Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age

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Behind the Hi-Jinx

Comprehensive look at a dying artform

golden age...what golden age?

Interesting, but often unfair to brilliant directors

Barrier's Tome, Decades-Long in the Making--Finally

Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age
Michael Barrier
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons; Revised and Updated (Plume Books)

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ASIN: 0195037596

Book Description

In Hollywood Cartoons, Michael Barrier takes us on a glorious guided tour of American animation in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s, to meet the legendary artists and entrepreneurs who created Bugs Bunny, Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, Wile E. Coyote, Donald Duck, Tom and Jerry, and many other cartoon favorites. Beginning with black-and-white silent cartoons such as Winsor McCay's "Gertie the Dinosaur," Barrier offers an insightful account of animation's first flowering, taking us inside early New York studios and such Hollywood giants as Disney, Warner Bros., and MGM. Barrier excels at illuminating the creative side of animation--revealing how stories are put together, how animators develop a character, how technical innovations enhance the "realism" of cartoons. Here too are colorful portraits of the giants of the field, from Walt and Roy Disney and their animators (including Ub Iwerks, Bill Tytla, and Ward Kimball), to Dave and Max Fleischer, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, and Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera. And along the way, Barrier gives us an inside look at the making of such groundbreaking cartoons as "Out of the Inkwell" (with KoKo the Clown), "Steamboat Willie" (the first successful sound cartoon), "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," and "Bambi." The years from the Depression through World War Two witnessed a golden age of American animation. Based on hundreds of interviews with veteran animators, Hollywood Cartoons gives us the definitive inside look at this colorful era and at the creative process behind these marvelous cartoons.

Customer Reviews:

Behind the Hi-Jinx.......2004-03-18

This was a very good book, with a few caveats.

The first chapter, on silent cartoons, is hard going. Not until Walt Disney shows up does that chapter start flowing.

BUT from that point on, until the chapter on UPA, I had a hard time putting "Hollywood Cartoons" down. Barrier doesn't take the usual perspective on cartoons. He doesn't care how they appeal to the casual viewer but how they look to the pro. I didn't agree with all his judgments, but I respect his judgments.

I have read several histories of cartoons, and Barrier still managed to surprise me or say something new. He had the best discussion of the origins of Bugs Bunny I've ever read. His description of the working of MGM's cartoon studio was fascinating, and his views on Bob Clampett and Chuck Jones showed real insight.

Barrier states his opinions strongly. He doesn't like Fleischer or UPA cartoons, and he doesn't think Friz Freleng is worth a lot of discussion. (I would disagree about Friz, but agree on the other stuff.)

In all, this was a fine book on this subject, and I am glad I read it.

Comprehensive look at a dying artform.......2003-10-19

Covering much of the same ground as Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic, Hollywood Cartoons is packed with interesting insights and comments from both the author and those that participated in the creation of an American art form. Michael Barrier's exhaustively researched book covers the Golden Age of Hollywood animation and the movers and shakers that had an impact on the art form.

At nearly 650 pages Barrier's book takes a fair balanced look at Disney, Warner Bros., Fleischer and other contributors to this dying art form. It's actually a perfect companion piece to the newely released boxed set of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes classics. Barrier avoids the Disney worship that marred other books of this type and, like Maltin's marvelous but less indepth book, he manages to point out the key contributions of the most important animation directors/producers of the era.

While it does overlook or give only a cursory overview of some important figures in the industry, Barrier's scholarly aproach manages to recognize the merits and flaws of each studio, their system and directors. Although not as well illustrated as Maltin's book, the pictures do provide a glimpse of many of the essential classics that impacted the art of animation. Since much of the documentation for the creation of some of the early Warner classics are long gone, Barrier has to rely on many of the same sources and pictures as other authors. The book could have been improved if he had gone more to private collectors for rare animation cels, production photos, model drawings and notes. I also would have liked many of these illustrations to be reproduced in color. Seeing them in dark black and white illustrations does little justice to the artistry of these pioneers.

Maltin's book was clearly the work of an informed fan; his approach focused on the creation of many of the important classics but didn't lose track of the fun in the finished product. Barrier's scholarly approach is a bit drier and doesn't quite communicate the excited of Maltin's less authoriative book on the same subject. It's still an important look at the pioneers of animation's Golden Age and, as such, should be read by those who love the shorts from the various eras examined here.

golden age...what golden age?.......2003-07-21

Michael Barrier's "Hollywood Cartoons" is impeccably researched and intellectually sophisticated; a milestone in its way, it also poses a few problems, one being the inescapable conclusion that the golden age of Hollywood scarcely existed at all. Mr. Barrier casts a baleful eye on some of animation's finest: Chuck Jones' "What's Opera, Doc?" is 'an empty triumph'; "Fantasia", hopelessly puerile and retrograde; "The Tell-Tale Heart", recently chosen for preservation by the Library of Congress, 'a total flop'. Even "Pinocchio" inspires more vitriol than praise (too much airbrush, poor planning and characterizations - Disney 'took the guts out of it', etc...) Can't these guys do anything right? Terrytoons are characterized by 'pervasive squalor', and he assures us UPA, once the shining avatar of cutting-edge animation, could be as dull, insipid and uninspired as any other studio. That's good to know. It should come as no surprise that Mr. Barrier feels a special affinity for Disney's Grumpy (Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs) though this he attributes to Bill Tytla's masterful character animation. Hubley's "Rooty Toot Toot" also receives the Barrier seal of approval. But, in general, there are few pearls to be found among the prevailing dross. There's no question Barrier takes his subject seriously...perhaps, too seriously. Lighten up...they're just cartoons!

Interesting, but often unfair to brilliant directors.......2001-03-13

Books on the history of animation, especially the early ones, tend to fall into the trap of Disney-worshipping, which Barrier thankfully avoids. However, in his zeal to prove he is not Disney's lap dog, he unfairly bashes some of the studio's features (including one I consider on a par with the best of them, "Lady and the Tramp.") He gives the same slash-and-burn treatment to the Warner Bros. studio--Clampett, in his view, was apparently nothing more than a second-rate hack, when Clampett in fact hit a period of sheer brilliance in the early to mid forties. "Book Revue", "The Great Piggy Bank Robbery", "The Old Grey Hare" and "Baby Bottleneck" were all Clampett creations, and occupy many of the top slots in Jerry Beck's book "The Fifty Greatest Cartoons Ever." Barrier dismisses them all, as well as Clampett's abilities as a draftsman. I would say he is partial to Jones in his longtime feud with Clampett, but Jones falls victim as well. Still, it is worth reading if you like behind-the-scenes stories of the animation industry.

Barrier's Tome, Decades-Long in the Making--Finally.......2000-07-14

Beautiful, complete, if Disney-centric (but then again, that's the reality, isn't it?) epic of the much-maligned and still underappreciated Hollywood animated cartoon. Barrier leaves no stone unturned in this definitive scholarly thesis on his subject, as well he shouldn't: this thing has been in the works--on and off--for almost two decades. (Only one minor quibble: not enough stuff on the Jones-Clampett feud and other non-Disney political issues.) Animation scholars rejoice!

HOLLYWOOD CARTOONS:AMERICAN ANIMATION IN ITS GOLDEN AGE

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HOLLYWOOD CARTOONS:AMERICAN ANIMATION IN ITS GOLDEN AGE
BARRIER
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKNXRS

Book Description

Artists young and old will enjoy trying their hands at drawing Aladdin, Jasmine, and the rest of their friends. In How to Draw Aladdin, easy-to-follow steps and tips from Disney artists will have you drawing characters in a variety of poses and moods. You'll also learn interesting facts about the movie. Learning to draw has never been so rewarding.

Customer Reviews:

Great for the beginner.......2000-04-11

I have a number of the Walter Foster series and this is the one I wish I had gotten first. The Character drawing designs were some of the easiest to follow I have run across. The major advantage is that with with Genie Character you can draw just about anything he can change into. Only draw back is that the secondary characters, Raja the tiger, The Sultan, The flying carpet are only give a couple of pages total.

How to Draw Disney's "Aladdin" (How to Draw Disney)

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Perfect Book

How to Draw Disney's "Aladdin" (How to Draw Disney)

Manufacturer: Titan Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Cartooning | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1840230428

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Book.......2003-05-06

Well, if you love Disney's Aladdin, then this is a MUST-HAVE! It teaches you how to draw Jasmine, The Genie, Jafar, Abu, Iago, and of course, your beloved Aladdin! You'll learn more about the making of the movie, especially how they created such wondeful characters! Try to draw them by yourself, there'll be lots of fun - Buy it, and don't forget to have a look at the other books in the "Disney How To Draw" Series !!!

Average customer rating:

Disney's How to Draw Aladdin

Manufacturer: Walter Foster Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560101121

Book Description

For beach bum Horyu, it's more than the surf that's up. He has just confessed his undying love to timid and quiet Shouin, and though Shouin feels the same, he is reluctant to return Horyu's affections. Unknown to Horyu, Shouin already has his heart broken and is - as the saying goes - once bitten twice shy. It looks like Horyu will wipe out on this one, unless he can convince Shouin that he won't ever go through the same heartache twice. Meanwhile, in the second half of the book, Osaka-born Takehiko is tirelessly pursuing reserved art teacher Momose. But Momose has a terrible secret... he has a very weak heart and setting their relationship to a more physical level could mean the death of him. In this case, could not showing your love be the ultimate expression of it?

Customer Reviews:

Another Rape-Romance! Ho hum! (Review of full two-part series).......2007-04-15

Book 1 had some good character stuff, but Book 2 betrays the hard won trust of the shy hero, not to mention the reader. The One Star rating is for the series as a whole. However, the plotless nature of the story means that you don't HAVE to buy Book 2 if you don't want to. So in fairness to Book 1, I gave a two-star rating.

The story is essentially a series of little vignettes, mostly character rather than plot driven. And initially I thought the characters had charm. Horyu is a surfing beach bum and carefree womanizer. His friend Shouin is painfully shy and timid, but confesses his love anyway. Horyu falls hard, but Shouin's painful inhibitions and fears of making himself emotionally vulnerable could kill the relationship. There is an ongoing struggle between Shouin's tendency to clam up emotionally under pressure, and Horyu's tendency to temper and frustration in response. While I DO like plots as a rule, in THIS case I though just ditching the "plot" and focusing on day-to-day character/relationship stuff seemed like a pretty good idea. It made things more interesting, affecting, and human. But it also makes the volume 2 developments that much worse.

Warning signs in Book 1 include Horyu's surprise at himself for his own forbearance with his shy beloved, implying that he has been used to pushing himself on his girlfriends. The second story has a certain dumb charm which made me want to like it, but it also has a scene where a passionate Osakan youth won't take "No" for an answer from his heart-patient boyfriend until "No" turns into "Ack, I'm dying!" But I read Book 2 anyway and . . .

SPOILERS for BOOK 2 now!

. . . it turns out that Horyu is also an Osakan (uh oh), so what ELSE should he do but rape his pencil-wristed lover in a jealous snit. Anyway, after the rape, Shouin goes ahead and confesses that he HAD been with another man before they met, and rapist-Horyu magnanimously forgive his victim. The rape is apparently considered to be "wrong" in the way that a guy yelling at his wife after a tough day at the office is "wrong", quickly forgiven and forgotten, and all her fault anyway somehow. Whatever. To be honest, I couldn't go on reading after that. A quick flip-through showed them dealing with ordinary relationship stuff, moving on from college into careers, etc.

"Content" is R-Rated movie stuff, and the rape is between-panels. The most explicit sexual detail is in the Student/Teacher story in Book 1, and that's what in the olden days was termed "solitary vice". The art is not great, but was expressive of the characters. As with many DMP titles, the translation totally ticked me off until I found other things to be ticked off about. Shouin refers to an older student as "Mr.", for example, which was creepy since the older student was coming on to him, but I wish that's all I had to complain about.

If you want a good character driven romance, or if you read volume 1 and liked it, but don't much care for volume 2, I strongly recommend the Korean manwha NOT SO BAD by E. Hae. Like this it is a two-parter, and focuses on relationship dynamics rather than plot contrivances. But it has better writing and art, stronger characters, a moral center, and no filler side stories. And yelling at somebody after a tough day is actually taken far more seriously, and has more serious consequences, than is the case with actual forcible rape here.

One of the best yaoi romances out there!.......2007-01-12

My friends and I all agree: this manga is outstanding! Well-developed dialogue and plot make for a truly heartwarming story! I know if I ever feel depressed, all I have to do is look through Our Everlasting and I instantly get that warm fuzzy feeling inside that can only come from a great romance such as this!

Highly recommended to all romantics out there!

Bought it along with vol. 2 on a whim.......2006-06-19

Just as I said I bought this on a whim. I flipped through the book and Horyu caught my eye. The stories seems disconnected at first but as I read on they aren't. The events are just that...events in the life of two bishonen. The side stories are nice also. It's got just enough angst to keep you interested but not enough to depress you. The thing I really liked was the love between Horyu and Shouin and how their relationship developed throughout the two volumes. I think anyone looking for a boys love story will enjoy this.

This is a sweet Story.......2006-04-11

I loved this story. There were parts to the story from both characters that the reader can really relate to. Its a beautiful story of not wanting to be alone and finding a love that accomadates that desire.

touching and sweet.......2006-04-10

i've been a fan of toko kawai for quite a while now. her characters are very human and flawed, but that's what makes them memorable and real to readers.

in "our everlasting," two very different college students find themselves deeply in love. however, despite the attraction, they are nothing more than just close friends. this volume slowly follows the changing landscape of their relationship, starting from being friends into something more. the one-shot included is an interesting love story about a teacher with a serious medical problem and his aggressive suitor.

kawai-sensei's art is light and pretty with a modern touch. the illustrations are well-done and dynamic. her men are slender, not muscled and buff, but really nice to look at. some might be androgynous, but you won't mistake them for girls. kawai-sensei manages to express her characters' feelings and emotions with her deft handling of facial movements. lovely.

the love story of horyu and shouin has to be one of the sweetest and loving you'd ever come across. their insecurities, attachment and depth of their love are explored in a realistic way that still somehow feel very 'pure'. it's also interesting that horyu and shouin doesn't really behave in the typical seme/uke convention - they really do balance out each other. shouin's willfulness and 'selfishness' also adds an interesting facet to the story.

in a way, this manga isn't a typical yaoi manga. it really emphasizes the growth of a love relationship as well as that of the parties involved. the characters aren't perfect and struggle with many of the same problems a normal person does, but that is the charm and strength of this manga, in my opinion. an atypical love story with a mature outlook of life.

one of the best yaoi romances out there.

Book Description

Learn how to draw a radish! Make beautiful earrings using only tape! Decorate with white-out! How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work provides endless inspiration for wacky workplace entertainment with 83 drawing lessons (including Elvis, a cow face, and leeks vinaigrette), along with various other games and crafts for professional and personal beautification. Sturdily constucted with two pockets for special projects, organized with ten cardboard dividers, and small enough to fit in a briefcase, this handy spiralbound manual is a toy for grown-ups: playful, instructive, and absolutely irresistible.

Customer Reviews:

I can guarantee that this fun book can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode!.......2006-10-19

How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work
How to Draw a Cup of Coffee and Other Fun Ideas for Home & Garden
How to Draw a Clam: A Wonderful Vacation Planner
All three books, by Joy Sikorski

I have owned these three wonderful books since the late nineties & have re-visited them many times.

In the field of what I would like to term as 'deliberate doodling', I consider these three books to be the best in the genre. Unlike the common doodles, which seem whimsical, 'deliberate doodling' involves some form of structure & purpose. I am very impressed by what the author has done in the three fun books of hers.

All three fun books are spiral bound, each with almost two hundred pages of inspirational doodling techniques, on top of various other discovery games & paper crafts for professional & personal entertainment. Each is sturdily constructed with two pockets for special projects, organised with ten card-board dividers & yet small enough to fit into your briefcase.

From my personal perspective, they are wonderful toys for grow-ups: playful, instructive & absolutely worthwhile!

The author has actually written another similar book, entitled 'Squeaky Chalk : And Other Fun Things to Draw (And Do) When There's Nothing to Do!' but for some strange reasons, I did not lay my hands on it.

For the benefit of readers, let me share this personal experience of mine: I have combined the 'deliberate doodling' techniques from Joy with the 'rapid viz' techniques from Kurt Hanks, & integrated them into the 'private writing' processes as formulated by Mark Levy in his wonderful book, 'Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing .'

I use what I often like to term as my 'scratch pad', the type artists use, foolscape size, spiral-bound, 100 pages per pad, 100 gms weight, in conjuction with a multi-colour/multi-utility pen from Rotring. At one point in time, (for about 3 years) I used the Bienfang spring-bound note/sketch pads until the only local supplier went out of business unexpectedly.

On many occasions, I have astonished myself by being able to wrestle with the valuable business & life insights from my own seemingly disparate "private writing"/'deliberate doodling'/'rapid viz' pages. The doodles & illustrations often add a perceptive visual dimension to my seemingly random thoughts on paper. My scratch pad is always a visual smorgasbord of relatively heavy text, mystical doodles & logical illustrations (thanks & no thanks to my engineering training!). I have translated many of my valuable insights into pragmatic projects. One of the sideline projects is writing reviews on amazon website.

To all readers: If you really want to use both sides of your powerful brain to generate valuable insights, I can guarantee that these three books can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode.

Great gift.......2003-11-25

I received this book in a "Secret Santa" and just LOVED it!
What a great little treasure to teach the unbelievably talentless how to draw!
Joy breaks down radishes, butterflies, flowers, etc into easy to draw pieces that all add up together.
I can now doodle with the best of them!
Pick up two - one for your Secret Santa and one for yourself!

HOW to Draw a Radish.......2002-02-21

I bought this book 5 yrs ago.I just love it.This book has a very easy instruction and pictures to follow,it is especially easy for a child to follow the step by step pictures. I use it myself and now I gave it to my daughter, she is 3 yrs old,I love to see her face everytime she draws a picture, her eyes just says it all.She loves it so much that we both draw and paint together with the guide of this book. I have showed it to friends and care takers in the family center, all have agreed that it is a must to buy book.this book is not only for children,but also a coffee table book.You will not regret!!!

this book is too cute.......2000-10-18

i go to a lot of meetings at work, and i don't have to do a lot of talking, so i do a lot of doodling. unfortunately, i can't draw at all. but this book has simple instructions (for more than just doodles, too), and has really expanded my 'meeting doodle' abilities.

the cutest little dooles I ever did see.......2000-04-17

This was just the most adorable little book I ever picked up. I just wanted to buy millions of copies to send them to friends who have boring jobs. I loved the little rabbit eating on the grass. It's a great doo-dad book that everyone should have to keep them entertained. I rarely laugh outloud at a book, but I couldn't help myself.

How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work

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How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work
Joy Sikorski
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books Llc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K3SX2Y

Average customer rating:

How bright I am

A great book for lovers of classical American movies.

A critical appreciation of film's greatest romantic comedies

Pursuits of Happiness: The Hollywood Comedy of Remarriage (Harvard Film Studies)
Stanley Cavell
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

How bright I am.......2004-06-25

This book is not for filmgoers. Its focus is geared to the elite and erudite college student who will be impressed by name dropping of prominent philosophers in Western Lit. To be polite, it is dripping in stream-of-consciousness commentary that wreaks of self-indulgence, suggesting adult attention deficit problems. It is not uncommon to find sentences in excess of 50 words long, that if grammatically diagrammed would make Watson and Crick's double helix look like a straight arrow. Save time and save money. The clip art of movie scenes is primitive and should have been a clue as to the author's intent. A great disappointment.

A great book for lovers of classical American movies........1997-12-29

The goal of this book is to show that the classic American film comedies of the 30's and 40's are worthy of the best criticism. The author succeeds. If you love movies, and want to think about them seriously, this is your book. The films in it star Hepburn, Grant, Tracy, Gable, Stanwyck. This is a sophisticated book for a sophisticated film audience. The author is one of America's leading philosophers. Cavell brings his knowledge of concepts of friendship, conversation, gender, parenting, sexuality, fun, and adventure to bear on each of the romantic comedies he discusses. The genre explored here continues in GROUNDHOG DAY, FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, ALL OF ME, JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO. This book is serious, and well worth it. It explores everything important to every romantic relationship. I highly recommend it to everyone.

A critical appreciation of film's greatest romantic comedies.......1996-05-18

Cavell identifies the "comedies of remarriage," those romantic comedies and comic romances that lit the screens and the hearts of the audiences of the 1930's and 40's. With the mind of a philosopher and scholar and the passionate appreciation of a true fan, he examines classic romantic comedies (and comic romances), including "The Lady Eve," "The Awful Truth," and "The Philadelphia Story." In a classical context (he compares the role of the woods in Shakespeare to the role of Connecticut in "Bringing Up Baby") he manages to illuminate the films without disturbing the gossamer that holds them together. The best that can be said is that he does justice to these lovely films, and makes us understand how smart we were to adore them

Pursuits of Happiness: The Hollywood Comedy of Remarriage

Average customer rating:

Pursuits of Happiness: The Hollywood Comedy of Remarriage
Stanley Cavell
Manufacturer: Harvard Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KY29RS

Customer Reviews:

fats Waller: The Cheerful Little Earful.......2007-02-08

I obtained this book for my husband who is "trad jazz" buff. He has not gotten to it yet, nor have I, but from all appearances it is a great book.

Book Description

Eegad, Agee! Not another palindrome book!

Well-known author and illustrator Jon Agee has been playing with words again, and now a third collection of clever, absurd, and hilarious reversible phrases is the result. These palindromes and their accompanying cartoons will inspire laughs long after first sight. One may feel compelled to go through the book again backwards -- appropriately palindromically -- to revisit his or her favorites.

Customer Reviews:

A must if you love wordplay.......2002-08-17

While I took this book from the children's shelf of our local library, this "older" kid still loved it. The palindromes are funny and the cartoons that accompany them are well drawn and relate to the palindrome. My favorite is the extension of the classic, "A man, a plan, a canal, Panama" , "A man, a plan, a cat, a bar, a cap, a mall, a ball, a map, a car, a bat, a canal: Panama." Palindromes that are a sensible statement are not easy to write, so the author is to be commended in his ingenuity in constructing such wonders, especially some of the longer ones.
This is a book that can clearly be enjoyed by children of all ages and as soon as I am done with this review, I will be handing it over to my children.

More wordsmithing from the Palindrome master!!.......2001-04-15

Jon Agee may be best known for his illustration of children's books ("The Halloween House", "If Snow Falls"). However, he has also proven himself a proficient wordsmith, easily and playfully pulling words all apart and putting them together. "Sit on a Potato Pan" is one of five books delighting in the oddities English spelling.

Palindromes are words or phrases that are spelled the same way forwards as backwards. Take the title of the book and spell it backwards, and it's the exact same title!! These things are not easy to create, and the longer the phrase the more difficult it is to both spell backwards and still make sense. The fact that "Sit...Otis!" is one of THREE books of palindromes by Mr. Agee only proves his genius at manipulating words and letters.

Like his other two books of palindromes, "So Many Dynamos!" and "Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog!" (now THERE'S one that must have taken a few days to create!!), "Sit...Otis!" is illustrated with wonderful drawings that make the palindrome live and sparkle. For example, in one of my personal favorites, two gents in the Old West are looking at a wanted poster. Pictures of large cats are on the wanted poster, and one man says to the other, "darn ocelots stole Conrad". Another is of three men staring at 9 little pieces of scribbled on paper. They make their own notes about them, and the caption is "some men interpret nine memos".

Needless to say, these things are not easy to write!! Especially the longer, more complicated ones like "naive was I ere I saw Evian" and the one that makes the title of this book. While not a book geared for young children, students in, say, third grade and above would no doubt get a kick out of these and other palindromes. With Mr. Agee as a guide, it's a perfect opportunity for students to go on and create their own. What else is Otis capable of??

Book Description

A veteran GE manager explains the tools of Six Sigma--in plain English

This is the first simple, low-level guide to using the powerful statistical tools of Six Sigma to solve real-world problems. Warren Brussee, a Six Sigma manager who helped his teams generate millions of dollars in savings, shows how to plot, interpret, and validate data for a Six Sigma project. The basic statistical tools in the book can be applied to manufacturing, sales, marketing, process, equipment design, and more. Best of all, no background in statistics is required to start improving quality and initiating cost-saving improvements right away.

Features dozens of Six Sigma statistical problem-solving case studies
Presents a simplified form of the most common Six Sigma tools
Simplifies Greenbelt training with one concise reference
Explains how to use Excel to make Six Sigma problem-solving calculations
Includes all the basic Six Sigma formulas and tables

Download Description

A veteran GE manager explains the tools of Six Sigma--in plain English This is the first simple, low-level guide to using the powerful statistical tools of Six Sigma to solve real-world problems. Warren Brussee, a Six Sigma manager who helped his teams generate millions of dollars in savings, shows how to plot, interpret, and validate data for a Six Sigma project. The basic statistical tools in the book can be applied to manufacturing, sales, marketing, process, equipment design, and more. Best of all, no background in statistics is required to start improving quality and initiating cost-saving improvements right away.Features dozens of Six Sigma statistical problem-solving case studies Presents a simplified form of the most common Six Sigma tools Simplifies Greenbelt training with one concise reference Explains how to use Excel to make Six Sigma problem-solving calculations Includes all the basic Six Sigma formulas and tables

Customer Reviews:

Facil de leer y de entender, un texto magnifico.......2007-09-17

Es un libro de altisima calidad, escrito en un lenguaje simple y fácil de entender. Altamente recomendable para todo aquel que quiera introducirse en los conceptos de SixSigma

Recommended for Managers of all levels.......2007-07-09

I like the level of detalization in this book and simple language explaining the concept, application of statistics, and Sigma methods. The value of this book from my practical point of view is the Case Studies which help to better understand when and how statistics for Six Sigma can be used.

Highly recommended!!.......2006-08-07

Brussee's Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy is a wonderful "how to" text for six sigma stat tools that is very readable, and usable, by anyone with at least a high school level background in mathematics. He has done a great job of simplifying much of what a Green Belt would use from the Six Sigma toolkit, and he presents the material in a format highly conducive to application. The result is a valuable statistics manual for the Six Sigma implementer.

Wow.......2006-07-11

Nice customer seervice and quick shipping. This is Six Sigma style. AAAA+.

A Truly Unique and Friendly Six Sigma Book.......2006-02-27

I am a Black Belt and program manager at a Fortune 100 company. I use and teach Six Sigma regularly, and I strongly believe in the power of this methodology. However, Six Sigma can be complex, bureaucratic, and confusing. This sometimes makes it difficult to get buy-in from others.

I constantly search for books that make Six Sigma easier to use and understand. I have used Brussee's Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy for over a year and have found no other book as successful in making Six Sigma truly useable for those who don't plan to make Six Sigma their life's major undertaking. Not everyone wants to be a Six Sigma Black Belt!

The author has simplified many of the Six Sigma tools, with no reduction in their usefulness. In fact, the simplification on the QFDs and the FMEAs make them MORE useful, because they aren't so tedious and boring. And the Simplified Gauge Verification, which incorporates aim into the formula, makes the output far more meaningful.

Testing for statistical significance, which in most Six Sigma books is either skipped completely or treated with the same complexity as in a high-level statistics book, is incorporated as a straight-forward test, with no unnecessary jargon. And all calculations can be done with Excel. Although I feel comfortable using Six Sigma specific software, I find that most people who are not doing Six Sigma calculations on a daily basis are much more comfortable using Excel.

The included Six Sigma case studies seem to indicate that the author has truly lived through Six Sigma projects, not just observed them as a consultant. As someone who has to live with the results of their work for many years, I appreciate this difference.

I think that Brussee's approach to Six Sigma will become the standard as this valuable methodology continues to be incorporated into more industrial and non-industrial processes. I highly recommend this book.

Dedicated Black Belt

Cram101: Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy (Cram101 Textbook Outlines - Textbook NOT Included)

Average customer rating:

Warren Brussee is NOT the author of this book!

Cram101: Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy (Cram101 Textbook Outlines - Textbook NOT Included)

Manufacturer: AIPI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1428814353

Book Description

Never HIGHLIGHT a Book Again! Virtually all testable terms, concepts, persons, places, and events are included.look no further for study resources or reference material. Cram101 Textbook Outlines gives all of the outlines, highlights, notes, and practice-tests for your textbook. Only Cram101 is Textbook Specific. Cram101 is NOT the Textbook.

Customer Reviews:

Warren Brussee is NOT the author of this book!.......2007-03-21

I, Warren Brussee, the author of the real "Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy," had nothing to do with this book. Please do not buy this book thinking that you are getting anything like the actual "Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy."

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