Black Art: Ancestral Legacy : The African Impulse in African American Art

Customer Reviews:

A satisfying book.......2002-04-25

I recently found a copy of this book. It is drastically out of print and took almost a year to track down. But it was well worth the large sum it cost and the time it took to find.

It is a large book, some 250 pages, lavishly illustrated in b/w and color. A complete art bibliography is included, but some of the paintings' attributions and titles have changed in the past 25 years, so be aware. Text is scholarly and witty, told by someone whose expertise in the subject is clearly profound. A glossary is included of garment terms from the period -- a lifesaver for me! Text includes all aspects of garment, from underwear to shoes to belts to hats to jewelry to clothes, and information on fabric types and weaving and dyeing techniques. I've already read it several times, and every time, I get something new from it. I should also add that many of these portraits do not appear to exist online, so you'll see plenty of things you haven't seen before.

It wasn't quite what I expected, however. I thought it'd tell me how exactly to make sleeves, hose, etc., and it didn't. But what it did give me was an excellent and in-depth study of clothes in Renaissance Italy, and enough information that I feel I am prepared to use all that velvet I've been hoarding finally without making an idiot of myself. If you are into costuming, and this is your period, definitely get it! Be prepared to spend some cash money, though.

Average customer rating:

I liked it without liking it, if that makes sense.

Well done, Mr. Cruse.

The Great American Graphic Novel

Terrific storytelling

grotesque

Stuck Rubber Baby
Howard Cruse
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1563892553

Amazon.com

A truly eye-opening comic. The story is set in the South in the early '60s and deals with homophobia, racism and the gay subculture of that period. The art is absolutely beautiful; Cruse is a master of the cross-hatching technique, which gives a certain "texture" to his art work and brings his pages to life. Stuck Rubber Baby is easily the most important comic book since Art Spiegelman's Maus.

Book Description

Art and story combine powerfully in this lyrical tale of a young man caught in the maelstrom of the civil rights movement and the systematic homophobia of small-town America. Told in flashback, this is the story of Toland Polk, the son of an uneducated white carpenter who has grown up in the Southern town of Clayfield. It is the 1960s, a time of passionate beliefs and violent emotions, and Clayfield's citizens are divided in the fight over segregation. As Toland fights on the side of the civil rights activists, he slowly begins to realize and try to deny that he is gay. With a subtle yet intricate plot, and distinctively evocative illustrations, Stuck Rubber Baby is an unflinchingly honest look at one man's world of fears, dreams and prejudice.

Customer Reviews:

I liked it without liking it, if that makes sense........2006-08-15

Howard Cruse, Stuck Rubber Baby (Paradox, 1995)

Wow. I just skimmed the Amazon reviews for this book, and I feel like the guy who's running around chasing sacred cows with shish kebab skewers. While that is a feeling that I know (and enjoy) all too well, it's certainly not appropriate here. I liked this book. I liked it quite a lot. But I'm going to be the guy who comes in and destroys the book's Amazon rating because I didn't like it that much.

Cruse has quite a tale to tell, and all the praises sung of it in other reviews are spot on. I hadn't realized, until reading one review, the power that the characters being drawn as they are has in the scope of the book, but I read that bit and realized it was certainly a factor. I'll simply quote him: "The people who populate Stuck Rubber Baby do not share the perfection... of characters from other graphic novels." Indeed. They're plain, mostly, often downright homely, with one major exception (which can be excused, depending on how close to autobiographical this book really runs; Cruse's comments dance around the issue). They're real. And it's not just the deep characterization and realistic reactions to situations that makes them real, it's that they look like real people. That's more likable than I had realized, and the more I mull it over, the more I realize it's one of the things that defined the book for me.

While that's a powerful argument for taking a look at this book, the other side of the coin is the retread effect. These days, with eighty-seven Da Vinci Code-inspired books coming out every week, it's kind of hard to knock a book for the retread effect and mean it, but just because the rest of the world is sucking down retreads like candy doesn't mean you have to. How many books have been written about the last days of segregation in the south? How many books have been written about coming of age as a gay man, and the internal conflict that inevitably comes of it? Cruse combines the two, and there's no denying that he does it with an intelligence and sensitivity that's rare. Still, Cruse is treading roads that have been walked many, many times before, and that takes some of the luster off the pearl.

Still, it's all done very well, and anyone with an interest in the subjects at hand is going to enjoy this. Give it a look. *** ½

Well done, Mr. Cruse........2005-10-22

I expected to enjoy this graphic novel; I am squarely in the middle of the intended reader demographic, a 40 year old gay man that enjoys comics.

I did NOT expect to find such real characters, real people, better developed and better realized than in any recent "regular" novel I have read.

The clincher that this is a five star story? I passed it to my (heterosexual) brother to read, and he enjoyed it immensely. I believe the measure of a story should be that an unintended audience finds it as interesting or entertaining as the intended one, and in this circumstance, that was certainly the case. Well done, Mr. Cruse.

The Great American Graphic Novel.......2001-09-20

A sweeping and delicately-etched coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement in the Deep South, "Stuck Rubber Baby" raised the bar for what the graphic novel could do. Howard Cruse's short-form comics ("Barefootz," "Wendel") were smart, funny, and often thought-provoking, but barely prepared readers for the depths and daring of this richly fascinating work. Don't let the whole "comic book" thing scare you off, this is a smart, three-dimensional semi-memoir. Very highly recommended.

Terrific storytelling.......2001-08-07

The average snoot wouldn't come within a mile of this book, for reasons which seem perfectly reasonable to snoots and are therefore entirely stupid.

Some might react with horror to the curviness of the characters, which is in fact a strength of the story. The people who populate _Stuck Rubber Baby_ do not share the perfection (or carefully controlled imperfection) of characters from other graphic novels. They are pudgy, fat, even unattractive. This is not a defect of the artwork; it is an essential feature. Real people do not have perfect bodies or souls, and this story is, above all else, very real -- almost distressingly so.

Cruse does not fall into the too-easy trap of sanctifying his protagonists. The modern trend of antihero storytelling might make this sound less significant, but given the topics Cruse is handling, this is truly an accomplishment. All of them are ordinary people, who can (and do) make significant mistakes. Some of them recover from their errors, others do not... but everyone emerges significantly changed. _Stuck Rubber Baby_ puts a convincing human face on an era that transformed America, and deserves a place on any well-stocked shelf.

grotesque.......2001-06-05

The reason this book fails is that writing about such serious subjects with word balloons coming out of the mouths of these anatomically distorted, wildly out of proportion cartoon characters (who look more like cute and cuddly anthropomorphs with tiny little heads than real human beings)produces such a jarring contrast that instead of being dramatic and satisfying, as this very well-paced short novel should have been and would be in any other form, it becomes merely disturbing, and grotesquely inhuman.This book makes one queasy, as it means to, but for all the wrong reasons.

Average customer rating:

Stuck Rubber Baby
HOWARD CRUSE
Manufacturer: Paradox Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K06UR2

Average customer rating:

Stuck Rubber Baby, Mundos diferentes
Unknown
Manufacturer: UNKNOWN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 8493509205

Average customer rating:
Feng Shoe (Charming Petites)
Lao Shu
Manufacturer: Peter Pauper Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Retail Therapy: Life Lessons Learned While Shopping

The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You

ASIN: 1593599528

Book Description

This comprehensive guide lists 1,500+ animated films on DVD, everything from early-20th-century works to Disney, Warner Bros., and cutting-edge digital CGI. Included are foreign films, major hits like Batman, The Hobbit, and Shrek, and hundreds of Japanese anime releases, plus a separate section on mature-themed material like Fritz the Cat and Heavy Metal. Entries include storylines, reviews, history, key personnel, and ratings, plus details on DVD-only materials like storyboards, Easter eggs, and production shorts. Full indexes, a bibliography, and retailer/publisher listings make this an invaluable resource for film buffs, parents, and libraries. Fully illustrated with DVD covers.

Andy Mangels is a bestselling entertainment author (Star Wars, Star Trek, Beyond Mulder & Scully) who lives in Portland, Oregon.

Customer Reviews:

Easy to use, very practical and informative.......2007-04-15

Just got this book in the mail , maybe 3 days ago, and already i have increased my knowledge on animation!Being new to classic animation, or golden age , as it is sometimes called, i needed a reference, and this book qualifies! So easy to index , with just the information you need to know before buying the dvd.Very pleased with this purchase.

a PRACTICAL review, not a critical one.......2007-04-04

Reviews (on several sites) indicate that this is a book for someone who wants to be recommended certain titles. It is NOT that type of book: It is an encyclopedia, with a foreward and a 3-page explanation of the entry format. The rest contains only listings of DVDs with short synopses and factual information. It is a very thorough book for its express intention, but it's not a guide for someone who wants listings divided into genres (although adult-themed DVDs have a separate section). It will not "recommend" films to you. I have no found such book, nor website. (If you can recommend animated/sci-fi films, I'd be grateful. I was inspired to buy this book because I revisited The Fantastic Planet...eeesh! INCREDIBLE film!! I like trippy, classic, exemplary and subversive films, though I find anime sort of incomprehensible.)

A comprehensive listing of over 1600 animation & anime films.......2005-02-12

Animation On DVD: The Ultimate Guide is a comprehensive listing of over 1,600 animation and anime films currently available on DVD. While the majority of the DVDs listed are Japanese animation, non-Japanese DVDs from Superman cartoons to Disney movies are also included. A black-and-white photograph of each DVD prefaces every listing; the capsule entries include a summary of the animation contents, a listing of special features and notes whether it is subtitled, fullscreen, has any inserts, and the like. Animation On DVD is divided into two sections, a general animation section with the majority of entries, and a mature/adult section expressly for DVDs rated R or X (note that the DVD photographs of entries in the mature section do include suggestive images inappropriate for young children). The mature/adult section descriptions does contain "laundry lists" of sexual acts within explicit DVDs, in order to inform the reader beforehand what he or she would encounter viewing the DVD in question. An index makes individual titles easy to find, and an easter eggs segment includes hidden tricks one can find in one's DVD collection! Packed cover to cover with useful and practical information for anyone who enjoys animation, whether the casual viewer or serious collector, Animation On DVD is a superb quick and easy browsing reference.

A good guide to animation.......2003-04-12

A straightforward listing of animation available on DVD in the US, Andy Mangels' guide is the ideal shoppers' resource. It tells you what's on the disc, hints whether it's worth your time, and also points you at the right Easter Eggs. For someone based in the UK who often has to guess what Region One DVDs she might like, it's very useful. I was a little disappointed not to see the same critical bite that features in Stone Bridge's Anime Encyclopaedia applied to animation from around the world, as there are many cartoons that deserve it -- the Rankin-Bass Hobbit, anyone? But still a good book detailing what you can buy from Amazon.com right now, to add to your collection.

A Great Guide for Animation on DVD.......2003-04-07

Fans of animation don't need to look much further than this book by Andy Mangles. He has managed to include reviews for almost every existing type of animation that is currently on DVD.
For parents looking for a good guidebook on animated content, this is a must. Japanese Animation fans looking for reviews of shows and series they've heard about (and even second opinions on ones they've seen) will be pleased.
Andy's reviews are concise and well written. He uses a conversational approach to the reviews that doesn't become dry or bland. He also avoids over-using jargon that animation fans tend to throw around.
Andy gives a quick synopsis of the show, his opinion of the work and than lays down any concerns parents might have (violence or nudity). He has also separated out most of the adult themed shows into their own section. With the great quantity of shows to review Andy does get some help. The authors he picked have very similar writing styles and tastes, and makes for an easy transition.
Last but not least, a section of Easter Eggs (hidden special features on DVD's) is located in the back to aid those of us who like to see everything on the disc.
Being an anime fan myself, I found this book to be very helpful. Andy's writing style is entertaining and direct. The only low marks I could give it are for the cover. It's a bit too goofy looking for my tastes. I would also have enjoyed a section in the review that linked one show with another similar show, or with another work by the same creative team. But aside from those minor points this is a very handy book. I'll definitely use it when considering what my next anime purchase might be.

Customer Reviews:

A review of the greatest opera book ever written.......1997-07-02

Lanfranco Rasponi in his book, The Last Prima Donnas, compiles a series of interviews spanning fifty years with some of the most legendary divas to grace the operatic stage. This book is easily the most comprehensive, engaging, and just downright fascinating piece of work concerning opera out there. Such grand old dames as Eva Turner, Lily Pons and even Maria Callas expound intelligently and lucidly upon their careers and colleagues, the past, present and future of opera and many other subjects concerning their art and lives. It's an absolute must-read for anyone who's ever been enchanted by the sounds of opera, for it is the story of opera told through the eyes of some of its greatest and most colorful interpreters

Average customer rating:

Last Prima Donnas, The
Lanfranco Rasponi
Manufacturer: Alfred A. Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KX6NQM

Average customer rating:

Last Prima Donnas.

Manufacturer: 1994
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ICHHJW

Book Description

"Playing chess is like looking out over a limitless ocean; playing checkers is like looking into a bottomless well." Marion Tinsley, World checkers champion This extraordinary book tells the story of the creation of the world champion checkers computer program, Chinook. From its beginnings in 1988, Chinook became a worthy opponent to the world champion by 1990 and by 1992 had defeated all the world's top human players. In this fascinating account, Jonathan Schaeffer, the originator and leader of the Chinook team, provides an engrossing story of failures and successes. He describes the human story behind the program and his own feelings in learning from mistakes and technical problems in a continuous effort to improve Chinook's performance. Over the ten year period beginning in 1988, we follow the development of Chinook from an innocent question asked over lunch through to the final match against the then world champion, Marion Tinsley. As the story unfolds, readers are introduced to the rules of checkers and the basics of computer game programs, as well as to the key figures of the story. As a result, all those interested in computing and games will enjoy this book. " Schaeffer's personal involvement in the Chinook project, along with his engaging and open story-telling makes the book surprisingly gripping." A.K. Dewdney

Customer Reviews:

Honest.......2006-11-06

This is one of those books that makes you wince
now and then. Its that transparent. The author
didn't intend it but there is a story here beyond
the program. It unfolds with some interest and
some amaturism, and that lends charm to the
tale. In the end, the greatest player dies but
his legacy lives on in Chinook, the program,
built to defeat him. A negative image surely
but not a bad one.

Chinook, hopefully, is pissing off enough players
that Checkers can experience a revival, though,
like Connect Four and Tic-Tac-Toe it seems
destined for the kiddy heap.

How would Chinook do with a board twice as
large?

Not in the book so I'll pass on that, but by now
the team is on to some amazing stuff, putting
the nails in the coffin of Checkers as a game.

A Gripping Read.......2002-12-17

Well I never thought that title would describe for a book on a project to create a world champion beating chequers playing program!

I originally read the first half of the book when staying with a friend. When I got home I had - for the first time in my life - to buy a book merely to read half of it, so un-put-downable is it.

The book requires no technical knowledge either or computers of of draughts (and to an extent if one approaches it expecting technical insights in to either one will be disappointed).

In practice it's such a good read as the story is well told and gathers momentum the nearer the author gets to the goal. It is focused on the people and the project and not the technicals. Schaeffer recounts his hopes, feelings and motivations with a brutal honesty - never shying away from an accurate description when authorial licence might have presented him in a better light.

Very interesting!.......2001-03-16

Once I started to read this book I found it difficult to put down. Granted I am addicted to playing checkers against my computer when taking breaks at work, but still.... This is very interesting material for checkers players and computer programmers alike.

However, I do have a couple of problems with the book. First, it is very poorly edited. There are a number of grammatical mistakes, [one right on the first paragraph], the author at times goes into unnecessary tangents and, in general the book is too long and repetitive. In addition, it bothered me that, perhaps because of the author's familiarity with chess, he decided to use chess notation to describe the games. This makes it more difficult for checkers players to follow the games while reading the book. The author/editor should have made the effort to use checkers notation or to provide better diagrams.

OK, But.......2001-03-02

I enjoyed reading this book but as a serious checker player was hoping there was a detailed list of new moves , 4, against 3, Ect.. a listing of cooks, detailed, a checker learning experence Something teaching me, some new endgames, something. New openings, challenging the existing openings. Im sure computer/checker players would love this book Since Jonathan chose to not use standard numeric notations as in most checker books, the helpful way would have identified the notations in each illustration of the checker board.

short of ink.......2001-02-28

im enjoying this a bit but im also a checker player and would defintely like the checker coordinates ( numeric notations) shown in every instance as I dont have them memorized, so I can follow the book better. I would not buy it as its more about the ego of the programmer than about checkers.

Amazon.com

Want to be more successful, happier, wealthier? You could hire a personal coach: a business and personal-growth mentor who consults with you, offering advice and insights. Or you could read this book by Thomas Leonard, the "father of personal coaching" and founder of Coach U, a virtual university that trains coaches from 30 countries. In his lively The Portable Coach, Leonard presents 28 principles to help you shape your life, career, and relationships so that they are satisfying and profitable, with 10 ways to accomplish each principle, and additional tips and self-tests.

This is no superficial, feel-good-now, get-rich-tomorrow book. It's like having a year of sessions with this celebrated coach without paying his $400 per hour fee. Flip through the book until you land on just the right tip for what you need to learn right now, or take a progressive journey through the book, putting the tips into action as you go. The Portable Coach bursts with more immediately useful, personally relevant suggestions than you can possibly use. It should expand your mind, improve your performance, enhance your relationships (business and personal), help you enjoy life more, and give you many swift kicks toward becoming your best. Highly recommended. --Joan Price

Book Description

How attractive are you? No, not your looks, but rather your ability to attract abundance into your life -- whether in the form of success at work, solid and rewarding friendships, blue-chip clients, higher income, richer life satisfaction, deeper relationships, or more opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Isn't it time you stopped grasping for success and started attracting it?

Thomas J. Leonard is the father of personal coaching, an explosively growing movement highlighted by recent features in Newsweek,The Wall Street Journal,The New York Times,The London Times,New Age Journal, and featured on NBC, CBS, and CNN. He is also the founder of Coach University, a virtual university that has trained thousands of personal coaches in thirty countries.

Here is Leonard's 28-step Principles of Attraction program -- an exciting, profoundly transformational system that will reorient your approach to life and help you attract success, happiness, and fulfillment as surely as a magnet draws steel.

Originally developed for the professional coaches at Coach University for use with their tens of thousands of clients worldwide, Leonard's set of strategies draws on wisdom from psychology, career counseling, management consulting, personal growth programs, motivational training, and good old common sense. These principles have been proven to work, consistently, with virtually every type of personality, situation, or problem. Now, for the first time, they are available in book form as The Portable Coach.

Complete with Coach University's patented and challenging self-testing materials, these 28 steps open a path to achievement that won't leave you feeling hollow, soulless, or exhausted from striving. They aren't about giving yourself constant pep talks or working longer and harder than everyone around you or being the meanest shark in the corporate sea. The Portable Coach is a vigorous, highly encouraging blueprint for success, a lively new way of honoring yourself and remaking the world on your own terms! Filled with hundreds of practical guidelines, it's a fully integrated personal and professional growth system that you can pursue at your own rate of speed in a sequence determined by your most important needs and priorities.

Through it, you'll fully access and maximize the brilliance and energy you already have and create a thoroughly satisfying life based on what's best about you.

The Portable Coach is the closest possible thing to having the inventor of the personal coaching movement in your corner, helping you isolate and remove all energy-wasting distractions, while becoming the creator of an environment designed to let your natural entrepreneurialism, charm, talent, and personality flourish.

You are invited to attend a Coach University teleclass, Attraction in Action. Conducted by a Certified Coach, this one-hour coaching class will teach you more about how to apply the Principles of Attraction to your own life! To register, simply call (206) 378-1000, E-mail class @theportablecoach.com, or visit http://www.theportablecoach.com.

Customer Reviews:

Still Great After All These Years.......2007-07-06

I started re-reading this lately. It was my first coaching book and like many others, Thomas Leonard was the first to introduce me to coaching. These strategies are good across the board for business and life coaching. It's a great reference tool to this day. A good addition to any coaching library.

Road map to Living.......2005-10-25

I have been presenting business & personal development workshops since 1987 focusing primarily on small business women and families. I only found Thomas Leonard because my girlfriend Nancy spoke so highly of him. Looked him up, purchased the book and realized I have used the many strategies he suggested for the workshops I conduct. I believe this book is the ONE that should be on every person list to purchase and apply. He offers step by step proven, simple practices to move your life forward and manage your living. This is the road map to peace, happiness, abundance and more!

Thomas Leonard is not for everyone, but..........2003-11-20

If you can get through the first chapter on "selfishness," this book really does have a lot to offer. Using charged words like "become incredibly selfish" and absolutes like "tolerate nothing" was an integral part of Leonard's in-your-face, we-don't-have-time-for-you-not-to-get-this style. So many of us in the professional coaching industry have been touched by Leonard. We owe him a big debt of gratitude for making the profession of "coaching" the big opportunity it is for us today. This book is a good legacy to the man, as well as to what he thought was important for us to understand in our lives and in the lives of our clients.

Great Reference Tool After First Read Through.......2003-10-04

I first bought this book three years ago at a Coaching Tour stop in Denver. The late Thomas Leonard signed my copy, making it a treasure in more ways than one.

The primary way it is a treasure is that it is exceptionally useful both as a personal growth tool and also as a book to work through with the folks who I am privileged to coach. The writing is conversational and not filled with jargon.

It is destined to be a classic, even moreso with the untimely, way to early death of the author.

Personal Success through handling the basics........2003-07-17

Most of us know the things in life that are preventing us from reaching our true potential. Then again, some of us simply don't care. However, after reading this highly informative book, I discovered that there are a few areas in life that required attention - absurdly simple areas, such as basics for caring for one and one's home and possessions. It astonishes how a dirty car, a non-existent filing system and a messy cloths closet can have such a negative affect on one's life. Thomas Leonard brings these apparently non-important basics to your attention and coaches in a friendly manner, gently instructing us to do something about it.

The text offers 28 strategies in 28 chapters, including numerous tests that help you to reflect on your current state or condition, and simple step-by-step guidelines to change your current condition for the better. The key notion in his strategy is to make oneself more attractive by living a fulfilling life. Rather than `strive' and `hard sell' your way to success, his method is more along the lines of taking the path of least resistance - that by being aware and sensitive to oneself and one's environment, you create an attitude of mind where living and success becomes almost effortless. His method more or less has a Zen quality to it - surrendering to the Tao and moving through life in a natural way. In other words, by attaining clarity of mind, one is more in a position to recognize opportunities when they present themselves, and because we have become more ourselves and in-flow with our environment, good things will happen. Put in other terms; remove the physical and emotional clutter in your life, thereby creating the space for success to occur.

It is impossible for a single self-help book to be the answer for everybody. Though Leonard has an approachable method covering general areas that most of us experience and have trouble with from time to time. If anything, it could well bring your attention to areas that you thought were under control and moving smoothly and are not. This book is worth having a look at...

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