryptid or that, and upon the associated sociological phenomena (e.g., folktales, taboos, sculptures), than he does to ecological analysis of the theorized creatures' ontogenies within their respective biomes. The work reads almost like a compendium of forensic dossiers: for each cryptid he treats, Heuvelmans carefully narrates the historical accretion of man's evidentiary knowledge base-even to the details of each relevant archaeological expedition, whether splendidly fructiferous or gut-wrenchingly frustrating. Of particular note, Heuvelmans turns unsuccessful hunts into positive experiences, arguing how even failure to find this or achieve that adds monotonically to scientists' knowledge bases. Other aspects that are equally indicative of the author's love for his material include the proliferation of hand-drawn illustrations: while clearly no artist, he has striven to provide visual aids-even as minor as a small piece of skin or a vague scrimshaw on narwhal tusk-wherever they might prove edifying.

On the critical side, I may level two accusations that do not go very far toward pejorating the work. Firstly, taken from a continent-by-continent perspective, the coverage is not balanced. Although cryptozoological mysteries-and the oral and/or literary traditions that are often associated therewith-besprinkle the entire globe, the author devotes precious little attention to the boreal zones and none whatsoever to North America! Secondly-and, indeed, this is intertwined with the sparsity of North American coverage-Heuvelmans says next to nothing about sasquatch or some of his cryptohominid cousins, e.g., the central Asian almas and the Australian yay-ho and lo-an (although he most thoroughly dissects the evidence for and against the yeti). But, just perhaps, this second omission can be blamed upon prevailing undertones in the academic community: specifically, it was not until the 1958 incidents in logging camps in rural northern California that the "bigfoot" phenomenon began to attract serious attention.

My 5th grade son asked for a book about cryptozoology for Christmas, so I recently bought this book after being pointed to it by various reviewers (of other books) on Amazon. It seemed bizarrly expensive--and I felt obnoxiously indulgent buying it--but I can now report it is worth every penny. My son has been glued to the book for a week now and is on his way to memorizing the whole thing. The reading level is adult but a smart kid, fasinated with the subject, will rise to the challenge and chew through all 4 inches in no time.

When it comes to Cryptozoology, there still is no better source than Dr. Bernard Heuvelmans, the man who penned the phrase, literally. I never considered the existence of the Yeti as anything more than a mythological cartoon character, until my discovery of this book in my High School library, some 36 years ago. And there still is no other work that approaches anywhere near it, for pure captivating reading, over-and-over again. I'd recommend this book to anyone, even the staunchest skeptics. From the Yeti to Orang Pendeks, Marsupial Tigers to Nandi Bears, the volumes of research will astound. Better than reading any novel about Lost Worlds and experiments with DNA. These represent real worlds, and possibly tens-of-thousands of creatures just waiting for serious scientific attention. Will make a believer of many for certain. One drawback though, no mention of Bigfoot, or any other American cryptids for that matter. Not even in the more recent revisions. But still worthy of the highest rating.

For those of you who do not know Mr. Brenard Heuvelmans (1916-2001) was one of the true pioneers in Cryptozoology (study of hidden animals) "On the Track of Unknown Animals" is certainly a must for those who find this topic interesting.
In 2003 Jerry D. Coleman released his book continuing on the work of Heuvelmans in "Strange Highways", also found here at Amazon.com. It was "Strange Highways" open, logical, fresh story's that peeked my interest in this subject.
You couldn't go wrong reading them both.