Unlikely Pairs: Fun With Famous Works of Art

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Don't Fence Me In With Frames . . .

Bob Raczka comes up with unlikely pairs of famous works of art

Fabulously funny art book!

Unlikely Pairs: Fun With Famous Works of Art
Bob Raczka
Manufacturer: Millbrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Art | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0761329366

Customer Reviews:

Don't Fence Me In With Frames . . . .......2007-04-16

. . . OR, rigid ideas about ART. Bob Raczka's cover 'pair' is amusing and colorful: the thundering Niagara opposite Bingham's fur traders as they edge toward the brink (?) on a deceptively calm Missouri River. It may well be my favorite double spread but among the next pages are "soap bubbles" and the pairing of Kandinsky's "several circles" that come close.

Van Gogh's "pair of boots" - is a little-known masterpiece and the pairing may be apt (what legs!) but how can we Not think of the boots displayed on our National Mall to memorialize the soldiers killed in the war against Iraq?

Each of Raczka's "pairs" is compelling, and the titles of the books in his Art Adventures Series for children are well-chosen for catching the eyes of parents & educators. We ALL hope to stir the imaginations of cildren. and need to be encouraged by creative artists like Bob Raczka. Lerner Books deserves praise for publishing great art education titles through their recent acquisition Millbrook Press.

And YES, Reviewer mcHaiku's imagination has begun pairing other works of ART. The Chagall windows at Chicago's Art Institute come to mind when viewing "the scream" and my mind leaps ahead to other favorites: Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894), Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), Gustave Baumann (1881-1971), N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), Tsugohau Foujita (1886-1968), Diego Rivera (1886-1957), Charles Burchfield (1893-1967), Wanda Gag (1893-1946).

What exciting adventures Bob Raczka has started us on! Don't be 'fenced in' . . . miss none of his titles.

Bob Raczka comes up with unlikely pairs of famous works of art.......2006-01-10

Bob Raczka has written several interesting books about art for children. "More Than Meets the Eye: Seeing Art With All Five Senses" encouraged children to experience art through their mouths, ears, noses and fingertips. This meant tasting Thiebaud's "Cakes," hearing Tanner's "The Banjo Lesson," smelling Wyeth's "Portrait of a Pig," feeling Rivera's "The Tortilla Maker," and seeing Close's "Self-Portrait." "No One Saw: Ordinary Things Through the Eyes of an Artist" celebrated the artistic vision of modern artists from Renoir to Kandinsky. Young readers were introduced to individual artists and the special way in which they see the world.

In "Unlikely Pairs: Fun with Famous Works of Art," Raczka provides a way of looking at works of art that is quite different from what you would find in a museum. Their works are usually displayed by the artist, movement, or time period (although an exhibition might provide a more thematic approach). In this challenging book, Raczka puts together 26 famous works of art by dividing them into 13 "unlikely pairs." The pairings are "unlikely" because the artists come from completely different ears or at least represent completely different styles. The assumption is that when you see two very different pieces of art side-by-side that your mind will automatically start making connections between them. To be clear, Raczka does not tell his readers, whether they are young or old, what to think. He merely provides the opportunity for them to do so.

For example, the cover shows Andy Warhol's "Do-It-Yourself-Landscape" on the left side page and Jean-Frederic Bazille's "Self-Portrait" on the right. The two paintings were done 97 years apart and the reason they are paired is that Bazille is shown hoping a paintbrush and palette while Warhol's painting is incomplete (numbers 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 16 remain to be done). The other pairings are equally humorous, from Jan Vermeer's "The Guitar Player" providing the music for Keith Haring's dancing figures in "Untitled," to Frans Hals' "Young Man Holding a Skull" freaking out Edvard Munch's "The Scream."

Not all of the artworks are paintings. Emile-Antoine Bourdelle's "Herakles Archer" takes aim at Jasper Johns' "Target with Four Faces," while Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker" contemplates Paul Klee's "Large Chess Board." Okay, I am going to stop now because there are only thirteen of these and since the humor comes from the visual juxtaposition describing them spoils the fun. One pair works vertically rather than horizontally. The back of the book tells readers a little bit about each author next to a thumbnail reproduction of their artwork that appears in the book.

The only problem with this book is that there are only 13 such pairs because these only whet your appetite for more of the same. I want to share these with my Introduction to Humanities course, and think it would be fun (and instructive, but not necessarily in that order), to have students put together their own such combinations for the class. I am sure that art teachers or anybody dealing with students with regards to art could do the same thing. I bet that right now you are thinking up your own combinations, like Renoir's "Bathers" and da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." See how easy it is to come up with combinations that can readily produce a smile?

Fabulously funny art book!.......2005-09-14

This book is so great! I love this book, I love this author. The author, Bob Raczka, juxtaposes two completely different art works to create hilarious scenes. For example, there is a paint-by-numbers type of painting next to a painting of an artist standing and looking in the direction of the page with the paint-by-numbers, holding his paint palette. In another combination, there is a painting of a waterfall. Next to that, you will see a painting of a few men in a small canoe paddling straight towards the falls. I shared this book with a group of complaining and disenchanted fourth graders and it made every single one of them smile and laugh. Success.

Dubious Doublets: A Delightful Compendium of Unlikely Word Pairs of Common Origin, from Aardvark/Porcelain to Zodiac/Whiskey

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Edelstein serves up a feast of wordplay for us all
Delightful and Enlightening

Dubious Doublets: A Delightful Compendium of Unlikely Word Pairs of Common Origin, from Aardvark/Porcelain to Zodiac/Whiskey
Stewart Edelstein
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

English (British) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Etymology | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Linguistics | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0471227641

Book Description

Take an enchanting tour through the tangled roots of English

Quick, what is the common denominator of the following words: onion, twinkle, travel, squad, foist, semester, October, noon, and dicker? By the time you finish reading Dubious Doublets, the answer will be as obvious to you as the relationship between lettuce and galaxy, nostril and thrill, or witch and vegetable!

This surprising, enlightening, and entertaining guide uses a delightfully innovative approach to explore the evolution, lineage, and proliferation of words. Beginning with pairs of seemingly unrelated modern English words-dubious doublets-the author traces them back through the millennia to reveal not only their common roots, but also the living thoughts that form the true links between these improbable pairs.

You'll discover, for example, why the words flamenco and flamingo are both related to the complexions of the Dutch, how the biblical son of Isaac is related to a French garment and a Halloween decoration, and what going berserk has to do with playing hopscotch. You'll also uncover the common roots of such seemingly incompatible dyads as bully/friar, muscle/mouse, and everyone's favorite, feather/hippopotamus.

Richly supplemented with cultural anecdotes, literary excerpts, and lively discussions on a broad variety of relevant topics-not to mention a series of whimsical illustrations that offer intriguing clues to word origins-Dubious Doublets is, quite simply, a word buff's delight.

Customer Reviews:

Edelstein serves up a feast of wordplay for us all.......2003-10-03

I got this book at a reading by the author, whose enthusiasm for his subjecct was infectious. I was also enchanted by James Grashow's whimsical woodcut illustration on the cover--a mauve hippopotomus doing a feathery fan dance. The illustrations beckon us into Edelstein's etymological digs into the shared parentage of strange doublets--hippopotomus and feather being just two. Both words stem from the Indo-European #pet- (as well as the suffixed form "pet-ra,")meaning "to rush, fly." With a light touch, Edelstein flies through feather's line derived from the Greek "pteron" (feather or wing) through the Jurassic Age archeopteryx, pen (as in,quill), penne (pasta shaped like a quill); then rushes us on to pinnacle, panache, petulant, impetus, perpetual, compete, repeat, appetite, and get this, symptom. But, he asks, "how does the massive, slow-moving hippopotamus, which has absolutely no sense of panache and certainly can't fly, join the family of rushing and flying words? The answer is not in the 'hippo' but in the rushing water where it thrives. Greek 'potamos' means 'river,' originally 'rushing water.' Greek 'hippos' means 'horse.' Literally, a hippopotamus is a 'horse in rushing water.' Hippos rarely wander far from water, where they feed on water plants and share vegetation, feel buoyant, and stay cool."

All this information in a single page of text!

But the book is not just a trip through the meandering geography of our language. Edelstein has unpacked th treasures words have gleaned from their travels, and he entertains us with their tales. Think of gods, muses, royalty, clergy, soldiers, maids, barbarians, Romans, Greeks, French, Germans,Americans all sharing a common table, swapping stories, jokes and wordplay and you get some idea of this book. It's rich Epicurean fare packaged as small tastes--tapas, perhaps. And, it is a comfortable book, cozy in the hands with a soft cover; light enough to carry in a backpack or purse (which I do); with clear operating instructions (doublets are in alpha order). Erudite but friendly, Edelstein's Dubious Doublets might be construed as Pooh's take on the Oxford English Dictionary. For me, it's become a pal.5

Allison Tracy, Western Massachusetts

Delightful and Enlightening.......2003-07-08

Anyone interested in words will find this book to be delightful and enlightening. Stewart Edelstein has taken many unlikely pairs of words and traces them back to reveal their common, often surprising roots. For example, he pairs "gazebo" and "placebo." A gazebo is a structure, he explains, which affords an enjoyable view. A placebo is a substance with no real effect. What do these words have in common? Expectation, we learn. Then we learn about the history and the early recorded uses of the words. The book is filled with discussions of such "dubious doublets"-- which provides the book's title-- from "aardvark" and "procelain" to "canary" and "cynic" to "salacious" and "salmon" to "dentist" and "dandelion," and many, many more. Dubious Doublets is a delightful read, filled with erudition and humor. And it is accessible to people who, like me, have never really studied word origins. It is beautifully and humorously illustrated. It would make a fine gift for writers, people interested in language, or people who enjoy words games. It can be read in small doses or in large portions, depending on one's mood. I heartily recommend it.

Chasing the Panda: How an Unlikely Pair of Adventurers Won the Race to Capture the Mythical "White Bear"

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Panda-monium!!!
The authentic narrative of Ruth Harkness and panda
Interesting read
Worthy Effort, But Polluted with Gossip & Inuendo
An Eclectic Escape, and in Non-Fiction

Chasing the Panda: How an Unlikely Pair of Adventurers Won the Race to Capture the Mythical "White Bear"
Michael Kiefer
Manufacturer: Four Walls Eight Windows
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1568582234

Book Description

In 1936, Quentin Young, a 22-year-old Chinese American, led American socialite Ruth Harkness on a 1,500-mile expedition into the remote mountains of Sichuan. Braving warlords and primitive tribes, the duo captured a giant panda and brought it back alive, the first time a live panda had been seen by the Western world. Hunters and scientists assumed the pair had stolen the animal. When it became clear the find was genuine, Ruth Harkness became a celebrity. But Quentin Young, together with his brother and fellow guide, Jack, was swept into the chaos of World War II and became a spy. A few years ago, Michael Kiefer discovered Quentin, now elderly and living in the United States. The resulting book sets the record straight.

Customer Reviews:

Panda-monium!!!.......2006-02-23

If you are one of the many who has been smitten by our Baby Panda, Tia Shan, at the National Zoo in DC, and have read The Lady and the Panda, by V. Croke, or Ruth Harkness, here is a book that is a must read. Mrs. Harkness would have never been able to get the first panda to the US without help from the Young brothers, Quentin and Jack. Mr. Kiefer spent years speaking w/them, and they provide information and perspective that helps give more life & detail to very important characters that didn't get the recgonition they surely deserved. Great photo's wish there were more.

The authentic narrative of Ruth Harkness and panda.......2005-06-12

Though a movie and a new book have been based on the story of Ruth Harkness, Quentin Young and the expedition to find the first panda have appeared recently, both were inspired by Michael Kiefer's book, which is the real McCoy. Originally commissioned as a piece for the New Yorker, the manuscript was ultimately published as this book. In the meantime, Kiefer's exciting story based on his unique access to one of the principals, Quentin Young,inspired the other two projects. The film, the name of which I forget, twisted the story into total fiction, and the latest book is derived in large part from this one. So if you want to read a well-written great escape of an adventure story set in the context of place, politics,and history and with the imprimateur of George B.Schaller himself, Michael Kiefer's " Chasing the Panda: How an unlikely pair of adventurers won the race to capture the mythical white bear" is the one to read. The photographs from Quentin Young's archives are awesome, beautiful, and illuminate the lost world or the patrician Chinese of the day, as well as the expedition itself.

Interesting read.......2004-06-19

Although not exactly what I was expecting, this book was in interesting read about the Chinese naturalists and their involvement in how the West first came to know the giant panda. This book detailed many historical facts about how Western naturalists, with the aid of a couple of Chinese, moved through China and collected many specimens for display in the US. I recommend it to anyone who has a deep interest in the giant panda and the history behind our current love affair with these black and white bears.

Worthy Effort, But Polluted with Gossip & Inuendo.......2004-04-26

The characters and their true to life tale of adventure keep this book going, but the author has watched too much Hard Copy or Entertainment Tonight and seems to dwell on the sex lives and personal failures of many of the principals, which have nothing to add to the overall search for the pandas. He seems to have exploited his relationship with Quentin Young, which takes away from the dignity of the story. Nonetheless, I would recommend the book as an interesting read and one of only a few on the subject.

An Eclectic Escape, and in Non-Fiction.......2002-04-24

Kiefer provides an eclectic escape that covers nature, people, politics and history...and all within the confines of a true tale! I will never gawk at those cute bears the same way again, knowing the story of their "discovery" and what that story tells us of the specific times--and the general nature of people. The read is "light," yet one learns a bit along the way. This is my version of a nearly perfect summer read. A romantic "novel" for thinking persons.

Can You Match This: Jokes About Unlikely Pairs (Make Me Laugh)

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Can You Match This: Jokes About Unlikely Pairs (Make Me Laugh)
Rick Walton , and Ann Walton
Manufacturer: Lerner Pub Group (L)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Puns & Wordplay | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0822509733

Pocahontas: An Unlikely Pair (Disney's Storytime Treasures Library)

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Pocahontas: An Unlikely Pair (Disney's Storytime Treasures Library)
Disney Enterprises Inc , and Lisa Ann Marsoli
Manufacturer: Advance Publishers LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

An unlikely pair--character education through literacy strategies.: An article from: Childhood Education

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An unlikely pair--character education through literacy strategies.: An article from: Childhood Education
Melanie Wallace , and Craig Knotts
Manufacturer: Association for Childhood Education International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000825OBK
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Childhood Education, published by Association for Childhood Education International on March 22, 2004. The length of the article is 5355 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: An unlikely pair--character education through literacy strategies.
Author: Melanie Wallace
Publication: Childhood Education (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2004
Publisher: Association for Childhood Education International
Volume: 80 Issue: 3 Page: 134(8)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Bankruptcy and the internal revenue service: An unlikely but workable pair

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Bankruptcy and the internal revenue service: An unlikely but workable pair
James W Tippin
Manufacturer: Continuing Legal Education, University of Missouri-Kansas City
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Bankruptcy | Business | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00072170I

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In Search of the Monkey Girl
Spalding Gray
Manufacturer: Aperture Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0893812579

Amazon.com

Babymouse is a legend, a siren, a rock star…at least in her own mind. Babymouse is a typical kid (aside from the whiskers and tail) with a big, big fantasy life to help her through the hazards of public school life: school buses, broken lockers, bullies, math class. But then there's her beloved band. She has music in her soul, if not actually in her flute. This year, though, things are going to be different. She's going to be the star of the concert. Or at least move up from last chair.

The sister-and-brother team of Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm have attained perfect pitch with Babymouse, who stars in her own series of graphic novels, including Babymouse: Queen of the World and Babymouse: Beach Babe. Illustrated in black and white for her humdrum daily existence, the scenery turns decidedly pink as Babymouse stage-dives into her imaginary world. Reluctant and avid readers alike will happily devour every book in the series, and wait eagerly for more. --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Move over Mozart! Babymouse has music in her soul...but sadly, not in her flute. Will Babymouse ever hit the right note? Will she be the star of the school concert, or is her musical career all washed up before it's even started? Find out in Babymouse: Rock Star, the sensational fourth book in the Babymouse series--taking center stage this fall!

Customer Reviews:

Brava Babymouse!.......2007-01-30

There is no smarter or cannier look at school life than Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm's Babymouse series. The traumas that plague Babymouse and her classmates are universal. Gym uniforms ARE ugly, lockers DO attack, school meat loaf SHOULD be regarded with suspicion and riding the school bus is ONLY for the very VERY brave.

In Babymouse: Rock Star, music is a solace and joy for our heroine but even there, chair tests create yet another pecking order, this time in Band. Hoping to work her way up from last chair for the school concert, Babymouse resolves that she will practice hard for the tryout. Alas, the results of her efforts are, "Screeech!" With the help of a friend, she learns that real music is something you feel in your heart. Band parents will completely identify with this story.

Babymouse's wonderful imagination (she is a reader) carries her daily struggles into the world of the Wizard of Oz and the Pied Piper of Hamelin and her musical dreams into the realm of American Idol-ness.

These graphic novels are rich in humor for young readers but junior highschoolers will also identify. If you have not added this series to your library collection yet then do so asap!

Brava!

Rock On, Babymouse!.......2006-11-10

Babymouse is back in "Babymouse: Rock Star," the fourth volume of the Babymouse series.

This time, school and music are getting her down. Oh, and her number-one enemy Felicia Furrypaws.

How does Babymouse cope? She daydreams, of course. First, she's a rock star. Then, on a boring Wednesday, a tornado whisks her out of school. But, daydreams won't save her from her biggest problem: she wants to play the flute better. She wants to move from last chair in the school band.

Felicia Furrypaws is second-to-last chair and torments Babymouse. Fortunately, Babymouse finds help from a fellow Furrypaws victim and succeeds in the end with a little practice, instruction, and targeted daydreaming.

Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm triumph again with this latest installment in the tales of your average school-aged mouse. Babymouse's daydreams are fun and action-filled, but the beauty of the books is in the everyday. Everyone has angst about their position in the band, everyone fears a school bully, and everyone hates the bus.

The bus is the star of my favorite sequence in "Babymouse: Rock Star." The bus screeches up, the driver says, "Let's get moving! What do you think I am anyway? Your own personal chauffeur?" Then Babymouse comments that the bus "was like an obstacle course." The obstacles? "Doesn't open. Talks too much. Gets bus-sick. Soda spill. Bumpy. Rickety. Kind of scary. Gum. Picks nose. Yells." True, true, true.

"Babymouse: Rock Star" is highly recommended for school-aged children five and up. And, even though "Babymouse" is written at approximately a third-grade level, I've found young middle schoolers love Babymouse as well.

Babymouse, Vol. 4: Rock Star (Babymouse (Paperback))

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Babymouse, Vol. 4: Rock Star (Babymouse (Paperback))
Jennifer L. Holm , and Matthew Holm
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417731923

Book Description

This long-awaited "companion" volume boasts over 500 all-new glossary-style entries to help you decipher anime's distinctive content, images and cultural motifs. Ranging from Aikido to Zero fighters (with Japanese Mountain Vegetables in between), Gilles Poitras covers the minutiae of anime in fascinating detail, including illustrations, anime images, film citations and numerous references to the related art of manga. More than a guide, The Anime Companion 2 is a pop survey of Japanese art, kitsch, history, food and daily life. Now with entries in kanji and English, the Anime Companion remains the best friend an otaku ever had. Volume 1 was chosen for New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age List.

Gilles Poitras is a librarian in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended, especially for anime and Japanese popular culture fans.......2005-09-12

Written by the author of "The Anime Companion", The Anime Companion 2: More... What's Japanese In Japanese Animation? is a reference especially for hardcore fans and casual viewers alike of Japanese animated movies and television shows, usually called "anime" for brevity. Both The Anime Companion and The Anime Companion 2 are arranged encyclopedia-style, but each one has its own list of A-Z entries; they are independent collections of entries gathered over the course of years. Like its predecessor, The Anime Companion 2 consists of entries, each one a few paragraphs in length, that define a specific Japanese geographical location, historical event or thing that often appears in anime and may well be unfamiliar to Western viewers. From the names of districts of Tokyo and other populous cities, to famous historical revolts, to foods commonly eaten in Japan, religious customs, and much more, the entries in The Anime Companion 2 give the casual browser a better understanding of Japanese daily life and culture roots. Entries are listed in alphabetical order according to the Romanized form of the Japanese words, but each one is also written in the traditional Japanese writing system of kanji, both the modern and old forms if applicable. All words that have an entry are in boldface for easy cross-reference, and icons show the reader at a glance the general facet of life that each word refers to: food, geography, religion, etc. The Anime Companion 2 especially focuses upon Japanese historical references, which were more scarce in anime when the first volume was published but seem increasingly common in modern anime, plus the author's sidebars and comments about anime fandom in general are intriguing. Highly recommended, especially for anime and Japanese popular culture fans.

Book Description

One of the hottest pop divas in the world, this hip, gutsy, talented superstar is the top-selling female singer of the nineties.Mariah Carey Revisited is a must-read for in-depth, up-to-date information on the singer's recent world tours, collaborations (with hip-hop artists like Puff Daddy and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony), her sexy new image, and the Butterfly album.

Customer Reviews:

I've always admired mariah.......2005-08-11

I've always admired mariah's music talent as a whole and remember reading this book 5 years ago from the school library and learned more about how she puts together songs and how she collaborated with songwriters. I think this book is a useful tool for those who wonder what it takes to get into the music industry, pre-american idol and reality show days.

Yippee.......2003-06-04

When i think of Mariah, I heer the bells in my head. She ain't foolin around when she says I gott get some love. Yea, she is the top and the book will tell you that. I love to chew some good gum when I read about her. She make me want to pop my gum.

mariah carey.......2001-02-14

If you have read his first book about mariah it is basically the same until the last few pages. But still a great book for dedicated Mariah fans like me!

A Nice Enough "Bio Lite" of Pop Superstar, Mariah Carey.......2000-11-11

Chris Nickson was one of the first- certainly not THE first author-to get involved in celebrity bios "lite". These are books about very high-profile celebrities, based almost exclusively on press accounts, some transcripts and other information they manage to collect about a celebrity. Most people buy these books- including Nickson's Carey tome- expecting a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at the star's rise to the top. If the book revealed hidden secrets or other negative things about the star and their climb, don't you think it would have been front-page fodder for the tabloids? This is a very nice, and relatively detailed book on Mariah's career. It is 192 pages, so you know it cannot be incredibly detailed, but it does delve into her childhood somewhat, and even into the years-or rather the 'lean year' before her discovery by Mottola. If you are a die-hard Mariah fan and own all of the magazine stories on her, have taped all her concerts and own all of her CD's and singles (let me put it this way, if you know she is the first and only female artist to have debuted at number one in the billboard hot 100, the first to do so three times, the only female artist with 15 chart-topping singles (behind only Elvis and the Beatles), the female artist with more weeks (62) at the top (behind Elvis only), with more platinum and gold singles, with more albums sold (128 million) throughout the world, with 84 gold and platinum records, with two diamond albums, and the only female artists with 8 studio albums certified 4 times platinum or better, if you know her stunning debut spent 22 weeks at the top, that Daydream was, before the Soundscan era and Britney, the biggest-selling (in one week, with 765,000 copies) album, that "Music Box" became the bestselling record ever by a female artist (with over 24 million copies sold right now worldwide, Daydream has sold 21 million, Mariah Carey 13, and even her Christmas Album, which has become a classic album and reached number three on the Billboard 200 sold 8 million copies) if you know all this, you probably will not learn anything new from the book. But it is enjoyable to see Nickson recreate her life from infancy, to marriage, to independent adulthood, while he review her albums and explains how they were put together, and even re-constructs the exciting release of her stunning debut album. Nickson's is a fine piece of nonfiction, and most fans, even those who know EVERYTHING about Mariah and will find nothing new in the book, will enjoy seeing her beautifully charmed life (and VERY productive (and blessed) career), put into perspective.

Mariah is the best DIVA ever!.......2000-06-10

Mariah Carey is an awesome singer, and also an awesome human being. She is not a jerk like Britney Spears. But most people don't like to give Mariah her due. Mariah earned her way to the top unlike others. Buy this book!

Amazon.com

Bored with the old board games that are gathering dust in your closet? Grab a copy of Kokology (koh-KOL-oh-jee; from the Japanese kokoro, meaning "mind" or "spirit"), a book that contains 55 psychological questions that aim to delve into your subconscious, revealing how you truly feel about work, love, family, sex, and much more. Created by Japanese psychologist Isamu Saito, Kokology puts a spin on traditional psychological tests by transforming them into a series of entertaining and approachable quizzes.

Innocuous questions make Kokology a perfect conversation starter. Find out how magazine reading corresponds with the way a check book is managed; learn what bringing an address book, hairspray, lucky charm, or gum to work may say about a personality trait; or discover your true feelings about sex by answering a few simple questions about an ideal amusement park ride. Kokology's creators have produced questions that will help you gain insight into yourself, but they add that Kokology is just a game and it's OK if you disagree with the results. However, the minds behind this game also believe that you'll find "more often than not you're surprised at how accurately the answers reflect people's true personalities, including your own."

Play Kokology at a dinner party, bring it on a road trip, or tote it along on your next date to begin unveiling new and exciting things about yourself and others. --Jenny Burritt

Book Description

Introducing Kokology -- the fascinating,
addictive pop-psych quiz game that
reveals the surprising real you

Created by a famous Japanese psychologist, kokology is the study of kokoro ("mind" or "spirit" in Japanese). Based on sound psychological principles, Kokology asks you to answer questions about seemingly innocent topics -- such as the color of an imaginary bird that has flown in your window -- and then reveals what your answers say about you. Kokology offers a unique approach to self-discovery and, when played with others, can provide hilarious insight into the you that they never knew.

Customer Reviews:

Really, I wear a lemon yellow coat, carry a clear quartz crystal, and it's the mechanics fault!.......2007-06-28

Kokology provides short, imaginary and some amusing scenerios and then asks you questions about the situation. How you describe yourself and/or parts of the scenerio provides insight into who you are and how you view life and those in it. Interesting. . . some of "games" are fun. This book would be fun relaxing with a group of close friends - especially, after imbibing a few drinks. I don't think I would "play" this with a large group, and certainly not with people I didn't know well. Some answers can get pretty "personal". I don't agree with all of the interpretations. I don't talk to camels because I'm losing out on love, but I do talk to my dog as a companion. People really do ask me what time it is in museums and art galleries, so my answer has no psychological tag as far as I am concerned. I have a physical problem with my ear that keeps me from enjoying rides, but- I have three kids. Right, and maybe not. The point is, the book is fun, but you can't take it too seriously, otherwise I'm losing my job today. The Cube, while limited more in scope than Kokology, is short, sweet, thoroughly enjoyable and funnier. I am not sure this is worth buying, but certainly enjoyable to read as long as you don't take yourself, or the answers too seriously.

Fun, fun and more fun........2007-06-03

A former roommate of mine kept nagging me to answer some questions from this book. No thank you was my constant response until I played just to make her stop.

I HATE these kinds of 'games', which I usually find ridiculous and boring. Responding to scenrios and reading 'what they reveal'. Blah. Or so I thought.

Kokology, while totting a serious label, was so much fun, and at times, too true (and not always something you want others to know!), that we did the whole book in a matter of days. Each scenerio was so benign and unassuming...but what they revealed was enlightening, mostly true and uproaring hilarious!

The ringer: you have to answer immediately, the first thing that pops into your head. You only get a few seconds, otherwise, it's a bust. You're not supposed to have enough time to organize something coherent or framed--by answering quickly, it's assumed you'll answer honestly (and it's true if you're willing and follow the rules). So don't play with people who aren't in the mood or take too long.

It's really fun to go back and re-read the answers you gave a few months later and to read other people's responses (of course, ask for permission and omit names unless it's ok with that person). I was laughing for hours on end.

I wouldn't try this on people you don't know that well. Because, frankly, it got a bit awkward, especially if it hit too close to home for some participants. Or have a few drinks then play. Rather, it was more fun to play with people you really know because you think you know what they'll say but realize they're is always more to discover.

The only downside is that it can give negative reads, espeically if people are trying to get a certain 'right' response (which really isn't possible, but people try...). It is easy to lie (knowingly or not) and/or get weird pscyho-babble. People have gotten very upset and even angry by one analysis or the other, so word of caution.

good fun...not really clean, though........2006-11-11

There was more sexual content than I expected in this book. I enjoyed the tests, and some were very insightful. My main complaint is that the book was finished far too soon!

A lot of insightful fun!.......2006-10-24

This is such a cool method, whether you do it on your self, with a friend, or with a group. It's psychology game designed to tell you a lot about yourself or the other person. And it's a lot of fun. You basically read a short story, and then answer some simple questions, like what the symbolism in the story means to you, what order you would do the tasks in, what colours you see the things as, who the voices you hear are, etc. Then, you read what your answers represent about yourself. The accuracy is simply amazing, this is obviously very well researched.

excellent !.......2006-01-15

i havent been able to put this book down since a relative introduced it to me. i even took it to work. im such a big fan of it . its quite possibly one of the most enjoyable books ive ever come across. kudos to the writers !

join my online kokology discussion forum

http://groups.myspace.com/kokology

( must be a myspace.com member to participate )

Kokology 2: More of the Game of Self-Discovery

Average customer rating:

Beware!
Just as funny, but not as insightful as Kokology 1...
So You Like To Play Games?
Wonderful conversation starter

Kokology 2: More of the Game of Self-Discovery
Tadahiko Nagao , and Isamu Saito
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743222121
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Book Description

Kokology 2 offers all-new insights into the surprising real you.

Kokology, the popular Japanese pop-psych quiz game, is now an American bestseller, and Kokology 2 offers more than 50 all-new quizzes, perfect for beginners and experienced kokologists alike. Kokology, the study of kokoro ("mind" or "spirit" in Japanese), asks you to answer questions about seemingly innocent topics -- such as which is the cleanest room in an imaginary house? -- and then reveals what your answers say about you. Play it alone as a quest of self-discovery, or play with friends, if you dare!

Download Description

Kokology 2 offers all-new insights into the surprising real you. Kokology, the popular Japanese pop-psych quiz game, is now an American bestseller, and Kokology 2 offers more than 50 all-new quizzes, perfect for beginners and experienced kokologists alike. Kokology, the study of kokoro ("mind" or "spirit" in Japanese), asks you to answer questions about seemingly innocent topics -- such as which is the cleanest room in an imaginary house? -- and then reveals what your answers say about you. Play it alone as a quest of self-discovery, or play with friends, if you dare!

Customer Reviews:

Beware!.......2007-04-30

This book was great. I ordered it and several of it's kind before going on a camping trip. Kokology 2 came before 1 arrived and it was the only one that made it on the trip. I hear 1 is good as well so we look forward to it's arrival. I made the time around the campfire so profound that we were all amazed. There are a few questions that might not hit home and if you don't live by the ocean or you don't live in a city so they are hard to imagine, but all in all we had a great time and all eagerly awaited hearing my cousin read the next question. Worth the money 10 fold.

Just as funny, but not as insightful as Kokology 1..........2005-10-17

I picked up Kokology 1 in a funky bookstore on State St. in Santa Barbara, several years ago. I've used it often with friends and family. The questions are intriguing, hard to cheat (you think you have them figured out, but you never do) and, because they are short, are very easy to play rapidly. For some reason, this book always seems to go over better than The Book of Questions (though I like that one as well).

I was very excited to get Kokology 2, as I have played the first enough times to start remembering my answers when I play it with new groups of people.

Unfortunately, though these questions are also hard to cheat and riotously funny (like the first book), they are not as insightful. I don't finish the questions thinking, "Wow! I didn't realize that about myself!" Two of the questions my husband and I played were very confusing. We both tried to answer one of them in different ways and it turned out that they were looking for something totally different than either of our methods. Another question asked us to come up with the emotions of all seven dwarfs (from Snow White), which was tedious and hard to remember (though I do think it was more insightful than some of the other questions).

Overall, I think the first book was better. Still, this is worth purchasing and playing with friends. After all, the best part of either of these books is the chance to get to know others better and become closer as a result.

So You Like To Play Games?.......2004-06-24

This is part two of the Kokology series and remains much along the same lines as the first. Here you have 53 different situations to contemplate and choose a response for. Many hours of fun ensue and possibly a few surprises could crop up!

Wonderful conversation starter.......2001-12-26

A friend told me about this little book that had surprising insights. I was curious and just had to check it out. Everyone that I have shared it with has absolutely loved it. Each exercise is just a paragraph or a few sentences. It describes a scenario and asks you to choose an option or visualize a scene. Your responses are the key to your personality traits. I have even used this book with a group of very bored teenagers in a classroom setting, and they loved it! The discussions were insightful and often hilarious. Some of the scenarios deal with adult topics, so I would advise one to edit it according to the audience. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Kokology: The game of Self Discovery
Tadahiko; Saito, Isamu Nagao
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0732269393

Average customer rating:

Kokology: The Game of Self-Discovery

Manufacturer: Fireside Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0684012596

Average customer rating:
40 Years of British Television
Jane Harbord , and Jeff Wright
Manufacturer: Boxtree Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0752210300

Average customer rating:
40 Years of British Television
Jane; Wright, Jeff Harbord
Manufacturer: Boxtree Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KM4T50

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