Arts Books

This is a good book for beginners as well s advanced lots of beautiful afghans well illustrated and instructional as well.

The patterns in this book are just gorgeous. The techniques are the same old thing, but they are presented in a new way with new ideas. The afghans you make with these patterns may sound like the old thing, but they are not going to look like all the other ones.

Thank you for updated patterns. Now we can make afghans that no one has seen hundreds of times before. You took the "ho-hum" out of crocheting again!

I have to admit I have many crochet afghan books but this has got to be my favorite. It has patterns that are actually doable! I flip through this book way more than my others and am actually doing several projects out of it. My only complaint is that a lot of patterns they use call for Plymouth yarns which I LOVE however, they are so hard to locate! There is one pattern in here that I wanted to use the exact yarn and colors they used but was not able to locate all the yarns on the whole internet! I wrote the Plymouth company and they couldn't help me either so I'm improvising and buying other brands that look similar. Other than that the book has wonderful displays of colorful afghans that are not just the same ole same ole stuff you find in other books. I'm glad I bought it! Another favorite of mine is the 200 Crochet Blocks book they sale here on Amazon. If you like making afghans, you will like both books. :)

What a great book... I received it today and found at least 25 afghans that I would love to make; I never find that many in any book! I love that many of the patterns use common yarns (i.e. available at walmart or your local craft store). I love the colors and textures shown, but would also readily substitute my own colors - the patterns seem straight forward and user friendly (I must finish up a few (okay, about 10) projects before I dig in and choose a pattern to start with!)
Love this book :o)

I bought this book sight unseen on the strength of the customer reviews. I was so disappointed. The cover afghan is nice, but the rest of the patterns fall into two categories: old patterns I'd seen hundreds of times in different colors or yarns; or new patterns that were more busy than pretty. People, wake up! There's no prize for using the most ugly colors. The color choices in almost all of the patterns was just plain loud and gaudy, the kind of stuff that gives crocheting a bad name. The kind of thing that makes folks say, "Grandma, you shouldn't have," with heartfelt sincerity.

All I can say is "Wow!" I had no idea actors had this much stuff to think about in addition to acting! An awful lot of what Ms. Gray and Ms. Purl had to say never would have occurred to me. Of course, I am not an actor and am not aspiring to be an actor, but I do find that I am fascinated by all that actors have to do and put up with. The call sheet alone... holy cow! I can see a good 16 hour course on that piece of paper alone! Like I said, I'm no actor, but I can see "Act Right" should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to act. Anyone who does will only save themselves a lot of embarrassment and keep from looking too much like a newbie on the set. I guess what I'm taking too long to try to say is: "GREAT BOOK!"

Whether you are just starting in the business or have been around, this book is a must read! It contains everything you would ever want to know about acting but were afraid to ask. Mara and Erin have captured a way of sharing their knowledge and experience in this book that will become every actor's must-have manual! A must read!!!

"Act Right" is a wonderful guide for anyone wanting to break into the industry and I applaud you for giving today's generation and those to come a source of aid and inspiration while following their dreams. Bravo!

"What I like the most about this book is the anecdotal and real-life knowledge it provides. In acting school I was taught how to hit a mark but not how to relate to a crew."

As a professional Director of Photography for "Friends," "Mad About You," and at least thirty other Sit-Coms (but whose counting?), I've seen it ALL from behind the camera. I can tell immediately who knows their way around a set - and who doesn't. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to work with an actor who may know his or her lines - but doesn't know how to hit their mark! You don't want to make your mistakes here - on a professional set. If I can tell you don't know what you're doing, so can the producers - the ones who hire you. Do your homework! The only way a new actor starting out can get an advantage, is to read "Act Right" by Erin Gray and Mara Purl. If you're serious about working in this business - as a beginner, or as a returning pro - this book is a MUST READ. Got it? Get it!!

Bought as a gift for a 21st birthday. Will be a memory that he can keep for a long time with a personal message on the inside front cover.

Great gift idea! Would highly recommend

My daughter is 24 years old and she is an aspiring artist. Andy Warhol is her very favorite. I got her this book for Christmas and it is her most favorite thing. She says that the detail that it has is facinating and compelling. One word of advice though...it is one HEAVY book so make sure that you are in a comfortable place to support it while you are reading.

This is a real great (and large ;-) ) book with beatiful reproductions of Andy Warhol. My children love to go through it. It was also for sale on the Warhol exhibition in the "Stedelijk Museum" in Amsterdam last year.

Definitely worth the money!

I've recently got into andy warhol and this is the second book i have by him. The book has stunning portraits/photographs/art thats what i love about andy warhol everything is unique and different.I wasn't sure what to expect with this book however i'm glad that I purchased it.

You also might want to check out "Men - Andy Warhol"

Fantastic pictorial book...worth every penny. If you are a fan of Warhol, this is the book to own. Great prints of Andy's work from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s - including rare prints. You won't be disappointed - it is all here. The dimensions are impressive at 17" x 13" x 2 1/2", and it makes for a beautiful coffee table book that you will be proud to display. The pictures are sharp, both in color and b&w, and many are full-page, including pics of Andy and Edie. Outstanding!

When you get Alan Bean, astronaut and amazing artist, with Andrew Chaikin, a tremendous writer, you have the recipe for one magnificent book. The artwork, of course, is the main ingredient and it never disappoints. Alan Bean has a unique talent and tells the tale of going to the Moon in his drawings. Even without the accompanying words, it is easy to lose oneself in the moment. I think there is a certain 'realness' that the photos dont have and I do not know how to adequately explain why.
At any rate, this is a wonderful book and any space fan should not hesitate to pick it up.

There are sometimes laments that we will never get a proper description of what it's really like to be in space until we send a poet. However, though NASA may not have sent a poet, it did send a painter. Al Bean had dabbled in the arts before and during his tenure as an astronaut, but when he retired he focused on becoming a painter and particularly on creating paintings that showed what it was really like to walk around on the surface of the Moon. This book contains many of those paintings.

The text, meanwhile, is yet another memoir by an Apollo astronaut, and if anything is rather on the terse side, with only brief bits leading up to the more extensive Apollo portion, and only a brief conclusion. It's interesting but doesn't stand out amongst the many other astronaut memoirs, except for the accompanying illustrations. Each chapter concludes with a dozen or so pages reproducing Bean's paintings, with Bean explaining the scene he was depicting and what he wanted to show. This makes this book a unique record of one man's trip to the Moon, and, I suppose, won't be matched until we actually do send a poet.

First, let me say that Alan Bean is one of the most articulate of the Apollo Astronauts who walked on the Moon. In addition to listening to the painter himself about his collective series of truly unique "Paintings from the Moon", you owe it to yourself to purchase a copy of the DVD, "For All Mankind". That DVD is reviewed elsewhere on this site, but it and this particular book full of Mr. Bean's paintings will likely become the most treasured additions to your collection of manned spaceflight memorabilia.

I also found the dramatic characterization of Alan Bean, and the exploits his Apollo 12 crewmates, depicted in Tom Hank's 1998 HBO miniseries "From the Earth To The Moon" to be one of the most entertaining espisodes of that facinating and truly outstanding TV production first telecast in 1998. This book was published in the same year and the two works complement each other very well, upstaging most of the other spaceflight documentaries which are somewhat lacking in humanistic content.

We are very fortunate to have had at least one Astronaut with additional interests other than just pure science and aerospace engineering, to share his extraordinary experiences while serving as a key member of the Apollo program.

The one and only thing missing from my copy of this book is Al Bean's personal autograph!

If you have a strong interest in Space travel, and always wanted to talk to the Astronauts that went to the moon to ask them how it felt or what they were thinking as they walked on a planet other then earth, this is the book that will bring you to a time that has never been repeated. A time when man walked on the moon.

Mr. Bean's use of his fantastic artwork to describe a part of his life when he was a member of the elite few, chosen by NASA, to become the first to walk on the moon, is the closest you will get to actually being there.

It is a book of Mr. Beans paintings but also a trip thru the minds of some of our first Astronauts. If how space travel began interests you at all, I strongly recommend obtaining this book. It's a must have to any collector of Space Memorabilia.

If you want to experience the moon through the eyes of an artist and an astronaut this book is for you! It is inspiring and educational. Highly recommeded!

First of all, I will say the few things were included on this art book.

- More pictures of Kuja's design.
- Pictures of Queen Brahne in the characters section.
- A picture of Zidane on trance form.
- More data to identify characters, name when possible, place where they are found when not (I am not sure if Puck appears in this book or not, and I have to check the in game graphics to know who other characters are).

That's it. Those are the points that make this book not reach the absolute perfection for me.

That said, I still love what is in the book! There are designs for many characters, even some who are not very important in the story, and there are different designs for the non-playable characters when they have variations in their clothes or hair.

The equipment section and the airship section have lots of details. Those are great for fan-artists!

The section with pictures from the in-game animations has a poster-like selection that will make you remember all those moments from the story.

I'm afraid that everything I say now will sound very fan-boyish, since Final Fantasy IX is my favorite of them all (beating Final Fantasy V, something I didn't thought was possible), so I hope what I have already said helps you somewhat in your decision to buy this book.

I got this book through another online retailer for half the price these U&N people are selling for. You just need to shop around.

I'm an artist, and I have a fondness for the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy IX was a challenge for me and after beating it, my claim is that it's the best in the series so far. After watching the last cutscene, I knew I had to have this book. I was very pleased when it arrived and have found it useful even today. FF9 is one of the most franchised game of the FF's(second to 7); I wouldn't waste that if you're a fan of it.

It's got all the characters, all the settings, all the fun. FF9 was my favorited in the series so I just had to get this homage to it. It's just fun to look at the sketches and rough-drafts and such. The town designs are really amazing.

If you're a fan of the FF series, anime, or just incredible art, I suggest you check this out.

I love Final Fantasy!! I have been a die hard fan since part one was released in 1990. There are several books out that show the visual effects from the Final Fantasy series, but this one is by far the best. It is strait forward, art, from the original designer of FF characters, Yoshitaka Amano. Page for page you will see the steps that he followed making this characters shine.

The main reason that I took one star away was because most of the art in this book is finished up designs from Amano. I am a very big fan of his work, ex. Vampire Hunter D, FF1-6,and 9 adn several other Japaneese work. I enjoy his early sketches better, they are much more fantasy like. But that does not mean that this collection is not beautiful as printed.

This is a beautiful editon to any Final Fantasy collecton or just plain art or drawings collection. Dont pass this up.

When I bought this book, I expected mostly black and white photos and small screenshots from the game, but when I opened it up I was happily suprised with a book full of large, colorful artwork. Being a fan of the game series itself, this book especially appealed to me, as it probably would to many other FF players. But even those who do not play the game will find them selves impressed with the tons of fantastic artwork that fills its pages. I definitely recommened this book if you are a fan of the game or just love great art!

We often do praise trips to places of special beauty, where we sing songs of praise and worship to the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
We go to the Grand Canyon, one example, but also to the lakes and other canyons in Arizona. I have often been to Oregon and experienced the beauty of the water falls and to Colorado to enjoy the Rocky Mountains.
This book is a praise trip for the reader, each page is an experience of worship. How great is our God, who created such magnificent beauty for us to enjoy. How blessed I was to receive this book as a gift and I immediately bought copies for my family. May many enjoy the beauty of God's creation. We are to fill our hearts and minds with praise and this is a wonderful way to start!

The most visually beautiful book I know of, THE ART OF GOD is in appearance a nature photography book of the most glorious sort, but upon closer look it is so much more. Ergenbright pairs brilliant awe-inspiring photography with artfully presented text and scripture verses that precisely match each photo and combine to make the heart leap, the soul rejoice. Though written in the spirit of worship, whether intended or not, the beauty, range, selection, and presentation of the book end up also being an apologetic making a visual case for a Creator that's both an intelligent and artistic designer. The photos are arranged purposefully, with the story flowing seamlessly thru the categories Elements, Design, Environments, and Ebb & Flow. The adjective "stunning" often's used to mean just really beautiful, but with this book it's beauty really does stun or take a bit of breath away. THE ART OF GOD is wonderful for a gift or to put on one's own coffee table for visitors to enjoy. Truly an aesthetic and spiritual masterpiece (and a bargain too).

Former agnostic and nature photographer Ric Ergenbright spreads before us a stunning visual feast of God's glory, as reflected in creation. Travel through gorgeous views of air, water, fire, forests, stones, and more. Not just a coffee table book, The Art of God provides a theology of creation as part of a two-fold design (the second part being the story of Christ played out through history). We can even learn about the complexity of creation, as in Ergenbright's discussion of how freshwater rain needs undrinkable seawater to send it on its journey.

The Art of God by ric Ergenbgight is my most favorite book after the Bible. Even people who do not know Jesus can appreciate the beauty found in this book through the outstanding nature scenes that were photographed all over the world. Mr. Ergenbright is truly gifted by God to bring to life in paper form all of these magnificent places.

Eden may be lost, but Ergenbright's insightful eye for beauty proves that much of paradise is still to be found. Amazingly beautiful nature photographs of every element can be found in this book: skies, bodies of water, cliffs, and even lava flows present the viewer with beauty that only a Supreme God could create. Ergenbright's modest introduction in the beginning of the book and his Biblical passages leave no doubt in regards to his devotion to God as the true artist here, but Ergenbright's own artistic talents certainly cannot be overlooked! I'm a huge lover of beautiful art and Ergenbright's uplifting Christian messages greatly added to the peacefulness of his breathtaking images, luring me into a state of blissful lethargy. This book is truly a wonderful testament of nature's beauty and I recommend it even if you are not a Christian; everyone can appreciate the beauty here, no matter what faith they are.

These two CD's are wonderful. Simple message delivered in straightforward manner with humor and humility. I actually am enjoying my morning commute now.

I have been listening to this tape for years, not as a guided meditation, but more as a reminder of strong, important, simple ideas that are easy to forget.


Thich Nhat Hanh has published many books and tapes. This audio CD stands out because in its several hours it covers all the major bases of Zen thinking and practice. When you have listened to it you will have all you need to begin a meditation practice, to understand some basics of Zen or EuroAmerican Buddhism, or advance your existing meditation practice.

The CD includes comments on the importance of being fully present in the moment. ("Present moment, wonderful moment") It goes on to teach a basic but very useful guided meditation, with explanations of each step, so that it is easy to learn and understand. For example, one part has you saying to yourself silently on your in-breath, "breathing in I am aware of a tree," and on the out-breath, "breathing out, I smile to the tree." The words alone don't sound like much, but after hearing the comments, it becomes powerful. The author explains that the tree can be a symbol for all the resouces that are outside my body, that are readily available for me. If there is a tree, he says, there have to be sun, rain, and earth, for example, or else there would be no tree. This thought can be calming as we encounter daily anxieties and sometimes feel that we are not getting enough of what we need: we can look on a tree and remember that the earth has all we need that is important. Enough food, enough air, etc. Breathing in I am aware of a tree, breathing out I smile to the tree.

He also uses this idea to advance the ideas of interbeing and impermanence, but I'll let you find out about those when hearing the CD!

Please don't hesitate to e-mail me with any questions.

I have downloaded audio books by Thich Nhat Hanh in which the sound quality has not been nearly as good as it is on this 2-disc set. If you are not familiar with this Vietnamese monk and are exploring mindfulness training and insight meditation, or just want to learn how to make your days on the planet a more joyful, peaceful experience, this is a great investment. If you are a follower, you will love The Art Of Mindful Living. It contains some of his most core teachings, and there are some beautiful chants included as well. Wonderful opportunities for mindful, contemplative time.
Nameaste

As a Thich Nhat Hanh fan, (tough to say!), this item is a nice addition to my collection of print and audio. For those of you who are tempted to download the audio, be aware that it comes from an Amazon partner, [...] I discovered too late (my bad) that their proprietary DRM software doesn't support my particular mp3 device, a Sansa e250. So I'm going to wind up buying it twice.

Very practical advise & also very creative. I've listened & read quite a few self help books but this is very unique - I loved it! Not heavy handed or preachy - Thich Nhat Hanh's compassion comes through along with his giggle.

This is a treasure-trove of fantastic (and often quite grotesque!) drawings, paintings, digital artworks, and more from the creative people that made the "Pirates" movies. It's a hefty book and makes for a great conversation piece on the coffee table.

If you are a fan of the Pirates Movies this is a must have book! The art work in this book is amazing how they show them bringing the characters from conception art work to the big screen. Some truly amazing pictures in this book very vivid like you walked into the film. Love the Book and would highly recommend it.

This is a fantastic book! I can't say enough about how well this book was put together. It's oversided quite like the "Book of Codes" from the movie with splendid artwork throughout. Needless to say I am quite pleased. If you enjoy great production artwork this volume is for you.

This Product/ Purchase was very satisfactory. The book came on time as specified at the time of purchase. The descriptions at the time of purchase made the decision to buy this item very easy, as it assured me that this was what I was looking for. There were not only detailed descriptions of what was inside the book, there was also examples of some of the images inside the book, giving a preview of what to expect. The only suggestion/ concern I had with this purchase was that the packaging could have protected the book more than it did, as when it arrived there were a few slight mishaps when the book encountered the sides of the box on a rough delivery. Other than that I am happy with the purchase.

I bought this book, "The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean" for myself for Christmas, to add to my ever growing "Pirates of the Caribbean" collection. It's the perfect coffee table book; big, bold and loaded with beautiful photos of artistry and magic, and this book shows us "how" the magic was brewed to create what we know now as "The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy". Being an artist myself I can really appreciate the creative genius and the blood, sweat, and tears that this collective collaboration represents. Tons of work went into not only each character's development, but also that of the props, locations, etc., and you can see it all just by turning the book's pages. "The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean" book is magnificent addition to my collection and a proud representation of the hard work and talent of those who contributed to the movies...Bravo!

This book was a delightful read not only because it was short and to the point, but also for it's many real-life examples. I've felt for a long time that prices need to be set to the customer's perception of the value of the product or service, so it was very encouraging to read a book where the author was able to break down the reasons and supply applications for this type of pricing he calls "Value pricing". As with an auction (a theme covered in the book) there is a price for every interested buyer, but it is not always the same for everyone. Just as only one person is willing to pay the highest "winning" bid, there are those who will pay more for any product or service than the average customer. This book helps you to identify those people.
Rich

The suggestions about add-ons, segmenting your buyers and really trying to assess the value of your product when you price it were helpful. The problem of "goodwill" opened my eyes as I think this isn't an uncommon way that profits are bled from businesses. After reading this book, I'm really thinking more and more about getting to know my customers in terms of (1) what they want and (2) precisely how much they value my product. This is a great first step to obtaining optimal pricing. This book gets you thinking and can stir your creativity about how to better price your good/service.

Key to Mohammed's thinking is to set different prices for different customers having different valuations of what they are willing to pay - eg. matinee and evening prices for movies, early-bird prices at restaurants, discounts for those willing to order airline seats ahead of time.

To minimize sales staff giving away profits it is useful to show them the differential profits/product (and hopefully link their compensation to the firm's profits). Beware of sales-boosting gimmicks (eg. frequent-flyer miles) that can be "gamed" by focusing on high-volumes of low-cost purchases. One can test different strategies via eg. varying coupon offers placed within catalogs.

Other important concepts include add-ons (warranties, financing), differential pricing according to location, and taking a long-term perspective (eg. fairness during disasters and temporary product shortages).

"Cost-plus" pricing is not one of Mohammed's recommendations - however, it is increasingly utilized by successful low-cost retailers such as Costco and Wal-Mart. Setting prices using data about alternatives/substitutes is a suggested approach - however, Mohammed does not go into eg. focus-group assessments of how much specific options or new products might be worth.

I am a small business owner and get involved in pricing daily. This book provided extremely useful insight into how to make the most money from each deal. An easy read about a topic that is all too often neglected by the small business owner.

Rafi's treatment of the subject of pricing was just what I needed to open my eyes to a whole new set of strategies for increasing profits. As a former Corporate Engineer and Manager turned entrepreneur, I needed a more thorough understanding of pricing and found exactly what I was looking for in The Art of Pricing. I appreciated the easy to read and entertaining writing style along with the many examples presented in the book. Books that make it easy for me to remember new concepts also make it easier for me to quickly apply those concepts in real world situations. I will be honing my new pricing skills for years to come. The Art of Pricing has become one of my favorite books to recommend to others.

When I saw this book and seen the reviews, I figured that it was just going to be "cool". Then when I finally got this in the mail I was completely overwhelmed by the imaginative visions that Barlowe puts into each of the paintings. Each picture is filled with detail and rich color. The captions get really in depth with what the picture stands for and which Demon is shown and when you think about it, it can be fairly creepy if this is what Hell was really like. Barlowe talks about making his way into the lowest reaches of Hell and bringing back the images to share with the world. The artwork in this book will completely blow you away.

Wayne Barlowe has long been one of my favorite artists, up there with Bekinski and Giger. He has a real talent for pulling the viewer into his world, so that we can almost smell the sulfur. This and its companion piece Brushfire are my (current) favorite art volumes, as I seem to be in a very hellish phase right now. But even when I'm not feeling hellish, I'm in awe of Mr. Barlowe's talent. I love the texture of the worlds and characters, the deep, roaring, ash-filled atmosphere of the environs of hell he portrays. I am always inspired by his work.

Normally I am reserved in my reviews but this one stands out as an entity that deserves high praise. I had been researching visions of Hell for some years when this book came out. It was an exquisite find as the author's vision was finely detailed and provided a wealth of information. His Hell is different yet similar to Dore's vision which appealed to me. It is as if he took Dore's vision and placed his own ideas and concepts on top of Gustave's.

This is highly recommended. The pictures are stunning and the text adds some nice thought as well. One reviewer wrote that he thought the souls looked to much like statuary and while I do agree with that criticism it is a minor quibble and is not always the case.

The book was not as good as I thought it was going to be. When I read certain passages of it at the bookstore I thought it was going to be a fictional narrative of a doomed person's experience in Hell. Instead it was more of an artists explanation about his paintings. The book still drew me in and made me think and feel about what Hell might be like. For this reason, the books ability to make me seriously think about Hell in a literal sense, I will give it four stars.

This collection is basically Barlowe's visual interpretation of Dante's Inferno from The Divine Comedy. Each painting has a page of description pointing out the purpose and reason for every detail in the image. From a tortorous picture of Lillith, to the haunting painting of a minor demon riding on the backs of several tortoured souls held together with muck, they are each fascinating to examine. Like Dali and other fantastical artists, one can look at these paintings and see something new every time. The color work is fantastic, and in some paintings actually appears to be digital photography until one looks closer. A ver well-thought-out project, it is pleasing to see another side of Barlowe's intelligent work.