Book Description

To live in a pristine land ... to roam the wilderness ... to choose a site, cut trees, and build a home ... Thousands have had such dreams, but Richard Proenneke lived them. Here is a tribute to a man in tune with his surroundings who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the great journals of wilderness living
This is a powerful book and has quite a following. I was given the book by one of my best friends, which I consider a wonderful gift. This book has it all, beautiful photos, Richard's journal notes are amazing in their insight to his thinking and how this adventure unfolded. It is a simply wonderful book, and has people traveling to Alaska just to see the setting for such a balanced book. This book lays claim to new territory, and the claim is valid. No wonder it sells well, it is captivating reading and makes you look hard and close at your own life.

One Man's Wilderness
This has to be one of my very favorite books. I have read it front to back at least 7 times! It is written with the true adventurer in mind. Every detail of his experience makes the reader wish it were he/she that was there with him. If you have ever wished you could just go off into the woods, build a cabin and be self-sufficiant, This is the book for you.

A wonderful "Alaskana" read
Sure the writing style isn't polished and there is little action, but I think that is what helps makes this such an enjoyable book. The observations and opinions presented in the closing pages (chapter 9) will cause most any reader to consider their place in their world. There is enough good here for me to add this to my extensive Alaskana library for long term keeping.

One Man's Carpentry
The book is entirely journal entries that for the most part describe how the author builds his wilderness cabin and goes about other day-to-day tasks. This is not the book for those seeking accounts of extraordinary Alaskan adventures but it is an impressive account of craftmanship. It is a story of impressive feats of carpentry and resourcefulness. You do get a few descriptions of encounters with wildlife but I didn't find that to be a strength of the book. Great pictures, too.

Interesting details, but slow for me
I like books that contain the kind of real details that this book contains. Properly presented, fact can be more interesting than fiction. The book reads somewhat like a journal. For me, however, it deserves 3 stars because of writing quality, and because it failed to keep me reading past midnight. ... Read more

Book Description

San Francisco,

For more than a century, writers and poets have tried desperately to grasp the elusive Camelot. It is, perhaps, more a quest for a photographer. Surely its God-given beauty has never been more thoroughly captured than in these exquisite photographs by Robert Cameron. From his helicopter soaring over this idyllic setting, Bob Cameron has looked down with a God-like eye and recorded with his camera what God sees. He has recorded it for you, gentle reader, and for generations yet to come. Here in these pages is proof that, yes, once there was a Camelot.

With introduction and text by Art Hoppe. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Photos
This is a great photo book of the San Fransico bay area. It includes just about every area around, including San Jose, Oakland, Stanford, etc. It has photos of the city, Silicon Valley and most of the major Computer companies and chip makers such as Intel and AMD. Living in this area, I really like this book as I can see what my area looks like and there are a lot of photos, including every major bay bridge.
...

Very nice, but really "Bay Area from Above"
Very nice. Title should be "Bay Area from Above." It covers Silicon Valley, San Mateo, Marin, and many other parts of Bay Area -- with SF. My only complaint is the 25 overhead views of wineries out of 200 pages -- they all look pretty much the same... Overall, a very good book.

This book is totally awesome
I love the before and after pictures contrasting the same street now vs. 100 years ago. Susan likes it too! ... Read more

Book Description

A luxurious full-color celebration of Ireland's scenic beauty, this book features more than 125 full-color images by Ireland's top landscape photographers and includes six panoramic gatefold pages, each one opening to almost four feet. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

awesome!
The pictures are breathtaking! They have captured the true Ireland in photographs.

There ar no words to describe the beauty of the large photos
The Photographs are awesome! Many of the photos take up both pages, which are so clear and gorgious. The old castles are so neat and look completely beautiful in the middle of Ireland's green moors. It is DEFINITELY a book worth buying!

Spectacular Ireland
I recently moved to Ireland, and my wife and I wanted something to base our site seeing. It has been a great help in deciding our weekend trips. The pictures depict Ireland correctly. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET!

Beautiful coffee table book
This is an essential book for anyone of Irish descent or who simply loves and wants to learn more about Ireland. It features brief historical information and many large breathtaking photos on premium glossy stock.

In the Ancient sites section many mysterious tombs with huge rocks are shown. Next, you get a look into Ireland's stone monasteries & abbeys featuring majestic stone crosses. Grand Castles are then explored.

The following sections on Ireland's gardens & landscapes are truly dazzling. The colors are so vibrant they make you feel as if you're there. A few 3-page fold-out panorama's are included.

The cites chapter highlights Ireland's buildings including many impressive photos of doorways, churches, & cityscapes. Lastly, the Irish people are shown playing sports, celebrating holidays, & performing traditional dances & music.

The Journey is the Reward
Spectacular Ireland takes you on a journey through Irish time and scenery that is as rewarding as traveling to the country in person (almost!). The text is logically laid-out and easily understood. The pictures are exquisite with good explanations of what they are and where they are located. Absolutely fabulous! ... Read more

Book Description

Dramatic aerial images by renowned photographer Terry Evans celebrate one of the world's foremost cities at the outset of the 21st century. One hundred and twenty sumptuous four-color photographs take the reader on a fascinating tour of Chicago and its environs in all four seasons, revealing its unique features: its incomparable lakefront, cutting-edge skyscrapers, and diverse residential neighborhoods, as well as the lush farms and landscapes beyond the city's borders.

With the population of the Chicago region expected to increase by two million over the next 25 years, ensuring that the city grows in a manner that adds to rather than detracts from its beauty, desirability, and prosperity is essential. In Revealing Chicago, Evans's spectacular photographs and Charles Wheelan's thoughtful text not only tell the current story of the city but also expose the challenges-environmental, economic, and social-it faces with continued development. An aesthetic tour de force, this singular volume highlights the importance of making decisions today that will enable Chicago to sustain its prominence into the future. AUTHOR BIO: Terry Evans, a Chicago resident, is one of the world's foremost landscape photographers. Her work has been exhibited widely and is in the collections of many major museums. She is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Charles Wheelan, also a resident of Chicago, is the former Midwest correspondent for The Economist and author of Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science. He is a lecturer in public policy at the University of Chicago. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Bitterly disapointed
After scanning a few pages,it became painfully clear that this book did,nt reveal anything new about Chicago,save for a
few shots here and there...Anticipating a fresh,updated ver-
sion of Robert Cameron,s magnificent "Above Chicago",this book has too many steel mills,deserted beaches,generic shots that
could have been taken anywhere for anyone to care.The emphasis SHOULD have been on the skyline and its hundreds of superb photo
ops.
A missed opportunity,misleading effort,a waste of time... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tuscany's hill towns and countryside have enthralled inhabitants and visitors for centuries--the golden light in the afternoons, the grape arbors, and the rolling hillsides dotted with rustic farmhouses and villas. Private Tuscany invites us into these dwellings, giving us a glimpse of how life is lived in this warm, inviting place.

The homes featured in this gorgeous volume are as enchanting as the Tuscan towns and hillsides they're built on. Many embody a style we've come to associate with Tuscany: dark-timbered kitchens with dried herbs and garlic ropes hung from the rafters, original terra-cotta tile floors, large-windowed living rooms, and artfully frescoed walls. There are centuries-old furnishings crafted by skilled Italian artisans and elegantly manicured gardens containing hidden grottos and classical statuary. But the homes also reflect the special touches of the people who occupy them. For instance, a theater lover displays his exquisite collection of miniature theaters in the salon; the daughter of a villa owner paints traditional murals on the walls and mosaic patterns on the floors.

Simon McBride's photographs skillfully capture the magic of these Tuscan homes and feature a variety of residences, from simple farmhouses to grand villas and palaces. The book's four chapters divide the homes into types: rustic, classic, grand, and modern. An index at the back serves as an introduction to Tuscany's pleasures, providing contact information for sampling the region's wine and produce, fine dining, hotels and houses, gardens, and crafts.

Several of the homeowners featured in Private Tuscany have gone to painstaking lengths to restore these buildings after decades, or even centuries, of neglect. The results, from the simplest farmhouse kitchen to an elaborately frescoed dining room, are breathtaking. --Kris Law ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful, inspiring,full of memories of Italy
This book was so lovely. It contains exquisite photos and many, many ideas applicable for my own home. Great decorating ideas. I've shared this book with other people who have been equally inspired by the warm, gracious, elegant living portrayed throughout. Highly recommend this book for yourself or gift. A lovely way to remember past visits to Italy or inspire a personal visit in the not too distant future.

A visual feast!
A beautiful book -- I enjoyed it much more than Tuscany Interiors which I also own. The houses range from simple to elaborate and -- of course! -- the landscapes and gardens are gorgeous. This is a great book from which to "lift" Italian decorating ideas. ... Read more

Book Description

A beautiful coffee table book on the links golf of Ireland featuring the landscape photography of LC Lambrecht.Every links in Ireland is featured and the text is provided by golf scribes from Ireland who really know the subject.This over sized book is a treasure for anyone who appreciates the beauty of golf course architecture. ... Read more

Book Description

Philip Jones Griffiths, for a record five years the President of Magnum Photos, created in Vietnam, Inc. a record of the war there of almost Biblical proportions. No one who has seen it will forget its haunting images. In Agent Orange he has added a postscript that is equally memorable.

In 1960 the United States war machine concluded that an efficient deterrent to the enemy troops and civilians would be the devastation of the crops and forestry that afforded them both succour and cover for their operations. Initial descriptions of the scheme included "Food Denial Program", later adapted to "depriving cover for enemy troops". They gave the idea the name "Operation Hades", but were advised that "Operation Ranch Hand" was a more suitable cognomen for PR purposes.

The US had developed herbicides for the task. The most infamous became known as Agent Orange after the coloured stripe on the canisters used to distribute it. The planes that carried the canisters had 'only we can prevent forests!' as a logo on their fuselages. They were right. It was very effective.

Unfortunately the herbicide also contained Dioxin, probably the world's deadliest poison. In Agent Orange Philip Jones Griffiths has photographed the children and grandchildren of the farmers whose faces were lifted to the gentle rain of the poison cloud.

Some maintain that the connection between the maimed subjects of Griffiths' photographs and the exposure to Agent Orange is not scientifically established. However, the compensation payments made by the herbicide manufactures to those Americans sprayed in Viet Nam refute this assertion.

Historians will find it sufficient to say that there will always be collateral damage, that useful PR phrase, in war and that Philip Jones Griffiths should understand the consequences of martial endeavours. He most certainly does. He has catalogued here a pitiless series of photographs, and there can be no doubt that they should and will be recognized. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Black Book of American Infamy
For those already committed to voting for the so-called 'antiwar' candidate, I recommend putting this book in front of Sen. John Kerry and demanding to know what he will do as president to address American responsibility and pay reparations for the genocidal assault on the people of Vietnam. Such action will constitute a litmus test for this candidate, his "band of brothers" and future warriors about how the USA intends to solve the problem of terrorism. Will they acknowledge international law and prosecute the guilty parties including politicians, bureaucrats, executive military officers and defense contractors? Will they honor, finally, the Paris Accords and repair the ecocide brutally wrought upon the Vietnamese by their chemical weapons? Or will they continue to cover up a deliberate, malefic genocide by honoring war criminals like Kissinger and McNamara who now cries cinematic tears while his Pentagon successors plan the mass destruction of any nation that dares to oppose American hegemony?

Philip Jones Griffiths's AGENT ORANGE, COLLATERAL DAMAGE IN VIETNAM is a complex, dense statement that can be viewed and read several ways. Foremost, it is unquestionably the greatest work of photojournalism ever published. I do not make this statement lightly or without professional judgement. For twenty-five years, I edited the work of distinguished photojournalists -- Capa, Richards, Salgado, Peress, and Nachtwey among many others. Comparable only to W. Eugene Smith's MINIMATA: LIFE -- SACRED AND PROFANE, a passionate chronicle of the devastating effects of post-WW II industrial pollution on a Japanese town, AGENT ORANGE surpasses all previous attempts to synthesize the medium of still photography with historical documentation. Griffiths's masterly images unselfconsciously insert readers into the scene of an historical crime and guide them through the evidence page by excruciating page as a means to elicit direct testimony from the perpetrators and their victims. With the possible exception of Erich Maria Remarque' s ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, no other monograph so successfully confronts citizens with the folly of leaders who commit atrocities in their name. The stares of genetically deformed children struggling to articulate humanity across the threshold of pain and disability give absolute lie to the facile excuses of national security used by politicians to conduct high tech assault-and-battery on unwitting, innocent populations. Then it was Vietnam, today Iraq and Afghanistan.

Beginning with his eloquent book, VIETNAM INC. first published in 1971, Griffiths has pursued an unrelenting inquiry into the truth of violence and war. He reported from the Mekong Delta battlefront and also the brothels of Saigon. Returning years later, he earned the trust of farmers who had rebuilt their devastated villages with the detritus of war. Pushing his inquest further he located and photographed war orphans, now shunned as the miscegenated offspring of foreign invaders (DARK ODYSSEY, 1997). Infrequently supported by the mass media, Griffiths parlayed his skills as a commercial photographer to raise the cash necessary to return periodically to Southeast Asia, as if excavating its pitted landscape for some fragment of reason that might explain the macabre body counts and haunting trans-generational birth defects. Some photographers are celebrated for their commitments in documenting a family coming of age or the rise and fall of a nation. Journalism schools promote the virtues of in-depth or extended coverage (sometime a whole week!) while network and cable news personnel embrace the fame of sticking with a big story only to defer, in the final analysis, to the desire of corporate sponsors. By contrast Griffiths has the determination of a seasoned forensic scientist. Although no maverick, he has paid the price of banishment from the newspapers and magazines "of record" whose editors remain too frightened by management to commission or publish his work. Why would they want to remind subscribers of their own inaccuracies and slavish pandering to the official story?

In this respect, AGENT ORANGE can also be read for its scholarship because it presents new historical research about the manufacture and deployment of chemical weapons during the Vietnam era. It has been almost twenty years since American courts acknowledged the gravity of dioxin poisoning in rulings on lawsuits filed by military veterans. Yet companies who supplied the military with these chemical defoliants continue to falsify experimental data on their products' potential for birth defects. Our government stands mute on the issue of "peace with honor" and refuses to contribute any meaningful economic assistance, nonetheless stipulated in the treaty with Hanoi. The war's apologists and neoliberal ideologues continue to deride Vietnam as a failed socialist experiment. Griffith's photographs and words rip their lies to shreds and dissolve their chauvinism in the cold truth of twisted limbs, hare lips, and hydrocehpalic fetuses preserved in formaldehyde. AGENT ORANGE is the black book of American infamy, its author has given citizens a priceless instrument to test their politicians sincerity and commitment to peace. Buy a copy and ask Kerry for a clear statement of conscience!

The ticking "time bomb" uniting two cultures once at war.
In September, 1976, just back from eight years helping homeless streetchildren in Viet Nam, I wrote an Op/Ed piece for the New York Times ( "Learning From the Vietnamese -- And Giving", 12/04/76) that concluded: "And I'm at a loss how to tell my own people that Vietnam's needs are our remedy - to say that what the Vietnamese people have to offer us - as they did me - is so great that for our own sake we must help them." I was attempting to make a connection between the spiritual strengths the people of Viet Nam had to offer us and the technological assistance we, in turn, could give them. Philip Jones Griffiths, in his book "Agent Orange, 'Collateral Damage' in Viet Nam" has made an even more compelling, if depressing, case for interdependency, i.e., because of the American military's chemical spraying in south VN during the war years there are now thousands of people in both the U.S. and Viet Nam who are dealing with deformities and death because of a ticking "time bomb" planted in Indochina decades ago. Griffiths, author of "VIETNAM, INC.", an award-winning photography book on America's longest war, has included here some unsparing images of humans beings brutally deformed by man's more fiendish dalliance with Weapons of Mass Destruction. Here is a "legacy" that must give all of us pause by a brilliant photographer's tireless effort to bring almost unbearable evidence to us of man's inhumanity to man. Like the Holocaust itself, the full impact of these atrocities took years to come to the fore, but "Agent Orange" makes a compelling case that two countries once at war remain linked in a tragic bond that will not soon go away. This is not an easy book to read or, should I say, to view, but I think we ignore it at our peril. Griffiths knows what of he "speaks", having spent years in Indochina and seen un-speakable carnage firsthand. Here he has placed the evidence before us, as well as a precious opportunity to understand where we have gone wrong and how we may become better human beings in the future. "Agent Orange, 'Collateral Damage'", it almost goes without saying, may be the ultimate brief on America's own WMDs. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Masterfully photographed and written, poetic
Philip Jones Griffiths is among the unsung heroes of our time, photographing the otherwise untold, unsavory aspects of a mean-spirited war completely lacking in human decency. Agent Orange is masterfully conceived, researched, photographed and written in prose that at once is dark, beautiful poetry. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Gorgeous Book Commemorating America's 1st Public Park
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of Central Park, photographer and historian Sara Cedar Miller celebrates the aesthetic, cultural and historic significance of America's first public park with the book "Central Park, An American Masterpiece." This is the park's definitive illustrated history, and offers some of the most gorgeous photographs I have seen on the subject - a difficult task given the number of pictures that have been drawn, painted and photographed of the Manhattan landmark. The book includes over 200 color illustrations, original plans and drawings alongside modern photos, giving the viewer/reader an historical perspective.

Accompanying Ms. Miller's work, portraying the park throughout the seasons, is a well written text which highlights the conception and creation of the park and its art and architecture. This is a big, beautiful picture book that would make a wonderful addition to any home or library. It's a wonderful gift idea. I know as I have given it numerous times.

Ms. Miller is the parks official historian and photographer and has been since the mid-1980s.
JANA

A book as worthy as the park it celebrates
Sara Miller has put together an outstanding book: a book as vast and detailed as the Great Park itself. For those not familiar with the park and its history, this is an invaluable introduction to the political, demographical, economic and, especially, aesthetic thinking that went into the creation of 800 acres of gorgeous park space in the middle of Manhattan. For those seasoned veterans of NYC history, this is a welcome reminder of the enormous vision and efforts of Calvert Vaux and Fredrick Law Olmsted, as they conceived the park.

Nota Bene: A lot of books have gorgeous photos but the print job is miserable ... Others have high-qualtity prints but the photos aren't that interesting ... This book has glorious prints and an expert print job. Pick up this book.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points and The Five Points Concluded ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

If you ever wondered where the catwalk got its claws, then the portraits gathered in photographer Shoichi Aoki's book Fruits, from the streets of Harajuku in Tokyo, point the way to an extraordinarily imaginative and invariably stunning glut of mongrel fashion heists. A best-of collection from the fanzine of the same name, and published for the first time outside Japan, Fruits keeps its style clean: front-on, razor-sharp images, ranging from the deadpan to the manic, of the sharpest collages of sartorial influence that, usually, little money can buy. From off the peg to off the wall, kitsch to bitch, each person bears a combination and philosophy as distinctive as DNA. All shades of aesthetic are raided, with exquisite, scrupulous attention to detail. Punk is a favorite, as is, appropriately, Vivienne Westwood, alongside Milk and Jean-Paul Gaultier, and the occasional Comme des Garçons. Many of the outfits, though, are second-hand or self-assembly, such as a skirt drooping petals of men's silk ties, Wa-mono, when tradition Japanese clothes are topped with, say, an authentic bowler hat, EGL (elegant gothic Lolita), and a swathe of tartans, pinks, and turquoises. The most malleable feature, unsurprisingly, is hair, with dreadlocks, mohicans, back-combing, and crops dyed an irradiated spectrum. While the eye is drawn, obediently, to the mannequins, the background is often worth a look, either for the vending machines against which a number are shot, or the ubiquitous Gap store and bags, a constant reminder of the global mass market.

One enterprising man wears a genuine British paperboy's delivery bag, and, to pick but one profile, Princess, 18, is trying to be a doll and is currently preoccupied with body organs. Mmm. All the subjects are asked the source of their clothes, as well as their "point of fashion" and "current obsession." The scope for sociopsychological discussion is vast, particularly with the preponderance of infantilization, through dolls, bonnets, pop socks, and Barbie, but this is a joyous documentation of the innovative, celebrating the inspirational polytheism of street fashion, captured with provocative, political zeal. Best let the street cats prowl. --David Vincent ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Truly captures how young Japanese Teens dress
After visiting Japan last year and having spent most of my time in Harajuku (where most of these pix were taken)--all i can say is this book truly captures how young Japanese teens dress. Hypercolored clothing, crazy extreme mismatching, a gaggle of plastic accessories, technotoys and unnatural hair color is standard-- it's anime character meets candyraver meets barbie in Super Mario land.

You may think these teens are the few "extreme" dressers in their society, but you're wrong. I would estimate that 80% of teens in Japan's metro areas dress this way, if not more extreme.

In fact, the teens in Fruits are a bit *subtle* compared to what is going on in Japanese fashion today. It's not uncommon to see girls in elaborate french maid outfits with metallic makeup walking out of the train station. Walking everywhere you see these hello kitty psycho sweethearts, riddled with fake blonde hair, white lipstick, and mile-high op-art platforms. I've turned a corner and seen gangs of japanese guys and girls looking like Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill, replete with fake black tan, dreads, ghetto fabulous hip hop gear and all. Scrupulous attention is paid to every part of the body. Only about 5% of Japanese girls i observed did NOT wear some kinda of intricate rainbow patterned/bejeweled nail art. And the best part is seeing all these vividly dressed youths swarming all around you in hordes.

Fruits, although on target for year 2001, is almost out of style now, given that Japanese fashion trends change every minute. If you can't get enough of Fruits, then you really need to take a trip to Japan (Tokyo) which I stress is vital for anyone in the fashion, arts, or other trend industry. It's like living in the future--talking toilets, automatic servamatrons, futurism galore, towns called Sunshine City, bridges named Rainbow Bridge--it's pop-culture infantilism crossbred with sophisticated technology, the most fascinating hybrid found only in Japan. I guarantee you will be visually stimulated and inspired to no end at the hallucinatory flourescence that is Japanese youth culture. Now go book that ticket.

Eye popping fashion passion (with a healthy does of humor)
From the highly worshipped pages of Japan's premiere street fashion bible comes FRUITS, from the magazine of the same name, created and photographed by Shoichi Aoki. From its beginning in 1994, FRUITS magazine covered the wide world of street fashions sported by young Japanese crowd of the Tokyo suburbs. This edition of FRUITS, from Phaidon publishing, is a collection of full page portraits from the magazine. It's the first time many of these images have been published in the western world.

Be prepared to enter the wild and wacky world of Japanese street style; a mixture of thrift store chic, designer handbags and accessories, anime and manga color, traditional Japanese clothing and home created "couture", sure to grab your attention, if not to make you laugh out loud. Creativity and ideas abound (notice I didn't say they were all "good" ideas.) Witness fever pitched fashion passion, eye popping cartoon creations worn with complete self confidence. Getting your picture in FRUITS magazine is your fashion street cred badge of honor, and these kids pursue it with all the style muscle they can muster.

Rasta cowboys, EGL (elegant gothic Lolita) baby dolls, anime space cadets, rockabilly punks, designer samurais; these are but a few of the style hybrids on display. Mixing vintage finds, designer labels (like W<, Jean Paul Gaultier and the prolific influence of Vivienne Westwood), and their own customized experiments, these Japanese teens create a world where the only limit to style is their own imagination.

You need this book. It's that good.

Fruits is a Fraud
Fruits purports to be photos of people picked at random from the streets based on their unusual outfits. In my opinion, all the subjects are models, dressed by a designer. Maybe they thought that westerners would not notice that all or most of the women and men subjects are photographed more than once. Some show up again and again. In my opinion, the photographs are staged and the outfits are not the creations of the people who are photographed. Notice too, how all the outfits are top notch from head to toe. You would expect to see a few ugly or poor decisions if the photos were of real people. Take a look if you are interested in how to try and dupe the public.

Selling Japanese Fruit to the World
I love the work by my fellow photographer Shoichi Aoki. Like me, he shoots the cool trendsetters on the streets of Tokyo. Since he started his magazine FRUITS in the mid-90s he has taken countless of photographs of the coolest street fashion that the world has seen sofar. The best of these shots are compiled in this book.

Aoki first started documenting street fashion in London in the mid 80's. He has told me that he taught himself how to take photographs from books. At the time Japanese fashion wasn't free at all. Inspired by the free street fashion of London the young Aoki decided he wanted to do something about Japanese staleness.

In the early to mid 90's things were beginning to change in Japan. The Harajuku area in Tokyo had its main thoroughfare closed off on Sundays and this was attracting more and more bands and show offs. The 'pedestrian heaven' (hokoten) as it was called became a laboratory and incubation center for new trends in music and fashion.

"In Japan," Aoki told me recently, "everybody had always dressed the same. Whatever was popular was worn by everyone. Everybody would wear Comme des Garçons or Ivy or whatever brand was 'in'. But suddenly Harajuku became free. People started to feel that it was cool to coordinate your own clothes. Harajuku fashion became really interesting and fun." He recalls: "You had this small group of trendsetters, perhaps 10 to 20 people. Whenever they came up with something new, others would soon imitate them. But these imitators weren't as cool as the original trendsetters so the trendsetters didn't want to be identified with them."

"To differentiate themselves again they came up with new things. It just escalated. They kept on trying to escape from their imitators right into "decora" (fashion style sporting lots of decorative stuff and strong bright colors). They figured nobody would follow them into wearing clothes that crazy."

FRUITS shows these 'crazy' trends in all their details. The book has virtually no text, just page after page of exquisitely printed color photographs. Aoki's photographs are unique in that he shows the full body, from head to toe, in actual street situations. This is much better than shots done in the studio. It is like photographing animals in the wild opposed to photographing them in the zoo.

Full body shots makes it possible to not only see the pants, skirts, dresses, coats and sweaters, but also the shoes, socks, stockings, hats and wild hairdos in all their glory.

Short descriptions explain what each person is wearing, their age and their 'obsession'.

If you want to put to rest the myth that Japanese people are not creative and original, you just have got to read this book. You'll find it a great inspiration.

Fruits
This book rocks the crazy street styles. Great source for design for anime or comic book characters. ... Read more

Book Description

The new edition: Two years after its original release, the new Obituary Cocktail has more bars, photos, drink recipes, and quotes. Six added spreads include the bar in the kitchen at Commander's Palace, The Circle Bar and its Herradura tequila shot with tonic--the Harry Tonic Jr.--and Butler's fantastically seedy interior.

WINNER Silver Medals, Publisher's Mktg Assoc & Ind Publ Assoc 2002! Book of the Year 1999 (New Orleans Gulf South Booksellers Association). ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Bourbon Street Hopper
I don't think I've ever experienced anything quite like the bars in New Orleans! They are fantastic! The press has given Bourbon St. such a negative view, but I had no trouble the two times I went down by myself! I mean if you use a little common sense, then there's no problem! The people were some of the nicest I've ever met! Everyone treats you like family and you have such a great time! This book shows that down-home, friendly atmosphere! It was interesting for me too, to see a lot of the places off of Bourbon that I didn't get to see! You know, the 5 star places that cost an arm and a leg, and require reservations! This is just another great book to relive memories of your trip to "Sin City."

Obituary Cocktail: The Great Saloon of New Orleans
Growing up in New Orleans is a rare experience. Living away often makes one nostalgic and wistful.. Reading "Obituary Cocktail" brings the sights, sounds, smells and tastes roaring back. This is a beautiful book. The photos are warm, romantic and evocative. The commentary is pure magic and the recipes are fabulous. Whether you live there now, once were there or have never visited - this book captures the charm, the quirkiness and the mystery of New Orleans and her great watering holes.

It will make you thirsty
first of all, this is a beautifully produced book, with wonderful photographs of the great New Orleans drinking establishments and local scenary.

Secondly, it's a must for any bartender. Not much needs to be said on this topic except for the fact that many great drinks have come out of New Orleans and the bartender (professional or otherwise) should learn how to prepare them.

Finally, the book also presents some important historical information on New Orleans and its saloons. The two go hand in hand.

The Spirit of New Orleans
Ms. McCaffety has captured the essence of New Orleans with her wonderful book. The pictures are gorgeous, and the addition of a few traditional New Orleans cocktail recipes and the history of the saloons rounds out the book nicely. I can't wait to get back to New Orleans and visit the bars I've missed.

Wow!
What a book. The pictures are absolutly incredible and the stories match the color of the pictures. The timeless nature of the book makes it worth having. Everyone I've spoken to in New Orleans loves this book. WOW! ... Read more

Book Description

In the 1960s the fishing village of Montauk became the surfer's paradise of the east coast. Located at the tip of Long Island's South Fork, the easternmost point of the Hamptons, this paradise existed primarily for locals-not surfers who migrated to the beach for the summer, but those who were out in the rocky reefs every day, year round. Today, a new tribe of surfers exists-young locals who live by their own rules. Rule number 1: Never tell anyone where the good surf spots are. Rule number 2: See rule number 1.

In the 1990s photographer Michael Dweck rented a house on Ditch Plains beach (site of the best surf break) and gained unprecedented access to this insular community. The End follows the surfers through their daily rituals from early morning wave reports to evening bonfires on the beach, capturing their youthful hedonism. Through portraits, nudes, and photographs of the landscape, this book celebrates lives lived only to surf-an endless summer of perfect weather and languorous beauty. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

visually stunning
Sensuous, seductive and unbearably sexy in its effect, The End celebrates the beauty of a group of young "all-natural" surfers in a small obscure fishing village.

Visually stunning and lavishly illustrated with duotone and color plates. "The End", is one of the sexiest photography books ever published.

Well Worth the Wait!
While visiting New York last September, I had the chance to see the exhibit at Sothebys and advance ordered a copy of the book, which was slated for a December release. Now, eight months later, the book finally arrived and I can say without hesitation that it was well worth the wait.
The End is a special work, a nostalgic chronicle of a unique and truly American place, a daring and effective foray into the relatively uncharted waters of narrative photography, and a beautiful book full of beautiful people.
Dweck has masterfully photographed young people in the most natural and unaffected ways. Here, he manages to capture the innocence and provocativity of each of his subjects without seeming exploitative. The End is destined to become one of the most sought after, if not the most referenced, photographic essays.

The End: Montauk, N.Y.
Michael Dweck's The End is a successful first book. In it, the photographer tells, visually, of his love for Montauk - the most remote point of Long Island. Indeed, The End is far more closely akin to a graphical love ode to Montauk than to a piece of photojournalism; absent is the comprehensiveness one would associate with an exhaustive look at Montauk and in its place is repeated harping on what makes Montauk - in the author's words - like an edenic "lost world."

Throughout The End, pictures of Montauk - its personalities (mostly surfers) as well as its natural features (mostly beaches) - are juxtaposed with pictures of beautiful people, often against a background of Montauk, but quite frequently indoors; witness, for example, "Julian checking out the sets, 6 A.M., Ditch Plains," which faces a posed picture of "Lilla, Napeague." This practice is quite striking - initially it seems disorienting and out of place - but it ultimately proves an effective way of conveying the sexually-charged beauty that Dweck clearly finds evident in Montauk.

Dweck's photography is effective and moving, with frequent flashes of brilliance. At its best, The End evokes Toni Frissell and particularly Martin Munkacsi. Its most successful posed pictures - including "Sonya getting changed in Gilles's truck, Trailer Park," "Lilla Napeague" (the fourth and fifth of the five pictures with that title), "Neva, Poles" (2), and the final "Shannon, Shadmoor Cliffs" - reach Peter Lindbergh-like heights in their effective portrayals of vulnerable feminine beauty.

Perhaps the most striking feature of The End is its narrative flow, which is remarkably both coherent and subtle. The book begins with several sequential historical photographs of Montauk, and moves on to illustrate a sort of "day in the life of a town," beginning with a drive to the beach - "David and Pam in their Caddy, Trailer Park" - moving on to the parking lot with perhaps the novel's most successful pair of photographs - "Sonya getting changed in Gilles's truck, Ditch Plains," and "Gilles at the parking lot, Ditch Plains" - then to the beach at dawn ("Julian checking out the sets, 6 A.M., Ditch Plains") then midday, with an extensive series of surfing pictures. The narrative, as it is, moves indoors with several sexually-charged photographs and the book ends after some brilliant evening shots (notably the spectacular "Bonfire, Trailer Park" series). Indeed, it is obvious that much care was given to The End's sequencing; even within the narrative, there are numerous visual games being played, from a figure in "Lifeguards, 1997" glancing across the page at the nude Lilla in "Lilla, Napeague" (5) to the pairing of the genuine American iconographic "Postcard I found at Joni's" with the nostalgic "Lilla, Napeague" (3).

These two themes - "watching" and iconography - recur throughout The End, a book which is seemingly obsessed with voyeurism (a perhaps unsurprising obsession for a photographer) and whose frequently-iconic images seem ready-made to implant themselves on the American conscience (with any justice, "Sonya getting changed in Gilles's truck, Ditch Plains," "Noel at Bettina's House, Turtle Cove," and "Beach dog, Ditch Plains" will find their way onto postcards everywhere and into the photographic canon).

Finally, it must be said that The End the book is a spectacular object. The photographs are printed vividly on a paper stock that is of supreme quality, the book itself is beautiful, from its cover to its binding, and it is indeed an actual pleasure to hold. ... Read more

Book Description

Above Washington. The Nation's capitol is here celebrated with the eye of history and a elan of today's headlines Never before have America's monuments been so dramatically and lovingly displayed, as shown by Robert Cameron's aerial views and introduction by Alistaie Cooke. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ordinary Joes Opinion
I sell books on Amamzon and I was listing this book and double checking it's conditon when I became drawn into the book.

This is an excellent book for the history buff,school library,or for anyone who has never been to Washingtton CD.

The before and after pictures are especially interesting.

If you are planing a trip to the capitol this would be a good book to read and reread first. Then you could compare the views when you return .

This would give you an excellent "feel" for the changing "life" of the capitol.

A nice pictorial - with dated pictures
Robert Cameron is undoubtedly one of the best urban aerial photographers in the country. However, the landscape of Washington has changed so dramatically in the twenty years since this book was released that anyone with a lot of knowledge about the area will be disappointed by what's missing.
It does contain a wide breadth of pictures, some which are definitely extraordinary. However, the book needs to be updated in order to capture the modernization in architecture and planning that has proliferated in Washington D.C. and the surrounding area since its initial publication.

The best of its kind
Washington, DC is an unique capital city and Robert Cameron shares his birdeye's view with us in this marvelous volume. For residents and vistors alike, this is extraordinary record of the city, particularly the juxtaposition of old and contemporary photographs. Others try to emulate Cameron in this genre, but he is the master who makes it look easy.

A Star That Fell From The Sky - A Little Too Long Ago
Above Washington, - like all of Robert Cameron's Above books - is a superb collection of historical to present day comparison photographs. The picture quality and composition is bar-none, especially for aerial photography. Any city planning or Washington D.C. buff will enjoy this book immensely. Please be advised, though: this book has not been updated in quite a while eventhough it has been reprinted many times. The most recent photographs are late 1970-'80s era pictures. Above Washington could definitely use an update. Nevertheless, it's a great D.C. history lesson and has many unique photographs of places such as the U.S. Naval Observatory where the Vice President lives, as well as an aerial view of Marine Ones parked like ducks in a row. Need good pictures for a project - Cameron's Above Washington is the way to go. Want a current picture or coffee table book - you better reevaluate. ... Read more

Book Description

INSIDE HIMALAYA features over 300 breathtaking photographs taken by Basil Pao during his adventure with Michael Palin through some of the world's most inhospitable terrain, from the deserts of Afghanistan to the sheer slopes of Mount Everest. Covering seven countries, Pao's photographs expertly capture the magical appeal of the region, and the extraordinarily diverse range of landscapes, cultures and peoples it is home to. Intimate shots of Michael and his film crew at work and relaxing 'off-air' give a fascinating insight into the making of this TV series. The photographs are preceded by an introduction written by Michael Palin. ... Read more

Book Description

Take a spectacular armchair voyage to one of earth's most magnificent and ancient sites--shown in a resplendent oversized volume, lavishly illustrated with more than 800 pictures (including archeological reconstruction drawings); 6 gatefolds; and the finest paper. Conducted by a team of world-acknowledged experts, who provide the most up-to-date information available, it's the perfect mix of artistic brilliance and scholarly research. The Valley of the Kings and the tombs of the nobles are, together with the pyramids of Giza, among the world's most visited and best-known sites. Although millions come each year to gaze upon these ancient wonders, a significant portion of this remarkable place remains unseen by most. For the first time, an illuminating and spectacularly produced guide brings together both the artistic and the architectural features of the tombs and maps them out fully. The only photographer granted full access to the site over the past decade provides unrivaled color images of the funerary temples and private necropolises, and in addition, an exploration of their structures and embellishments features plans, photos, drawings of motifs, and hieroglyphs. To complete the presentation: walking itineraries in the Theban mountains, shown from many unusual vantage points. A visual treat, and an extraordinary adventure, for real and virtual travelers alike.
... Read more

Reviews (4)

Buried
This is the best book on the Valley of the Kings. I own John Romer's and Nicholas Reeves books,which I highly recommend,but this one I like best. This is a must own book if you love the tombs. It won't let you down. Well worth the money. Buy it before it goes out of print.

Took my breath away!
Having read Kent Week's book "The Lost Tomb" I was impressed with his accessable writing style. So, seeing this book was like waving a red flag at a bull. I have been to many of the sights featured in this book and could not afford to visit all. To my joy, on opening this volume and seeing the quality of the photographs I realised now that I could! It is the next best thing to actually BEING tere and in some cases .. better! I know that sounds odd ... but in reality a lot of the KV paintings are covered with glass to prevent damage ... or you are not allowed to take a camera in ... even if you can, you may not use flash. So your own pictures always fall short. THIS is professionally lit, photographed and documented ... with great care taken to render the Theabian west bank in all it's glory. Bravo!

A Treasure
I had looked forward with great anticipation to the arrival of this book - and I am not at all disappointed. In the past few years a few books have been published which have delighted my eyes, Tutankhamun, by T.G.H. James, and Egyptian Treasures from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and now the present work. They share in common the photographer - Araldo De Luca.

De Luca is a consumate artist of light. Throughout this book you will see exquisite shots, described and formed by the light of Egypt - Medinet Habu at dawn, The Temples of Hatshepsut and Mentuhotep, from the air in the dawn light, at the precise moment that the entire Valley of the Kings lies in shadows between golden cliffs behind. There are more - photographs of objects and buildings that I have never seen, or at least not so clearly. De Luca has found the perfect vantage point for every shot, it seems, and has waited for the light to lift the ordinary into statement, explanation rather than simple recording.

Sprinkled through the various essays - and each essay written by a distinguished expert in their field - are delightful drawings, diagrams and maps. We have sumptuous renderings of the interior of Tutankhamon's tomb, which are not so uncommon, but this volume goes on to show us drawings of the interior of Nefertari's tomb, and there's more! The tombs of the Nobles are pictured with the same fine sensitivity as well as the mortuary temples of the west bank.

The essays take a back seat, at first glance, so truly wonderful are the photographs, but here you will find rich descriptions and explanations of the monuments and the objects found within them. Kent Weeks is the general editor; there is an introduction by Her Excellency Mrs. Suzanne Mubarek; Rita Freed, Melinda K. Hartwig, Erik Hornung, Christian Leblanc ... the list of eminent persons goes on.

Congratulations to the publishers, Friedman/Fairfax, and to all those who produced this wonderful book, from type-setters to press persons. This is a treasure! Thank you! L.P.H.!!

"Valley of the Kings"
With out a doubt one of the best and most stuning visual
books I have ever seen about ancient Egypt. Dr Kent Weeks
narative is both interesting and detailed yet should still
appeal to the amateur with an interest in Egypt.
The book details the modern exploration of the valley over the
last few hundred years. It then details the great Temples of
the Luxor area useing altitude photos, maps, line drawings, artist drawings floor plans and photos...lots of photos.
The book then moves into the Valley of the Kings, tomb by
tomb using the same type detailed drawings, photos, plans and
artists renditions.
There is also a detailed section of the Queens Valley using the same techniques as the rest of the book.
But the star of the book is Araldo de Lucas photos. The clearity and detail of the close ups leaps off the pages
and are as near flawless as one can get in colour and content. there are several fold out pages and the detail
is incredable. This book is excellent in every aspect. A must for
anyone interested in Ancient Egyptolgy . ... Read more

Amazon.com

America 24/7 reunites the team that started the popular A Day in the Life series of photography books, Rick Smolan and David Elliot Cohen. Those books sought to profile a single day in a country or city through pictures. Here, the concept is similar but far more epic in scope: photojournalistic, people-driven snapshots of young and old at work and play throughout the entire United States over a given time period (in this case, one week). Another twist this time is that more than 25,000 amateur and professional photographers snapped all of the pictures with digital cameras. From the million-plus photos submitted, 25,000 were chosen for a total of 53 volumes, one on America, one for each state, and one each for D.C. and New York City. The result is an amazing array of subjects, but all shot with a consistency of tone. Composition, lighting, and camera effects aren't as important as the content. the gener! al sentiment one gets from the images: Muslim high school girls jumping rope in traditional headcovers, Roller Bladers on the Brooklyn Bridge, electrical lineman students learning to climb telephone poles, Eve Fletcher, a 76-year-old California surfer, or Tonto, the "seeing-eye" miniature horse. There are babies, children, rites of passage, monuments, forests, circus performers, movie stars, and cattlemen. The images might be a tad sentimental, but not overly so. In addition, readers can order a custom book jacket at www.america24-7.com/customcover, using their own digital photo as the cover. --Eric Reyes ... Read more

Reviews (36)

wonderful book and custom cover!
The book has beautiful photographs and wonderful captions full of miniature stories. I ordered a cover, and when I had trouble with uploading (I'm not very computer literate) their customer service team got back to me in a day and they helped me through it -- even resizing my picture for me. My custom cover order came in three weeks. I have to say it was really worth the effort seeing the final cover in my hands. I'm surprised they don't charge us more for the whole thing. I've ordered many more as gifts. Their new site is easier to use and I was even able to track my order using the USPS tracking number they gave me. I would expect any company trying out a whole new idea to take a few months to get such a large operation together, but now its June and the site seems so be working great! I would give it another chance if you had problems in the past. I'm a satisfied customer and I hope they get more positive reviews because I know they're really trying their best.

Love It
I am shocked about the prior review in regard to not recommending this book or custom cover. We bought one for ourselves and two for gifts. The books arrived right at two weeks and I had to contact (by e-mail) the company and they promptly responded. The cover of our chidren turned out fabulous and the pictures in the book are fantastic. Everyone one that has seen our book is in awe. I highly recommend this book.

Best Photography book ever! Love the Custom Cover!
I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was the perfect one of a kind gift for my dad, who has everything. The book itself was a perfect visualization of America and the Custom Cover was a wonderful bonus offer. Where else can you get the chance to put your own image on a New York Times best seller?! I've read some reviews complaining about Custom Covers and I have to say that in my case and with most of my friends who have ordered, everything went smoothly -- their site was easy to use, customer service was prompt and helpful, shipment was on time and the cover print was excellent. I'd give them another try...I know I'll be ordering more Custom Covers.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU WANT A CUSTOM COVER!!!
I purchased this book in January with the intention of getting a custom cover for my husband made while he was in Iraq. He wasn't coming home until April so I figured I had plenty of time. I went to their website and it said check back in a week they were updating their website. After two weeks (the "check back" message was still there) I tried to email the company and received no response but an auto-reply. Their message changed two days later to "check back again in another week they were still updating." This happened FIVE times. Then they finally said keep to checking back they didn't have a date when they would have it together. After two more months (it is now May) their website has now vanished!!!!!!!!!!! Again, don't purchase this book if your intention is a custom cover. I wouldn't really recommend spending $50.00 on this book without it either. It is just okay.

Missing Cover Follow-Up
In my previous review I received 1 of 4 covers, looking for contact info. I did receive the additional 3 a week later- how about a note or sticker "1 of 2" when shipping? For anyone else that has a problem; DK publisher 800.788.6262 live voice, no wait, extremely polite and helpful. America 24-7 Custom Cover 415.331.6300 ext. 7#, voice mail box with a greeting that states "we will not return your call". America 24-7 email customcover@america24-7.com did respond to my request in 3 days with something like "gee-wiz I really didn't know we could only ship 3 covers at a time so the last one is on the way" whatever.. The book is great, custom cover is a great idea and personalizes the book. I really think the publisher should have asked if these folks can actually deliver on what they advertise. BTW I just found this book at the store and thought it was nice- never watched Oprah in my life. Also, I would have paid more $$ for the custom cover if they could deliver without a glitch. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than 100 years the name National Geographic has been synonymous with excellence in photography. Some of the finest photographers in the world have traveled the globe capturing memorable images for the pages of the Society's magazines and publications. Now you can learn how National Geographic photographers make those outstanding pictures in this remarkable guidebook.

National Geographic Contributing Photographer Robert Caputo shares his secrets to making great travel photographs in this engaging and informative guide.

• Hoe to capture a sense of place

• Tips for getting the most out of short or long trips

• What equipment to use to get best results

• How to turn your snapshots into professional-looking travel photographs

• Photography Web sites

Book Description

From the hush of an old-growth forest to the skyline of Seattle, WASHINGTON II stimulates all the senses. Lush woodlands and dramatic waterfalls, misty coastlines and snow-dusted mountains, twinkling nightlife and vast yellow wheatfields-all await you in this enticing book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Washington II
This is the best photographic essay of Washington. The pictures are lightyears above the competition. True artwork. I am sending this book to friends in London for a good view of life here. ... Read more

Book Description

An exquisitely illustrated history and exploration of Angkor, the world's most astonishing architectural treasure.

Built between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries by a succession of twelve Khmer kings, Angkor spreads over 120 square miles in Southeast Asia and includes scores of major architectural sites. In 802, when construction began on Angkor Wat, with wealth from rice and trade, Jayavarman ll took the throne, initiating an unparalleled period of artistic and architectural achievement, exemplified in the fabled ruins of Angkor, center of the ancient empire. Among the amazing pyramid and mandala shaped shrines preserved in the jungles of Cambodia, is Angkor Wat, the world's largest temple, an extraordinarily complex structure filled with iconographic detail and religious symbolism. Perhaps because of the decline of agricultural productivity and the expansion of the Thai Empire, Angkor was abandoned in the fifteenth century and left to the ravages of time. Today, many countries continue efforts to conserve and restore the temples, which have been inaccessible until recently. Now that the civil war has ended, Angkor is being reborn and is an increasingly popular tourist destination.

Undaunted by the difficulties of traveling through Cambodia and eastern Thailand, Jon Ortner, accompanied by his wife Martha, has photographed fifty of the most important and unique monuments of the Khmer Empire. His images include spectacular views from the rooftops of its temples, glorious landscapes, and details of inscriptions and art that few have ever seen.

The text by a team of distinguished experts provides historical, architectural, and religious analyses of Angkor and the Khmer civilization. The Appendix offers a glossary, a chronology of construction, and a chart of the kings and their accomplishments. Black-and-white floor plans and historic watercolors complete this breathtaking tribute.

Other details: 240 illustrations, 225 in full color ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Must-Have Book on Angkor Temples
Through his magical photographic eye, Jon Ortner has created a wondrous collection of striking images and scholarly prose. His perfectly lit photographs and well-documented historic descriptions allow one to easily understand this complicated ancient subject. Each temple is clearly organized into relevant sections from the central Angkor area to the rare and never-before-seen temples in the outer lying areas. If you have visited Angkor - Ortner's book is the perfect addition to your library. Or, if you have not visited, this book provides the perfect impetus.

The Ultimate Angkor Book
The magnificent photography, the amazing text and the great printing make this THE book for anyone interested in the amazing history and culture of the Khmer.

Ortner's use of light, his incredible attention to detail and the great writing make this a must view and a must read.

Even if you never had an interest or knowledge of Angkor, this book will light a fire inside you.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly. It will look great in your home and you will not regret this purchase.

I have Jon Ortner book
ANGKOR: Celestial Temples of the Khmer Empire,

This is an excellent book I ordered online about when I first came out about a year ago. You will not go wrong with this book. Every pages I leafed through is highly insprirational. The photographs are very breath-takingly welldone. I like the chapter on the Preah Vihear(PV) temple. Again, nicely illustrated and photographed on PV. There's also a section on Cambodian temples that are in Thailand and Laos.

Athough the book is large--oversize, but worth its weight in gold on your bookself !

Almost as magnificent as seeing the ruins themselves
Having spent some time recently in Cambodia exploring the Angkor ruins, I looked forward to purchasing this new picture book by celebrated photographer Jon Ortner. I was not disappointed. The photographs literally come alive. The quality of the paper is extremely good; the colour reproduction and sharpness of the pictures are superb.

The author chose a broad selection of the ruins to be included in his coffee table size text. All the famous sites are included, as well as a number of the lesser known monuments. The essays written by experts in the field also added a lot of useful and interesting background information. Several maps also aid the reader in locating the ruins.

For those who have seen Angkor, this book is almost a must. I am certain the owner will refer to these awesome photographs time and time again to remind himself of the experience of viewing some of the most incredible architecture and art in the history of mankind.

See it in person if you can.
Top quality photographs of one of the true wonders of the world in one of the few remaining truly exotic countries. The craftsmanship and presentation are top notch, but nothing short of making the trip in person is really satisfactory. Fortunately, the trip is relatively safe in these days when even dom