Book Description
This striking title proposes a striking idea: To be fully human means to have an inclination toward art. However, the authors of this anthology go on to show us that the kind of art that fits with our deepest human society have turned away from their traditional values.
Customer Reviews:
Some valuable articles, but could have been better........2006-07-14
This book is a very interesting and useful compendium of traditional philosophies of art and artistry. Included are writings by such seminal thinkers of the traditionalist movement as Coomaraswamy, Guenon, and Schuon, and the book is worth the purchase price for these hard to obtain essays of Coomaraswamy's alone. However, this book is needlessly skimped on eastern philosophy (according to Seyyed Hossein Nasr's foreward the size of this anthology was limited due to the lack of space available, but other works in this series are more than twice the length of the present tome). The traditional philosophy of art is a fascinating and oft neglected subject, but one wishes it could have been more comprehensively treated here, especially as the editor obviously knows this field so well.
This volume also contains some fascinating articles by modern or contemporary practitioners of traditional arts such as Eric Gill, the poet Kathleen Raine, and the composer Sir John Taverner who provide a point of view different to, but still mostly consonant with, the above mentioned traditionalist metaphysicians. Also as above, one is grateful to have these works collated together in a single volume.
This book would normally get 5 stars alone from me for its subject matter, but due to its limited scope I must (sadly) give it three.
Customer Reviews:
The Pentagon - It's More Mundane Than You Thought.......2003-02-22
This delightful book imparts great technical and historical data while simultaneously giving your sense of humor a terrific workout. The big, beleaguered building comes alive with purpose and structure thanks to the well-written and thoroughly researched text. Suddenly the geometric monster fits neatly into the tapestry of American foreign policy and the reader is given a window onto the foibles and passions of the thousands of citizens who enter the monolith each day. I highly recommend this fascinating book to anyone who has ever wondered about the importance of the Pentagon, and the impact of the strategies that emanate from it.
Pentagon takes the starring role!.......2003-02-22
This book is both funny and functional -- I use it as a desk reference in my work counselling companies who have to work with, or sell to, the US military, as well as a random excuse to brighten the day.
Moreover, military officers I work with have started to recommend it to colleagues attending the services' staff colleges...not because there are no other reference books, but because this one tells you things that are useful in a way that makes you genuinely interested in learning more.
The Pentagon lore here is well-researched, and provides a terrific foundation for a primer on the parts of the US military with roots in The Building.
Better yet, it's a fine effort to bridge inter-service rivalries: you can read someone poking fun at those Other Guys with the Funny Uniforms and, while nobody's watching, actually appreciate the Other Guys' history, culture and lore.
My favourite parts are the ones about Classified Documents, and the civilian's guide to Missile Defense. Not only are these great examples of how Cateau and Levin make complex topics accessible with clear examples, but I just plain couldn't read these ones aloud to friends without laughing!
Okay, and the quiz on Navy Abbreviations catches even the most avid acronym interpreters!
The Pentagon for the Rest of Us.......2002-12-25
This funny and informative book will enable you to impress your friends with mystifying acronyms while providing insights into the ironies of the Byzantine blend of bureaucracy, magic, money and macho that fuel the high-tech beehive so appropriately shaped as the world's largest Pentagon. Perfect for the citizen who'd like to know more about how our military is "organized" and "managed" without a night course in government contracting or a trip down the flight path astride a laser guided missile.
It's da Bomb!.......2002-12-17
Written for the serious buffoon, I'd recommend this book as a lighthearted but informative read for those boring trips down the flight path astride a laser guided missile. Learn from this funny and informative book how to impress your friends with mystifying acronyms while gaining first-hand insights into the ironies of the Byzantine blend of bureaucracy, magic, money and macho that fuel the high-tech beehive so appropriately shaped as the world's largest Pentagon.
Book Description
Mons, le Cateau, Notre Dame de Lorette, First Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge, Festubert, Second Ypres, Loos, Fromelles, Vimy Ridge, Third Ypres, Cambrai, Fourth Ypres.
Interest in the battlefields of The Great War has increased exponentially in the last 10 years and credit for this must rest in large measure on the shoulders of Major and Mrs Holt. Not only did they pioneer the concept of 'Battlefield Tour' holidays but their books, of which this is the latest, have long been regarded as the Bible for tourists making the pilgrimage to the scenes of battles whether in Flanders, Normandy, Gallipoli or Arnhem.
The Holts, appreciating that today the areas visited has broadened considerably have researched a much wider book than their earlier Somme and Ypres Guides. This is the first part of the results of their labours and the second covering the Southern battlefields will follow later in the 2004.
Customer Reviews:
Back to the Front.......2007-06-29
Tourism, aided by easy Chunnel access, has made World War One's Western Front a significant British tourist destination. Veterans groups and family history researchers have joined history buffs and day trippers to make the battlefields, cemeteries, and memorials of the Great War a busy place. Predictably, sites associated with British and Commonwealth forces have been especially favored. While it always helps to know Flemish or French, neither are necessary to visit Ieper (French Ypres, British slang Wipers), Vimy, or the Somme where English is a second language.
If you're planning such a trip, you'll quickly encounter Tonie and Valmai Holt. Their numerous books and maps (twenty-three at last count, and growing) are the standard against which other battlefield guides are judged. Start with this volume (and its companion, The Western Front - South) and you'll be on your way. The Holts have driven all the fields, and provide detailed maps and directions to take you on the roads and tracks that cross them. {They assume you brought your car from Britain, and provide all their distances in miles rather than kilometers.} They miss very little. Tiny cemeteries, roadside shrines, wall plaques, and local amenities are all here (and keep in mind there are well over 100 cemeteries maintained just by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.). It sometimes gets a bit overpowering, and the casual traveler may want to consult a "best of" list or focus upon the sites that the Holts illustrate with attractive color photos that make this a fine souvenir of any trip. Be aware that their guides can send you to some moving experiences that are off the main paths: their advice at the Somme took us to the Devonshire Trench Cemetery and the 38th (Welsh) Division Memorial.
Their books are obviously works for the tourist. The Holts offer only brief historical summaries, so you will want to read a good general history of the 1914-1918 war before heading out. {We recommend John Keegan's Pictorial History of World War One, but there are many others.} You also need to remember that the Belgians and French, while welcoming visitors, want to live modern lives in the areas liberated from the Kaiser's forces. Surprisingly few sites retain the "feel" of the trenches (the Holts will steer you to them), and cemeteries and memorials far outnumber museums. The Holts admire valor and sacrifice, and they will tell you why those sites deserve respect. Some of their harshest criticisms are directed at those who poorly maintain a site. Two weeks and nearly a thousand kilometers of driving this summer from Ieper to St. Mihiel with the Holts convinced us they are the guides of choice. Take them with you when you go back to the Front.
Customer Reviews:
Seventh Book in the Crowner John Series.......2006-12-17
Bernard Knight, or to give him his correct title, Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, was a pathologist to the Home office until 1980 when he was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology at the University of Wales College of medicine, 1980. He has written the extremely successful Crowner John series of medieval mysteries, of which there are now ten or eleven books, His character Crowner John is certainly among my favourite characters in medieval mysteries.
In 12th century England much of the country lies under the rule of the Royal Forest Laws, with all hunting reserved for the King. When times are hard the ordinary villagers may well turn to poaching to boos their meagre larder, but the penalties are harsh and almost always upheld. The penalty for killing a deer on the King's land is mutilation or death and the laws are upheld by the King's foresters.
When a horse gallops into the village of Sigford, and its rider is being dragged along by the stirrup, with a broken arrow shaft sticking out of his back and the wearing the uniform of a senior forester there are any number of people who may have had cause to hate the man to such a degree that they would take his life. However when a second forester is attacked Sir John decides that there is something far more sinister than just a grudge killing and begins to uncover evidence of something far more sinister. And why is John's brother-in-law, the sheriff, Sir Richard de Revelle, a staunch supporter of Prince John taking such an interest in the attacks?
Amazon.com
Gary Larson calls The Complete Far Side, the massive two-volume collection of his Far Side cartoons, an "18-pound hernia giver." Sure to give any coffee table a solid workout, the handsome and heavy 1,272-page "legacy book" is a must for fervent fans; over 4,300 single-panel comics with more than half in color and 1,100 that have not appeared in any book form before (the popular--and far less weighty--paperback collections).
Set in rough chronological order, the comics share pages with occasional letters from fans, detractors, editors, folks made famous by a particular cartoon, and those begging for explanations. Though few explanations are provided (Larson personally supplies merely one, plus a single apology), this collection helps answer the inevitable "how do you think up these things" conundrum. Before each year's cartoons, Larson provides insight with essays about his childhood, various travels, occupational hazards, and his official rules for dealing with bedtime monsters (which often turned out to be his older brother). Most wonderful is the first essay on how the comic started. (His longtime editor Jake Morrissey's long introduction is a must read on The Far Side's story).
Despite no central characters, it's easy to spot patterns in Larson's wild and wacky cartoons. Animals, insects, and inanimate objects often exhibit all-too-human impulses. Larson's subjects are often in scenes of peril--disasters, visits to hell, and perhaps a hundred cartoons set on a one-palm tree deserted island. It is what Larson's fertile imagination mined from those situations that created fans and enemies for 14 years. (Larson retired at his peak and then went into jazz music). The comics are not indexed (how could they be--first lines? listings of cartoons with cows?); finding a favorite requires a great memory for its publication date. Best simply to peruse the pages of this beautiful collection in which you will certainly find more than a few new chuckles before landing on your beloved Larson sketch. --Doug Thomas
Book Description
New York Times best-seller!
“Every one of these cartoons is just something that drifted into my head when I was alone with my thoughts. And, for better or worse, I ‘jotted’ them down. It was only later, when perhaps I received an angry letter from someone, that it struck me: Hey! Someone's been reading my diary!”
—Gary Larson, from the preface to The Complete Far Side
Revered by its fans as the funniest, most original, most “What the ... ?”-inspiring cartoon ever, The Far Side® debuted in January 1980 and enjoyed an illustrious 14 years on the world’s comics pages until Gary Larson’s retirement in 1994. The Complete Far Side celebrates Gary’s twisted, irreverent genius in this ultimate Far Side book, a lavish production, which takes its place alongside collector’s-edition art books.
A masterpiece of comic brilliance, The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon every syndicated—over 4,000 if you must know—presented in (more or less) chronological order by year of publication, with more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book. Also included are additional Far Side cartoons Larson created after his retirement: 13 that appeared in the last Far Side book, Last Chapter and Worse, and six cartoons that periodically ran as a special feature in the New York Times Science Times section as The Far Side of Science. Creator Gary Larson offers a rare glimpse into the mind of The Far Side in quirky and thoughtful introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from puzzled readers appear alongside some of the more provocative or elusive panels. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin offers his pithy thoughts in a foreword, and Gary Larson’s former editor describes what it was like to be “the guy who could explain every Far Side cartoon.”
The Complete Far Side © 2003 by FarWorks, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Far Side® and the Larson® signature are registered trademarks of FarWorks, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
The Far Side collection.......2007-08-04
Having always been a fan of the Far Side, this was well worth the purchase and my wife and I have enjoyed laughing together. My only complaint are the many, many blasphemous cartoons where God is the butt of the joke. It is also annoying that there are so many cartoons promoting evolution. So discernment is needed.
Nice book - fast shipping ... unattended extra payments.......2007-07-22
The books (complete far side) itselves are marvelous. I received them much earlier than indicated by amazon. The only problem was that I had to pay 10 euro extra on import duties: the custom house had opened the packet.
Why Gary, Why?!.......2007-07-21
Though this collection is nostalgic for a die hard fan like myself, I can't suppress my disappointment at how many of these cartoons have been retouched in COLOR. This coupled with the small panel size and wasted page space is actually quite aggravating dispite the 1000 cartoons not previously released in book form.
The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set) by Gary Larson.......2007-07-13
Fantastic collection of Far Side cartoons all in two volumses. Wonderful coffee table books for company as well. Top of the line humor, especially for thinking people. Very inexpensive.
review complete far side.......2007-07-12
This is one a great job of one of the best cartoonist I know. A great work edited in a de luxe format. beautiful edition for a hilarious Saga.
The book is not to put in chideren's hand (too heavy ;-)). Every page is a delight drawn on a glossy heavy paper. A perfect balans for the mind and the senses.
Customer Reviews:
As rare as a Mackinac peach.......2004-01-04
This trivia book on "Seinfeld's" first four seasons is a lot of fun, but don't count on an updated edition anytime soon: Castle Rock Entertainment, which produced "Seinfeld," put the kibosh on the book five years ago when they won a copyright infringement lawsuit against the publsher.
All unsold copies were ordered destroyed, which is why "The Seinfeld Aptitude Test" now commands almost 10 times its original selling price.
Great Trivia!.......2002-04-09
After my husband and I used the "SAT" to quiz each other about the show, we put it in our guest bathroom. Needless to say, many of our friends have enjoyed the book, as well. I wish Beth Golub would write a follow-up, since this book was published before the show ended.
Great trivia book to have at your parties........1999-01-18
This book has great trivia for your party games. I have used it at home and at work. I only wish there was an updated version with trivia past the 1994 episodes. For example, one of the questions asks "what is Kramer's first name"? The book's answer is "unknown", but we all know it is "Cosmo".
Book Description
In this exceptional new fourth edition, the authors have elected to continue a "one volume" coverage of a broad array of topics, guided by three criteria: The text is comprehensive in its coverage of diverse areas comprising music psychology; it is comprehensible to the reader; and it is contemporary in its inclusion of information gathered in recent years. Chapter organization recognizes the traditional and more contemporary domains, with special emphases on psychoacoustics, musical preference, learning, and the psychological foundations of rhythm, melody, and harmony. Following the introductory preview chapter, Chapter 2 examines diverse views of why people have music and considers music's functions for individuals, its social values, and its importance as a cultural phenomenon. Chapter 3 discusses "functional music" and music as a therapeutic tool. Chapter 4 discusses descriptions and relationships involving psychoacoustical phenomena and gives considerable attention to perception, judgment, measurement, and physical and psychophysical events. Chapter 5 examines rhythmic behaviors and what is involved in producing and responding to rhythms. Chapter 6 considers horizontal and vertical pitch organization, tonality, scales, and value judgments, as well as related pedagogical issues. Chapter 7 examines basic aspects of musical performance, improvisation, and composition. Chapter 8 discusses approaches to studying the affective response to music with particular emphasis on developments in psychological aesthetics. Chapter 9 examines existing musical preferences and tastes. Chapter 10 closely relates the development and prediction of musical ability, music learning as a form of human learning, and music abnormalities. Finally, in the tradition of prior editions, Chapter 11 speculates regarding future research directions. This unique book is intended especially for undergraduate and graduate students in music education, music therapy, psychology, and related fields, but it will also be of interest to musicians, educators, therapists, business people, and anyone with a serious interest in music's power.
Book Description
There are more than 30 moves to choose from in a typical chess position. Yet masters regularly manage to select the best one--and they do it faster, more confidently, and with less calculation than other players. The reason: masters know shortcuts that enable them to think more efficiently. International Grandmaster Andrew Soltis explains these techniques, including how to use specific cues to find good moves, how to streamline the analysis of a move's consequences, and how to use both objective and highly subjective criteria to find the right move--from any position. An enlightening window into a Grandmaster's thinking process.
Customer Reviews:
Such a clear and thorough book.......2007-06-17
I really liked this book. Last week at our Chess Club I reviewed a Topalov game from this book. Topalov as Black has a drawish position or even a slightly inferior position. McDonald spends an entire page discussing the postion, comparing each of the pieces White versus Black. As the game progresses, Topalov improves each of his pieces and has a distinct advantage 10 moves later. This is a great example of not only evaluating a position, but also evaluating what that position can become. I really enjoyed this book and will consider future books by this author.
Well written book on the "thought process" in choosing your best continuation.......2006-09-18
This is a lot move than just how to choose "A" move, but would be better titled, How to choose the best "continuation". How to calculate and what goes into a logical plan with the thought process is a good discription of what Andrew Soltis's book is all about. Certainly this book is no substitute for having to study books on tactical situations, opening traps and positional play, but a nice supliment which will actually help you study better in addition to analyzing during play.
Great Book If You Struggle With Chess Thought Process.......2005-12-05
One of the most difficult aspects of chess learning I have faced in my chess studies is to get a handle on an effective and efficient thought process. This is especially true when playing against the clock in rated tournament games. How much time should you spend looking for tactics in a chess position? What should you look at next if you don't find any winning (or game-saving) tactics? Exactly how do chess grandmasters think during a chess game? Soltis does an excellent job of explaining these and many other points of consideration to make the chess move decision process more efficient. I'm just about halfway through the book, and I've already seen my play (and rating) improve.
I would classify the material as moderately advanced and state that the reader would get the most benefit from Soltis' examples if s/he already has a strong understanding of tactics and the basics of position play. So, I would recommend for USCF 1500 - 2000 rated players.
GM Thinking Insights.......2005-11-23
This book is, in a way, Part II of Soltis's book on calculation. It's very practical and gives some insights on how GMs choose moves at the board using Kotov's method, process of elimination, and "intuition". A good book with some good examples, but nothing revolutionary here.
Customer Reviews:
Helpful Book.......2007-06-27
Helps provide a clear model for analyzing companies and developing corporate strategies. In many ways, it is a more accessible take on Porter's Competitive Strategy.
Key concept, straightforward and short.......2007-06-24
Treacy and Wiersema make the case that the value of a product or service to a customer can be categorized in terms of efficiency (eg. low cost, on-time delivery), innovation (eg. latest technology or fashion) and/or customer intimacy (eg. customized solutions). They go on to argue that delivering each kind of value requires a different organization and culture, and hence the most successful companies are those whose business strategy is focused on delivering a particular kind of value to the customers that appreciate it the most, while remaining competitive in other areas. The analysis is accompanied by case studies of AT&T Universal Card, Intel and Airborne Express. The core idea of the book is valuable and 200 pages is plenty to explore it in detail.
Foundational Approach to Strategy.......2007-06-03
ALthough this book has been in print for over a decade, it is one I constantly come back to when helping clients organize their thinking about how they can compete.
I have been a Michael Porter fan for decades. However, when he describes competing by being a differentiated producer, it often left folks scratching their heads about what that meant. Treacy and Wiersema defing "customer intimacy" in a way that was effective in helping companies define how they could pursue differentiation. I have found that this particular strategy has applied all the way down to 1 to 1 marketing.
So the definitions and examples for three competitive strategies are clearly articulated, but also frameworks for implementing these strategies are provided as well.
All-in-all, a clear, compelling and implementable framework for competitive strategy.
This should be a text book.......2007-02-28
Best Marketing book I have ever read, I will keep this book forever. This is a must read for anyone in the marketing field. This book provides great examples along with real life examples.
Staying focused on core value proposition.......2007-02-26
The book reemphasizes the importance of product or service leadership, customer intimacy, and operational excellence. Organizations willing to be "anything for a buck" will find they loose touch with their customers quickly as they thinly apply talent and resources to serve everyone averagely.
Unity of purpose is also essential; a successful firm must act together to consistently and successfully compete. The book is good reading for managers and marketing professionals that need to review their business focus and the alignment of tasks, processes and competencies supporting that focus. The book offers materials to be used in team exercises.
Books:
- Experiencing Art Around Us (with CD-ROM)
- Fashionable Clothing from the Sears Catalogs: Early 1980s (Schiffer Book for Collectors and Designers.)
- Francisco Goya y Lucientes : 1746-1828
- Gardner's Art Through the Ages: Non-Western Perspectives
- Harrison Fisher: Defining the American Beauty : With Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors and Designers.)
- Hollywood Haven: Homes and Haunts of the European Emigres and Exiles in Los Angeles (Studies in Austrian Literature, Culture, and Thought Translation Series)
- Home Again with Me
- How to Draw the Human Figure: A Complete Guide
- I Send You this Cadmium Red
- Introspective 1972-1982
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- Metal Complexes and Metals in Macromolecules: Synthesis, Structure and Properties
- Rabbit Angstrom : The Four Novels : Rabbit, Run, Rabbit Redux, Rabbit Is Rich, Rabbit at Rest
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- Making Your Move to One of America's Best Small Towns: How to Find a Great Little Place as Your Next
- La Sanjuanera
- Memoirs of a Dada Drummer
- Mondrian: The Art of Destruction
- Our Girl in Washington: A Kate Boothe Novel
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The Betrayal of Tradition: Essays on the Spiritual Crisis of Modernity (Library of Perennial Philosophy)
The Foundations of Christian Art (Sacred Art in Tradition Series)
Ye Shall Know the Truth: Christianity and the Perennial Philosophy
The Essential Sophia (Library of Perennial Philosophy)
A Return to the Spirit: Questions and Answers (Quinta Essentia series)
