Carousel Art, Vol. 2: Book of 30 Full Color PostCards

Book Description

Carousel Art Book of Postcards Volume II

This colorful book of 30 full color glossy postcards feature dazzling examples of American carousel art representing all the major artists. These beautiful restored horses and menagerie animals are a great guide for collectors and reference for artists. Each card is 5"x7" and easy to tear out and mail.

Customer Reviews:

Carousel Art, Vol. 2: Book of 30 Full Color PostCards.......2006-02-23

Very nice photos. Only 30 photos (post cards). Too pricy as a book for me. Very cheap if you plan on using them as post cards. I paid $9.00 (2006) so that's only 30 cents each, a real bargain for the quality. The publisher should print up Volumes III thru C, I might by them all!

Book Description

From the edge of the French Quarter to the heart of the bayou, New Orleans Cemeteries: Life in the Cities of the Dead is a journey through the Crescent City as seen through her phenomenal aboveground cemeteries. Through their artful and documentary-style color and black and white photographs, Robert and Mason Florence depict the "cities of the dead" in all their grandeur and decay, exquisite artisanship and humble memorials, their voluminous historical accounts of the city and undefinable spiritual qualities. New Orleans Cemeteries is an enchanting account of one of the world's true treasures, as enjoyable and entertaining as it is educational.

Customer Reviews:

The BEST book on New Orleans Cemeteries in Existence!!!.......2005-01-04

Rob Florence's book is hands-down the best book on New Orleans cemeteries I have found--and, believe me, I've looked. I'm researching cemeteries. Not only is there tons of information, but he has also included personal stories of people who have loved ones entombed as well as of some who are entombed. I had the pleasure of meeting Rob Florence recently, and he is a walking and talking encyclopedia of knowledge. If you're taking a trip to New Orleans, sign up now to take one of his tours through Historic New Orleans Tours. You won't be disappointed. Before you do that, though, BUY THIS BOOK to take along with you!

A Must Buy!.......2003-02-28

I was very pleased with this book and read it from cover to cover.Besides having a fascinating text it's loaded with beautiful pictures, including a set of pictures of Anne Rice doing a publicity shoot in one of New Orleans's cemeteries.I really wasn't that familiar with the history of the burial grounds in New Orleans and I learned a LOT from this book. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who's into cemeteries, funeral history, and Anne Rice!

Spectacular pictures.......2002-11-08

I would never have went to New Orleans without visiting at least one of the famous above ground cemeteries - I was not disappointed! The history behind them is fascinating. They're built above ground, so that when there is any kind of flooding, the bodies don't float away since New Orleans is 700?ft below sea level. What was really neat to me though, is that one tomb, could and would be used for many generations of the same family. I thought it was a comforting thought to know that you wouldn't be burried alone, but in the exact same place as your ancestors. I think New Orleans people celebrate death, not that they're glad someone is gone, but that they're glad they had the chance to live and love them! There is just a kind of magic about the cemeteries, especially St. Louis #1, the oldest cemetery in the area. The photo's in this book capture that magic! Unfortunately, the section on #1 is small. This book includes many of the cemeteries including St. Louis 2 and 3, and Metairie, which is one of the nicest and most [costly] ones. I highly recommend this book for it's information and photography! If you go to see #1, it is in a not-so-good crime area that is improving, but make sure you go with a tour! The tour guides always have some interesting extra info!

An Unexpected Enjoyment.......2001-09-06

We travel to and through Louisiana quite a bit. Because of this, I tend to pick up books about Louisiana, particularly Louisiana history. I bought this book because I liked the pictures. However, once I began reading this book, I realized that there was much more to the cemeteries than interesting statues. I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading this book and found it as informative as it was interesting.

This book begins with an introduction about cemeteries in Louisiana and then covers different cemeteries in Louisiana. Generally there is a history of the cemetery, an accounting of some of the more famous people buried in each cemetery and a lot of information.

For someone visiting Louisiana, particularly someone who is considering a tour of the cemeteries, this book is a must.

Not your average graveyard book........1999-12-07

Filled with lovely photographs, this book is both entertaining and educational. It gives a brief history of the whys and wherefores of the burial practices in southern Louisiana, as well as describing how the tombs are cared for in the present. It also makes a great guide, if one is planning to visit the cemeteries in and around New Orleans. Easy to read, but never insulting to one's intelligence, this book gives a fascinating view of the cities of the dead.

Customer Reviews:

Dark glory.......2004-02-12

Rumiko Takahashi is better known for her romantic comedies than for dark fantasies. But her brief Mermaid series is an excellent display of Takahashi's dark side, in a world where a handful of humans who eat mermaid flesh become immortal, and the rest turn into fishlike, monstrous creatures called "lost souls."

Like the other two collections of Mermaid stories, "Mermaid's Scar" focuses on the immortal duo Mana and Yuta. In "Dream's End," Mana encounters a lost soul who has somehow retained his human soul, turning him into a tormented monster. "Mermaid's Promise" brings Yuta back to where he once met a young girl who fell in love with him -- and who has somehow been brought back to life as a soulless creature. "Mermaid's Scar" brings Mana and Yuta to a town where a woman somehow recovered from deadly burns -- and discovers an immortal boy with a horrifying secret. "The Ash Princess" goes back to 17th-century Japan, when Yuta was still wandering alone. Here, he finds a travelling old man and his young daughter -- a girl brought to life with a mermaid's liver.

Perhaps the most common comparison to the Mermaid series is the action/fantasy/romance series "Inuyasha." However, the Mermaid stories have none of the humor and goofiness that pop up in "Inuyasha" (although the story of the undead, tormented ex-girlfriend is quite familiar). The tone is melancholy, sometimes outright macabre, with a few sweet scenes of romance between the two immortals. Perhaps the best scene is the hauntingly lovely last moments with Nae and Yuta.

The relationship between Yuta and Mana is pure Takahashi -- they love each other but somehow won't admit it (and Mana gets pretty jealous at times). They stick with one another through thick and thin, and occasionally show little indications of how they actually feel. ("It sounds like you've fallen for me," Yuta says half-jokingly at one point)

Takahashi's dark "Mermaid's Scar" is a fantastic mixture of dark fantasy and gently understated romance. Sweet, terrifying and deeply satisfying.

A macabre tale of immortality's price..........2001-09-23

Legend has it that whoever eats the flesh of a mermaid will be granted eternal life and youth. Yuta is one of those who have received this "gift". But is it really a gift? Yuta has been forced to watch his loved ones age and die through the years. For five centuries he has roamed the world searching for a "cure", or for someone like himself. As fate would have it, Yuta chances upon a girl named Mana. She too has been bestowed with immortality like Yuta. Together they travel through Japan longing for a normal life. Soon, they meet others who have also experienced the mermaid's "gift". But as they soon discover, mermaid's flesh affects each person differently. Yuta and Mana are just the more fortunate ones...

Rumiko Takahashi's Mermaid Series is really quite a masterpiece. Each chapter presents a different tale and yet everything is tied together by the main characters, Yuta and Mana. It's like a group of short stories unfolding inside one main plot. It's not episodic, as the stories can stand alone. They are, however, greatly enriched by the base storyline about the legendary mermaid flesh. It's really quite an inventive approach, and I really admire Ms. Takahashi's imagination. The overall atmosphere is grim. The tone is serious, as darker facets of human nature are revealed. Everyone wants a piece of the mermaids, and all for various reasons. Greed, vengeance, selfishness... they are the driving forces in the pursuit of the elusive mermaid flesh. Yuta and Mana are plunged into the situation, being immortals on an unending quest for something... even they cannot be sure of what they're truly seeking. The art is simple in style, yet pleasant to look at and effective -- as is always the case with Ms. Takahashi's works. Panel layout is quite conservative if compared to her later works like "Inu-Yasha". The Mermaid Series definitely is a suspenseful page-turner which will leave readers very satisfied. Each volume packs a lot of punch. It's a pity because this is not enjoying as much exposure as "Ranma 1/2", "Urusei Yatsura", and "Maison Ikkoku" are. In some ways, this series is even better than Ms. Takahashi's more popular works.

Why should you buy this? There are many reason..........2001-05-21

When I started to read manga's I was always looking for something new. Not the same old "shoot 'em up" or "magical girl" story but something unique. Mermaids Scar is an excellent example. I recived this novel with much delight, and was even more enthralled with the series afterwards. Rumiko Takahashi gives a reader an array of emotions that help to create one of the most emotional and interesting novels to read. It is well worth your money to purchase this book, I guarentee you will not be disapointed!

Before Inu Yasha...........2001-01-07

Like the Mermaid books that preceed and follow it, this work is a masterpiece. This is an edgy, disturbing horror story with likable characters and a friendly drawing style. People who started with Inu Yashu should try the Mermaid stories next. (Mermaid Forest is the first of three). They may notice some similarities between the two heroines! Anyone who enjoyed the video should also read the manga, since the story is slightly different, and the second part of this book was never animated. Enjoy!

Blood, violence... what more could you want?.......2000-10-15

This is a very, very violent manga, even by MY standards. Even though it's JUST a comic book, I often found myself cringing and flinching just looking at the drawings (I didn't even flinch while reading 3x3 Eyes, but this one... just the way things are drawn makes them look REALLY painful)... speaking of that, the art is very good, obviously Takahashi-style. Anyways, even though it is SO violent and bloody, it is actually quite enjoyable. In fact, after reading it I almost completely changed my taste in manga and went on the reading more violent ones instead of the usual silly ones, and even drawing one of my own (heh heh don't ask!). Yes, it really entertained and inspired me! Nice, creepy story! Hard to believe it was created by the same woman who made Ranma 1/2 and Lum!

Average customer rating:
Best Pub Joke Book Ever!: No. 4
John Mullet
Manufacturer: CARLTON BOOKS (Pref
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K6BZI0

Book Description

No movie has ever been made, or made well, without the character who toils just outside the spotlight. He arranged for the spotlight, hired the spotlight operator, and even made sure that it was trained correctly on the stars. At the end of the day, there

Customer Reviews:

Better than I can possibly convey.......2003-09-11

Buy this book right now. Even if you aren't interested in film. If you've ever walked by a poster advertising a film, buy this book. Why are you still reading this review? Why aren't you ordering this book? In fact, don't order it online here, run to your local Borders and pick it up right now. Hurry, it'll close soon! Well, okay, buy it online, but you'd better use overnight shipping! I'm warning you!!! Buy it.

Now!!!!!

DGA Magazine: May 2000.......2000-05-31

"Saying that Jerry Ziesmer probably has delivered the greatest assistant director book ever written doesn't do it justice. His tales from the Kleig was in "Ready When You Are, Mr. Coppola, Mr. Spielberg, Mr. Crowe" are not only an insider-insider's look into what actually happens in the making of movies--from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" to "Apocalypse Now" to "Jerry Maguire"--but also a compendium of perceptive glimpses at the personalities and decision making by great filmmakers and actors across four decades. This book relates the biz and its lore with color, intimacy, candor and horse sense..."

The Inside Scoop From A Fascinating, Insightful Pro.......2000-05-05

Disclaimer--I know Jerry from working with him on the Director's Guild Council, and I have utmost respect for him as a professional filmmaker. But I never knew his talents extended to such cogent, fun-to-read, full-of-insight writing until reading this wonderful book. It combines the best of both worlds--the "inside baseball" stuff that pro's with years of experience will still find new and fresh and helpful to their work AND the "Hollywood" anecdotage that any fan of great movies and moviemakers will read with a chuckle and a tear and a lot of smiles. If you really want to go "Behind the scenes"--save the trip to Universal's tour and get this book instead. You'll learn a lot, and have a great, great time!

Learn how movies REALLY get made.......2000-05-01

Jerry Ziesmer tells the kind of inside stories you usually only hear (if you're lucky) over beers after shooting's wrapped for the day. Without ever whitewashing or pulling punches, he offers a thoughtful, compassionate perspective on the trials and tribulations that led to some of the greatest films of our day. This is simply one of the best books ever written on the nuts and bolts, the passions and personalities of filmmaking, period. Thanks Jerry.

"Apocalypse Now" Revisited........2000-02-10

An amazing inside story of filming with Frances Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Cameron Crowe told by their assistant director. The author relates the tales of filming "Apocalypse Now", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", "Jerry Maguire", "Scarface" and so many others. A truly enjoyable book for the film professional or for those who just enjoy films.

Ready When You Are, Mr. Coppola, Mr. Spielberg, Mr. Crowe (Filmmakers Series; 69)

Average customer rating:

Ready When You Are, Mr. Coppola, Mr. Spielberg, Mr. Crowe (Filmmakers Series; 69)
Jerry; Slide, Anthony (editor) Ziesmer
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KCWAJC

Average customer rating:
Elvis Presley: The Complete Guide to His Music (Complete Guide to the Music of...)
John Robertson , and Chris Charlesworth
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

Elvis Presley: A Life in Music--The Complete Recording Sessions

This Is Elvis (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Life: Remembering Elvis: 30 Years Later

Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business

Live in Las Vegas

ASIN: 1844497119
Release Date: 2004-11-01

Book Description

This classic guide to the music of Elvis Presley is sure to please fans that will celebrate Elvis' 70th birthday on January 8, 2005. In fact, the festivities will begin before the King's birthday and will last all year with special events across the United States. Special celebrations at Graceland and across Memphis have been planned, with most events already sold out.

Written by a rock `n' roll expert, this complete guide examines every song in Elvis' recorded repertoire, making it an invaluable guide for record collectors and fans alike.

Black and White photos.

Book Description

Scarecrows are a true American folk art form that add charm and whimsy to any yard or garden. This is the only book to offer step-by-step instructions for creating scarecrows, from traditional to absolutely wild. Scarecrows includes more than 20 unique projects, plus tours through the gardens of North America's greatest scarecrow artists and tips for starting your own scarecrow festival.

Customer Reviews:

SCARECROWS: NOT JUST FOR AUTUMN ANYMORE!.......2005-04-26

The biggest thing I took away from Scarecrows is that they are not just for Autumn or Halloween. There are designs in this book that can be made for any season or even as permanent decor throughout the entire year. Felder Rushing starts off the book with a short, but enjoyable history of scarecrows covering it's uses throughout the world and in early America as well. Add to that some background on their nemesis the crows, who were used as messengers in both Greek and Norse mythology. From there we move to the meat of the book, scarecrow design.

Rushing provides easy, step-by-step instructions, including lists of needed materials, to make all of the designs in the book. We start with a very basic and traditional scarecrow using the simple "cross" design with two wood poles intersecting like a crucifix for the frame. From there you choose your head whether it's an old pillow case, burlap sack, paper bag, or any number of other options. I wouldn't suggest a paper bag if it's going to be outside in the elements for any length of time. For Halloween time you can even use a pumpkin as the head, designing and cutting out a chilling face to scare trick-or-treaters. Next, deck him out in some old clothes, stuff with hay, or old newspaper, plastic bags or even more old clothes to fill him out. Use an old mop. Foam, pipe cleaners, yarn or felt for the hair. The great thing about these designs is the flexibility of materials. It's almost guaranteed that you will have everything you need right at home to make a scarecrow.

After the basic scarecrow we move on to more complex designs with different materials. How about making a beautiful garden queen for the garden, just right for the coming spring? You can make pose them in different positions by stuff the arms and legs with rolled up chicken wire than can easily be bent to make your scarecrow come alive and also serves as secure stuffing. You can make your own tin man scare crow from various sizes of tin cans that can be taped, glued, even strung together. You can do the same with clay pots for a very unique design. Among the most complex, but striking designs are those created by Michael Melle, and artist from Massachusetts that begin with a thin wooden or metal frame. Next the various limbs are tightly wrapped with hay or straw, all the way down to their fingers to create some very eerie straw people which would be ideal for Halloween. These are certainly more time consuming but also still quite simple.

All the designs are accompanied by brilliant color photography including many full-page photographs. Simple, fun, and inexpensive are perhaps the best three words I can used to describe this book. Whether you want to go strictly traditional or add some incredible flair, you're sure to find a design that you'll love in this book.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Great book to learn how to make scarecrows!.......2001-09-01

This book is full of information, recommendations, and tips. Plenty of how to's. This would make a great family project.
I have picked out several that I want to make. There is even a little history lesson on scarecrows.
The pictures are great to look at even if you decide not to make
a scarecrow.

With these scarecrows, you won't say "if I only had a brain!.......2000-05-19

I was captivated by the scarecrows and other serendipitous lawn creatures/people in this book. Some of course look rather complicated, but instructions are fairly clear. I appreciated the use of recycled or already-around-the-yard materials. Even small children could make some of these - the paper plate scarecrow for example, is darling. Obviously, many of the examples are not durable enough for harsh weather conditions, but a little additional ingenuity might fix that... A book such as this gets one's own creative juices flowing as well.

Average customer rating:

Thought provoking use of ecological metaphors

A New Strategic Dynamic

A good book -- but could go further

Describing a Trend in Modern Business

The foundational book for modern business networks

The Keystone Advantage: What the New Dynamics of Business Ecosystems Mean for Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability
Marco Iansiti , and Roy Levien
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Leadership | Harvard Business School Press | By Publisher | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Harvard Business School Press | By Publisher | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Strategy Planning | Harvard Business School Press | By Publisher | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
New Business Enterprises | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Death of Competition: Leadership and Strategy in the Age of Business Ecosystems

How Industries Evolve: Principles for Achieving and Sustaining Superior Performance

Open Business Models: How to Thrive in the New Innovation Landscape

Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change

The Escher Cycle: Creating Self-Reinforcing Business Advantage

ASIN: 1591393078

Book Description

Today, many companies operate within a complex network of firms that all depend on each other for success

In this book, authors Marco Iansiti and Roy Levien use the powerful example of biological ecosystems to show how companies can leverage these emerging business networks for long-term success. The book’s title, The Keystone Advantage, is taken directly from biology—it refers to “keystone species”, which proactively maintain the healthy functioning of their entire ecosystem for a simple reason: their own survival depends on it.

In the same way, say the authors, companies can protect and ensure their own success by deliberately fostering the combined health of the network they operate in.

Customer Reviews:

Thought provoking use of ecological metaphors.......2006-11-05

The book gets high marks for creativity, but I'm left wondering if the analogies between business and ecology bear up under scrutiny. They sound great, but are they informative or simply comforting?

The authors use many familiar terms ecology, niche, evolution, ecosystem, etc. To this they add a variety of terms less common to the ecological literature platform, landlord, dominator, etc. Additionally, they omit several commonly used terms species, predator, prey, energy balance, carbon cycles, etc. Other terms have been modified to sound more genteel: 'competition between species' has become 'competition between ecologies', 'food chain' has become 'supply chain'.

If one surveys ecological literature for the first time, they might be surprised by the difficulty of the subject. Descriptive studies can be overwhelmingly detailed without establishing any comprehensive principles. Computer models of ecological systems are generally too mathematical and abstract for the non-professional. When principles are elaborated, they can become controversial (is there any 'intelligence' in the 'ecosystem'? Do plants 'collaborate'? etc.)

Drawing analogies between 'business communities' and 'a rain forest' may turn out to explain economic change and technological innovation, but the book itself fails to engage the reader at its most important level understanding ecology itself. It seems to assume 'ecology' is simple and we can easily draw upon well known ecological principles. If you are looking for some inspiration to learn more about ecology, there couldn't be a better book. If you want definitive answers, you may be disappointed.

A New Strategic Dynamic.......2005-01-12

The authors highlight the importance of these networks in the strategy creation process. Their discussion provides organizations with a roadmap that points out the importance and pitfalls of networks the tactics they will need to successfully navigate their futures.

Harvard Business School Professor Marco Iansiti and business leader Roy Levien employ the analogy of biological systems to describe the inner workings of business networks. Using 10 years of research and practical experience in a range of industries they identify three roles firms play within business systems:

1. Keystones. These companies improve system health and increase their own operational performance.
2. Landlords and Dominators. Firms with these operating strategies occupy a network hub.
3. Niche Players. Organizations that do not occupy a network hub.

Business networks and biological networks, the authors explain, are governed by a common fate. They base predictions on features that enable stability, longevity and productivity. The authors offer three predictions:

1. Expect more robustness in the face of external shocks. Although damage is accompanied by widespread collapse, most problems will be absorbed.
2. Expect networks to develop a capacity for creativity.
3. Expect a heterogeneous structure, with each individual organization playing a unique, dramatic role.

The authors view this evolving network as a renewal source, not an external threat.

A good book -- but could go further.......2004-12-08

The Keystone Advantage is a good book. It uses a biological metaphor to discuss and explain the success of various companies within a larger business 'ecosystem'.

But if you want to understand the fundamentals of WHY this metaphor works, and HOW to choose which strategy will be best for your particular business, you need to read "The Escher Cycle".

Marco Iansiti and Roy Levien describe examples of how companies have used different strategies to achieve success in the modern business ecosystem. "The Escher Cycle" explains from first principles (not just a metaphor) HOW that ecosystem came into being.

Iansiti and Levien focus on the impact that Information Technology (IT) can have on business performance. But IT is just one of the ways in which performance can be improved.

"The Escher Cycle" identifies the key activities that deliver strategic success. It shows layer upon layer how to improve skill at carrying out those activities (one means of which is through IT). And it shows how different businesses interact together to form the ecosystem that Iansiti and Levien describe.

Finally, "The Escher Cycle" shows how a business can imitate the natural flows of information and capability that circulate within the business ecosystem. It shows how a business can accelerate its own 'Evolution' within that system, and so create the ultimate competitive advantage.

Describing a Trend in Modern Business.......2004-10-29

As no man is an island, businesses do not operate in a vacuum. There are suppliers, customers, employees and of course the government. More and more, these outside influences are banning together in a perhaps unofficial but no less real ecosystem.

In the computer industry, which everyone reading this must have some at least sideline awareness, there are two principle 'keystone' players: Microsoft and Intel. Around these companies there are literally thousands of other companies somehow creating a business around their core technologies. This works pretty well, so long as you are very careful. If you sleep next to an elephant, you'd best sleep with one eye open, just in case he decides to roll over. Just ask Netscape.

These authors have attempted to provide a framework for analyzing such business ecosystems, drawing on examples from biology where such systems have been studied for many years.

Most of the examples used in the book are from the American market. Next, I'd like to see the authors do a book comparing the American and the Japanese systems. It appears that the Japanese started this philosophy but that we have taken it into new and different directions, certainly less formal (the Japanese methods would be illegal here) but seemingly headed in much the same direction.

The foundational book for modern business networks.......2004-09-22

Business networks represent the future for many organizations as capabilities and competition move beyond the individual firm. While many have heralded the rise of these networks, few have applied any discipline for figuring out how these new organizations work and are structured.

Iansiti and Levien's categorization of keystone, landloard,dominators, niche players etc is helpful in understanding the different ways and types of networks that exist. They are also careful not to push the ecology applied to business angle too much -- a welcome thing in this day of quick fixes and simple models that are supposed to be universally applied.

The focus on the foundations of competition are helpful and point up the value or architecture, platforms, and innovation. My one concern is that much of the book reads like a prescription for technologically advanced industries -- even though the authors use some low tech examples. This makes it seem more descriptive than advancing a theory from which I can understand what is going on and taking action.

This book forms the first real examination of business networks without the hype of the internet or the determination that everything will be connected to everything else. A solid foundation seeing business networks for what they are, and their dynamics.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books