Book Description
Southern Italian emigration to the United States peaked a full century ago—descendents are now fourth and fifth generation, dispersed from their old industrial neighborhoods, professionalized, and fully integrated into the "melting pot." Surely the social historians are right: Italian Americans are fading into the twilight of their ethnicity. So, why is the American imagination enthralled by The Sopranos, and other portraits of Italian-ness?
Italian American identity, now a mix of history and fantasy, flesh-and-bone people and all-too-familiar caricature, still has something to teach us, including why each of us, as citizens of the U.S. twentieth century and its persisting cultures, are to some extent already Italian. Contending that the media has become the primary vehicle of Italian sensibilities, Ferraro explores a series of books, movies, paintings, and records in ten dramatic vignettes. Featured cultural artifacts run the gamut, from the paintings of Joseph Stella and the music of Frank Sinatra to The Godfather's enduring popularity and Madonna's Italian background. In a prose style as vivid as his subjects, Ferraro fashions a sardonic love song to the art and iconography of Italian America.
Customer Reviews:
Completely satisfied.......2007-02-11
Product arrived in a timely manner in the condition advertised. That's all you can ask for.
Customer Reviews:
It's All In the Packaging.......2007-03-23
Julian Robinson, a noted fashion designer, author, lecturer, and historian, has put together a notable work that addresses the subject of why we dress (or package our bodies) as we do. Body Packaging is divided into the following sections: Introduction - Clothing the Psyche - The Historical Perspective - Signs and Symbols - Here and Now - and Changing Attitudes. There's also an extensive bibliography.
Body Packaging is chock full of photos and illustrations that illuminate the text. Author Robinson pulls no punches and provides many photos that often show full nudity, genitalia, and a myriad of sexual customs--some appearing quite shocking and unusual to our sensibilities. I, for one, appreciate the candor.
Where this book really shines, however, is in the area of the descriptions and explanations offered for why we act the way we do in regard to clothes. From earliest times, when people in warm climes wore little or nothing in the way of covering, they decorated various parts of the body to indicate sexual intentions. Robinson posits the theory that our clothing styles through the centuries are an extension of our human sexual display when we generally wore less clothes. By covering and revealing various parts of the body, we send varying signals to members of the opposite sex. The author also explodes a number of cultural myths concerning the origin of certain customs and conventions, like foot binding and lip plugs. After reading Body Packaging, I've discovered that people who practice social nudity are by far the most modest of humans, for they send far fewer sexual signals with their bare bodies than those who are dressed!
Robinson's writing style throughout Body Packaging is casual and informative, eschewing the dry, stultifying style and jargon of the academician. This book is a must read, for it provides vital information in regard to clothing and dress--and how it has evolved over the centuries. It's also a wealth of photos, diagrams and illustrations of clothing (or lack of same) through the ages.
Book Description
Longtime embedded journalist Karl Zinsmeister (Boots on the Ground: A Month with the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq) and penciler Dan Jurgens (Thor, Superman) chronicle three months in the lives of the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq in this groundbreaking series. Collects Combat Zone: True Tales of GI's In Iraq #1-5.
Customer Reviews:
One Point of Not-So-Trivia.......2007-03-14
One point the reviews of this comic seem to have missed, or avoided, is that the author Karl Zinsmeister is in fact Domestic Policy Advisor to one George W. Bush. Take it as you wish -- interesting factoid or evidence of bias. But it should be disclosed.
Unintentionally funny........2006-02-18
I bought this because of the positive reviews and because it sounded like it might be pretty good. It's not. The drawings are well-done. Beyond that, this could easily have been written during the WWII Africa campaign with a few updates on weapons and jargon.
All the sterotypes are here. There's Duhon, the dumb but friendly Southerner, Kulzinski, the brawny Pole, Dean, the third-generation Army brat, Marco, the tough Texan, Gordon, the wet-behind-the-ears Lieutenant, and Brown, the token black. I'm pretty sure I've seen all these guys in a John Wayne movie or three. Oh, right, Wayne's there too, playing the cowboy sharpshooter.
The dialogue is wordy, freighted with needless backfill, and just plain corny. Here are a couple of example quotes:
Lt. Gordon: "I know we're still in shock over losing Sgt. Kramer. But we've got a job to do. Now I know I'm just a kid out of college, and that my joining the Army to try to make the world safer may seem a little goofy to you. But we all agree we have to succeed here."
Capt. Kirkwood: "There's a good chance one of those cavalry gun trucks could get ambushed and pinned down. If that happens, I want you to treat it like a downed helicopter, understand? We are not going to lose another one of those men. You drop everything until those soldiers are saved. That's what we do for other Americans who risk their lives with us."
One unintentionally funny scene has Gen. Swank deciding how to handle his current problem: he needs to assasinate some local Baathist leaders. He decides that the Air Force's "just drop a big bomb on them" solution is too messy; he opts instead to do it his way, the Army way. No one is stupid (or gutsy) enough to stand up and say that Swank's hare-brained Plan B--to use noisy Army helicopters firing Hellfire missiles as snipers--probably won't work. When the plan does indeed go awry, an underling is quick to point out that while the Air Force option would have gotten the job done, Swank still made the right decision.
Great All Around!.......2005-09-21
Combat Zone: True Tales of GIs in Iraq is an all-around great package. First, and most importantly, it gives stateside readers a bird's-eye view of what our fighting men have done in Iraq (specifically the 82nd Airborne, a group of connsumate professional soldiers who uphold a many-decades-long Airborne tradition of doing their country proud). Karl Zinsmeister translates his first-hand experiences as an embedded journalist into engrossing comic book war stories, with the able assistance of artist Dan Jurgens, who deftly controls the pacing and atmosphere of the stories through his fine illustrations.
However you feel about Iraq, it's hard to deny that the American media does a poor job of showing what the soldiers go through. Sure, they covered things in detail when it was "hot" during the early days of the war. But after "sexier" stories came around about missing persons in Aruba or somesuch, the media almost totally withdrew their focus from Iraq. Now all we get from mainstream sources are stories featuring a sterile bean-counter tally of US casualties and occasional snipets of strategic coverage. I follow Pentagon briefings religously, and less than one-twentieth of the info they give the press makes it on the air. What do the soldiers do during downtime? What's the morale like? What acts of bravery have won medals recently? None of that is reported.
So projects like Combat Zone, even in comic book form, serve to "fill the void" to some degree. We all have opinions about Iraq, but our thoughts aren't worth spit if our opinion isn't educated. This comic, as one part of Mr. Zinsmeister's writing efforts, are providing some of that knoledge to fact-starved American civilians.
On a much less important note, this project also fills another void by adding much-needed diversity to mainstream comics. War comics used to have a solid and continual presence on the newstands, but by the time comics shops took over, this genre had entirely dried up. From a technical standpoint, Combat Zone is similar to the classic Sgt. Rock comics of the seventies and eighties, moreso than the equivalent Marvel Sgt. Fury comics that always seemed more fantastical. There is a gritty realism in Combat Zone, but not the chaotic atmosphere of a "Saving Private Ryan". These stories are more a portrait of military professionalism.
The one very minor nit-pick I had with the book is that the dialogue is a bit stilted at times, mostly due to the necessity of explaining things to readers. But then again, even the classic Band of Brothers had awkward scenes where characters gave exposition for the benefit of the viewers, so this is to be forgiven.
If you know someone in the military, you'd be hard-pressed to read Combat Zone (or the books these stories are taken from: BOOTS ON THE GROUND and DAWN OVER BAGHDAD) without feeling proud of them.
RECOMMENDED.
Combat Zone is Groundbreaking in the Comic Book Industry Today.......2005-09-17
Combat Zone is groundbreaking in the comic book industry today. After September 11th we were confronted with a plethora of polemics - comic books that sent a cynical message of appeasement, featuring a host of trite images hostile to the United States - including senior military officers portrayed as stupid belligerent bullies, government officials as evil masterminds, comic book iconic heroes spouting pacifist anti-war platitudes, and storylines slandering America's past and present. Some, published by major publishers, even went so far as to equate America's actions with those of Nazi Germany. In striking contrast to comic book tradition, we saw virtually no comic books supportive of the war effort or that portrayed our senior military in a positive light. I've personally addressed this issue in several articles.
Now, with Karl Zinsmeister's work, we see a comic that realistically portrays senior military officers and the soldiers serving on the ground. Zinsmeister explores their motivations for wanting to confront an evil adversary, their dedication, their dreams, their courage - and their willingness to endanger their own lives to minimize civilian casualties. In short, it presents these brave men and women are the true heroes they are.
This storyline does not glorify the war. However, it does give us a snapshot into the real experiences of soldiers on the ground, portrayed as real human beings, and not as comic book stick figures. The story is compelling because the characters are real.
The ring of truth in this comic book is truly refreshing today. The artwork is dynamic and powerful. For anyone who is into contemporary comic books, whether you agree or disagree with Zinsmeister's point of view, this is a must buy to add to your collection. And for those who aren't into comic books - read it anyway, and share it with others. It's a real page turner, engaging, a blast to read. Buy it and share it. You won't be disappointed.
Marvel deserves credit for bucking the trend in the industry, and in many of its past comics, by publishing Combat Zone: True Tales of GI's in Iraq.
powerful, and a refreshing change of pace.......2005-09-01
If you're looking for a grown up comic novel, one with real character development, believable dialogue, a positive take on humanity, sincere moral dilemmas, gradually accumulating tension, and lots of realistic details of combat, look no further. In case you are not a regular to contemporary "graphic novels" (as book-length comics are now called--a little pretentiously, in opinion) these are not common features of the genre. So I found this very refreshing, and quite interesting as a document that rings very true, at the same time that it runs counter to much of the conventional wisdom we hear on the news. The story builds gradually, with plenty of time for real human details to emerge in everyday dialogue, jokes, and intimate discussions between soldiers. And having the highly detailed artwork right there with the realistic daily soldier talk really formed a full picture in my mind. Strangely, I got a better sense here of what the actual work of an infantryman in Iraq is like today than in any of my non-fiction reading. Highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
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A Chapbook for Burnt-Out Priests, Rabbis, and Ministers
Ray Bradbury
Manufacturer: Cemetery Dance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary
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ASIN: 1587670100 |
Book Description
These two clever joke books are uniquely shaped to represent their subject matter, and they contain the best of the best jokes on two classic topics: drinking in bars and religion. Time-tested and often repeated, these categories never go out of date and are added to frequently. It's no wonder drinking and religion are the enduring centerpieces of so many movies, TV shows, and stand-up comedy skits. With universal appeal, these jokes are always great ice-breakers and sure to bring on fits of laughter. Filled with some old ones, some new ones, and even some blue ones, A Guy Goes into a Bar . . . and A Minister, a Priest, and a Rabbi . . . will have you laughing till you cry and flipping the pages for more. Al Tapper is chairman of ACT II Company Inc., a private investment company that acquires, operates, and invests in matured companies and start-up enterprises. He also is a writer, composer, and lyricist with two off-Broadway musicals under his belt. He has cowritten five other humor books with Peter Press.
Customer Reviews:
joke book.......2007-03-12
I believe this tome was funny in many aspects and some of the jokes were really funny. Many of the jokes can be adapted for use at certain presentations such as seminars and business meetings. I think it's worth the price. John.
Offensive and unfunny.......2003-07-28
The authors of this collection have managed to gather a selection of mostly unfunny, and uniformly offensive jokes. Most rely on the lowest sort of cultural stereotype, with racist and antisemetic references. I was given this as a present, and after reading through half of it I threw it in the trash. I'd be embarrassed to have someone see it on my shelf.
Holy humor.......2002-01-16
I love the shape and cover design of the book--an arched stained glass window. On the Internet, there is an online community of religious leaders called Ecunet ...... A popular topic on Ecunet is Eculaugh, "the place for good clean religious humor." Judging this book against the Eculaugh standard, most of the jokes are clean, many of the jokes are good, and all of the jokes are religious. Catholics, Protestants, and Jews are equally picked-on in this compilation of religious humor. If you can laugh at religion and overlook the occasional "R-rated" joke, then you will enjoy this book.
Average customer rating:
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A Minister, a Rabbi, and a Priest
Suds Lanigan
Manufacturer: St Martins Mass Market Paper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Jokes & Riddles
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Satire, General
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ASIN: 0312921365 |
Product Description
Small Hardbound with Dust Cover!!!
Book Description
Hennessys classic text tells you everything you need to know about writing successful features. You will learn how to formulate and develop ideas and how to shape them to fit different markets.
Now in its fourth edition, Writing Feature Articles has been fully revised and updated to take into account the changing requirements of journalism and media courses. You will also discover how to exploit new technology for both researching and writing online.
Learn step-by-step how to plan, research and write articles for a wide variety of popular, 'quality' and specialist publications. Discover more and make the advice stick by completing the tasks and reading the keen analysis of extracts from the best of todays writing.
Packed with inspirational advice in a friendly, highly readable style, this guide is a must-have for practising and aspiring journalists and writers.
* Write effective articles for a variety of media using this bestselling guide
* Gain practical and in-depth guidance to successful writing and publishing
* Update your skills with new sections on writing for online publications and computer-aided research
Customer Reviews:
fresh approach, useful tool.......2006-06-02
In the three months since I bought Writing Feature Articles it has proven invaluable in marketing my work, and in making me a better and more confident writer. I recommend this book to anyone seeking guidance about how to sell their work and enhance their creativity.
A must-have resource for writers.......2006-03-24
This is the best book I have found for practical guidance on developing feature articles and marketing them to a wide variety of publications; the author presents information in a way that is easy to follow and a pleasure to read. Excellent resource!
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Claude Debussy: An Essential Guide to His Life and Works (Classic FM Lifelines Series)
Jonathon Brown
Manufacturer: Pavilion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Debussy, Claude
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History & Criticism
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ASIN: 1857939727 |
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Claude Debussy: His Life and Works
Leon Vallas
Manufacturer: Dover Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Debussy, Claude
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ASIN: 0486229165 |
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Claude Debussy;: The story of his life and work,
Rollo H Myers
Manufacturer: Boosey and Hawkes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Debussy, Claude
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ASIN: B0006CPWKU |
Customer Reviews:
A Great Addition for Getting to Yes.......2007-08-27
I don't think this would one book would be the one I would buy to gain an initial understanding of negotiation (That would be Cohen), but it is an extremely effective a la carte for Getting to Yes and an excellent source for important decision theory. This book will enrich you with decision vitamins needed for managers, business people, leaders, and negotiators. I thought it also worked well with the 7 Habits by Steven Covey.
It takes practice to develop any negotiation theory within you. Although it's not the single best book on negotiation, I believe that this book was worth price and wait for the serious negotiator.
Great advice on negotiation.......2007-01-07
This books provides a good starting point to improve negotiation skills. Some basic theory on distributive and integrative negotiation helps in framing the opportunities and traps occurring during negotiation. The book is easy to read, and it is a useful tool for beginners
Dissappointing.......2002-11-07
Negotiating Rationally seemes promising but falls short. It provides food for thought on the interface between distributive and integrative bargaining and on biases that get in the way of a good solution. But as a framework for negotiation, Negotiating Rationally is inadequate. Getting to Yes is a far better structure and is easier to understand -- both for the novice and the experienced negotiator.
A Must Read for Anyone Involved in Negotiating.......2000-05-22
Absolutely excellent! Read it 3 times, highlighted important information on nearly every page. Now I refer back to it and study it prior to any important negotiations. In chapter 1 (on page 2!), Bazerman outlines negotiating strategy and seven methods for improving one's negotiating skills. The next 7 chapters systematically address each principle in clear and concise detail. It's a must read book. (It even has some very interesting facts about home buying or selling.)
A review from an instructor who uses the book.......1999-08-03
The review by Payne from Thunderbird appearing in this website is too harsh. Bazerman's strength as a negotiation author comes from his background in decision-making. This book does an excellent job of laying out the cognitive aspect of negotiations (far better than Raiffa's classic, for example). Admittedly, the book may be a bit simplistic to be the primary reading in a rigorous MBA course, but it is a good supplement and of great value for the executive or professional who is several years or more removed from his or her schooling.
Books:
- Felix Nussbaum: Art Defamed, Art in Exile, Art in Resistance - A Biography
- Fine Art Publicity, 2nd Edition: The Complete Guide for Artists, Galleries, and Museums (Business and Legal Forms)
- Geography of the Gaze: Urban and Rural Vision in Early Modern Europe
- Great Empresses and Queens Paper Dolls in Full Color (Empresses & Queens)
- Growing Artists: Teaching Art To Young Children, 3
- He Looks Too Happy to Be an Assistant Professor: A Collection of Cartoons
- Henry Moore: A Monumental Vision (Evergreen)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History of Sculpture Super Review (Super Reviews)
- Holland Mania
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