Art Books

I bought this book at the same time as Timeless Halloween Collectibles. They're definitely companions.

This book is larger. The colors are less vivid than "Timeless" but there are so many more of them. I couldn't be more delighted with the volume and the clarity of the images.

I like the detail of the old time decorations that I remember but find them unaffordable. This book easily satisfies the joy of reliving times gone bye. There's something for everyone.

This book tells you what to look for (and what to avoid) in the facinating world of vintage Halloween collecting. The photography is great, and the prose is informative and entertaining. Even if you're not an avid Halloween collector, the "haunting" images from these bygone days are truly works of art, full of whimsy & fun. For the serious collector, the price guide is an absolute must have.

So far this is the best book I've found on Vintage Halloween in the sense of information, layout and the broad spectrum of items covered. It is evident that Mark Ledenbach is truly passionate about his collection. The photos are high quality and well laid out. The information is thought provoking and facsinating to any Halloween enthusiast. I do wish there were more item information regarding usage or other interesting tidbits, however this book does give the reader what it promises.
A must have for the Halloween aficionado.

When I started discovering vintage Halloween items, I came upon Mark Ledenbach's book. It became my leading guide while investigating on eBay. On his web site I could contact him an ask for advice. He was very friendly and helpful. The photos and lay out of his book are fantastic and it is better organized then other books I own. I could not have enjoyed the beautiful graphics and usual, rare items if it were not for this book. You must purchase this whether you are a serious collector or not. Have fun!

Another Halloween has come and gone but for some people like myself, the Halloween holiday lives on 365 days a year due to my love of the holiday and my passion for Halloween décor. When I was a kid, I used to be rather afraid of the old decorations in my grandmother's house. These were quite a bit scarier than those jointed cardboard skeletons and plastic light-up pumpkins that I was used to...Little did I know then just how valuable those pieces were. When she passed away about ten years ago my wife and I scoured her house for those trinkets but alas, they were nowhere to be found, most likely tossed in the trash years ago.

Vintage Halloween Collectibles from Krause Publications is yet another outstanding edition to their library of collectibles books. When I first received the book I literally sat down for a couple of hours and just browsed through the book from cover-to-cover, looking for the items my Grandmother used to have as well as finding the few items that I've been able to collect. Collecting vintage Halloween decorations is no easy task Halloween wasn't nearly as big and commercialized decades ago as it is today. Vintage Christmas items show up endlessly at flea markets and garage sales but vintage Halloween items are much harder to come by because there just wasn't as much made, not too mention that much of it was made out of paper and simply didn't last as long.

This 256 page trade paperback book covers some 1600 items and features over 1100 full-color photos. The book lists the item with country of origin, manufacturer, date of manufacture, dimensions, current value, and, perhaps most importantly, a scarcity index on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the rarest and 5 being the most common. Naturally, the items my grandmother had fell into the common arena but still were fairly valuable, all things considered. The items are broken down into eight different category chapters including games, candy containers and figures, noisemakers, and decorations.

I found it interesting that there were so many games that involved fortune telling that were made in the 30's and 40's. This is certainly a sign of that era's infatuation with mysticism. One motif that seemed so common back in the first half of the 20the century that you don't see much today is devil and demon décor. The stereotypical red horned devil was a very common theme that has nearly disappeared from modern décor...I guess that's' a sign of OUR times. The other overwhelming common theme was the black cat. The book contains hundreds of black cat items from figurines to paper lanterns. The lanterns are things I remember distinctly from my youth and I am still amazed at the intricate detail of these rather delicate Halloween decorations. The book has dozens of examples of paper lanterns adorned by witches, black cats, pumpkins, and skeletons. These items are beautiful and Krause has done a great job with clear, beautiful photography of these rarities.

One of the most interesting chapters is simply called "A Nice Variety" because the items didn't fit into any of the other categories. These feature items such as paper aprons, candy boxes, candles and candleholders, books and magazines. The covers to the books published by Dennison's in the 20's and 30's are gorgeous. These books were geared towards the woman of the house with ideas for recipes, decorations, and Halloween games. I also loved the die-cut chapter because those are the decorations I remember my mother having as a young kid and still fondly remember. But again, those red devil die-cuts, circa the 1930's are just wonderful. These items may not be easy to find anymore, but if you do, there is simply no better resource than this book from Krause Publications.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

This was great! I bought two! One for me and one for my brother who is turning 40 this year. Everything that brings me back to my childhood when I collected them. A real find for Wacky Packages fans!

Now I have that stupid song stuck in my head. But this little gem of a book brought back a lot of laughs long stifled since my childhood. We went nuts for Wacky Packages and we swapped and we traded and we bartered and all of that stuff. My neighbor had some real old vintage ones on her refrigerator that I would go crazy for. But it seems like they haven't included ALL of them. There has to be a sizable number of images that didn't make it into this book. Perhaps I'm mistaken and this book only offers up a few volumes in the series....I know there is stuff that I had that's missing from this book. But - anyway, if you grew up in the 60's and early 70's and you remember purchasing these things for 10 cents or so, this is a wonderful book that looks back on adolescence and hits the funny bone hard. It's short on words and descriptions, but that's fine. The laugh-out-loud images are enough. This book brought a huge smile to my face that didn't go away for a long time. It brought back a wave of great memories and for that, it's worth twice the price!!! I love it!

This book may be one of the most pointless things I ever needed to have. The production is gorgeous, down to the waxy Topps paper the dustcover is printed on. If you're looking for a lot of scholarly insight it's not here. Art Speigelman's brief intro tells you everything you need to know, the rest is pictures of the stickers. For a designer, this book is pure inspiration - wacky wordplay, pastiche, essence of package design, etc. And the price is terrific.

I was born in Philadelphia and when I was growing up in the 60's, one of my vices was.......Wacky Packages! These fun sticker trading cards were like "crack" to kids in my neighborhood! The twisted parodies were all done by some very famous artist and today the stickers can empty your wallet faster than you can chew bubble gum!

I am a collector of many things and I am also a complete-ist! Which would make collecting these stickers very expensive! I collect Monster and Super Hero statues, figures, magazines, trading cards, films, and way too much more! I also collect other items from my youth and I was going to venture into Wacky packages, but after some research, I found it would be too costly to complete the collection.

There is also a lot you need to know before you start buying/collecting these cards, spotting counterfeits and re-released versions is just part of the chaos and then finding them in good condition from reputable sellers is another.

This book will solve the problem for most nostalgia hunters and definitely for me! The book is laid out so that every sticker is presented on it's own page. The pictures are beautiful and clear and are in order of release separating each series with a divider page. It's a sweeeet little book that measures 7 1/2" tall and 5 3/4" wide and the dust jacket looks like a Wacky Packages wrapper to boot!

This Hard cover book has very little text and only covers the first 7 series of cards, but it's well worth the price if you like these stickers. I can only hope that there will be a second volume with series 8 through 16 included! I'll buy it and I'm sure anyone who bought this volume will too!

As a bonus there is a collectors pack of four classic "Wacky Packs" stickers! Very Cool!

This is (at least one of) the logical extensions of Warhol, to the extent that the representation and/or the "idea" of the product is theoretically no different than the product itself. Actually, it's more interesting than Warhol; it's satire that is automatic, mass produced, and not the least bit funny.

Yes, the reproductions are unreasonably beautiful, and I'm not just saying that because I had a Wacky Packages fetish when I was a kid. "Hawaiian Punks" has always been my favorite. There is something about the red and green mushed-up glob of a former human being, as he seems to ooze off the sticker, that is just as transfixing to my adult eye as it was to my far less discriminating 10-year-old self.

This is cultural detritus raised to an utterly undeserved level. I feel like tearing all of the pages out and framing them properly. The apocalypse will be arriving when?

This is really a must-have. Very detailed in a clear and direct language. Excellent for every level of watercolor painters!

This is a really great book on watercolor. It is full of wonderful tips and explanations of how to achieve many simple to advanced effects. It also explains why certain colors are better to mix with others for the results you want. It is also amazingly readable. I set it by my reading chair and I am drawn to pick it up and read just for interest. I am learning so much. FYI- I have lots of knowledge about art, but am a beginning to intermediate watercolorist.

This book offers great advice on landscape painting so, If you've wanted to paint plein air with watercolors, this is the book for you.

This book contains valuable techniques for the creation of landscape features in watercolor. It is perhaps a bit overwhelming for the absolute beginner, but for anyone who has a little experience with watercolors and is motivated to improve, it's a great book!

This has some great step-by-step lessons for creating different effects in a landscape watercolor. The only criticism I have of it is the drab coloring in many of the examples.

Very comprehensive. Lots of photos, very good history. It did come out a while ago so doesn't have anything about Entwistle's death. But it's a great history of the Who!

The definitive book to have on The Who. Loaded & re-loaded with amazing photographs & anecdotes from a friend of the band who isn't afraid to point out the bad in addition to the good.

I bought this book on its original release back in the 1980's; the updated section to review the years 1983-96 is most welcome. Hopefully, Richard Barnes will release yet another edition that takes into account the years 1997 to the present.

If you're a Who junkie, this book is a must. If you're a new fan, this volume is a fantastic primer into the history of the greatest band there ever was.

This book is an excellent resource for all fans of the classic rock band, The Who. Telling the band's story from their earliest days, the reader will find plenty of detail, interviews, and wonderful photographs to enhance this "amazing journey". The author takes a relatively unbiased stance, leaving out personal opinion in favor of simply stating "the facts".

If you are a fan of The Who, this is certainly a book that deserves a place in your library.

This book is really a great overview of the WHO's career. Starting out when the band started to meet as teenagers and spannig all the way to a few years after Keith's death, this book covers every single recording the WHO did.

Aside from just following the WHO through their career, this book is also jam-packed with those crazy Keith Moon anecdotes and interesting picures.

I really enjoyed this book, and enjoyed seein what one of my favorite bands was really like. I would definately recommend it to anyone who loves the WHO.

As a HUGE Who fan, I first picked up "Maximum R&B" in the late 80's, and recently dug into the updated version.

Richard Barnes was an old art school friend of Pete Townshend's, and remained close to him and the band over the decades. His history of the Who is detailed, mixed with intimiate remembrances, especially of the early days of the band.

Barnes for the most part tells the story with a straight-forward, unbiased eye. He details the tulmultuous relationship between the band members, especially Townshend and Roger Daltrey, and draws on numerous interviews and press articles (the press materials are classic--some very early pix of a very young Detours lineup are among the entertaining bits).

Barnes also examines the Mod movement of the 60's, which was so critical to exposing the Who (for a while the High Numbers) to a hardcore audience.

For Who fans like myself, you may find some minor errors, and Barnes doesn't go too deep into some of the band member's personal lives, except where he seems to have an in. Among these would be Townshend's fascination with Meher Baba, his later drug and alcohol problems, and his later struggles with trying to deal with the Who while establishing himself as a solo artist.

In any case, a fantastic document of the history of one of rock's greatest and most talented bands.

His books and DVD's dwelve deep into his writing tools. I, like many, have read most of the books, and this is one of the top three I return to review. Mckee, Truby, Seger, Wright, and Tobin are all worth reading. Jeff's book is the most important, because it's crucial to find the spine of a story, and Jeff's tools are the best for finding it. All mention it, but Jeff's tools allow one to touch the heart of the story, so you write from the inside-out instead of the outside -- the most important, and the most difficult part of learning to write.

I have read many screenwriting books, but Jeff Kitchen's book is the one I always use on all my script development and script analysis projects. This book teaches you invaluable tools that transforms the way you construct your screenplay. Jeff Kitchen demonstrates the tools through hands-on approach, breaking down popular movies such as Training Day, What Women Want, Minority Report, Blade Runner, The Godfather and Tootsie. He also takes you through the process of developing a script from scratch using the tools. This book will definitely transform the way you approach screenwriting and transform you as writer. If you want to master this craft I highly recommend this book. It's awesome!

...oh and check out his other book Script Analysis and the 5 DVD set.Script Analysis: The Godfather, Tootsie, Blade Runner Jeff Kitchen's Full Day Seminar

I'm probably not going to be able to say anything about the book that hasn't been said, but I'll try.
If you want to know how to dissect a movie, this is the book for you. Mr. Kitchen will have you take a movie apart to its "spine" and lay bare the trail, from beginning to end, of the cause and effect of every dramatic event. I guess this is what studio execs call the "through line" Great book.

To me, the book is too wordy. Some of the tools are not useful.
Sometimes you have to rack your brains and read twice to get what the author means. Well, maybe because English is not my native language.

Anyway, I give it five stars 'cuz it helped me make my story work.
I have read over 40 books on screenwriting and I have to admit: Jeff Kitchen's book is one the best. He teaches some tools which you will never find in the books of other screenwriting gurus.

Though, it should not be your first book. But it's a must if you want to grow as a storyteller.

For a novice screenwriter I'd recommend to read next books: Teach Yourself Screnwriting, The Screenwriter's Bible, The Comic Toolbox, and The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller.

There is a multitude of books that have recently become standard over the last twenty to thirty years regarding the mastery of screenwriting. Viki King's book "How to write a Movie in 21 days" is probably one of the most well known, as is "Screenplay" by Syd Field.

I think the truth about a lot of these books is that most people are looking for small, concise manuals that are easy to read and easy to cull the real gems from. From the way I've seen a lot of people approach screenwriting, most of it is typically haphazard. The bulk of people read bits and pieces of books and rarely ever any one book from cover to cover. If you can imagine a person shaking a book above their head hoping for gold coins, diamonds, rubies and other riches to fall from the pages then you have the correct visual. It's a classic blunder, but one that more often than not is the result of too much television advertising and not taking one's dream serious enough.

Jeff Kitchen's "Writing a Great Movie", is a rare book that most people can, and should read from cover to cover at least once. If you read it twice, then you'll be ahead of the curve. It's most likely the best book on writing I've seen bar none, and not just on screenwriting either. Using a system of `comparison and contrast' with different films like Blade Runner, Training Day, Tootsie, Minority Report and The Godfather to illustrate the strengths, the thread and the blood of good writing. Kitchen shows you many, many times over how a good story builds up on itself and how to successfully break it down to properly understand it, and how to identify the most integral aspects of it and use them all as tools.

I've been writing novels for about fifteen years and my approach to writing has changed drastically now and I couldn't imagine going back and abandoning what I've learned from this incredibly helpful book. Some of the help and advice is complex, like the information about Enneagrams and the Enneagram Institute, which sounds daunting and pedantic and like someone trying to cloak Scientology and Dianetics within a screenwriting manual, which is not the case at all. The information about the Enneagram does pop up in Scientology and does get a mention in Dianetics, but for the record was around a lot longer than the usage made of it by Scientology. It's good information and not something to skip past. You'll find this in Chapter 4, so don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Other information and advice is simple and easy to grasp and stuff that all writing teachers should tell their students, but probably do not. Another point is the use of index-cards to outline and detail your story, which works for both Screenplay and Novel formats and is a brilliant idea that gets good discussion and was something that many great writers have often used themselves.

As a historical note, and something not covered in the book, Nabakov outlined everything he did on Index cards, quite extensively, and is a resource that scholars of his work have to glean and sift through to this day.

Kitchen tells the reader to make good use of quotes, biblical passages, idioms, etc. as themes within your story which will give it heart. The information in the book is inexhaustible and worthy on many levels. He also uses every piece of advice he gives, to bring it back to the films mentioned above and is quite original in doing so, and a very original way to teach.

If you're looking for "the" book on screenwriting, or writing in general, this book will take your efforts from the amateur realms, and launch it into the next level and bolster a real sense of skill and professionalism that it may have been lacking.

This book is worthy of much recommendation.

I teach several writing teleclasses and teleseminars and workshops and I am always on the look out for writing books which will both serve me as a writer and as a facilitator AND will serve my students.

"Writing Alone and With Others" by Pat Schneider does that and more.

Schneider's tone is a perfect blend of the business of writing and the sacredness of writing and the individuality of each writer.

She writes of genius within each writer - and she goes further to say "Genius needs a lifetime of dedicated practice." In this book one would certainly find a companion to nurture that dedicated practice with such a wide variety of writing exercises that anyone and everyone would find gold.

My favorite chapters include: Chapter 3: Toward a Disciplined Writing Life and Chapter 7: Growing as a Writer. I had really looked forward to hearing Schneider's take in Chapter 9: The Ethical Questions: Spirituality, Privacy and Politics. I wasn't sure why or how Spirituality fit into that equation, and I still don't after reading the chapter.

In re-reading it, I see how Schneider speaks of "ethical questions in writing will of necessity touch our most primal spiritual orientation" so seeing that, perhaps the chapter would have been better titled differently. Even so, it doesn't detract from the content of the book, it is simply a moment of saying "Hmmm. That is interesting. I wonder what is up with that?"

I can not recommend this book highly enough for all writers at all stages of creative growth. It is expansive and expanding, intriguing and evocative. It is bound to become a classic - if the writers of the future are especially blessed..

If you have toyed with the idea of someday becoming a writer, this book will encourage you to pursue it. Many of us doubt that we can write; Pat Schneider convinces you that you already are a writer. Whether for pleasure or for publication anyone can write. This does not, however, diminish those with extensive formal educations in writing. She means to say that anyone with the ability to take pen in hand can relay information from their heads to the paper. She does not promise a career in publishing or that others with enjoy your writing; she merely strengthens your confidence in your ability to articulate your thoughts in a physical form.
This book is the text for a my college-level writing class. The encouragement in the first chapters has everyone in the class excited about writing and anxious to get started on our projects. Some of my classmates and I have even spoke of planning a trip to Pat Schneider's home town to attend one of her workshops.
I would recommend it, however, for anyone with an interest in expressing themselves in written form. Whether you want to document your family oral history or someday publish a novel, you will find something here to help you along the way.

I'm 50+, with education in creative writing. I've written privately and with others most of my life. Pat is the teacher for whom I've been waiting. Her voice and style are empowering. Her ability to cast light on creativity and how we teeter between fiction and non, is among the clearest I've read - balancing craft with magic. Her practical advice is just what I was looking for in leading writing groups - she is honest and approachable.

If you are a writer, a prospective writing group leader, or are interested in joining a writing group, do yourself the kindness of buying and reading this book by the founder of the AWA method. I have read many books on writing over the last couple of years, including all of Natalie Goldberg's and If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, and have found Schneider to be an unparalelled treasure trove of wisdom, gentleness, and practical advice. She speaks from many years worth of experience with writing, leading writing groups, and helping underpriveleged people find their voices in writing. She is inspirational and is the most trustworthy teacher of writing I've come across so far. She is also a excellent writer and poet herself.
In the first section of this wonderful book she gives advice to the writer writing alone, including lucid chapters on dealing with fear and maintaining discipline, and practical advice about exactly how to start and keep on writing-- what to do when you put your pen to the page-- that other books rarely give. In the second section she deals with writing groups, and the ethics of maintaining safety within those groups. Even if you are a solitary writer, this section is enlightening and moving, and if you are a writing group leader, or hope to be one, or are thinking of joining a writing group, this section is invaluable. She also discusses at length writing groups focused on empowering the underpriveleged; I found this information eye-opening and incredibly moving. In the final section she offers scores of writing practice exercises developed through countless writing group sessions. These are exercises relevant to all levels of experience in writing, which can be used for the solitary writer or in a writing group.
This book is a must-have for any dedicated writer, and Pat Schneider joins Julia Cameron, Natalie Goldberg, Brenda Ueland, Anne Lamott, Susan G. Wooldridge, Annie Dillard, and Virginia Woolf as an essential and luminous writing guide.

It was only two or three pages into the introduction of this book before I realized that Pat Schneider had given me the one book on writing I had looked for my entire life.

The great barrier between each of us and our own unique genius is fear. Writing -- at least deep, personal writing -- results from a direct confrontation with that fear. Some writers abandon their genius for fear of the pain of introspection. Others develop the courage to face themselves and move forward. Genius can flourish within an incubator of safety, self-confidence, focus, and practice. A nurturing environment allows some the freedom to take greater risks and plumb greater depths of personal understanding than those trapped within the cycle of their own fears.

By perfectly articulating the unspoken dread that many writers face when they seat themselves before the empty page, Schneider puts a face on the unseen enemy -- the writer him- or herself -- and allows one to move forward and deal with issues that otherwise may remain unidentified. Schneider demonstrates how to confront these scenarios not only to the solitary writer, but within the group workshop experience as well. As someone who has participated in workshops AND faced the terror of "alone," I can attest that her book can touch in a single sitting what sometimes years of therapy fails to unmask.

As theraputic as the book may be for one's writing, it may or may not be a therapy for the writer. As Schneider says in her book, "Whether or not writing heals the writer is irrelevant. What matters is the power of the work itself." This book is about writing and resolution, not about self-healing, though often the two go hand-in-hand.

This book should become a staple for all high school or university creative writing classes or for any writing class -- fiction or no -- that aims to put the writer in touch with his inner voice. In the beginning each of us brings so much unnecessary baggage to the pen or to the keyboard. And there is so much to regret for the needless time we lose in learning to know ourselves. Let's get on with it.

I was fortunate enough to be a student in Dr. Trimble's American Liturature class at the University of Texas in 1989. Before I took his class, my writing was poor and insincere. I did not know how to use my own voice in my work.

After reading his book several times--and finally "getting it", I improved my writing significantly. I am a more successful person because of this book.

Thank you Dr. Trimble.

I've read a lot of books on writing over the years, so many that I've reserved a spot on the corner of my desk for the very best of them so I can refer to them every so often. Only a few books are in this pile: they are the special ones. And one of them is Trimble's book. I discovered it many years ago when it was in its first edition, and have held it in high esteem ever since. Not only does Trimble give you a lot of useful information, he does, indeed , do it "with style." I enjoy both the information and the way he presents it. He covers all aspects of writing, including grammar, and usually when I see a section on grammar in such a book I skip over it, but not in this case. Even it is a delight.

You can read the book very quickly(2-3h) because it is written with great style(Trimble applies what he tells you,which makes the book a very good example to what he says). The advice is very practical, even the chapter on punctuation is useful-very useful i would say. Reading it once was enough for me to start using more expresive punctuation. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve his writing,whatever he may wish to write.

ps:this is the first book on writing i read. it might be that some/much of the advice from this book can be found in other books on writing.however, i think it's good to read this book, because it is short and nicely written;in the end it is a good idea to rehearse some things,sometime

If you only have time and money for one book on writing, get this one. But if you want two books, get this one and "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White.

This book was a required text in a writing class I had as an undergraduate and I actually enjoyed reading it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I kept my copy instead of selling it back to the bookstore as a used copy at the end of the semester and I've used it for a reference ever since. It often comes in handy when I run up against obstacles in getting a writing project done.

As someone else pointed out, it's not as in depth as some other writing books. It is infinitely more readable and enjoyable, though. I know "enjoyable" is not a word that academics like since there seems to be an attitude of "it's only good if it's painful."

This book shows that good style and enjoyment aren't mutually exclusive. In fact it advises to turn your views and resources to best account to produce writing you'll be proud of. It also gives much more practical and understandable advice for inexperienced writers than anything else I've read.

This book should be a required yearly read for academic writers everywhere. It seems that many have forgotten the reason that they're writing--to communicate effectively--not simply to show off and get a publication under their belt.

When you want a great recipe, turn to Betty Crocker. But when you want a great recipe for success, turn to Bella Vlasis. Her book helped me out tremendously! And here's why:

Throughout most of my adult life I've been told that I look like a certain celebrity, so on a whim, I moved out here to Los Angeles to pursue jobs in the look-a-like business. But once I got here, I didn't know where to go or who to contact. I bumped into someone at a bookstore who suggested Ms. Vlasis' book and boy it was exactly what I needed!

After reading this step-by-step book thoroughly, I got myself some headshots and found an agent and have been well on my way to success. This book has helped me to gain confidence in what I do and the knowledge to go above and beyond what most others are doing in my line of work. From look-a-likes to agents to actors to performers - I recommend this book to anyone looking to get into the entertainment field. And as the author Ms. Vlasis writes at the end of her bio, "Break a leg!"

Just a quick note to say how pleased I am with Denise Bella Vlasis' latest book. If you produce corporate events, private events or anywhere that you use unique entertainment this is truly a wealth of information. if you think you've got the "look", then this definately is the best road map to success you can find to become a look-a-like and professional entertainer. Thank you Denise for a job well done!

As an agent booking lookalikes, I frequently get calls from people who want to get into the business. I refer them to this book. It will answer all their questions and get them started. There's also lots of excellent resource material for the seasoned performer including a list of agents who book lookalikes. A wealth of good solid information. I highly recommend this book.

this book has really helped me as a look-like-and modeling and acting- I was a student looking for a part-time job and then discovered this book- thank you!

This book covers it all! Not only is it a step by step guide, but Denise provides names, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses for all the services one would need to pursue a look a like career. Everything from photographers to agents. It's easy to read, and the fact that she let professionals write in their own words shows that Denise does not have an ego and you know what you're reading is fact, not an opinion. This is great "how to" book for anybody to read and follow!

Love this book! Now I allways know what to pick at the video store! And LOTS of great movies. Thanks.
-Torfinn-

If you hate reading spoilers, don't read about any movie in this book unless you've seen it already. Duralde gives away FAR too much in his synopses, which are in my opinion completely unnecessary anyway. It is his commentaries that are the interesting element here, and motivate us to see the films. Why he chose to reveal plot turns, and thus needlessly deflate our enjoyment of the films is beyond me.

Love it, love it, love it - short, sweet, funny, smart. Or as I like to call it, "the best bathroom reading book ever."

Oh, and my copy of "Can't Stop The Music" is on its way from Netflix as we speak ;)

This is far more than a simple list of films that may be aimed at a gay audience. It is 101 hysterical fan rants from someone who has a wicked sense of humor and extraordinarily evolved taste in film.

This is a book that every film student should read because Duralde has a genuine passion for movies and the understanding of them to back up his opinions.

Many of Duralde's choices surprised and delighted me; he didn't go for the easy selections. Any book that mentions "Tarnation" and "Without You, I'm Nothing" in the same breath is aces by me.

101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men is a seminal tome in more ways than one. Well, actually, only one. It hasn't got any of the good pictures in it. But it does have 101 movies that are essential to a broad range of the gay aesthetic. It's got movies for drama queens, diva queens, show tune queens, bears, disco queens, grunge queens and size queens. The only gay subgenre it's lacking is the queer sports movie, and I'm sure once Duralde has seen Summer Storm and Guys and Balls he'll add something appropriate to Bride of 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men he keeps promising (unless that what he's titling the lesbian companion piece he keeps promising as well, in which case he'll have to include Bend it Like Beckham or, better yet, Personal Best).

When I came out, I was told I couldn't get my queer card until I'd seen Torch Song Trilogy and Murder by Death. Both are missing from 101. I'm not going to fight too hard for Murder by Death which is simply a very good example of camp and not particularly queerly significant beyond that, but I will say that I can't imagine a list of queer movies complete that doesn't include Torchsong.

But what is in the book is delightful and insightful. I knew Fight Club is about the slashiest thing every made, but it didn't occur to me to put it in a list of must-see movies for the queer cognoscenti. But even the obvious choices - Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, Sunset Boulevard, Valley of the Dolls, Sunday, Bloody Sunday and many more - are given new life and new perspective with plot synopsis, evaluation of what's important to the queer viewer, quotes from the movie and an interesting visual classification system.

Duralde examines these movies with wit and sensitivity. He makes you want to expand your DVD library, and in some cases your VHS library, not only with the movies he lists, but with the movies he mentions in passing discussion about other movies.

And, for the record, I've seen The Broken Hearts Club and it isn't nearly as awful as Duralde makes it out to be, but it is awful.

I cannot remember the title or anyone who was in it, but it you're looking for a movie emblematic of what bad queer cinema is, the one with the fireman who begs his girlfriend for a threesome without specifying the gender of the third participant and then is horrified when she brings some guy from the neighborhood who's been crushing on him for years into the bedroom is the one to choose.

Great book! I give it five stars! Fun projects you can build cheaply using stuff you find in thrift stores or for free if you are willing to look inside Salvation Army dumpsters! Projects are great if you are a private eye, company internal security guy, or a kid who wants to really bother your family, friends and neighbors! On the more serious side,if you are into nature, you could probably use alot of the night scope and amplified ear stuff for bird/ animal monitoring. Be rational using this stuff! You could get in trouble if you follow your evil genius side! But...that's why you are looking at this book isn't it...MAH!, HA!, HA!, and HA!

In this world where unexpected suprises are not always welcome - and if your thoughts lean toward keeping an eye on things, this publication will certainly help. There are chapters the younger set would appreciate as well the seasoned info gatherer will not hesitate to start putting something together.
Not electronic savvy? Not a concern. Just a few of the ideas presented here will get you headed in the right direction with property protection, keeping tabs, and real time viewing scenarios.

Before reading this I thought; "Get a camera, put it up, check it once in awhile." Wrong. This easy reading material will get you thinking in important directions about surveilance you probably haven't thought of previously, unless you were a professional.

This is a fun book, with lots of great ideas. However, it really needed tighter editing. There are several instances where the text did not agree with the schematics (schematic has 50K ohm pot, text discusses 50 ohm, etc). This is unfortunate, since novice readers may not spot the problems, and end up with circuits which don't work.

I'd also recommend a more traditional, left-to-right layout of the schematics. Some are left-right top-down, others are right-left. This makes it more difficult to follow the "flow" through the circuits.

Regardless of these hiccups, I'd recommend this book to those who'd like to tinker with "spy gear" or who are looking for simplier project ideas.

I got this for my friend's 16 year old son and he LOVES it! He is so excited about just knowing how all these things work, even though his mother refuses to let him into a Radio Shack in case he tries to build some of it! I've made him promise not to use any of his evil knowledge against our family and in return, I'll get him book 2 for his birthday! Great fun!

One will need an electronics background to understand this book. The author has some amazingly great ideas, I just wish I could understand half of what he wrote! I persuaded my uncle, who is an engineer, to explain them to me. This book is not meant for laymen. The series needs a prequel teaching the basics of electronics, and the parts the book that try to explain electronic basics is still too advanced for us regular people. So either take a class in 'electronics 101' or have an electronic engineer tutor you in this book. Too demanding for my intellect. However, it still deserves 5 stars for innovation.