Making Modernism: Picasso and the Creation of the Market for Twentieth-Century Art

Book Description

Artists don't achieve financial success and critical acclaim during their lifetimes as a result of chance or luck. Michael FitzGerald's assiduously researched book documents Picasso's courting of dealers, critics, collectors, and curators as he established his reputation during the first forty years of the twentieth century. FitzGerald describes the care, patience, and resourcefulness invested by Paul Rosenberg, Picasso's dealer and close collaborator from 1918 to 1940, in building the financial value and public acceptance of Picasso's art. The book is based on and quotes generously from previously unpublished correspondence between Picasso and dealers, collectors, and museum curators.

MAKING MODERNISM: PICASSO AND THE CREATION OF THE MARKET FOR TWENTIETH-CENTURY ART

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MAKING MODERNISM: PICASSO AND THE CREATION OF THE MARKET FOR TWENTIETH-CENTURY ART
Michael FitzGerald
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RAMQGO

Book Description

From American Book Award winner Eric Drooker, this is a story for the ages, beginning with the agrarian past, through the industrial present, and into the technological future.
A young woman bravely escapes a military assault on her island village, journeying across the ocean to arrive, unknowingly, in the Big City. There she meets and falls in love with a saxophone player, who makes heartfelt music. The police find and silence him, confiscating his saxophone and warning him not to make music again as it's strictly forbidden in the Big City. When the street musician continues to make music with his voice the police soon find and imprison him, making the future uncertain for the talented performer and the brave woman who loves him.
Blood Song transcends the boundaries of conventional novels--a wordless tale written in the ancient language of pictures.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing, clear, simple.......2006-07-23

I find "Blood song" amazing. I mean, amazing **********. A big story contained in a small book. A girl in a South Asian forest goes to fetch some water, and in the meantime her world is destroyed. She gets into a boat with her dog and starts rowing. Is the book a story of an immigrant from Vietnam? There are no explanations attached to the pictures. The story feels large, universal. It's the journey of a small individual in the world governed by powers: armies, fire, the ocean, racial domination. I thought crosses my mind; this could be a great animation movie, something in the style of 'Princess Mononoke', but, no, this book is a great artform as it is, a story compressed in five minutes flipping through a silent, breathtaking book. Amazing, clear, simple graphics, and not even a single word. I'm stunned.

I've looked up the reviews on Amazon and some of them accuse the book of preaching. Hmm, even preaching can be made into art, can't it?

Eric Drooker's Blood Song.......2006-02-20

This is a narrative related entirely in pictures, in the mode of such previous artist-storytellers as Lynd Ward. The novel begins in a nameless Asian country (Vietnam during the war?) and follows the central character (a young Asian woman, also nameless, of course) through the jungles and across the ocean to a large Western city (maybe New York), where further adventures ensue. This is probably enough of the plot to give you the idea, without giving anything away. A certain amount of surrealism is present, though perhaps less than in Flood!, a previous work by Drooker.
Drooker combines a unique, expressive drawing style with what I would regard as simplistic political posturing. (Leftist politics also seems to be part of the novel-without-words mindset; once again Lynd Ward could be cited.) Unlike the black-and-white scratchboard art of Flood! (a book I liked a bit more), Drooker uses color this time, albeit in a limied, almost monochromatic way -- the story is presented mostly in blue and black, with occasional stand-out flashes of more vivid color (red, yellow, orange) to accentuate a scene or a point.
All in all, I liked Blood Song fairly well, for the narrative skill (presenting a coherent story without ever using a written word is tricky) and the artwork. As for the politics, I'm willing to listen to any point of view, but I don't like propaganda presented as art. I believe that Drooker's work transcends propaganda, however, and truly tells a story.

Wordless Poetry.......2004-12-16

This is an outstanding example of a lost art form - storytelling without words. I won't go so far as to make comparisons with Egypt and Mesoamerica, as Joe Sacco does in this book's over-analytical (and dare I say, unnecessarily wordy) introduction. But here Eric Drooker has mastered the art of telling a tale in sequential pictures only, without a single word in sight. The nearly monochromatic drawings, engraved in scratchboard and watercolored, and only using bright colors in rare and exceptionally effective instances, are as haunting as they are eye-catching. Sure the story is very simplistic, with authority figures senselessly brutalizing anyone who's different, while the lead character takes a highly improbable journey to a new world. Yes, the main points about oppression and diversity are a bit muddleheaded. But those who dwell on the story's lack of detail or complexity are missing the forest for the trees. The point here is the art, and how wordless communication can incite introspection, empathy, and a love for humanity. This is a masterpiece of artistic storytelling. [~doomsdayer520~]

touches the soul.......2004-10-25

I recommend this book highly. I have read some of the other reviews of this book and I think the negative reviews here are way too simplistic and harsh. This book has more depth than black and white. The fact is that there are many themes going on in this book and it is not simply a political novel. It is also about struggles and change that one person can endure. It is about the hope of a child. It is about fighting and struggling for what is right. It is about love and brotherhood. Please, by all means, DO NOT listen to the negative reviews. Anyone that took a simplistic view of this book obviously did not have the brain power or creativity to look deeper to what the book was really saying. This point did not have one simplistic point, it was many points that should leave you flooded with many thoughts in your head, that is of you are an intelligent individual. The fact is, the images are totally left up to interpretation- that is the beauty of pictures. It is a timeless novel which does not have to represent any particular place, time, or person. Each time I have read it, I saw something new and different, with more depth. Each time I finish the book, I have both tears in my eyes as well as hope. It brings both the beauty and sadness of life together in what appears to be black and white, but below the surface is full of color, if you look deep enough. Take my advice and read it many times.

Beauty Marred by Agenda.......2004-06-25

Drooker's one conceit here is the beauty of his work. Every page of the book features woodcut scenes with colour for mood, and is accomplished and aesthetically pleasing. Praises can end there, however.

Blood Song is supposed to be a wonder to read and behold for the fact that there is not a single word balloon - no dialogue, no narrative. And though Drooker certainly propells his story forward through the pages of silence, one might hope that he could offer better than the overly simple tale of a hapless, honest, and beautiful native girl and the vile, oppressive, and censorious authority figures. Really, if there's one cardinal sin a film or book can commit is that of making me feel as if I've been preached at. Blood Song is a textbook example of this.

This is the work of a freshman in college who has just discovered politics - unfortunately for Drooker, college was well over twenty years ago.

Average customer rating:

A complete imagination techniques for OBE

It worked for me anyway.

I "imagine" that this book is a scam!

Highly recommended

DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY

Have an Out-of-Body Experience in 30 Days, Second Edition: The Free Flight Program (30-Day Higher Consciousness)
Keith Harary , and Pamela Weintraub
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Secret of the Soul : Using Out-of-Body Experiences to Understand Our True Nature

ASIN: 031219983X

Book Description

Have you ever wanted to have an out-of-body experience and feel as though you are flying to distant realms, visiting outer space, communicating with loved ones far away, or making love on an exotic island? Now you can explore the innermost depths of this fascinating phenomenon! Leading expert Keith Harary, Ph.D., and science journalist Pamela Weintraub teach you how to induce out-of-body experiences with easy-to-follow, day-by-day instructions drawn firsthand from cutting-edge scientific research.

Customer Reviews:

A complete imagination techniques for OBE.......2004-09-13

Keith Harary. You can find this name at others astral books. A good astral traveller and tested by laboratary with good result at 1970. In his book, he gave us imagination technique for 30 days with much variations each day so you can develop this ability and make you able to have an OBE. Yes,I can said this book was a guided imagination book. But you'll find how fast you'll have your OBE. Don't worry if it seems difficult to follow the instructions. Make variations ! You'll find this at the end of this book.

It worked for me anyway........2004-07-19

This book was an interesting read, and I tried some of the ideas suggested in it. I can't say that I was walking through walls, or travelling through space. However, by trying the ideas suggested in this book I began to have extremely lucid dreams. I was able to become fully awake and alert in the dream state, and that was liberating in and of itself. I had never been able to do that before, and, until it happened, I didn't believe it was really possible. By the way, it's a lot of fun, but nobody will believe you if you tell them about it the next day (as I'm sure most of you reading this probably won't). It is possible, but you also have to psych yourself up for it somewhat mentally and believe. Sad to say, but I'm still in the cradle compared with those who are buzzing around their neighborhoods. Fun, easy book.

I "imagine" that this book is a scam!.......2002-09-06

What these authors are telling you to do is use your imagination, For example you could become deeply relaxed then imagine that you are a character on Sesame Street talking to to the muppet in the metal trashcan about the environment. I would highly recommend Robert Monroe's books instead of this because for one you can get a more realistic mental picture of his words & feel his experiences & most of all I find Monroe completely honest + believable.

Highly recommended.......2001-05-28

I have been studying and exploring altered states for many years and find this wonderful little book to be the best on the subject of out of body experiences. The deceptively simple exercises are presented in a sensible and easy to follow format and really work. In my experience using these exercises and sharing them with friends and family, different exercises appeal to different people more than others (everyone has their favorite) but there are enough techniques presented that everyone finds their way and the results are great. I like the fact that the authors do what they say in presenting a sensible handbook of practical exercises rather than a lot of bogus mumbo jumbo. Anyone looking for phony promises or easy answers about the meaning of life should look elsewhere. The book is also clear in suggesting additional references for people who want to learn more about the lab research, including the groundbreaking experiments done by one of the authors. Anyone looking for an honest handbook presenting serious exercises for those willing to make the effort to have an out of body experience should look no further. This one is definitely the best.

DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY.......2001-04-10

I have my own collection of books on the subject, an this one is way the worst. The authors present complicated excersises, one of them even require a JACUZZI, HELLO??? I DONT OWN A JACUZZY, And I dont even think It'd be a good Idea to have an Out-of-Body experience summerged in water. Not very safe. If you want to buy a greatbook with easy techniques buy Astral Dynamics by robert Bruce is the best of my collection and I have had great success with it. So that all.

Book Description

John Carpenter is a seminal figure in the history of horror and science fiction filmmaking. His work in these genres has been highly influential in their ongoing development. This book gives Carpenter's output the sustained critical treatment it deserves. It comprises essays that address the whole of Carpenter's work, as well as others which focus on a smaller number of key films. Some essays take on wide-ranging issues such as Carpenter's approach to remakes and the question of genre, while others are organized around a specific theme or technical aspect of Carpenter's film-making. The text's key strength is that it draws upon an international group of scholars offering a variety of expertise. Films discussed include Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), Halloween (1978) and its subsequent sequels, Escape from New York (1981), Escape from L.A.(1996), The Fog (1980), The Thing (1982), Village of the Damned (1995) and Ghosts of Mars(2001). The book also features an exclusive interview with John Carpenter.

Customer Reviews:

"Trust is a hard thing to come by these days . . .".......2007-01-09

. . . says MacReady in John Carpenter's The Thing. This is the exact opposite attitude of the military hero in Howard Hawks's original version, The Thing from Another World. In Carpenter's movies you can't trust the church, the government, the economic system, literature, the weather, or even your own children not to betray you.

I've been a Carpenter cultist since I first saw Halloween, so I was surprised at how much new there is in this collection of essays on Carpenter's films.

There are articles on Carpenter's music, his partnership with Kurt Russell, his early movies, his "siege movies" (Carpenter has admitted that many of his films are Howard Hawks's Rio Bravo dressed up with gangsters or Martians or a futuristic setting), Lovecraft's influence, and Carpenter's apparent attitudes toward men and women. There's also a short interview with Carpenter (interesting if you are just starting to read about his filmmaking, but it doesn't go too deep).

A few things in particular struck me. First (I alluded to this at the start of this review) is how unlike Howard Hawks's movies John Carpenter's films really are. Carpenter says he wishes he could work in the old Hollywood studio system the way his heroes like Hawks did.

Carpenter may admire Howard Hawks's work ethic and his ability to switch from genre to genre, but Carpenter's films tell a different story.

In a Howard Hawks movie the heroes are often the military or the government working together to protect Us from Them (The Thing from Another World). But in a John Carpenter movie the government IS the threat to the innocent (Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Starman, They Live) or at least it's incompetent leadership incapable of protecting us even when it's honestly trying (the sheriff in Halloween, the scientists in The Thing).

Another interesting thing is how much like David Cronenberg Carpenter is in one respect: the control he demands over every aspect of his films. Among the "new wave horror directors" (including George Romero, Tobe Hooper, Wes Craven, Joe Dante, and others) Carpenter is usually compared to directors like George Romero - - in other words the meat movie directors. But Carpenter uses suspense, not shock. (That's not a criticism of Romero - - his style is perfect for his story of the Decline and Fall of the American Empire.)

Carpenter is also like Hitchcock. He uses our unease to play us like a musical instrument, the way Hitchcock bragged of playing his audiences. (The current issue of Cineaste, vol. XXXII, no. 1, has a fascinating article by Jack Sullivan on Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann's music, especially for Psycho.)

That brings me to just a couple of complaints about this book. The only real flaw was the tendency of some authors to write in academic jargon. (I wish every critic with a Ph.D. could write as entertainingly as the authors in the Open Court Press series, Popular Culture and Philosophy.) A few essayists also keep referring to the same works by cultural/film critics such as Julia Kristeva and Robin Wood, more it seems to show they are masters of their field than because it adds to their arguments.

Also, I wish some of the essayists had mentioned the recently deceased Debra Hill, Carpenter's producing partner and writer of Halloween and The Fog. Debra Hill was born in the real Haddonfield and gave the world Michael Myers. Without Debra Hill there would have been no John Carpenter.

I debated whether to rate this book four or five stars, but besides presenting new ideas about Carpenter's movies, it was a lot of fun to read. If you like Carpenter's films, you'll enjoy this book.

Average customer rating:
Curlew River, a parable for church performance by William Plomer. Set to music by Benjamin Britten, op. 71 - [Uniform Title: Curlew River. Libretto. English]
William (1903-). Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976) Plomer
Manufacturer: London; Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SSN678

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Curlew River: Op. 71

Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0571500021

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New York Times Sunday Crossword Puzzles, Volume 20: Fifty Sunday Puzzles (NY Times)
Eugene Maleska
Manufacturer: Random House Puzzles & Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crosswords | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812924517
Release Date: 1995-01-02

Book Description

Fifty Sunday-size puzzles selected from the The New York Times and edited by Eugene T. Maleska.

New York Times Sunday Crossword Puzzles, Volume 20 (NY Times)

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Not what I was hoping for!

New York Times Sunday Crossword Puzzles, Volume 20 (NY Times)
Eugene Maleska
Manufacturer: Random House Puzzles & Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0812936132
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Book Description

·50 Sunday-size puzzles from the pages of the New York Times
·Crosswords put together by the nation’s finest constructors, showcasing the talent and skill that have charmed fans year after year

Customer Reviews:

Not what I was hoping for!.......2005-08-13

My husband and I love the NY Times Sunday xword puzzles, but we don't subscribe to the paper and purchase it sporadically. I thought it would be great (and cheaper!) to have a book of authentic Sunday xwords to take with us on vacations. We did the first one but found that it didn't feel like the puzzles we know and love. These puzzles are from the 80s and don't seem to have the same clever guiding themes, and many of the pop culture clues were outdated. The font is different, the puzzle style felt different, it just wasn't satisfying! So our puzzle book is in a drawer and we're back to buying the Sunday paper when we have a puzzle craving!

Amazon.com

Paper or plastic? Cloth or disposable? Regular or organic? Every day, environmentally conscious consumers are faced with the overwhelming catch-22 of a capitalist society--reconciling the harm we do by consuming, while still providing ourselves and our families with the goods and services we need. It's enough to make a city dweller crazy. Fret no more! The Union of Concerned Scientists has put together a well-researched and eminently practical guide to the decisions that matter. The authors hope that the book will help you set priorities, stop worrying about insignificant things, and understand the real environmental impacts of household decisions. For instance, you may be surprised to learn that buying and eating meat and poultry is much more harmful to the environment than the packaging the meat is wrapped in, even if it's Styrofoam. This guide takes on both sides of the consumer-impact argument, goring sacred cows of the environmentalist movement (like the strident emphasis on recycling) and the industrialist perspective (like the relentless message to buy more, more, more). If you're confused and overwhelmed by all the environmental decision-making in the modern world, you'll find new inspiration in this book. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

From one of the most prestigious nonprofit organizations devoted to environmental issues comes a clear, practical, and rational overview of the relationship between consumers and the environment.

Paper or plastic? Bus or car? Old house or new? Cloth diapers or disposables? Some choices have a huge impact on the environment; others are of negligible importance. To those of us who care about our quality of life and what is happening to the earth, this is a vastly important issue. In these pages, the Union of Concerned Scientists help inform consumers about everyday decisions that significantly affect the environment. For example, a few major decisions--such as the choice of a house or vehicle--have such a disproportionately large affect on the environment that minor environmental infractions shrink by comparison.

This book identifies the 4 Most Significant Consumer-Related Environmental Problems, the 7 Most Damaging Spending Categories, 11 Priority Actions, and 7 Rules for Responsible Consumption. Learn what you can do to have a truly significant impact on our world from the people who are at the forefront of scientific research.

Customer Reviews:

EVERYONE should read this book.......2007-09-30

Impeccably researched, well-referenced, and very convincing. This book will convince the shrewdest skeptics. It focuses on high-impact habits, and doesn't harp on the little tiny details that don't make a big difference. A fantastic book; true to its title!

Some good ideas.......2007-08-23

This was purchased as a gift for someone who is very interested in the health of our environment. It is a good book for those who share that interest.

Short and practical .......2007-07-04

This short and practical guide tells us how we can make a difference in protecting our environment...and also tells us what behaviors do not.

It sheds a lot of insight on the topic, while also dispelling lots of myths concerning different options and choices available to today's consumer (paper or plastic?, cloth or disposable?, etc., etc.)

worth reading, but getting dated.......2007-04-24

This book is now a bit dated. The largest impact we make on the environment according to the authors is driving a car. What, in 2007, is the best environmental car choice, a hybrid (what happens when all these batteries die?) or a high mileage diesel that the European car makers are building?
Likewise, in home heating, now that there are tax credits for energy efficient home improvements, what is the most cost effective thing we can do that makes a difference?
I would like to read something a little more up to date on these topics, but this book was a good readable into to making good choices.

restating the obvious.......2007-04-10

Travel less, install more energy efficient appliances and lighting, get better gas mileage in you car, install better insulation in your house, eat less meat. That's most of the book, it does break things down to help you decide what choices make the most difference, but there is no groundbreaking information in here that will change your life. If you want to make an impact on your environmental footprint, you need to make sacrifices in your life, that's what it comes down to. The one thing I did learn was that heating a cup of water in the microwave uses less energy (less wasted heat) that on the stove. But much of the info in this book is interesting statistically, but not really that useful to the average consumer.

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