Three Decades of American Printmaking: The Brandywine Workshop Collection

Book Description

This comprehensive volume features exciting and cultrually diverse serigraphs, offset lithographs,and mixed media prints from the Bradywine Workshop.

Customer Reviews:

Draws upon Brandywine's impressive collection.......2004-12-08

Founded by master printer Allan Edmunds in 1972, The Brandywine Workshop has instructed students and artists in the Philadelphia community in the art and craft of printmaking for more than thirty years. Three Decades Of American Printmaking: The Brandywine Workshop Collection draws upon Brandywine's impressive archival collection to showcase 147 color and black/white photographs of work by a series of such renowned artists as Eugene Grigsby, Woodsworth Jarrell, and Margo Humphrey to reveal printmaking as an innovative contemporary art form. Informative Essays by Halima Taha, Lois H. Johnson, Patricia Smith, Keith A. Morrison, and Claude Elliot highlight the history and contributions of Brandywine. Enhanced with a glossary and a bibliography, Three Decades Of American Printmaking is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic library American Art History reference collections and Art School curriculum supplemental reading lists.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding resource.......2007-06-30

This is the book that you want to own if you have a collection of women's shoes to catalog. The front matter of the book includes "Fig 1. Parts of the Shoe" which features 16 illustrations drawn by the author diagramming the terminology for common parts and pieces of shoes, basic types of front-lacing footwear and common heel types. Part Two, Dating Women's Shoes, 1795-1930, offers steps for dating a shoe and five chapters devoted to every aspect of the shoe: upper patterns in shoes, upper patterns in boots, heels and soles, variations in lasts and materials/decorations. Part two alone has over 400 illustrations of individual shoes elegantly drawn by the author with a caption to explain the style/type described. The text of each chapter tells you everything you wanted to know about uppers, heels and decorations in an energetic, meticulous and succinct writing style. Each illustration/shoe is further described in a credit section at the back of the book. Appendixes discuss: "How leather is made" and "How shoes are made", and include a "Partial Listing of Shoe Manufacturers as compiled from Labels and Advertisements," which is particularly valuable when trying to decipher worn labels. The glossary of 15 pages is thoroughly written so that one can feel confident using the correct terminology. Part I, A History of Women's Footwear in America includes the chapters: A Brief Look at the American Shoe Industry, Women's Shoes and Female Stereotypes, a Chronological Overview of Shoe Fashions, The Correct Dress of the Foot, and Shoes Adapted for Sports and Protection. Every aspect of the subject matter is laid out before you so that a beginner can feel confident dating and describing a shoe while those interested in fashion and costume history will treasure the wealth of information and the precision with which the author covers her subject. I can't imagine anyone writing a better book on the subject than this one.

One of the most informative books on shoes.......2004-08-04

This great book is a very interesting reading and one of the most valuable sources for dating the shoes. If you work with historical shoes or just love shoes you cannot just read it once - you will be always using it! On many occasions this book actually helped to date the shoes correctly.

The Best Shoe Reference Ever!!.......2000-12-16

Since I received my delivery of _Women's Shoes In America, 1795-1930_ from Amazon earlier this week, I have been unable to put down this extraordinary book. Nancy Rexford's work is a magnificent contribution to the field of costume history. I understand that it took Nancy 14 years to research the information for this book. I have no doubt that she will soon be acknowledged as the leading expert on the history of American shoes. Women's Shoes in America is divided into two main sections. The first section is "A History of Women's Footwear...". This section includes chapters on the rise of the American shoe industry (fascinating), cultural stereotyping, sporting shoes, etc. The second section of the book is "Dating Women's Shoes, 1795-1930". This section is a well organized and easy to follow guide on how to date shoes by their various parts; eg. heels, soles, uppers, trimmings, etc. This is a book every museum, dealer and fashion lover will cherish. You will be wowed by the author's breadth of historical knowledge, thorough research, clear organization, easy to follow identification key and her beautiful illustrations. For me, the icing on the cake for this book is that it is also so very literary; simply a delight to read!! I highly recommend it!

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Average customer rating:

Astro City, A City Worth a Visit

My favorite storyline so far

Great super-hero story

Steeljack's story is another "Astro City" triumph

Ok, Ok, I'm Getting To It!

Astro City Vol. 4: The Tarnished Angel
Kurt Busiek
Manufacturer: Wildstorm
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Astro City Vol. 3: Family Album

Astro City Vol. 2: Confession

Astro City: Local Heroes (Astro City)

Astro City: Life in the Big City

Marvels Marvels

ASIN: 156389663X

Book Description

The fourth volume in the popular Astro City series introduces Steeljack, a recently-paroled former supervillain. Steeljacks trying to turn over a new leaf by finding out whos been killing other small time supervillains in the run down neighborhood of Kiefer Square. But even if he learns the truth, whose going to believe him?

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Tarnished Angel tells a story that would be just as compelling even if its hapless hero weren't made of metal. It's a familiar story: old supervillain Carl Donewicz--or Steeljack--gets out of prison old and broken, and just wants to spend his last years out of sight. Events, as they will, conspire against him, and his journey through prejudice, mistrust, and backstabbing ethics is deeply moving. Brent Eric Anderson's penciling is precise and perfectly balanced between '70s superheroes and '40s pulp; Will Blyberg's inks are unparalleled. Readers who are tired of the hero-recycling that's been standard operating procedure at the major comics companies should reward themselves with a visit to Astro City. --Rob Lightner

Customer Reviews:

Astro City, A City Worth a Visit.......2006-09-10

I've read nearly all the Astro City collections. I stand in awe of Kurt Busiek's imagination, his storytelling, and the high quality of his work on Astro City.

But I'm sure Mr. Busiek would be hurt if his collaborators weren't mentioned. Brent Eric Anderson has been Astro City's main penciller since it's beginning and it's hard to imagine it without him. Will Blyberg's crisp inking and Comicraft's wonderful lettering and lastly, Alex Ross's magnificent covers make AC in Wizard Magazine's opinion, "the best superhero comic being printed. Period." An opinion that in my estimate that's hard to disagree with. There's something else, it's hard to imagine any comic book with the same creators after 10 years. The fact that Astro City still has the same creative team speaks volumes for the love and camaraderie these three have for the high quality work they are producing for this title.

The Tarnished Angel was the title's second long story arc. Carl Donewicz, aka Steeljack, a supervillain who no longer has the desire to get "the big score," is parolled out of Biro Island Prison. He goes back to his old neighborhood of Kiefer Square to try to start over again. He wants to go straight, but when someone is killing off the former and active "Black Masks," in Kiefer Square parlance, the residents hire Steeljack to discover who is behind the killings.

Busiek takes his time for character development and imerses himself and the reader into the story. Steeljack is closely patterned after Robert Mitchum and the way his narration is written, it's hard not to hear Mitchum's crusty voice telling us Steeljack's odyssey.

Despite the long storyline, Busiek stays with Steeljack as the mystery slowly unravels. He ends each issue with the reader frantic to see what happens next.

The Tarnished Angel, along with Confession are superhero comic storytelling at its best. Definitely worth every dime.

My favorite storyline so far.......2004-05-19

Apparently some are slightly less impressed, but of the Astro City volumes I've read so far, this is my favorite. Yes, the plot is deliberately more "comic bookish" than some of the other stories, but that's neither good nor bad in itself. (I personally think it's good, but that's me.) Steeljack is a believable and surprisingly sympathetic character. A weary ex-con forced by circumstances to be a hero. The artwork is great, sa usual, and the pulp-inspired cover of the paperback edition is perfect.

Great super-hero story.......2004-02-20

Yet another triumph by the master of super-hero comics, the wonderful Mr. Kurt Busiek. While greats like Alan Moore and Frank Miller took the super-hero to disturbing new places and made them gritty and eerie, Busiek returned to the way super-heroes once were, and to what made them so inspiring and fascinating; on Tarnished Angel, though, he tackles the issue from the opposite direction, and takes the villain's side. The Steeljack character is one of the most interesting and complex characters in the Astro City universe, and his story is one of Busiek's greatest. Tarnished Angel takes on the character of a classic villain, and tells the tale from his point of view, building him into a character that is entirely human and entirely full. On the other hand we have the actual villain of the story, the Conquistador, and the comparison between his story and that of Steeljack makes for an interesting and provoking pairing.

Also interesting is the story `The Voice of the turtle', the tale of the British supervillain The Mock Turtle, which is both comic relief and an interesting look at the story from a different angle. One reviewer complained the British characters were too prototypical and not half as original as the Astro City heroes and villains, but I don't see that as a problem; these characters, other than being quite funny, give the reader the feeling that he's somewhere else. As Kurt explains in the intro, throughout the series, the further one travels from Astro City, the more accustomed to their location the characters get. As usual, special note should be given to Alex Ross's beautiful cover gallery (though I liked the ones in `Family Portrait' better), as well as his fascinating pages of sketches and explanations about the various characters.

Nobody can write a super-hero story like Kurt, and Tarnished Angel is, over all, one of the best super-hero stories you'll find. If you're a fan of the genre, consider it well worth your money.

Steeljack's story is another "Astro City" triumph.......2004-01-07

"Kurt Busiek's Astro City: The Tarnished Angel" is another fine graphic novel in the outstanding "Astro City" series. This seven-chapter story is about Steeljack, a metal-encased supervillain. Released from prison at the book's start, he is hired by a criminal kingpin to find out who is murdering other supervillains.

This is a powerful, rich, complex story. Steeljack's tale is intertwined with that of a number of other fantastic characters: whip-wielding Latino superhero El Hombre, high-tech British supervillain the Mock Turtle, and more. Many characters from the other Astro City volumes (Samaritan, Winged Victory, etc.) also make appearances.

Sort of a world-weary loser, Steeljack is a compelling, memorable protagonist. "Tarnished Angel" is full of great visuals, heroic battles, and moving human drama. The book as a whole is a fascinating look at the Astro City milieu from its dark side.

Ok, Ok, I'm Getting To It!.......2003-05-08

Imagine you are a villain in a world of supermen (and women).

Imagine you have been in and out of prison for as long as you can remember and now all you want to do is lay low...

Then Imagine you see old friends killed off one by one in your old neighborhood, the only neighborhood you ever knew.

What comes next?

This is a very intense, downbeat tale of a super powered bad guy who has seen the error of his ways, but still feels a kinship to his old comrades in the bad guy business..

Extremely well written, and, in my humble opinion, well drawn as well. Read it and judge for yourself, this is an engaging piece of work!

Customer Reviews:

Great drinks and stories!!.......2004-09-19

There's lots more in this book than just drink recipes--great info on setting up a home bar, funny funny stories, etc. I especially liked the author's personal touch--like the stories about her or her coworkers at the Blue Whale Strip Club and learning that there's more to drink out there than just "cheap liquor" or beer. Good bar food recipes, too. I'm already making out my list for who get's this one for Christmas. Basically everyone who I know that drinks. Talk about your easy Holiday shopping.

A GREAT book for anyone who enjoys a drink and a laugh.......2003-12-14

A while ago my husband decided to take up bartending as a hobby. He got a drink guide, but that's all it was: a drink guide. So this past November for our wedding anniversary I bought him this book. He was thrilled. Donna Sue's Down Home Trailer Park Bartending Book does what all other mixology books should do: it takes you by the hand, and shows you how to set up a bar, what items are the most popular, and how to mix a drink correctly. This book first introduces you to the wildly zany coworkers of Donna Sue's at the Blue Whale Strip Club where she dances and enjoys making drinks mostly for herself. Then after you've laughed till you've cried, it teaches you about the tools of the trade, teaching you things like what glass to use, etc. It gives you mixing tips, and then a whole lot of drink recipes, which are divided by the main ingredient in them. It has a chapter a list of what your humble but equipped home bar should have. It also has a great chapter on shots and one that even includes bad pickup lines. As a bartender, my husband is far from pro, but now he has a skill he can use when friends come over as well as some funny Donna Sue stories to share. The book is informative, precise, extremely comical, and very very helpful.

The Perfect Gift.......2003-11-29

I would gleefully confer even more stars upon this book if I were allowed. When I retired from my post as bishop, my staff gave this book to me as a gag gift since they knew I take pleasure in a cocktail on occasions, and I dally at fundraisers and social events in the art of mixology. With the extra time I quickly found on my hands, and with the need to take a small break from the readings that my job had required, I set down in a comfortable chair and jumped into what can best be described as the "Gospel of Donna Sue". After several hours and a box of tissues, I closed the cover and realized that I had not laughed as hard in the past twenty years at any book, television program, or motion picture as I had while walking in Donna Sue's world. The stories are filled with people and events that I dare any reader not to double up over. Plus the recipes actually sound both tasty and intriguing. The hints are very helpful for anyone that has a bar in their home, although I don't think that I dare add a woman's knee high to my list of bar tools and equipment regardless of how good a strainer it might make. As you can most likely guess, I will be giving a copy of this book to everyone on my Christmas list, including my Baptist brethren. I plan on ordering her sister's books and I hope and pray that they are as good as my new friend Donna Sue's has been. Regardless of how wicked this delightful woman might appear, she is a joy that everyone who is of drinking age can treasure.

What a Hoot!!!.......2003-10-07

After reading all of Ruby Ann's books, I couldnt wait for Donna Sue to share her experience's with the world. I am glad to see someone has finaly decided to step up and give all of us Trailerpark trash something to laugh about. I plan to send out flyers in my park encouraging all to either buy the books or visit the website. The Recipes are great and the stories are even better... Keep up the good work,

Hillarious!!!.......2003-09-20

After having read all of her sister Ruby Ann Boxcar's cookbooks, I had to check out Donna Sue's bartending guide. It is just as funny as all the rest! Donna and the girls at the Blue Whale Strip Club are a scream!! It is a must to get to complete your set in the Trailer Park Series. Every drink I've tried so far is good and I can't wait to have a trailer park party so I can make up a few batches of her punch recipes! I'm gonna buy several copies as Christmas gifts right now!! I love you Donna Sue!! Bottoms Up to you too girl!!

Book Description

LESSONS, Level One, from the DAVID CARR GLOVER METHOD FOR PIANO reviews the basic concepts presented in LESSONS, Primer Level. New concepts are introduced and reinforced sequentially through the use of original compositions, folk songs and the sounds of today. This book, combined with the recommended supplementary materials, continues to assist the student in developing the ability to read and perform musically through interval recognition, sight reading and ear training. The student will continue to experience the basic elements of improvisation as the creative activities, EXPLORE, are presented. Supplementary materials are carefully correlated and coded with the LESSONS book to provide reinforcement of all concepts. The DAVID CARR GLOVER METHOD FOR PIANO has been created to provide an enjoyable program of piano instruction which is pedagogically sound. Supplementary materials correlated with Lessons, Level One, from the DAVID CARR GLOVER METHOD FOR PIANO: Theory, Sight Reading and E

Average customer rating:

Pretty good for the home game player

Concise and succint hold 'em strategies.

Poker Night: Winning at Home, at the Casino, and Beyond
John Vorhaus
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Gambling | Card Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Poker | Card Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. III--The Workbook (Harrington on Hold'em)

ASIN: 0312334923
Release Date: 2004-08-12

Book Description

"You can do things in a poker game that you'd never get away with in polite society."Thus proclaims poker strategist, columnist, and author John Vorhaus in this smart, funny, and practical guide to mastering the fine art of the home poker game (in other words, entertaining your friends while deftly picking them clean).Covering everything from the absolute basics to advanced points of strategy and smarts, Poker Night is an essential and entertaining manual for everyone who wants to excel at the most popular poker game in the world-- the home game, where the pots aren't cut and the winning gets personal. Topics include:*Setting up and running rules that create a great game*Understanding your opponents, including their "tells"*Avoiding common and not-so-common mistakes*Understanding faive-card draw, seven-card stud, split-pot games, Texas hold'em, as well as homegrown variations and entertaining twists*Advice for no-limit hold'em tournaments, the latest trend in home play*A glossary of poker terms to have you slingin' the slang like a champFilled with hilarious observations and hard-nosed strategies for beating the rules, this smart, sassy, and readable handbook holds the key to your poker success-- whether you're just learning or you already know the difference between a fishhook and a dead man's hand. Share it with friends at your own risk.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good for the home game player.......2005-03-19

The book is geared for the home poker game and the goal is to teach you how to cream all your beer-drinking buddies and take their money. The first part of the book is a brief rundown of hand rankings, how to host a game, house rules and then a brief synopsis of the four major games - Draw, Hold 'Em, Omaha and Stud. Then the book goes into strategies for these games with a short section at the end on playing in casinos and going pro.

Overall I thought the book was ok and worth the money. I picked up a good dozen or so tips on strategies for playing. I coupled these tips with what I learned in Peter Arnold's "How To Play Poker" and I guess the tips are working because when I play online I win a lot (with play money of course). I liked the section on odds - no complex mathematical equations on calculating odds or memorizing tables of probabilities. Just a simple explanation on how to calculate card odds and then pot odds.

I would recommend the book to anyone who buys it. For $14 you can't go wrong. Plus it's funny too - I caught myself laughing out loud a few times at the humor Vorhaus put in the text.

Concise and succint hold 'em strategies........2004-12-07

I've hosted and participated in home games for 15 years, including a hold 'em game the last two. Our games are a lot of fun with a lot of bravado. Now we're sending a player from our table to a WSOP satellite and, since, I want to be the one, I'm looking for a quick study to improve my hold 'em game.

This book meets that need well. I've thought about giving it to my poker buddies as a gift . . . but that would be pretty stupid, wouldn't it? I'm on the cusp of knowledge, and do plan to read Brunson, Slansky, Cloutier, Caro, etc. For a quick study, though, those books are a little intimidating. Vorhaus does a good job of explaining odds, pot odds and strategic considerations in hold 'em, including playable hands, how to vary your play in various stages of a tournament and how to play against various types of opponents. It's pretty distilled, which is what makes it a good starting point. There are a handfull of succintly stated useful tips that will improve my play. Now if only I can remember them . .
The rest of the book is OK. I suppose if you're just starting out with a home game, there's useful information. The author has some pretty strong biases against crazy games and wild cards; though those are staples of many home games, he chooses to ignore them. And he sums up play in various games nicely with a major piece of advice: FOLD. That's his advice for 7/27 if you don't happen to start quickly with the nut 7. Of course, if you start "playing to win" at some of these home games, it might mark you as an unfun person. He talks about that, too.
If you're looking for a compendium of poker variations, especially the whacky varieties, there are other books that offer much more.
This book serves as a quick start guide for the casual player just ready to step it up to a more serious level.

Poker Night: Winning at Home, at the Casino, and Beyond

Average customer rating:

Poker Night: Winning at Home, at the Casino, and Beyond
John Vorhaus
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTOZ5I

Book Description

Nearly 2 million Americans reach retirement age each year. Before anyone can begin to enjoy all the leisure time ahead, there are difficult decisions to be made about a host of crucial issues, such as Social Security, HMOs, insurance, and estate planning. Written by award-winning Washington Post financial reporter and syndicated columnist, Stan Hinden, How to Retire Happy arms anyone approaching retirement with easy-to-comprehend answers to all their complicated questions. How to Retire Happy:
• Provides practical advice and guidance on the 12 most complicated decisions to make before retiring
• Covers all the bases, from where to live to how to invest, from health insurance to taking money out of IRAs
• Goes beyond financial planning to offer practical advice on the key emotional and psychological issues surrounding retirement

Customer Reviews:

Different book than I expected.......2006-01-16

This was a very interesting book even for those of us who reitred early (in our 50's) because we had not yet had to deal with many of the issues discussed. However, the title made me think it was going to be more about the non-financial aspects of retirement -- the "Happy" part.

Now 6 years into our retirement, we have traveled for a year (and written a book "Live Your Road Trip Dream - Travel for a year for the cost of staying home), done some part time work selling, played with the grandkids, traveled some more, and are continually looking for new ideas to fill our days. As we often say to people, "Yes, we're retired, but we're not dead!" We have our eyes open and looking for new challenges. That's what I thought we'd find in this book. Hmmm, maybe I should write THAT book....

The author presents his topics with candor and real examples, which is very helpful. It at least gives you a general idea of where to start and what the "ballpark" looks like, but I'm still looking for more "happy" ideas.

Helpful Insight From Real Retiree.......2002-12-01

My first observation in reviewing "How to Retire Happy," by Stan Hinden, is that the title of the book is misleading. In fact, the author essentially waits until the last two pages of the book to tell us some reasons why he really likes his retirement. And we learn essentially nothing of his day-to-day activities that make his retirement a happy one. But, despite the misleading title, things turn out to be just fine, as by the time one reads through all the areas that the author worries about or used to worry about relative to his retirement, it is almost like we have lived through those experiences ourselves. We are now more than ever ready to learn more about the fun part of retirement from another source.

But more bad news is the fact that the author waits until age 69 to retire, then goes back to work part-time eight months later, even though both he and his wife have handsome pensions lined up. His conclusion is that he was much better off financially having waited to retire. This less-than-risky leap into retirement is not what most pre-retirement readers want to hear, I would think. Also, since he takes five years into retirement to finish the book, he brings us his views and information on retirement from a perspective of a man well into his 70's, an age that is well-beyond the current average age for Americans starting retirement.

But some good news is that his thoughts couple maturity with the freshness and openness that we're looking for. He tells us his goal for the book is to "take the mystery out of retirement." What he has to say, to me, comes in a style and content that is sincere, authentic, and not preachy or meant to be perfect. And while most of the book's information can be found in countless other books or materials on retirement issues, it is the author's personal-experience perspectives, weaving in and out, that make the book worth reading.

Perhaps the book's best chapter is the one entitled "How Should I Invest During Retirement?" As most experienced investors know, there simply is no one answer for everyone in this area or even for one person all the time. Says the author, "Your goal as a retiree should be to develop an investment portfolio that provides relative safety, current income for living expenses, and the growth of your saving." While we'll all probably agree with this, now what? It's a bit like a baseball manager telling his pitcher, "Don't give him anything good, but whatever you do, don't walk him!"

The author starts this chapter with, "Three years after I retired, I was shocked to discover that if my wife and I didn't cut down on our spending and get better results on or investments, we would use up all our retirement savings within eight years." He gets professional advice to concentrate on cash flow. And after laying out the financial alternatives that he has been provided in his real world, Hinden selects a combination not without risk, in an effort to squeeze out a return that will bring him enough money to buy things he's really counting on in retirement. In this area, he's taken real risk and is not putting us to sleep. His struggle is personal and frank, and his conclusion is more than food for thought.

And while I don't agree with his conclusion in the chapter on long-term-care insurance, he comes right out with his concerns: "I can tell you what scares me. It's the idea that my health or the health of my wife, Sara, might deteriorate to the point where one of us would have to become a resident of a nursing home for an extended period of time." And he shares his fear of "the very real threat that we could be wiped out financially by the cost of that care." What also is refreshing in this section and others is that he gives readers actual financial details for he and his wife that are involved in their decisions. How refreshing to have some real numbers from a real retiree.

Another enjoyable chapter is "Where Do I Want To Live After I Retire?" Again, he shares the personal struggles and explorations that he and his wife experienced in their relocation explorations. He brings this important area of retirement options to life and, as a result, you feel more experienced yourself after having read it. And finally, in his final chapter, "How Can I Age Successfully," his list of the "do's" and "don'ts" relative to growing older are first-class.

Again, perhaps the best thing about this book is that it is full of personal experiences from a guy who is authentically retired. The clear majority of "retirement" books now emerging are written by people who have advice and opinions on retirement, but have no interest in retiring themselves soon. I find this a bit ingenuous most of the time. What Hinden gives us is a view from the inside looking out. It is far from a perfect book on retirement, and most readers will find sections or chapters that they will want to skim or skip entirely. Despite this, I enjoyed reading the book and recommend it highly to others.

Not the best out there..........2002-05-18

A book for the beginner. The financial planning advice was broad in scope, but shallow in depth. For the novice. The book is written in the voice of a person from my parent's generation (I'm 48). The approach to planning here is very conservative and even a bit naive. There were some good passages on trusts and wills. I was also a bit surprised there was no mention of non-financial issues relating to retirement, like personal growth. Money isn't everything. Try the book by Wasik, much better.

Good basic book covers all the important areas.......2002-03-23

Solidly researched and tightly written, this one will answer all the basic question a prospective retiree could have without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary detail or repetition. The author doesn't neglect to cover important side issues such as how to age successfully and deciding where to live after retirement but also covers basic questions such as : Am I ready to retire? Can I afford to retire and How should I invest DURING retirement? All in all, a good, well-balanced guide to retirement planning.

Out of retirement.............2002-03-01

Stan Hinden writes a column for the Washington Post and I've read his column since day one. I cannot say this is the best book ever written on the subject because I've only read three books, but I can say I've learned a great deal about retirement from Mr. Hinden and what I've learned was not taught in the midcareer retirement seminar I attended.

Unlike some who write on the subject, Mr. Hinden is actually retired...well sort of. He took a retirement pension from the Washington Post and then started writing his column on retirement, and now he has published a book on the subject. As Yogi Berra said, it ain't over until it's over.

Mr. Hinden says although you may retire from one job, perhaps you'll go onto another. Many folks retire from several jobs over the course of their life. Others figure out how to retire once and do it before 40. Mr. Hinden's main point is to rethink what retirement means to you. And, it's very important to have a plan for your "retired" years.

Mr. Hinden deals with financial matters, probably not with the comprehensiveness of a financial planner, but he provides enough information to get you started asking the right questions as well as a list of other sources with more in-depth information. A few of his goodies include -- yes, you can arrange with Social Security to make deductions for tax purposes, and yes, you may be eligible for pension coverage from a former employee if you were vested before you left.

Mr. Hinden underwent surgery a few years ago, and he has a great deal to say about medical expenses and health insurance. He also has some things to say about decisions he made prior to retirement concerning his beneficiaries. He also explains some of the mysteries associated with Part A and Part B Medicare. He also discusses the value of long-term health care insurance.

It's never too early to think about retirement planning. I am sending copies of Mr. Hinden's book to all my children so they can begin to think about it. That should boost his post-retirement income by a few cents.

Average customer rating:
How To Retire Happy: Everything You Need to Know about the 12 Most Important Decisions You Must Make before You Retire
Stan Hinden
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OGGDCO

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