Book Description
With a trailblazing career that spans more than seventy-five years and continues to this day, with recent creations that include a Martini glass featured in Bombay Sapphire ads and vases for Klein-Reid, Eva Zeisel stands at the forefront of modern designers. Her works are a reflection of a profoundly independent vision and are featured in the permanent collections of museums throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.
In this lavishly illustrated, full-color book, the designer for the first time communicates the ideas that have guided and inspired her. Each aspect of the design process is analyzed—variety, spontaneity, line, contour, shading, and texture, among others—to show how the best works are the result of a dialogue between creator and object, the result of which is an environment that is pleasurable, comfortable, and elegant. The language in which this dialogue is conducted, “the language of things,” is one in which Zeisel's fluency is unparalleled, and her thoughts, read alongside the photos of her stunning creations and those that have inspired her, make this book indispensable to every enthusiast of art, ceramics, and design.
Customer Reviews:
Good collection of short essays and photos from one of the most experienced designers in the world.......2005-11-08
Eva does not subscribe to the theory "newer is better." The artist/designer's observations "On Design," refined from years of experience in the world of art and product design, exhibit a warm attitude toward design along with a distaste for the modern movement she has seen develop since her birth in 1906.
Zeisel believes the modern movement focused too much on removing and simplifying. She discusses why the philosophy of `simplify, simplify,' and the expectation of modern designers to create a visual appearance entirely unique for each new product, has simultaneously increased novelty. "Our inherent belief in evolution has led to our appreciation of novelty. ... [Designers] often forget to tone down [a product's] over-interesting features, its novelty, because we ... want to show our skill." Creating products void of character, personality, and warmth is something Zeisel wants future designers to avoid.
Zeisel's reflection on evolution leading to appreciation of novelty is as applicable to 24 hour news channels as to the design of objects. Eva hopes the 21st century will bring beauty, harmony, loveliness, and elegance to design, qualities she believes were not aims of the 20th century's modern movement.
The book itself is well done. The 169 full-color and 75 black-and-white photos, the focus of the book, are printed cleanly and driven by a nicely flowing narration. There is no shortage of photos depicting Eva's creations, but there are even more pictures of objects that are Eva's inspirations or examples of ideas. One particularly jarring photo shows what the Chrysler Building may have looked like without the proper attention given to its structure. Other photos bring in many diverse inspirations to Zeisel, including Roman aqueducts, Japanese courtyards, 15th century toys, and modern sculpture.
Eva wants designers to take their job seriously but still carry whimsy. "The control and articulation of line and surface doesn't give a sensuous physical pleasure like molding clay, but it requires disciplined articulation" between maker and object. She entreats her fellow designers to "not overvalue the lines we first sketch when developing our ideas. Play with them to articulate what we want to say, clearly and beautifully."
Eva's "On Design" contains wonderful insight into design along with many beautiful photos. The variety of design topics will make a good, quick casual read for anyone who appreciates thoughtful art and design, especially from one of the most time-tested designers in the world.
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On Design
Eva Zeisel
Manufacturer: DUCKWORTH G
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
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| Arts & Photography
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General
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| Design & Decorative Arts
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ASIN: 0715635484 |
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Eva Zeisel: Designer for Industry
Martin Eidelberg
Manufacturer: Univ of Chicago Pr (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
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General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
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General
| Exhibition Catalogs
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
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ASIN: 0226194736 |
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Teoria y metodologia de la historia del arte (Palabra plastica)
Jose Fernandez Arenas
Manufacturer: Anthropos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
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Spanish
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
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| Instrucción y Referencia
| Arte
| Arte, arquitectura y fotografía
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No-Ficción
| Libros en español
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| Automotriz
| Ciencias Sociales
| Crimen y Criminales
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| Estudios de la Mujer
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| Sucesos de Actualidad
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ASIN: 8485887042 |
Book Description
Reiichi discovers that Yumiko actually liked him the way he used to be before his magic accident that turned him into a beautiful young man! Knowing that any physical contact with Yumiko will turn him back into his alter ego, Reiichi finally kisses her with the hope of transforming in front of her eyes. But for some reason the magic doesn't work and Yumiko storms away in anger, clearly disgusted with Reiichi's actions. Will Reiichi ever find true happiness?
Customer Reviews:
Why????.......2005-12-20
So... what in the world happened to this title? How come they stopped releasing Duck Prince (in english) after the third book? It was halfway through! I read somewhere that the editorial house (CPM manga) that was translating it had trouble (or GASP!!...dissappeared!?!), i'm not sure, but either way it's just not fair for us readers to be left with an incomplete series. I at least was enjoying it a lot, with its funny plot, nice art and engaging characters. I could even identify with poor whiny, ugly Reiichi Shiratori with his endless self doubt issues and his rejection by classmates(although school for me has been over for a while now hehe)
It's so dissapointing...
After this, i was pushed to start buying my manga and manwha series AFTER their translations were fully released in a language I could understand.
I know it's ancient history, but still, can't someone take the series and finish translating them for us non-japanese speaking readers, please?
My 5 star rating was for what i was able to read of this cute story... Vol 1,2, and 3.
New and original.......2005-05-03
I have read this, the second book of the series as well as the first. The story line of ugly duckling to beautiful prince is amusing, especially since the boy is still the same inside, a oversensitive geek who cries a lot. The character is actually a little too pretty and femine looking. There is some lewdness and even a "in bed after sex" scene which I think was the most shocking scene I have ever read in manga, which is usually such a tease and dissapoint genre. I will definetely keep buying this series if only because it is different! Just to be forewarned, the read is a bit confusing, get into this if you are already into manga and used to the format.
Book Description
"Called ""the world's most original action auteur"" by the Village Voice, Takeshi Kitano is already legendary in Japan, where he is known both for his inventive films and for his legendarily caustic alter ego, comedian Beat Takeshi. In the United States, his stylishly noir aesthetic has both influenced and been admired by such directors as Martin Scorcese and Quentin Tarantino. His emotionally intense yet lyrical films have won him worldwide acclaim and honors, including the Grand Prix for Hanabi [Fireworks] at the Venice Film Festival. Now, the long-awaited Beat Takeshi vs. Takeshi Kitano offers a collection of essays on the internationally acclaimed film director by Casio Abe. Despite his impact on contemporary cinema, very little critical work on Kitano's films exists in the United States. Abe's book, originally published in Japan, combines a detailed look at Kitano's filmography with an incisive critique of the consumerist culture which Kitano's films play against. It is also purportedly Kitano's favorite book on his own work. This translation of Abe's writings on Kitano has been updated with articles that discuss Kitano's most recent releases, up to and including Dolls (2002), as well as extensive appendices and footnotes. Abe is one of Japan's preeminent cultural critics, and his book gives a rare and insightful look into the workings of one of the largest media cultures in the world. This will be the first book devoted exclusively to Kitano's work to be published in the United States. Beat Takeshi vs. Takeshi Kitano is the first volume in Kaya's ""Wicked Radiance"" series, which examines the work of a new wave of Asian filmmakers who are reshaping contemporary cinema."
Customer Reviews:
Beat Takeshi, Takeshi Kitano, we never knew ye.......2006-05-31
I'm a big fan of Takeshi Kitano and I picked this book up without even thinking about it when I saw it. It is a very nice paperback; small but well bound with a great cover photo.
The book is very well written but that may be the book's one flaw as it is very wordy and reads like a thesis. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, this simply isn't a book to pick up for a casual read as it is a bit demanding intellectually speaking. It does present some very interesting theories and insight into Kitano's work, both in film and in television. I really enjoyed reading the author's dissection on the nature of the Beat Takeshi/Takeshi Kitano relationship in his films and his take on television culture in general, which he crucifies more than once throughout the book.
Also, like with other books of this nature, I can't help but feel like the author sees way too much into Kitano's work, probably more than Kitano himself. Kitano doesn't strike me as the type to meticulously plan every tiny detail in his films as the author insinuates in this book. Kitano seems to me to be more of an instinctual director who works more off of intuition. While I do appreciate that this is an analytical essay on the subject, some of the theories and points are just way out there, probably enough to make Kitano himself scratch his head in a perplexed state.
The book covers everything up until "Dolls", which is a shame since Kitano has filmed "Zatoichi" and "Takeshis" in the past few years and I would've loved to read what the author had to say about those films.
If you'd like a nice, concise reading on Mr. Kitano's work (and who wouldn't?), I strongly recommend this.
The Two Halves of a Most Unique Filmmaker Meticulously Discussed.......2006-01-07
The seemingly split personality between international film auteur Takeshi Kitano and TV personality/movie actor "Beat" Takeshi has intrigued me since I saw his wondrous 2000 road movie, "Kikujiro", right after one of the ridiculously dubbed episodes of his game show, "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge" (a.k.a. "Takeshi's Castle"). What appears common between the two selves is the unpredictability of his technique and his quirky sense of humor. Film critic Casio Abe has done a thorough job in examining both halves of the man in question with a series of meticulously written essays that illuminate Kitano's artistic motivations and the native culture that embraces him wholeheartedly. "Kikujiro", as it turns out, is something of an anachronism in Kitano's filmography since he is known by Westerners for developing his own film noir aesthetic with its stylized violence and narrative idiosyncrasies. You can tell from the book why his approach is revered by directors such as Martin Scorcese, John Woo and especially Quentin Tarantino, who seems to follow similar themes in his films.
As a true Japanese film connoisseur, Abe tends to get didactic in his meticulous descriptions of scenes and character motivations within Kitano's movies. For example, his comments about Kitano transcending Beat Takeshi move toward a philosophical discussion that borders on pretentious. The author's praise sometimes gets a little too effusive, but it's a forgivable indulgence since only the most serious fan of Kitano's work would read this book. Regardless, it's fortunate that this work has been translated into English since Kitano's worldwide audience has been building steadily for the past decade. Abe includes several excerpts from Kitano interviews and paints as complete a portrait of the filmmaker as possible. Originally published in 1994, the graphically pleasing softbound book has been augmented with a series of more recent magazine articles that focus on his most recent work. This is an excellent overview of Kitano's work for those who have been lucky enough to expose themselves to his artistry.
Quite Good.......2005-10-02
The first Kitano Takeshi film I watched was Kikujiro in one of my Japanese classes. Entranced by the delightful film, I decided that I wanted to watch other works by this comedic director. Hoping for a similar sense of enjoyment that I experienced while watching Kikujiro, I purchased A Scene at the Sea and Fireworks. Let me say that what I experienced watching these two films were quite different than the one I had watching Kikujiro. A Scene a the Sea is probably one of the most minimalist films that I have ever seen in both dialogue and action, but watching it was like being in a quiet meditation for one-hundred minutes and small parts of the film, such as when Takako folds Shigeru's clothing or when the "Orange Woman" repeatedly asks a number of people to peel her fruit, are quite heartwarming. The ending of the film left me a bit melancholy, but it was tinged more with nostalgia than sadness. I then watched Fireworks which is a film that must be experienced more than once because the duel stories of Nishi and Horibe overlap more than one thinks upon the initial viewing.
Since then I watched several other Kitano Takeshi films and have enjoyed each in a different way be it the aesthetic beauty of Dolls or the ribaldry of Getting Any?. However, besides reading some short articles by Beat Takeshi that were, of course, more for fun than scholarly intent, I had yet to read a scholarly tome concerning Kitano's body of work. Therefore I was very pleased to read the announcement that Abe Casio's study Beat Takeshi vs. Kitano was going to be released in English. This was back in 2002 and so I waited and waited for the book to be released and after quite some time had passed, I forgot about it. However, one day, while randomly surfing the Internet, I came across the book and saw that it had been released, so I quickly ordered it and read it. It is quite good and I believe that both Kitano enthusiasts and Japanese film fans and scholars should read it.
Abe's book is separated into two halves. Being that the book was originally released in 1994 and Kitano had only directed four films, Violent Cop, Boiling Point, A Scene at the Sea, and Sonatine, so the book at first glance seems to be less than comprehensive work, however, with ample information concerning Kitano's work as an actor, Many Happy Returns, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, and his television work, Abe fills this supposed void. At any rate, the second half of the English edition of the book contains a number of articles concerning Kitano's later films, Getting Any?, Fireworks, Kikujiro, Brother, and Dolls.
As made obvious by the title, Abe contrasts the dueling personalities of the larger-than-life comedian Beat Takeshi and the more subdued, almost gloomy persona embodied within the filmmaker Kitano Takeshi. Much of the earlier parts of the book mainly consist of Abe's diatribes against Japanese television which he views as nothing more than a vapid waste of time consisting of little more than talk shows, travel shows, and cartoons. However, he also writes that television is dangerous because of its collective desire to homogenize a nation. It is within this miasma of pop-culture vacuity that the former manzai comedian Beat Takeshi raised to stardom, but he, along with his comic troop the Takeshi Gundan, or Takeshi Army, was able to prevent himself from being homogenized by his refusal to play along by television's rules. However, because it is a tremendous force, Takeshi was not able defeat television, so when opportunity to direct Violent Cop knocked, Takeshi jumped upon it. Without worrying if his films would be hits, it was nearly impossible for any Japanese film to do well during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kitano, as a director, was able to put his thoughts on screen, especially his relentless fascination with suicide.
Quite wordy and academic in nature, the names Walter Benjamin, Kierkegaard, Orikuchi Shinobu, etc. pop up quite often, one sometimes has to wage battle with Abe's words to find his main ideas, but the book is a valuable and welcome edition to ones Japanese film bookshelf.
Book Description
Our family songbook was so successful, many of you asked for more. Volume 2 is spiral bound and profusely illustrated, with notes and comments about many of the songs. It also includes separate composer and lyricist listings.
Product Description
A collection of John Nunn's best games from 1994 to the present day, annotated in detail in the same style as the best-selling Understanding Chess Move by Move. Throughout, the emphasis is on what the reader can learn from each game, so the book is ideal study material for those seeking to progress to a higher level of chess understanding. There is also entertainment in abundance: Nunn has a direct aggressive style, and many of his opponents in these games are ambitious young grandmasters from the generation inspired by Kasparov's dynamic chess. The book also includes all of John Nunn's compositions - problems and studies - with full solutions.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing and misleading.......2006-12-01
John Nunn is a wonderful chess writer. His 'Understanding Chess Move by Move' is possibly the most instructive chess book ever written. And his two previous books on his own games are excellent. However this book is a major disappointment. For a start it is dishonest. It does not, though the title suggests otherwise, apply 'move by move' analysis to the games. The title is a cynical attempt to cash in on the success of his previous book using that approach. Also, unlike his other game collection books, the book also has a tired feel to it and Nunn on the evidence of this book seems fed up with chess. The book also has quite an amount of 'filler' - studies, compositions, articles on chess publishing (hardly of much interest except to chess authors). In summary this book is cynically misleading in its title and very disappointing in its content. Instead read John Nunn's other excellent books.
Detailed Analysis of Dr. Nunn's Own Games by himself - even more advanced than his "Understanding Chess".......2006-10-10
As a chess player rated in the 1500s I found this author's "Understanding Chess, Move by Move" to be about right for my level, perhaps even a little beyond me. Dr. Nunn goes a step further by providing his own games in a like, move by move analysis, except the analysis gets even deeper and I found that the author expects you to have a solid foundation and understanding of concepts when tackling his analysis. This is a book for the advanced player, or at very least an intermediate player at the top end. A big easier reading using the move by move concept for the advanced beginner and intermediate player would be "Unbeatable Chess Lessons" (2 volume set), which is also good. I also liked Chernev's "Logical Chess" but it is too repetitous and outdated.
Sleight of hand with the title; otherwise, excellent.......2006-05-12
Excellent book. If you buy Nunn's books sight unseen as a matter of course, you should buy this book sight unseen. The usual high quality of his work is evident in this book.
However, minus 2 stars for the subtitle, and the chicanery I think was involved in selecting it.
Nunn wrote "Understanding Chess Move By Move" (hereafter UC) a book ,geared for the intermediate player (though advanced players could benefit as well). He commented on nearly every single move in that book, offering verbal reasoning when warranted. An excellent book.
The subtitle of the book under review is misleading. This is not really the "move by move" approach of "UC" but an failed (in my opinion) attempt to dummy down his analysis to a slightly higher level than what was presented in "UC."
By using titles that nearly mirror each other "Grandmaster Chess Move By Move" vs "Understanding Chess Move by Move", additional confusion is evident.
I believe that the title of this book and subtitle of this book were designed to get (the many) readers of "UC" to think that they were getting a book very close in tenor to "UC."
This is not the case.
Nunn tactitly admits this in his introduction, essentially saying that this book was written for a higher level of chess player than was "UC."
That major quibble (in my opinion) aside, this book can be studied with enjoyment and pleasure, and is recommended highly for those willing to go over thoroughly annotated games.
Many hours of wonderfully instructive reading.......2006-02-17
Since he is now more or less retired from active chess, John Nunn has taken advantage of his increased leisure time to bring his best games collection up to date, the present volume dealing with the years 1993-2003.
John Nunn is well known for his detailed analysis of his (and other people's) games, and at times in the past this has led to some criticism on the grounds that the annotations get in the way of the game. Mindful of this, and taking heart from the success of his previous book ;Understanding
Chess Move By Move,' he describes his approach as follows: "I have tried to comment on every significant moment in the
game, keeping the explanations as general as possible and avoiding getting bogged down in too much analysis except where the position really demands it." The end result is a really wonderful collection of 46 games and part games, well up to the usual impeccable Nunn standard.
The games alone would be well worth the money, but there are more goodies to follow. For there is also a section containing 25 studies composed by the author, and 18 problems, all with solutions. There are then two short final chapters, which I found particularly interesting. The first contains Nunn's views on the present state of the chess world, which are in general pretty pessimistic. He traces most of the problems to the Short-Kasparov breakaway in 1993, and he sees no reason to be optimistic for the future. The second short chapter deals with chess publishing, and the precarious situation facing both authors and publishers alike. He uses this opportunity to vent
both his frustration and wrath on Batsford in particular, with some justification as he and many others were treated very badly by Batsford in the 1990s and lost out financially.
With John Nunn you always know that you will get good value for your money, and that is certainly true of this latest book. There are many hours of wonderfully instructive reading contained within its covers, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
This review first appeared in the magazine En Passant.
A wonderful game collection, a few mild reservations.......2006-01-29
This book contains a collection of John Nunn's best games from 1994 until his retirement from tournament play. In some sense it is a sequel to his earlier collections "Secrets of Grandmaster Chess," and "John Nunn's Best Games." The quality of the games and their annotations meets the very high standards we have come to expect from this author. The manner of writing is similar to that of his justly acclaimed "Understanding Chess Move by Move". Though not quite commenting on literally every move, Nunn reveals his thoughts through the course of the game, and gives ample verbal explanations to go along with concrete analysis. Amateur players will no doubt find this instructive. The games are interesting, reflecting Nunn's taste for sharp struggles. Nearly half of the games feature the Sicilian Defense. Each game is accompanied by a bit of historical background and some hints for what to expect.
There are 46 games in the main part of the book, though 9 of them are actually game fragments. I would have preferred to see complete games. A player index and opening index follow near the back cover.
Unexpectedly the remaining 45 of the book's 285 pages do not contain annotated games at all. Rather, there is a collection of the author's composed chess puzzles and their solutions. Some are intended to be instructive ("Studies") while others are primarily for enjoyment ("Problems"). The Studies are highly challenging, and anyone attempting them seriously will learn something. The Problems include helpmates, as well as some truly implausible (but amusing) positions.
The final 16 pages contain two essays by Nunn; one on the deplorable state of chess as a profession, and the other on the travails of the Batsford publishing company. (I enjoyed reading these essays, but that is only because I follow chess the way most other guys follow football.) One way to make it all come together is to think of this book as an autobiography; its content reflects Nunn's impressive achievements across several related fields - professional tournament play, writing, problem-solving and composing, and publishing. This human element is something many readers would appreciate.
Having said that, I think some buyers expecting a typical game collection might feel a bit shortchanged by having several incomplete games in the main section, plus the puzzle section and essays near the end. No one will be disappointed by the annotations, however.
The physical and visual qualities of the book are top notch.
Average customer rating:
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Watch Your Cleavage, Check Your Zipper!
Guy Lebow
Manufacturer: S.P.I. Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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| Entertainment
| Subjects
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General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
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General
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ASIN: 1561712841 |
Books:
- Exploring Colored Pencil
- Future Cinema: The Cinematic Imaginary After Film (Electronic Culture: History, Theory, and Practice)
- Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective, Volume II (with ArtStudy CD-ROM 2.1, Western)
- Glamorous Movie Stars of the Eighties Paper Dolls
- Glorious Garden Flowers in Watercolor
- Gustav Klimt: Modernism in the Making
- Hallmarks of the Southwest (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
- Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes from and Why
- How to Draw Animation: Learn the Art of Animation from Character Design to Storyboards and Layouts (Christopher Hart Titles)
- How to Draw the Human Head: Techniques and Anatomy
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