Art Books

I purchased this book for my father who loves to do painting and other art work as hobbies. The pictures and the descriptions are very good. I recommend this book.

It is realy an art. I guess practice is what makes this rocks look beautiful.
You must love to paint, plus you need talent. At the end the time and effort is worthy. Get this book if you really feel a passion por painting animals in rocks.

Fast shipping. Book smells like mildew.
Lots of good fun with this book.

Love this author. This book is outstanding. Can not wait to get started.

I enjoyed this work from the moment I opened it. This book is not only "pretty," it is actually useful. The illustrations are perfect and uncomplicated. The text is easy to follow. Even someone with minimum artistic tallent, such as myself, can actually creat something quite pretty and eye catching. The author offers step by step instructions which even includes how to choose your rock. She gives examples of quite simple projects (like lady bugs), to more complex projects. I simply cannot see how you could go wrong owning and using this one. It has given me a lot of pleasure. Highly recommend this one!

This book requires more concentration than others to comprehend. However it is worth the effort. Am still reading and will reread again. We can explore other dimensions ourselves, given enough energy and correct techniques.

With a deep interest in Toltec philosophy, I purchased this book based on the reviews on Amazon. My initial reading along with my experiental unfolding of the content of the book, simply does not comport with the claims of others in the review section of Amazon. I have no malice against the author, nor do I wish to impugn his work. I am only reporting my experience. Within the context of my expereince, Lujan's book read as any novel might. As far as the book being a catalyst for non-ordinary states of perception - never happened for me. That is not to say the relative merit of the book is to be avoided. The only one that can make that judgement is you!

I will say that my most powerful experiences of the Toltec Teachings have mostly been driven by the work of Theun Mares and Carlos Castaneda. Both of whom stand alone in my view.

I am a long-term student of the study of consciousness, altered states, Castaneda (and his crew), Chi Kung, Gnosis, Lucid dreaming and meditation. These have allowed me to understand what it is like to objectify not only "external" reality, but also the various levels of the mind/personality, mainly and formost the EGO!

This type of inner objectivity will come and go, as consciousness moves in and out of it's phases of distraction and "waking sleep". This sleep and distraction cause us to lose track of the fact that we are unconscious psychologically when we are walking around with our eyes open daily or in bed snoozing. This means also being unaware of our reactions to our environment, impulses from other levels of the Universe and to our own inner workings.

Though i have done my best to remain vigilant and wakeful, when it comes to recognizing all of the shrouds to consciousness, moment-to-moment in my life, i have never recieved such an immediate boost (over the course of a week) to this ability (besides, occasional spontaneous inner experiences) as with the slow reading and digestion of the imagery created by this book .....imagery seems to be the key factor here. I now view my own inner activity in minute detail, and remember, when interracting with impressions from beyond me, that they are indeed that. I also keep a-mind that what we call "reality' is shifting cosmic dust, that i, less and less, need to be reactive to. This type of awareness also now naturally accompanies me on my way in and out of the sleep state, which i think will lead to breakthroughs in dream awareness, as i continue.

For those who have not responded to this work with changed perception, it may be due to not having a foundation for knowing what to look for.....otherwise it may be that they may already be "there"! There may also be a problem if you have trouble allowing imagery to unfold in your mind's eye.

I also have plans to accompany my reading with Carlos's Tensegrity/Magical Passes work. This, as well, has caused an immediate energetic response in me, after viewing the beginning of the Magical Passes disc, while casually trying only four of the basic movements......i can't even imagine what full-blown practice would produce! Having a strong prior foundation in Chi Kung (Qi Gong), may afford me an edge with this though.

Whether or not Castaneda and these guys are authentic, in the eyes of their critics, i have to say, personally, that they have truly hit upon something that carries monumental significance to our race. Why not try it before you trash it?

The Force is out there for us all.

Most of the 5 star reviews here are the ONLY reviews that the reviewers made.

What's up with that?!

I found the book to be well-intentioned while also rambling and perhaps a bit confused.

obviously the author is doing his best to convey his experiences through the written word and that is something to be commended. the allusion of the author's name to Castaneda's "don Lujan" is a bit comical.

Im quite fond of this book, I have read all the carlos castaneda books easily 30+ times, taken notes.. the works. This is definitly worth checking out if you have an interest in this type of thing, I find it to be much more practical. Im on the verge of buying a few more copies to give to my friends and family. Onward to infinity!

This is the grandaddy of all of studio session books. So many have come after this (Jimi Hendrix, Clapton, etc.) but this is the gold standard. I have given this to a few people that I know would appreciate it, and every one of them has raved... just like I am doing.

My only suggestion is that Mr. Lewisohn updates it with all of the new information that has been put out there since this was published (many books including The Beatles's ANTHOLOGY CD and book for example).

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Since editions and publishers change, I am certain if I am reviewing the exact book. This book will be interesting mainly to those who were teenagers during the 1960s. These persons will recall the first time they heard each of the Beatles' albums, or they will recall the event of buying these albums. For example, I first heard Sgt. Pepper at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. The album was played before the performers went on stage -- that was Cream on their first American tour, along with Gary Burton Quartet and the Flaming Groovies (last minute replacement for the Electric Flag). Anyway, the book takes the form of a diary detailing when and under what circumstances many of the songs were composed, recorded, and performed. The book contains 360 pages of small print, and almost every page has a 1/4 page sized photograph, though some are 1/8 sized. The latter part of the book contains color photos. The reproductions of the photos are better than one might expect -- nice contrast and sharp focus. We learn that the original name of the Beatles was the Quarry Men, where this name came from Quarry Bank High School for Boys (page 12). We learn that the Quarry Men (John, Paul, George, and John Lowe (drums)) made their first recording in 1958 (page 13). We learn that Ringo was the drummer for a band called "Al Caldwell's Texans" even before he (Ringo) jointed "Rory Storm and the Hurricanes." (page 16) We learn that the first appearance of the lineup of John, Paul, George, and Ringo took place on August 18, 1962, and this was at Hulme Hall, where the occasion was the Horticultural Society's annual dance (page 75). We learn that the Beatles' first U.S. performances were in February 1964. An interesting fact is that Charles Finley, then owner of the Kansas City Athletics baseball team, paid $150,000 out of his own pocket to persuade the Beatles to play in Kansas City, and that the manager of the hotel in Kansas City cut up the Beatles' bed linen into 3-inch squares, and sold them for $10 each (page 139). We learn that the trumpet players on Strawberry Fields Forever were Tony Fisher, Greg Bowen, Derek Watkins, and Stanley Roderick (page 234) and that Dave Mason played the B-flat piccolo trumpet on Penny Lane (page 240). We learn that Maxwell's Silver Hammer took 27 takes, that She Came In Through the Bathroom Window took 39 takes, and that Here Comes the Sun had 13 takes (pages 324-327). Again, the reading is fairly dry and fun facts are encountered only on occasion. There is essentially no information on the Beatles' social lives. But for those who were teenagers during the 60s, the book is likely to be a page turner.

This book is a must for any Beatle-fan, or anyone working in a studio who knows the Beatles' music. The book is a cornucopia of information on how the Beatles' music was created in the studio. Sit down with the book and the CDs, and listen to each song as your read Lewisohn's description of the recording session. It's like being there!

I love The Beatles records and have since my Dad purchased "Meet the Beatles" in 1966. The first records I bought on my own, as soon as I had a paper route and spending money, were The Beatles' LPs, in order of American release. I even knew the exact running time of every Beatles song and couldn't imagine that there were people in the world who didn't know every Beatles song. If you're like me, the revelation of the details of the recording of every Beatles track, as detailed in this book, will be a thrill to pore over.

Some Beatles books are gossipy, and others feature questionable armchair critical analyses of their music. Lewisohn takes a totally different approach. Working with the original Abbey Road studio logs, he's created a day-by-day record of what the Beatles were doing in Abbey Road studios, who played what instruments, and how long it took them to record and write their songs.

I own a first edition of this book and have used it ever since I bought a used copy sometime in the early 1990s. I reread it many times that summer, and that somewhat battered, oversized copy still sits on my shelf. It's a book I returned to when I set up a mini home recording studio, and returned to yet again when I was learning how to mix my sounds. Although this is not a "how-to" book, you can learn an awful lot about good recording and mixing technique by carefully reading it.

Furthermore, Lewisohn packed his text with surprises. I, for one, was shocked to learn how primitive Abbey Road's technology was, even by the standards of a British studio in the 1960s. I was also surprised to learn why the mono and stereo mixes of the Beatles' music often sounded so different from one another even though they were mixed from the same masters. Also, it's amazing to learn just how quickly some seemingly complex tracks were put together, while some seemingly simple songs took far more work. As a side benefit, Lewisohn's comprehensive notes probably knocked the wind out of more than one bootlegger trying to pass off BBC radio performances as lost studio recordings of Beatle tracks! Throughout, there are many, many excellent photos - many of which have not been reproduced elsewhere. Just when you think Lewisohn's run out of goodies, there's a rare interview with Paul McCartney that touches on the songwriting process.

I can't rate this as a five star book although I'd like to. As good as Lewisohn is, there are a lot of minor details here that are misleading or just plain wrong. Lewisohn can't seem to tell phasing from flanging (two very different techniques to create swirling electric guitar sounds). He also prints quotes from studio musicians without elaboration, leading me to believe he has a weak grasp on performance and theory. For example, one horn player describes a McCartney song as being "between the cracks" of two different keys; the song in question actually seems to have been recorded slightly flat and sped up to normal pitch upon playback, but we have no way of knowing what the horn player actually meant without more information. The average reader might walk away thinking that the song used two different keys, unless he also knew that the song was in a single key. I'm surprised an editor didn't catch this stuff.

If you're a Beatles fan who could care less about their personal lives, but would love to learn more about how they created their studio albums - this book is for you. If you're interested in home recording, you'll learn lots of tidbits here too. Lewisohn deserves a lot of credit for creating this resource, and I wish that it weren't such a difficult book to find.

I read this book not because I am a wrestling fan, but because I wanted to hear about Eddie's life and how he ending up becoming a born again Christian.

It turns out that Eddie was from a Christian family but did not live the life very well until the last years of his life. Just before this I read the autobiography of Brian 'Head' Welch, the guitarist from Korn and how he found God. Several people in reviewing that book were offended by the many swear words used, but compared to Guerrero's book, Welch is a lightweight. And I thought for someone who was raised a Christian, how could Guerrero use so much swearing in his book.

I think he did a very good job of sharing his family life, his professional wrestling career and so forth, and while I don't think the book was supposed to be for religious encouragement-he did not do a good job presenting himself as a Christian. He was a very bad example as a matter of fact. I say this because he KNEW better. And chose to drink, and swear and EVEN have a child out of wedlock and live with a woman. This all troubled me.

But I realized that much of my younger life was lived similar. Therefore, all I can say is "isn't God's grace wonderful!!". He loves us despite our turning away from Him, and has a plan for everyone's life. He is always ready to forgive us and I am glad Eddie rediscovered this and died at peace with His Savior. No God, no peace....Know God, know peace.

I just re-read this book. I absolutely loved it and put it up there with the best wrestling books out there. You feel connected to Eddie just like you did when you saw him on tv or dvd or in person. His charisma showed through the ups and downs of this book.

I was left wondering what caused a lot of his demons though. He didn't fully explain the things that haunted him. Like his problems with his wife Vickie, he didn't really go into detail which left me wondering what she did wrong. Cheating? Their fights? Also I got the feeling there was more to his demons than he let on. It just left me curious. I'd like to see a book written by Vickie that might shed some light on things left unanswered in this book.

Eddie was honest. Brutally honest. He didn't back off from saying who he liked and disliked. He was very upfront about his drinking, drugs (though never mentioned steriods whether he used or didn't use them), and his problems. He never acted like a saint, but obviously wanted to be a good person. Thankfully he beat the addictions and enjoyed some time with his loved ones before he passed on tragically.

This book brought me to tears even in the second reading. It made me realize that life is a fragile thing and we got to respect and love people and show it while we can. Given Eddie's many brushes with death he was fortunate to be sober and drug-free for 4 years before his untimely death. Unfortunately, he paid the price for his past mistakes, but he got to patch things up with his wife and daughters, and reach new heights with his fans and ultimately becoming the World Champ!

Highest recommendation possible,(right up there with Mick Foley's Have A Nice Day!) buy this book and quit reading this review!

This is a book that my fours sons have all read recently, and they were all moved to tears. My 18yo has wanted to read this book for some time now, but we had trouble finding it for sale, as it sold out quickly.
I got this for him for Christmas. A book to keep. A great gift for any wrestling fan

from the begining to the end this book is so well written and told,its just awesome. No words can describe how GREAT this book is. Eddie lived a wild and rough life and you get to read alll about it in this tell all book. From his start to the end. There are some eerie things he writes about that kinda creep you out because the man has passed but none the less THE BEST BOOK WWE or any other WRESTLER have put out.
READ IT AND YOU WONT BE ABLE TO DROP THE BOOK.
From his wild drunken stories with the nasty boys to his tag team woith the great Art Barr and to his family life and struggles with his wife to THe end where he finds peace makes everything awesome in his life its truly an astonishing story.
After you read this book you will see Eddie in a whole diffrent lighht and appreciate the man that he was and still IS.

R.I.P my man.

Wrestling has always been a guilty pleasure for me. I grew up watching the likes of Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and the Bruiser with my dad. Now I watch with my son. There's nothing I enjoy more than watching grown men make complete fools of themselves. I like the pranksters best--guys like DegenerationX (Triple H and Shawn Michaels), John Cena and, of course, Eddie Guerrero. He brought a lot of laughter into our living room every week. But more than that, Eddie was--and is--an inspiration. He had a lot to overcome, and he did--and this tough guy wasn't afraid to proudly proclaim his faith in God and Jesus Christ. He gave credit where it was due, always. Viva la Raza, Eddie! You still live in Heaven--and through those of us who love and respect you!

Having taken 2 semesters of ASL, I must admit that I was disappointed to see a vocabulary list that I knew 95% of...but this book is definitely an excellent source for those with no or very little prior ASL knowledge. NOTE: THIS IS NOT ASL. The book is Pidgin Signed English (now called Contact Signing) which is easier to learn if your first language is English. That is, the grammar of ASL is absent in the presence of English word order. But the way the book is laid out, it's easy to learn! There's little bits of cultural information, how to engage and end a conversation, "do"s and "don't"s, and more! I like the little anecdotes, too.

Pros: Easy to follow, comes with a DVD to reinforce and clarify signs, decent amount of information for a beginner

Cons: NOT ASL (ASL "words" but not the grammar) and not terribly helpful for those with moderate exposure to sign language


Overall, it's a handy cultural tool that helps you learn a little language :)

We have a program in the Las Vegas mail processing center where we find solutions for better communication with all employees. To our hearing impaired employees, we had training held in our facility by a certified interpreter who taught both craft and management employees to finger spell words and phrases. We were going to order another sign language book to be given by our plant manager to those who completed the training sessions as his appreciation to them, but there were those who read the reviews on this "Idiot's" book, hence, this is what I ordered. They use it as a refresher, it's well illustrated and easy. Everybody was happy with the book. For the next training group, I'll be ordering some more of this book.

I am taking sign language classes and they gave us a book. The class didnt like the book that they gave us it didnt help us at all. So we all bought this book and its a great book with a cd and its easy learning.

I only just received this today and immediately opened the book and thumbed through the chapters, I also browsed the introduction and watched the intro on the DVD and reviewed a few other signs. That said I have not had time to get into the meat of it BUT what I have seen so far has been praise-worthy. A very good intro and some good info about different sign language 'languages' I learnt a few things thT I did not previously know (not signs other related info) which was quite interesting. Good explanation on what is conversational sign language and how it differs from say 'signed english language'. The DVD has a visual for the signs from the book (important to know), you are taught by both a deaf and hearing person (mother and daughter)which I also found good.More than 600 signs... Let's face it most people buying this are 'hearing' people who have an interest in communicating with the 'hearing impaired'. From what I have seen this book will help with basic communication and those seeking further vocab now have a base to build on.Also information on common misconceptions, interesting facts and also special tips on improving your signing. I will update the review as I explore the package more. But so far 'two thumbs up' (or 5 stars).

My wife works at a doctors office where they have a couple of deaf patients. She has always wanted to learn sign. She couldn't put the book down. After two days she was signing non-stop. Originally she only wanted to buy the DVD instruction but I encouraged her to use this book too. Now it is the other way around. She goes to this book first and uses the DVDs as a backup. I also got her some ASL flash cards that work well for practice.

Complete Metalsmith, Student Edition is an excellent resource. As someone completely new to metalsmithing I was hearing terms that I could not figure out and this book has them all. It is well written and seems very complete. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a reference book meant for the years. The construction is well thought out with a firm but flexible cover and wire binding. It is a convenient size to have on your work table at all times.

This is a handy little book to keep by your bench for a quick reference. You'll find basic information of what something is - not always how its used. I'm still learning metalsmithing and this little book complements my jewelry project books. I found it helpful and informative in this regard.

This is a wonderful book for a metal working student just starting out. It contains technical information in an easy to follow format, as well as lots of illustrations and clear directions. The coil on the spine makes the book easy to follow while working on a project. The student edition is a great place to start in learning this new craft

This is easy to follow with step by step instructions. If you are interested in learning metal smithing, I highly recommend this book. It is a great resource book for future use as well.

this book is very good and explains in plain english the how to's for this subject.

This is a sweet little book that will appeal to the engineers and scientists among us. You, too, can change! Or, Love conquers all! The illustrations are fun, and the writing intelligent and clever.

Enjoy!

I was given this book as a teenager, and never forgot it. I used to ask other people if they knew about it, but few seemed to have ever heard of it. I am an artist, and in spite of the use of 'math' in the title, thought this book was about art.
I missed ALL the math info and puns. (It was interesting reading the reviews of the math and science readers.) I can only tell you that the cleaver drawings tell stories that are universal. They work as well for art and life as they seem to work for math.
I have now given this book to many people. Every one of them has thanked me.
This is my favorite gift to give away for Valentine's day.

I purchased this book as a companion to the same named academy award winning animated short (1966?) by Chuck Jones. It was out of print until now. The short was recently released as a bonus feature on the DVD release of the Glass bottom boat. Bought the DVD, never have even looked at the main movie. It's enjoyable to watch a clever book come to life and be even more unforgetable then the written word.

I was given this book in 1980 by a college friend when it was in print in a smaller format. I am so pleased to see it again. If I could only own 100 books, this would be one of them.

Norton Juster wove more than puns and visual gags into this short book. Not to take an ounce away from those fantastic double entendres ("drawn and on edge").

There are references to social commentary "they all look the same anyhow," "freedom is not a license for anarchy," "why don't you find a nice line and settle down." There is amazing (for kids) vocabulary: quintessence, vector, potent, paralleliped. If you want to go there, there is also out of date vocabulary "Oh, what a head!" This book is rich.

Most of my high school math classes read "The Dot and the Line" at some point during the year, often as a read-aloud before a holiday. We find the puns, I explain the jokes, we discuss (briefly the social commentary), someone looks up the hard words, and they read a little boy-girl love story. It's the best kind of learning, the kind that happens when they think they are having fun!

I was given this book for Christmas and - being a huge nostalgia fan - I LOVE it! So many great photos and interesting stories. This is a must for anyone who loves show business success stories.

This is one of the most entertaining reads I've ever had...WOW! What a surprise! Highly recommended!!!

This book is full of wonderful information on the subject of ventriloquism and is a great history book as well, about a bygone era that was once a vital part of American TV entertainment. It's a must read for any trivia buff!!

Oh My gosh, this is THE BEST BOOK I've EVER read! This awesome book is garenteed to educate you on 4 of the best ventriloquists in american history! This is an awesome book, filled with lots of photos and fun stories. WELL WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY!

Okay, I admit it: I grew up watching Paul Winchell on TV. And my best friend carved his own dummy, and practiced ventriloquism, while I acted as "audience". So, dummies and ventriliquists formed my warped view of life, later leading to Monte Python and Firesign Theater. What makes ventriliquists fascinating is their combination of surrealism, fantasy and real-life issues, projected into their own, small theater. By "suspending disbelief", these performed create real persons and real stories. If you love imagination and those who create imaginary worlds, you'll enjoy this book.

I listen to this CD everyday. It has changed my life. Earl Nightingale is my new hero. Everyone should listen and own a copy of this CD.

This is a must have for anyone needing direction. I've put these principles to use many times over the years. This recording reinforces the idea that "WE BECOME, WHAT WE THINK ABOUT!"

I have the CD and have been listening to it several times already. It's such a simple message, but so profound at the same time. Moreso, it's spoken in a very calming and supportive voice that comes across as extremely inspiring. You become what you set out to be and what you think about. It is a recording about setting a goal and working towards that goal. Thinking positively constantly, and remaining keen on hitting your goal. I've found it insprirational, and it's a CD I'll continue to listen to so that I can keep the message fresh in my mind. Highly recommended if you are someone who is trying to find motivation to and inspiration to make change in your life,l but struggling with getting in motion.

Light years before The Secret (which I happen to LOVE), Earl Nightingale was already preaching the gospel according to the Law of Attraction.

What a great message in a short CD. His voice is very 50's sounding, but so easy to listen to. You'll hear all the same messages as you do in The Secret, but remember that this was recorded decades before.

Thanks to Jeffrey Gitomer for turning me on to this CD.
Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness

The most amazing characteristic of this message is its clarity. I have read hundreds of motivational books, and this might be the shortest and clearest text on the topic of setting goals and living mindfully. A true classic! No wonder that the original LP received a Golden Record award, indicating that over 1 million copies were sold. I highly recommend listening to the CD at least once every month!

Best photography book about we human beings covering pictures about love, marriage,birth,childhood, growing up, work, getting along, war, and old age.
It is truly well done and my favourite for myself and to give as a gift to someone you care about, who is interested in humanity.

Great book! I grew up with it, and rediscovered it just now. Wonderful!!

This is my favorite book. I purchased it when I was 18, and loved black and white photography. I am now 65, and still see the same basic beauty in the photographs. It's not about the 1950's, or showing American culture. It shows how universal and similiar all people of all races and cultures are. It shows young children playing, people falling in love, weddings, births, hard work, wars, death, grieving, and even hope from various people and countries from our planet Earth. One family. One people. This is a collection of love, not about a specific time, or place, or our differences. This is a book that shows our skin colors, clothes, and countries may change; but we are all the same.

I am so glad Family of Man is still available. I would also suggest that in conjunction with this book, you offer Family of Women, and Family of Children.

I first found this book at Foyle's in London, about 35 years ago, and it struck me. Since then, I bought five copies of the Family of Man, but no one remained in my home, because ever I felt the need to give this book to someone I loved or trusted.
What is making this book so precious to me?
First the idea itself of collecting pictures from the whole world (remember, when Steichen launched his project, the Cold War and the related hysteria was at its peak). This to demonstrate that all the human beings have to pass through the same events in their life: birth, growth, education, emotions, work, love, children, reflection, death. This apparently trivial concept leads to a conclusion by far less trivial: we all do belong to one family, our species, the humans (by the way, this thinking had not so great success in the past, nor the present seems to be more benevolent).
The Family of Man is exactly the visual demonstration of such a concept, by comparing the same events as viewed from different geographic and cultural perspectives, by means of photos from renowned or unknown photographers (of course, the pictures from the US are prevailing in numbers for logistics and statistical reasons: it was by far more simple for an US photographer to even simply receive the news of the Steichen project than for a photographer in Rwanda or in the USSR).
Steichen and his assistants made an impressive selection, shortlisting 503 pictures from the over 2 million they received. By the way, Steichen was a photographer, and his selection also considered the aesthetic side of the question: most of the pictures selected simply are wonderful.
The result is this book. I think no one on this planet can miss it, because The Family of Man is representative of a large part of our culture and on our very nature.
To give an example, in my opinion this book is at the same emotional and rational level as Homer's Odyssey, Dante's Divine Comedy, Melville's Moby Dick, primo Levi's If this is a Man, or the ancient Greek lyrics, to quote some comparisons.
I hope it will continue to be published; we, the humans, desperately need it.