Count Your Blessings: A Family Circus Collection

Customer Reviews:

Good Family Circus book.......2007-01-09

The book itself was in excellent quality, and the material was typical Family Cirucs, which for me means charming and often funny.

Book Description

High fashion clothing designers from California produced stunning wardrobes for Hollywood stars that were trend-setting styles in the mid-20th century. Adrian, Irene, Helen Rose, Jean Louis, and William Travilla trained in the costume departments of the movie studios before they opened their own salons. Others, such as James Galanos, Rudi Gernreich, and Adolf Schuman (who founded the Lilli Ann company) chose to work their fashion magic in California. Both groups made original styles that influenced fashion around the world. Here hundreds of color photos present clothing designed by these giants of the industry that is still available to today's collectors. A helpful price guide is included to aid collectors and costumers alike. Live models and vintage photographs, original designer sketches and advertisements show the originality and diversity of these American fashions that became immediately popular in the ready-to-wear market.

Customer Reviews:

California Couture..... A wonderful reference book .........2002-06-02

I mainly bought this book for Vintage clothing reference, but I got much more out of it. I usually go more towards the 1940's & 1950's clothing era's, but this also opened my eyes to the 1960's and early 1970's fashion. I like most women, love the fitted look of the 40's. Designer's like Adrian, Joe Simms, Helen Rose, Rudi Gernreich, & Adolp Schuman (Lilli Ann). A great book full of drawings, black & white pictures, color pictures, and famous people. There is also back grounds on the designers. If you can find this book, it is worth picking up.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Catwoman has reevaluated her existence, and has come down on the side of becoming a protector of her part of town. So, she is not happy with drug dealers using kids as part of their operation, or when Holly, a friend of hers, is framed on a murder charge.

She becomes a very busy feline of the night trying to get all this sorted out.

Fun stuff, a nice twist on the Batman continuity.......2005-06-07

This comicbook is a good read... I've been an on-again, off-again comicbook reader since about 1970, and recently fell into the graphic novel habit... A friend who's a diligent DC fan recommended this series to me, and I gotta say, he was right on the mark.

This second volume of this revamped Catwoman series isn't quite on par with the first... Artist Darwyn Cooke is sorely missed, though his replacement Brad Rader does hot his stride after an issue or two... The art reminds me of the Terry Collins "Ms. Tree" crime series of the 1980s -- cartoonish, but with a certain elegance and unpretentious stylishness. The storytelling is less nuanced as well, but still pretty compelling... There's a sense that the reenergized Catwoman is just getting up to speed herself, and you really want to be around to see what happens when she finally lets the throttle out... Overall, another nice book... Plus, detective Slam Bradley is still around, so I'm hooked!

Book Description

Pidgin Grammar: An Introduction to the Creole Language of Hawaiÿi is an interesting and accessible reference for anyone wanting to know more about this unique language of the Hawaiian Islands. This is the first book devoted entirely to a serious description of Pidgin origins and grammar, and the first work on Pidgin grammar that does not require knowledge of linguistics.

Many people today view Pidgin as "broken" or incorrect English. Authors Kent Sakoda, native speaker of Pidgin and instructor in the Department of Second Language Studies at UH-Mânoa, and Jeff Siegel, Director of the Charlene Sato Center for Pidgin, Creole and Dialect Studies at UH, explain that Pidgin is a distinct language with its own vocabulary and grammatical patterns. They begin with an account of the origins of Pidgin on the sugar cane plantations of Hawaiÿi, showing how it has been influenced by Hawaiian, Portuguese, Cantonese, Japanese, and other languages. They further explain that Pidgin is technically a creole language, similar to creoles in other parts of the world, such as the Caribbean. Using examples from local Pidgin literature, Sakoda and Siegel illustrate the pronunciation and writing system of Pidgin and its word classes, phrases, and sentences. The book also includes a short list of Pidgin words sure to be familiar to island residents.

Customer Reviews:

Hawai'ian Pidgin.......2007-08-11

This is a great book that descibes in clear, precise detail how the language is spoken. Good for haole to understand Hawai'ian Pidgin.

Pidgin to da Max.......2004-04-05

Most non-linguists will find the first two chapters and the conclusion pretty fascinating, but may want to skim the rest of the book because it goes into word classes (which are pretty interesting, actually), phrases, sentence structures and da kine. One of the most interesting sections in the book is called "The current situation." If you look around the newsstands and bookstores in the islands, you will discover that there are books and even magazines in pidgin now! In recent years, the authors explain, advocacy of pidgin has developed in Hawai`i. There is a group at the University of Hawai`i called "Da Pidgin Coup" that has written a position paper on "Pidgin and Education," which is available on the Internet. There are currently many flavors of spoken pidgin, from "heavy" to "light" and variations in between. What helps make this book interesting is that the authors stick pretty much to the "heavy" variety in their exploration of pidgin grammar, so much of the content is somewhat exotic for non-pidgin speakers. There is a good pidgin word list and references at the end of the book.

Book Description

A behind-the-scenes look at the cult film that's taken critics and audiences by storm.

Christopher Nolan's Memento--the deceptive, ambiguous tale of a man with short-term memory loss consumed by the need to avenge the rape and murder of his wife--has already been hailed by critics as "a new classic" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), provoked more discussion than any other film of 2001, and in a near-instant established Nolan as a major player in the industry.

In The Making of Memento James Mottram aims to take the reader--backwards, of course, like the story's structure--through the complete process by which this watershed film was brought to the screen. Utilizing interviews with Christopher Nolan and his brother, Jonathan (author of the short story on which the film is based), as well as members of the cast and crew, including Guy Pierce and Carrie-Anne Moss, Mottram details life on the set and the experience of filming. He also looks at the critics' reactions, explores the film's themes, and discusses its place in cinema history. In addition, a full set of credits is included along with a plot summary and the complete text to the original short story, as well as a look at the process by which it was transformed into a screenplay.

All totaled, The Making of Memento is the perfect companion to what is sure to be regarded as one of the first great films of the new century.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and intriguing look into the making of a classic.......2003-01-03

James Mottram's "Making of Memento" is an interesting and intriguing look into the making of the modern day classic Memento. Offered up are excerpts from conversations with director/screen writer Christopher Nolan and actors Guy Pearce, Carrie Anne-Moss, and Joe Pantoliano, while offering a few different interpertations on the film itself. Mottram's style is crisp and clear and he never seems to go too far from his source material while offering up some interesting little known facts (the fact that Brad Pitt strongly considered and wanted to do the role of Lenny came as a shock and I have more respect for him now than I ever did before) that keep the reader interested for most of the time. Also included is the original short story by Jonathan Nolan (brother to Christopher) that inspired the film. All in all, consider this an essential companion piece if your a fan of the film or are trying to tie up some loose ends.

MEMORY IS TREACHERY.......2003-01-02

Want to delve deeper into mystery that is Memento? Then look no further as James Mottram does an excellent job of steering us back through the labyrinth of the film (with it's myriad of possible meanings) and it's production. Christopher Nolan is interviewed (along with key cast members and crew) to help shed further light on this fascinating film. With 11 pages of pictures, 3 pages of drawings (concerning Leonard's tattoos), and even Jonathan Nolan's short story (Memento Mori), Mottram seems to have covered all the bases. He wrote it down so that you (and Leonard) wouldn't have to.

Remember Sammy Jankis.......2002-05-28

Mottram's book offers a fascinating account of how Memento came into being, the trials its creators went through to get it distributed, and offers several interpretations of the film's meaning. It's also filled with interesting vignettes from movie set. The book roughly parallels the movie in that its chapters work backwards toward the source material, Nolan's brother's shortstory Memento Mori. However, its primary focus is on the construction of the movie itself, and how the disparate elements (acting, direction, writing, sound, music) came together to form the first truly great film of the 21st century. Mottram's writing style is clean, focused, and never overwraught. He doesn't make the mistake of overintellectualizing or overinterpreting the the film. This is a must have for Memento fans and offers keen insight as to how independent movies are made.

Average customer rating:

NOT a One-Star Book, GA-Waine...

Poor production values, poor editing

Step aside Frostburn, here is the real cold weather McCoy

Frost & Fur: The Explorer's Guide to the Frozen Lands (d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Michael Tresca
Manufacturer: Monkeygod Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Role Playing & Fantasy | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Frostburn: Mastering the Perils of Ice and Snow (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)

ASIN: 0972819754

Book Description

BRRRRRR!

Everyone knows the arctic can be an unforgiving terrain. But there's much more to the wintry land than cold damage and snowstorms. In Frost & Fur, players and Game Masters alike will find a wealth of information about what the arctic has to offer...and how to survive it.

Inside you'll find new rules for environmental hazards, survival equipment, and the effects of cold on skills and spells. Discover a variety of cultures, both magical and mundane, and the prestige classes, races, creatures, and spells that are an integral part of their mythology.

Frost & Fur: the cure for the common cold!

Customer Reviews:

NOT a One-Star Book, GA-Waine..........2007-05-25

The polarity of the first two ratings intrigued me: 1-Star? 5-Stars?

I think the 5-Star review is more accurate. I'm wondering if Gawaine got an early, uncorrected printing... Yes, introductory narratives are set in a tacky font, but they're short for the most part. I have NOT read this book cover-to-cover, but I've found NO glaring typos so far. While the index may not be excellent (the Norse pantheon is off by TWO pages in my copy, not six), the Table of Contents appears incredibly detailed.

The art is B&W, not color, but seriously, how much color do you need in a Snow White climate??? I found the amount of interior art to be ample, and the quality was for the most part good to excellent. Then there is the cover art by William O'Conner (Google him). This guy is in his own league when it comes to fantasy dragons!

The lack of a Bibliography IS unfortunate. BUT, one quickly gets the feeling that the author, Tresca, is not only very well read on the subject, but passionate about it.

So go back to your goblet quest, GA-waine, and stop killing the sales of good books!

FULL DISCLOSURE: At the time of writing this, I have a copy of this title for sale on Amazon. After a closer look, however, I just might add it to my personal collection instead ;-)
Cheers, AWAbooks

Poor production values, poor editing.......2006-01-02

The beginning of this book is typeset in a serif, italicized, bold, font, which is painful to read as it sounds.

The index is useless. Page numbers are consistently wrong, and things that should be easy to find, aren't. For example, Atlanteans are mentioned in passing throughout the book - but don't make the index. The norse deities are all off by 6.

The book is in black and white, with few pictures. It's inconsistent in organization - in some places, all of the cultures described in the book are handled together, in others, they aren't.

The first 30 pages may be useful. The rest of it is inconsistent enough in quality, not well balanced (removing things/adding them for arbitrary reasons from races/classes, without rebalancing them), and difficult to use.

Some people have criticised Frostburn for being another stupid collection of prestige classes and feats. I don't have Frostburn, but if it's worse than this, I'll be surprised. This also has a number of prestige classes, feats, and special abilities, but most of them are all tied to specific locales and cultures, and not likely to be widely used.

One other major criticism - there's no bibliography, no quoting of sources at all, other than the OGL. Most good books about real life cultural sources or topics (for example, all of the GURPS books) have good bibliographies.

In general, if you're made of money, and you want to run a campaign specific to the Inuit, I might consider buying this, if they do another edition with better editing and typesetting. If not, I'd look around or make up your own rules. The two pages on the Ice Age isn't worth it.

Step aside Frostburn, here is the real cold weather McCoy.......2005-10-15

Sometimes a product is best reviewed by stating what it is not. Frost and Fur is not WoTC's Frostburn. MonkeyGod Enterprises has given us what WoTC's Frostburn didn't; an excellent guide to campaigns or adventures in extreme cold.

Frost and Fur starts by providing an excellent overview of cold climates, what differentiates them, and why they exist. It provides excellent rules for adjudicating cold weather effects from hypothermia to frostbite, dehydration to tainted water. The rules are well done. They are not "new rules" but simply provide a systematic way to apply OGL rules to simulate the effect desired. It's the way OGL is supposed to work, and here it works very well.

The conceit of Frost and Fur, however, is to approach the world of cold climes through three cultures; Slavic, Inuit, and Ice Age Savage. All of these are done through a fantasy prism, however, so myths are real, as are mythical creatures, mythical weapons, etc. There are new races, or new takes on standard races, as well as new classes, prestige classes, and the like. Also, new spells, new feats, new skills, and new monsters round out the 237 pages.

But where it all comes together is that, by using historical research, each cultural package "works." That is, each new part relates well to other new parts because they come from a well-established cultural milieu; the sum of the parts actually creates a whole.

Average customer rating:

Enthusiastic

Very disappointed

Do Not Buy the Audio CD

Still excellent after all these years

Not bad

In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies (Collins Business Essentials)
Thomas J. Peters , and Robert H. Waterman
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

The Pursuit of Wow!

Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution

A Passion for Excellence: The Leadership Difference

ASIN: 0060548789
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Book Description

The "Greatest Business Book of All Time" (Bloomsbury UK), In Search of Excellence has long been a must-have for the boardroom, business school, and bedside table.

Based on a study of forty-three of America's best-run companies from a diverse array of business sectors, In Search of Excellence describes eight basic principles of management -- action-stimulating, people-oriented, profit-maximizing practices -- that made these organizations successful.

Joining the HarperBusiness Essentials series, this phenomenal bestseller features a new Authors' Note, and reintroduces these vital principles in an accessible and practical way for today's management reader.

Customer Reviews:

Enthusiastic.......2007-08-06

When it's Tom Peters, it's not the content that matters, but the enthusiasm that you gain from it. I highly recommend it. Other books which I love: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Eightstorm: 8-Step Brainstorming for Innovative Managers.

Very disappointed.......2007-07-05

I believed I would receive an unabridged audio version of the best selling book. This CD seem to be from a lecture. Plus it is copied from a cassette, since it states "turn the tape over." Do not purchase

Do Not Buy the Audio CD.......2007-05-17

If you are looking for a worthwhile quantity of information presented in the book, do not buy the Audio CD version. It is low quality, apparently copied from a cassette version, and contains so little useful information is was a waste of my time and money. As an example, at the end of the CD is asks you to turn the tape over, but of course there is no back side of the CD. The information is truncated and choppy.

Still excellent after all these years.......2007-05-04

It's been twenty-five years since In Search of Excellence first appeared in the book stores. When it appeared it was one of the very first books to make the general best seller list.

Over the last twenty-five years articles of all sorts have risen up to tell us that the research wasn't really valid or that the companies studied didn't outperform everyone else for the next quarter century. Those articles miss the point.

The important things about In Search of Excellence have nothing to do with whether the companies studied are doing well today or whether it was flawed as a piece of research. The book did not pretend to be a scientific study and it did not pretend it was picking companies for the ages.

The context is important. Japanese management, Japanese companies, and Japanese methods were ascendant. Books and articles called for American companies to act more Japanese, usually without any discussion of cultural differences. There was even talk that Japan would take over the economic world, leaving America in the dust.

In Search of Excellence was a look by two savvy consultants from the world's most revered consulting firm at what American companies were doing right. Another excellent book, The Art of Japanese Management had carried a similar message about a year before, but the stars aligned for In Search of Excellence and it became a best seller.

In Search of Excellence did what it set out to do. It showed that there were American companies doing good things and describing what those things were.

In Search of Excellence also did something groundbreaking and important. It has become Tom Peters' enduring legacy (since Bob Waterman went on to other pursuits) to establish the importance of enthusiasm, energy, humanity and spontaneity as counter and counterpoise to the "plan-the-error-out-of-it" school of management.

Tom's legacy, starting with In Search of Excellence, is that he changed the nature of the way we talk about management. That is no small thing.

But there is more than historical interest here. There's a lot you can learn from this book that will help you improve your results. Here's the list of key points, straight from the Table of Contents.

Managing Ambiguity and Paradox
A Bias for Action
Close to the Customer
Autonomy and Entrepreneurship
Productivity through People
Hands On, Value Driven
Stick to the Knitting
Simple Form, Lean Staff
Simultaneous Loose-Tight Priorities

Twenty-five years on, that's still a list that leads you to chapters stuffed with ideas and with wisdom. Twenty-five years on, this is a book you can learn a lot from.

Not bad.......2007-04-04

This is a fairly good book with some still applicable knowledge for the business world today. One thing to understand though is that the author did knowlingly and willingly skew his research and admitted to that in the December 2001 copy of FastCompany. In this the author admitted amongst other things to faking the data. Even with this knowledge though the book has stood the test of time and is still a good read.

In Search of Excellence: Lessons From America's Best-Run Companies.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant at the Basics

In Search of Excellence: Lessons From America's Best-Run Companies.
Thomas J. Peters
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000H1AV7E

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant at the Basics.......2007-09-25

Although this was written quite a few years ago, the basic truths outlined in this book remain as pertinent today as then. The two authors set out to find the basic characteristics of excellent companies and they came up with the following:

1) A bias for Action - Intelligent companies experiment rather than debate.
2) Close to the Customer - Service and quality obsession from top to bottom.
3) Autonomy and entrepreneurship - The key for big companies - Act small.
4) Productivity through people - Treat people like adults.
5) Hands on, value driven - Find a common cause and sustain it.
6) Stick to the knitting - Build on things you know.
7) Simple form, Lean Staff - Best if manager can control all aspects of the business.
8) Simultaneous loose - tight properties - Flexible to maximize autonomy. Tight on values.

To this day, Tom Peters continues to trumpet the mantra of simplicity and innovation. Many others have jumped on board. Unfortunately far too many still can't get it right.

Nick McCormick - Author, Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager

Average customer rating:

In Search Of Excellence - Lessons From America's Best-run Companies
Thomas J. and Waterman, Robert H., Jr. Peters
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I6V3PC

IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE : Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies + A PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE : The Leadership Difference (Limited Signed Edition, 2 Volume Matched Set)

Average customer rating:

IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE : Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies + A PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE : The Leadership Difference (Limited Signed Edition, 2 Volume Matched Set)

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000CDU2XA

Product Description

Limited edition. "In Search of Excellence" is signed by the author.

In Search of Excellence Lessons From America's Best -Run Companies, LARGE PRINT

Average customer rating:

In Search of Excellence Lessons From America's Best -Run Companies, LARGE PRINT
THOMAS PETERS
Manufacturer: G K HALL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UZSJRQ

Product Description

LARGE PRINT EDITION, 594 PAGES, HARDCOVER

Average customer rating:

IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE LESSONS FROM AMERICA'S BEST-RUN COMPANIES
Thomas J. Peters
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JWBP4O

Average customer rating:

IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE LESSONS FROM AMERICA'S BEST-RUN COMPANIES
Thomas J. Peters
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JWFVWQ

Average customer rating:

In Search of Excellence. Lessons from America's Best Run Companies
Thomas J.; Waterman, Robert H. Jr Peters
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEA9S0

Average customer rating:

In Search of Excellence. Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies.
Thomas J. and Waterman, Robert H. Jr. Peters
Manufacturer: Warner Books Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OF75S6

Average customer rating:

In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best Run Companies
Thomas J; Waterman, Robert H Peters
Manufacturer: Harper & Row Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KZ9VBY

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