Reviews (3)

An outstanding and in-depth architectural survey
Kathy Borrus' One Thousand Buildings Of Paris isn't for the casual tourist of Paris, but is designed for the avid enthusiast of both the city and its architectural wonders. Recommended for both the architectural art library and the in-depth travel collection, this volume cover the range of Paris architectural history and style, with photographers Jorg Brockmann and James Driscoll outlining commercial, residential, and public spaces alike. An outstanding and in-depth architectural survey.

Endlessly Fascinating
Kathy Borrus, the author of the wonderful travel tome, "The Fearless Shopper," has done it again. One Thousand Buildings of Paris is an endlessly fascinating romp through the architecture, history, and culture of Paris. A must for all adventurers, artists, architects, and academics, the book is both an art enthusiast's dream and a valuable reference for planning Parisian sightseeing. All in all, One Thousand Buildings of Paris is a one-of-a-kind photographic compendium and a true treat.

Lovely to look at...
The next best thing to being there - great as a souvenir or research before your trip. Every building you know and love and many, many you'd like to know are here. Photographs are in romantic black & white along with a fascinating fact or two about the building, its history or impact on the city. The layout allows for 1000 buildings in less than 1000 pages - the left page has from 2 to 6 photos with their names, addresses and stories on the right. A great gift for any Parisianphile! ... Read more

Book Description

This lovely book combines beautifully artistic color photographs with brief excerpts from the pens of famous American writers.A stately veranda of a Southern country home is captioned with a description of Deep South gentility from a William Faulkner novel. A rural New England porch showing a tricycle and baby carriage comes with an excerpt from Bret Harte’s A Newport Romance. These are just two of the many typically American scenes that grace this beautiful book.The more than 50 atmospheric photos are serene yet powerful statements of Americana, beautifully complemented with the poetic quotations that serve as their captions. This is a wonderful little volume for gift-giving, or for treasuring in one’s personal library. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Araki
This book kept Araki's common style, and different with his book took for his wife Yoko Araki. And he became the symbol of Japanese culture.

Araki's Erotic Photos
As one of his series photo books, he keep his style. But the best book of his is the photos he took for his wife, Yoko Araki. And the most photos he took describes the common Japanese culture. As my friend told me, he became the symbol of Japanese culture. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is the first to illustrate with color photographs all Puerto Rico's breeding birds and common migrants. Over 300 color photos of 181 species of Puerto Rican birds appear in this publication.The English-language text is designed for tourists, students, teachers, and anyone who wants to understand Puerto Rico's natural heritage by learning about its fascinating birds.The species' life histories are written in a non-technical style for the general reader, and include important lessons for conservation of our natural resources.Most common birds of the Virgin Islands and northern Lesser Antilles are also illustrated. The book comes with a CD-ROM with detailed Spanish and English life history accounts and bibliography for 350 species, plus audio clips and over 1,250 photos. The CD-ROM is written in HTML which is easy to read without special installation on a PC or Mac, and makes files accessible for student projects in biology, geography, music and art. Over 80 professional and amateur ornithologists from Puerto Rico and the mainland USA collaborated in this effort. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Perfect Guide when birding in Puerto Rico
This is the perfect guide book for birding in Puerto Rico. The photographs, 1340 in all, are brilliant, and the text is detailed and rich in information. The guide itself will easily fit into a pocket or day pack and so when out in the field you will have it at your fingertips.

What's unique about this guide is the excellent CD-Rom that comes with it -- this will help you before you go to know what the birds look like, their calls, their behavior and where you can find them once in Puerto Rico. I used the CD-Rom to check out three of my favorite PR birds and was amazed at the numerous and gorgeous pictures, the superb quality of the audio recordings and the information Oberle has reproduced in this book. For instance, regarding the Puerto Rican Tody (one of the 17 PR endemics covered in this guide as well as over 320 other birds), there were a dozen different pictures of the Tody including fabulous close-ups. The information Oberle gives includes identification, voice with audio, habitat, habits, range, status and conservation, taxonomy and related books and articles about the Tody. The Tody is a tiny forest bird with emerald green upperparts and a bright red bill and throat -- everytime I see one I think of a Christmas tree ornament, they are so cute! Oberle discusses in detail what they eat: katydids, grasshoppers, earwings and dragonflies, and discusses as well their foraging techniques. Because Oberle goes into such great detail about ID and habitat/habits, I think this is the best guide to enable one to actually find the birds once in PR.

I also checked out the PR Woodpecker and found those pictures, audio and habitat/habits information just as extensive as that about the Tody. I learned that the woodpecker's stiff tail feathers helps it to gain balance while chiseling at tree bark to find its favorite insects, including earwings, beetle larvae and ants. I discovered it occasionally eats scorpions and and lizards! Oberle informs the reader that a good place to find the woodpecker is around the parking lot of the El Portal visitor Center at the El Yungue national park.

A third bird that is well covered in both the CD and guide is the Pin-tailed Whydah, which has a most remarkable long tail and perches on wires and branches. I was surprised to learn that the female is like our parasitic cowbird and doesn't build her own nest but drops her eggs in other birds' nests.

Oberle has done a splendid job of bringing together in a compact book all the information and photgraphs of birds that you will need when out in the field. Because he cares so much about these birds and the environment, he also has special sections at the begining of the book on conservation efforts, migratory birds that winter in PR, and the extinction issues that face too many birds and other wildlife today in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

To anyone going to Puerto Rico who plans to do some birding, I heartily recommend this book and CD-Rom to you.

Puerto Rico's Best Bird Guide
This guide is fantastic! It is well organized, easy to use, full of concise, carefully planned information, and absolutely the best bird book I've ever seen. The photos are extremely well done and very helpful. The descriptions are outstanding: accurate, thorough, and interesting. I have many bird-watchers and long time Audubon members staying here at Villas Margarita, not far from the Caribbean National Forest. They all rave about this book and the fine job Mark Oberle did on it. It is worth every penny! Buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

With coverage of the area south of Rome to the tip of Calabria, Blue Guide Southern Italy is an excellent resource. All of the region's cities, towns, as well as places of archaeological, historical, and artistic interest are covered in detail. With great walks and suggestions for day trips, along with updated practical information, this is a must-have guide. 31 maps, color map, 20 line drawings. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

question of book
is there any mention in this book regarding the region of cosenza in calabria, my mother's hometown? i would be most pleased if i could find anything about cosenza in this book or any other you may know of. in the very near future my husband and i will want to visit and it would be nice if i could get any information prior to our going there. thankyou for allowing me to ask this question. linda tremonti

Un libro assolutamente incomparabile
As an Italian who comes from Southern Italy I found the Blue Guide covering this area to be absolutely on target and extremely detailed. I have been so impressed by the Blue Guides, that it has become the first item I pack when ready for travel ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Chautauquans Don't Want You to Buy This Book!
An excellent, digestible description and history of the Chautauqua Institution. This book is filled with wonderful photos -- both current and archival -- and a succinct text describing the 126-year history of this remarkable cultural, recreational, educational and religious center. If you've experienced Chautauqua, it's a wonderful description of the ups and downs and ultimate success of this education-vacation community. If you've never been to this Western New York State landmark, read this book and start packing your bags. ... Read more

Book Description

America's oldest major city, Boston has adapted to the modern age while still retaining an old-world charm.With many of her streets tracing original ox-cart paths to historic waterfronts, Boston is "America's Walking City."This volume documents the amazing changes that Boston has undergone during the last 150 years.Seventy modern color photographs are compared side-by-side with seventy archival photographs from the 1850s to the 1950s.While focusing on famous vistas and familiar landmarks, it also explores well-known neighborhoods.The Then and Now series includes: New York, Washington, Boston, and San Francisco. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

SNOBS
"Boston Then And Now" was reviewed by Charles Higgensworth III. I do hope there won't be a number 4 Higgensworth. This man should drop the attitude. Then people may like him almost as much as this book. What a jerk!

A good backstop to any trip to Boston's sites
We purchased this book in Boston and found almost all of the sites we saw in town in this book. In this book, the older, up to 150-year old photo of the original structures on the current site, or older pictures than offered a juxtaposition of the surrounding landscape of buildings present in the past and now around selected sites.

While I was a little disappointed in no picture of Fenway Park, or in a map to help locate where some of these pictures were taken in the city (after all, I'm not a native of Boston), I found the book to very ably support the exhibits we saw on Boston's history, and add greatly to my understanding of the city and the growth of urbanism in general. The architecture depicted is often unique, and the descriptions offer a bit of information on who the architects were, how the areas shown were constructed, and more.

Overall, I came out pretty pleased by what is found in this book.

Boston for the Time-Pressed and Vapid
If Boston were a lengthy work of great scholarship, "Boston Then and Now" would be the Cliff Notes. And were you to rely upon them come examination time, you would be failed for having a trite and simplistic understanding of the weighty tome you had been asked to master. This is essentially a series of photos of Boston neighborhoods and vistas taken way back then ... followed by photos of the same neighborhoods and vistas taken now. Get it? Then ... and Now! Photo pairs are accompanied by fortune-cookie length observations that only a primate would find edifying. True Bostonians will find this book every bit as delightful as Game Six of the 1986 World Series.

great coffee table book
Boston history lovers will enjoy this. Specific parts of Boston shown on one page in a historic photo and on the next in current day. Mostly buildings, intersections, and famous sites. Large pictures, nice descriptions that aren't too lengthy. Photo labels at the top corner of each new picture. A really nice book. ... Read more

Book Description

What country brings to mind more visions of romance, more images of breathtaking vineyards, and more scents of mouth-watering food than Italy? In Journey to the Chianti: Getting to Know an Ancient Tuscan Region, Leonardo Castellucci explores a growing Tuscan region of Italy with an unforgettable name: the Chianti.Castellucci brings this region to life through fascinating insights into the regions history and a look at the culture and life today.

Castellucci’s insight on the local history and character of the Chianti region itself are enough to fascinate and inspire; to add to the impact, the stunning pictures by photographer Gian Luigi Scarfiotti capture the reader’s imagination.The vibrant colors of the Chianti region’s famous vineyards captured in the book’s exceptional photography show why this region is beloved by Italians and Americans alike.

The Chianti region has fascinated American travelers for decades and is a must-see tourist spot for everyone visiting the Tuscan region.Chianti is located in the middle of--and serves as a transition between--the medieval city of Sienna and renaissance city of Florence.Because it is a crossroads between these two vibrant and historic cities, it contains a rich melding of history itself.

Journey to the Chianti: Getting to Know an Ancient Tuscan Region is the perfect addition to every traveler's or wine aficionado’s collection.Chianti is Italy’s most renowned wine, and Castellucci shows us why with a wonderful overview of its production processes, history, and little known facts such as that Chianti used to be a white wine instead of red.This is a rare beauty of a book that will be treasured by book lovers, travelers, "foodies," wine aficionados, and lovers of all things Italian alike. ... Read more

Book Description

"Macduff Everton updates travel photography in the same way that Ansel Adams updated 19th-century photography of the West. He captures strange and eloquent moments in which time, and the world, seem to stand still."-Andy Grundberg, New York Times

Only a handful of photographers have succeeded in capturing the majestic landscapes of the American West. Now, Macduff Everton takes his place among them, with magnificent panoramic photographs that deserve to be viewed alongside those of Ansel Adams and Eliot Porter. Everton's lush, romantic pictures-each a cinematic tour-de-force of light and color-present breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Mount St. Helens, the Missouri Breaks, Big Sur, the Painted Desert, and other fabled vistas of the American West.

With lyrical commentaries and sketches by artist and writer Mary Heebner, and an introduction on the Western landscape's importance to American history and lore by best-selling author Edmund Morris, this glorious book is Everton's masterwork.

MACDUFF EVERTON is one of the world's most distinguished and prolific travel photographers. His work is widely exhibited and collected by museums around the world. He lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife, Mary Heebner.

MARY HEEBNER is a writer and artist whose mixed-media collages, works on paper, and limited edition artist's books have been exhibited and collected throughout the United States and abroad.

EDMUND MORRIS is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, best-selling author, and an astute historian and commentator on the United States, his adopted country.

76 panoramic photographs in full color, 12 sketches, map, 131/2 x 91/2" ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Panographs with an edge
I noticed that the writing on the front flap of the book jacket claimed that the images are large format panographs. After taking a close look at the first few images on pages 1-10, I came to the conclusion that these are panographs taken in 135 format not the medium format of the 120 or 220 types. Everton's notes of camera and film on page 7 confirmed my assessment. It is interesting that he departed from the usual practice of his peers by choosing the colour negative film Fuji NHG II rather than its sibling, the transparency film, Fuji Velvia 50. Though it does not have the punchy colours and high contrast of Velvia, NHG II gives softer colours in highlights and more shadow details. With negative films, mastery in controlling exposure is only half of the accomplishment, mastery in making prints is essential for bringing the final image to the masses. Everton said he developed his prints in a rental lab. If so, his craft is well done. The contrast control of each image is good with no lost of colour saturation and shadow details, even for heavily overcast landscape such as the one on Lemhi Pass (p56). About half of the images was taken at a time when a storm was approaching. Some even have a clearly visible rain curtain (p33,49,62). The panograph of the Great Sand Dune Monument (p62) is a real visual treat. The land and sky were connected by a rain pillar over the sand dune on the right, illuminated by the emerging light. The highlighted strip of the desert floor formed the visual anchor for the reader, guiding my eyes to start the journey from the lower left-hand side of the image then wander into the distant storm-covered horizon. The smoothness of the dunes form a visual contrast to the roughness of the storm clouds above. It is rare to see a rainstorm in a sandy desert let alone under such magical lighting. Capturing fleeing moments like this calls for great patience and skill on the photographer's part. The panograph of Lower Geyser Basin is my second favourite (p49). The steam pillar jetted out of the geyser is the force within the deep earth whereas the heaven is owned by the menacing storm dumping torrents of rain from above. I couldn't stop asking if this image was taken on Planet Earth or near Mount Doom of Middle Earth in Tokkien's fantasy. My other favourite is the panograph of the Lower Calf Creek Falls (p72). Here stillness and transquility was interrupted by the gushing waterfall. The branches of the two trees at the foreground formed a perfect arch that frames the waterfall. This is a stage built by Nature where we are invited to sit in front and be immersed in the sound of moving waters.
The map next to Everton's preface showed not only the places where the images were taken but confirmed the warning that American wilderness is an endangered specie. The rest of the writings is simply an eloquent elaboration of this urgent issue. This book is another quality publication from Abrams Inc. I give it four out of five stars.

Peerless Panoramas!
This book deserves more than five stars for the unmatched color panoramas of the most picturesque horizons in the western United States.

You could visit these sites for twenty years and not see actual scenes as luscious as these. Whether you know the West or think you would like to, I suggest that you start with this remarkable book. This is the West as you've never seen it . . . but could. The wonderful photography is nicely complemented by the essays that provide geological and historical perspectives on the scenes portrayed here.

The photography is all done in 148 or 150 degree large format color panoramas. This perspective approximates what the human eyes can see, including peripheral vision. As a result, these images give you a remarkable sense of being present that is almost impossible to obtain in a book.

The reproduction quality is amazingly good, and the lighting and tones vary wonderfully from one outstanding photograph to the next. Almost all are displayed over an entire wide panorama-sized page, and many extend over parts of two such pages.

The feeling is so ethereal that it evokes the same sense of natural wonder that looking at paintings by the Hudson River School creates. There are in fact some parallels, as a few scenes include tiny people or animals in the foreground.

The book is divided into sections showing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, the Cascade range, the Pacific Northwest, and California. Although I have traveled extensively in the West for over 40 years, more than half of these scenes were new to me. I can see that I have many wonderful trips ahead of me to visit these locales, now that I know how gorgeous they are.

Here is a list of the sites:

Sand Hills, Nebraska

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Montana Prairie

Breaks of the Missouri

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park, Montana

Lemhi Pass, Montana

Mores Creek, Idaho

Aspen, Colorado

Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Grand Staircase -- Escalante National Monument, Utah

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Monument Valley Tribal Park, Arizona/Utah

Wupatki National National Monument, Arizona

Mount St. Helens

Crater Lake, Oregon

Mount Shasta, California

Oregon Coast

Big Sur, California

Santa Catalina, California

Yosemite, California

Mono Lake, California

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Death Valley, California

The text connects these boundless images to "a West of unlimited horizons" and the work of Turner in developing his frontier theory of the role of the West in stimulating American imagination and initiative. Even today, the book argues that the "unconstrained Western horizon" is important to our sense of taking on the new challenges of modern society.

Everyone who sees these photographs will agree that it would be horrible if these sights were ever to be spoiled. We are fortunate that government policy began to preserve these lands beginning in the 19th century. With today's challenges of pollution and visitors, perhaps even more will have to be done.

Reading and looking at this book is a spiritual journey, not unlike a peaceful meditation. If your spirit is troubled at all, I suggest this book as a balm that you can always use to ease your discomfort.

Live with beauty!

Wonderful text and photographic art
Wow. What a wonderful book that amazes me, everytime I open the cover. Everton seems to have complete control over the dynamics range in all of his photographs. Dark clouds yield to lighter, fluffy clouds, down to a light horizon, and a rich, dark lower 1/3 of these exposures. Add to this control his use of a tool that has limitations, at Noblex 150 panoramic camera.

Everton also captures locations that have already been widely photographed before, but with his own signature. He adds a new face to Calf Creek Falls in Utah. A must have book for your table.

To share or savor alone?
The Western Horizon honors the expansive beauty of U.S. topography west of the 100th meridian & east of the Pacific. Mary Heebner provides lightning commentary and subtle sketches complimenting her husband, photographer Macduff Everton, as he captures sites in inimitable ways. Together, they lift a creative curtain... and what a chronicle of our planet's passage they present!

Spectacular photographs are framed with informative prose-poetry re: geologic history and human wear. Many of the images are highlighted by magically addictive, cloud reflected light ... others are pure, simple zen. You gaze & graze on Earth's lines as they reach skyward. Time is everywhere. Many thanks to Abrams for yet another choice coffee table reference. Hopefully, Heebner & Everton will have an opportunity to soon grant us some more cardinal horizons. I'd rate The Western Horizon at no less than a full box of gold stars - it's a perfect book either to share or to savor alone. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide features 300 of the common plants of the Sonoran Desert. Detailed descriptions, information about bloom season and range, and interesting facts about each plant accompany the full-color photographs.300 color photos ... Read more

Book Description

Photographers can find a wealth of wonderful images in the landscapes of the Grand Canyon and Northern Arizona: spectacular canyons, towering spires, picturesque arches, and colorful dunes. Now they can make the most of their visits to the parks with the help of the expert information in this first-ever guide to the Grand Canyon and northern Arizona especially for photographers. Where and when to go, how to find the best shots, what equipment to take and techniques to use, park rules and regulations, how to avoid the crowds-all illustrated with brilliant color images. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Everything you need to know to photograph this area
This book is the third in the author's arsenal, and it is just as useful as the other two. The author is a wonderful photographer, just the images in the book would be worth the price, but the reader gets a lot more:
Detailed descriptions of where to go for the best shots, and the best times to go there. For some of the areas, you get a mile-by-mile log, and even some compositional suggestions. Even if one has been to these places previously, this book contains extremely valuable information for the serious photographer. ... Read more

Book Description

Laos has not long been opened to foreigners and this is the first time that its most sacred city, Luang Prabang, has been explored in such depth. These breathtaking images reveal a world like no other -- especially its rituals and ceremonies. For centuries, these holy rites have encapsulated the spiritual life of a culture that the West is only now beginning to understand. Hans Berger received the full co-operation of the monks and laymen of Luang Prabang in creating his definitive portrait of one of the last citadels of the 'mysterious East'.With 190 duotone photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

VIETNAM is the fruit of an unusual collaboration between noted author Frances FitzGerald (Fire in the Lake, 1972) and photojournalist Mary Cross. FitzGerald and Cross, both intimately acquainted with Vietnam, traveled there together in order to create this vivid and insightful look at Vietnam today. This is a Vietnam healed from the war, a Vietnam in which, as FitzGerald eloquently describes, traditional culture is once again alive in the villages that form its heart. The portfolio of 100 color images by Mary Cross documents the richness of the Vietnamese landscape andcustoms. FitzGerald and Cross explore both the accessible and the hidden facets of this complex country-from village festivals to imperial tombs, from the cities of Hanoi and Saigon to the eternal landscape of the rice paddies. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Educating Glimpse of Vietnam
Vietnam: Spirits of the Earth by Frances Fitzgerald, Mary Cross (Photographer) is definitely another one to add to your South-east-Asia booklist. The book is divided into essentially two sections: the first includes the commentary; the second - the photography. The commentary discusses several "down-to-earth" issues and aspects of Vietnamese life and culture and manages to cut through their (only seemingly) simple fabric; the mix of subjects chosen is surprisingly (and refreshingly) esoteric (and authentic). The photography is good, although a bit on the grainy side. All in all - a recommended book for the South-east-Asian culture enthusiast!

Vietnam: Spirits of the Earth
Vietnam: Spirits of the Earth, photographs by Mary Cross and text by Frances FitzGerald, a book of surpassingly beautiful images by the distinguished American photographer and a thoughtful, radiantly intelligent text by the National Book Award-winning author and historian, bringing us the news, not entirely expected in some quarters, that since the devastation of the Vietnam War years, Vietnam has shifted to a market economy that has allowed for a "fascinating resurgence of traditional culture"; another work of surpassing beauty and ambition.

Joyce Carol Oates

Vietnam: Spirits of the Earth
Ever since serving in the Army from 1967-71 I have been curious about what Vietnam is really like. I was never sent over while in the army so all I know was what I read and heard. This book is informatively writen and beautifully photographed. This book is not about the war, it is about the country today. Extraordinary in every sense! ... Read more

Book Description

The early Cistercian abbeys of France have long been revered for their harmoniously proportioned spaces and ethereal acoustics. Together with the great cathedrals, these remarkable medieval buildings embody the profound mastery of architecture that blossomed in 12th- and 13th-century France. Architecture of Silence is the first book in English devoted solely to these exquisite structures, which draw tens of thousands of visitors of all nationalities each year.

The power and beauty of these sacred buildings and ruins, renowned among architects and designers for their austere, almost minimal design and construction, come alive in David Heald's luminous tritone photographs. The text by Terryl N. Kinder, the world's leading scholar on the subject, offers a clear introduction to the history and architecture of the early Cistercian monks, who built the abbeys nearly 900 years ago.

DAVID HEALD, chief photographer at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, has been photographing art, architecture, and the natural landscape for 25 years. His work is in numerous private and public collections, including the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Bibliothque Nationale, Paris, and has appeared in many books and magazines. He lives in Redding, Connecticut.

TERRYL N. KINDER is a medieval architectural historian and archaeologist who has served as a consultant to the restoration of Cistercian abbeys in France, Italy, and England. She has taught at Nazareth College in Rochester, the Universit de Bretagne, Rennes, and at Paris-I Sorbonne. An associate of the Institute of Historical Research in London, she divides her time between Pontigny, France, and St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.

98 tritone photographs, 93/4 x 12" ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Higher Order Of Existence
Architecture of Silence is a finely wrought volume of exceptional interest and beauty. Its temporal actuality immediately evokes the devotional themes which are contained within its pages. The book feels like a sacred text which was printed and bound by hand, out of love.

Cistercian cenobites understood that interior spaces were at least as significant and meaningful in the natural order of things as surface manifestations. They believed that divinity resides in places that cannot necessarily be seen or immediately sensed. Architecture Of Silence conveys splendidly the essence of this belief as expressed through the physical monuments they created in worship.

Impressions to die for.
Heald is head photographer for the Guggenheim Museum of New York. He is far more than an expert photographic technician, however. The book exemplifies uncompromisingly conscious, staggeringly sensitive image making. As he composed and developed these images, Heald must have had a vivifying rapport with the same extraordinary source of energy and insight that infused the psyches of the original builders of these Abbeys. Wonderful. Inspiring. Awesome. Excellent essay too.

A spiritual feast for the eyes and the soul !
I was on a spiritual pilgrimage in France in October 2000, and I toured most of the abbeys that are featured in this book. I did not see this book until after I returned from France, and I must admit that the photos in this text are the most impressive of all the books that I have viewed on Cistercian architecture. I love this book ! The photographer has been able to capture the peace, simplicity, and soul of these medieval monuments. How many photography books actually bring your spirit to a deeper level of tranquility? This one surely will. The introduction is beautifully written and was composed by The expert and scholar of Cistercian architecture. I also recommend another excellent book on this subject: Cistercians: Monks and Monasteries of Europe, by Stephen Tobin.

An excellent book
Louis Kahn would have loved this book. Silence and beauty permeate its pages. Intense. ... Read more

Book Description

The first in a series of three stunning books about the Bluegrass State, Kentucky will take you through stately mansions, pastoral horse ranches, as well as the golden rows of tobacco fields and quiet country roads. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Not perfect but probably the best there is nowadays
For anyone under a spell of Istanbul, this is a book to have and behold. The photography is excellent if also typical of glossy coffee table books: romantised and beautiful, very - yet the images chosen cover a wide range and offer interesting and evocative - or inspiring, if you like - insights into the life in Istanbul and its settings. Visually, then, the book is a little gem (far better than another recent one, "Living in Turkey"). There are several essays included whichare of varying quality. The preface by an Ottoman princess is - on a second reading - not too bad and rather charming, while her attitude - both nostalgic and protective is as expected as, perhaps, it is befitting, too; a diary by a Turkish writer leaves one with mixed feelings and somewhat at loss as to what is at stake in it (in my opinion, it is the weakest of the essays in the book). "A Day in Istanbul" is rather matter of fact description of the city by and what there is to be seen. "Interiors" is probably what most people would expect to find in a book like this - after all, it leans heavily on interior decoration; the selection of interiors is, as expected, very biased: focusing on yalis or the more contemporary residences of the fashionable Istanbulites, Turkish or foreign - but then, most interior books do the same and this is not to say it is not pleasant to behold, only that at times the text seems little bit selfindulgent in terms of the people whose homes are shown - of course, as long as we don't know these people and their names mean nothing to us, it doesn't really matter, but I can imagine that people, say, in Istanbul might read and view the book rather differently... (also, it might be noted that the books is written by people who mostly reside someplace else than Istanbul). The only section where the text surpasses the pictures is the one about the palaces, or I felt so, as they don't really give you a sense of the buildings nor the interiors - it is a very personal selection and quite small one at that, too. The following section on "Traditions" saves much of the book anew: only, minor, drawback is that the relevant text and pictures don't manage to keep pace but are separated, at times afew pages apart. Finally, the "Rendezvous" is a pleasant, casual and intimate, retake on the city as to what to do and where to go, especially if you don't have a home in Istanbul and you have to experience the "living in Istanbul" through cafes, bars and restaurants. The last part, "Visitors guide" would have been best left out: not only does it start to turn the book - ambiguously and dissapointingly - into a guidebook, but it will also date it - no doubt, when first published, it was useful and it will be nostalgic in a hundred years' time, but in between it is bit of a letdown. Yet, in spite of its drawbacks, it still remains the best book I've found currently available on life and interiors in Istanbul. And some of my friends who know the city better than me, agree. I myself borrowed the book from a library, kept it for a month, extended it for another and then bought my own copy... ... Read more

Book Description

For decades, Palm Beach has been considered the ultimate winter resort, the philanthropic center of the country and among the most prestigious residential communities in the world.Epic wealth, fabled denizens and members of high society, legendary architecture, meticulous grooming and superb geographic coordinates endow Palm Beach with unparalled allure.

Palm Beach Then and Now provides a chronology in three sections of the island's development from an unchartered wilderness to a winter resort, to community and finally to the posh year-round residential destination it has become.

This sumptuous compilation of historic and contemporary photographs, along with personal memories shared by longtime residents merged with factual material, offers insight and an insider's view of what Palm Beach used to be like, how it has changed and what it is like today. ... Read more

Book Description

RIDE OR DIE BABY

FREEDOM FOREVER ... Read more

Reviews (5)

FORGET 'THE WILD ONE'
Bikers from all walks of life, professional and blue collar,
articulate their "wisdom for the ride", accompanied by some great
pictures. All this in an elegantly designed package small
enough to put in your pocket or saddle bags. A timeless "big"
little book that really gives you your moneys' worth. 'Two
thumbs up, way up"

A dream revisited
I was just a kid when I was sitting on the back of a bike and holding on for dear life. My arms around these two wide shoulders holding on with a vice like grip. I trusted my father and I knew he would never put me in danger. I remember the sound of the engine and the wind as we broke through some kind of a sound barrier or something. The sharp turns that we didn't slow down for and for sure I was going to fall off.The sounds and the screaming of the wind were a memory I grew up with.I didn't realize it then but it was the most exhilarating memory of my life.
It all came back as I breezed through my new copy of The Biker Code. Was it the fear of getting on the bike or was it just something that I just never got around to doing?
Every page brought me closer to that memory so very long ago. Did I just see my old man on one of the bikes or was I just looking for him? Why did I run away from it? Is it not to late? My God, how I just love all of those free spirited souls on every page. Is it not too late to go back to those memories?
A great book. An emotional journey. Maybe a dream that can be lived again.

Bikers do not fit my preconceived notions
This book changed the way I drive around bikers...because I didn't really understand their vulnerability, AND because I didn't appreciate their strengths. This book shows a side of bikers that non-bikers (like myself) need to see. It is both beautiful and moving.

Knowledge Replaces Fear - The American Red Cross
We generally fear the unknown.
If someone is different, it tends to scare us.
To most a 'biker' is someone that is unknown and different, hence feared - irrationally.

The Biker Code - Wisdom For The Ride is a unique opportunity for those who are not bikers to get a rare peak into the lives and views of those who are bikers. We get to see the bikers and read in the their own words, who they are and why they ride these machines. Carpenters, psychiatrists, artists, mechanics,...salesman, chef, funeral director, medical assistant, moms and retirees; perhaps not the boy or girl next door but fellow Americans, fellow humans.

Different? Perhaps, but after reading this book we find them less different than we may have imagined. Or at least they are no longer unknown and while they may be different, we can respect their individuality and their way of expressing it.

Stuart Miller and Geoffrey Moss are to be commended for an exceptional book, beautifully done, providing for those who are afraid to go there in person, an insight into the biker's world and for those who ride, an extraordinary canvas to paint a true picture of themselves.

Saddle up!

An intimate look at a uniquely American people and culture
Are you a Biker? I'm not, but after reading this beautifully crafted book, I have developed great admiration and empathy for this uniquely American culture. The best endorsement for this book: it was given to my wife and I by a Biker friend- personally selected by him because he felt it truly expressed the wind, the motion, the freedom- that riding means to him. Each spread reveals an individual through a riveting picture and their personal "Wisdom for the Ride."

The images are compelling. Through the glare of the chrome and the intimidating black leather, you find yourself making direct eye contact with real people. Far from threatening, these people are wholesome, remarkable people expressing their individuality in the greatest American tradition. The seeds of wisdom shared are genuine, earthy and reflective of the great danger these people face to pursue their passion for the open road. The bonds of brother and sister are forged among these strangers exactly because they know and accept those risks. Still, in our country which stresses cultural diversity and acceptance, they are overlooked and misunderstood by most of us.

Who can argue with believing in something so strongly, you're willing to put it all on the line- and being able to depend on your peers to always watch your back. Some would say that doesn't exist anymore. All would agree that's just what the world needs more of. Chivalry isn't dead. If you're a Biker, buy this book for yourself or a friend. If you're an American, buy this book for some great images, powerful words and a good measure of pure flag-waving patriotism. Nobody will go away disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description

Coney Island: Lost and Found by Charles Denson

Growing up on Coney Island in the ’50s and ’60s, Charles Denson experienced legendary amusements and attractions like the Cyclone and Thunderbolt roller coasters, the Parachute Jump, and Steeplechase Park. In CONEY ISLAND: LOST AND FOUND, Denson gives us an insider’s look at one of New York’s best-known neighborhoods, weaving together memories of his childhood adventures with colorful stories of the area’s past and interviews with local personalities, all brought to life by hundreds of photographs, detailed maps, and authentic memorabilia. CONEY ISLAND is a heartfelt chronicle that stretches from colonial times to the island’s heyday in the early 20th century and through its subsequent decline and revival, culminating in the 2001 opening of the new ballpark that brought baseball back to Brooklyn. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The BEST Coney Island Reference Book Available
Calling all Coney Island fanatics, nostalgia buffs and preservationists - this is the book for you. I hardly know where to start in singing its praises - simply put, it's a heartfelt love-letter to the past, present and future of our beloved Island. The photographs are exquisite, the author's personal experiences poignant, and the history documented fascinating. What more could you ask for?

I was amazed upon first opening Denson's book - for some years I had been photographing the "leftover buildings", as I knew them - faceless, nameless structures from the old days of Coney, unsure of their histories, but endlessly fascinated by them. Charles Denson cleared up most every mystery for me, documenting the pasts of these previously anonymous remnants. For this, I cannot thank him enough. Even further, he has included photographs that he took over a lifetime, of demolitions, which are heartbreaking, but informative, to see. It's as if he's putting his private treasure trove of images out for all the world to see, which, really, is a great gift. I owe him many thanks.

The layout and sequencing of the book is perfect, arranged in a timely, appropriate manner. Unfortunately, it is a very fast read, but not due to a shallow treatment of its subject - rather, that it is such fascinating material, handled with enthralling interest. One can feel Denson's pride and joy in Coney Island - it practically radiates from the pages.

This is one of the few books that I'd recommend buying even if one doesn't have the chance to view it first - it would be well worth three times the asking price. It is a truly landmark reference book on Coney Island - although it's a delight, it's accurate, respectable, and quite sincere, as well. The photographs alone make it worthy of purchase, as do Denson's personal stories of youth and adolescence on the Island. Please, please, please give it a try - you'll find that it is worth every penny, and that it is a book you'll hold onto for a long, long time to come.

Days Long Gone
Reading Charles Denson's book brought tears to my eyes.
I too lived in the Coney Island Houses from the age of 5 until 16. I experienced the dramatic transformation of the neighborhood from an idyllic, peaceful and unique seaside community to a dangerous place, where residents were afraid to venture out because of crime. The book captures,with love and intelligence, the Coney Island I'd like to remember. I am so glad that the author had the insight to document this episode in our lives. Thank you. M from building #4.

The BEST of Coney Island!
Although his name doesn't ring a "bell", I had to have known the author. In 1963, my family moved into the same NYC "Projects" (i.e. Coney Island Houses) where the author lived. His story is in many ways my story, his outlook on the one and only Coney, my outlook as well. In a borough of giants (well, maybe only "Dodgers"), when Brooklyn *really* WAS the "World", Coney Island was KING! Where else in the world could working-class folk (white, black, Jew and Gentile) live in relative peace and harmony while enjoying the waterfront views millionaires would be envious of?
Author Charles Denson hits the right balance with both his superb history of America's original "Playground" and his personal reflections on growing up in the shadow of a myth. Coney *was* changing along with America in the 1960s. Much of the change was harsh and relentless. Poverty and greed bred crime and desolation. Coney Island, more vulnerable than most Brooklyn neighborhoods to the ebbs and flows of capricious fortune, became a victim to the times.
The author aptly outlines this decline and recent rejuvenation with such skill that (unlike other "neighborhood" memory/history books) one can "taste" the vitality of the arisen "Phoenix" known as Coney Island.
Almost as good as a Nathan's frank and a bag of fries, sitting in a boardwalk "pavillion", watching the summer fireworks. (Or maybe skating in Abe Stark and going to the Tilyou for a matinee?).
Just an afterthought...
I thought I was the only one on earth who remembered "Al" the "Good Humor"-man...
To Mr. "Coopey" (of the immortal "Coopey's Corner"), who's recommedation here on Amazon prompted me to buy this book... You'll never know how many children's souls you touched and made smile. A THOUSAND blessings!
Charlie R,...(who broke his leg at age 6 on the monkey bars in the "little" playground next to 2928 in 1964)

Personal review from Coney Island Storekeeper
This book was written by a person who lived in Coney Island and was known to document pictures from an early age. I was a store-keeper and know all his facts were true and accurate.I am the Coopeys Corner owner and all of his experiences brought back many pleasant and some not so pretty memories.Read it and you will know how Coney Island was and how it has changed.

Coney Island: Lost and Found
This book is a winner ! I am amazed at the initiative of Mr Denson as a kid to have the vision and mission to take as many photographs as he did. I grew up on Coney Island. I lived there until 1957. I lived on W 21st, between Mermaid and Neptune Aves.I Attended PS 80 and Mark Twain JHS.I would have liked to see more pictures and references to my area in Coney Island, but that is something I should do. Denson is from the more western part. The history and writing style is top-notch and the quality of the book is first rate. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

New from high-profile fashion photographer Thierry Le Goues comes a lavish artist's book, Popular--an earthy, luring tome of the rarely shown Havana social scene. In Le Goues' provocative duotone and sensuous four-color photographs, we're seduced by a culture of great joy amongst great poverty: raucous, heat-soaked street parties; spirited sparring matches in crumbling gymnasiums; voluptuous nudes plying their wares in derelict mansions; wizened balladeers savoring impossibly large Cohibas...Le Goues' models are drawn from the street: a mixture of Buena Vista Social Club stars and underground legends, the miscegenation of which, in Le Goues' expert fashion sense, serves to create a raw, sexy style--one of abandon out of necessity, out of a lust for life--a spirit Le Goues sees in Cuba as ubiquitous as the cigarettes from which the book draws its name. ... Read more