The Art of Seeing: A Novel

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A surprising novel of sisterhood, The Art of Seeing hinges on the twin cataclysms of fame and disability. Jemma is the half-adoring, half-resentful younger sister of Rozzie, a difficult girl with a flair for the dramatic, who startles her family by becoming a movie actress and minor celebrity while still in high school. Everywhere Jemma can go in life, it seems that Rozzie has already been there. That Rozzie has been concealing severe problems with her vision and will eventually be plunged into blindness while on a movie set seems to promise only a reversal of roles, with Jemma becoming the stronger and more capable sister: the sister with a future. This is the classic stuff of sibling relations and the reason that the first half of Cammie McGovern's novel, however well-crafted, is somewhat predictable. But readers who stay the course will be rewarded by the ever-more-intricate spirals of the second half of this thoughtful debut, which calls to mind the close-focus writing of Amy Bloom. The author, incidentally, is the younger sister of actress Elizabeth McGovern, which may have helped in her deft, undazzled depiction of the movie world. --Regina Marler

Book Description

In this mesmerizing and intimate first novel, Cammie McGovern chronicles the intertwined lives of sisters from childhood through adulthood. Rozzie is flamboyant, brooding, and beautiful, a star in her younger sister Jemma's eyes even when they are still children. When Rozzie takes up acting and, as a teenager, wins a part in a major motion picture, life changes irrevocably for both sisters. Rozzie is catapulted into the adult world of celebrity, a world that brings constant attention but not always comfort. Jemma, feeling directionless in her own life, follows her sister, traveling to movie sets, befriending other actors, relishing her sister's fame, never seeing the strain that the spotlight puts on Rozzie.

Only when Jemma develops her own artistic ambitions as a photographer and Rozzie is forced to reveal the secret she has kept from her family for years -- she is suffering from a rare eye condition that threatens her vision -- does Jemma begin to see the truths about her sister and herself that threaten the delicate balance of their relationship. The Art of Seeing is a masterfully crafted and absorbing novel about the nature of celebrity and the powerful and enduring connection between sisters, from a writer of exceptional insight and grace.

Customer Reviews:

The Art Of Seeing If Only Again More Clearly.......2006-12-03

I truely wonderful book dealing with the sisterhood, The stardom and fall back to beliving that you are part of a family. I truely enjoyed this book and have added it to the reading list for my art students. I belive it doesnt matter what social group or what age you are, everyone can learn from this wonderful story.

Terrific book........2004-04-19

I read this when it first came out and reread it last week. Great book, great writing. Waiting impatiently for her next!

Extraordinary.......2003-09-06

Spent a late summer afternoon completely enchanted by this remarkable novel! The writing is poetic, so beautiful. . . Cammie McGovern is an extraordinarily talented writer. What is so remarkable is that this was her first novel! The story of these two sisters is told with great insight, the dialogue at times heart wrenching, and other times humorous. It all rings true. I will most definitely share this wonderful book with my sisters! Looking foward to more from Cammie!

"Seeing" illuminates elusive, mysterious sisters' bond.......2003-08-16

Recently, I had the occasion to observe a stunning sculpture with a perceptive friend who commented on its graceful lines and delicate interplay between light and shadow. This sensitive, eloquent commentary bespoke an understanding not only of art, but of life itself. It it a gift of seeing, and it is exploring that gift which constitutes the challenge and triumph of Cammie McGovern's exquisite "The Art of Seeing." Her debut novel traces the evolution of the troubled and nuanced relationship between two talented and tormented sisters, equally troubled by the limits and possibilities of their own vision. McGovern's insights are subtle and quiet, their strength owing to the complexities of her character's personalities and the painful interplay betweem them. "Seeing" resonates with truths, not the least of which is that love often exists between people despite the mistakes they make with and for each other.

Jemma, the youngest of the sisters, labors suggestively in the shadow of her older sister Rozzie. Begrudingly acquiesing to subordinate status, Jemma, at five years of age, realizes that she is "a pathway to my sister's approval" and "as easy as breathing" determines to accept this role. Alienated and sensitive to her differences (both outside and inside her family), Rozzie exploits Jemma's willingness to do "whatever is required to ensure...she will never be truly seen again." The two develop a balance based on misgiving, silence and perceived acceptance of role; in reality, both envision themselves intertwined with the other in a complicated mathematics of expectation, subservience and dependence. Although as an actress Rozzie appears distanced and detached, Jemma's choice of photography as a means of artistic expression requires identical traits.

The metaphor of vision haunts both sisters. As Rozzie loses her sight, she fights the very invisibility she affected. Jemma's photography tends to focus on isolation and periphery, and as she begins to study the dynamics of her relationship with her sister, ruefully admits that in her own way, "I am missing too." If clarity sets humans free, both Jemma and Rozzie have built walls, shutting down their capacity to see themselves and each other as authentic people. Both women, talented in portrait and interpretation, lack the art of seeing their own hearts. This terrible irony lends a tragic tint to their relationship, but to McGovern's credit, the author does not exploit it for sentimental purposes. Instead, the author encourages her characters to use their deficiencies as the basis for renewal and change.

Consequently, Cammie McGovern elects to challenge readers to reflect on the limits of their own observations. Have we unfairly sided with either of the two sisters? Are we blinded by our own perceptions? What must people do to attain a sense of artistry in their own sight? Jemma and Rozzie quietly grapple with not only their own individual artistic imperatives; they use their talents to retrain their hearts. "The Art of Seeing" becomes its title, a work of art that permits us a clearer vision of ourselves.

SEEING CLEARLY.......2002-10-10

I agree with one of the other reviewers: This is a book to buy for your sister. Cammie McGovern writes great dialogue, and she creates touching scenes; the book hooked me with its premise and kept me hooked with its subtle character development and evocative writing. The descriptions of Rozzie's blindness were particularly vivid. This is a fast-paced novel that will sear your heart...even if you don't have a sister. Can't wait for more from McGovern!

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Jim Woodring is the artistic antidote to Thomas Kinkade
Invites viewers to observe in a different light
oh god it's jim

Seeing Things
Jim Woodring
Manufacturer: Fantagraphics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1560978082

Book Description

A collection of surreal fine art from the acclaimed creator of The Frank Book.

Jim Woodring's charcoal drawings take the otherworldly qualities of his comics (The Frank Book) to a higher level of clarity and nuance. These crisply rendered images reflect his life-long obsession with hidden worlds, alternate realities and the inexplicable resonance of the unprecedented and irrational in lucid art.

Seeing Things collects the most toothsome of these drawings and arranges them in four sections. "Lazy Robinson" is a series of portraits of forms taken by a cognizant object during the course of a specific and identifiable stream of thought. "Frogs" celebrates the tender proclivities of the most noble of all animals, by placing them in situations that would dismay a horde of saints. "The Visible World" is a roundup of appalling scenes of sub-rational political activity involving catalytic entities with a high ratio of motivation to altruism. And "The Portfolio in Color" appears like a rainbow at the end of all this exalted storminess to send readers out into the world whistling with delight. As with the previous hardcover edition, the grimmest drawings have been left out of this collection. There is nothing here that will upset the adventurous connoisseur of mysterio autentico, but there is plenty of echoless, glowing furniture to add to that already crowded storeroom which is briefly, but brilliantly, illuminated in the pages of this stately book.

Customer Reviews:

Jim Woodring is the artistic antidote to Thomas Kinkade.......2006-08-08

There is a malicious rumor being bantered about in the hip bistros and skidrow dives of Seattle's Belltown and in the Fremont District's street fairs and opium dens that there is no such human individual named Jim Woodring but that, in fact, this name is the invention of a collective of highly talented but anarchistic Elfish refugees from the North Pole. They supposedly immigrated to Seattle after being sacked from Santa's workshop for "designing toys of a degenerate and dangerous nature" and for "failing to abide by the Kringle dress code", which doesn't permit tattoos or body piercings. They settled in the Emerald City and garnered some success by exploiting the craze for blown glass art until the Chihuly art cartel's Double Eyepatch Posse made them an offer they couldn't refuse. Preferring to keep the use of their eyes the elves decided to cease glass blowing and, working under the pseudonym "Jim Woodring" (Which is a euphemism for a marital aid), adapted their skills to the burgeoning comix/graphic novel industry. Here they found their raison d'etre.

I can attest that this story is false and that Mr. Woodring is an individual and a human. One only needs to peruse Jimwoodring's website to find a nice photo of the artist; who is by all accounts a very nice elderly gentleman. Now on to the book.

This generously illustrated book doesn't contain any of Mr. Woodring's sequential comic art but does contain work of a more artistic bent, done in a virtuosic hallucinatory style. It is divided into four sections: The Visible World, Lazy Robinson, Frogs, & Color. The first three are comprised of delicious black and white drawings and fourth is, oddly enough, color work. Each division is fronted by an essay which, while shedding no light on the art, is often hilarious and occasionally disturbing autobiographic confabulations and ruminations.

"The Visible World" is composed of 27 drawings, most one per page and some double page spreads (The double spreads are bifurcated by the binding; a keyfold would have served them better. Subtract one star.). These illuminate polymorphic entities involved in various narratives in interior spaces, landscapes or in undefined locals.

"Lazy Robinson" has 29, one per page, drawings that resemble a collection of specimens collected by a marine biologist from a dream ocean or perhaps slides from a meta-dimensional microbiologist's sample case.

"Frogs" contains 14 illustrations (Again, some marred by being split across two pages.) of our amphibious brethren "enjoying" interesting times.

"Color" also show 14 works (Some split up the middle by the crease in the book.), this time in watercolor, acrylics (I think.), and oils presenting wonderfully sadistic and disturbing wind up tin toys, more frogs in extremis and landscapes and interiors inhabited by poly-biomorphs (Sorry, that's the best term I can conjure up to apply here.).

Mr. Woodring is a skilled draftsman and his meticulous charcoal renderings are perfectly balanced and subtlety nuanced. He employs a smooth blended technique that gives life and a depth to his surreal images. The mood and drawing technique here find their nearest stylistic kin in M. C. Escher, with imagery more attuned to Hieronymus Bosch by way of Chuck Jones.

The color work is equally astounding. Whether working in watercolor, acrylics or oils Mr. Woodring's painting ability never ceases to impress. His colors are bright, rich and saturated. And this color sense meshed with impeccably smooth technique enhance these bizarre tableaus with charm and buoyancy. Yes, buoyant charm!

When I showed this book to my wife, Empress Zip, she exclaimed "Wow! Bizarro! This guy's seriously disturbed!" I was in heaven!

I give this four stars not five because some of the double page reproductions cut the image in half. Thus ruining the picture. Otherwise, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Invites viewers to observe in a different light.......2006-06-22

Jim Woodring's charcoal drawings are images that come from his interest in hidden worlds and lucid art - and SEEING THINGS gathers some of the most intriguing, arranging them in sections by topic: Visible World, Lazy Robinson, Frogs and Color. 'Color' by far seems the most exciting, dramatizing the drawings and providing eye-catching involvement in the symbolism of the unseen - while the black and white charcoal drawings might appeal most to artists who find color distracting. With its blends of surrealism and irony, SEEING THINGS invites viewers to observe in a different light.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

oh god it's jim.......2005-07-19

This tome is worth the price of admission for the chapter introductions alone. The rest is the algae on the pond water. If you're familiar with Jim Woodring, you know what to expect, which is that you don't know what to expect: a fresh, heaping gobbet of queasy delight around every page, a snapshot of that lushly sterile suburban landscape where deliciously canted reality keeps intruding like crusty mold fingering its way through the kitchen wall. If you're not familiar with Woodring, I suggest going to sleep immediately after viewing the contents, before they have time to take root in the febrile soil of your high pink garden. Either that, or don't sleep for three days after. Either way, it doesn't get comfortable. I would shower this with 5 stars, but Jim knows better than I that nothing is perfect, not even our own opinions. Once as a child, I chopped a centipede in half with a toy shovel (they were metal in those days); the back half kept walking while the front half stayed put, contemplating, no doubt, an afterlife where you'd need your ass more than your eyes.

Seeing Hardy: Film and Television Adaptations of the Fiction of Thomas Hardy

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Seeing Hardy: Film and Television Adaptations of the Fiction of Thomas Hardy
Paul J. Niemeyer
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adaptations | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0786414294

Product Description

"Great authors" are increasingly being encountered by general audiences and critics thanks to films and television programs that have been adapted from their best-known works. Thomas Hardy is one of those authors. His work has inspired filmmakers from the silent age and modern times.

This book is the first book-length study in what has become a growing field of interest in film adaptations of Hardy's novels. Part One of this book analyzes the popular image of Hardy and his work, the reproduction of this image in film adaptations, and critical stereotypes about him and his fiction. Part Two juxtaposes Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd and Schlesinger's adaptation, Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Polanski's adaptation, and Hardy's Jude the Obscure and Winterbottom's adaptation. Each discussion of the novel and adaptation in question considers the novel itself, the critical history of the novel, how it has been adapted to film, and how the individual filmmakers have struggled with problems inherent in Hardy's novels. Part Three analyzes adaptations of The Woodlanders, The Scarlet Tunic, and The Claim, all of which have scarcely been seen in the United States or which were not distributed in the United States, and four television movies and miniseries that were based on Hardy's work.

Seeing the Blossom: Two Interviews and a Lecture

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The best book on Dennis Potter.

Seeing the Blossom: Two Interviews and a Lecture
Dennis Potter
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0571174361

Customer Reviews:

The best book on Dennis Potter........2002-11-29

There have been a few hack-jobs bookwise since Potter's death in 1994- that have focused on the typical associations made between his art and life (not necessarily true) and the gossip that justifies the publication of most biographies. Seeing the Blossom, alternately, is the best book to arrive after Potter's sad demise.

The book is subtitled 'Two interviews, a Lecture and a Story'- the main interview (from which the book title stems) is the key element here- coming from a famous TV interview screened on UK's Channel 4. This interview took place on leather chairs (as seen on the cover of this book) on a bare set between long time advocate Lord Melvyn Bragg (who supplies the introduction) and a terminally-diseased Potter- who had to break off from time to time to swig morphine from a flask. Despite the obvious trauma and pain which Potter (and to a degree Bragg) is in, the interview was amusing, informative and illuminating. I think that anyone who has problems with death (don't we all?) should read or watch this interview- as it seems the closest Western Civilisation at present can get to death are entertaining autopsies in London or Six Feet Under- this clearly will not do!

In the interview Potter's 'last words' (excepting the plays Karaoke & Cold Lazarus) move backwards and forwards over his life and career- this notion of memory locates itself more in the universe of Samuel Beckett than Proust, the great quote here being: 'And we forget or tend to forget that life can only be defined in the present tense, it is IS, and it is NOW only. I mean, as much as we would like to call back yesterday and indeed yearn to , and ache to sometimes, we can't, it's in us but we can't actually, it's not there in front of us'- Potter mentions his version of God (that relates very much to his play Son of Man), his childhood, works like Blackeyes that were censured by the tabloids (who trade on diluted-pornography in this country) and his fears for the BBC and TV in general (borne out by the digital expansion and the formulaic drivel on TV these days).

The other works here include the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture from 1993- which will be of interest to those studying media/television as it demonstrates how adventerous television like The Singing Detective & Twin Peaks has been largely abandoned (and the British film industry has all but ceased to exist). There is also an interview with BBC-head Alan Yentob (from 1987) and Potter's last short story, Last Pearls (which very much relates to the Bragg interview and Karaoke/Cold Lazarus). Seeing the Blossom is an excellent book that should appeal to those interested in what TV can do and what this great English dramatist did...

Book Description

The mysterious prophecy that has shaped the life of Kelvin Knight Hackleberry and his family seems nearly to have run its course. The Two Kingdoms that were joined by Kelvin to form Kelvinia have now been united with three others, to make a great confederation under the rule of the young twin kings, Kildom and Kildee. Kelvin has earned some time to rest with his family. Charles and Merlain are now twenty years old, and so is Dragon Horace, their brother who is the Great King of all the land.But the clouds of the last battle are gathering. The evil Professor DeVale and his witch servant Zady had been foiled in their attempt to destroy Kelvin by using his children--their evil plot has led to a stronger, more peaceful land under its rightful rulers. Now they will try one last time to pervert all that is good in the universe of the frames--and although the Prophecy of Mouvar has been accurate up to now, still there is a chance that evil will prevail.

Customer Reviews:

best ever.......2002-07-08

well there is not much to say it was just fantastic and i loved it

ASTOUNDING..........2000-09-12

...ly bad! Wow! I am in awe. I had to give this book a 5-star rating simply because any aspiring author of Sciene-fiction or Fantasy should have access to a copy. It is a finely-crafted example of both what not to do when writing fiction, and how it is possible to achieve publication with no merit whatsoever! As mentioned elsewhere, the "deus ex machina" devices abound in this travesty, and lengthy descriptions detail the puppet-like nature of our "hero", and how he does not feel he deserves the appellation. Quite true, too. Who needs to be when you have boots and gauntlets that automatically react in the best possible fashion in the face of danger, and a gun that turns magic back at its nefarious caster? Oh, and all this "travelling to places you can see or remember just by thinking of it" guff...puh-lease! The preface mentions that the reader need not have perused the preceding books in the series. An accurate assertion, as refreshers are given ad nauseum...believe me - this was the first I had seen of the series, and I was well and truly sick of the constant reminders of things I had managed to grasp by the first or second time they were mentioned. It is hard to describe the nature of this book's plot woes...for one thing, the heroes are never really at risk. The only major casualties sustained by the Roundear and his cronies (ie. "goodies") are anonymous infantry and a distant non-allied city-state. We see a lot of Zady shouting "I'll get you!" and showing surprisingly good aim with avian excrement - surprising because she never hits any targets with anything more lethal. We see a lot of hints of incestuous admiration, and a wonderful piece of condescension so purulent that it singlehandedly made sense of the whole Political Correctness movement for me (it involves the warm fuzzy feeling one gets for a slightly retarded human child that is almost equal to the one we get for its normal counterpart). But maybe I was just in a bad mood by that stage and read too much into it. The ending, and especially Mouvar's explanation of the whys and wherefores of the struggle with Devale, was particularly rank in terms of plot and pseudo-philosophy. I was, quite seriously, putting down the book every page or so to stop for breath and clear my head. What more can I say - rush out and buy a copy now! Or better yet, borrow someone else's, because trust me - you DO NOT want to have paid to read this.

What an awful ending........1999-08-22

This series started out very good. The first book, especially, pulls you in and hooks you. But in each subsequent book, logic drifts further and further into the background, while plot convolutions and "surprises" (which usually counter "facts" laid out in previous books) take the fore. And do they all have to end with a deus ex machina? Please!

This was by far the worst, and fitting that being the worst and final book in the series, it has the worst and final ending of its own. The one star I am forced to give it, it does not deserve.

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The Adventures of Kelvin of Rud: Final Magic (Orc's Opal, Mouvar's Magic)
Piers & Margroff, Robert Anthony
Manufacturer: Guild America Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000L3VH7G

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Mouvar's Magic
Piers & Margroff Robert E Anthony
Manufacturer: Voyager
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M634HI

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Mouvar's Magic
Piers; Margroff, Robert E. Anthony
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P841B6

Book Description

A collection of heart-touching photos of children around the world and their prayers to Jesus— in full color, photography by David Dobson.

Customer Reviews:

This book captures some amazing photos.......2005-07-11

Mr Dobson has a significant gift in being able to capture the humanity and heart of each of his subjects. I highly recommend this book, not only as a welcome addition to your own book collection but as a great gift.

Great gift for teachers and friend.......2002-04-22

We have a son whom we adopted from Russia three years ago who is the joy of our lives. This book has many prayers relevant to the lives of all children, but was especially touching to us. We have given it almost every year to teachers and school administrators at our son's school as teacher's day gifts, Christma gifts, etc.

For a very reasonable price, it is a very touching a special gift to friends and family and we keep a supply on hand to give at special occasions.

David Dobson has a gift . . ........2000-06-10

for capturing beautiful images that speak to your heart. I purchased this book for my husband who is also a photographer. We were privileged to hear Mr. Dobson speak while in college at Evangel in Springfield MO. He has a heart for the children of the world. And Praise God! He's using his gift to glorify the Lord! If you love children. . . get this book, if you love photography. . . definitely get this book! If you love Jesus. . . tell someone!

Beautiful.......1999-08-02

Three times I started this review and had to turn back to try again. My family was introduced to this book by a friend and had to have our own copy. The photographs are lush; a gorgeous chronicle of a myriad of cultures filled with both childish smiles and the harsh remains of life's troubles left on young faces. Three boys mining the garbage in the city dump in the Phillipines offer boyish grins; in a dump in Brazil, no smile appears. Each photo is accompanied by a brief description and a short prayer. My children love this book and so do I!

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heh
least of the best
Wonderful!!
George starts slipping....
Excellent Stories

Portraits of His Children
George R. R. Martin
Manufacturer: Dark Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Tuf Voyaging

ASIN: 0913165190

Customer Reviews:

heh.......2007-06-19

I guess the reviewers upset about the possbility of incest haven't read A Song of Ice and Fire yet...

Another solid collection by my favorite author.

least of the best.......2004-07-07

I am flat out a fan of George R.R. Martin! That from a person who doesn't use the word "fan", but it is a truthful confession because I have bought mags with intros written by him. :-)

Ok, too the point, his writting is beautiful as usual; HOWEVER, and you knew there had to be one..., the title piece "portraits of His Children" felt rather like a betrayal. I had come to expect certain things over the years. From an author who seldom even allows his characters to have sex, and never writes about it, implications of incest are REALLY TOO MUCH!

I will still rush to read every newly found article, story, and book; but I have never trusted him as much as I did before that story. This is a very mixed collection, and shows his diversity well.

Wonderful!!.......2003-03-20

The story "Unsound Variations" was just amazing! a single move in a chess tounament that one of the weaker players made ruins the lives of the rest of the team in ways both disturbing and unimaginable...

The "Ice Dragon" won an award and after reading it and wiping your tears away you will know why... its simply amazing how one man has so many stories that, in just a few pages can cut through a persons layers of bitterness and expose emotions that one may have believed to have been long since dead.
("With Morning comes Mistfall" and "Lonely Songs of Loren Dorr" fit into this category...Not to mention the Title story about a Daughters mystical Paintings...)

For you anarchists out there you will find the story "closing Time" has a pleasent way of dealing with the whole mess out there....

A total of 11 wonderous and magical stories affiriming that GRR Martin was the Master even before the Song of Ice and Fire was Created.

Buy this book! It will be [$$$], but its worth it if you want to laugh and cry again.

George starts slipping...........2002-08-20

Now THIS is where I thot George started seriously slipping (if it wasn't when I saw the small amount of new work in his previous collection, NIGHTFLYERS). There is 1 good new story here -- "In the Lost Lands." It has the mood & magic of so many of George's early greats. Some of the other stories R recycled from George's earlier collections: it's a pleasure 2 C "With Morning Comes Mistfall," "Second Kind of Loneliness," & "Lonely Songs of Laren Door" again, & they certainly brighten up this package. "Unsound Variations" is a pretty good chess story. "Under Seige" is pretty solid, 2. But the others R mostly disappointments. "Portraits of His Children" won a Nebula Award, & tho it's a vivid series of character sketches, I didn't get what all the fuss was about. It's tuff 2 keep crankin out greats at the low rates of pay in the SF field. Is that why George took a 10-year vacation to TV?

Excellent Stories.......2000-10-23

Mr. Martin is easily becoming one of my favorite authors. I will admit that I had not read any of his works until the `Song of Fire and Ice' series was created. I figure you have to begin somewhere though. While reading this book, I found that he not only can sweep you off to other worlds with ease, but also make you teary eyed when reviewing just what his characters are going through and the strength and/or weakness that they reveal. It's a shame that this book isn't more popular. It truly is great. From a group of men playing with all their heart in the last super bowl (only to be replaced with a computer with no emotion to emulate them), to a group of old `friends' finally confronted with their failures and being told why exactly they came to be, you'll be surprised by just how much you'll be pulled into their lives. There are eleven stories all together, and I'd recommend each and every one of them. All run the gamut of emotions. All represent a different facet of our lives.

Customer Reviews:

The chapter "Don't Move A Muscle" said it "all" for me!!!.......2007-04-02

In 2002, a couple of weeks before Dad died at eighty years of age (he was in the throes of Parkinson's disease), he was in the living room, sitting immobile and was insistent we be quiet. as he believed a Mr. Brady was taking his picture for posterity. Mr. Brady was angry, he didn't want my father to move and Brady wanted us to be quiet. Brady, reportedly, was furious with the noise level, when I was trying to find out from the only other person in the house -- my mother -- if there was a BRADY photography studio on Staten Island (New York) where my parents originally were born and lived for a majority of their lives (nor, nowhere else we resided, for that matter.) After 2 1/2 hours, I had quite enough, as I was angry because I really thought the medications were doing this to my father. I kept searching for a Brady studios in the telephone books, as well as the Internet. Two days after Dad died, all of a sudden I realized: Brady... Mathew Brady. "But attempting to hold a pose for so long a time could result in a blank stare. To avoid that, the sitter might be instructed to gaze at some distant object, instead of looking directly into the camera lens. Photographic Art Journal, in 1851, advised subjects to think serious or pleasing thoughts, depending on which ever expression they desired..."
"...the sitter's head and the rod behind the sitter's body, they could not be seen in the photograph... When all was in readiness and the camera focused, the plate was inserted in the back of the camera. 'Don't move a muscle!' the sitter was told. 'Don't even breathe!'
The operator then removed the cap from the camera's lens. The subject strained to remain as still as a statue. No one even spoke. After the required exposure time, the lens cap was replaced and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The plate was removed from the camera, then developed and mounted. At some studios the process was completed in fifteen minutes to half an hour..." [Page 18].
(Do take a look pages 16-20 which is like what occured in our living room.)
So this book about Mathew Brady was helpful far beyond its original intention. A very interesting book, about a very intriguing photographer!

Children's Portraits in Oil (His the Artist's Painting Library)

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Children's Portraits in Oil (His the Artist's Painting Library)
Wendon Blake
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Oil Portraits Step by Step

ASIN: 0823006239

Lewis Carroll and the Kitchins: Containing twenty-five letters not previously published and nineteen of his photographs (Carroll studies)

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Lewis Carroll and the Kitchins: Containing twenty-five letters not previously published and nineteen of his photographs (Carroll studies)
Lewis Carroll
Manufacturer: Lewis Carroll Society of North America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 9, number 11 - October Oct 1985: Deus ex Machina; Ashland Kentucky; Portraits of His Children; He Travels the Fastest; An Infestation of Angels; The One-Shoe Blues; Blood-Mantle; Where is Thy Victory

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ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 9, number 11 - October Oct 1985: Deus ex Machina; Ashland Kentucky; Portraits of His Children; He Travels the Fastest; An Infestation of Angels; The One-Shoe Blues; Blood-Mantle; Where is Thy Victory
Shawna (editor) (J. V. Brummels; Terence M. Green; George R. R. Martin; Isaac Asimov; Jane Yolen; Ron Wolfe; Tanith Lee; Lilliam Stewart Carl) McCarthy
Manufacturer: Davis Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LXLEC4

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His Children
Anita Schiller
Manufacturer: Vantage Point Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Portraits | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0972166114

Book Description

A compelling collage of images and words portraying the simple idea that every member of the human race is connected in a way that transcends boundaries and bloodlines. Over BW photos represent + years of work, accompanied by original poetry. His Children will do more than make your heart soar it will change the way you view the world.

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Portraits of His Children
George R.R. Martin
Manufacturer: Dark Harvest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKH7ZE

Address ... on presentation of a portrait of the late George Vaughan Strong to the Supreme Court of North Carolina: On behalf of his children and his nephew, Henry R. Strong

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Address ... on presentation of a portrait of the late George Vaughan Strong to the Supreme Court of North Carolina: On behalf of his children and his nephew, Henry R. Strong
Frank A Daniels
Manufacturer: s.n.]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008B36L6

Children of Arbat ( Classic of Historical Fiction Suppressed by Soviet Union over 20 Years ) Masterful & Chilling psychological portrait of Stalin & His reign of Terro

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Children of Arbat ( Classic of Historical Fiction Suppressed by Soviet Union over 20 Years ) Masterful & Chilling psychological portrait of Stalin & His reign of Terro
grey endpapers light FoX, DJ design Steve Snider, inner flap DJ small crease Anatoli Rybakov
Manufacturer: Little, Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JD1O9O

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Bad recipes

5star BBQ Book!

Excelent Discussion of flavor Contruction

Learn from a master

Excellent and indispensable!

Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces: 175 Make-Your-Own Sauces, Marinades, Dry Rubs, Wet Rubs, Mops, and Salsas
Paul Kirk
Manufacturer: Harvard Common Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Sauces, Salsa & Garnishes | Cooking by Ingredient | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Barbecuing & Grilling | Outdoor Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Backyard BBQ: The Art of Smokology

Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook: A Real Barbecue Champion Brings the Tasty Recipes and Juicy Stories of the Barbecue Circuit to Your Backyard

Mastering Barbecue: Tons of Recipes Great Tips Neat Techniques and Indispensible Know-How

Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures, & Glazes: Revised And Expanded

Peace, Love, & Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue

ASIN: 155832125X

Amazon.com

Paul Kirk has been participating in barbecue competitions for 15 years. He has been named World Barbecue Champion seven times. If you are really serious about barbecuing, Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces will help you learn about slow-cooking meat over smoke and teach what you need to know to start approaching barbecuing like a pro. Along with teaching about all the ingredients useful in making rubs, marinades, sauces, and salsas to accompany barbecued meat, Kirk's approach gives a sense of what barbecue competitions are all about. (One of Kirk's goals for this book is to help those who are interested join in and compete.) Recipes are bold and bursting with flavor.

Book Description

The author offers up 175 recipes that impart bold zesty flavor to every cut of meat!

Customer Reviews:

Bad recipes.......2007-07-05

I know Paul Kirk won alot of competitions but for the most part I think these recipes are horrible.

5star BBQ Book!.......2007-06-08

This is probably the best bbq book I have ever bought. It covers making a sauce, marinate and mop in a simple and easy way to understand!

Excelent Discussion of flavor Contruction.......2006-11-30

This book is focused on helping you make the most out of what Paul knows. It talks about the barbeque flavor profile and gives the basic construction. Then it takes you through making your own rubs, sauces, etc. As a cook that loves to experiment, I totally dig this book! I can experiment until I'm blue in the face. I've used several of his base flavors and created my own rubs and mops with amazing results. If you are just looking for recipes you'll only use about half of this book. If you like to experiment, you'll never put it down!

Learn from a master.......2004-07-20

You can buy lots of books on how to cook barbeque, but very few from accomplished masters such as Paul Kirk. Only two things surpass his ego in this book: His willingness to share some great recipes and insights, and his recipes themselves.

Pretty much every sauce, marinade, and relish I tried from this book turned out great. It's no surprise to me that Paul Kirk is so accomplished with several bold and unique recipes. Don't miss the orange-chile marinade, which he used to win a barbeque contest in Ireland.

I should mention that the book has a strong Kansas City-style slant to the barbeque, although Paul Kirk does make an effort to include different regional styles.

In addition to the recipes, Kirk provides "Master Classes" on barbeque sauces, rubs, and marinades. I took this opportunity to develop my special secret rub with secret spices reflecting my partly Greek heritage. Following Kirk's "Master Class" on rubs, I concocted a rub that I hoped would create gold in my Weber kettle. Have I developed a killer rub to take the barbeque contest circuit by storm? Well, probably not, but it was fun giving it a whirl, and if I say so myself, the results were pretty good.

But if you ask me, most of the fun of barbequing is coming up with secret recipes, and putting your own stamp on things, and Paul Kirk has got me going.

Excellent and indispensable!.......2004-05-22

This great little book covers every aspect of preparation for barbeque. If you think barbeque is nothing more than tossing a few burgers on the grill, this book will open up for you a myriad of possibilities. Even experienced cooks can find plenty of good suggestions from which they can develop their own rubs, sauces & mops. I have the most fun putting together my own recipes based on his suggestions. If you aren't interested in devoting that much energy to perfecting your slow-cooking, stick with the recipes, which display an impressive variety. It doesn't hurt that this book is extremely affordable. I cannot recommend it enough.

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