Matisse: The Artist Speaks

Book Description

An inspirational celebration of art and artist, this is a collection of beloved images by Matisse coupled with his reflections on art, aesthetics, life and society.

Customer Reviews:

Very brief.......2004-07-08

This book offers a brief view of Matisse's varied ouvre: paintings, drawings, and cutouts, covering several decades of his lifeer. Each two-page spread shows a new piece, well printed, together with at least one quote from the artist's writings or interviews.

"Brief" is the key word, though. There are only a few dozen of his works here. The quotations are nearly all one-sentence sound bites, cut loose from the context that gave them their original meanings. What's even more confusing is that, although the pictures are in time order, the quotations are not. In fact, very few quotations have anything to do with the pictures they accompany, except in the compiler's mind.

Anyone unfamiliar with Matisse will find this a brief, digestible introduction. The afficionado will be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

Debt is evil

Basic Overview

Balanced Look at the Housing Market, With Helpful Advice

Disappointing

An Honest Book about the Volatile Real Estate Market

House Poor: Pumped Up Prices, Rising Rates, and Mortgages on Steroids: How to Survive the Coming Housing Crisis
June Fletcher
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

Sell Now!: The End of the Housing Bubble

Cash in on the Coming Real Estate Crash: How to Protect Yourself From Losses Now, and Turn a Profit After the Bubble Bursts

The Coming Crash in the Housing Market : 10 Things You Can Do Now to Protect Your Most Valuable Investment

How to Retire Happy: The 12 Most Important Decisions You Must Make Before You Retire

The Millionaire Real Estate Investor

ASIN: 0060873221
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

Skyrocketing home values, cheap money, and enticing home equity offers in recent years ... millions of us took on bigger mortgages, bigger houses, and bigger debt. But disturbing signs point to the end of the housing bubble:

Home sales and starts are at all-time record highs;
In some markets, prices have ballooned by over 100% in the past few years;
Interest rates are rising, while consumer debt stands at a record 110% of disposable income;
In some cities, real estate investors are creating "vulture capital" funds to buy condos cheaply when the market collapses.

This indispensable survival guide will address questions that include:

Should I take equity out of my house in these uncertain times?
If the U.S. market tanks, how can I sell to foreign investors?
How can I tell when my hometown is likely to boom or bust?
Is it too late to buy as a first-time home-owner? How about as an investor?
What are the best tips to protect my home investment?
What are the best tips to increase my investment?
Should I just get out of the market now while prices are still hot?
Where are America's most vulnerable housing markets?

Today's real estate developments could make you house poor, but this is the book to keep you house proud.

Customer Reviews:

Debt is evil.......2007-07-19

1. Avoid debt. Debt is evil.
2. Keep zero balance on your Credit card and avoid interest and fees
3. Avoid Home Equity Loans and Refinance Loans
4. Interest Only Loans charge more interest and are profiled as high risk borrowers. A interest only loan has a smaller monthly payment and combined with a principle payment, a home owner can accumulate more equity.
5. Zero Interest loans can be acquired by paying a higher asking price and more of a downpayment.
6. Never borrow a monthly payment that is 25% of income.
7. Interest Only Loans are often used to finance a second home
8. ARMs can adjust after a few years and reach 10%, don't be suprised at the low entry payment.
9. 40 year loans exist and have a higher interest rate than 30 year loans.
10. Be your own agent. House brokers want to sell product and not price.

Basic Overview.......2006-07-14

For those with little understanding of the housing market this would be a good primer. For those looking for more analysis of real estate and its impact on the economy you would be better served to look elsewhere.

Balanced Look at the Housing Market, With Helpful Advice.......2006-05-01

This book is not a full-blown economic analysis of the housing bubble. If you are looking for something like that, read "Irrational Exuberance," by Robert Shiller, or "Sell Now!," by John Talbott. Nor is this book a "buy now or you'll forever be priced out of the market" epistle. For that, see the National Association of Realtors and their spokesmen.

This book is a fair, balanced look at the housing situation today. It discusses the bubble, all right, but the book's main purpose is to provide advice to average Joes about housing issues. The first chapter is entitled "To Buy or Not to Buy, That is the Question." Fletcher goes through the cases for buying, renting, buying to rent, and renting to own, pointing out the risks in each. In the second chapter, Fletcher explains the myriad types of financing out there -- many of which I'd never heard of -- and explains what to watch out for if you do decide to buy. Subsequent chapters are devoted to when and whether to improve your home (and what to improve), flipping, foreclosures, and selling to international investors or buying property outside the United States.

Finally, someone has clearly explained the "1031 exchange," the Housing Affordability Index, and whether those granite countertops will pay for themselves. Fletcher writes from experience: she is the author of a Wall Street Journal column that gives practical advice to those in or who are contemplating joining the real estate market. Professional housing investors/flippers may not learn anything new here, but for the rest of us, homeowner or not, this book provides solid information and advice.

Disappointing.......2006-04-09

The analysis of the housing bubble in this book does not go beyond what is found in the general press. Save your money! We were looking for regional analysis of the housing bubble, likely scenarios as to how the housing bubble will correct, and how the correction will effect different housing segments (condos, started home, high end properties, etc.).

An Honest Book about the Volatile Real Estate Market.......2005-12-21

House Poor identifies the key issues consumers need to know to survive the current volatile housing market. The style is brisk and understandable, and the information is focused and useful. Unlike books that try to entice readers with promises of getting rich quick by investing in real estate, House Poor gives suggestions about how to invest prudently and warns readers about the dangers of becoming overextended. When activity in many housing markets begins to decline from its current unsustainable level, many people will wish they had read the advice in Fletcher's book.

Home Ownership in Crisis?: The British Experience of Negative Equity

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Home Ownership in Crisis?: The British Experience of Negative Equity
Ray Forrest , Patricia Kennett , and Philip Leather
Manufacturer: Ashgate Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1859720129

Builders make urgent plea for housing reform: frustrations grow as S.D. enters 4th year of affordability crisis.(San Diego) : An article from: San Diego Business Journal

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Builders make urgent plea for housing reform: frustrations grow as S.D. enters 4th year of affordability crisis.(San Diego) : An article from: San Diego Business Journal
Pat Broderick
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by Thomson Gale on September 12, 2005. The length of the article is 2029 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: Builders make urgent plea for housing reform: frustrations grow as S.D. enters 4th year of affordability crisis.(San Diego)
Author: Pat Broderick
Publication: San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 12, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 26 Issue: 37 Page: 1(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Locked out? Affordability has hit crisis proportions in many parts of the country. Who's being locked out, and is there a fix?(Cover story): An article from: Mortgage Banking

Average customer rating:

Locked out? Affordability has hit crisis proportions in many parts of the country. Who's being locked out, and is there a fix?(Cover story): An article from: Mortgage Banking
Dona DeZube
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Mortgage Banking, published by Thomson Gale on October 1, 2006. The length of the article is 3615 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: Locked out? Affordability has hit crisis proportions in many parts of the country. Who's being locked out, and is there a fix?(Cover story)
Author: Dona DeZube
Publication: Mortgage Banking (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 67 Issue: 1 Page: 50(7)

Article Type: Cover story

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Since the 1960s, Hong Kong cinema has helped to shape one of the world’s most popular cultural genres: action cinema. Hong Kong action films have proved popular over the decades with audiences worldwide, and they have seized the imaginations of filmmakers working in many different cultural traditions and styles. How do we account for this appeal, which changes as it crosses national borders?

Hong Kong Connections brings leading film scholars together to explore the circulation of Hong Kong cinema in Japan, Korea, India, Australia, France, and the United States, as well as its links with Taiwan, Singapore, and the Chinese mainland. In the process, this collection examines diverse cultural contexts for action cinema’s popularity and the problems involved in the transnational study of globally popular forms, suggesting that in order to grasp the history of Hong Kong action cinema’s influence we need to bring out the differences as well as the links that constitute popularity.

Contributors. Nicole Brenez, Stephen Chan Ching-kiu, Dai Jinhua, David Desser, Laleen Jayamanne, Kim Soyoung, Siu Leung Li, Adrian Martin, S. V. Srinivas, Stephen Teo, Valentina Vitali, Paul Willemen, Rob Wilson, Wong Kin-yuen, Kinnia Yau Shuk-ting, Yung Sai-shing

Book Description

This is a quick reference guide to essential guitar chord forms. On each type of chord you will see the chord spelled out in notation with the chordal relationships also shown (Root, b3rd, 7th, etc.). You will also be shown the three most popular forms of that type of chord in three different locations on up the guitar fingerboard. Also, for each key a fingerboard diagram is presented showing the location of every Tonic or Root tone in that specific key. In addition, handy side tabs help you locate the exact chord form needed in seconds. This book is presented in full size or reduced case size. In each key the following chords are presented in multiple forms: Major, Minor, Dominant 7th, Diminished, Augmented, Minor Seventh, Sixth, 7#5, 7b5, Major 7th, Major 7b3, Minor 7b5, 7sus4, Minor 6th, 9th, Major 9th, 9#5, 9b5, 7b9, 7#9, 6 add 9, 7#9, 11th, Augmented 11th, 13th, 13 b9, 13 b9 b5.

Average customer rating:

Excellent for it's intended purpose, see review for details

Not the most basic book written on chess, but almost!

The most basic chess book ever written

Stay at Square 1.

He REALLY means beginners!

Square One: A Chess Drill Book for Beginners (Fireside Chess Library)
Bruce Pandolfini
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chess | Board Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Beginning Chess: Over 300 Elementary Problems for Players New to the Game

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Simple Checkmates

ASIN: 0671884247

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for it's intended purpose, see review for details.......2007-01-27

This book is targeted to someone who is very new to chess. It allows them to quickly learn the rules, notation, how pieces move, elementary tactics and elementary checkmates.

The added value of this book over other similar ones is that it is extremely well-organized, logically arranged and set up so that a beginner can make rapid progress. There are many questions, exercises and drills of various types that reinforce important ideas and plenty of review material. This book is ideal for a parent helping a child to learn chess partly for that reason.

I saw a lot of low ratings for this book and didn't think that was quite fair because perhaps they are not judging it for it's intended audience. For the target audience, however, I really haven't seen anything better.

At one time I was a Director of Education and part of my job was putting out courseware and course materials. In my judgement this book is designed to teach and it takes the shortest path to the goal and present material in way where it is likely to be retained in long-term memory.

If you already know the rules, elementary tactics, elementary checkmates, etc. you still may appreciate the review or you may want to pass on this. One of my favorite beginner books for a general for play for a beginner is HOW TO BE A WINNER AT CHESS by Reinfeld. It's an older book, but very readable and a good next step to this one.

Not the most basic book written on chess, but almost!.......2006-01-12

If you want very simple, and I mean a very, very simple introduction to the very basics of chess, then "Square One" is ok. But don't plan to learn much from it beyond the most basic rules and most basic starting strategy.
I want to point out that there is a book that is even more simple called "You Can Play Chess" that teachings the basic rules with cool drawings for little kids that can be coloured (use crayons!). I liked it for that when I was just learning. Like the other review said for a serious older kid "Chess for Juniors" has the most instruction in any beginner book I have seen.
I hope that I have given some good advice for you to find the right chess book for you.

The most basic chess book ever written.......2005-12-24

I was amazed. Simply amazed that such space was given to these huge diagrams. Almost nothing except the very, very basics is covered. If you know how the pieces move and the very must basic strategy you could possibly learn you are already past where this book goes.
It isn't a nice picture beginners book like "Starting Chess" (good for parents to read to small kids) or a quality introduction to chess with lots of material like "Chess For Juniors". Get one of these instead.
You will be shocked when this book arrives if you order it!

Stay at Square 1........2002-01-10

Basically after you buy this book you will end up on square 1 if your lucky :)... All it does is ask you questions basically does not teach you a thing. I was amazed that a book this bad actually got printed. I don't know why they keep printing awful books from the same author. Did someone lose a bet to this guy and have to print these things? Maybe he owns the publishing company that would seem the only way. If you read the review about the guy rated 1000. If this book did not help him, don't expect it to help you. What makes me laugh is a few morons give this book decent review. Those are the people when I play I look over to see Im up a Rook and Knight. Not to mention 2 pawns without any pieces of mine off board. All this under 10 moves, thats where this book will take you to. If you wanna get this book as a joke, maybe its worth money. Yet if your thinking of learning anything, hahaha the jokes on you :)...

He REALLY means beginners!.......2000-02-04

I am sorely disappointed. I consider myself a beginner because my rating is somewhere around 1000. By the title ("Drill Book") I thought there would be lots of problems that I could puzzle over to determine what white or black's best next move should be. And thus I would learn more about how to play the game. Instead, I discovered that when Bruce says "Beginners" he means "people who do not even know the rules!" Of course, a lot of books start out covering the rules, but the purpose of this *entire* book is nothing more than to teach you the rules! To wit, the ending chapter has questions such as "Is this position stalemate?" "Is *this* position stalemate?" and so on! So the book teaches you nothing about how to actually play. What a profound waste of money.

Book Description

This book gathers together Peter Drucker's articles from Harvard Business Review and frames them with a thoughtful introduction from the Review's Editor Tom Stewart

One of this century's most highly regarded students of management, Drucker has sought out, identified, and examined the most important issues confronting managers, from corporate strategy to management style to social change.

Through his unique lens, this volume gives us the rare opportunity to trace the evolution of the great shifts in our workplaces, and to understand more clearly the role of managers.

This book gathers together Drucker's articles from Harvard Business Review and frames them with a thoughtful introduction from the review's editor Thomas A. Stewart.

Customer Reviews:

Great management book.......2007-09-24

This is one of the best management books I've ever read. Despite the articles being written 10 - 20 years ago, they are still relevant. Drucker uses good examples to illustrate his points, and avoids the word "synergy."

Wisdom for the ages.......2007-01-05

I found the chapter on self-management alone to be worth the price of the book.

A compendium of business wisdom which should be in every business library collection.......2006-07-04

If the name of Peter Drucker sounds familiar, it should: he's inspired managers with his works for nearly half a century, with his articles in Harvard Business Review - gathered here for the first time under one cover and offering his best works to audiences of business learners. From how to remain productive throughout your work life and choose careers which are lasting to learning how and when to make changes, Classic Drucker is a compendium of business wisdom which should be in every business library collection.

Simplicity on the other side of complexity.......2006-06-20

To me, one of Peter Drucker's greatest strengths as a business thinker is his ability to cut to the proverbial "bone" when sharing an insight about an especially complicated subject. This unique talent illustrates what Oliver Wendell Holmes meant when observing that he didn't "care a fig about simplicity on this side of complexity" but greatly admired simplicity "on the other side of complexity." Given Holmes' observation, consider these three prime examples of "classic Drucker":

In 1963: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all." (Managing for Business Effectiveness, page 83)

In 1995: "EVA [economic value added] is based on something we have known for a long time: what we generally call profits, the money left to service equity, is usually not profit at all. Until a business returns a profit that is greater than its cost of capital, it operates at a loss...By measuring the value added among all costs, including the cost of capital, EVA measures, in effect, the productivity of all factors of production." (The Information Executives Truly Need, page 107)

In 1988: "Information-based organizations, in other words, require clear, simple, common objectives that translate into particular actions. At the same time, however, as these examples dicate, information-based organizations also need concentration on one objective or, at most, on a few. Because the `players' in an information-based organization are specialists, they cannot be told how to do their work...So [such an organization] must be structured around goals that clearly state management's performance expectations for the enterprise and for each part and specialist and around organized feedback that compares [and contrasts] results with these performance expectations so that every member can exercise self-control. The other requirement of an information-based organization is that everyone takes information responsibility...The key to such a system is that everyone asks: Who in this organization depends on me for what organization? And on whom, in turn, do I depend?" (The Coming of the New Organization, page 133)

There several other excellent sources of Drucker quotations (e.g. The Daily Drucker) which I frequently consult. However, in the 15 Harvard Business Review articles which are assembled in Classic Drucker, there is a context within which the value of each insight is more clearly indicated. In the Introduction, Thomas A. Stewart (editor of the Harvard Business Review) cites three of Drucker's great gifts to his life work: "First was the talent for asking the right questions...His second gift was to see organizations whole...[Drucker's] third gift was the ability to reason equally well both inductively and deductively." All three gifts are clearly evident in each of the 15 articles.

Near the conclusion of an interview by T. George Harris in 1993, Drucker makes several points which seem even more relevant now: "'Democratic' bespeaks a narrow and legal organization. Nor do I use the buzzword `participative.' Worse yet is the `empowerment' concept. It is not a great step forward to take power out at the top and put it in at the bottom. It's still power. To build achieving organizations, you must replace power with responsibility."

During the months and years to come, decision-makers in all organizations (regardless of nature or size) would be well-advised to keep such basic business precepts in mind, not as simplistic solutions to immensely complicated problems but, rather, as fundamentally sound principles to keep in mind when attempting to solve such problems.

Classic Drucker: Essential Wisdom of Peter Drucker from the Pages of Harvard Business Review

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Classic Drucker: Essential Wisdom of Peter Drucker from the Pages of Harvard Business Review
Peter Ferdinand Drucker
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1422125920

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