The Art and Mythology of The Da Vinci Code

Book Description

The idea for this companion book to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was conceived by readers who, like most other readers, mentally visualize the people, scenery, architecture, and objects described in the text they are perusing. It offers photographs of all the major buildings, landmarks, art, and mythology referenced in Brown's best-selling novel. Whether reading the novel because it is a great mystery or because the reader is intrigued by the theological hypotheses, this volume will enrich the experience, allowing readers to visit the art and mythological characters and perhaps expand their knowledge of them.

Customer Reviews:

A "must buy" companion book to the novel........2007-09-27

As I read the novel, I could only picture the buildings, locations, and associations in my mind. David Morris has lifted the veil, and has given a new meaning and apprciation of the book. The great photographs, and the well-writtwen, meaningfull and very discriptive text, makes the book a "must buy" for anyone who has read the novel, and especiallyto one who is planning to read it. I can only hope that Mr. Morris is working on a similar companion book for "Angels and Demons". David, you must.

The Art and Mythology of The Da Vinci Code.......2006-03-10

Excellent book! This book actually lets the reader see the places and pictures mentioned in Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code. It really helped bring the book to life. This book is a MUST HAVE whether or not you're reading The Da Vinci Code.

A spectacular augmentation to a masterpiece of fiction.......2004-12-24

What a tremendous addition to a great work. As a published author and someone with an insatiable appetite for reading, I was, like so many others, mesmerized by The DaVinci Code. What a tremendous bonus to discover 'The Art and Mythology of the DaVinci Code by David Morris. If you attempt to conjure images while reading (don't we all?), this work is nothing short of remarkable. While well read, I am not well traveled, making this work all the more enjoyable. I found myself re-reading DaVinci!! Don't miss this masterpiece.

extremely interesting.......2004-12-19

I have truly enjoyed every minute of it. The perpetual beauty of the book is remarkable. The perfect view and clearity of the pictures give you a 'being there' feeling; however, the knowledge that pours from the words are eqaully superb. Overall, this is a must have book to complete one's collection.

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Manufacturer: Morris Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 0961304669

Book Description

Charles Addams was renowned for his depictions of love (or lack thereof) in his cartoons. The passion of Morticia and Gomez Addams, the lonely desires of Fester, the numerous grim and ghastly fights between husband and wife -- all found their way into Addams's signature drawings.

Addams's concept of love was quite a bit different from the traditional idea of romance. Forget roses and chocolate, Addams will show you how to woo a mermaid or celebrate an anniversary on a desert island. Or how to keep your husband on a leash -- literally. Learn what to do when your prince stays a frog, even after you've kissed him.

Compiled from Addams's personal archive, many of these cartoons are previously unpublished gems, while others are Addams classics. The cartoons in Chas Addams Happily Ever After run the gamut from ecstatic love to disappointed affection to murderous obsession and demonstrate that love really does hurt.

Customer Reviews:

The Origin of the Addams family!.......2007-09-21

This is where the characters that would later become "The Addams Family" got their start. Charles Addams with his unique sense of humor sheads a light on the dark side of humor. With whacky commementary on such light subjects such as suiside,murder and marrige, Mr. Addams never seemed to be without his tounge securly lodged in his cheek or was it bitten off? Oh well one never can tell what might come to mind after spending quality time in HIS mind! Anyone who loves the numerous shows or movies based on these hilarious cartoons owes it to themselves to see just where it all began!

If you've never seen these cartoons, READ THEM! Classics!.......2007-01-13

These are hilarious! It's morbid humor without being morbid - it's hard to explain, but I can tell you this, this are wonderful! You will not be disappointed - everyone loves these cartoons.

excellent.......2007-01-10

Is a good compilation of charles Addams works. With this book we have a wonderful view for the most important topics of this important american creator.

Customer Reviews:

Hit and Miss, be prepared........2007-10-03

There are quite a few good comics in here. David Heatley's sexual history is one of the best comics I have ever read. But, be prepared for A LOT of stuff, that is not only barely definable as a comic, but also nearly impossible to read or even look at. It's actually physically painful to the eye. That being said, the few good stories here are excellent.

Concentrated mind-altering substance.......2006-08-21

Very nice collection of alternative 'comics', although most are so inventive, progressive, funny and well-written that calling them comics doesn't seem to do them justice. Philosophical, arty, wacky, psychedelic - an excellent compendium for any underground comics fan, and a great starter for interested bystanders who know there must be some really great stuff like this out there but don't know where to start.

Yay comics!.......2006-07-24

Easily one of the finest comics anthologies in the world right now, and this issue is a treat! If you're at all familiar with the many contributors, you'll know what you're in for (only this time, almost everything's in full colour!). If you're not, but you're into alternative comix, or want to sample some of the most interesting stuff happening at the fringes of contemporary art and/or literature, then give it a try. [...]

this is one of the top comix anthologies.......2005-08-15

you really should get this. i read super-fast, so i was so pleased that this book lasted so long. it features over a dozen experimental comix in all styles. it has a copy and paste aesthetic that is so beautiful. and everything is rendered in beautiful eye-popping color. from the historical, to the religious, to the far-out drug-addled - this covers the gamut of comix and features newbies and famous cats.
if you're looking to get into comix, experimental comix or if you like jazz or interesting cinema - you probably should check this out. it's really worth searching for.
if you liked McSweeney's Quarterly Concert No. 13, this is better.
-VoodooArtist

outstanding.......2005-03-11

I am a graphic design student who has never been interested in comics, but the visually stunning jacket of this book caught my eye. I couldn't even read the freakin' title and it's written two times (once on the spine, once on the cover). 'Kramer's Ergot 5". What the hell does that mean, anyway? It doesn't matter. This book is beautiful and the comics are outstanding....pretty fresh stuff. The stories are great, the illustrations are great. I am in love. Each comic is a treasure of it's own.....they're ALL good. Well worth the $30 or so it costs.....this is a great gift for any comic lover, and if you're not one yet after this book you just might be.

Book Description

A wry and sumptuous look into the world of celebrity . . .

For Gaboraholics everywhere, here is the story of Jolie, Zsa Zsa, Magda, and Eva, complemented by a glorious collection of personal photos, movie posters, press clippings, and other never-before-published Gaborabilia.

The Gabors! Could they be the most famous sisters in the world? Why, of course, dahlink. And now, in worshipful words and fabulous pictures, here they are in all their glory.

The Gabors! From their beginnings in Hungary, where Mama Jolie molded her daughters Zsa Zsa, Eva, and Magda to glow in the spotlight, conquer kings and millionaires, amass fortunes, break hearts, and become world famous in the process.

The Gabors! Their arrival on Broadway and in Hollywood, their twenty-three (!) combined husbands, their royal progression through movies, radio, nightclubs, television talk shows, and every possible avenue to fame and glamour.

The Gabors! Their names, long ago, became part of our descriptive lexicon. Their voices, as distinguishable as any since the invention of recorded sound. Their faces, recognizable as any captured on film. Revered and oft ridiculed, they evolved from parodies of glamour and luxury to ultimately become icons of endurance and style.

The Gabors! As extolled and exalted in a one-of-a-kind book based on the personal memorabilia collection of Anthony Turtu, arguably the world's biggest fan of the Budapest Bombshells. Along with creative director Donald F. Reuter, he has given us a once-in-a-lifetime, exquisitely produced treat, a lavish collection of Gaborabilia that secures the Gabors' rightful place at the top of the pop-culture registry.

Customer Reviews:

There isn't another book like it, and I mean that literally.......2007-04-25

Unless somebody decides to sit down and write a Citadel Press-style "The Films of the Gabor Sisters" book, this is the most comprehensive collection of photos and memorabilia of Zsa Zsa, Eva and Magda one is likely to find readily available anywhere (I don't count the autobiographies written by Eva and Zsa Zsa, which are starting to get hard to find). The dedicated fan/author Mr. Turtu has brought together a splendid collection of B&W and color photos, movie posters, lobby cards, magazine covers and other artifacts of the beauteous, much-wedded Gabor sisters for the delectation of readers. As several other reviewers have said, this is exactly the sort of book you'll want to display on my coffee table - I'll have to clear some room on my own very crowded table to make room for it! Recommended without hesitation to any Gabor fan.

A complete Coffee Table book, but who cares??!!.......2004-01-07

This tribute to the fabulous, witty Gabor sisters (and mother) is truly the ultimate fan's tribute. Practicaly everything in the book is from the author's personal collection. Bursting with photos, memorabilia, and classic quips, this book is a visual extravaganza with color and glamour everywhere, much like the excellent Gabors. Of course, the book, by its very nature, has a limited audience, and if you're viewing this, you're probably committed to buying the book, but let me encourage you: Get it now.

Bottom Line: While short on biographical info (see "Such Devoted Sisters" for that), this book is full of frosting and glamour, the perfect tribute to the frothy Gabor family.

A Book As Vonderful As The Gabors Themselves.......2002-09-27

This is a great little book when you need a little glamourous inspiration in your life! The Gabors (all of them) were every inch stars: glamourous dresses, giant jewels, and witty quotes, such as "I ask myself more questions than Hamlet as I ponder which shoes to wear" (Eva) or "How many husbands have I had - you mean apart from my own?" (Zsa Zsa). I love it! This book celebrates the Gabors and their larger than life presence from the Hungarian beginning through their celebrity in Hollywood. In short, it is simply vonderful, dahling!

A Coffee Table Must!.......2002-04-05

We all have days on which we are down in the dumps and need a little glamor. Gabors ARE glamor. Beautiful, colorful book. Buy it for the makeup tips alone!

"I wasn't born. I was ordered from room service" Zsa Zsa.......2002-01-22

It would have been a sad world indeed without the fabulous Gabors, their wit, wisdom, beauty and charisma and above all their glamour has kept us spellbound for decades. This book is a celebration of their lives and acheivements, I only wish it was twice as big. Filled with photos movie posters and memorabilia, it lists the Gabor sisters various appearances in Las Vegas, in stage shows and on the big and small screen. People forget Zsa Zsa starred in many memorable movies like 'Lovely to Look At', 'Moulin Rouge', 'Lili', 'Death of a Scoundrel','Queen of Outer Space', 'Arriverderci Baby' & 'Naked Gun 2 1/2' and Eva's films included 'The Mad Magician', 'The Last Time I Saw Paris', 'Artists and Models', 'Gigi' and 'The Aristocats', as well as having a cult following on the 60's T.V classic Green Acres. These women never stopped working and supporting themselves, making legendary guest appearances on countless T.V shows and having everything they said and did reported in the columns. They never stopped partying either, or changing husbands. In glorious gowns they adorned the covers of countless magazines and tabloids and have themselves written tell-all books on their lives. This coffee table book celebrates their journey from El Morocco to Studio 54, it showcases their style as true Hollywood celebrities and legends. "A wry and sumptuous look into the world of celebrity" Robert Rechter.

Book Description

The life and music of the Romanian composer George Enescu, 1881--1955

Customer Reviews:

A neglected genius........2006-01-29

The book, the first attempt of this kind in the West, tells the story of the life and development as a composer of George Enescu, a neglected genius of the 20th Century classical music. Noel Malcolm, being the first Westerner to be given full access to study Enescu's manuscripts in the G. Enescu Museum in Bucharest, was able to produce here a wonderful biography written to appeal to the non-specialist reader as well as to the musicologist.

An all-round musician, once described by Pablo Casals as "the greatest musical phenomenon since Mozart", Enescu was not only one of the greatest violinists of the century, but a distinguished pianist and conductor too, an enlightened teacher (Yehudi Menuhin was one of his pupils) and a tireless and selfless organizer of the burgeoning musical life in his native Romania. Certainly these numerous activities limited the quantity of his compositional output, but they in no way affected its exquisite quality.

Only now we are beginning to probe beyond the picturesque Romanian Rhapsodies to rediscover the genius of his other works, such as his second and third symphonies, the third orchestral suite, the symphonic poem Vox Maris, and of course, Oedipe, a supreme masterpiece in the history of opera and undoubtedly one of the peaks of 20th Century music.

No one was more modest or less egocentric than this truly great man. A reason why he is so little known in the West is also his refusal to self publicize his works. And unlike two of his contemporaries (these two being also amongst my favorite composers!), Richard Strauss, a loyal supporter of the Nazis and Dmitry Shostakovich, a puppet of the Soviets, Enescu showed very high standards of character. Remaining true to his principles and moral values he chose self imposed exile in Paris rather than having to deal with the communist regime installed in Romania by the Soviet Union in 1947.

Finally, the book as well as the ever-growing number of recordings of his compositions, all milestones in raising the awareness of Enescu's genius, enable us to place him among the foremost shapers of 20th Century music. My belief is that is just a matter of time before his reputation would start to rival Bartok's.

George Enescu: His Life and Music.(Brief Article): An article from: Notes

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George Enescu: His Life and Music.(Brief Article): An article from: Notes

Manufacturer: Music Library Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on September 1, 1994. The length of the article is 393 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: George Enescu: His Life and Music.(Brief Article)
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 1994
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: v51 Issue: n1 Page: p222(1)

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

This is the fifth book in our very successful ULTIMATE LARGE PRINT CROSSWORDS OMNIBUS series. Never before has it been so easy to read more than 100 puzzles--based on a variety of topics, different levels of challenge, and both common and advanced word choices--assembled by many of the world's most distinguished cruciverbalists. The large print and dark type make these puzzles comfortably legible, while the large grid squares allow puzzlers plenty of room to write in each letter. The spiral binding and heavy-duty back cover also make for extra-convenient puzzling. It's a thoughtful gift for senior citizens or anyone who appreciates a challenging puzzle book that's easy on the eyes.

Amazon.com

Imagine running into the ultimate management mentor late one night on an otherwise deserted commuter train, and walking away from the strange encounter with an encapsulated guide to success in the corporate world. That's exactly what screenwriter and business coach Patrick Lencioni has done in The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable, placing his tale in an easy-reading and thought- provoking kind of self-help novel.

Designed to be read in a single sitting, this book uses the unexpected meeting between troubled high-tech honcho Andrew O'Brien and a mysterious old man named Charlie to explore a series of common traps that can unwittingly ensnare any hard-driven executive. Lencioni hones in on the five "temptations" of the workplace: desires to jealously guard career status, consistently remain popular with subordinates, unfailingly make correct decisions, constantly strive for an atmosphere of total harmony, and always appear invulnerable. A discussion of the story's events and their real-world implications follows, as Lencioni shifts from screenwriter mode to business coach to help answer some of the questions he raises. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Absorbing, compelling, and utterly memorable, The Five Temptations of a CEO is like no other business book that's come before. Author Patrick Lencioni—noted screenplay writer and sought-after executive coach -- deftly tells the tale of a young CEO who, facing his first annual board review, knows he is failing, but doesn't know why.

"This book provides extraordinary insight into the pitfalls that leaders face when they lose sight of the true measure of success: results. This model is required reading for my staff."
—Eric Schmidt, chairman of the board and CEO, Novell

Any executive can learn how to:

recognize the mistakes that leaders can make
avoid errors before they occur
and much more!

Refreshingly original and utterly compelling, the story of this executive (written to be read in one sitting) will be enjoyed, remembered, and reread for years to come. It serves a timeless and potent reminder that success as a leader can come down to practicing a few simple behaviors—behaviors that are painfully difficult for each of us to master.

"Lencioni delivers a provocative message: CEOs mainly have themselves to blame when things go wrong. If you're a CEO (or any manager for that matter), do you have the courage to face the blame? Doing so could change your future-for the better."
—Dr. Jerry Porras, coauthor, Built to Last; professor, Stanford School of Business

You won't find any dry management rhetoric in this razor-sharp novelette. Apply these riveting lessons in leadership with the self-assessment at the end of the book. It will change your career!

Customer Reviews:

Five Behaviors of Effective CEOs.......2007-07-13

This is one in a series of "leadership fables" in which Patrick Lencioni shares his thoughts about the contemporary business world. His characters are fictitious human beings rather than anthropomorphic animals, such as a tortoise that wins a race against a hare or pigs that lead a revolution to overthrow a tyrant and seize control of his farm.

In his Introduction to this book, Lencioni observes that all chief executives who fail -- and most of them do at one time or another - make the same basic mistake: "Essentially what they are doing is putting the success of their organizations in jeopardy because they are unwilling to face - and overcome - the five temptations of a CEO." Briefly, here's the fictitious situation. Lencioni introduces Andrew O'Brien who is about to complete his first year as CEO of Trinity Systems, a position to which he was promoted after four years with the company. He is about to participate in the first board meeting in which he will be held accountable for the results of an entire fiscal year. "Those results, as he had grown accustomed to saying, were `unspectacular at best.'" He dreads the meeting. Almost immediately, it becomes obvious that Andrew's career is in serious jeopardy...and he knows it as he leaves the office shortly after midnight and takes a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) commuter train to return home.

What then happens allows Lencioni to dramatize for C-suite executives - and especially for CEOs - the importance of recognizing and then resisting the aforementioned temptations. Once aboard the train, Andrew meets and engages in a conversation with Charlie that continues when they are joined by the Bald Man, the Stylish Man, and the Tall Man. As a result of this extended conversation, Andrew has the business equivalent of a religious epiphany: he realizes why his leadership as CEO has been, until now, "unspectacular at best" and also realizes what needs to be accomplished during the board meeting the next morning.

Lencioni adds a nice dramatic touch when there is a brief encounter in the hallway after the board meeting. Andrew sees a maintenance man hanging a photograph, "wearing the same color shirt that Charlie wore the night before... Turning toward the end of the hallway, Andrew saw the old man turn the corner. He yelled `Sir?! Charlie?' The old man did not answer or reappear. Andrew sprinted to the end of the hall, turned the corner, and saw no one." The significance of this moment is best revealed within the narrative, as are the circumstances at Trinity Systems three years later, examined in the final chapter.

At least 8-10 years ago, Lencioni apparently made a conscious decision to address especially important business issues by creating a human context for each rather than merely offering answers to questions or prescribing solutions to problems. To me, this is one of the greatest benefits of a business narrative, in this instance of a leadership fable: Creating a series of real-world situations (albeit portrayed fictitiously) that readers can identify with emotionally as well as rationally. He is a brilliant business thinker but he also possesses the skills of a master raconteur as he introduces a cast of characters, develops conflicts between and among them, and then allows "rising action" to build to a climax that is also best revealed within the narrative. Unexpected plot developments engage the reader even more.

As is Lencioni's custom in each of the other volumes in the series of "leadership fables," he concludes with a section -- "The Model: A Summary of Why Executives Fail" (Pages 111-130) -- whose value-added benefits will help his reader to make effective application of the lessons learned from Andrew's experiences as he struggles with various temptations as well as with the consequences of his decisions...and non-decisions. The questions posed in the self-assessment section are especially well devised. Easy to ask, of course, but difficult to answer.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Patrick Lencioni's other "leadership fables" (especially The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive) as well as Ram Charan's Know-How, Adrian Slywotsky's The Upside, Michael Ray's The Highest Goal, David Maister's Practice What You Preach, Bill George's Authentic Leadership and his more recently published True North, James O'Toole's Creating the Good Life, and Michael Maccoby's Narcissistic Leaders.

Great lessons, terrible writing.......2007-05-30

The five lessons in this book are well worth noting, but getting there is extremely painful. The lessons in this book are thought-provoking and challenging. Looking at my career, I have falling into a few of these traps myself.

Unfortunately, it reads as if it were written by a 7th grader. Much of this book is painfully awkward dialog. Fortunately it is short so the pain doesn't last long. Just get a running start and plow through it as fast as you can!

The Five Temptations of a CEO.......2007-01-03

One of the best books I have ever read!!!!

A bland overview of the basics .......2006-12-28

Nothing succeeds like success in this follow up fable by Patrick. His books work best when they're relevant to your specific situation. In this case if you're in a leadership role and need a little shot in the arm to do the right thing (although I don't imagine many CEO's reading this book). Recommend passing on this rather light fare and looking over Patrik's "5 Dysfunctions of a Team".

Summary - A CEO has just completed a year with very average results. Staying late for the annual meeting he travels home on the subway and meets a homeless man who asks a few pointed questions...

The Five Temptations of a CEO:
1. The desire to protect their career.
2. The desire to be popular.
3. The need to make "correct" decisions.
4. The belief that it is better for people to get along then have conflict.
5. The desire for invulnerability.

Some additional nice quips from the book:
* Overcoming the 5 temptations: Choose results over status, choose accountability over popularity, choose clarity over certainty, choose conflict over harmony, and choose trust over invulnerability.
* Some exec's fear being wrong so much that they only make a decision when absolutely certain of the results.
* The best way to come up with the right decision quickly is to get everyone together and suck all the honest opinions out and come to consensus.
* If no one feels a little pushed out of place then we probably didn't put all of our issues on the table.

Another Lencioni Masterpiece.......2006-11-10

Once again Mr. Lencioni takes his expertise in leadership applications and combines it with his story telling style and produces a real "hands on" book for CEO's.

The Leadership Fables of Patrick Lencioni, Box Set, contains: The Five Temptations of a CEO; The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive; The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

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The Leadership Fables of Patrick Lencioni, Box Set, contains: The Five Temptations of a CEO; The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive; The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Patrick M. Lencioni
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0787968072

Book Description

An elegant, attractively priced box set of the bestselling leadership fables

This set brings together all three of Patrick Lencioni's successful leadership fables: The Five Temptations of a CEO, The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, and The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Each book combines an engaging fictional story with insightful analysis to address some of the major obstacles facing leaders today. All three of the stories are aimed at helping readers build healthy organizations, focusing on results, not politics. While these tales are set in the business world, Lencioni's wisdom and practical advice will appeal to general readers and benefit leaders in any field. The classic and consistent design of the trilogy make this a perfect gift set.

Patrick M. Lencioni (Emeryville, CA) is President of The Table Group, a management consulting firm specializing in executive team development and organizational effectiveness. As a consultant and executive coach, he has worked with hundreds of senior executives in organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies and high tech start-ups to universities and nonprofits. Some of his clients include Novell, AT&T, Visa, and The Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. He has worked internationally in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Canada, and Mexico.

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