Succulents: Nature's Sculptural Wonders

Book Description

Turning his exceptional eye to some of nature's most unique creations, acclaimed photographer Bela Kalman has created in Succulents a photographic work that is at once striking, otherworldly, surprising, virtually three-dimensional, and nothing short of spectacular. Every photograph in this dynamic book is set against a rich black background, which captures the many textural, sensual, and sculptural qualities of these unusual plants. The variety is staggering: some look like golf balls lightly dusted with moss, and some resemble an Art Deco skyscraper; some have antlerlike growths, while others could pass for a plate of fresh spinach linguine or a model of a spacecraft from another planet. Their vernacular names are no less colorful: Greater Dumplin', Baby Toes, Mexican Old-Man, Brain Cactus, Tiger Chaps, and Cats Jaw. With an introduction and witty, informative captions by noted succulent authority Steven Hammer, Succulents not only identifies each of the 120 exotic plants within, but also reveals their unique characteristics and intriguing artfulness.

Customer Reviews:

Coffee Table Book of Succulents.......2007-05-25

This wasn't exactly the type of book I was looking for (I wanted a "how to" type), but I have to give it five stars for what it is. The photography is amazing! If you know someone who enjoys growing succulents, this would make a great gift.

A True Work of Art.......2001-05-19

There's photography, and then there's art. This book is a work of art. The sleek, simple design perfectly complements the perfect images. Never before have I seen nature captured in a collection as sophisticated as this.

Book Description

The French performance artist Orlan has acquired both fame and infamy for her performances. A multimedia artist since the 1960s, she embarked at the beginning of the 1990s on a project of body modification through plastic surgery, the basic premise of which was to transform herself into a digitally designed pastiche of the greatest icons of female beauty in Western art. Orlan's project has sparked intense debate in the visual arts, among feminists, and among those concerned with medical ethics, as it raises complex questions about sexuality, beauty, subjectivity, gender and technology. This book addresses all these issues, and focuses on the interrelations of dress, body and culture in Orlan's work since the 1960s. Surgical performances represent the most extreme phase of Orlan's artistic practice, but she has made extensive and varied use of costume throughout her career.Using the 'body theory' and theories of monstrosity developed by feminist, gender and film theorists, and the work of philosophers Luce Irigaray and Gilles Deleuze, the author examines the challenges Orlan's performance art poses to its viewers. Anyone working in the fields of gender, the visual arts or cultural studies will find this book and the questions it raises provocative and enlightening.

Average customer rating:

Like Jason Fox to the extreme

Celebrate Your Inner Dork!

A Must Have for Dorks everywhere!

Dork Covenant (Dork Tower, Vol. 1)
John Kovalic
Manufacturer: Dork Storm Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Dork Shadows, the Collected Dork Tower, Vol 2

Heart of Dorkness (Dork Tower, Vol. 3)

Livin' La Vida Dorka (The complete Dork Tower comic strip collection, Vol. 1)

Understanding Gamers (the Collected Dork Tower, Vol.V)

Dork Side of the Goon: The Collected Dork Tower Vol. VII

ASIN: 1930964404

Customer Reviews:

Like Jason Fox to the extreme.......2003-04-25

Don't let the cover fool you. This is not an adventure tale. No, this is the story of some ordinary people (at least they think they are ordinary) who share a common hobby/lifestyle. They like games and they, like real gamers, tend to spend a lot of money and time on them.

The book is a collection of strips of various lengths that center around gaming and its effects. Anyone who has met a beanie-baby collector with be familiar with the types of personalities portrayed.

This volume opens with some interesting jokes about how gamers are viewed by non gamers (no true fan of anything is ever fully understood by a non-fan), and continues with high humor (extreme lack of puns despite the title) and plenty of laughs. No topics are sacred as everything is spoofed from friendships, relationships, movies, dating, stereotypes, and fanaticism to, uh, well, games.

Very funny for anyone who knows that the game world is populated by more than Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers.

Celebrate Your Inner Dork!.......2001-12-12

John Kovalic's "Dork Tower" is more than a niche-market comic for wargamers and sci-fi fans. It's a big-hearted and utterly hilarious comic for anyone who feels a little outside of the mainstream and is trying to make sense of the craziness of the world around them. Kovalic doesn't just joke about the gaming world and it's complex politics and humor. Kovalic takes aim at holiday consumerism, the World Wide Web, rampant media hype and stereotyping, the XFL, and the joys of working in retail. If you are a gamer, you'll love "Dork Tower". If you haven't gamed in a while, it'll re-awaken the urge to roll D-20's on a Friday night. If you've never gamed, you'll still get a great big laugh!

A Must Have for Dorks everywhere!.......2001-05-27

Dork Covenant conveniently groups the first few issues of Dork Tower together in a handy, easy to find volume. Anybody who has tried their hand at role-playing, Star Wars fandom, gaming (or other) conventions, computer gaming, or other such geeky pursuits will easily identify with John Kovalic's understanding of Dorks. Guys involved in these hobbies will certainly understand Matt's (one of the main characters) difficulties in meeting women with similar interests, as well as his agonies as a gamemaster.

His fabulous sense of humor is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to enjoying his comic. Give in to the dork side! It's worth the meager cost of this trade paperback.

Book Description

Professional hockey is the perfect melding of team effort and individual performance, in a sport that fascinates first-time viewers and engenders rabid devotion in those who've long followed the game. Now hockey fans everywhere will thrill to the game's intimate details in Hockey Stories On and Off the Ice. This book delivers the fun, funny, and unforgettable tales that fans are dying to read. It includes memorable moments, as well as the strangest facts and legends to ever bulge the twine. From favorite players to driven coaches, hockey's brightest personalities shine. This one scores!

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Stories But Something's Missing.......2003-01-06

This book is full of hockey trivia and factoids. To me the most interesting parts were about the famous players, whom I already know. However, the book contains stories about players from the turn of the 20th century a lot of whom are probably known only to hockey encyclopedia buffs.

The author does have a pretty good sense of humor (e.g. Texas is an exotic place for ice hockey). However, sometimes the author's word choices may be awkward, repetitive and a little annoying.

If you are looking for a non-technical easy-to-read book about hockey legends this is a 3-star book for you, but don't expect much more from it.

Hockey Stories On and Off the Ice.......2002-07-22

Well, I can't agree with the only review here of this book and I'm not usually one to put my thoughts on review, but I gotta disagree here.

Ok, I'm a girl, so what do I know about hockey? Well, quite a lot, actually.

While it's true that this book is short, quick and quipped, I think it's packed with a wide assortment of interesting points of significance. I'm a self-taught historian who has a great love for the old PCHA. The stories about the Patrick's and how they formed the league went beyond what I've read in many past histories.

And then there's the Bernie Morris story! Come on! I have wondered for years about the status of Bernie Morris and why he seemed to just "disappear off the map." Well, this book solved that little mystery, and I'd never read any of it anywhere before.

I have always chuckled when I read about Link Gaetz, but I'd forgotten all about him. Well, Mr. Duplacey et al answered that little quiz for me as well. And if anyone didn't have a gawfaw when they read about King Clancy's room check, the special life of minor leaguers on the road and on the ice and all those weird trades and escapades and great lines from "Slapshot", well, where's your sense of humor?

OK, not everything's original and spick-span new, but all least all the great quotes we've heard and loved are gathered here in one place.

Hey, I'm a gal who loves hockey and I like to laugh about it too. And I laughed, big time. So do yourself a favor, buy it. So what if you can read it in an hour and a bit. Like, hockey fans have a wide attention span? This is an hour you'll enjoy. I know I did.

GoGirl

Hockey Stories for Short Attention Spans.......2001-12-22

'Hockey Stories for Short Attention Spans' is a better title for this book. The stories are only short anecdotes and many of them aren't even a page long. A reader could finish the entire book in under three hours. It's not very satisfying, either. It doesn't reveal much that fans haven't already heard about, nor does it discuss anything in depth. It offers little more than a small collection of cute factoids and famous quotes. There are also some mistakes. One of the most glaring is the description of the front cover photograph containing Leafs' Ponikarovsky and Senators' Magnus Arvedson. The description says the picture is of Mario Lemieux and Nevin Reid. I'd recommend this book to any fourth grade hockey lover with a book report due the next day. For rest of us, this bone offers hardly any marrow.

Matt Christopher: Hockey Stories : Ice Magic : The Hockey Machine : Face-Off

Average customer rating:

Matt Christopher: Hockey Stories : Ice Magic : The Hockey Machine : Face-Off
Matt Christopher
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (Juv Pap)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0316142719

Average customer rating:

A pretty good selection of documents and given context by the editor

Music Through Sources and Documents
Ruth Halle Rowen
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0136083315

Customer Reviews:

A pretty good selection of documents and given context by the editor.......2006-01-31

While we used this book when I was in school, and it is quite a nice collection of source readings in music, I believe it is out of print because better resources are still in print. Oliver Strunk's "Source Readings in Music History" is still being offered by W W Norton, as is "Music in the Western World" by Weiss & Taruskin. (Both available through Amazon.com).

Still, the price of the used copies are pretty attractive. Rowen offers good context and commentary for the selections provided. So, if you are on a budget, this is still a decent way to get informed about what was written and thought about music over the course of human history.

Average customer rating:

Music Through Sources and Documents.
Ruth Halle Rowen
Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UYFDEY

Average customer rating:

Music Through Sources and Documents.
Ruth Halle Rowen
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OISY2O

Book Description

Which president killed a man?
Which president had just fathered an illegitimate child when he entered the White House?
Which first lady taught her husband how to read and write?
Which president broke his arm jumping out of a window to escape his mistress's husband?
Which president's daughter married another president's grandson?
Who was the only president to be preceded and succeeded by the same man?
Which president had a secret operation performed to remove a cancerous jaw?
Which president's last words were "My nourishment is palatable."

Written by a White House speechwriter who actually served five presidents, this irresistible collection of presidential trivia reveals the more colorful side of American history. Following a Q&A format and organized around 31 themes, Which President Killed a Man? will captivate trivia fans and history buffs of every political persuasion.

Answers:

Andrew Jackson
Warren Harding
Andrew Johnson's wife Eliza
Thomas Jefferson
Richard Nixon
Benjamin Harrison
Grover Cleveland
Millard Fillmore

Customer Reviews:

Very amusing.......2005-02-19

If you love presidential trivia you'll find this one to be very amusing. It not only satisfied my trivia yen but it actually gives the reader a pretty good biographical portrait of some of the more interesting presidents.

Lincoln was probably the most tragic president but did you know that he once offered to use cow dung in a duel? Did you know that his wife Mary went wild if another woman ever got too close to Abe? Did you know that he loved Macbeth and idolized George Washington?

Franklin Pierce has to be one of the top five most tragic figures in White House history. In one day he lost his young son, his wife's love and ended up on the road to alcoholism and a presidentcy that disappointed everyone.

Herbert Hoover was another sad figure. On paper his administration should have been an unflashy but dignified success. Despite his experience, intelligence and stamina he got hit with the Depression and was unfairly blamed for it.

And don't forget Woodrow Wilson. He's often presented as a plaster saint but ole Woodrow was far from that. He was loved by the ladies, made up obscene limericks and was a rip roaring, shameless racist.

The president who comes "alive" the most on these pages is Theodore Roosevelt. What a man! Cowboy, naturalist, cop, adventurer, statesmen, wit, and force of nature. After reading this book of trivia I decided to go find a good biography of TR.

Political bias in an innocent-sounding cover - be forewarned.......2003-03-16

Although I enjoyed the trivia in this book and learned a lot of tidbits, the longer I read, the more I was put off by the obvious political bias. It's subtle, but after awhile it becomes unmistakable. The Harding scandals, for instance, are characterized as follows: "Harding was personally honest but exploited by his business cronies." Rosalynn Carter, we are told, "wore an old dress to the inaugural" (she could have instead been characterized as "economical"). Nixon's scandals are never mentioned without an accompanying comment regarding the poor character traits of his Democratic foes. George W. Bush is called a "fine student," while we are told that Clinton "never earned a degree at Oxford" (he was not in fact on a degree-granting program). The author gives an account of Teddy Roosevelt's attitude toward muckraking that does not comport with what I have read by other historians. The instances of bias compile the longer you read; these are just a few of the numerous examples.

James Humes is a former speechwriter for Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and the first Bush, so I suppose this bias is not surprising, and I personally have no problem with partisan argument per se. I'm an Independent voter so I have no particular axe to grind in either direction. What bothers me is that a clearly partisan stance is packaged in an apparently neutral and innocent, "fun" wrapper--"tantalizing trivia and fun facts." It's disingenious and deceitful. I believe readers deserve to know when they are getting something different than what is advertised. If Humes is trying to make a case for Republican "honesty" and superior values, it is ironic that he does so in a most dishonest manner.

Had I known there were so many "mini-sermons" embedded among the "tantalizing trivia," I would have saved my [money]. Good presidential trivia books abound, and most of them are marketed more honestly than this deceptive little volume. Truly irresponsible reporting and marketing. Mr. Humes, your prejudices are showing.

Average customer rating:
Which President Killed a Man?
James C. Humes William Bramhall(Illustrator)
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFXTA4

Average customer rating:
Which President Killed a Man?: Tantalizing Trivia and Fun Facts About Our Chief Executives and
James Humes; Illustrator William Bramhall
Manufacturer: MJF BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OJM4J2

Average customer rating:

Useful, in common parlance

Decent advice, if a little vague and too-cute

Your additional feedback welcomed!

Self Promoting Charlatans in Jester Hats

A retirement book for the boomer generation

The Motley Fool's Money After 40: Building Wealth for a Better Life
David Gardner , and Tom Gardner
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Macroeconomics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Financial Planning | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Motley Fool Money Guide

ASIN: 0743229991

Book Description

With their famous wit, seasoned advice, and impeccable business savvy, the bestselling financial duo shows baby boomers how to build wealth and security -- and how to afford anything they want when the work is done.

Whether retirement is on the distant horizon or right under your nose, The Motley Fool's Money After 40 is for anyone who wants a stable future free from financial anxiety. Baby boomers will learn how to fortify their portfolios to weather any economic climate and live the life they want regardless of the market's peaks and valleys.

Applying the principles of commonsense money management, David and Tom Gardner first explain how to predict what you will need and desire when you stop working. Do you want to volunteer in the community? Do you want the resources to turn a hobby into a small business? Do you want to build an addition to your house for grandchildren? In plain language, the Gardners guide you in creating realistic financial goals. From owning the right size home to affording sufficient health coverage, from sending your kids to college to taking that exotic vacation, The Motley Fool's Money After 40 explains how to:

Organize your finances to preserve the funds you already have
Master estate planning
Create and protect wealth for your children and grandchildren
Live a healthy, productive life free from anxiety and spiced with adventure

Using real-life examples and action plans that eliminate the drudgery of managing your income, David and Tom Gardner will help you understand exactly how to draw up financial plans sturdy enough to transport dreams. Designed to simultaneously educate, amuse, and enrich the reader, The Motley Fool's Money After 40 is a one-stop financial guidebook for gilding your golden years.

The good life is within your reach under the tutelage of the Fools.

Download Description

"With their famous wit, seasoned advice, and impeccable business savvy, the bestselling financial duo shows baby boomers how to build wealth and security -- and how to afford anything they want when the work is done. Whether retirement is on the distant horizon or right under your nose, The Motley Fool's Money After 40 is for anyone who wants a stable future free from financial anxiety. Baby boomers will learn how to fortify their portfolios to weather any economic climate and live the life they want regardless of the market's peaks and valleys. Applying the principles of commonsense money management, David and Tom Gardner first explain how to predict what you will need and desire when you stop working. Do you want to volunteer in the community? Do you want the resources to turn a hobby into a small business? Do you want to build an addition to your house for grandchildren? In plain language, the Gardners guide you in creating realistic financial goals. From owning the right size home to affording sufficient health coverage, from sending your kids to college to taking that exotic vacation, The Motley Fool's Money After 40 explains how to: Organize your finances to preserve the funds you already have Master estate planning Create and protect wealth for your children and grandchildren Live a healthy, productive life free from anxiety and spiced with adventure Using real-life examples and action plans that eliminate the drudgery of managing your income, David and Tom Gardner will help you understand exactly how to draw up financial plans sturdy enough to transport dreams. Designed to simultaneously educate, amuse, and enrich the reader, The Motley Fool's Money After 40 is a one-stop financial guidebook for gilding your golden years. The good life is within your reach under the tutelage of the Fools. "

Customer Reviews:

Useful, in common parlance.......2007-09-14

Even though this book does not go into the details of estate planning at length, it is nevertheless a useful book, written in common parlance. I would recommend it to anyone before they read a technical book on estate planning. A book of all season, not only for someone over 40.

Decent advice, if a little vague and too-cute.......2005-06-13

David and Tom Gardner's writing style seems to try to imitate their speaking style on their NPR show, but it doesn't always translate well to the page. Some of their off-the-cuff humor is actually funny, but much of it just gets in the way.

Nonetheless, they've compiled a decent collection of all the things we boomers need to think about as we near the end of our regular working days. They ask us to think about why we want to "retire" (while shunning the word as sounding too much like withdrawing, which is not what a good retirement is about); they help us figure out how much we'll need; they remind us about such topics as health care, long-term care, caring for our parents, and estate planning.

Although much of the information was a bit vague (mainly because no one book can describe the best plan for everyone), I found many useful tips and resources (I've bookmarked dozens of websites) in every chapter, including the chapter on saving for your kid's college education, despite the fact that I have no children. (I do, however, have nieces and nephews, who might just benefit from one of the tips...)

If you read this book, you should make sure you read other financial-type books too (Suze Orman and Jean Chatzky are two authors whose books I've liked, and I have one from Money Magazine in my queue), as differing viewpoints will empower you to discover what's right for you in your situation.

Your additional feedback welcomed!.......2004-07-16

As with all of our books, we love to hear your comments, whether positive words or constructive criticism. We particularly benefit from the latter as we eventually take our books from hard-cover to paperback, so if you have any corrections or other suggestions, our organization would love to hear from you -- you can e-mail our Fool team at CS@Fool.com.

Tom and I put a lot of work into this book and have had many others breathe life into it, from great customer anecdotes and Motley Fool stories to numerous quotations from a variety of well-known business leaders and celebs via our NPR show. As with all Motley Fool books, it's our hope that we have educated, amused, and enriched you, and that you're inspired to make better financial decisions as a result. Foolish best! --DG

Self Promoting Charlatans in Jester Hats.......2004-07-04

Why anybody would buy an investment book from these hucksters is beyond me. Take a look at their book "Rule Makers, Rule Breakers", written during the bubble and still available via Amazon even though the Gardners no longer use those approaches to investing. The Gardners ran two real money portfolios based on those convoluted and untested theories that were quietly shut down after horrible performance in the post-bubble period from 2000-2002. Why wouldn't they ask their publisher to withdraw the book?

After their previous investing methods (Rule Maker, Rule Breaker, Foolish Four, etc.) were thoroughly discredited in the 2000-2002 bear market, the Gardners reemerged and started marketing investment newsletters based on a wide variety of new untested approaches. One of them, "Hidden Gems", specializes in recommending small, illiquid stocks which are sure to get a quick pop when the novice newsletter subscribers buy the recommendations. One of their books, "The Motley Fool Investment Guide" had bashed investment newsletters for calculating their performance by using purchase prices for stocks prior to when their recommendations were made public (i.e. the people that actually bought them would have paid more). Now that the Gardners are in the newsletter business, that's exactly what they do to inflate their own performance numbers. They're apparently incapable of shame.

How is it that these 2 guys who had the arrogance to start giving investment advice to the masses when they were barely out of college, have the time to host a weekly NPR radio show, write a never ending stream of books, write a syndicated newspaper column, run a business (The Motley Fool, with message boards, newsletters, etc.) AND research stocks?

Underneath the Gardners shtick (the "fools" versus the "wise, etc.) and the cutesy-poo writing are two guys that, like Wall Street and most of the mutual fund industry, will do anything for a buck. Don't fall for it.

If you're looking for a book on investing for retirement that is written by somebody competent and honest, I'd recommend John Bogle's book. Bogle, who ran Vanguard and brought low cost index funds to the masses, is a legend in the investment business and a true friend of small investors. You'll be better off getting investment advice from Bogle than a couple of fools.

A retirement book for the boomer generation.......2004-06-18

David and Tom Gardner walk the reader through retirement planning in their usual good-natured style. Everything is covered here for us age-phobic boomers, such as investments, insurance, housing, social security, health care, educating our kids and taking care of our aging parents. I particularly liked their suggestions about the need to downsize our oversized houses and to sell off our excess possessions on eBay (presumably to unsuspecting members of Generations X and Y). A well-written and sensible book. Now all I need is enough common sense to follow their advice.

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