Arts and Culture Books

The ilustrations in this book portray you to another book that perfectly capture the original paints.

I read Edgar Rice Burroughs novels as a teen and will never forget the impact of the Frazetta covers. His heros, the settings and the creatures were so wild and vivid; plus I think he definitely set my ideals of feminine beauty for life. This collection is a must for anyone who wants a good biography of F.F. along with some great reproductions of his best work.

Frazetta is great and this book is swell... however (as one other reviewer also experienced) the cover came off my book after I had it for only one week! I couldn't believe it! To credit of the publisher they did send me a replacement. I think I will buy the sequel now. Too bad it's only available in hardcover, but at least that way the cover is much less likely to fall off. As for the third book, it seems to be completely unavailable except to those who are willing to pay over a hundred dollars for it!

Words cannot describe the beauty and passion in Frazetta's work; This book is filled with amazing art, from the original sketches to the final product; Lots of personal photographs and insightful narratives help to make this a satisfying package, but the artwork alone makes this book a must have. From his early career doing comic books and movie posters, to the grand scale of his fantasy art, this is a book that is sure to excite any and all who have a shred of creativity within them. Totally inspiring book!!!

When people think of fantasy artwork, they might think first of those Conan and Edgar Rice Burroughs paperback covers, or a berserker warrior on horseback, corpses of foes beneath him and dripping weapon above him. People think of Frazetta first, whether or not they know it's him they're thinking of. He's also done recognizable work for Mad magazine, Little Annie Fanny for Playboy, posters for Peter Sellers movies, and lots more.

Frazetta has done plenty of work in ink, especially for a range of comics, but his oil paintings are best known and most heavily represented here. It's easy to see how he became the inspiration for an entire generation of fantasy artists, and probably well into a second generation, too. No one captures the rippling sinews of barbarian warriors like Frazetta does, or beasts, half-men, dungeons, jungles, and every other fantasy-scape that he's rendered. Above all, no one comes close to the lush, rounded figures of his female characters. They can be warriors and wizards in their own right, or eldritch spirits, or even savable maidens. Some, as in "Moon's Rapture" or the standing figure in "Rogue Roman", show a rich and womanly figure at rest, but somehow promising as much raw physical power as any man.

I recommend this collection to anyone passionate about illustration or fantasy art. Any one of his paintings can be an entire course of study for a budding artist. They can also be seen as powerful narratives in imagery, or as a jumping-off point for dreams of far-away worlds and heroic adventures.

-- wiredweird

The Theatrical Juggernaut is by far the most common sense, cut-to-the-chase, practical book in the entertainment industry. Period. No if's, and's, or but's about it. If you are ready to take control of your career and hold yourself accountable to your choices in this industry, then buy this book. Monroe delivers information in this book that you can objectively apply to your career....what a concept!! I have not read another book claiming to be about "acting" that has done that yet. So as the book suggests, stop blaming others, create your own breaks, put the odds of success in your favor and order this book. There will be zero percent cognitive dissonance(a feeling of having made the wrong decision)after buying this book. Don't invest another dollar into your career until you have bought and read this book, and then read it again.

The Theatrical Juggernaut is not only one of the most inspirational books any actor can read these days, but the pieces of advice dispensed by Monroe Mann, are really proved to work in the hard and unpredictable business of professional acting. I'm a living proof of it.
I am an actor who has succeeded and risen to the top of the voice-over business in Brazil and I've used almost every advice from the book, but BEFORE it got written! The actions mentioned in the book are mostly the ones I took to succeed in the beginning of my career and some others are procedures I still practice, up to today. Not to mention many other "techniques" I learned from Mr. Mann and intend to start using soon. I wish this book were available 12 years ago, when I started in the business. This way I wouldn't have had to figure everything out by myself and would probably have had more energy to get where I got faster. It was so much fun to read that I spent 8 straight hours in the tub (where I do most of my reading) and only got out when my wife barged into the bathroom saying: "Honey, get out of there or you're gonna turn into a raisin".
I recommend it to any fellow actor trying to make it out there and even to those seasoned professionals like me who have already gotten their share of success and intend to keep the good times rolling.

I was surprised at how much I liked this book. It was a quick read, very conversational in style. But, it shook me. I was embarrassed that I was not doing all I could for my career. It was the kind of tough-love scolding you can only get from someone who cares. It inspired me to get off my lazy butt to go and take some action.

I live in Brazil, where everything related to filmmaking is so hard. The bussiness is very small compared to Hollywood, but people still can work and be sucessful in this filed in this country. All they have to do is work five times harder and they will make it!

Also very well writen, and easy to read!

The Best book ever!! Monroe Mann's book really just gives you the kick you need as an Actor.I have read this book several times and it has helped my career and my outlook on not just being an artist but a professional performer.I recommend this book for everyone to read!!

A good film comes at you slowly, like a work of art, creeping into your soul through metaphors and meditation. That is how Suber's THE POWER OF FILM comes at you. Start anywhere and read a little or as much as you want, in small bites. Then stop and meditate on what you just read. Better yet, think of the film you're working on or just watched, and note in the wide margins what you now understand anew. A good scene in a good film should be watched time and again. Each page of this book is like a good scene. Underline it, mark it up -- and then, later, read it again, and add to your discovery of why film is so powerful.

Howard Suber is a legendary film educator at UCLA, and has taught dozens of courses on every aspect of filmmaking (except for animation). In The Power of Film, he commits his wisdom to paper, gathered over many decades of teaching.
The Power of Film is not a how-to book or theoretical treatise, however. Rather, it is a lexicon of movie storytelling concepts. The topics range from Accidents to Writing What You Know, and cover such things as the most important word in storytelling (it's `but'), the `real' American religion (individualism), the characteristics of the Hero (someone outside of society who sacrifices personal happiness and contentment for the greater good or goal) and whether happy endings are really mandatory. Suber also talks about genres (the essential characteristics of each), dramatic structure (some), and specific narrative tools such as the Macguffin. Throughout the book the emphasis is squarely on the mainstream American film, so you will be able to find many exceptions to the `rules' Suber mentions here, though `rules' isn't the right word. Rather, they are `insights' or concepts which work and have done so for ages, but which are just some of the possible narrative solutions to the problems cinematic storytelling poses.
This is a book to dip into, and which is intended to spark the imagination of the reader. Not all of the topics are equally enlightening, and I disagreed with the definition of the Crisis Point, but as an encyclopaedia of Hollywood storytelling it is currently without equal.

Howard Suber delivered a lecture to a large gathering in a theater in Kansas City this spring. What was striking about the experience was how Professor Suber turned this theater into a classroom and, by asking questions, made us active participants in a search for answers to the question: "What makes a film great?".

Suber's book, "The Power of Film", uses this same Socratic Method but the technique is necessarily different. Instead of asking questions, a writer can only pose riddles, and to this end Suber employees wit and irony to provoke careful and thoughtful reading of his concise dictionary like definitions.

The films Suber examines are American films. Without being jingoistic, he says that over the decades American films have been the most popular not only in the U.S. but all over the world. The American films he focuses on are those that have maintained their appeal ten years after they were released those, in other words, which have stood the test of time and remain perennial favorites.

The question he asks is: "What makes these films classics?"

Some of the answers are surprising. The notion, for example, that Hollywood films, to be popular, have to have a happy ending, Suber demonstrates is not true. Think of the Godfather films, Lawrence of Arabia, Chinatown. Even "It's a Wonderful Life" journeys through some very dark regions before emerging with a comic ending.

So why do people go to see these films? Suber suggests that going to the movies is akin to going to church, that what people need and want is to experience time honored rituals that put us in touch with our humanity.

As a practicing filmmaker, I have spent many hours over the years thinking about how to use the power of film to move an audience and I am always looking for help. Of the many available, I have culled a few "essential" books on film theory and aesthetics. Eisenstein's "Film Sense" and "Film Form" are two, Pudovkin's 'Film Technique and Film Acting", Mascelli's "Five C's of Cinematography" and a few others. Suber's "The Power of Film" has already taken its place with these.

Why? Because first of all, the book is packed with information and insight covering every subject about American film, literally from A to Z. Second, the insights are uncannily precise. A brief example: I don't like using flashbacks because I feel they are too easy but I find I must at times because they are sometimes necessary and I haven't been able to think of anything better. This is in Suber's definition of "Flasbacks":

"The reason flashbacks came back is that they are not merely
stylistic flourishes, like iris shots; they are necessary tools
that, so far, cannot be replaced by others."

The authority of this statement is reassuring, but notice the two words: "so far"; this tiny insertion leaves open the possibility and, indeed, ecourages the search for other ways.

How to transition to a flashback?

"The camera moves to a tight close up of a character's eyes, they
glaze over and we hear an echo chamber voice..."

I fear that every time I use this device that someone in the audience is going to yell out: "Visual cliche!". It never happens and I continue to use it because, as Professor Suber says: "no one has come up with anything substantially better.".

This is a sampling of some of what can be considered Suber's practical advise; but this book is very rich and has a broad range and covers everything from the technical to the philosophical.

The entry for "Tragedy" is three pages long but delivers a store of wisdom. One paragraph in this concise definition is about "impulsivity", and the final line reads:

"Impulsivity we see over and over again leads to tragedy."

The philosopher Martin Buber in his book "Good and Evil" devotes pages of discussion to the tendancy to impulsivity and how it is an aspect of evil. Suber's book is obviously a distillation of years of thinking and study not only about film but also about human nature.

The entries that make up this book are cross referenced. This cross referencing, like the use of wit and irony, is not only an practical aid, but also an encouragement to explore the connection of ideas.

Suber has carefully culled the essential ideas of what makes a film "great" and this selection reveals that the subject in Suber's mind has a unity, that it constitutes an aesthetic, an interlocking system of ideas. It is an indication of Howard Suber's wisdom as a teacher that he does not expound this system but only indicates it; and because this system must be discovered and recreated by every reader, it will always be new.

I found The Power of Film truly refreshing and unusually spiritual. Suber compiles years of teaching experience into a few hundred pages loaded with wisdom and wit. While not a believing man himself, his reverence for world scriptures and figures of faith who have changed the world, from Moses to Jesus to Gandhi, is rare in books on film.

Also, Suber's coinage of "Aristolatry" sure could have come in handy in film school (I went to USC, grad level), along with many of his paradigm-shattering concepts. I only had one professor who dared say that some films may have four acts -- I think he got fired!

The Power of Film is a great book that will take a prized place at the top of my list of books about filmmaking.

Getting the book and reading all of the blurbs on the cover written by film experts like Coppola and several successful Hollywood screenwriters, I was a bit concerned that perhaps I had purchased an insiders handbook, which might prove too esoteric for the casual reader. The 'power of the book' Prof. Suber has written, is his ability to take substantive information and make it enjoyable reading. The book is written in bite size stories, alphabetized by topic, each insightful and entertaining. I often sat down with the intent of a quick read of one or two articles and discovered I had read seven or eight. The topics are easy to digest, yet informative enough to go back and read several times.
Certainly as Bill Cosby used to say, "Be careful or you just might learn something". Film students and pros, no doubt already know about(and swear by)this book, this review is for the rest of us, those who just like films. The Power of Film would make a terrific gift for lovers of films of all ages and is certainly a must read for anyone with film career aspirations.

This wonderful book tells the remarkable story of one of the most interesting women of all time. It is wonderful "read" and as colorful as Frida herself.

I read this book when it was first published and it changed my life, the way i looked at art and the way I approached my own art. Frida was an enigmatic personality, a genius of the surreal emotions we have. I adore her and her art. The book by Hayden Herrera was so thoroughly researched that if you end up visiting Coyocan, you will feel familiar with it and the cultures that surround it. Wonderful biography, well written, well researched and what a great service the author has done in educating us on an incredible artist that would have otherwise been hidden behind the shadows of her husband.

This is a paintakingly detailed biography, yet rather than making for tedious reading, it flows smoothly from the pages...Hayden Herrera has done an incredible job with the story of Frida Kahlo, the most famous Mexican artist in history.

Written in the late 1970s' (when many of Frida's friends and intimates were still alive to interview), this excellent book combines letters (to and from Kahlo), first person anecdotes and historical records (along with a decent selection of photos and paintings), to create a sweeping portrait of a very, very interesting life.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Frida (and maybe some stuff you didn't), is in this book.

"Frida" is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Frida's work or just wants to know more about a very interesting, opinionated, talented, brutally honest (especially with herself), yet very vulnerable) woman.

I learned about Frida when I took art history in college. I always wanted to know more about her because of her art work. She was so passionate! Although she was considered an abstract artist. Her art was very REAL. You can feel what she feels by looking at her art. This book really helps you understand what happened in her life and attached the painting that went along with that specific period in her life. Very well written.

I bought this book after re-watching the movie taken largely from this exhaustive biography. As someone who has read many bios, let me say that this is a refreshing and encouraging alternative to the fawning and excessive grocery store drivel and/or the dull and fact-filled dissertations that describe most biographies. Hayden Herrera manages to combine a staggeringly comprehensive detailing of Kahlo's life with an easy prose that makes for an engaging read. I know far more about this artist than I could've imagined and it is largely first-hand accounts either from the pages of Frida's own diaries and numerous letters or the people who were there. Herrera keeps her personal opinions regarding the events to a minimum and allows the events to speak for themselves. The life of Frida Kahlo needs no additional padding or maudlin tricks to engender a connection to anyone with a heart and soul. When the author does speculate, it comes from someone who has clearly studied her subject thoroughly and backs up her theories with a wealth of compelling evidence and sensible arguments. While her appreciation for Kahlo is obvious, Herrera does not stop short of being critical, questioning Kahlo's motives, and revealing the stark humanity and insecurity that Kahlo tried to obscure with her public persona as the confident, outspoken, provocative enchantress sporting her exotic Tehuana finery.
However, the best use of Herrera's research and the clear compassion and empathy she has for this incredible woman is when she analyses Frida's paintings. I found myself continuously turning back and forth from the detailed observations and interpretation to the paintings and trying to understand what the author is talking about. It was fascinating reading and a wonderful exploration that shed light into the depths of Frida's intensely personal art.
Two last notes: First, the version I bought does not sport Salma Hayek on the cover but instead one of Frida's many self-portraits. Apparently the publishers corrected this unfortunate decision based on movie marketing. Second, I was fortunate enough to take in the amazing exhibit of Frida Kahlo at the Philadelphia Museum just a few weeks ago and it was a moving and special day. Seeing the actual frames dripping blood, the size and grandeur of some of the works juxtaposed with the smaller works, and the sheer emotionally gravity of her art was something I'll never forget. Having read much of this biography by that time, I was able to bring that much more to that exhilarating opportunity.
Frida Kahlo was not just an extraordinary artist but was moreover an extraordinary person. Herrera's heartfelt, deeply researched, and brilliantly written biography allows those of us who never knew her to feel as if we have and to share in the universal quality of her painful work. That alone makes us better people for having experienced it.

I have a book shelf, full of film production books that I have collected over the past twenty years or so. This book reads very easily and teaches some pretty complex concepts from the world of producing. (ie. Day of Days)

I would recommend this to new producers, students and people that would like a primer on the creative and business side of a Hollywood Producer.

I just completed a feature length screenplay that will soon become a feature length film. To prepare for production I decided to purchase two books: Creative Producing A to Z, and, A Film Director Prepares, both by Myrl Schreibman. Having just finished reading them, I now know I could not have made two better choices. Buy them both, read them both, then read them both again! I promise, your film career will be well served.

This book is the producer's version of Gray's "Anatomy of the Human Body." Without a doubt, Schreibman's text is the blueprint for any successful indie film and should be read and thoroughly consulted by every creative producer - experienced or otherwise. Furthermore, this book that can be extremely useful to directors and screenwriters because it provides a real understanding of what the producer does and how the other creative entities can best collaborate with the producer for creative and practical synergy. In short, this book is a must for anyone who wants to make movies.

I bought this book for my cousin who wants to start out in the film business. This book helped me break down the who's who in the industry and the breakdown and samples are easy to understand.

I recently finished producing my own independent film and found this book right at the beginning of my post-production period.

I wish I had found it earlier. It is full of no-nonsense advice and information that is practically bullet-proof, and I ended up agreeing with about all of it. Schreibman, who apparently has a long history of producing films for t.v. and theatrical market, has paid his dues, done his homework, and knows another "feel-good" you-can-do-it book isn't necessary.

He tells you like it is, doesn't pull any punches, and helps you avoid the most common mistakes, both legally and aesthetically. Writing and directing are generally the more "arty" positions in film production - the Producer is supposed to keep the ship moving forward and avoiding any fatal mistakes. This book directs you in the right direction.

My film was a "micro-budget" film, and this book may ultimately be more useful for "larger" independent features, including ones with SAG deals, distribution in place, and budgets closer to 7 figures. While all the advice here applies to everyone making a movie, it's the attitude Myrl conveys that I really appreciated and believed in, more than some of his nuts-and-bolts info. The contract samples at the end were also very helpful when I went out and began looking for more help finding money to finish my film (which I eventually did).

Now I'm dreaming of using the rest of the info here for my next film!

Just one read of Peter Miller's book, "Author! Screenwriter!" will broaden your horizen of writing possibilities. Don't just think screenplay, but consider formating that same story idea into a novel as well. And when you consider the odds, 100,000 to 200,000 books published per year, as compared to only some 1,000 stories produced for all of the Network Television, Motion Picture, Cable and DVD industries, Mr. Miller argues an interesting point. With over 30 years experience managing and producing writers, he gives insights into the industry that few others have even touched upon.

Definitely worth any writer's time and money. But regardless of one's writing goals, this book gives that big push every writer needs to encourage perfection and perseverance.

If you're serious about realizing your potential as a writer, this is the book you buy. Having successfully managed hundreds of books, Peter Miller truly is "The Literary Lion", and Author! Screenwriter! has left a huge impact on me as a professional writer.

Need an inside guide on how to write the perfect proposal or understand the delicacies of contracts? He's got you covered. Or maybe you really would like to take a look at some sample inquiries, be inspired by some success stories, have a better understanding of the do's and don'ts in a profession where millions of writers compete for the interest of professionals in the industry. Trust me, if you read this book it will never be far from your hands. Buy Author! Screenwriter! and you'll go back again and again to Mr. Miller's wellspring of experience and insight.

If you're like me, you want to be armed with the truth as a writer, and Peter Miller delivers. Read it, cloak your talent in its wisdom, and move forward. You'll agree that it's more than a book.

It may well be the key to your future.

The book is a must-have for a writer's bookshelf. But a companion DVD is also available with practical and pointed interviews that is well-worth seeking out.

Peter Miller's Author!Screenwriter! is direct and to the point, so I shall be also. This beautifully organized exposition provided me with more insight into the Book and Film industry than I have found in any other source. I could write much more, applauding the great chapters on the mysteries of film deals and the most helpful examples of project proposals in many genres -- but the bottom line is simple Author!Screenwriter! is definitive, the most helpful book on the subject.

I purchased Peter Miller's book at the recommendation of a colleague who knew I was in the process of writing a book proposal. Peter's book and DVD provide the reader/viewer with such clarity and direction. Peter provides wisdom and insights for the experienced and the novice writer in how to maneuver their way through the challenges, obstacles, politics and subtelties of the publishing industry. By the time you are finished reading his book and viewing his DVD you have a very clear picture of what lies ahead - no rose colored glasses, advice for the dedicated writer; you are clearer than you ever imagined you could be about what lies ahead. Buy this book if you are serious about our writing career.

What a visially stunning book. Bruce Timm's artwork is sensationally brought to the reader through Chip Kidds fantastic use of photo design. This book thoroughly examines the behind the scene design concepts of Bruce Timm and Paul Dino and company with insightful reading on how they got to create one of TV's best animated series. A valuable piece of work collecting wonderfully laid out illustrations. Highly recommended for the curious and pure fans of the Batman character.

A very good buy, i was waiting to have this book in my hands for a long time and i finally have it, it's just excellent for those who love the batman animated series and animation. It has a lot of tips and information "behind the scenes" of the series.
very recomendated, the only bad thing is that it was the only book this kind, i'm still waiting for something similar but of justice league and batman beyond.

"Batman: The Animated Series" was one of the most revolutionary and influential cartoons ever created. This book, written by B:TAS writer/producer Paul Dini, is an essential look into the creation and phenomenon of the series. While a little slim on actual reading, what is there gives you that most coveted "behind-the-scenes" info on what it took to make "Batman". (For another perspective on the show's creation, check out the "Modern Masters: Bruce Timm" interview book.)

The real meat of the book lies in its visuals: photos, line art, animation cels, background keys, licensed toys, etc. The layout of these materials seems a bit haphazard (for being done by the "design-god" Chip Kidd), with captions sometimes hard to correlate with their images and numerous fold-out pages (which I really don't care for). However, the sheer number and quality of images is amazing, and some of the full-page renderings of production key art is breath-taking. I question some of the image choices in the character-design section, particularly the villians. But, again, there's a lot of ground to cover here and the quality and quantity of pictures is overwhelming.

The book was published before Batman Beyond and Justice League, so the ending comments might seem a little off. Still as a retrospective on the "B:TAS", you can't ask for much more. This would have been a 5 star review, if only there'd been a little more reading and a bit less visual confusion.

Bottom line: Love "Batman: The Animated Series"? Buy this book.

Who best to write a book about this justifiably award-winning animated series than one of the series writer/producers--Paul Dini (who wrote one of my favorite episodes--"Heart of Ice")? And with graphic designer Chip Kidd involved, you have a book that looks great on the coffee table. The best word I can use to describe this book is "thorough." It contains superlative art in full color, storyboards, character designs, in-house memos, licensed products, an episode guide from the animated series, plus great information on why the series was created, why the censors said no to certain aspects, as well as facts about the movies based on the series (SUBZERO, MASK OF THE PHANTASM). My only complaint is that the book isn't longer. But that's not the authors' fault. They put together such a great book, you'll want as much insight into the creation of this series as you can get (like a good DVD provides). And these guys deliver! This is a great "backstage" look for fans of the series.

I really was blown away by how meticulously put-together this book was. Besides the animation being great, this documentive source included everything from the episode guide title cards, merchandise (including ice cream and bubblegum cards), storyboards, character concepts, and a hell of a lot more! It also includes a great photo of Bruce Timm's drawing desk- complete with all the references he uses such as G.I. Joes & knick knacks. Color photos are adorned throughout, but besides that, there are also great stories of what the animation department went through with the head leaders of Warner Bros. There is even a charicature drawing that includes everything that the animators were restricted to draw (a nude, smoking Catwoman, a boozin' Joker, Batman strangling his foe, etc- it's really a treat!)
Even if you've had the misfortunate of not being familiar with this cartoon series, owning this book will make you realize how much effort is needed to create something this vast, and how much more we need to practice to ever reach this level!

I like this book because it has over 14 pictures of vehicles from episode 1.My favorites are the Naboo N-1 starfighter and the AAT battle tank. Believe me,this is a great book! You should get it!

If you've stayed up nights wondering about the inner workings of a Naboo N-1 Starfighter, or even occasionally contemplate the unconventional solid-fuel concentrate slugs that the strange society of the Neimoidian traders use to give their droid starfighters such powerful thrust, you'll want to read Star Wars Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections cover-to-cover. This handsome book - deservedly referring to its illustrations as incredible - shows us a vroom with a view; more than fourteen vrooms, in fact.

SW Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections is brought to us by the great people at Dorling Kindersly Publishing -- or DK for short - where just about any topic you might think of has already been turned into a beautifully illustrated right-brained adventure in learning. The illustrators for this masterpiece are Hans Jenssen and Richard Chasemore, arguably the two artists with the best job available in that field this side of Alpha Centauri.

Jenssen, who specializes in technical art, especially machines, lives in England but claims to spend his vacations on Tatooine (no accounting for taste in vacation spots) where he has been known to engage in "moderately disreputable pursuits (he goes all the way to Tatooine for that?)." Chasemore has worked as an illustrator in both the U.S. and Europe on a great variety of projects, one of which was another collaboration with Jenssen: DK's Star Wars: Incredible Cross Sections featuring intergalactic vroom-vrooms previously made famous by the vision makers at Lucasfilms. Chasemore says he enjoys "perilous sports involving boards and high velocities (now, maybe he's the one who should check-out Tatooine).

Rounding out the gifted team taking us on intricate tours of Gungan Subs, Podracers, Coruscant taxis and Republic Cruisers, is Dr. David West Reynolds who earned his PhD in archeology at the University of Michigan. His background as a lecturer, veteran of field expeditions on three continents and as an author of scientific archeological publications should make one thing perfectly clear: you don't have to be a dullard denizen of the local mall scene to be a StarWars fan. If his background doesn't make it perfectly clear, the intellectual acuity of his copy will.

This must-have addition to the shelf of any die-hard StarWars fan is equally enjoyable to tot and teen as to tottering sage. It's a picture-book nonpareil or a detailed account of mid-power repulsorlifts and hydrostatic bubble projector units (if you do more than look at the pictures). It's even a trivia-hunter's true treasure. For instance (be honest now), did you know any of the names of Anakin's co-contenders for the Boonta Eve Podrace? Sure, you say - Sebulba. But anybody knows that! True buffs will want this book so they can win rounds of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit with answers like Ark "Bumpy" Roose, Teemto Pagalies, and the ever-impressive Clegg Holdfast.

If you like schematics (or even the word schematics - it's such a great one, isn't it?) you're going to want to pour over this book like hot fudge on a sundae. Featured is a dual fold-out center page affording a panoramic view of the Trade Federation's Droid Control Ship. The resultant artistry of this and the other detailed drawings was generated when the DK team worked directly with the film production art department at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch, mapping out the anatomy of each craft as it was being created. This book comes from the source, folks: from the source ... of the Force.

My ten-year-old loves taking turns with me reading sections of this book aloud and I can almost see his gray matter expanding (hasn't hurt his imagination too much, either) while we huddle by the lamplight. Only problem I'm left with now is what to do with all these detailed schematics of his own left lying about the house - outlandishly labeled creations from foreign worlds contemplating an invasion of Earth, no doubt. Hmm. Maybe I should call George Lucas.

This edition is devoted to the Spaceships and Craft from The Phantom Menace.

As with Star Wars Cross Sections it is very well detailed and even better with todays print technology. Great for children and first generation Star Wars fans alike.

I wouldn't call this the greatest technical book of all times. I wouldn't be suprised if this book wasn't nominated for any kind of award. But Episode 1: Incredible Cross-sections is captivating enough to stand on its own. I enjoyed it because I got to look through the insides of some of the film's most enigmatic ships and vessels like Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator and the Gungan Bongo. It's good for those who were still puzzled about the ships after the end of the film.

I always wanted to see more and to be able to look inside of the vehicles more closely, and this book provides that information (and more more) in great detail. I really like the mini illustrations of where in the vehicles that events from the movies took place, it helps to "put a name to a face".

This is one of the best books I have read -certainly the best in the category of social history. Jay Stevens has researched his material meticulously and has delivered the narrative in a most enthralling manner. I found it hard to lay the book down. Whether, like me, you lived through the psychedelic experience of the sixties or you have but a passive interest, you will be amazed to learn of the full impact that the psychedelic culture has had on Western society, religion and philosophy -right through to the chemical hedonism of today.
This is truly a superb read!

I bought this on the recommendation of Dr. Stanley Krippner in a lecture on ayahuasca. It is absolutely the best book I have read on the history of the psychedelic movement during the past 100 years or so. Timothy Leary is not dead - he's only outside looking in. :-)

This should be required reading in American History. Who knew Canada had legal LSD centers? And the characters- Nin, Huxley, Kesey, Leary and Capt.Al Hubbard (??). Will we ever see their like again? Really a very sad story, and a fascinating one. Nice to see the Chief Boo Hoo, old Art Kleps in there as well. Sen. Kennedy: "Is your title really Chief Boo Hoo?" Art Kleps: "I'm afraid so, sir."

This is the definitive account of the 1960s psychedelic drug scene. Stevens does a great job of conveying the highs and lows of LSD and its proponents. His ability to relate endless facts while retaining a fast-paced narrative structure is amazing. I found this one of the most "addicting" books out there about the significance of drugs in American culture. Stevens reviews all the major personalities: Albert Hoffman, Timothy Leary, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, the Grateful Dead, Alan Watts, Jack Kerouac, Aldous Huxley, and more. If you're interested in this electric decade, the power of psychedelics to warp the mind, or any of the poet-prophets who were compelled to experiment with and sing the praises of acid then this book is sure to delight.

This was a very good book. You get lots of interesting stuff about Aldous Huxley, the famous beat writers, Owsley, Timothy Leary, Ken Kesey and the evolution of the so called counterculture as a whole.

The problems that I have with Storming Heaven is not for what was in it but what was left out. For one Stevens was WAY too easy on Timothy Leary. The author seemed almost like a school girl with a crush when he recounts his visit to Learys home for an interview for the book. He comes off more as a fan than he does an objective writer at times when he deals with Leary. Why wasn't it mentioned that it has come out that Leary was a government informant and information he gave led to the death of two members of the Weather Underground? Its also a known fact that Leary was surrounded by CIA assets and there is a lot of evidence that he was a government agent himself, and at the least he was feeding them information.

There is also a fleeting mention that wasn't elaborated on about Ken Kesey that he had LSD experiments done on him at Stanford by the guy that ended up in charge of the CIAs Mkultra mind control program. This really makes me wonder about Kesey. Its more or less accepted history that the first LSD to get out on the street level was what Kesey stole from the medicine chest at his job as a night shift janitor at a mental hospital and distributed it among his elitist friends. Kesey went from writing what was probably the best novel written during the 1960's to, while becoming a counterculture hero, never writing another thing worth reading again. Did doing too much LSD scramble his brains and ruin his creativity or was his creativity nullified by Mkultra programming? Its hard to say for sure but I have to wonder if Kesey was not under some sort of mind control or was being used by the CIA in one way or another. There are a lot of unanswered questions in my mind about Kesey.

They also fleetingly mention the Brotherhood of Eternal Love who were major LSD distributors and were known to be full of CIA people and had a close association with a Jewish man named Ron Starks who was a CIA spook that also happened to the biggest LSD dealer in the world. Starks was not even given the first mention in this book!

I mean with all these ivy league, Mkultra and CIA connections to the elites of the so called counterculture I have to seriously wonder how much of the hippy movement of the late 60's was an organic rebellion against what was (and still is) a very repressive society both socially and politically and how much of it was intentional social engineering that came from the highest levels of the power structure. Many people believe that the anti-war movement was flooded with drugs, in particular LSD, by federal agents. Its well known that the government tried to subvert and destroy the anti-war movement with the cointelpro program so why wouldn't they also use drugs to try to destroy it? While it can't be denied that LSD has enhanced many an artist, writer and musicians work can you honestly say that sitting around frying on acid all the time is going to do anything but disable political activists who in many cases were in a life and death struggle? Besides that the fact remains that many people became permanently damaged as result of doing acid.

All that said I would definitely recomend reading or of you can get it cheap, buying Storming Heaven. I could hardly put it down once I started reading it. I realize that this book was more geared toward looking into what psychelic drugs can do with the mind and its exponents history and theories on the subject than any conspiratorial maneuverings by the US government involving LSD but it just didn't go deep enough into the rabbit hole for my tastes.

In his wonderful and fascinating book Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares, Richard Burt, the leading scholar of Shakespeare and film studies, pioneers research into the manifold ways Shakespeare enters into American popular culture. Concentrating mostly on film but attending as well to television sit-coms, Burt offers penetrating insight into everything from mainstream adaptations of Shakespeare to "low" spin-offs in which Shakespeare's language almost entirely disappears. Burt explores both what film and mass media have done to Shakespeare and also what Shakespeare enables our culture to do trhough film and other electronic media. Readers intersted in this book will be happy to know that Burt has since edited a related collection entitled Shakespeare After Mass Media and has co-edited Shakespeare, the Movie II.

One doesn't usually expect to find oneself laughing when reading a book of criticism written by an academic, much less a book on Shakespeare. But Burt's book is frequently just that, funny to the point of making me laugh out loud. Burt has a refreshingly off-beat sense of humor, and the materials he has discovered--such as an adult movie version of Hamlet--aer themselves often hilarious as well, though not always intentionally so. But far from being just a laugh riot, the book is also a serious, critically sophisticated analysis of Shakespeare's fate incontemporary mass media, where much of hte lnagugae is cut or confined to well-known quotations. Burt's final chapter on films about teaching Shakespeare is quite moving, and Burt has the courage to raise difficult questions without pretending he is able to answer them. He is right to think that the questions are more important than the answers. Burt is to be congratulated for writing his book in a clear and engaging prose style without sacrificing the complexity of his thought.

One of the many strengths of Burt's truly excellent book is that it not only discusses Shakespeare adaptations but uses Shakespeare, or of ShaXXXspeares, to discuss post-war American popular culture. Burt's theory of the loser as critic has ramifications for all criticism, not just Shakespeare. This is a profound, original, and engaging book.

I happened to be doing research for my thesis on Shakespeare in the university library and, while looking for other books, I was intrigued by the three XXXs in the title of Burt's book on the shelf, so I pulled it off and looked through it. What a daring work of cultural criticism! When I saw the chapters on Shakespeare porn, I marvelled both at the courage of the man to write such a book and how at the publisher who took it on. Of course, I check it out and read it. I especially was drawn to the chapter on action films and Burt's point that while the films cannibalize others, no one in the films ever eats; the characters are anorexic. The book is full of similarly wonderful insights. I am a cinephile, and very much appreciated Burt's quite hip approach to ShaXXXspeare. Now, it's back to those other, rather staid books of Shakespeare criticism, I was orginally looking for.

Whatever you think about Shakespeare, it is impossible not to agree with the points Burt makes in this book. His analysis is right on the money and you will never be able to look at Shakespearean movies or literature in the same way. A fantastic book and a must read.