Max Ernst: Life and Work

Book Description

A penetrating, intimate portrayal of the creative life of an individual artist and of the artistic life of the twentieth century.

Throughout his career, Max Ernst created fantastic worlds through images. But it is only when one sees his work in relation to the images of his personal life—his letters, photographs, poetry, and diaries, so brilliantly reproduced on these pages—that one begins to understand his world, a world spent at the epicenter of twentieth-century artistic life.

Max Ernst: Life and Work draws on an unprecedented collection of source material, much of it published here for the first time, to present a compelling portrait of the artist's life and an intellectual portrait of the period. Edited by Werner Spies, a close friend of Max Ernst and the leading authority on his extraordinarily rich, surreal world, it includes letters and notes by friends and contemporaries that provide insight into the reception of Ernst's oeuvre and shed light on his biography. The vast range of documents includes texts by Hans (Jean) Arp, André Breton, Louis Aragon, Paul éluard, Tristan Tzara, Man Ray, Benjamin Perêt, Lotte Lenya, Leonora Carrington, and many others.

Ernst's life and work were intimately interwoven, and the hundreds of documents here are interspersed with numerous reproductions of his work, all of which recall the variety and richness of the artist's discoveries and innovations. Ernst—dubbed "Dada Max"—played a vital role in the history of Dada and Surrealism in Cologne, Zurich, and Paris, and shaped the face of the New York art scene during his exile there. 615 illustrations, 154 in color.

Customer Reviews:

Max Ernst incomplete but brillantly presented book.......2006-08-15

Max Ernst Life and Times is a different kind of biography. After reading Calvin Tomkins'
Duchamp and Off the Wall - a portrait of Robert Rauschenberg, I had come to believe the biography of artist were the same. Neil Baldwin's, Man Ray - American Artist further reinforced this notion. However, Werner Spies book is a path not often taken. I suspect that the background of the authors, journalistic versus artistic has much to do with this difference.
Firstly, the book is beautiful in its glossy white high weight paper. The color plates are stunning (something lacking in Tomkins' books - again background differences). What I found disconcerting was who the text presented M.E. in an `at arms length' perspective.
The text is mainly letters and notes, some M.E. autobiographical entries strangely done in the 3rd person. Tomkins amerces you in the artist life and you feel an identity with situations and people. Spies' transcribs letter after letter (for some reason all shown in the book) to and from M.E. End result is a fragmented picture (surreal?) and not wholly fulfilling.
Now if Spies' format and Tomkins journalism got together....
Would I purchase this book again? Yes, but for the format and brilliant graphics. I will have to look elsewhere to read about Max Ernst.

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Max Ernst: Life and Work

Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Max Ernst Life and Work
Max] russell, John [Ernst
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KW3V4A

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Max Ernst Life and Work
John Russell
Manufacturer: Thames and Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Max Ernst: Life and Work
John Russell
Manufacturer: HARRY N. ABRAMS, INC., PUBLISH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

A glorious homage to the fashion and culture of the modern handbag, with interviews and images from all the leading houses—Chanel, Fendi, Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hermès, and Bottega Veneta, to name but a few.

Whether it's the tiny hand-held jewel that holds only a lipstick or the trendy Prada backpack, handbags are our most essential accessory. The ultimate status symbol, bags also speak volumes about our approach to style. This gorgeous book presents the best of contemporary design from the world's leading firms. Ranging from the status bags of Gucci and Hermès to the exquisite beaded purses of Jamin Puech and Nathalie Hambro, and laden with color photos and sketches, Bags: A Lexicon of Style is a must for fashion lovers and those with a sense of bags as art.

Valerie Steele is Chief Curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. A cultural historian specializing in fashion, she is the editor of Fashion Theory and a contributor to periodicals that range from APERTURE and ARTFORUM to VISIONAIRE and VOGUE. Among her books are The Corset: A Cultural History, Paris Fashion, Fetish, and Fifty Years of Fashion. Laird Borrelli, a fashion historian, also works at The Museum at F.I.T.

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Itýs in the Bag

Handbag - A lifelong Affair

Handbag - A lifelong Affair

Handbags: A Lexicon of Style
Valerie Steele , and Laird Borrelli
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fashion | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Handbags: The Power of the Purse

Handbag Chic: 200 Years of Designer Fashion

ASIN: 0847822303
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Book Description

Does a woman go anywhere without her bag?

From the tiny hand-held jewel with just enough room for a lipstick to the trendy Prada backpack, handbags are our most essential accessory and the ultimate status symbol. As clothing becomes increasingly minimal, handbags have been embraced as the quintessential fashion statement. Handbags also make it possible to indulge in designer wares without spending thousands of dollars on a single outfit. These compact icons of style speak volumes of our personal approach to fashion.

Focusing on our fascination with bags, this book presents the best of contemporary design from the world's leading firms. From the status bags of Gucci and Hermès to the exquisite beaded purses of Jamin Puech and Nathalie Hambro, the book includes numerous design sketches and brilliant advertising photos that speak of each creation in its own language. An engaging text by Valerie Steele and Laird Borrelli reveals the trade secrets of the designers who created these signature looks.

Customer Reviews:

Itýs in the Bag.......2002-03-26

This book is a must have for handbag connoisseurs and girlie-girls. Beginning with the super-chic, boldly colored hot pink cover featuring a Louis Vuitton Damier bag, the book is beautifully illustrated with examples of the full spectrum of 20th century handbags from vintage Hermes to Kate Spade canvas to exotic art pieces. The text is comprehensive and intelligent, highlighting the origins and evolution of the purse, yet it is entertaining as well and never too staid. The book has a sense of humor.

Readers will learn the history of Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Coach, and learn about memorable bags such as the Kelly bag named for Grace Kelly. It's a handbag lover's dream book.

Handbag - A lifelong Affair.......2000-04-14

If you love handbags, can never have enough of them and you are constrained by lack of cash, you may want to consider getting this book instead as it is filled with lots of glossy pictures of the most delectable bags. I certainly enjoyed the book and finished reading it in a day! In it, Steele explores the humble beginnings of this most essential accessory and seeks to uncover the reason for our continuing fascination with it. It is this obsession that has led to the handbag gaining iconic status and becoming even an object of art. The range of bags featured include the humble tote, whimsical and exquisite evening bags, the most coveted of status, luxury bags and the latest must-have fashion bags. It is a pity though that Steele did not include a directory of the stores where the bags are available as readers would have found that to be most useful if they want to not only look at the bags but to own them. Nevertheless, the book is highly recommended for those of us who are always thinking of adding yet another bag to our collection.

Handbag - A lifelong Affair.......2000-04-14

Book Description

From the wonderful golf cartoons published over the decades in "The New Yorker," cartoon editor Mankoff has culled the best for this book from the magazine's amazing artists.

Customer Reviews:

The Perfect Gift!!!.......2006-11-05

I searched and searched for a present for my golf-mad boyfriend, and this was by far the best golf book I could have bought him. Even I enjoy and can relate to the cartoons, fantastic buy and sits proudly on his bookshelf.

Excellent Humor about "Course" and "Off-Course" Moments.......2004-04-12

This book only lacks a knowledgeable introduction by a humorist, top golfer or pro, or cartoonist to make it a five-star offering.

To me, the best humor is one that captures the reality of how the viewer perceives life. In the case of The New Yorker Book of Golf Cartoons, every golfer will recognize her- or himself . . . and members of past foursomes.

Unlike most sports cartoons, these wonderful offerings provide both female and male perspectives as players. There's still the battle of the sexes around the missing male golfer, but not all cartoons are sex stereotyped . . . which I liked.

Here are a few of my favorites:

One guru with a long beard to another in front of cave overlooking a canyon as the second guru tees off: "If you're so enlightened, how come you can't lick that slice?" This reminded me of the section about Deepak Chopra in Who's Your Caddy?

With a tree lying between the ball and the pin, the caddy hands a saw to the golfer.

"The Male Biological Clock" shows a golfer thinking: "If I don't learn how to play golf by the time I'm forty-three, I'll never learn."

A golfer is thrashing behind a bush and birds and animals run pell-mell away from him.

"I am the Lady of the Lake, and because thou hast defiled my crystal waters I must hence smite thee. That or penalize thee a stroke. Your call." As you can imagine, most golfers would avoid the one stroke penalty.

Man races out the door carrying clubs says to wife, "Gotta run, sweetheart. By the way, that was one fabulous job you did raising the children."

A woman stands on a widow's walk atop her roof looking through a telescope towards a golf course.

One golfer to another as the second one takes his ball out of the cup, "Bankruptcy doesn't seem to have hurt your putting eye a bit, Pete."

One golfer to another as the second one wrestles with an alligator in a swamp, "Oh, for goodness' sake, forget it, Beasley. Play another one."

A man holds clubs next to a woman who's just finished her swing. The ball drops into the cup after two bounces. She asks, "Like so?" This reminded me of the time I took my mother to play golf for the first time, and she beat me on almost every hole after the first four. She quit the game in disgust that day, complaining that it was just too easy to be interesting.
Two golfers are thrashing through the high grass beyond the green looking for a lost ball. One turns to the other and says, "You know something, Jeff. There is one place we haven't looked." That's exactly what happened to me when I hit my hole-in-one to a blind green.

I could go on, but won't so that you'll have something to look forward to (other than your next round of golf). You can see that the cartoonists have a great sense of the game . . . that can only come from having struggled out on the links themselves.

This book will be a great gift for a parent who is a golfer for either Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Fore!!

Amusing Perspectives on Both Golfing and Flogging.......2004-04-04

At least to me, reviewing an anthology of cartoons resembles reviewing a performance by Marcel Marceau. Just as you really had to be there to see the performance to appreciate his talent, you really have to see the cartoons to appreciate their creators' talent. So, what to say now? First, that I am avid golfer and thus have a special interest in this volume, one of several in a series. Also, I am a long-time subscriber to The New Yorker and had already seen most of Robert Mankoff's selections as editor. I just wish I had aged as well as they have. Finally, if you love both golf (which is "flog" spelled backwards) and a good laugh, and no one else has as yet purchased The New Yorker Book of Golf Cartoons for you, don't begin dropping hints resembling anvils and then eagerly await the next birthday, anniversary, or holiday. Treat yourself to a copy TODAY. Amazon enables you to check out several of Robert Mankoff's selections as editor. Meanwhile, here's an excerpt from the dust jacket: "Mark Twain called it 'a good walk spoiled.' Lee Trevino said it was the most fun he ever had with his clothes on. For duffers and pros alike, golf can be both a delight and a torment -- often on the same day, sometimes on the same hole." Been there, done that. And, alas, will no doubt do so again...and again...and again. Fellow duffers, however badly you may play, you can count on this volume to entertain you later...and thereby help you to have the right perspective when you golf and/or flog your way through the next round.

The perfect, brainy "no-brainer" gift for golfers........2002-05-25

Golfers are, almost without exception, fanatical and this book hilariously captures all the elements of the game - the joys and frustrations, the golfers and the golf widows, the pros and the duffers.

Average customer rating:

The "New Yorker" Book of Golf Cartoon

Manufacturer: MCCM Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cartooning | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 962861326X

Amazon.com

The primary virtue of The Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness is its willingness to go over the top, and far beyond: there's an extended exegesis of Kubrick's Spartacus, "the manliest movie ever made"; photos of not only the B-17 bomber, but also "the three-tailed devil" (the P-38 Lightning); Zippo lighters; John Ford Westerns; pocket knives; and WD-40. Some might say that the Von Hoffmanns are stuck in adolescence, and they may be right--but where else can you find out who painted that picture of dogs playing poker? (Cassius Marcellus Coolidge).

Customer Reviews:

Classic manliness.......2007-05-05

I received this as a gift from my wife. Its full of fun little stories, lists, suggestions (like "How to make a potato cannon", not "What type of shoes you should buy")and other guy related stuff. Its an easy read, and a sure attention getter when friends are over. You can't resist picking it up, flipping through it and remembering all manner of amusements and misadventure from your past.

This book will be despised by insecure women, metrosexuals, and victims of penile revocation. All others (including true women) will love it.

Big Damn Book Of Greatness.......2006-12-23

My brother bought me this book a while back and it is freaking phenomenal!

When I got it, this was the FIRST book I had EVER read that said it was okay to like the things it mentioned. Every other book I was force fed in school and beyond was about exploring feelings and being the tough yet sensitive male....blah, blah, blah.

It was nice to see that other people appreciate the sense of manhood conveyed by John Ford, John Wayne, Victor McLaglen etcetera....

And it was nice to see them mention the greatest ACTRESS of all time, Maureen O'Hara. The woman doesn't get enough credit for being an independently minded woman in the group of strutting males that was the John Ford Production Company. SHE is what a woman and feminist should be. (i.e. not hateful of, but respectful of the differences between the sexes)

By the way, it has a FANTASTIC steak recipe in it as well. Along with other such things.

I really, really, really recommend this book to anyone who is a man or any woman who likes them. If you are a man, you'll suddenly feel far more validated and as you read say things like "YEAH! That's right!" . If you are woman who just likes men, it might explain them to you a little better.

"Welcome to manhood son!".......2004-06-08

I have owned this book for several years and reference it on a regular basis in MANLY conversations. I have purchased several copies and give it as a gift only to very deserving "manly" friends and each time they have been eternally grateful. I decided to add a review after making the "Salt Steak" this weekend. It was unbelievably delicious even after wrapping in in newspaper and soaking it in a bucket of water. I also used the opportunity to initiate my 13 year-old son into manhood. He opened my beers and read the dirty jokes while the steak was cooking. What a bonding experience! I am purchasing his copy today.

Men Among Men.......2004-05-25

The Von Hoffmann brothers have nailed what it is to be a man. They have included in one volume all there is about the manly art of being a man. Women may not get insight into us, but men will grunt and howl in appreciation and agreement. A fantastic unapologetic look at all the things and people we love. Well done boys! It's sad that it's out of print. Get a copy wherever you can. Great stuff!

What a Hoot!.......2003-08-08

This is truly a great book. From Potato Cannons to instructions on how to play craps, this book has a great deal to offer many different types of people. A baby boomer male? This is a trip down memory lane, and will elicit lots of fond memories of childhood fads. The wife of a baby boomer? This book will give you some insight on those things on which he spent his wastrel youth. The child of a baby boomer? You'll get a glimpse of the ways your old man raised hell when he ws a kid/teen/young adult.
It's a shame this book is out of print. It ought to be re-introduced (and even updated.)

The Von Hoffmann Bros.' Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness

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The Von Hoffmann Bros.' Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness

Manufacturer: General Publishing Group, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GLW6I2

Product Description

This lavishly illustrated paean to all things testicular is a perfect gift for the he-man in your life. Sports, tools, gals, cars, movies, clothes--this book leaves no stone unturned, no pants "unpantsed" in its pursuit of the eternal masculine. The Von Hoffmann brothers' culinary interests, for example, range all the way from "Colon Cleaner Chili" to a greasy Philly cheese steak; the rule of thumb seems to be, if it makes you wince, it's good eating. The primary virtue of The Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness is its willingness to go over the top, and far beyond: there's an extended exegesis of Kubrick's Spartacus, "the manliest movie ever made"; photos of not only the B-17 bomber, but also "the three-tailed devil" (the P-38 Lightning); Zippo lighters; John Ford Westerns; pocket knives; and WD-40. Some might say that the Von Hoffmanns are stuck in adolescence, and they may be right--but where else can you find out who painted that picture of dogs playing poker? (Cassius Marcellus Coolidge).

Average customer rating:

One of the 1st Film Noir Books. Still a Solid Introduction.

Dark Side of the Screen is shining light!

The Best Introduction to Film Noir

This book contains an excellent account of noir stylistics

The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir
Foster Hirsch
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Film Noir Reader

More than Night: Film Noir in Its Contexts

Film Noir Reader 4: The Crucial Films and Themes (Film Noir Reader)

Film Noir

Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style, Third Edition

ASIN: 0306810395

Book Description

The classic study of the most menacing and original genre of American cinema.

A backlist best seller and the definitive take on one of today's reigning screen influences, film noir, this is an essential guide to the extraordinary genre that launched the careers of such luminaries as Burt Lancaster, Billy Wilder, Joan Crawford, Orson Welles, and Stanley Kubrick.

Customer Reviews:

One of the 1st Film Noir Books. Still a Solid Introduction........2005-08-09

First published in 1981, "The Dark Side of the Screen" was among the first books in English on the subject of film noir. Author Foster Hirsch revisits that time before film noir was a fashionable subject in his introduction to this 2001 edition. More than 2 decades after its publication, "The Dark Side of the Screen" is still a solid introduction to film noir history, although it lacks discussion of the neo-noir films that have been made since its publication and has not been influenced by more recent theories. If you are new to classic film noir, this book is not a bad place to start. It is very readable, discusses or mentions over 100 films, and the large format (8.5"x11") allows for over 180 black-and-white photographs. "The Dark Side of the Screen" contains basic information on the film noir movement that you are likely to find in any good introductory text, so it's not intended for those already well-versed in the subject.

In eight chapters, Hirsch follows the film noir movement through its classic period, 1941 to the late 1950s, until its self-conscious revival in the 1970s. "The Dark Side of the Screen" starts out with an overview of typical noir themes and summary of the style's evolution, then takes a step back in time to film noir's sources, obvious and alleged, in American hard-boiled crime literature, German Expressionist art, and Italian Neo-Realist cinema. Hirsch summarizes noir's narrative and visual style before discussing key directors, mainly German émigrés and Americans, and many of the important names among film noir actors, with analysis of the typical film noir acting style. The book concludes with a useful, though occasionally forced, attempt to categorize film noir's basic narrative patterns and central figures and a brief discussion of neo-noir.

Like all historians and theorists, Foster Hirsch has opinions. His assertion that film noir is a "genre" and his presumption that its low-key lighting is "borrowed directly" or "clearly indebted" to German Expressionism become increasingly controversial as time passes. I mention this so that film noir aficionados know where he's coming from and to caution tyros that many ideas about film noir are controversial, so take everything with a grain of salt until you've formed your own opinions. But there is no reason not to start forming them with "The Dark Side of the Screen", which provides a nice overview of the classic film noir movement and lots of good film recommendations.

Dark Side of the Screen is shining light!.......2001-11-06

Hirsch's brilliant analysis of the antecedents, key period and legacy of noir remains perhaps the finest single work on the subject. Not as funny or entertaining as Eddie Muller's 'Dark City', but a major work that pre-dates many inferior later studies. Especially notable is Hirsch's use of stills, his choice of key scenes (e.g. Panic in the Streets, the Phenix City Story, Scarlet Street) skilfully differentiates between studio shot film noirs and pseudo-documentary/location filmed noirs.

Highly recommended for serious lovers of the genre (not room enough here to debate whether film noir is a genre or not!) and ranks, for me, alongside Paul Schrader's legendary 'Notes on Film Noir' essay (1972) as the single most important piece of work on the subject.

The Best Introduction to Film Noir.......2000-06-08

This book is the best of several I have read recently on film noir. It strikes the right balance between being thorough and accessible; not nearly as dry and academic as some others. One of the main elements of noir is its distinctive visual style, and this book has dozens of excellent photographic stills, which enable the reader to understand the style in a way that text descriptions could never duplicate. The author does an excellent job of placing noir in its historical context, without assuming the reader has prior knowledge of German Expressionism, hard-boiled fiction or any other influence. The book ends with a list of 120 or so classic noirs; this alone is worth the price of the book. I have seen approximately one-half of the movies on his list and every single one has been excellent. For anyone interested in gazing into "The Crazy Mirror," this is the place to start.

This book contains an excellent account of noir stylistics.......1998-11-09

I found this book to be a concise and relevant exploration of the history, style and themes of film noir. It was immensely helpful as a research source for an essay I did on noir styles and themes. With clear explanations and pictorial examples it bestowed upon me a clear and precise understanding of the genre.

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Dark Side of the Screen, Film Noir
Foster, Illustrated by Photographs Hirsch
Manufacturer: Da Capo Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSI6IG

Average customer rating:

The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir
Foster Hirsch
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSINUW

Book Description

This collection presents carefully crafted guitar arrangements of 44 lute pieces in standard notation together with a pull-out supplement of the original lulte notation in French tablature. The music in this book was drawn from three important lute manuscripts: The Rowallan Lute Book (c. 1620) for 10-course lute, The Wemyss Lute book (c. 1644-1648) for 10-course lute and The Balcarres Lute Book (c. 1700) for 11-course lute in d minor tuning. Original spelling is retained in the sixth string frequently tuned to D, players at the intermediate level should find these pieces rewarding sigh-reading material. Those who wish to add the suggested ornamentation will be duly challenged.

Customer Reviews:

Stop whining about it being "to powerful" or comparing psionics to wizards.......2007-03-07

Ok ill jump straight to it. Psionics using second edition rules (which is the correct way since third edition makes them nothing more then weak sorcerers) are not unbalbalancing in any way because of one very important aspect. All psionics have to be LAWFUL. That simple. They are not going to read random peoples thoughts, teleport into random rooms to steal, dominate or mind control anyone "just because". They need a good reason to do what they are doing, if they dont have a good reason then they are becoming chaotic and will loose access to their abilitys. A chaotic person doesnt have the discipline to do what a psion does.

In Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Ebberron, amd most campagins, magic is a invicable force that affects all things in a invisable weave (kinda like the Force in Star Wars) in Dragonlance they come from the moons, and in Dark Sun they come from living plants and animals, that is how mages get there power. A psionic gets his power soley from his mind, he can do just fine in a magic dead zone.

Finally psionics are not overpowered because i gurante they will not make all there power score checks when they need to, and they better have some allies there to help them. Also psionics in 2nd edition rules only have one power that can affect a group of enemys (called death field pshcyometabolics) and that comes with a great cost to the psion. All other powers are individual only, so really a 3rd level psionic has a better chance of beating a ogre then three goblins.

If you have looked at second edition youll see that the powers listed are unique in the way they work, with maitnance cost and power scores needed. Third edition psionics are just a different (wearker) type of sorcerer. Power may come from the mind but it does the exact same stuff. I run 3.5 edition campaign but use 2nd edition psionics. basically you use the chart giving in the 3.5 psionic handbook for skill points, feats, save throw, etc. but for the powers you use the 2nd edition handbook. To calculate a saving throw for a target I use this formula. 1d20 + penalty to power check + main stat modifier = will power save DC.

For example John the telepath is going to use psionic blast on a ogre. John has a wisdom of 18. Psionic blast is Wis -6. First he uses contact, since this power cant hurt the ogre i dont allow a saving throw (you may if you like but thats up to you) then the next round he rolls a d20. (wis of 18 - 6 = 12) he needs a 12 or lower to even activate the power. If he rolls higher then a 12 then the power doesnt even attempt to work, if he rolls lower then the power works. Assuming it works lets see if it hurts the ogre, he gets a Will save to ignore it. Save DC is 1d20 + 6 (the penalty to the power score) + 4 (wis mod). If you wanted you could just say that the d20 roll is allways a 10 (like magic works) but i find that using a random roll on every save makes psioncs feel different to.

I have more to add but I think ive written way to much, if youd like to comment good or bad, go nuts

How Psionics should be.......2003-01-05

This is the start of psionics in 2nd Edition. It is far surperios than the d20 version, which is absolute "garbage". Better abilities and much nicer, although some are overpowered.

Translate this into the d20 similar by making it similar to the Forbidden Kingdoms system, as psionics should be skills, not spells.

Good, but not necessary.......2001-06-06

This book is great for AD&D players and Dungeon Masters alike. However, everything you can find in this book is also found in the Player's Option: Skills and Powers book as well. Save your money for the Player's Option book; the complete psionics handbook is a waste

Psionics Rocks.......2000-07-10

This book is worth the buy, I was realy wanting to know what was contained in it and it was worth it. Buy this book it is extreamly useful in D&D especialy for Dragon Psionist but it's worth it.

Unorthodox and innovative - careful integration is worth it!.......2000-06-09

The PHBR (Player's Handbook Reference) series is one of the most highly-regarded, and yet much-maligned, series of supplements ever created. Each sourcebook takes one of the races or classes of the AD&D game, and adds to it huge amounts of new detail - new equipment, spells, kits (sub-classes), lore, new rules, etc. The problem is that the players love these so much that the DM often feels compelled to buy into the rest of the series - an expensive proposition! Fortunately, these works were "reprinted" in the excellent AD&D Core Rules CD-ROM. This one introduces the powerful and alien class of the Psionicist - if you are not running a Spelljammer or Dark Sun campaign, you will want to think VERY carefully before allowing this class to players! The power and versatility of these characters is amazing. Details of this book include: the Psionicist class and restrictions, a full explanation of psionic powers, disciplines, and advancement, special abilities, the powerful Wild Talents, psionic combat (a great system), the great powers (Clairsentience, Psychokinesis, Psychometabolism, Psychoportation, Telepathy, and Metapsionics), running a psionics campaign, and great monsters! It's a wonderful book - and used carefully, it will add a whole new dimension to your games.

Advanced dungeons & dragons, the complete psionics handbook: Player's handbook rules supplement

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Advanced dungeons & dragons, the complete psionics handbook: Player's handbook rules supplement
Steve Winter
Manufacturer: distributed in the United States by Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006RAAZW

Average customer rating:

A succint summary of today's management dilemas

Stunning Perspective

good for beginners

Rich Compendium of Contemporary Management Theory

Book on Organizational Design

The Modern Firm: Organizational Design for Performance and Growth (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies)
John Roberts
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0198293763

Book Description

Business firms around the world are experimenting with new organizational designs, changing their formal architectures, their routines and processes, and their corporate cultures as they seek to improve their current performance and their growth prospects. In the process they are changing the scope of their business operations, redrawing their organization charts, redefining the allocation of decision-making authority and responsibility, revamping the mechanisms for motivating and rewarding people, reconsidering which activities to conduct in-house and which to out-source, redesigning their information systems, and seeking to alter the shared beliefs, values and norms that their people hold. In this book, John Roberts argues that there are predictable, necessary relationships among these changes that will improve performance and growth. The organizations that are successful will establish patterns of fit among the elements of their organizational designs, their competitive strategies and the external environment in which they operate and will go about this in a holistic manner. The Modern Firm develops powerful conceptual frameworks for analyzing the interrelations between organizational design features, competitive strategy and the business environment. Written in a non-technical language, the book is nevertheless based on rigorous modeling and draws on numerous examples from eighteenth century fur trading companies to such modern firms such as BP and Nokia. Finally the book explores why these developments are happening now, pointing to the increase in global competition and changes in technology. Written by one of the world's leading economists and experts on business strategy and organization, The Modern Firm provides new insights into the changes going on in business today and will be of interest to academics, students and managers alike. The Modern Firm was the Economist Best Business Book of the Year 2004.

Customer Reviews:

A succint summary of today's management dilemas.......2006-10-15

The modern firm debates around the theme of organisation of companies.
Though not a long book it is rigorous and densely written taking more
time to read than just flipping through the pages.

The book has a simple structure in 7 chapters. The first two chapters
are a mere introduction to the book and to some general concepts. 3
and 4 are devoted to the core theory, and the last 3 are the practical
examples.

The two main topics of the book are: the nature and purpose of the firm
and the motivation of the firm. The first, discusses from a variety
of perspectives what is traditionally known as "make-or-buy", should
the company be more or less integreated; relating to the agency
problem and the Coase-theorem. Prof. Roberts does not give any
solution but a framework to decide depending on each ones case. Since
some activities cannot be externalised in a simple manner, the second
tackles the issue of motivation, exposing the main factors to be
accounted into motivating employees and linking those to the design of
a firm structure.

5 and 6 are the practical part of the book where the author divides
companies in two camps: those organised for performance and those
organised for growth. Whilst there are not that many examples nor
statistical relevant data, the author makes a strong point that both
goals cannot be achieved with the same structure since control
mechanisms, goal-setting, etc. might be completely different in each
onset. The last chapter reminds the role of management in the decision on
structure and its reponsibility.

The book manages in its last chapters to make a good balance between
readibility and structure analysis to bring its points home. Readers
prefering a more scholastic view on the subjects of chapters 3 and 4
might prefer a book like "Economics of Strategy" from Dranove et al.

Stunning Perspective.......2006-04-15

This book nicely mixes perspectives from economics, organization theory, and strategic management. The writing style is lucid and accessible, unlike many books by academics. It is clear that Dean Roberts has been thinking about these issues for many years.

Even though he was trained as a classical economist, he seems to have shed some of the baggage that the neoclassical paradigm imposes. That is important to the relevance of his ideas in this age of the resource-based view of the firm (see the collected readings edited by Nicolai J. Foss), the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation (Schumpeterian/Austrian economics), and evolutionary economics (An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change by Richard Nelson and Sid Winter, 1982).

In contrast to the traditional notion that firms within an industry are homogeneous and compete only on price, a stream of empirical research going back to 1991 (Richard P. Rumelt in Strategic Management Journal) has found that rates of return vary more within industries than across them. That makes the case for heterogeneity, not homogeneity. It also speaks to the importance of differentiation among firms. Most important, it opens up the discussion to such vital topics as a firm's unique capabilities, its routines, its culture, and its architecture, all of which Dean Roberts addresses in this remarkable book.

His perspective is not the final one, of course. What we know about that miraculous black box called the firm continues to evolve. But Dean Roberts has made a stunning contribution to what we know. In our own work valuing private equity, we use key precepts of this book every day. I recommend The Modern Firm without hesitation or qualification.

good for beginners.......2006-02-22

Roberts presents a useful primer on the modern business firm. In particular the chapter on "The Nature and Purpose of the Firm" gives a solid overview of the standard arguments and theories. The problem is that by sticking so closely to standard thinking Roberts misses an opportunity to broaden the discussion about what we call the firm. For instance: he hints at a disatisfaction at the severe limitations neo-classical economics places on anyone trying to integrate business strategy with broader economic theory [e.g. his brief critique of Alchian and Demsetz], but then quickly falls into line and refuses to break ranks with it. As a result the book becomes more a review of business school case studies than an attempt to theorize about the firm.

Even with this criticism the book is worth reading: because it is a solid introduction it highlights just how far we have to go to get a theory that can tie in with practise.

Rich Compendium of Contemporary Management Theory.......2005-10-29

This work sums up most of the salient advances in management theory and microeconomics of the last decade. Before you read it, you should have some understanding of game theory and strategic management, otherwise you may miss the significance of the arguments put forward. For the prepared reader this book is a compendium of thinking on creative management at the cutting edge of this discipline.

I have the habit of marking my books in two ways. First; I highlight passages to make important concepts easier to find again. Second; I mark my books with tags so that the most important of these can be accessed rapidly without having to page through the volume. The exercise of thinking about the choices I shall make for highlighting and tagging is a way of helping to consolidate the material in my memory; and - ironically - this exercise at times makes the highlighting and tagging redundant.

Now, what am I to do when the book is so rich in material, when it is comprised of such fertile intellectual soil, when so pregnant with insights and meaning, that almost every paragraph needs to be highlighted, and every second page tagged? Of course, I lower the threshold for highlighting and tagging. And, to ensure that much rich material is not forgotten for its quantity, or buried for its density, I read this book a second time.

Only one negative note: Roberts is given to outlandish Americanisms. Anyone sensitive to good English usage will find it difficult to prevent the occasional grammatical shocks from spoiling their reading pleasure. For example; "Absent efficient Coasian bargaining or complete contracting, coordinating across business to handle the externalities will require cooperation in the sense used in Chapter 3..." What he means is: "In the absence of efficient Coasian bargaining..." 'Absent' is not a prepositional phrase. It is an adjective. What a pity it is that the copy editors of the Oxford University Press didn't repair these mistakes. They give rise, however, to aesthetic problems for the most part. Once the reader becomes aware of Robert's idiosyncratic linguistic lapses, his meaning becomes clear.

For its content, the book is strongly recommended.

Book on Organizational Design.......2005-08-30

The Modern Firm discusses the interrelations between organizational design, competitive strategy, and the business environment. This book is a very very difficult read. If you have read Good to Great and expect the read to be anywhere as easy as that then you are mistaken. This book is very dense and most of the readers will not be able to finish it. Economist reviewer perhaps has a wonderful background to read such stuff with ease (for having given the book of the year award) or should have atleast known the author and his ideas well. It could be good college text book for detailed read or a week long course by the author - but as a self-read I would rate it very low.

The Modern Firm: Organizational Design for Performance and Growth (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies)

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The Modern Firm: Organizational Design for Performance and Growth (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies)
John Roberts
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKZ4GG

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