Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and Their Circle

Book Description

From the late 1920's through the early 1950's, photographer George Platt Lynes, painter Paul Cadmus, and critic Lincoln Kirstein helped to create and define the aesthetic and institutions of the American art world. With an overlapping circle of friends, lovers, collaborators, and models, Cadmus, Platt Lynes, and Kirstein created a world of gay esthetics and desire in art that was groundbreaking at the time and remarkable even today. Through hours of conversation with surviving members of their circle as well as unprecedented access to papers, journals, and previously unreleased photographs, David Leddick has brought to vivid life the lives and loves, connections and interconnections, and the inspirations and influences of this now vanished art world.Meticulously researched, completely forthright, and lavishly illustrated, Intimate Companions is a celebration of the art, the lives, and the impact of this groundbreaking circle.

Customer Reviews:

a great tri-ography!.......2007-05-12

leddick's book about the lives and loves of lynes, cadmus and kirstein is one of the best!

it's informative, entertaining and a revelation for someone that is a fan of either new york city ballet or the beauteous photographs of george platt lynes. these men were the among the most complex men of arts in the last century. and lynes was even more complex because he was somewhat of an enigma, a self-styled court jester to the 1920 euro-american jet set and literati that got a life when he picked up a camera and began to document his contemporaries.

cadmus, by contrast, was the closest to a family man, painting a variety of portraits that documented the crazy seedy life of the west village but choosing to live a domesticated existence with his longtime partner in the countryside of upstate new york(i think, do not hold me to that).

but in addition to these lives, which leddick brings to life with humor and a economical approach to his prose, he also weaves in the stories of nycb dancers jose martinez, nicholas magallanes, frank moncion and tanaquil leclercq; other artists such as glenway westcott, leonard bernstein and monroe wheeler and the beautiful hangers-on that modelled for these men and provided characters that would become parts of novels they would write.

it's a world that various artists have tried to reconstruct and failed because of lack of talent or too many chemicals but this one time was definitely enough because it was definitely the right mix of people at the right time.

Mr. Leddick Tries To Do Too Much........2003-07-11

I picked up this book because I like the work of George Platt Lynes and Paul Cadmus a lot. I also read and liked very much Mr. Leddick's first novel and own a couple of his books on male nude photography. (I have little interest in Lincoln Kirstein or ballet either.) I finished this book not having learned much about either of these two men that I cared to remember. Part of the problem is that Mr. Leddick attempts too much. He is art critic, photography critic, dance critic, literary critic as well as consummate gossip. Additionally since there are no footnotes in this book, the reader has no idea whether Leddick's conclusions about anything are his or something he gleaned from the list of sources at the back of the book. Take the opening sentence from Leddick's chapter on Katherine Anne Porter: "Katherine Anne Porter is among the most esteemed women writers of the twentieth century in America." Is that Mr. Leddick's opinion-- and what qualifies him to make such a judgment-- or the literary critics who tell us whom we should read? Incidentally, Ms. Porter comes off as a most distasteful person. Mr. Leddick paints her as homophobic although she obviously hung out with a lot of people whose lives she couldn't tolerate. He might have discussed her racism as well if he wanted to really give us a rounded view of this pretty ugly woman.

I would have preferred more insight into what made Mr. Lynes one of America's great photographers and less information and speculation as to whom he did bed or might have taken to bed. Mr. Leddick does discuss at some length many of Cadmus' paintings. Without the actual reproductions preferably in color, however, it is impossible to know whether or not this writer has a clue as to what he is discussing.

Mr. Leddick does briefly discuss Lynes' influence on later photographers, particularly Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts. For my money, Lynes is the best photographer of the male nude this country has had. His studio lighting is creative and quite wonderful. Just look at the photographs of anyone who followed him to see the long shadow he cast. (And all this inventive and difficult lighting before the strobe. At least there were no monotonous umbrella reflections in the eyes of Lynes' models.) Robert Mapplethorpe--whose work I admire a lot-- but who lit every photograph he ever took pretty much the same way-- could certainly have learned a plenty from studying Lynes' lighting.

So if you want to appreciate these two men-- study their works and made your own judgments. Mr. Leddick has edited a fine book on Mr. Lynes' photographs and there are several fine books on Cadmus in color.

[weak].......2003-03-31

This is an abyssally written, horribly researched, inaccurate, unorganized babble of idle gossip about some truly great artists and writers. The author should not attempt to write about things beyond his limited ken. What a travesty that a publisher would agree to print such garbage!

an ardent fan of Paul Cadmus's work.......2002-07-08

My sole reason for acquiring this book was to learn more of the very private-seeming artist Paul Cadmus and to uderstand how he and Lincoln Kirstein came to be inlaws. As a result of the focus on George Platt Lynes, I will pursue more of his work as well. This narrative/history clarifies the various Cadmus paintings featuring Platt Lynes, Monroe Wheeler, and Glenway Westcott plus additional models. Personally, their sexual orientation is of no interest to me. Their art and contributions to art are indisputable. I enjoyed Mr. Leddick's presentation, which was fun and breezy. I look forward to locating Platt Lynes exhibitions and hope to view original Cadmus paintings before long. As for Jared French, imagine my surprise to discover a painting of his at the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, NY. Not once was there a single mention that any of these gentlemen might be fans of baseball, but you just never know, do you.

I've stepped in deeper puddles.......2002-01-26

As shallow look at some shallow men, specialy Platt Lynes. Only Paul Cadmus seems to have some reedeming qualities, and he is portrayed as undersexed and remote. I am glad I did not know any of these men.

Intimate Companions: A triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and their Circle

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Intimate Companions: A triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and their Circle
David Leddick
Manufacturer: St Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K4ZNZ8

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Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and Their Circle
David Leddick
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OM76OC

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Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and Their Circle.
David. Leddick
Manufacturer: Stonewall Inn Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTLBUA

Book Description

Over 700 black-and-white illustrations, detailed descriptions, and prices for a vast array of upscale women's clothing and accessories appear among these highlights from rare 1920s B. Altman & Company catalogs. Stylized drawings of flappers depict sophisticated dresses, bathing suits, cloche hats, shoes, and more. A selection of attire for men and children is included.

Customer Reviews:

Ladies and Flappers.......2006-11-05

This is yet another book that has wonderful illustrations and information about 1920s fashion. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in this pivotal decade in fashion.

What the well dressed Flapper was wearing in the 1920s.......2002-12-22

"1920s Fashions from B. Altman & Company" provides over 700 black & white illustrations, detailed descriptions, and prices for clothing for the upper class of the Jazz Age. The focus is primarily on women's clothing and accessories, with everything from sophisticated evening wear to bathing suits, but you will also find a complete array of clothing for men and children as well. Please remember, because they buy directly from the manufacturer, "thus eliminating the no inconsiderable profits of the middleman," B. Altman & Company are able to offer patrons the benefit of the savings. This is a superb record of the styles worn by flappers in the Roaring Twenties; note than this is not simply the reproduction of a catalog from a particular year, but has fashion culled from the B. Altman catalogs of the entire decade. Interesting Footnote: The B. Altman & Company Department Store is now the New York Public Library Science, Industry & Business Library. Dover also has a reprint edition of "Altman's Spring and Summer Fashions Catalog, 1915," which records the fashions worn in the United States in the years before the First World War. This volume will be of interest to the fashion historian and of great use to costume designers working with this period of American History.

A book for 1920's fashion fans!.......2002-07-14

This is a lovely book of a wide variety of catalog drawings and photos from the B. Altman Company which carried higher quality items as compared to the Sears catalog books. There are men's and women's clothes and childrens clothes, hats, undergarments, stockings, shoes...A real treat if you are interested in what the upper middle class might have worn. And everything progresses by the year, so you can see how the fashions developed.

Amazon.com

In 1955-56, the Peanuts gang may have still been in first grade (or lower), but the characters continue to grow into their distinctive and unmistakable personalities. Snoopy overcomes some embarrassment to reveal his talent for impressions (wolf, rhino, alligator, kangaroo, Violet, etc.) and his joyous dance-the-day-away attitude. Linus adopts the same attitude ("Five hundred years from now, who'll know the difference?") and continues to show his genius in such diverse activities as square balloons, snow sculptures, and air sketches, even though he has to resort to wishful violence against his bullying sister. Lucy, now a ripe old 4, has to face such concerns as the Earth being worn down by people's feet and whether Santa exists. And already concerned about getting married, she tries to divert Schroeder's attention from Beethoven either by logic (what's the sense in learning Beethoven sonatas if you don't win a prize?), by sympathy ("My favorite piece is Bach's Toccata and Fugue in Asia Minor"), or by violence, and pulls away the football from Charlie Brown for the first time (December 1956). She also teaches her brother "little-known facts" about the world (palm trees were so named because people can fit their hand around them), which gives Charlie Brown stomach aches and formed part of the stage musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. But she'll never lose an argument as long as she can end it with a well-placed insult. Such is the misery of Charlie Brown, who also has to endure his failure to fly a kite, his complete failure on the baseball diamond, and misery during any holiday. That he does endure, however, makes him one of the heroes of our time. The third volume of Fantagraphics Books' handsome Complete Peanuts series includes a foreword by Matt Groening and a Charles M. Schulz retrospective by Gary Groth. --David Horiuchi

Book Description

The New York Times best-selling series continues!

The third volume in our acclaimed series takes us into the mid-1950s as Linus learns to talk, Snoopy begins to explore his eccentricities (including his hilarious first series of impressions), Lucy's unrequited crush on Schroeder takes final shape, and Charlie Brown becomes...well, even more Charlie Brown-ish! Over half of the strips in this volume have never been printed since their original appearance in newspapers a half-century ago! Even the most dedicated Peanuts collector/fan is sure to find many new treasures. The Complete Peanuts will run 25 volumes, collecting two years chronologically at a rate of two a year for twelve years. Each volume is designed by the award-winning cartoonist Seth (It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken) and features impeccable production values; every single strip from Charles M. Schulz's 50-year American classic is reproduced better than ever before. This volume includes an introduction by Matt Groening (The Simpsons) as well as the popular Complete Peanuts index, a hit with librarians and collectors alike, and an epilogue by series editor Gary Groth.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely great!.......2006-05-23

There's almost nothing to complain about in this set of books - the print quality is great, the accompanying artwork good, the commentary insightful and useful!

I give this five stars, and yet I have some desires...

Color!! The Sunday funnies were great because they were longer and had color! Without color, they are just long daily strips. Reprint the color, guys, at least, if you can.

More history! What happened in those two years? How many more newpapers picked up the strip, and what other things did Sparky do during that time?

Even so, these books are very well done, nicely thought out, and bring back all the classic strips without any obstrusive other stuff. I am thrilled to have these on my shelf!

Completely Awesome... Peanuts 1955-1956.......2006-03-19

This series is going to be a regular drain on my bank balance for the coming decade, as that is how long it is going to take Fantagraphics to finish publsihing this collection, if they stick to their published schedule.

Be warned: The Sunday strips are not in colour unlike the Calvin & Hobbes and the Farside collection in which even the black and white strips are printed on colour pages. This quite pisses me off...

Finally, a Peanuts collection in chronological order and nothing left out. It's going to be a long wait indeed...

I've always thought of creating a bookshelf of hard cover with all my favourite comic strips, when I could afford them... Calvin & Hobbes, Farside, Tintin, Asterix & of course Peanuts.

I have the first two, and I'm on my way with Peanuts... It's going to be a long and interesting 11 years...

Wonderful.......2006-03-16

I'd give it seven stars if I could. As a kid, I would go down the street to the local store every week and buy the latest "Peanuts" book for 50 cents each. It was pure genius then, and it still is now. The cartoons are classic, timeless and wonderful.

Good! No grief!.......2006-03-11

When I read the comics page in the newspaper, I find some good strips and some bad ones. Often the most annoying are what I call "institutional" strips: they haven't been funny in years or even decades, but they've become institutions and no one is willing to get rid of them. Peanuts, however, was always something of an exception: it was an institution, but it remained decent, even if in later years it was not quite the same caliber as it once was. There's a reason that modern comic artists (for example, Matt Groening in this volume) write glowingly about Peanuts; it was good. I doubt there is similar appreciation for Marmaduke, Heathcliff or Momma.

The comic strips in this volume are fifty years old, yet with limited exceptions (such as references to Davy Crockett hats), they fit just as well today. Some of the characters have disappeared over the years: what every happened to Patty, Violet or Shermy (or the loud-talking Charlotte Braun)? Other characters have yet to appear, significantly Peppermint Patty, Woodstock and Sally. But the core characters are here in this book, with their identities still evolving.

Snoopy is beginning to develop his alternate identities, practicing with being various animals (pythons, alligators, etc.) which will (in future volumes) develop into full-blown alternate personalities such as Joe Cool and the World War I Flying Ace ("Curse you, Red Baron!"). Lucy is a world-class fussbudget filled with incorrect information that she loves to impart to others. Linus still has his bursts of childishness, but is showing the signs of his budding genius, able to erect massive snow forts and blow up square balloons.

In the end, however, it is Charlie Brown who is the centerpiece of this comic, the ultimate hard luck character who the world seems to conspire against; the other kids often treat him poorly and even things like kite-flying go awry when he does it. It is the Lucy-Charlie Brown relationship that causes the most aggravation for our hero; a typical series of strips will have Lucy debating an issue with him and instantly changing the subject as soon as she is proven wrong.

Deceptively simple in their presentation, the Peanuts strips actually is filled with dark humor and angst. Yes, the only characters are kids (and a dog), but Schulz never relies on cuteness. Both fun and funny, this is a worthwhile read for both children and adults.

A National Treasure.......2005-11-15

This is the third volume of "The Complete Peanuts" series. In this volume the classic characters become more and more like they are in the later strips. Despite being featured on the cover of this volume, Pig Pen is the character that appears the least in this book, with the exception of Charlotte Braun, whose final three strips appear early in this collection. Charlie Brown is the main character of the strip, with Lucy, Snoopy and Linus being the other most common characters. Schroeder, Violet, and Patty form the second tier of characters, while Shermy and Pig Pen make only infrequent appearances. There are no new characters introduced in this volume.

Matt Groening writes the introduction to this volume, commenting on the role that Peanuts played in his childhood, and on his one and only meeting of Charles M. Schultz in 1998. The index to these volumes remains a wonderful resource. Whether you are looking for strips which feature a security blanket, baseball, or Snoopy's imitations, they can easily be located using the index. It would be nice if these were released more frequently, but it is clear from some of the editor's notes that there is some difficulty in locating complete versions of the earlier strips. Perhaps they will be released more quickly as they get to newer strips that have been archived better.

The Complete Peanuts, 1955- 1956 (The Complete Peanuts: The Fifties)

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The Complete Peanuts, 1955- 1956 (The Complete Peanuts: The Fifties)
Charles M. Schulz
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

Peanuts | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000KW9HOI

Product Description

Brand new! LEATHER BOUND book accented in 22kt gold!

THE FIFTIES : 1955 - 1956 (The Complete Peanuts, Volume 3)

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THE FIFTIES : 1955 - 1956 (The Complete Peanuts, Volume 3)
Charles M. Schulz
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Peanuts | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000MMG93S

Book Description

The creator of Boyfriend-in-a-Box is back with a new book that lays down the law, chapter and verse, for female relationships. Friendship between women is sacred. The Girlfriends' Bible is filled with hilarious "scriptures" that women can and do live by. What a divine way to tell your best gal pal how valuable that friendship is.Women and girlfriends of all ages will find bits of inspirational encouragement on every page: "Yea, though you walk through the valley of cracked sidewalks in high heels, do not fear. For I will be there to pick you up when you fall on your ass." "When you are heavy laden with PMS poundage, I will take your burden for you and deny thy girth." "I shalt not steal your boyfriend, hairdo, or signature color." "When you get older, I shall forsake you not. For friends are like wine-the older, the better. You can get equally drunk with old or new wine. But intoxication with old wine is far more pleasurable." "If your cup runneth over because your bra is too small and you look like a common whore, I will tell you, just as you would tell me about a visible panty line."

Customer Reviews:

Giggles to Go!.......2005-04-27

If you and your girlfriends are in need of some giggles, or if you're looking for the perfect gift for the girlfriend that has everything, THE GIRLFRIENDS' BIBLE is just what you need. This witty book of comical quips is a testament to female bonding throughout all stages of life. The sassy bits of wisdom speak to our dreams, celebrations and calamities, transcending youth, middle-aged and golden years.

Divided into chapters, biblical style, author Cathy Hamilton shares "The Ten Commandments of Shopping." The chapters include such mischievous scriptures as, "Wither thou goest, I will go. Whither thou sleepest, I will never tell." Hamilton reassures us that friendship is forever, "And it will come to pass, that we reach old age, and this will not dishearten but inspire us to lose our inhibitions and do exactly as we please." She reminds us of the depth of loyalty, "And when a store clerk asks you what size you are and you answer with the lowest size in your closet, whether you can still squeeze into it or not, I will honor your answer and treat it as truth."

It's no wonder that Hamilton's book is a success. After all, she created the perfect man, Boyfriend-in-a-Box! THE GIRLFRIENDS' BIBLE joins Hamilton's other creative and funny books on the lighthearted side of the bookshelf: MOMISMS, DADISMS and KIDISMS.

Grab up a copy of this entertaining book and share the smiles and laughter on your next girls' night out!

www.GottaWriteNetwork.com

The "Good Book" for women.......2004-11-28

I've given this book to five of my girlfriends already. It's hilarious...written in Bible style.. irreverent and sassy yet kind and sweet, at the same time. Passages are hilarious: "Whiter thou goest, I will go. Whither thou sleepest, I will never tell." The author invented Boyfriend in-a-Box, one of the funniest products ever! I love this book!

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The Girlfriend and the Rock
Gillian Todd
Manufacturer: Holy Fire Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1933899123

Book Description

Angel is growing up. Her mother has a boyfriend. Her father forgets his dreams by drinking. So when Maxwell, a handsome, rich drug dealer, notices her beauty and desires her , only her friends Vicky, Star, and the compassionate Miss Edie, are there to guide her into womanhood. As her luxurious lifestyle crumbles - as Maxwell becomes abusive - Angel must fight unforgiveness and pride, and confront her feelings for Pedro, a strong, intense man who shows her true love and a new, meaningful life in Jesus. Angel must decide : Is a drug dealer's girlfriend's lifestyle worth more than a Father's love?

The Girlfriends' Bible on Dating, Mating, and Other Matters of the Flesh

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The Girlfriends' Bible on Dating, Mating, and Other Matters of the Flesh
Cathy Hamilton
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Dating | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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