Great Leap Forward / Harvard Design School Project on the City

Book Description

Authors: Bernard Chang, Mihai Craciun, Rem Koolhaas, Nancy Lin, Yuyang Liu, Katherine Orff, Stephanie Smith Design: Alice Chung

Harvard Graduate School of Design's independent study seminar Project on the City aims at identifying and analyzing problems leading to and resulting from accelerated urbanization, as well as developing new philosophies to aid our increasingly metropolitan planet cope with the rapid changes. Taking the roles of both architect and sociologist, the students travel and research in the first phase of each cycle, and write their theses in the second. The result of each project is a comprehensive, specialized study of the effects of modernization on the contemporary city. During the 1996-1997 period, Project on the City focused its sites on China's Pearl River Delta, a cluster of five cities with a population of 12 million destined to reach 36 million by 2020. Under the watchful eye of the Chinese Communist Party the Pearl River Delta has been (and still is) undergoing a Western-influenced, unrestricted capitalist development which is effectively destroying traditional Chinese social structures thereby producing an entirely new urban substance. Described as "laboratories for the contained unleashing of capitalism," these Special Economic Zones in the Pearl River Delta constitute an unprecedented experiment in urbanization on an astonishingly large scale. The new book presents thesis essays which explore, in a theoretical and critical context, the problematic results of this forced modernization and the possibility of a new system for understanding the troubled relationship between urbanization and economic growth.

Customer Reviews:

A uniuqe and all-inclusive study of the worlds fastest developing economy........2007-03-31

While this book is packaged in some degree of sensationalism, such as mentioning that the most prolific architect in Dongguan city is a gambler, and highlighting the negative externalities of foreign direct investment in the region in question, it is the most stunning and compelling analysis I have seen of the PRD. This book is a fascinating introduction to Chinese economic policy and history, and a recommended read for anyone who doesn't know that 1/3 of everything you own that's "Made in China" came from the factories made possible by the topic of this book.

It's the next best thing to actually visiting the place, which I also recommend.

Great book?.......2005-04-05

After reading all the reviews, I still decided to buy this book. Surprisingly, I think this is a great book, perhaps, in a different way. Some of the people think this is the book with artless pictures and off-track information. In fact, I have to admit that people who are not familiar with china and its culture may have some difficulties to find connection to the book. In my point of view, this book raised some strong questions about the consequences of China's dramatic economic transformation, that the architecture in China would be so egregiously post-modern is interesting. Beside, it also explains the reason behind the replication culture consequentially occur after the red cultural revolution is valuable.

Cliche.......2003-11-19

It's great that people are starting to look at this topic, but this book reeks of a quick-hit, let's-publish-a-book-after-a-seminar job. The title itself says it all: the Great Leap Forward was a Maoist economic project in the late 50s that left up to 30 million people dead. How can one use this term, which refers to one of the great human tragedies of the 20th century, as a cute title for a book? The GLF wasn't cute. It has nothing to do with architecture or urban planning. Using it in this cavalier way belies a complete ignorance of the past 50 years of Chinese history. Sorry if this seems like nitpicking, but I can't take a book seriously that doesn't take its topic seriously.

Another interesting Project on the City volume.......2003-01-28

The previous reviewer was disappointed with this volume after reading Koolhaus' books. While the 3 volumes of the Project of the City are under his (loose?) direction, these are actually all anthologies of writings by individuals connected to the Harvard Design School, each book on a separate theme: metropolis (Mutations) shopping (Guide to Shopping) and the Pearl River Valley, this volume. I knew nothing about this region of the world until reading an article in Mutations about it.

Did you know that just one of the cities in this region went from a population of 30,000 to 3.9 million in 15 years? And this growth was accomplished basically without any city planning department? Or that architectural plans for a 40 floor high rise take less than 2 months to complete?

All of the Project on the City books have many similarities, which you can consider a strength (my opinion) or a weakness (previous review). Take a huge subject (PRV, shopping...) provide millions of factoids about it, present those fact in a cacophony of words, graphs, photos (and with Mutations, there is even a CD of avant electronic music). I liked that about S,M.L.XL and I like it in this series. A treatise on architecture and urban planning in the PRV I never would have read. Just too obscure and potentially boring a subject. But after reading and carefully studying all the photos in this book, I'm left with a large, jumbled set of distinct impressions about the PRV, which raise all sorts of questions about the role of architects and planners in developing countries (or in the US, for that matter).

To me the revolutionary things about S.M.L,XL was its insistence that architecture is not best discussed in articles. Even articles with accompanying photos. That is way too static, too two-dimensional a method of transmitting information, and not well suited to how we absorb information in the 21st century. Rem's recent books gives us a cacophony on information simply jumping off the page. The Project on the City books continue those ideas, and I think do a good job of it.

I subtracted a star because of Rem's highly annoying joke of "copyrighting" words that contain key concepts in his writings. This is particularly annoying since some of the writers in this anthology are clearly puzzled by this requirement and lack even the minimal style and humor with which Rem unfurls this trick in his own writing.

A Wasted Idea.......2002-04-26

I looked forward with great anticipation to this book. Koolhaas' "Delirious New York" was a fascinating work, and "S,M,L,XL" was both interesting and a great argument against hard drives. This book was a major disappointment. It doesn't delve very deeply at all into it's subject matter (the Pearl River Delta area of China) and most of it's "important ideas" are sophomoric. I would say the most irritating thing about this book (other than the totally artless and pointless photographs that litter the book) are the code phrases (highlighted in red) that read like a grad student's compendium of inanities. Don't waste your money.

Great Leap Forward: Harvard Design School Project on the City

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Great Leap Forward: Harvard Design School Project on the City
Chuihua Judy; Jeffrey Inaba; Rem Koolhaas & Sze Tsung Leong (Eds.) Chung
Manufacturer: Harvard Design / Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000Q6MOSE

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Learn to paint with this book

Step-By-Step Watercolor Painting: A Complete Guide to Mastering Techniques with the Alexander Brothers
Gregory Alexander , and Matthew Alexander
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

Clif Bar Nutrition Bars, Crunchy Peanut Butter, 2.4-Ounce Bars (Pack of 12)

ASIN: 0806913339

Book Description

“Fourteen projects...refer to the...options that confront beginning and accomplished painters...still lifes, landscapes, figures in a range of styles, lighting and seasonal conditions...vibrant color....Information...is well presented. Recommended.”—School Arts.

Customer Reviews:

Learn to paint with this book.......2000-12-06

This was my first book on watercolor and with it I was able to create my first paintings. Projects are step-by-step guides with interesting themes. Some paintings are a bit more demanding, so as a beginner, I have done them several times to master the technique (a lot of wet-on-wet work). I found this to be a wonderful book that can teach you how to paint landscapes, figures, cities, water...It is great for beginners, but even someone advanced would enjoy it because of the techniques shown.

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Watercolor in 10 Steps
Patricia Seligman
Manufacturer: Hamlyn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0600613704

Book Description

Beginning painters can succeed on their very first attempt by following a new approach to painting that’s distilled into ten easy sequences. The process starts with tips on choosing a workable subject, then moves into a series of skill practices on a separate sketchpad. Once the painter feels comfortable with the techniques, it’s time to transfer them onto the painting, with fully illustrated instructions of each step, and finished paintings that highlight each skill practice. Next come the secrets of color mixing and the use of pencils and brushes, as well as advice on establishing tonal areas, layer buildup, object edges, colors, highlights, light and shadow, and background. The final sequence: applying the finishing touches that make the painting look professional.

Book Description

Beloved Bunnies In celebration of Playboy magazine's 50th anniversary, TASCHEN brings you this ultimate Playboy Playmate tribute featuring each and every Playmate of the Month since issue number one. Beginning with Marilyn Monroe herself and including such favorites as Pamela Anderson, Anna Nicole Smith, and Jenny McCarthy, this chronological look at the history of Playboy centerfolds includes photos of the Playmates as well as updated personal information about their lives to this day - just enough to spark your memory or pique your interest and surely leaving you yearning for more...

Hugh Marston Hefner was born in Chicago on April 9, 1926. The first issue of Playboy magazine, featuring the now-famous calendar photo of Marilyn Monroe, was produced in 1953 on a card table in his South Side apartment. Playboy grew at a phenomenal rate and by the end of the decade, the magazine was selling more than a million copies a month. At the start of the Sixties, Hef began to live out the "Good Life" depicted in the pages of his publication. He hosted a popular syndicated television show called Playboy's Penthouse, purchased the Playboy Mansion, and opened the first Playboy Club on the Near North Side of Chicago. Throughout the Sixties, Hef and Playboy became what Chicago columnist Bob Greene has called "a force of nature." Hef wrote an extended series of editorials titled "The Playboy Philosophy," championing the rights of the individual and challenging the country's heritage of puritan repression. By 1971, when Playboy Enterprises went public, the magazine was selling 7 million copies a month and there were 23 Playboy Clubs, resorts, hotels and casinos with more than 900,000 members worldwide. Hef established a second residence in Los Angeles, which quickly became known as Playboy Mansion West, and in 1975 decided to settle there permanently. In 1980, Hef championed the reconstruction of the Hollywood sign (then in serious disrepair) and was honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame for his efforts.

Since the mid-Eighties, daughter Christie Hefner has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Playboy Enterprises, but Hef continues to serve as the magazine's editor-in-chief.

Customer Reviews:

Great for the collector.......2007-01-10

This book is the definitive collection of all the Playmates since the very begining. For the collector, or even the fan, of all things Playboy this serves as a great guide to all the beautiful women who have graced the pages of the magazine. Not only are the photos stunning, but the short-but-sweet stories of where they are now and what they've been doing since appearing make for enjoyable reading. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of the ladies and getting this book autographed is like getting your yearbook signed...by all beautiful women.

One caveat though: if you've got the previous edition (the 40th) you'll find the only change is the addition of the last ten years of Playmates.

Very Good Book.......2006-11-06

very well shot pictures&tastefully done. Playboy has always had Beautiful Women pose as Centerfolds&this Book does a very Good Job of capturing the best shots. I've always been a fan of Playboy.

All the Playmates in one book..........2006-10-15

This book starts out with pictures of Marilyn Monroe. Every playmate of the month from the fifties to Miss December 2004, have a small paragraph about where they are now or how they got into Playboy. The pictures are beautiful and tasteful.

Once a Playmate, Always a Playmate.......2004-09-29

THE PLAYMATE BOOK is a tastefully presented heavyweight coffee-table edition book which showcases every woman who appeared in PLAYBOY between 1954 (Marilyn Monroe) and 1996 (Victoria Silvstedt). The photographic quality is superb. The history of the magazine is well-documented. The book does skimp on many of the capsule biographies of the 512 beautiful women who grace these pages. The Playmates of the Year, perennial favorites such as Bettie Page and Pamela Anderson, famous Playmates such as Stella Stevens, and Playmates who met infamous ends (Jayne Mansfield, Claudia Jennings and Dorothy Stratten come to mind), are given far more coverage than the average, perhaps fairly so.

THE PLAYMATE BOOK brings humanity to these otherwise often anonymous pin-up girls, many of whom suffered social ostracism (particularly in the early days of the magazine) for daring to bare all, and shows the Playboy Playmates to be an eclectic and interesting group of women with widely divergent lifestyles. Some of their stories are wonderful, some are tragic, some involve jets, yachts and 'beautiful people' while others involve kids and picket fences. There is no one 'definitive' Playmate.

The book's greatest failing is its inability to bring it all together. More than just a "family album" THE PLAYMATE BOOK should be a social history of women over four decades, but sadly does not editorialize even briefly on "what it all means." It's a bad oversight on the part of the editors, and takes away from the finished product.

It's fun to see the evolution of the Centerfold over time, the changing styles, the increasing daring. It's also fun to find your favorite Playmate(s) and discover what she is/was doing (circa 1997). Hopefully, PLAYBOY will update this book periodically, and add new Playmates as they appear.

Excellent Collection of Five Decades of Beautiful Women.......2001-11-25

Finding your dad's stash of "Playboy" magazines is one of the rites of adolescence. Here you find 'em all! Actually, it's just one photograph of each woman who was a Playmate between the first issue and the year this book was published. This is a good collection of photographs of beautiful women. Looking at these pictures, you see why "Playboy" really is a magazine that's done in good taste. The women are presented as examples of beauty, and the brief history that accompanies each woman tells you what they've been up to since. Most of these women explain how "Playboy" changed their lives for the better. And you'll also discover how many famous women have appeared as Playmates, including Janice Pennington, Jenny McCarthy, and Pam Anderson. Keep in mind, though, that the "Playboy" lifestyle isn't for everyone, and this may not be the perfect gift for everyone.

The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds

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The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds
Gretchen Edgren
Manufacturer: Stoddart 1996
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MCLXIE

Amazon.com

For over 2,000 years, oppressors and natural disasters have worked against the Celts, threatening to obliterate the ancient tribe's language, traditions, and spirituality. "Yet in the past 30 years or so, many willing minds and hands have undertaken the task of rekindling the guttering flame of the Celtic spirit," writes author Mara Freeman in Kindling the Celtic Spirit. Freeman is, in fact, one of those maintaining the fire, having spent 35 years studying Celtic traditions and assembling this well-written and organized tribute. Following the format of the Celtic calendar, Freeman shares the stories, recipes, spells, and Gaelic expressions that go with each of the monthly festivals and celebrations. The February chapter celebrates the Festival of Brigit (the goddess who represents the bride or young maiden). October pays tribute to the Festival of Samhain (the celebration that marks the beginning of winter and may have been the Celtic New Year). She recounts the origins of Samhain Eve, or "Mischief Night," which Americans celebrate by trick-or-treating. She teaches magical spells, tells a spine-chilling spooky story, and shows readers how to carve turnip lanterns, using a large rutabaga.

Although she writes about faeries, tree spirits, and other mythological creatures, Freeman narrates with confidence and maturity, so that readers feel as though they are sitting with a learned scholar. The elegant pen-and-ink illustrations by Linda Carol Risso capture the humble pagan origins while respecting the sophistication of Celtic design. The upshot is a beautifully crafted book with plenty of substance for those who like immersing themselves in this enchanting, age-old tribe. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

In this beautiful treasury of sacred wisdom, Mara Freeman shares the rich legacy of the Celts -- the festivals, gods and goddesses, saints, faeries, music, poetry, and storytelling that anchor this magical tradition. Discover myths, rituals, recipes, and crafts for every month of theyear. Honor Saint Brigit with a prayer in February, or ensure a merry start to May with a bowl of frothy syllabub. Come together with friends and neighbors to celebrate community in the high days of August, then learn to weave a solstice wreath in snowy December.

Traditional blessings, ancient lore, and guided meditations inspire you to reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world, and view the sacred as an integral part of every day. Rediscover the wisdom and healing power of nature, and cultivate and honor your soul as you would the earth. Let the spirit of the ancient Celts enchant you in every season, year after year.

Customer Reviews:

Still Don't Know How She Did It.......2007-08-02

I received this book as a gift from my husband at the Winter Solstice in 2005, and finally am reviewing it. It has taken me this long because I don't quite know how to express the depth of my passion about this book. Everytime I open it, I feel I have a veritable one-volume library of Celtic lore. That's what I meant by I don't know how she did it! I've been on the Celtic path for over thirty years, and she not only puts in my favorite poems, she surprises me on every other page. Also, the recipes and activities that are at the end of each month serve to deepen the connection to the lore. Don't miss the Watercress soup from the House of Light Chapter for July, it's delicious! I honestly feel that years from now, I will still be discovering new treasures in this library.
Linda Carol Risso's illustrations are just the icing on a magical cake, clearly a fortuitous creative pairing.

Not what I expected. .......2007-07-08

It's kind of tricky to figure out what our ancestors really believed thanks to Christianity. This book really shows what I mean. I didn't see any of the "New agey fluff" that one reviewer wrote. I was excited to get the book only to be disappointed upon purchasing it. The cover is still one of the few things I enjoy about this book. It is honestly not pagan at all and never will.

Celtic Sprit.......2007-01-16

A wonderful book purchased for my son for Christmas. Couldn't help but read some of it myself before I wrapped it.

A lovely book.......2006-06-15

I love this book! I bought it right after it arrived in my local bookstore, so I've had the opportunity to use it a lot. The poetry and prayers are inspiring, and the snippets of Celtic animal and plant lore have frequently sent me in search of more information. I love the meditations, was very happy to have found the meditation cd (although I do wish the cd had all of the meditations from the book included on it, and not just selected ones.)Highly recommended!

Kindling the Celtic Spirit in 2006.......2006-03-11

In times when everything is a buzz and you are riding life instead of living it... this author reminds us to tap inside and look out instead of living from the outside in. I enjoyed this book so much that I have the sense to let things wiz by if they are not as important and my center of happiness and peace. I sleep better that way instead of letting the day run through me, I go through the day. Hope you find the same.

Mara Of The Celts (Eros Graphic Novel Series, No. 17)

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Magical fantasy with its shirt off

Mara Of The Celts (Eros Graphic Novel Series, No. 17)
Dennis Cramer
Manufacturer: Eros Comix
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1560972157

Book Description

This book reprints the rare pre-Eros series and is packed with photos, histories, and illustrations by P. Craig Russell, Frank Thorne, and Val Mayerik.

Customer Reviews:

Magical fantasy with its shirt off.......2007-04-10

Cramer's character is an open tribute to some of Frank Thorne's bawdy heroines. She wanders a world of magic and technology, in search of a cure for the terrible curse laid on her sister. Mara wanders bare-foot all the time, and bare-everything-else most of the time. And somehow, her magical capacity for delight in getting laid saves her from all the evils that cross her path. It helps her endure the bondage and whatnot of the bad guys' dungeons, and enables a vigorous show of self-stimulation for one of the good guys, as payment for his help. And so on in that general vein.

This B&W comic presents a passable fantasy, with plenty of adult goings-on throughout. Mara isn't a top-heavy as some characters in this genre, but kohl-eyed and cute anyway. The adult activity, though pervasive, is never (well, almost never) the real center of attention. Unlike smuttier comics, the story is always there. As is the lovely and "skyclad" Mara.

//wiredweird

PS: If you like this one, also see Mara Volume 2 (Eros 36)

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Celtic Treasury
O'Mara
Manufacturer: Gill & Macmillan Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mara of the Celts #1 (Volume 1 Book 2 Chapter 1)

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Mara of the Celts #1 (Volume 1 Book 2 Chapter 1)
Dennis Cramer
Manufacturer: eros comix
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UAE6U0

Product Description

Adult material. After drinking the potent juices of her ancesters she sets out to rule the land. B&W illustrations.

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