Magazines Books

This fantastic book tells the tale of one of America's most successful publiciations while simultaneously chronicling its seedy underbelly. You'll laugh at the hijinks of Hunter S. Thompson one minute and get infuriated by the way editor in chief Jann Wenner chooses to treat fellow human beings the next. I highly recommend it for ANYONE who is interested in the music industry, the magazine world or fine music writing in general. It's a shame that this book is out of print, but on the upside, you can get a pretty cheap used copy without much trouble. A great read.

Robert Draper's Rolling Stone Magazine: The Uncensored Story is a stunning testament to the magazine which helped herald in an era, and has been here ever since. This book isn't about the artists that were covered; instead it's more about the staff, the writers, th editors, and especially founder Jann Wenner, almost biographically so.

Now out of the 60's came many things good and bad but in the late 60's Rolling Stone the magazine was formed. However it's never that simple and Draper conveys that well. With inside information due to hundreds of interviews and just some good research he pieces together what life was like behind the cover.

My only fault is that I wish this book could have been written in 2004 instead of 1990 so that I could learn about recent events. Overall this is a great book and I highly recommend it for musicians, journalists, and any Rolling Stone magazine avid fans out there.

I get this calendar every year, so I'm clearly biased in favor of them. The reasons though are that the photography is excellent and this calendar covers a variety of sailing experiences from racing to cruising. That makes it appealing to me since I do both as well.

For anyone who likes sailing, exotic locations, ocean views, and the active lifestyle this is a beautiful calandar. Great price for the size (pretty big) and quality.

This is an excellent collection of updated articles that look into the environment and other aspects of the planet as they change in the twentieth century.

I sit in my hotel room in Doha, Qatar and I watch the local government allow (and promote) exactly the same destruction by the same means as described in this volume. It is a compilation of progress, and lack thereof, since "Tragedy of the Commons." Every adult should read this and consider their role in causing the environmental changes.

This book was so amazing, exciting, and impactful for me as a young child that I still remember it today! I'm heading off to college and was recalling favourite memories of my childhood -- this book is one of them. Although the title had slipped my mind, I remembered the plot and the great illustrations.

The title is comical, and as I recall, the events in the book were as well -- it was light-hearted and fun, but you also had a sense of satisfaction after finishing the story: a pleasant story that parents can enjoy reading to their children.
It's too bad this book is no longer in print; it's really a treasure! :-)

It is a shame books like this are no longer in print. Septimus Bean and His Amazing Machine is a truly excellent childrens book. The story is written in poetic narrative with tons of onomatopoeia and rhythmic imagery. The illustations capture the memorable moments with a vividness like water colors. I had this book memorized by the time I was 4 years old. To me it is a classic.

This book, and its companion "Drunna X 2", showcases the fluid art of Mr Serpieri.

This book features plenty of eye candy for the amateur of euro comics and erotica. Even if some illustrations can be considered of a somewhat pornographic nature, Druuna remains a true euro comics classic, and these books are a tribute to its creator.

Definitively not for minors....

This book features mainly beautiful drawings with very little written story, but it still captures the essence of Druuna along with the depth and complexities of her quest. Druuna is an incredibly complex character, one to be admired for more than just her sexuality. Those who only see the beautiful woman are definitely missing something. Though we can't "see" her brains, she has great intelligence.

The "Obsession" story is not seamless or traditional storytelling; rather, it is somewhat ethereal - voicing Druuna's thoughts, mindset, and reasoning. What is especially exceptional about this is the insight we receive regarding her two primary motivations - to save/help Shastar (her love) and to survive. Her means to accomplish these things is where her intelligence really shows. She is smart enough to use bartering and manipulation to achieve her goal, mainly to obtain serum to slow or reverse the mutation caused by the disease that has infected everyone. Druuna is not the typical warrior science fiction/fantasy woman. Sure, she could pick up a sword and inflict some serious damage and death. She chooses not to do this because she is intelligent. In a brutal world inhabited mainly by evil men, who are naturally stronger than she is, she would be killed fairly quickly if she chose to fight. Since she must live to help Shastar, she uses other means to survive, and to get what she needs.

Of course, the primary purpose of this book is sexual stimulation, and Serpieri accomplishes this beautifully. However, I am impressed that this story includes less fetish and bondage than many other graphic fantasy novels. There is more raw or pure energy and stimulation, so we can focus simply on Druuna and the meaning in her quest. For those who enjoy the grittiness, violence, and other graphic horrors depicted in the Druuna serial from Heavy Metal, this book includes some of those things such as leeches, snakes, and giant spiders. However, if you are seeking the most violent and explicit images of Druuna and her encounters, they are not included in this book. The many websites featuring the art of Serpieri would be a better source for "extreme" Druuna, or possibly other books that are available.

Of note in this tale is Druuna's conflict and self-hate regarding the small amount of pleasure she occasionally gains from her encounters with the men and mutants of this festering, stagnant world. Yet, in a world full of horrors, how could she continue to survive without some pleasure to counter the torment? There is a brief reference in this book to the even greater evil that exists in Druuna's world: The inhabitants of the upper city, who likely have the power and ability to help the others but chose not to, which is much more despicable than the actions of those in the lower filth whose evil is born of pain, despair, and violence.

Another credit to Serpieri's genius is the fact that he does not portray Druuna as an ultra-thin woman. Real and healthy women of the world can look at her and not feel bad about having muscles and a normal amount of padding. Druuna does not inspire poor self-image. She makes women with curves feel beautiful instead of ashamed.

The most exquisite drawings in this book are the two of Druuna and Shastar together; their expressions are very touching, along with the way they hold one another. However, since both characters are clothed in these scenes, some people may not find them as enjoyable as the rest of the art in this book.

The art of this book clearly showcases Serpieri's "obsession" with Druuna and Druuna's "obsession" with her journey. For those who are able look beyond Druuna's beauty and erotic encounters, the important reasons for her quest and the intelligence of her character are presented. Having enjoyed Druuna's saga for years in Heavy Metal, I only hope someday the complete Druuna story will be available in one volume, though I doubt this will be possible since she is a fantasy woman whose quest will never really end, and a complete volume would need an ending. This review includes more words than are in the entire "Obsession" book, but the "search" for Druuna includes more depth than can be described briefly.

I love this book. I read and re-read it not only for the great ideas, but because it jump starts creative thinking.. The "shortcuts" are just resourceful savvy ways to get more out of each day.

You get 18 chapters covering topics like:
"Going Places Without Going Crazy"
"Shop Smart, Shop Fast"
"Great Garden Shortcuts"
"Bathrooms and Laundry Room,"
"Hassle-Free Holidays All Year Round"
Each tip is short, so keep this around to dip into when you have a few minutes now and then. Some of the ideas may be familiar (put baking soda/vinegar in drains to keep them clear of clogs, or save unwanted gifts to give to others). Others will surprise you (you can ask funeral homes for left over flower arrangements).

Sherlock Chick's Peekaboo Mystery is a delightful tale! We stumbled upon this story at a Half Price Books and my then three year old boy loved it so much we must have read it a thousand times. He still loves it! I enjoy Quackenbush's illustrations and am so sad this book is out of print as it is one I would love to give to anyone who is expecting a baby. This is a perfect book to read to babies through age three or four.

About 12 years ago, my daughter who is now 15 years old, received this book from my mother through a book club. It very quickly became her very favorite book, and needed (yes, needed) to be read to her at least 5 times a day. I read this book to her so many times that I memorized each page. The story was so cute, and because of many lines of dialogue, I read the book using different voices.

One day while I was reading this book to her, she started "reading" the book aloud with me, then took over completely. As she turned the pages reading each one, it appeared that my 3 year old had learned to read. Not so of course. She got a big kick out of showing her grandma that she could read.

The book was lost in our move to a new house, and I have not been able to find a replacement yet. But I am determined.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with a young child. Although I know how to correctly say the main charactor's name, he will forever be known as "Sherlock Schick" to me, since this is how my daughter pronounced it.

Conan Doyle is a genius. When he invented his famous detective Sherlock Holmes he found a gold mine for publication in the press in England from 1891 to 1927, and of course for book publication later on.
The second element we have to put forward is the strange taste the English public has had for a long time for detective stories. After Conan Doyle Agatha Christie will come and many others. The English are attracted by the delinquent side of social life, by these shady characters who are taking advantage of their neighbors to make an illegal and immoral living, though at times we may wonder if it is really immoral, if those who have all the riches they have, by birth most of the time, are not even more immoral than the crooks who are taking advantage of them. In a way these stories, and the English interest for these fringes of social life, show that a sort of bad conscience goes along with it and they want to explore it.
These stories show that criminals are not crazy people but are very rational people who use their brains to find some loopholes in the system that they can exploit to their own benefit. Most of these stories are depicting very clever criminals who really transform crime into some profitable industry. And they also know about modern technology and use the knowledge they can find in science to improve their productivity and their profit. In the stories we can see modern inventions coming into the picture little by little, such as the telegraph, telegrams and the telephone.
These stories also show that the detective who will be able to stop these criminals will have to use a very sophisticated way of thinking, trying to get the knowledge that criminals need to commit their crimes even before them. It also shows, from beginning to end, that the society Conan Doyle is speaking of is the society of the train in which other means of transportation are secondary, except horse-drawn carriages of any type within the narrow limits of London downtown area. Beyond, Sherlock Holmes uses the train, be it the Metropolitan train or railways going outside.
These stories eventually enable us to draw the main trait of Sherlock Holmes's personality and way of thinking : to use any kind of knowledge he may have accumulated in his mind, to feed his mind with new knowledge all the time, and to always look at a case from an intuitive point of view that tries to build up various alternative hypotheses among which he will eventually choose when time comes and new facts appear. This is an essential mental stand : never reduce yourself to one solution and never close your mind to alternative explanations, no matter how farfetched, provided they fit with the facts you know. Then you just have to look for the missing elements that can fill the holes in your various hypotheses.
The final element I would like to put forward is that Conan Doyle is definitely of his time : the characters represent the ideas of his time and there is practically no romanticism about these criminals. Some may even reflect very dark sides of the ideology of the period. One example : the heavy antisemitism of the « criminal » in the very last story, published in 1927, The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, shows how this man is warped by his financial interest, but also how the justice of the land will take a lenient attitude in front of his « crime » which is not killing anyone or stealing anything, but just cheating with circumstances to evade « the Jews » who are holding him in their hands because of his debts. Is this justice excusing the unpleasant things he does because by doing so he is able to evade, temporarily, these Jews ? One may think so.
Conan Doyle in other words is able to show the sad and sorry sides of his society, without ever leaning towards any ideology that may ask for this society to be changed : he even goes as far as condemning such attempts, or rather those who represent such attempts, like the Nihilists he deals with in one story at least (The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez).

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The first Sherlock Holmes book I ever read was given to me as a gift for my thirteenth birthday. It was a collection of the short stories, with a wonderful leather trim and gold leafing, and I thought it was fantastic. I read the first story, and was instantly hooked. Within a few days, I was disappointed with my wonderful new book because it was incomplete. I had devoured all of the selected stories, and was ready for more.

Shortly thereafter, I purchased what purported to be the 'only complete Sherlock Holmes available', compiled by Christopher Morley. This became my favourite book. However, I have continued to collect editions of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and this is one of those collections. It does contain all the short stories, together with the illustrations from the Strand Magazine, which perhaps had as much to do with the way we view Holmes and Watson as does the text of the stories itself. It does not have illustrations or other commentary, and the print (in a double-column format) is rather small, but it is nonetheless a useful text for those who don't want to have a heavier book in their hands.

The original stories, which appeared in The Strand magazine, were illustrated, by the great illustrator Sidney Paget.

From the beginning introduction of Holmes and Watson to Holmes' gentle retirement to beekeepping on the southern coast of England, this book contains all the essential stories (none of the apocryphal, anecdotal, or tribute-written pieces are contained here). Holmes was often thought to be a real person, and Sherlockians the world over still search for 'evidence' to prove that he was. During his 'lifetime', the post office for the Baker Street area regularly received mail addressed to Holmes or Watson at 221B Baker Street. While such an address does not (and did not during the late Victorian era) exist, there is a business on the site that would be 221B, and they have dedicated a desk to Holmes, and strive to answer mail received in the great detective's name.

Perhaps the two elements that made Holmes and Watson the world-renowned figures that they became are, first, the dominance of the British Empire globally at the time Conan Doyle was writing, which made English things sought-after, admired, and to be emulated, and secondly, the introduction of a method of detection hitherto unknown, both in the annals of detective stories (save perhaps in a proto-form in Poe and a few other obscure pieces of dubious literary merit) and in real life.

Holmesian tales became required reading in the training of police and detectives in many parts of the world. It is still recommended even when it is not required.

Holmes permeates other literature and venues as well. When Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation looks for images of Holmes, he is being guided by the descriptions in the stories as well as by the illustrations in The Strand. When the BBC produced Jeremy Brett's rendering of Holmes, the same holds true. When Basil Rathbone's films were cast, these illustrations and stories were uppermost in the directors' minds.

So, pull some tobacco from your persian slipper, stoke your pipe, scratch out a tune on your violin, and re-enter the gas-lit world of the foggy London, where danger is afoot and one detective can always save the day.

Nevermind any previous reviews, with McCarthy at the helm of this installation of the east's must-have ski guide , there may never need to be another. Thorough, insightful, and downright truthful, it's essential for even veteran eastern skiers to get the real deal on their favorite small and mega resorts. I've put it in my bib's map pocket (my only complaint is that it's a bulky pocket fit) and am waiting for the winter storm clouds.

This guide is so much more personal than others I've seen. Instead of getting into what kind of carpeting the hotel has (like Fodors), this guide really talks about the feel of the ski resort. You get the true sense that the writer really understands the place and helps you to feel what it's really like. I cannot wait to use the "insider tips" this winter. This is a great guide for anyone who likes to point their car north and head out in the winter. Mine will be well used!

This is great, complete how-to, book on Jujitsu. It is just as simple as that. Every page reveals something new.

If you are looking for a most effective means of self-defense that is easy to learn with maximum of effectiveness look no farther. Wally Jay, who is now 80+ years old has developed a martial arts system that combines Judo, JuJitsu and Aikido along with the usage of pressure points. I utlize this system to teach men and women self-defense, especially when I have a one seminar presentation. However though it is simple to teach, Grand Master Wally Jay's methods are some of the most advanced you will find anywhere. The book along with the video should be in everyones library who is a student of the martial arts or who wants to learn a system that is dependent upon skill not strength. I am ranked in four martial arts, Aikido, Karate, Judo and JuJitsu and hold the rank of Sandan in Judo and JuJitsu. John L. Herr United States Martial Arts Association