Book Description

Welcome to the world of that archetypal American, Reuben Lucius Goldberg, the dean of American cartoonists for most of the twentieth century. For more than sixty-five years, Rube Goldberg's syndicated cartoons -- he produced more than fifty strips -- appeared in as many as a thousand newspapers annually He was earning a hundred thousand dollars a year...in 1915. He wrote hit songs and stories and was, in succession, a star in vaudeville, motion pictures, newsreels, radio, and, finally, television.

He even, at the age of eighty, began an entirely new career as a sculptor, and, in inimitable Goldberg fashion, was soon selling his work to galleries, collectors, and museums all over the world. Sure, Rube won the Pulitzer Prize. Every year some cartoonist wins the Pulitzer Prize. But the National Cartoonists Society named its award -- the Reuben -- after you-know-who.

But it was Rube's "Inventions," those drawings of intricate and whimsical machines, that earned Rube his very own entry in Webster's New World Dictionary:

Rube Goldberg...adjective...Designating any very complicated invention, machine, scheme, etc. laboriously contrived to perform a seemingly simple operation.

"Inventions," even the earliest ones that date from 1914, are still being republished and recycled today as they have been over the last eighty-five years. New generations rediscover and enjoy them every day, even though their creator cleaned his pens, put the cap on his bottle of Higgins Black India Ink, and cleared his drawing board for the last time almost thirty years ago. The inventions inspired the National Rube Goldberg™ Machine Contest, held annually at Purdue University, an "Olympics of complexity" in which hundreds of engineering students from American universities and colleges -- and even middle and high schools -- compete to build and run Rube Goldberg invention machines that perform, in twenty or more steps, the annual challenge.

In 1970 the Smithsonian Institution hosted a show honoring Rube Goldberg's lifework. In a life filled with superlatives, it hardly needs mentioning that Rube is the only living cartoonist and humorist to have been so honored. In his speech at the show's opening, Rube said, "Many of the younger generation know my name in a vague way and connect it with grotesque inventions, but don't believe that I ever existed as a person. They think I am a nonperson, just a name that signifies a tangled web of pipes or wires or strings that suggest machinery. My name to them is like spiral staircase, veal cutlets, barber's itch -- terms that give you an immediate picture of what they mean..."

So welcome to a collection of spiral staircases and veal cutlets -- to the inventions of an American original, a creative genius named Rube Goldberg. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I thought It Would Be Better
The concept of accomplishing a ridiculously simple task with incredible complexity, is invented and taught here by Rube Goldberg.

As mechanical engineers in college, we used to play around with this concept quite often.

The use of unpredictable things in his cartoons (people, animals) make a cartoon look impossible, if it isn't enough already.

A plant being watered and growing (in a couple of seconds) to accompllish a task is to me, not possible, but at least predictable. An animal or person being heated up, causes Goldberg's desired effect only because he drew the human to do so. But for the human, the number of possible responses are many. We all know that the watered plant will do only one thing. Go up. The time suggested for it to do so; therein lies the humor.

The zaniest universe
I have a real problem with this book. Namely, I can't get on a New York bus or subway without having dozen strangers leaning over me to look at the cartoons, first with curiosity and then suddenly bursting into hysterical laughter. It's that kind of book. The name "Rube Goldberg:" is supposed to vaguely resemble a machine more complicated than it should be. But as I discovered here, the inventions are more than over-complicated.. They are zany, zappy, and have the weird quantum logic of a parallel universe existing in some mad scientist's crazy mind. Take a "modest mosquito-bite scratcher", which is modest if you have dogs, cannons and worms all hooked up in tandem. Or a "self-scrubbing bath brush", which is easy once you teach a monkey to play outfield and hook the monkey up with a millwheel, a jack-in-the-box and an organ grinder. But why go on? Each time I open the book, one of the hundreds and hundreds of insane worlds plays itself out with kind of an eerie reality. Maynard Frank Wolfe has written a decent down-to-earth biography of the real Rube Goldberg , who (obviously!) started his long life as an engineer. But the amazing and endless cartoons are simply the funniest and best things around. At first, I thought of Leonardo de Vinci on LSD. But the more realistic affinity is Gary Larson. Both Larson and Goldberg turn science on its head, with their own creations both defying and DEIFYING logic. Now if only he'd invented a way to make strangers on a subway train go away! Let them buy their OWN book!

They don't make them like ole' Rube anymore!
Rube Goldberg is justly famous for producing ingenious cartoons that show the most complicated ways imaginable to complete the most mundane of tasks. Any boomer, tweener, Gen-xer, teen, or kid who has played "Mousetrap" has witnessed a "Goldberg". This book reproduces his cartoons and reveals his three-fold genius - as a humorist, an artist, and a master mechanic. Today, the comic pages seem to be oriented either strictly towards children (Rugrats, et. al.), or adults (Doonebury, Dilbert and their kin); either type can be digested in seconds. Goldberg's genius was to produce a hilarious piece of work that could be enjoyed by all ages and actually made his audience think! Buy this book to revel in this master. ... Read more

Book Description

This book features interviews with Parer's friends and collagues and includes previously unpublished photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

"Opens a window on the mind and career of a painter. . . . A welcome and worthy addition to the literature of contemporary art."

-Miami Herald Now available in a well-priced paperback edition, this award-winning study explores the life and work of Susan Rothenberg, "a major talent" (Robert Hughes, Time) who is "one of the best artists of her generation" (Michael Kimmelman, The New York Times) and "our best painter's painter" (Peter Plagens, Newsweek). Illustrated with original documentary photographs and nearly 90 colorplates, including three gatefolds, the book puts Rothenberg's arresting images of horses, body fragments, dancers, and spinners in context-and examines how her personal emblems and experiences figure in her work.161 illustrations, 87 in full color, 3 gatefolds, 10 x 11"JOAN SIMON is a writer and independent curator specializing in contemporary art. The former managing editor of Art in America, she is the author of studies on Jenny Holzer and Bruce Nauman. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Dances with Images
SUSAN ROTHENBERG's animals are recognizable and simply drawn on flat but energetically worked surfaces to capture movement and spirit: they in particular link the impulsively figurative Abstract Expressionism of Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock with the geometrical Minimalism of Barnett Newman and Ad Reinhardt. In fact, she sees art as needing a maker to change a familiar object into something other than itself: her horse paintings call up the direct, subtle imagery and tonality of cave paintings on abstractly lush surfaces; "Mukuhara" shows a sprightly single bound in midair and midfield with a hinted vertical divide in the overall sienna surface, and "Flanders" barely details black figure and ground within white outlines. But when she starts talking about landscapes and portraits, it means that she is putting a stop to serializing her images: bikers; dancers "Holding the floor" by firmly grounding an arabesque and countering with a sweeping arm gesture, jugglers, spinners, and vaulters "Vaulting" in the one continuously steady step-by-step movement of Marcel Duchamp's "Nude descending a staircase"; hands and heads; horses; and U-turns. Her "Grandmother" portrait is the first time that she has two separate figures relating to each other in her art. Her daughter "Maggie's cartwheel" portrait is one of my favorites, partly because it makes me think of the artist's hoop performance in a beach piece by friend Joan Jones. Her "Mondrian" charcoal on paper portrait is the first time that she brings an art-historical figure into her work and that she paints after drawing instead of her usual turning a drawing into a painting. I particularly like the work that she does in blue: "The blue chair," which author Joan Simon describes as Matisse-wise in the sitter giving off comfort, composure and containment while looking toward the unknown; my two favorite landscapes, "Blue frontal," with upturned white horse legs framing a blue-black field with a blue horse, and "Foxes on a hill," with the asymmetrically symmetrical composition on a deep blue with black field; and "Blue woman," "Buddha with bamboo," and "Folded Buddha" in Giotto-style blue. The book's beautiful illustrations and clear text do justice to the artist and her work: it leaves no doubt about how she fits it with THE IMPACT OF MODERN PAINTS by Jo Crook and Tom Learner, MATISSE, by Lawrence Gowing, LEE KRASNER by Robert Hobbs, and PIET MONDRIAN by Hans Ludwig C. Jaffe.

Nice collection of paintings
Rothenberg exceeds her catagory of "neo-expressionism" without rebelling from the masters and painters that she has always admired. The full color photos of her paintings are beautiful. How can she not be trusted? There is so much evidence of her working and reworking her surfaces that it is easy for any painter to see her deliberation with the medium. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brilliant portrayal of TR as man, not legend.
TR's 1913-1914 expedition down the River of Doubt (subsequently renamed Rio Teodoro in his honor, and later Rio Roosevelt) is an astonishing piece of history - one often refered to in passing by other TR biographers, but not often fully explored, as it here. Author Ornig tells an exciting tale well, from the multitudious details of planning and executing a massive exploring expedition in the early 20th century, to vivid portraits of the characters involved. This book would be a wonderful companion for any adventure traveller (or even armchair adventurers).

Best of all, Ornig is no run-of-the-mill TR hagiographer (and there are plenty of them out there), nor is he interested in taking unfair potshots at the great man (plenty of those folks out there, too). Ornig simply relates events as they occured, and doesn't care a whit whether they cast TR in a favorable or unfavorable light: TR was a poor shot (due to his poor eyesight) and became grumpy and embarassed when he missed easy targets. TR was delighted with the impact on his waistline when the expedition was forced to subsist on reduced rations -- and argued against the restoration of full rations even though others were suffering. Do these facts detract from the TR legend, or add to it? I have never been a fan of Marble Men, and found that I loved TR even more after glimpsing some of his human flaws in MY LAST CHANCE TO BE A BOY. No student of TR should be without this volume.

Details one of the great adventures of the 20th century.
Ornig provides the first detailed account of one of the most exciting adventure stories of the 20th century -- Theodore Roosevelt's exploration of the River of Doubt in Brazil's Amazon. The story is more incredible when you think that Roosevelt was a 55-year old former President at the time of the expedition. As we approach the 100th anniversary of Roosevelt's presidency, and as we consider our relationship with the earth, it is worth taking another look at this great outdoorsman. Ornig weaves together the political and diplomatic origins of the expedition and how Roosevelt, his son Kermit, and the rest of the expedition got much more than they bargained for. There's murder, there's drowning (and a question of whether Kermit Roosevelt was accountable), there's frustration, and there's a former President on the brink of death. After you read it, you'll want to read Roosevelt's account, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness." You'll enjoy that one too ... Read more

Amazon.com

Born with the silverest of spoons in her mouth, Mrs. Henry Parish II went on to become, of all things, a working woman. Yet she couldn't have picked a métier more suited to her milieu. As a decorator, she drew upon both her blue-blood connections and the exquisite taste that was her birthright to become one of the foremost figures in American interior design. Not bad for a woman who never received a high school diploma, and who was known most often (and most endearingly) by her childhood nickname of Sister. (When she was hired to do over the White House for Jackie, the headlines read "Kennedys Pick Nun to Decorate White House.") In Sister, Parish's daughter and granddaughter lovingly chronicle this remarkable woman's life and work. She began adulthood as the wife and mother she had been expensively nurtured to become. But when the Depression hit and her husband's stockbroker salary plummeted, this Sister started doing it for herself. She hung out a shingle, literally, and soon upper-crust types from far and wide were clamoring for her untrained but decidedly stylish services. In narrating the illustrious career that followed, the book alternates interviews with past clients, coworkers, and friends with excerpts from Sister's never-completed autobiography--and with few exceptions, the most vivid passages are those in her own inimitable voice. Parish described her own style, quite correctly, as "timeless and personal," yet she actually innovated key elements of what we now take for granted as the "American country" look, including quilts, painted floors, and mattress ticking upholstery. But she never sacrificed a client's wishes to an inflexible ideal. For her, design was always about matching a house with the personality of those who lived inside it, making her work the truest extension of her love of family and home. More than just a tribute to a remarkable woman, Sister is also a fascinating portrait of a bygone world, almost Jamesian in its manners and morals. --Chloe Byrne ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Sgt. Sister
Sister (Dorothy) Parrish was "gently" born, and she played this card like a violin all her life to great success. Expensively, but scantily educated Sister had an "eye" for proportion and taste that never failed her. Her decorating services became astronomically expensive, yet she had a Grande Dame persona that made her clients feel she was doing them a great favor by decorating their homes.

"Sister" is authored (perhaps edited) by her daughter and granddaughter very respectfully indeed. It contains little essays and remarks by friends and colleagues, plus sections by Sister herself from her autobiography that never was completed. Her daughters were clearly terrified by her, though her granddaughter seems to be a little bit of a chip off the old block. An oddity I noticed in the pictures: movie-star-handsome men run in her family while the women are plain as peahens. Sister speaks of growing into beauty, but I would have to respectfully disagree. Imposing, and dramatic--yes; but "beautiful"--no. All mention her wonderful sense of humor, which struck me as cruel and belittling along with a razor sharp tongue. The pictures of her projects (sadly, most in black and white) show her capabilities in making a fabulous mansion into a home rather than a museum. However, in spite of Sister's declamations that the client's wishes were first and foremost, most of her actions show that you go her way or the highway. Her Pekinese dogs always were with her and each seemed to have a talent for vicious nipping.

"Sister" is fascinating and does a good job (mostly Sister herself) describing her artistic techniques. The family history is well done. But there is a slightly patched together quality of the book that makes this reader feel the events are only half-told and some not told at all. I don't mean I expected or remotely wanted a "Sister Dearest." I admire the tact and respect displayed by Ms. Parrish's heirs. I just wish a few of the reminiscences were by folks who had less than 100% adoration for Sister!
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

Speak softly, and carry a big roll of chintz
The book, a series of interviews, doesn't hold together as well as I might have liked, though it is chock-full of intriguing raw materials, including reminiscences of Sister by other legends (e.g. the late Mark Hampton, John Fowler, and Mario Buatta). I read it in a hotel room dashing out to shop and to go to a wedding, and I naturally began to critique the decor from what I imagined as Sister's point of view. The hotel forbade dogs, small or otherwise, which would never have done. Sister's Pekinese Yummy went everywhere. There was a certain baroque grandeur to the lobby, which was carried into the rooms, where one could not miss the giant chandelier. You just stared at it, and perhaps felt that this justified the price of the night. But this would not have been Sister's way. As she demonstrated during her days in the Kennedy White House, she could differentiate between public spaces and private ones. Private ones were subtle in tone, with the emphasis on incorporating one's own sentimental possessions into the general scheme. A client's library might have a Picasso or a Monet, but it wouldn't be the first thing that would hit you when you walked into the room. You'd probably be drawn to a cozy fire, and only gradually realize the masterpiece off somewhere to the side. Public spaces could be grand as befitted their function. None of her clients wound up living in a museum. She's worth knowing about, and a nice guide to what endures. The current rage for "homekeeping" probably would have pleased her, as the basis of it is making people comfortable rather than knocking them upside the head with your worldly success. She also had a sort of innate ability to measure things, and to compose with her eye, like a really good candid photographer. However natural things appeared, her own description of a "typical" day makes one think of show business. She was a life force, and no family can ever make up for the gap someone like this leaves, I am sure, but this book is a fine eulogy, which works the way the great ones do: it's an encouragement to more life. Sister Parish seems thoroughly to have enjoyed hers.

Great lady, great read!
One of the legendary designers of any period - this book by the granddaughter and daughter of Sister Parish is a terrific testament to the legacy this lady left on the decorating world. It's chatty without being gossipy, plus you get a real feel of how Sister decorated. Thoroughly enjoyable and readable!

Mrs. Parish was one of the grandest of the Grand Dames.
I couldn't put Sister down once I started reading it. It was a great tribute by the daughter and granddaughter of one of the most interesting, eccentric and outlandishly one-of-a-kind people I've ever encountered in print, or anywhere else for that matter. She was so fascinating as to be almost a figment of someone's imagination. What I really appreciated was that even though Mrs. Parish could be cruel (telling her chauffeur "turn left, stupid", etc.,) most people (including her chauffeur) seemed to have liked her immensely. Her style of decorating is as fresh and likeable today as it must have been back when she first got started. And it's lovely to read about someone whose relatives obviously adored her. No Mommie Dearest here! Such a treat.

Not Just For Interior Decorators
This book is a fascinating account of the life of a woman from a privileged social background who defended tradition while breaking with it completely: starting her own business, forming friendships in the art and design world, painting the antique mahogany tables red and stripping the stained wood floors. An oral history told by the people who knew her best, "Sister" illustrates by their varying perspectives how Sister Parish was many things to many, very different people, and how creative, innovative talent can override even the inherited attitudes of the people who possess that talent to change taste and style. A very interesting, fun book: gossip, decorating tips, and all. ... Read more

Book Description

In this extraordinary and unusual book, Jennifer Clement explores the turbulent relationships that Jean-Michel Basquiat had with his muse Suzanne Malouk and with the art establishment. The result is a distressing yet beautiful profile of a strange, powerful love striving to flourish in the face of horrendous outside pressures. And while Suzanne held firm, Basquiat sought refuge in a fatal heroin addiction. Widow Basquiat also presents an eye-witness account of the drug-fueled insanity of the New York art scene of the 1980s. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hearts and Tracks
This book was a excellent book in the matter that it protrayed another perspective of Jean-Michel Basquiat and let us in on the life of one of his most enduring muses in his short and unfortunate addictive lifestyle and life. The books poetic writings give Jean-Michel and Suzannes life together a hard tragedy instead of a glamorous protrayal (tragedy is the actual matter of fact). Jean-Michel and Suzanne's relationship was truely bizarre and not understanding to the everyday person. People who know or know of Jean-Michel probably never knew the side of him that Suzanne saw, and it is refreshing and wonderful that we were allowed to read such intimate details of their life together. I titled this review "Hearts and Tracks" because the book is full of heart and the heroine abuse of Suzanne and Basquiat (including a discription of his unfortunate death).

no title
The book came in the maximum amount of time I expected - 2-14 business days from the notice I received from the seller that the item had been shipped. The quality of the item was high, much higher than expected for a used book. It looked brand new and I was very pleased with the item.

Poetic, sympathetic, and True
I have been a fan of Basquiat for a long time. I am an artist as well. I have always been intrested in his life and have a lot of books on him and his art and his life. I found this book to be about a totally different perspective. Not only a womens persepctive but a women who was a muse to him. This book does not paint a glorified Picture of him...or a star struck tragic picture of him. It is about Susan and her plight with life, and him being a big part of it. The book is extremely poetic, very dark, sad, melancholy...but above all MOVING. I read it in less than 24 hours. I applaud Jennifer Clement

s.
This is a surprisingly light read of a heavy topic that gives a unique, inside view of life with the artist, Jean-Michael Basquiat. It is an even better book when read as a success story of a woman who ultimately left an unhealthy relationship. Since it covers her childhood as well as her relationship with Basquiat and her attempts to move away from him you get a little bit of insight as to why she would be attracted to this type of person. When you finish the book you will have learned about the sensationalized artist but you will also learn a story about a very successful woman who wasn't quite as interesting to the public only because she was strong and overcame adversity instead of wallowing in it. She is probably not as famous as her ex-beau because she didn't die of an overdose, but such is our culture.

Come to a free reading of this book in New York
On Sunday September 9th the author will be giving a free reading of this book, to celebrate it's US release, at St. Mark's Church, 131 East 10th street @ 2nd avenue at 7pm....... ... Read more

Book Description

I'm going to be totally honest. This is not the kind of book that can help you. It's not a "how-to," "when-to," a "what-to-expect" book. It's not even endorsed by anyone remotely connected to the medical profession. (Although a cousin of mine who sells carpeting to doctors' offices not only found it "insightful" and "informative," but felt that, "if properly vacuumed, it should last a lifetime.")

"A fine endorsement," you say. "But if I have only one book to buy, shouldn't I go for the helpful one?"

Let's compare:
Those "know-it-all" books tell you how to have a happy, healthy pregnancy.
My book mentions a squirrel.
Those books tell you how to care for a newborn child.
My book describes how tired I am.
Those books give you essential information you can use in a life-threatening emergency.
My book has some very amusing anecdotes about poop.

So really, it's up to you. If you want to be prepared and well-informed, I understand. But if you enjoy seeing the words "pterodactyl" and "uterus" in the same book, you've come to the right place.

Reviews (46)

One of the funniest books I've ever read!
Maybe it's because I have 4 "babies" of my own, but I thought this was the funniest book I've read in a very long time. I laughed so hard, numerous times, that I almost cried! Paul Reiser is a gifted comedian and writer. He managed to write a hilarious book that was entertaining and wholesome...a rarity these days.

Wonderfully Funny!
I received this book as a gift when my daughter was just two years old. Throughout the whole book I laughed so hard I cried. Paul puts our real fears as new parents into hilarious perspective. I've since given two copies to other people as gifts and keep going back to read my own again and again. I still laugh out loud every time. Couplehood was also just as funny and definitely a book I could relate to. Why hasn't he written anything else?! If you like to laugh, babyhood and couplehood are THE books to read.

Funny, indeed... but not as engaging as I expected
I can't say that Paul Reiser's book on babies (making them and having them), "Babyhood", was bad or dull. On the contrary, it was quite funny and packed with thought-provoking comments that make you question some of your irrational behaviors as you're going through the stages of parenthood , both before and after birth. However, I expected a lot more humor from the star and producer of 'Mad About You', arguably one of the best comedy shows ever, along with 'Seinfeld'. On that level, I must recommend as an alternative (a non-stop laughter generator) the book "Being a Dad: The Stuff No One Told Me". I read it shortly before "Babyhood". Though not as deep as this one in some spots, I found it to be a lot funnier than Reiser's.

Soooo funny, and soooo true!
My sister gave me this book about 2 months after I give birth to my first baby... I was dying for something good to read, spending so many long hours sitting around at home. THIS WAS THE BEST THING THAT I COULD HAVE PICKED UP! I couldn't stop laughing, as I turned the pages. Everything is sooooo true, but that's what makes it all so funny! I love Paul Reiser's frank writing style. I read the book in two short days, and it's the kind of book that you can pick up and finish at any time.

I would recommend giving this to anyone who has just had a baby! It will be the best thing that they'll receive! :-)

Even the Book Jacket is Funny
Paul Reiser wrote his own blurb on the inside of the book jacket for Parenthood, comparing his book with other parenting books. Other parenting books may tell you how to have a happy and healthy pregnancy, how to care for a newborn, and may give you first aid information you could use in an emergency, he says. In his book, though, you get to read about how tired he is plus there are some entertaining anecdotes about baby waste.

The book itself is painfully funny, perfectly capturing the sleepless nights and bewilderment of new parenthood. In the chapter called "Things to Worry About" Reiser lists all the myriad worries that come along when you bring a new baby home, for example that you could make him wave to someone who doesn't wave back, thus traumatizing him for life. In the chapter "I've Never Been This Tired, Ever" Reiser states that he'd do twenty years of diaper changes if you could guarantee him a solid eight hours of sleep a night for those twenty years. Not only do these phenomena have an effect on you as a parent, but also as a member of a couple, and Reiser perfectly describes the decimation a baby can wreak on a heretofore healthy relationship.

I read this book when my first child was two months old and literally laughed until tears rolled down my cheeks. I re-read it recently now that my oldest is 2 and I have another infant, and I find it just as apt. If you're a parent, don't miss it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"If you seek his monument, look around," commands Adrian Tinniswood in his scholarly but elegantly entertaining biography of Christopher Wren (1632-1723). "As an architect, he changed the face of England and the course of architectural history." Tinniswood describes with appreciation and discernment Wren's greatest buildings: "the bubble of unexampled lightness that is St. Stephen Walbrook" church, the additions to Hampton Court, and of course London's majestic St. Paul's Cathedral, a symbol of British faith and courage throughout the centuries. These structures were political as well as architectural achievements, and Tinniswood nicely captures the discretion, ruthlessness, and carefully cultivated connections that enabled Wren to survive the Civil War, get himself named Royal Surveyor, hang on to the job under five monarchs, and get designs approved and money wheedled out of a reluctant parliament. Tinniswood pays equally intelligent attention to Wren's early career as an esteemed Oxford astronomy professor and charter member of the Royal Society (and its president from 1681-3). He writes wittily about the quirks of Wren and such peers as Newton and Bernini, capturing the intensely personal nature of 17th-century public culture, and he (sparingly) offers his opinions in a way that enhances our understanding of the period. "I want my heroes to be people, not ideas," Tinniswood writes, after describing a squabble at the Royal Society. This sparkling biography reveals Wren as a human being without detracting from the heroic nature of his accomplishments. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (3)

By his deeds shall a man be known
Sir Christopher Wren has earned his reputation as a man of great learning and marvelous architectural works. He is therefore entitled to another book devoted to his lifework and HIS INVENTION SO FERTILE is just that. Adrian Tinniswood's "A Life of Christopher Wren" offers a well researched and finely detailed picture of the architectural legacy of Wren and his equally impressive, but lesser known work as an inventor, astronomer, and scientist. As a straight biography of the man - his thoughts and ideas and his family life - the book is a little sketchy. Unlike his friend John Evelyn and Samuel Pepys, Wren was no diarist. He in fact had very little to say about himself, his family, or the times in which he lived. When a biographer says that this is "a man you would give a great deal to know" you get a clear sense of the frustration Tinniswood faced in unearthing biographical details on Wren.

There is still of course quite a story to tell. Wren was born in 1632 and since his father was King's Chaplain at Windsor Castle one of little Christopher's playmates was the young Prince Charles (later Charles II). By the time Wren was 17 he had invented a pneumatic engine and a machine that wrote in the dark. His early interest was in astronomy and he made sundials and created a model of the Solar System. Wren tested the effectiveness of opium as an anaesthetic for prolonged surgery. This is where Tinniswood begins his book and I'd recommend skimming through the unpleasant description of experiments on a dog. A point that Tinniswood brings across, with Wren as a classic example, is that this was a time of knowledge as something whole. Learning was enlightenment in many subjects. Wren distinguished himself in mathematics, physics, medicine, and astronomy. In 1661, Wren not yet 30, was made professor of Astronomy at Oxford. Tinniswood highlights another interesting point about the general historical setting. How is it that this "fertile" period of great scientific discovery and expanding intellectual horizons coexisted with a time of civil war and massive political upheaval? The 1640's in England was a time of parliamentary revolt, a King (Charles I) losing his head - literally, and the rise of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell represented a significant threat to Royalists such as Wren and his family. When the Restoration of the monarchy was achieved and Charles II took the throne, Wren was in a perfect position to benefit from the application of his "formidable intellect" in the service of his friend the King. Shortly after Wren and others formed a society for the study of science Charles II gave it a Royal Charter in 1661, and thus the Royal Society of London was created.

The main substance of the book and the work for which we best know Wren - his architecture - we now see as simply just another career for Wren. The first building he designed was the chapel for Pembroke College, Cambridge but the work that was to stand him in good stead a few years later was his dome for the Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford. For this he studied Michelangelo's drawings for the dome of St Peter's in Rome, and Wren went to Paris in 1665 to look at Lemercier's Baroque style dome at the church of the Sorbonne. Wren was again fortuitously placed to benefit when following the Great Fire of London in 1666, thousands of houses, over 50 churches, and a significant landmark were destroyed. John Evelyn said it best in his diary "I was infinitely concerned to find that goodly church, St Paul's, a sad ruin..." Because Wren was so quick on the draw with a post-fire plan for a redesigned St Paul's, there has always been a rumour that Wren himself may have started the fire. Tinniswood does not fan the flame of that falsehood at all.

After the task of surveying the fire damage was completed Wren submitted a plan for the redesign of not just St Paul's but of great sections of London. The Rebuilding act of 1667 set some things in place such as wider streets but only a few elements of the city plan were accepted. Even with St Paul's, Wren had to submit many designs. Tinniswood goes into detail on the "First Model", the "Great Model" and the finally accepted "Warrant Design" which incorporated a Latin Cross layout with a large dome. Any architect reading these descriptions will be on familiar ground. Some aspects of the profession such as constantly modifying plans, negotiating and compromise, all have a very old history.

Readers who enjoy history, science, and of course architecture will thoroughly enjoy this book. Given that it's a biography it's surprising that those are the fans who'll probably be disappointed. There's nothing new here about Wren the man and what we already know is not much. Look to his work instead; it says a lot that words alone can't express.

An Architect, and More
In London, within St. Paul's Cathedral, one can find possibly the most famous epitaph in the world. In Latin, it says, "Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you." Within the crypt is the architect of St. Paul's, and what a monument he has, and how fitting. But it is not hard, even oceans away from England, to look around and find something that Wren affected. One of the great lessons of the fascinating _His Invention So Fertile: A Life of Christopher Wren_ (Oxford University Press) by Adrian Tinniswood is that Wren is not St. Paul's, although the cathedral may be regarded as the centerpiece of his life. He was not even merely an architect. Wren's astonishingly comprehensive genius reached into many fields, and he was an advocate to encourage the way we do science in the modern world.

It was obvious when Wren entered Wadham College at Oxford as a seventeen year old in 1649 that he had a mind directed toward inquiry and practicality - his favorite activity was designing sundials. The two impulses would continue throughout his long life. The "new science" of Francis Bacon was showing that experimentation was better than Aristotle at showing how the universe worked, and as a scientist, not as a builder, Wren initially found fame. He made discoveries in astronomy and anatomy, and showed practical insights into lens grinding, water pumps, weaving, and submarine navigation. He was a founding member of the Royal Society which propelled science forward in England in the ensuing centuries. It is not surprising that this many-sided man would take an interest in architecture. When London burned in 1666, he was the first with a plan to rebuild the city (nine days after the fire), and although the plan was too ambitious, its centerpiece, the new St. Paul's, became his to work on for over three decades. He had one chapel finished in Cambridge at the time, and a theater under construction in Oxford; before he was appointed architect of St. Paul's, this was his entire architectural portfolio.

Tinniswood has given us a big, thorough biography of an imposing intellect. The facts of Wren's endeavors must remain as the only real illumination to his personality, because much of his personal life is hidden. He died at age 91, and had many fights with lesser minds in order to bring his vision of St. Paul's into being. He succeeded, but it might have been that the battles made him look back with regret as death approached. He concluded that by being appointed Surveyor General he had been condemned "to spend all his time in Rubbish." He mean such rubbish as the Royal Hospitals at Greenwich and Chelsea, the Trinity College library, or the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. At the end he lamented that he had eventually let architecture sap his time from being a professional scientist. Wren did leave behind a scientific legacy, and one cannot second guess history, but read this fine biography and know that he made the right choice.

Extremely readable account of England's most famous architec
Tinniswood's new book is the first of a string of new biographies of Wren due out over the next few years. Tinniswood is a writer first and a historian second and he was succeeded in producing a book that is undoubtedly highly readable. The tone is as a colleague described, positively conspiratorial and the reader is seduced into turning each of the 463 pages to find out what happens next. This is thoroughly admirable and there is no doubt that Tinniswood has succeeded in his aim of producing the most readable account of Wren's life to date. He is also extremely good at setting the scene, quoting from a wide range of sources from the period, rumour as well as fact. In view of all this it thus seems almost carping to comment on the scholarship but as people will inevitably use such a good book as a source for Wren I think it is justified. Tinniswood himself says in the foreword that he relies heavily on the Wren Society, yet this is now out of date. His facts are unreliable and students should beware. Moreover the truth is often sacrificed at the altar of readability so that in those places where there is considerable doubt, such as Christopher's son's mental handicap, the arguments for and against are not mentioned, one side being presented as gospel. All this said if asked to recommend a single volume introduction to Wren, I would cite this one. There are few writers that have managed to capture the excitement of Wren and none are likely to be as accessible to the modern reader. ... Read more

Book Description

A beautifully illustrated coffee table art book that weaves its way through the art and mythology of The Da Vinci Code, this book is an art guide to unlocking The Da Vinci Code. Beautiful illustrations and insightful narratives guide the reader through the art and mythology and make us feel we are privy to the keys that unlock the secrets of The Da Vinci Code.

If you are like most readers, you mentally visualize the people, scenery, architecture, and objects described in whatever text you are perusing. The idea for this companion book to Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code was conceived by readers who, like you, do just that. Although they had created their own imaginary images to supplement their reading of this best selling novel, they wanted to actually see the images described and used to develop the plot. The Art and Mythology of the Da Vinci Code, by David Morris, provides the opportunity to do exactly that.It offers photographs of all the major buildings, landmarks, art and mythology referenced in Dan Brown's best selling novel.The images are presented in the order that the theological references, theories, and clues are provided to solve the mystery.Whether you are reading the novel because it's a great mystery or because you are intrigued by the theological hypotheses, this volume will exponentially enrich the experience.If you have already read the novel, this volume will allow you to revisit the art and mythology and perhaps expand your knowledge of them. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A spectacular augmentation to a masterpiece of fiction
What a tremendous addition to a great work.As a published author and someone with an insatiable appetite for reading, I was, like so many others, mesmerized by The DaVinci Code.What a tremendous bonus to discover 'The Art and Mythology of the DaVinci Code by David Morris.If you attempt to conjure images while reading (don't we all?), this work is nothing short of remarkable.While well read, I am not well traveled, making this work all the more enjoyable.I found myself re-reading DaVinci!!Don't miss this masterpiece.

extremely interesting
I have truly enjoyed every minute of it.The perpetual beauty of the book is remarkable.The perfect view and clearity of the pictures give you a 'being there' feeling; however, the knowledge that pours from the words are eqaully superb. Overall, this is a must have book to complete one's collection. ... Read more

Book Description

Dora Maar was a successful Surrealist photographer and artist, an unconventional and sexually liberated woman.The love story between her and Picasso unfolds through Maar's striking photographs of Picasso and their brilliant friends, most of them artists and writers; in his famous "weeping woman" portraits of her; and in Mary Ann Caws' revealing text.Drawing on this poignant collection of memorabilia, the book is an enthralling revelation not only of one of the century's great love affairs, but of the lives of a wholly exceptional circle of freiends. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Beautiful and insightful book.
This is a wonderful book, full of beautiful b/w images of dora, her photography/art and Picasso's work of her and more! It is really worth getting for your book collection, especially at this price, and it gives you an insight to Dora's life, I think she is fascinating woman living in a time when most photographer's were men. She is truely a pioneer and deserves more credit than being known as Picasso's muse. Very inspiring book.

Historical collections
Of some of Dora's photographs, and self portraits are a must have for any Dora fan. It shows her in her later years, it shows her paintings, it goes into detail about her love affair with Picasso as well. This is easily my favorite Dora book.

Dora mysterious, dramatic, definitely not only weeping
I would recommend this book to everybody. I am so delighted I purchased this book. It includes everything you need to know about Dora - her personal life before, during and after Picasso. I have always been interested in Picasso and by studying his life, I noticed all the fascinating women in his life. In my opinion, Dora was the one who made a big difference and who had a huge influence on him. Although it was Francoise Gilot, another woman in Picasso's life who gave him two children. Dora's own career and life as an artist (photographer, model, painter) is described in this book from the time she moved to Paris and tried to establish herself as a photographer.

You will not only find Picasso's portraits and drawings of Dora but Dora's own work (a lot of black & white photos taken by her that remind me of Man Ray's work). She truly was a talented artist. This is not often mentioned. Most of the people saw her mainly as Picasso's model and Muse. Dora was a very complex person full of emotions. She could be very dramatic in the way she looked and dressed. This all is revealed in this book. As I said, it has it all: Dora as a private person (Theodora M.) and Dora as an artist, the famous and remarkable Dora Maar. Trust me, with this book, you will get all the information you need. I consider this book a piece of art.

Insightful
Picasso's Weeping Woman: The Life and Art of Dora Maar

I am grateful for this book. It is insightful but not definitive. It is not an in depth biography of Dora Maar. A better perception of the psyche of Dora Maar is contained in James Lord's personal memoir "Picasso and Dora". And a better understanding of the cruelty of Picasso is presented in Arianna S. Huffington's "Picasso: Creator and Destroyer". Both I think are necessary to truly appreciate this book as I do.

Since Dora Maar's death in 1997, little has yet been published of her work. She is primarily known as one of the mistresses of Picasso but there was a world of complexity to this woman. She was deeply involved with the surrealists before she ever met Picasso. She knew them all, Breton, Tanguy, Man Ray, Hugnet, Crevel. She was a noted photographer, an exhibited painter, a poet and Picasso's muse and inspiration for seven stormy years culminating in a breakdown that left her a changed woman, a recluse and a religious devotee.

Mary Ann Caws book presents a dazzling panorama of works by both Dora Maar and Picasso including some wonderful comparative paintings of both artists. Dora Maar assisted and photographically chronicled Picasso as he created his masterpiece Guernica. That chronicle is beautifully presented in Caws book.

This book is an easy read with gorgeous reproductions of photographs, painting, sculpture, and poetry throughout not only from Dora Maar but also from Paul Eluard, André du Bouchet and others. It is a great visual companion piece to books on Picasso's works, photography and surrealism. It will occupy that regrettably tiny portion of my bookshelf devoted to Dora Maar. Thank you Mary Ann Caws for this delightful book

Beauty and History
Beautifully illustrated and well-written, this account of Dora Maar's life is succinct and yet full of interesting detail. The reader is introduced to her world in Paris and elswewhere in the late 20s and 30s, and on through the following years -- the history is rich and the art is beautiful. She was a photographer and painter, and involved with Picasso for many years as well as acquainted with other fascinating men and women of the era. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive look at the work of Ray Johnson, the seminal American collage artist, whose innovative oeuvre has been ignored by the self-referential mainstream art press. Critical essays investigate Johnson's imagination of mass culture and communication systems, his queer subjectivity and his insightful engagements with art movements of the 1960's including Fluxus, Pop Art and Conceptualism. Discover the rich legacy of an artist that the art establishment doesn't want you to know about.Exhibition catalog, dimension: 8 x 101/2 inches, this book includes 90 b&w and 35 color reproductions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Ray Johnson Review And CorrespoonDance
Judging this book by it's cover it must be a Ray Johnson Perfection with a P. Which is like a Confection with a Sea. The Ocean will continue to Lap. Place this book in your Lap and Lap it up. Please Write to: Rain Rien Nevermind 2101 Banebury Way East Chanhassen't MN 55317 with a review of this review. Or a Dyslexicon. Whilst Type-pink this review an Owl appeared to pop-up on the screen. It must have been an electrifried Owl.

Review of Review: Subj: HOwl Sad I Yam Too: Day
Date: 10/19/2003 12:37:17 PM Central Daylight Time
From: RRainrien To: Parllw CC: Art n Ants File: LoveLittersEdouartCuttingHisEdouartOut.jpg (66433 bytes) DL Time (44000 bps): < 1 minute Check Your Review of
Ray Johnson: How Sad I Am Today...Here is your review the way it will appear: = Ray Johnson Review And CorrespoonDance five starfish Reviewer: Rain Rien Nevermind from Chanhassen't, MN United States Judging this book by it's cover it must be a Ray Johnson Perfection with a P. Which is like a Confection with a Sea. The Ocean will continue to Lap. Place this book in your Lap and Lap it up. Please Write to: Rain Rien Nevermind 2101 Banebury Way East Chanhassen't MN 55317 with a review of this review. Or a Dyslexicon. Whilst Type-pink this review an Owl appeared to pop-up on the screen. It must have been an electrifried Owl.OR function possession is so, um, possessive getElement(id, d) {if (!d) d = document;if (d.getElementById) {return d.getElementById(id);}if (d.layers && d.layers[id]) {return d.layers[id];}if (d.all && d.all[id]) {return d.all[id];}} Your request is being processed... your id is turning on your ego... a tussel in-shoes, your super ego wins and grins, later a sexual issue appears to confront all three of you ! Note: By saving this review, you attest that you are at least 13 years of age.If you are under 13, please use our baby owl mother's potato masher browser. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Double Lives, Second Chances.
Kieslowski changed my life. I watched RED first, then WHITE and Finally BLUE. I've never watched anything that moved me so. So much better than anything that comes out of Hollywood( except for the occasional Shawshank). Ann Insdorf does a great job narrating the DVD--in the 'extras' section of the trilogy. Based on her performance, I bought 'Double Lives'. I enjoyed her personal observations of the master at work. I loved her book. My only complaint is I wanted moreanalysis of the Trilogy(and the Decalogue). But she gives a fantastic job on the Trilogy DVD set. She's a true scholar of the sage.

Blue White Red
I have been an enormous follower and keeper of Kieslowki's work since a fateful afternoon when I stumbled upon a showing of "Blue" several years ago.This of course came to a bittersweet juncture when Kdied in 1997.Regardless, this book accurately captures the thedevelopment of this extraordinary director... and writer.Insdorffpresented some interesting insights in her writing amidst some oversights:the car in Blue was a Puegeott, not BMW, and no mentioning of"Blue's" Julie's accident interruption in court in"White".Although Kieslowki's beginnings and earlier works likehis string of documentaries and "Decalogue" are crutcial to hisfoundation as an outstandingly brilliant director as showcased in the ThreeColors trilogy, I wished more expoundment was made on the his final threeworks which is truly poetry in images. ... Read more

Book Description

From a renowned boat builder and Southern raconteur comes a wryly humorous journey through a life lived on the water and the lessons learned along the way.

While still a young boy, Robb White built his first boat, hewn from the tin roof of an abandoned chicken coop in the backyard -- stamping and primping it into shape, then testing it out in the back creek. Today, without any formal training, White constructs some of the most sought after small wooden boats around.

This colorful portrait of the author's life invites readers into his special world -- a world uncluttered by computers, telephones, and rush orders. With chapters such as "Seagull: In which I learn not to be so gullible" and "The canned ham incident: In which I did not participate, so hurrah for the other side," White shares some of his wisdom gained from boat-building. Here as well are tall tales of a childhood spent exploring the Gulf of Mexico, and lessons learned from having his own family. Both wise and entertaining, How to Build a Tin Canoe will find a place on the shelves of readers who love Bailey White (the author's sister), Roy Blount, and Garrison Keillor.

"My family has been passing around dog-eared copies of these stories for years. My brother Robb is one of the funniest and liveliest writers I know, and I am delighted to think the rest of the world is about to find this out." --Bailey White ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Reading, but not mainly canoe
I got this from the library as I am a canoe nut. Turned out more of a continuing "autobiography"(?) in the McManus tradition (THEY SHOOT CANOES. DON'T THEY?)only this is all in the deep south. It is funny, informative and best of all highly irreverant. This guy was corrupted by some of the same forces that did me six decades ago. I am ordering it now for a keeper.

Mark Twain with Salt
In this slim but tugid volume, Robb White, heretofor known only to a narrow audience of small-boat nuts, introduces the wide world to his native waters, the Florida Gulf Coast, just like Mark Twain did for his, the Mississippi. This is no idle comparison: Like Twain, he has played with and piloted all kinds of boats upon his waters, met all life's characters there, and kept his eyes wide open all the time. If you think his language can't be as pungent, his characers as rich, his stories as deceptively simple -- well, don't judge till you read him. Then you might agree, Huck Finn ain't got nuthin' on ol' Robb White.

Quality, rightness and virtue: the wildman's revenge!
Robb White writes of his wild childhood and wild boating life. And he gets away with it because he's so good! This is candid, uproarious writing of the best sort. It's specific. And you know he knows what he's talking about because he's been there. What a tonic! His work reminds me of Jack Saunders. : ) --A fellow folk writer who hasn't gotten his break yet. Robb's is rough'n'tumble family storytelling, yet it's gentle. It's personal...and it's general. Just the right stuff. More! ...OK, I have to let the cat out of the bag: if you want more, subscribe to the thrifty, friendly little magazine "Messing About In Boats" right now. Robb has been writing biweekly columns for it for years now. What great good times! And fiesty, helpful boating (and living) info, too. (Did you know that Robb is the world's best bass fisherman? He'll tell you why sometime...)

Glorious, Joyful,Brilliant Storytelling
You will not want to put it down, and Mr. white will leave you wanting much more! A brillient storyteller with a touch of Mark Twain and Will Rogers, but contempory and better!!!
Share the laughter and joy, give this book to someone, be careful, you may not get it back.
You can not, not like it!

THIS IS PURE JOY!
GET THIS GLORIOUS BOOK! EVERYONE WILL LOVE IT. FUNNY, BUT ALSO SOME REMARKABLE STORYTELLING, THE LIKES OF WHICH WILL HOLD YOU, AND STAY WITH YOU. YOU WILL LEARN NEW THINGS, AND IT WON'T HURT. EXCEPT FOR SOME YANKEE ENVY, IT IS FLAWLESS.
THIS IS THE MOST ENJOYABLE BOOK I HAVE EVER READ IN A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
WAKE THE KIDS, CALL THE NEIGHBORS, AND GIVE EM EACH A COPY, THEN WAITE FOR THE HUGS AND KISSES. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

An American Classic From England
Let us say the Book Fairy comes and says you can be given one book, any book you want. Here's my advice: take John James Audubon's _The Birds of America_. Of course you want the original edition, the volumes that appeared between 1826 and 1838. Not only is it one of the most beautiful books ever printed, if you get tired of it, you can sell it. The last one that came up for sale, in 2000, went for $8.8 million. Just about everyone knows about this book, or has seen reprints from it, and has heard of Audubon (perhaps because of the Society that bears his name) and associates him with birds. He has had several biographies, but _Audubon's Elephant: America's Greatest Naturalist and the Making of the Birds of America_ (Henry Holt) by Duff Hart-Davis takes a specific look at the extraordinary book, and how _The Birds of America_ could not have been made in America.

Audubon's own adopted country had no room for his huge project of a book to show all the birds of America life sized. Naturalists at the time actively discouraged anyone's support of Audubon's efforts, and there were not printers up to the task. So in 1826, Audubon sailed with his big watercolors to England. He became a celebrated American rustic, captivating the town of Edinburgh. He went about carrying his huge portfolio which weighed nearly a hundred pounds, slung over his shoulder. The first printer of the work, having see it, responded, "My God! I never saw anything like this before." He was right; Audubon's pictures had size, drama, and color no previous bird pictures even hinted at. The pictures caused a sensation, and Audubon was caught in a whirl of dining and socializing that he enjoyed enormously. The enormous work of getting subscribers, printing the pictures, and getting a team of colorists to hand tint each one was more than Audubon had counted on. He wrote, "I am thrown into a vortex of business that I never conceived I could manage."

Audubon and conservation have become synonymous, but his process of making his art will appall those many who belong to the Society bearing his name. Audubon probably killed more birds than any man in history, saying, "I call birds few when I shoot less than one hundred per day." He liked painting birds in action, but he posed them that way, killing them and mounting them so he could get the action stilled. A companion complained about Audubon working on his turkey painting, "The damned fellow kept it pinned up there till it rotted and stunk. I hated to lose so much good eating." Audubon kept a golden eagle in a cage to observe it, and having it seen alive sufficiently, tried to suffocate it with charcoal smoke, and when that did not work, pierced it through the heart with a pointed steel needle. As Hart-Davis realizes, Audubon did not lust for blood, but for knowledge. Imparting that knowledge through his art was his great goal, magnificently realized. _Audubon's Elephant_ is a much smaller volume than the original it describes, but it is still handsomely produced on fine paper and with fittingly copious illustrations. It is a vibrant account of an artist accomplishing his dream. ... Read more

Book Description

Factory Made: Warhol and the Sixties is a fascinating look at the avant-garde group that came together—from 1964 to 1968—as Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory, a cast that included Lou Reed, Nico, Edie Sedgwick, Gerard Malanga, Paul Morrissey, Joe Dallesandro, Billy Name, Candy Darling, Baby Jane Holzer, Brigid Berlin, Ultra Violet, and Viva. Steven Watson follows their diverse lives from childhood through their Factory years. He shows how this ever-changing mix of artists and poets, musicians and filmmakers, drag queens, society figures, and fashion models, all interacted at the Factory to create more than 500 films, the Velvet Underground, paintings and sculpture, and thousands of photographs.

Between 1961 and 1964 Warhol produced his most iconic art: the Flower paintings, the Marilyns, the Campbell’s Soup Can paintings, and the Brillo Boxes. But it was his films—Sleep, Kiss, Empire, The Chelsea Girls, and Vinyl—that constituted his most prolific output in the mid-1960s, and with this book Watson points up the important and little-known interaction of the Factory with the New York avant-garde film world. Watson sets his story in the context of the revolutionary milieu of 1960s New York: the opening of Paul Young’s Paraphernalia, Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball, Max’s Kansas City, and the Beautiful People Party at the Factory, among many other events.

Interspersed throughout are Watson’s trademark sociogram, more than 130 black-and-white
photographs—some never before seen—and many sidebars of quotes and slang that help define the Warholian world. With Factory Made, Watson has focused on a moment that transformed the art and style of a generation. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Documents the history of his achievement
From the moment of its opening in 1964, Andy Warhol's Silver Factory was a popular staple of the New York art scene. Factory Made: Warhol And The Sixties is an informative guide which documents the history of his achievement, surveying the lives of factory members interviewed for feature herein and providing insights into the collaborative artworks produced by their interactions. Warhol's experiment resulted in unparalleled arts production, documented in an intriguing, inviting guide.

Factory Made : Warhol and the Sixties
Watson's latest look at history (after Strange Bedfellows: The First American Avant-Garde) packs few surprises in its account of American icon Andy Warhol in the "golden age" of the first decade of his success but manages to capture the hectic, hedonistic atmosphere of those early silver factory years culminating in Warhol's near assassination in 1968. Crammed between accounts of Warhol's painting, silkscreen, and film production is plenty of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. For Watson, the cast of characters running in and out of Factory life is as fascinating as the art (and its related happenings around New York City), making this the most comprehensive description of a time that would-and could-never happen again, and a good companion to Warhol's vague but entertaining autobiographies and interviews. The text is more driven and less thoughtful than existing accounts, with quotes and photographs in the margins offering capsules of Warhol's world. Watson seems to have left no rock star unturned in his research, and the list of interviews and sources at the back of the book are testament to its encompassing breadth-and breathlessness. Recommended for larger libraries as a thorough and very readable account of Warhol's 1960s

Andy's Choice
I admit to being a Warhol fanatic since the 1960s -- so I have read a ton of stuff about Andy. What makes Steven Watson's book so pivitol is his vantage point. He is standing right at the highpoint in Warhol's life and career and can measure the rise (while understanding the slide). It's hard to define the process in which ideas are germina