Arts and Culture Books

Sean's stuff is freakin' hilarious!!! Some of his takes on celebrities are totally out of left field, like the columns on whether or not Keanu Reeves is the messiah or if Ricky Martin is secretly Rick Springfield after top secret plastic surgery. The guy has a unique sense of humor, kind of like Monty Python, but also with that Letterman type of sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek wit. I bought this book first and then went out and got his other books and I haven't been disappointed. All of his stuff is really good. Definitely, if you're into Carlin, Jon Stewart, Python, Letterman, you'll really like Leary's stuff.

Leary's columns are hilarious and imaginative takes on pop culture. In one, he theorizes Ricky Martin and Rick Springfield are the same person; in another, he writes about a (I hope) ficticious cult group of former Deadheads that now follow John Tesh; in another, he gives ``proof'' that Keanu Reeves is the messiah; and on and on. In all, it's witty, clever stuff. Given his talent and intelligence, I'm amazed Sean hasn't reached a larger national audience yet. Check this guy out now while he's a ``cult'' phenom before he inevitably takes off. This guy is really a gifted writer.

This is a great book for anyone who appreciates a dry wit and intelligent sense of humor. I agree with the other reviewer who compares his writing with Dave Barry but "less wacky." Rather than write about family and chores, Leary's focus is more broad, encompassing the media and pop culture. A very fun read. The illustrations are cool, too! I bet Bill Douglas does great comic-style work, too.

This is a FANTASTIC book. I've read Sean's column for years, and was delighted when he decided to publish a book with some of his greatest columns. Sean's command of the English Vocabulary is simply amazing. He has a way of phrasing words and sentences that will leave you in awe, wondering "How does he come up with that?"

If you are a Dave Berry fan, this book is a MUST-BUY! I think that Sean is far more talented than Dave is, not to mention just a tad less wacky. Dave, I think, writes more for the older generation, where-as Sean is more into Pop Culture and is more in tune with what is popular and current. Plus, Sean has a lot of insight and knowledge of just about anything pertaining to the entertainment world. You can't help but from laughing out loud when you read this book. For example, one of my favorite columns in the book is called, "Behold the Power of Candy". He was writing a spoof on candy becoming a super drug. Here is an excerpt... It all started with a tiny mint call Mento's. The Mentos commercials chronicle several dorks who find themselves in circumstances that would twist the mind of David Lynch.... Not all of the columns are humorous ones, there are some serious ones but the majority are funny. He begins with an amazing column that he wrote when he was 7, then ends with a spoof on VH1's "Behind the Music". Also, throughout the book he has little snippets of background information that gives you a little bit of behind the scenes.

Yes, I highly suggest buying this book. The price is right and you will NOT be disappointed I can promise you that! And if this book doesn't at the very minimum leave you with a smile on your face, then I guess you will need to be visited by "Foolish Jack"!

Now younger (twenties and thirties) readers have a columnist who can speak to their age range. Sean's always funny, and at times he's hilarious! Sean's columns are hip and poke pointed but affectionate fun at lots of society's weirdisms. A cool book! Sean's column runs in the Midwest, but you don't have to be an Iowan like me to enjoy this book. Someday this guy will probably be national.

Persian Images, are fascinating to begin with right? However, what brings more interest to this book, is that most of these pictures come from a collection that was purposely destroyed in the early 1900's,by the Iranian government. The stories shared in reference to each photo are as interesting as the pictures themselves. There happens to be a much larger collection both in Iran, and in the states, but sadly they did not make an appearance in this particular book.

If the area of your study or/and interest involves Art,Photography,History of Asia and Near East this is a must have book. Sevruguin went to Iran and stayed there for almost all of his life. This book is a collection of the first photographs from Iran (that of course he took). Through Sevruguin's eyes the reader/viewer is able to discover a new world. Not only this world is new to you if you are a western viewer, but also these photographs reveal yet another angle for a native viewer, such as myself, since many of these photographs have never displayed back in Iran. I think, in a broader sense, as long as one keeps in mind that these are representations of one culture through the eyes of an outsider, this book is useful and interesting.

One of my favorite photo essays on the old middle east. Wonderful collection of photographs and fascinating history.

"Sevruguin and the Persian Image" presents the Smithsonian's collection of one of Qajar Iran's preeminent photographers. In addition to the photographs, the volume contains valuable histories of early photography in Iran, the career of Antoin Sevruguin, and how the collection itself came about. The double entendre of the title refers to how Sevruguin's art was informed by and catered to the Orientalist tastes of a Europe in which he was educated. Yet as an Armenian Christian who was born, lived, died and was buried in Tehran, he presented a different image of Iran than the typical Orientalist photographers of the day. "Sevruguin and the Persian Image" is both a solid examination of a photographer's art as well as a thoughtful analysis of the Western image of Iran in the late nineteenth century.

this is a great collection of some excellent photos of iran at the turn of the last century - it chronicles everyday life, including peasants, and the aristocracy and monarchy - there is a great picture of tehran's bustling main street, with horse-drawn, rail carriages, and the throngs of crowds, some of whom are temporairly mesmerized by the photographer perched on some rooftop. A must-have for iran-history-nastalgic buffs. Only wish there was more...

On one level this is a carefully researched study of how Shakespeare's plays were translated, adapted, staged and critiqued on American Yiddish stages. For this alone Berkowitz's study is worthwhile, but his passion for his subject, and the wit and flair with which he expresses himself, turn his research into compelling reading. Berkowitz paints the picture of a world in which theater fed the souls not only of intellectuals, but of the working-class spectators who dominated Yiddish audiences. He writes about these audiences with sensitivity and respect, and vividly brings their world to life. I will not give away his conclusions here, but suffice it to say that they are thought-provoking. I highly recommend this beautifully written, passionately argued work of cultural history.

Although this study focuses on Yiddish productions of Shakespeare, it reaches beyond that specific topic to tell several stories at once. One is the story of the development of the professional Yiddish theater. Berkowitz gives a concise explanation of how this arose, both in Europe and in the United States, and vividly describes the Yiddish theater scene on the Lower East Side around the turn of the 20th century. A second story within that story is what he teaches us about Yiddish audiences; the book is filled with fascinating documentation of their responses to these productions. More broadly, he tells the story of the East European Jewish immigrants who came to America in huge numbers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, for their experiences were reflected in the plays they attended, and Yiddish playwrights used Shakespeare to address issues like generational conflict, assimilation, etc. This book should become an instant classic for anyone interested in any facet of Yiddish culture!

When a friend gave me this book, my first reaction was, "Great subject, handsome book--but too scholarly for my blood." Once I started leafing through it, though, I couldn't put it down. Berkowitz writes with flair, and manages to entertain and instruct at the same time. He starts by bringing the reader into the world of late 19th century Yiddish theater in New York City. He vividly describes the theater buildings, the audiences, the actors and the playwrights who made the Lower East Side such a hotbed of activity. Then he takes us on a fascinating ride, organized around the Shakespeare plays that were most successful in Yiddish. This book should be a must on everybody's reading list this summer!

At last, a work of substantial scholarship that can not only enlighten, but actually entertain, the lay reader! For those of you intimidated by the Bard, don't despair; Berkowitz wears his considerable learning lightly, and demonstrates with style and wit how Yiddish playwrights turned to Shakespeare in an effort to "legitimize" the American Yiddish stage. "Shakespeare on the American Stage" benefits from the author's extensive work with contemporary scripts, newspapers, memoirs, and other sources. More importantly, it tells a compelling story of American Jewish immigrants through the prism of the theater--a real treat!

Mr. Berkowitz takes the reader back to the Lower East Side starting roughly 125 years ago to introduce us to the bustling, experimental world where Jewish immigrants controversially sought to achieve credibility for their beloved theater by adapting the works of the most renowned playwright. Audiences packed houses to see the thespianic greats outdo each other in Shakespeare's finest roles. Mr. Berkowitz invokes the aid of play advertisements and theater critics' first-hand accounts in a story about Shakespeare nearly as entertaining as a Shakespearean story.

From LONDON FIELDS [1989] by Martin Amis: "Features include fool-the-eye dent-marks, a removable toupee of rust on the hood, and adhesive key-scratches all over the paintwork. An English strategy: envy-preemption."

From SHOW AND TELL [2001] by John Lahr: "In fact, [Wallace] Shawn, who admits he's actually 'a very arrogant and vain person', preempts envy by constantly spoiling any picture of his own distinction."

As a lifelong subscriber to The New Yorker, I have especially enjoyed reading Lahr's various "Profiles." Fifteen of his best are anthologized in this volume. The subjects are Woody Allen, David Mamet, Frank Sinatra, Arthur Miller, Liev Screiber, Roseanne, Irving Berlin, Wallace Shawn, Eddie Izzard, Neil Labute, Bob Hope, Ingmar Bergman, Mike Nichols, and the author's parents, Mildred and Bert Lahr. My personal favorites are those which discuss Sinatra, Miller, Roseanne, Hope, Bergman, and Nichols but I was pleased to re-read all of the others also. Lahr has a somewhat specialized form of genius for crafting what are indeed "profiles" rather than portraits, much less in-depth character analyses. Even when fondly discussing his own parents, he seems to have no limiting biases, "baggage" or predilections. It is high praise to note that the reader feels as if she or he is a "fly on the wall" during Lahr's conversations with his subjects...and at other times, as if the reader can hear him thinking aloud while alone and in reflection. Lahr's is a naturally casual style (so sophisticated that it seems effortless), perhaps most evident when discussing Bob Hope. According to Lahr, Hope's wife Dolores and the children were "extras" in his life. "It was hard for anyone in the family to get much of Bob Hope." Lahr shares this without judgment, suggesting implications without manipulating inferences.. With Hope as with each of the 14 others, Lahr's objective is to capture the essence of his subject, the esential qualities and characteristics which are revealed in "defining moments" of inimitable behavior or utterance. Lahr's reader (at least this one) is left to wonder what he would have to say about so many others such as Saul Bellow, Hillary Rodham-Clinton, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Fosse, Jackie Gleason, Sam Peckinpah, Jackson Pollock, Martha Stewart, and Oprah Winfrey.

In these days when performers are celebrated -- and demeaned -- for being famous, every little tidbit of information is up for grabs by the media. I say this as someone who was a journalist for nearly 20 years (and is now an entertainer). What's missing on the market: candid performers' profiles that still convey WHY great performers are GREAT performers and -- sometimes -- great people or great creeps. Show and Tell contains 15 of John Lahr's BEST New Yorker show biz profiles. The zest and verve of these creative folk and Lahr's excitement writing about them is all here. The subjects: Woody Allen, David Mamet, Frank Sinatra, Arthur Miller, Liev Schreiber, Roseanne, Irving Berlin, Wallace Shawn, Eddie Izzard, Neil Labute, Bob Hope, Ingmar Bergman, Mike Nichols, and his parents Bert and Mildred Lahr. You don't have to even know who these celebrities are (you'll enjoy this book if you're in your early 20s) to love these profiles: each chapter tells you how they got from point A (childhood) to point B (becoming great entertainers, playwrights etc) -- and about all the joys and obstacles along the way. Don't expect simplistic tabloid journalism but more detailed interviews. The Bob Hope profile was controversial when it was first published since it not only hinted at adultery but etched a portrait of a man who created a corporate comedy machine -- and even needed cue cards when performing at a private party. But there's tons of info amid these revelations. My other favorite profiles and tidbits include: Woody Allen (his casting method for movies sometimes boils down to him looking at someone for a few seconds), Bert Lahr (his frustration at not having made many movies, unlike some of his vaudeville colleagues), Roseanne (her rage-based comedy; how she wrested control of her t.v. show from what would have been sit-com mediocrity),Irving Berlin (the 20th century's most prolific and perhaps great composer adapting to all kinds of music from the century's beginning UNTIL rock...which finally did him in). There are many others but the point is: these are unlike any other profile's you'll read. They celebrate the joy, creative "juice" flow, toil, and heartbreak of show biz and performing arts creativity -- and you'll want to read them again and again.

Celebrities are fair game it seems for every hack, two bit journalist, and paparazzi. Their names are money and their pictures, weight loss, ageing, personal crises, and habits appear to be of endless fascination to the reading public or a fair proportion of it. What about Sinatra's links to the mob? What about Woody Allen's prediliction for young women? What about Mike Nichol's anger? What about Igmar Bergman's womanizing and tax evasion? Give me a break! There is much tosh, pap and babble written by those not fit enough to sharpen the pencils of the subjects of these profiles by Mr Lahr, but you will not find it in SHOW AND TELL. Mr Lahr is a writer worthy of these legends and that, dear reader, is indeed saying something. Revealing, interesting, incisive, entertaining and gripping, Mr Lahr and his editor at The New Yorker, have done a brilliant job. Perhaps the best short pieces I have ever read on the subjects contained therein. Brilliant.

The New Yorker is famous for its witty prose, "casuals," and most of all---its Profiles of famous and not-so-famous people. The New Yorker is also famous for unbelievably long pieces (sometimes taking up the entire magazine) and occasionally being so "in" that the readers are left "out."

John Lahr has all of the virtues: elegant, thoughtful writing, and he leaves you wishing for more. Mr. Lahr specializes in Entertainment Profiles, a difficult undertaking. He avoids the landmines of sound-bytes, scurrility, fawning and trivia. He delivers fifteen gleaming, sharp-edged Profiles on disparate personalities.

I feel the best are the ones that are not contemporaries and/or friends of the author with the exception of the lovely word portraits of his parents, father Bert, and mother Millie (who might or might not have had an affair with Joseph Cotton!) Mr. Lahr needs a certain amount of distance to do his best work. He is clearly an admirer of Woody Allen, and it shows. I felt we were seeing the brushed up and shiny side of this highly complex entertainer. Bob Hope is given the finest dispassionate treatment; Lahr steps back and allows Mr. Hope produce his own cause and effect. The reader can judge for himself. I was left thinking, as my grandmother would say, "this is NOT a very nice man." To me, Roseanne was frightening with her rage and skewed perspectives. It wasn't what Mr. Lahr said about her; it was Roseanne being herself. The Profile on Frank Sinatra left me with a emotion I would never, ever thought possible in conjunction with Ole Blue Eyes: pity.

I read this book straight through, almost at one sitting. I found it that fascinating. But it can be read at leisure. Just start anywhere; there's not a loser to be found!

Take away the celebrity chic aspect of this book, imagine that the drawings of flowers were rendered by a cross-section of not-so-famous people, and its power and pleasure remain undiluted. This is an enormously entertaining and wildly creative collection of words and pictures linked together by a dark and disturbing subtext. And that is something of a miracle, courtesy of the potent mind of the author. You get sneak peaks into the psyches of an amazing array of artists who, best of all, gradually coalesce to create a smartly subtle memoir of the charismatic character who conceived this book.

This book is absolutely great. Kids of all ages enjoy looking at the flowers that were drawn by the many famous stars that appear in it. I personally know Victoria and the work that she put into the book. There are stories in it that will make you cry, like the Alison Gertz story. It is very heartwarming. Thirty percent of the profits go to the Aid foundation known as Love heals which is absolutely great.

What a cool book! Who knew all these celebrities could also draw! I bought 2 copies. One for myself and one as a gift for Christmas.

This is a beautiful book to keep and to give. The drawings are very interesting and beautiful, some of them are very basic sketches, some are complex artistic works, but all of them have one thing in common: they were drawn with lots of love. And that shows. Thank you for this book Ms Leacock!

A very beautifully well put together book. Not only are the drawings interesting, the text that goes along with them as Ms. Leacock remembers the acquiring of the flowers will make you laugh and cry. The wide range of celebrities drawings of flowers is quite amazing (authors, directors, actors, etc.). That Ms. Leacock would share these very personal rememberances make it quite touching. Makes a wonderful gift for anyone and you will want to display it on your coffee table forever. The fact that a large percentage of the proceeds is going to AIDS charities is even more special.

As an American, it hurts to admit that Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the quintessential expression of American cheekiness and derring-do, has been best chronicled by a Britisher. Of course, I'm teasing a bit. But there is no question that Keith Topping seems to have a better grasp of what is important in the Buffyverse than many of his contemporaries on this side of the ocean.

What Topping does not do is write one agonizing reprise after another of all the episodes of Season Six of the show. As viewers will no doubt remember, Season Six was quite agonizing itself without that point being hammered home all over again. Instead, Topping provides very short synopses, followed by myriad details of things that are unique, funny, or perplexing about each episode.

You will be treated to paragraphs on 'A little learning is a dangerous thing' (the power of misinformation), 'Denial they name is...' (Self-delusion in Sunnydale), 'It's a designer label..' (clothes, of course), valley-speak, geek-speak, logic errors, and ever more items that bring to light the aspects of the production which the viewer, caught up in the story, is likely to miss. All of this is done in a style that is an enjoyable mix of tongue-in-cheek and respectfully serious.

Topping is an excellent researcher. His ability to find countless relationships, both intentional and accidental, to other atavars of popular culture is uncanny. Nor does he hesitate to introduce the reader to the more analytic writings on Buffy and the Scooby gang. Despite the spottiness of Season Six, Topping manages to ferret out all the good parts - to the point where I have to admit that the book is better than the season.

If you are a fan then you will want this book. And you will want to track down Topping's other efforts on the show that nearly ate South California.

I have the edition of Slayer for seasons 1 through 5, and it is really a good guide of the series. This book continues with the same fun observations, facts, and quotes. I know some people hate season 6, but for those of us that love it--this book is worth it. If you don't like season 6, maybe this book can help you see the good things about the season.

For those who liked Keith Topping's British perspective in his earlier 'Slayer' volume, here is an update. This book covers only the 6th season - Buffy's resurrection, the Trioka, the musical, Willow-as-evil, etc. Each episode receives 5-to-8 pages of coverage, organized under various thematic headings: Plot summary, music, memorable quotes, comments on the women's clothing, continuity errors, logic flaws, pop culture references, etc. Topping seems to have caught everything, down to the tiniest continuity error.

There are also separate essays on (1) series creator Joss Whedon, (2) the network switch to UPN, (3) an update on BtVS novels (about a paragraph on each), (4) an update on BtVS and the internet, and (5) predictions for the 7th season, which was the last season of this underappreciated series that never gained the viewership it deserved.

Season six is in my opinon the best Buffy season ever.
If you don't like it read this book. It will change your mind.
If it doesn't, then go back to watching Bewitched or Buffy season one. I guess the true spirit of the Slayer is lost on you.

This book covers the sixth season of Buffy and is the next volume in Keith Topping's 'Slayer' episode guides (the previous 5 seasons are covered in a single volume, also available from Amazon). Keith does his usual thorough job covering each episode in detail. Even if you disagree with his views, you can't dispute that he has a deep love for the show and a healthy respect for all those involved in its production.

As I have stated in other reviews, Keith Topping's Buffy and Angel books are the best unauthorised episode guides on the market. If you are a serious fan of Buffy and Angel, you only need the official guides and these books.

There are shooting scripts and there are screenplays. If you want to know more about a movie, if there's a shooting script, that's probably your best bet. If you just want the dialogue to a film, then you probably want to read the screenplay. Miramax doesn't publish shooting scripts as far as I know, so you're stuck with what they do publish. Often times, a screenplay doesn't live up to the film it's words are taken from. Fortunately, that is not the case here. This is an excellent screenplay with all the dialogue from the movie and just a tad bit more. If you've never seen the movie, this is a time when reading the screenplay before hand might be worth your while. There is a lot of great dialogue here and reading it on the page takes nothing away from the action you will see on the screen.

I had the heard the movie was good, but one hears that about lots of movies. I ran into the screenplay at a bookstore. Now, how often does the average person buy screenplays? But I picked it up and began to read, and decided to buy. Within the next few hours the screenplay clinched my decision to see the film. The writing for the film deserved the Oscar and this screenplay deserves to be read on its own.

The film and the screenplay rock! I have never seen a better, darker, and more insightful independant film than "Sling Blade". For all of us film buffs out there, this screenplay is a great investment. It is really neat to read a screenplay because there may be a few scenes that were cut out of the final product, as in "Sling Blade". I recommend this masterpiece to anyone who appreciates good screenwriting and good filmmaking. Thanks, Billy Bob!

Sling Blade is my favorite movie of all time. Even the smallest characters are so unforgettable. I've probably read this script as many times as I've seen the movie. I like that there were a few parts in the script that the movie left out. After reading this repeatedly, I realize that the movie was better off without the scenes, but there is some pretty funny dialogue concerning Doyle's friend, Randy Horsefeathers, who claims to be half-Indian. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, see the movie) There is also a pretty touching part (in the book) where Frank and Karl go to visit the girl who Frank has a crush on. It's a very emotional part of the story, but I'm glad that the scene didn't make it into the film. In the movie, the girl is mentioned and left at that. The filmed version would have thrown the film off balance, but it looks great on paper.

If you loved this movie, do yourself a favor and get the book. It's a must have for any fan and it can be read in a sitting.

This book follows the movie pretty much word for word. I like having things in print--I love this screenplay and if you like the movie, you'll love it too.

If your career aspirations lie in the show biz world, don't forget to consult actor/producer/casting director Steve Stevens Sr.'s So You Want To Be In Show Business: A Hollywood Agent Shares The Secrets Of Getting Ahead Without Getting Ripped Off. Stevens also has a background representing struggling actors: his 50+ years experience in the acting trenches lends to an eye-opening industry reference crucial to learning about casting, agents, and more.

I picked this great guide up last week, finished it in a day, and am totally changing the way I approach this business! There are so many little things that the authors recommend doing that I would never have thought of--I am much more confident, because now I feel like I am fully prepared when I go into auditions... Thank you!

This is my first review of anything, but I felt like I needed to give this book a plug--even though it comes from a small, independant press, this book should be in every acting/directing/theater class in the nation. Cady and Stevenson take you through the inner workings of the agent business, the right/wrong approaches to auditions, the way to work in Hollywood while keeping your sanity, all while maintaining an easy tone that gives one the confidence to take a chance and try to be a star! Great work, and a bargain for those of us who thought they knew the business.

This is an absolute must-have for all actors! After being an actress for over 20 years, I have spent countless hours reading books on the business of acting. "So you want to be in Show Business," is the most complete book I have ever read on the subject. Steve Stevens Sr. masterfully blends humor along with the no-nonsense truth about this crazy business. All while giving encouragement and sharing his passion. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Highly informative and very entertaining... anyone thinking about embarking on an actor's life should read this book! Loved it!

Although I have worked as a studio engineer for recording music I never could have imagined the extreme differences when working on sound design and Foley recording. Making the switch over to sound effects was not as easy as I originally thought it would be, until I began catching up on my research starting off with this book. The Sound Effects Bible was clutch for me in the design field, providing me with a wealth of information and not over complicating the process. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is about to take the plunge into creating sound effects.

When starting out in the film industry, I couldn't read enough books on various aspects of production. However, there was always one area that was mysterious and left wanting - sound. Now, ten years later, there is a book on the subject of sound recording, and even more specific, sound effects recording.

Ric Viers has written the first and most precise book on the subject of sound effects recording for the motion picture industry. Once you read this book, you will know exactly what to do to record your very own sound effects for your project. This is a dangerous book, as it is sure to put people like Ric Viers, who has worked his whole life producing sound effects libraries for people to buy, out of business. The Sound Effects Bible is the ultimate independent film maker's resource for sound effects recording. If you don't buy it, you're making a silent film!

I'm in film school so I have to read a lot of books on the video and audio industry, but most of the time I skim through them searching for the most important parts. That was not the case with the Sound Effect Bible. I actually enjoyed reading this book and found it more informative than most of the other books assigned to me in school. My favorite thing about the Sound Effects Bible is the advice that the author, Ric Viers, has to offer about real life situations that might arise while recording and producing sound effects. I know that after reading this book I will be miles ahead of the rest of my classmates in my upcoming audio production classes.

Ric has done a great job by putting into his book years of personal experience in creating and editing sound effects. It's very accessible and comprehensive, and is a real must for anyone who wants to make their own sound effects. This Bible is a wonderful companion to my own book Sound Design in ways that are extremely practical and hands on. Thank you Ric!

The Sound Effects bible is the perfect resource for sound designers to learn the techniques of the pros. It's an easy and enjoyable read. A++++! Highest accolades to Ric Viers for putting this book together. A must have for professionals and amateurs alike.

The Spectrum series is a collection of contemporary and fantastic art illustrations. I recommend it to anyone looking for discovering interesting work and contemporary artists. The work ranges from cover illustrations, paintings, sculptures to some toys, action figures and graphic novel work. The selection is usually very well done. I think the sculpture section is not as good as the graphic and painting area.

It is interesting to notice in the volume 10 the diversity of techniques presented. There are some pure digital art, but most of it is made of traditional media, or a mix with digital tools and some other technique. I imagine that the next volumes will gradually include some more digital art. From this series I ended up finding some artists I looked for entire work monographs like the sci-fi ilustrator Stephan Martinieri.

This is a wonderful book and I would recommend this to anyone interested in sci-fi/fantasy art. This book is even better than it's predessesors also. I think anyone who enjoyed the other spectrum books will enjoy this.

I recently purchased Spectrum 9, 10, and 11. These books are absolutely wonderful, and I would recommend them to any artist or fan of fantasy/sci fi art. They are extremely well put together, of high quality (reproduction wise), have a large number and variety of artists, and contain some of the most beautiful works of art I have seen. Some of the subject matter can be disturbing or somewhat sexual in nature (certainly nothing explicit, but not exactly innocent either), so I wouldn't recomend them for the very young (12 or under?) if you are a parent. These books are worth every penny and highly recommended.

I've been picking up the Spectrum collections since # 7 and I've notice an improvement both in quality and variety in the artwork presented.Within its 176 pages you'll find 300 plus reproductions. The book is divided into seven sections displaying work from advertising, book, comics, dimensional, editorial, institutional and unpublished sources.A cornucopia of styles and approaches grace SPECTRUM 10's pages. From the photo(sur)realism of Paul Bonner's watercolors portraying Orks and Minotaur to Kinuko Y. Craft's Pre-Raphaelite inspired BEAUTY AND THE BEAST to Brom's patented creepy/sexy gothic leather bound babes to Peter d Seve's delightful character studies in pencil for Disney Studios' Treasure Planet you'll find an eclectic cross section of SF/fantasy/horror illustrators working today. Jon joster (winner of the Gold Award in the comics' category) is my favorite here with his retro robots and expressive compositions.Only one thing irritates me in this book, and the only reason I gave 4 stars out of 5: these are the resin statuettes of comic book characters found in the "dimensional" section. These kitsch saturated figurines have no other purpose than to serve as "must haves" for pathological collectoholics and slightly mar this book for me. (Sorry about the soapbox spiel-guess I'm now assured of getting a good number of "I did not find this review helpful" votes.)Dispite this one caveat I highly recommend this beautiful book to anyone who appreciates fine illustration.

Sci-Fi and Fantasy artists have always seemed like illustration's poor step-children, often ignored (and sometimes sneered at) while the historical and Western painters wore the mantel of respectability. Thank goodness Spectrum came along to point out to the naysayers that Art is Art and that the practitioners of "fantastic" art are as gifted as anyone working today (if not better).

Spectrum 10 is chocked-full of beautiful and imaginative work by veterans and fresh faces alike. Personal favorites include the previously unpublished gallery paintings by jillion-times-Hugo-winner Michael Whelan, the Expressionist-flavored space ships by John Berkey, the monsterously proportioned toy robots by Eric Joyner, and the fantasy scenarios of Paul Bonner. There's art for films, paintings for books, sculptures (which I personally enjoy seeing), and work from comics; serious, mature pieces followed by wonderfully whacky and whimisical images. There's really something for everyone. It's fun to go through the book and compare the judges' selection of award-winners in each category with what *I* think should have won.

And thank goodness someone has finally acknowledged Michael Kaluta (#10's Grand Master Award recipient) as one of the most worthwhile illustrators working today. Kudos to the Spectrum Board!

About the only downsides are the occasional typos and several pages with cramped lay-outs, but all-in-all a must-have book for anyone with an imagination--and at a bargain price at that!