Cultural Arts Books

This beautiful reference book is full of beautiful photography of aboriginal art and Howard Morphy has researched this subject in great depth having lived with tribes in Arnhem Land. A great resource for those studying for degrees in Anthropology and Art History.

Over the past two decades, Aboriginal art from Australia has been gathering momentum as a major international art movement. Christie's, Sotheby's and other auction houses hold regular, successful sales of paintings and artifacts produced at Aboriginal settlements across Australia. Major historical figures such as Rover Thomas and Emily Kngwarre can command several hundred thousand dollars for a single painting. Even though indigenous people make up less than three percent of the population, their art in recent years reportedly accounts for about half of the total dollar value of all art sold in Australia.

The appeal of Aboriginal art to non-indigenous collectors is many-sided. On a purely aesthetic level, the work is multi-layered and vibrant. Western eyes familiar with Abstract Expressionism and other post-modern art movements have a conceptual bin in which to place Aboriginal painting. Those who dig beneath the surface appeal discover that many of the paintings record the creation myths of the Aboriginal people, documenting how the land was created by mythical Ancestors during the Dreamtime. Unlike much abstract western art, which concerns itself with technical issues - "flatness" or "shininess" or "color saturation" - Aboriginal art is about something complex and sacred that's been passed down from generation to generation for tens of thousands of years. Collectors with a political bent can take satisfaction in knowing that works purchased from reputable galleries and community art centers provide money to economically downtrodden indigenous settlements while helping to validate the importance of Aboriginal culture.

In this excellent book, Howard Morphy uses art scholarship, his experience in the settlements, and a deep empathy to place Aboriginal art firmly within the context of modern Aboriginal life. The book shows how art making is a part of ritual practices used to summon and honor the Ancestors who made the world. Art - whether it's done as rock paintings or sand drawings, body painting, wood carving, or the application of ochres to bark or acrylics to canvas - is a way of animating the past by making it come alive in the present. Only designated clans or individuals have the right to perform certain rituals or tell certain Dreaming stories. Art becomes a way of asserting and establishing those rights, as well as a way of establishing rights to the land where the dreaming story occurs. Their art also enables Aborigines to open up a dialog with the dominant European culture in a way that expresses and asserts the value of their belief system.

A significant part of Morphy's achievement is granting us access to the rich body of inherited myths, rituals and symbols that Aboriginal artists draw upon to create their art. Like all great religious art, the best of this work expresses eternity in the context of a present moment. Aboriginal artists such as Uta Uta Tjangala, Paddy Sims, and John Mawurndjul, like the Italian Renaissance masters, allow us to experience something sublime. A number of women artists have also created major bodies of work. Dorothy Napangardi, Judy Watson, and Eubena Nampitjin, for example, use sweeping lines and bold colors to tell their Dreaming stories and to express personal visions of everyday bush life. In the works of the great Aboriginal artists, we are witnessing the expression of an enduring vision that has triumphed over time and, since the arrival of the Whitefellas, extremely adverse social circumstances.

Morphy covers the evolution of this art from the Wandjina and Bradshaw rock art done thousands of years ago through printmaking and photography produced today by young urban Aboriginals. He also discusses the historical and cultural circumstances that led to diverse artistic expressions on bark and wood across Arnhelm Land, and is informative on the multiplicity of painting styles that evolved out of ritual practice in the central and western deserts. He provides us with a broad and sympathetic look at artists from southern Australia, where greater exposure to European settlers led to greater suffering and cultural disruption. The concluding section on art produced by urban Aboriginals is convincing in its assertion that even though it differs from the "traditional" art produced in the settlements, it still says something important about the Aboriginal experience.

The book is lavishly and expertly illustrated, and the reader will be struck by the sheer variety of forms and methods of artistic expression. The most rewarding way to see this art is to travel to the places where it's being created and meet the artists who do it. If that's not in your budget, the best public collection of Aboriginal art in the Unites States is the Kluge-Ruhe Collection, which is housed at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. (Howard Morphy is associated the Kluge-Ruhe Collection and helped to assemble it.) If you read the book, then stand in front of some of these paintings, you will tap into one of the world's oldest continuous cultures while simultaneously experiencing the "shock of the new." As Howard Morphy amply demonstrates, the effort richly rewards you at multiple levels.

Aboriginal art having always been a great influence on my own artwork ......., I looked for weeks to find a book of this caliber. This book by Phaidon press features gorgeous reproductions in full color, history and observations of Aboriginal culture, and art interpretation written in a friendly, engaging manner. If you want to learn more about Aboriginal art, you really couldn't do better than to start here.

This book is not your standard art history, by any means. It is the story of how the Aboriginals coped with the European indruders. They had much experience dealing with strange people from overseas but nothing prepared them for their encounter with Europeans. They were at first completely baffled and also almost wiped out. The people of Tasmania were literally completely eliminated--the last native of Tasmania died in the second part of the 19th century.
Using their wits and their art, they were finally able to get through to the Europeans, to make them understand and appreciate the beauty of their whole culture, to gain the Europeans' respect and admiration. Initially dismissed as rude doodlings of savages, Aboriginal art is now esteemed world wide.
The author takes great pains to explain how the Aboriginals' art prevades their whole way of life and how knowing their cultural ways makes understanding their art possible and visa versa. The book is fascinating, beautifully written and structured and its sometimes grim but finally triumphant story makes for wonderful reading. It is hard to put down once you start it. It must be of interest to all sorts of people, not just art lovers.

Excellent collection of essays- some repetitive, all comprehensive, accompanied by extremely good illustrations and photographs.

Often scholarly volumes have excellent content but are poorly produced and edited while musem volumes are often well produced and edited but lack serious and contemporary scholarly material--they become catalogues of artifacts without real contextualizing material.

Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People manages to overcome both of these problems. As a scholarly volume it has excellent content (much of which has not been previously available to non-Japanese speakers) and is well-produced and beautifully laid out.

Aside from some small quibbles I have with some other articles seeming truncated for space concerns and others for not presenting enough information (notably the articles dealing with Ainu language/linguistics), I find little to find fault with. Even my concerns about some aspects of the volume are only a request for more, not a complaint with what is in the volume.

Overall this volume does a wonderful job of making contemporary Ainu research accessible to the lay reader while also presenting enough scholarly material to make it worth-while reading for those with a deeper interest in the Ainu. Even though the volume does not deal directly with the area of my research, the amount of knowledge it conveys has foced me to rethink aspects of my own work.

Despite the fact that I have lived in Japan for more than fifteen years, my visit to the Smithsonian's fabulous "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People" exhibit last year provided my first meaningful look at this long overlooked or misunderstood part of East Asian cultural heritage. I ordered a softcover copy of the (at the time yet to be released) book right away and have since poured through it time and again. Written largely by anthropologists, as a layman I feared that it might well be too scientific to appreciate; happily such is not the case. The book is beautifully written, edited, and illustrated. Anyone with an interest in Japan's northern culture and/or the animist nature of the nation as a whole will find this book profoundly enlightening. I regret that a hardcover edition was not available sooner.

In addition to what the other readers have written I would also add that this book is truly a "must-have" for anyone having an interest either in the Ainu specifically, or native peoples such as the Aleuts, the Inuits, the Polynesians, the Moari, etc. This, in part, because anyone interested in the Ainu will be hard-pressed to find a great deal of books in print regarding this topic, in any case in English. Photographs or Ainu artifacts are perfect and highly details, and there are a great deal of reproductions of "Ainu-e", or paintings done by the Japanese when they were slowly but surely in the process of taking over what is today Hokkaido. These are invaluable because they are rich in detail and depict a way of life that no longer exists, much in the same way that Edward Curtis' photographs of the Native Indians in the US are. I would personally recommend the hard-cover version though more pricy is a much better book to own in one's collection.

This book offers the serenity and solitude of the outdoors, seen by few and unexperienced by many. The inside passage is the untouched adventure that the photographer has magnificently demonstrated by the composition of the moment! Incredible, to the point of allowing the reader to share the feeling of the experience.

Beautiful photography along with very informative information. A book well worth looking over again and again.

My wife had seen this book at another person's house before we cruised the inside passage. Gave us a preview of what was to come. After our cruise it was fun going back over what we had seen. We ordered the book after our trip. We especially enjoyed the beautiful photographs. We both own digital cameras and especially enjoy good pictures. The book has a nice overall appeal and look to it. The text was excellent.

Having just returned from my first Alaskan cruise, I was looking for a book to capture the beauty and grace of this wild land. I was so impressed by the full page pictures that I bought copies for several family members who were also on the cruise with me. Just opening this book takes me back on the cruise. The text is descriptive and insightful, but it is the 9.5 by 13 inch pictures that fill my vision and bring back memories.

One of the best studies I have ever read on the nature of power and domination. Wedeen asks the simple question of how Asad is able to keep power in Syria when all of the people know that all of the state propaganda is false. Her elegant answer gets right to the heart of what makes a ruler powerful. Asad rules not through totalitarianism, but through authoritarianism. What's the difference? A ruler who controls everything that the people think (like in North Korea) is not really dominating them, they just don't know any better. But a ruler like Asad rules because the people fear him and become unable to dissent as a result of Foucault-ian discursive practices.

This book will facinate anyone interested in the modern Middle East or the nature of power.

When I first traveled to Syria in the late 90's, I found the eerie, creepy phenomenon of what Wedeen terms Syria's state cult to be the most inscrutable, absurd and mind-boggling feature of the entire land-scape. After Asad's death, the succession of his son, Bashar, saw the ubiquity of his father's visage decline noticeably but still it did by no means disappear.

Wedeen's work does forcefully and with keen insight what I once thought was impossible. Though known to be patently absurd by all Syrians, inside and outside the elite, Wedeen argues cogently that this cult in its own way reinforces power for the state by demarcating the boundaries of political practice 'as if'...i.e., politics in Syria are to be practiced AS IF the cult expresses reality. Her analysis also broadens to include investigations of the vast amount of state resources squandered on the cult and the circumscribed efforts to resist and protest the gov't. Highly recommended reading for anyone studying the modern Middle East.

This engaging and often witty work asks the basic question, "how do rituals and symbols that are widely understood to be false or absurd help to support a regime?" Her answers help to complicate our understanding of the relationship between state symbolism and legitimacy in authoritarian states.

Happily, the value of this work is not limited to political theory. Indeed, for most readers, these theoretical issues will be secondary to the insights and observations Wedeen offers regarding the workings of the brutal and repressive Syrian regime. Her authorial tone is wry and, despite its theoretical sophistication, this is an easy work to read. In particular, her reliance on everyday communications and popular media and the breadth of examples she provides bring Syrian society to life in a way that few academic works have.

A ground-breaking exploration of the subtle ways power operates to structure everyday life. Rich in ethnographic detail and eloquently written. Definitely worth _much_ more than $17. A worthy read, not just for people interested in contemporary Middle Eastern politics, but for those interested in issues of power, discipline and resistance. Ms. Wedeen is a rising star in the field of Political Science. Bravo!!

Wonderful book. Very nicely put together. Offers an intelligent introduction to all aspects of Balinese artistic life with gorgeous illustrations throughout.

Excellent book for both those who are Bali newbies and those who already know about it, although it might be a little too detailed for some novices. Informative, with fantastic photos and drawings.

This excellent book provides an extensive, reader-friendly overview of Balinese dance, music, drama and culture. It's the book we've all been waiting for. Written in an informal and high accessible style with wonderful pictures and illustrations it will no doubt be treasured by academics, Baliopihiles or anyone wanting to visit Bali and more deeply experience it's powerful culture. Rucina and Dibia (I know them both) are extraordinary and passionate lovers of all things Bali and have written and taught extensively for decades. If anyone was to write this book, they were the obvious choice.

There are dozens of books on this subject - most far too academic and inaccessible - including some of the classics. They got the information right, found the right expressive tone, and the layout is stunning.

A wonderful experience throughout!

Michael Wiese, filmmaker, publisher and Baliophile

Extensively illustrated with over 200 full-color photographs, Balinese Dance, Drama and Music: A Guide to the Performing Arts of Bali takes the reader on a captivating tour of the history, style, and function of Balinese gamelan music, dance, drama, and puppetry. Suitable for all ages, Balinese Dance, Drama and Music covers how performing arts are learned in Bali, the principal Balinese values that artistic media passes on, and discussion of individual forms of performing arts, such as Gameland Gong Kebyar, Lgong Keraton, Baris, Wayang Kulit, and the relatively recent phenomenon of women's and children's performing groups. A bibliography and discography round out this superbly captivating survey, written by expert dancers and choreographers.

A reviewer, curator of AfroAmericanHeritage.com, 03/13/2007
Highly recommended!
Brief though the period of the Wild West was, the exploits of its villains and lawmen have fascinated people around the world, and been disproportionately represented in pop culture. But the multicultural nature of the Wild West has rarely been evidenced in the plethora of films, books and television shows. Which probably explains why the arrival of Sheriff Black Bart in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974) elicited such a stunned response from the townspeople, and a riot of laughter from the audience. Imagine: a black lawman in the Old West! Imagine no more. Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a former slave, served for nearly 30 years in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories, the most deadly location for U.S. marshals. And according to glowing accounts of his bravery, skill and steadfast devotion to duty (found in white newspapers of the time, mind you) nobody was laughing when he rode into to town, especially not the bad guys. As this book amply illustrates, Reeves is remarkable not merely for being a black marshal (there were others) but for being one of the greatest U.S. Marshals, period. But Reeves' story - with the exception of references published here and there - has been largely ignored by western historians. Though widely known and respected during his lifetime, he was illiterate and left behind no diaries or letters, so what little has come down has been in the form of oral history and legends. Art T. Burton has spent the better part of 20 years reclaiming the heritage of African Americans in the American West, and has scoured through a wide range of primary sources - including Reeves' federal criminal court cases available in the National Archives, and account books at Fort Smith Historic Site - to separate legend from fact and painstakingly piece together the story of this American hero. The book is not a biography in the traditional sense, but as the subtitle states, a reader. It reproduces many of the court documents and contemporary newspaper articles with just enough narrative to put them into context. Not being a Wild West buff myself, I felt the author did an excellent job providing background to help me make sense of it all. As the author recounts, one of the first responses he received from a local town historical society in Oklahoma when inquiring about Reeves was "I am sorry, we didn't keep black people's history." This book is the perfect example of the wealth of information which can be gleaned by a creative, dedicated historian who looks beyond the usual sources in order to root out the hidden history of multicultural America. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Western history and culture, law enforcement, American or African American Studies. And I hope this book inspires someone to finally bring the life and times of Bass Reeves to the big screen.

This is a very intereting book about a black marshal that rode for Judge Parker. I was amazed at the amount of money he made as a "non-paid" marshal. His influence on the court and the city of Fort Smith at the time was also interesting. An interesting twist to see a marshal on trial, and obviously, motivated by hatred.

Brief though the period of the Wild West was, the exploits of its villains and lawmen have fascinated people around the world, and been disproportionately represented in pop culture. But the multicultural nature of the Wild West has rarely been evidenced in the plethora of films, books and television shows. Which probably explains why the arrival of Sheriff Black Bart in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974) elicited such a stunned response from the townspeople, and a riot of laughter from the audience. Imagine: a black lawman in the Old West!

Imagine no more. Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a former slave, served for nearly 30 years in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories, the most deadly location for U.S. marshals. And according to glowing accounts of his bravery, skill and steadfast devotion to duty (found in white newspapers of the time, mind you) nobody was laughing when he rode into to town, especially not the bad guys. As this book amply illustrates, Reeves is remarkable not merely for being a black marshal (there were others) but for being one of the greatest U.S. Marshals, period.

But Reeves' story - with the exception of references published here and there - has been largely ignored by western historians. Though widely known and respected during his lifetime, he was illiterate and left behind no diaries or letters, so what little has come down has been in the form of oral history and legends. Art T. Burton has spent the better part of 20 years reclaiming the heritage of African Americans in the American West, and has scoured through a wide range of primary sources - including Reeves' federal criminal court cases available in the National Archives, and account books at Fort Smith Historic Site - to separate legend from fact and painstakingly piece together the story of this American hero.

The book is not a biography in the traditional sense, but as the subtitle states, a reader. It reproduces many of the court documents and contemporary newspaper articles with just enough narrative to put them into context. Not being a Wild West buff myself, I felt the author did an excellent job providing background to help me make sense of it all.

As the author recounts, one of the first responses he received from a local town historical society in Oklahoma when inquiring about Reeves was "I am sorry, we didn't keep black people's history." This book is the perfect example of the wealth of information which can be gleaned by a creative, dedicated historian who looks beyond the usual sources in order to root out the hidden history of multicultural America. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Western history and culture, law enforcement, American or African American Studies.

And I hope this book inspires someone to finally bring the life and times of Bass Reeves to the big screen.

Professor Burton's book about Bass Reeves combines thorough, meticulous scholarship on the details of Reeves' long career as a lawman with a most impressive general knowledge of the times in which he lived. The result is a biography unlikely to be surpassed.

A question that has long interested me, and is asked by this book, concerns the criteria of historical remembrance. Why, for example, is Wyatt Earp (to pick just one example) remembered and even celebrated to this day, when--at the very least--equally deserving historical figures, such as Reeves, languish in relative obscurity? Were history fair (and of course it is not) the reverse should be the case, as by any objective measure Reeves was the superior lawman. One is cynically tempted to conclude that too often subsequent historical recognition is far more a result of puffery than of merit.

Burton does an admirable job of reconstructing what can now be known about Reeves' remarkable life, and adeptly separates myth from fact along the way. This was a difficult task, as Reeves was illiterate, meaning that the record of his life is only indirectly available primarily through court transcripts, oral histories by others, and sketchy accounts in contemporary newspapers not often disposed to celebrate the accomplishment of a black man.

In addition, Burton is able to present new and significant information. I, for one, had not known that, toward the end of his career, Reeves was prominently involved in a spectacular shootout (every bit as dramatic as the OK Corral) in Muskogee with a deadly gang of religious fanatics. Until now, lawman Bud Ledbetter (the "Fourth Guardsman") got most of the credit for confronting these dangerous criminals.

Professor Burton notes that he's been working on this project, intermittently, for some twenty years--the result is worth the wait.

I had a cerebellar stroke in March, which caused this communications major and ex-Micrsoft college recruiter to become a disabled person who couldn't talk --overnight and very unexpectely, just like Mark..Mark's book is a good chronolgy of what that feels like and a good inspiration for recovery as he made a 100% comeback.

While I don't have his connections with Bill Cosby or presidents (and admire his newfound verve to use those contacts to get the word out about stoke), I share and admire his drive to recover - and that of his wife to support him...Stroke is not well known, we hear so often about cancer and heart attacks but it is the number one disabler - 455,000 americans will be struck by it this year, or one every 15 seconds...I had none of the prediposing symptoms (high blood pressure/smoker/family history/overweight) yet I still had a stroke and it has changed my life - just like it changed Mark's life into a recovering disabled person who had to learn to slow down and value a second chance at everything..we did not die and there is a distinct silver lining to stroke, which Mark's upbeat book chronicles...it was an easy read and a good boost...a profile in a different kind of courage for friends, family and Mark himself...Unlike many afflications, you CAN recover from stroke...it takes time and oomph.

CHANGE IN THE WEATHER: LIFE AFTER STROKE tells of a news anchorman at the peak of his life - and enjoying it - when he suffered a stroke. Mistreatment and misdiagnosis nearly cost him his life - and this memoir documents these issues, also following his rehabilitation from a massive stroke in which he lost some of his greatest gifts. A powerful account of triumph over harrowing physical issues evolves.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

MarkMcEwen has written an excellent book for those who have had a stroke or are caring for someone who has had one. His positive message is one of hope for all.

I found Mark's book very informative. I am living with a father that had a stroke last year and it was interesting to compare the stroke and recovery process. The major differences between the stories is that my father is 81 and I found him within five minutes of the stroke so he was able to benefit from the clot busting medication. Many of the rehab exercises for my father are similar to Mark's. Until I read this book I had not been able to get this information from someone that had experienced stroke or was caregiver for a stroke patient. All too often when I spoke to someone that had a loved one suffer a stroke their story usually ended with a death shortly after the stroke. I'm thankful I found him so quickly and that he survived the clot busting medicine. They let you know when you sign the consent that your loved one might not survive it. That is an awesome responsibility for anyone. I've encouraged everyone I know to talk to their loved ones so they will know how you feel should they every have to make that decision for you.

GREAT BOOK , A MUST HAVE FOR THE CONTRACTOR AND REMODELER . DOVETAILS WELL WITH THE IRC .

Are you a contractor or work in (or with) the trades? I rehab old houses and find this guide without peer. While not for the do-it-yourselfer (it's definitely not a how-to book, it strictly presents the salient aspects of the often confusing and opaque residential building codes), it's a quick reminder and update on codes applicable to electrical, plumbing, heating, and general construction. It covers mutltiple major codes. I've found the individual guides essential and this work combines them in a handy, fits in your portfolio size. Very useful for those who work in the trades, or deal with contractors, as I do.

If you work in residential construction work in some way, buy this book. Considering the price of the usual codebooks or even the books explaining the codes, this book is also a bargain.

Excellent product, received in similar condition. Will serve as a great tool to evaluate homes.

This booklet provides a fine checklist for reviewing your own designs or doing home inspections. This checklist is not intended to be a replacement for your building code books. You still need to have a firm understanding of the codes. Code Check does serve as good 'tickler' on thoses codes that you do not refer to regularly and helps make sure that you don't overlook something.

It is a great book and a nice additon to my collection of Diana books

The feeling I have when I look through "Diana In Art" is one of comraderie and warmth, of course with a touch of sadness at the loss, but it is a celebration of Diana's loving nature and her generous spirit. It's also amazing to see the different art from artists all over the world who admired the late Diana.

I am one of the artists who contributed to this book, and am honored to be a part of this tastefully written, compiled, and elegantly edited tribute to "The People's Princess." There are a few works by famous artists, but also a large selection of lesser-knowns (such as myself) who contribute a wide variation of creative styles and personal views of the beautiful Diana through their artwork. I received my copy a few days ago and spent several days reading it, and I am honored to have been a contributor to this touching and very warm tribute to Diana. The selections of quotes by Diana herself, and by friends and family, all contribute to the tone and mood of this tribute to her....she is still terribly missed.

I do feel she would've been fond of this book. There are enlightening quotes from a wide source of admirers that cast light on her spirit and life. I am under the impression that Diana wasn't the type to distinguish between the powerful and the common in her regard for people. Mem Mehmet follows suit with his selections which include the unknowns as well as the well established in the art world. I believe this was done in harmony with the way of Diana. Some of the work is serious, some strange, some traditional, some modern, and some simply comical. All are valid reminders of the affection and respect that were intended for her with each of these creative efforts. Most of this art is as original and special as Diana was, and all of it honors her. Congratulations Mr Mehmet, for following through with your obvious and deeply felt admiration for a lady you've helped forever remain in our memories.

Diana In Art is an excellent book of Art and Artists. A must have addition to any library. The greatest artists of the day including Andy Wharhol, Carlee, Andre Durand, Esrael Zohar and much, much more....

Looking forward to more of your books on celebrities!

Epting has done it again. He continues to take us on the road to "live" the events that happened in America's history. We toured with James Dean and then Marilyn Monroe. The third book in his trilogy is as exciting as his predecessors and a must have if you are an Epting "junkie." If for nothing else get this book to complete the set; after all who has only two volumes of "Lord of the Rings"? It's time to grab your camera and get out on the road. Come on; tell me who wouldn't want to fly a kite in the same place as Ben?

A third great book in this series, (James Dean Died Here; Marilyn Monroe Dyed Here), by author Chris Epting. All three are must haves for anyone interested in American pop and historical icons. With a location and brief summary, each place is easily found. Plus Chris has gone to great strides as to the accuracy of the factual information given. I personally know Chris by way of email and snail mail, and I can tell you he is a great person with a great personality, and that those qualities shine through in his work as well.

Another outstanding book from Chris Epting. A must for every glove compartment or carry-on flight bag--this is your instant guide to "where it happened". As always with Mr. Epting's previous books--it is well researched, with addresses and directions, photographs, and great descriptions of the actual sites where history was made. This is that perfect gift for any age--and an absolute must for any traveler. When is the Travel Channel going to make Mr. Epting's books into a series? PS: besides his trilogy pop culture books he has written the world's best sports book: Roadside Baseball--take this one with you too as you travel this summmer. Like with all his books--you won't be able to put it down (includes a great forward from Joe Buck). When was the last time an author was so much fun to read but you were educated at the same time?

Elvis Passed Here is the third in this series of books written by Chris Epting, and as I expected, exceeds my expectations. As with the previous books (James Dean Died Here & Marilyn Monroe Dyed Here), Chris guides us to the locations of other pop culture landmarks. What I particularly like about these books is the broad range of categories he chooses to cover. In addition to the categories one would expect (movies, music, art, etc.), Chris has also included chapters dedicated to such bizarre subjects as infamous celebrity events, historical tragic events, and crime.

I was fascinated to learn about pop culture locations in and around the city where I live. Locations that I didn't even know existed, or that I have probably seen countless times and not taken notice of.

This book, and those before it, have also added a new dimension to vacations and trips for me. Whenever I plan a trip, I now consult these books to see what pop culture locations exist where I'm going. For example, on our recent trip to New York City, I was able to eat at the first pizzeria in North America, visit the club where Jimi Hendrix was discovered, sit at the table where the famous scene from "When Harry Met Sally" was filmed, and find the location where the photo on the cover of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album was taken.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who want to add a fun and exciting new element to their travels!