2 comments about Beneath The Gated Sky (Beyond the Veil of Stars).

1. Concerning both "Beyond the Veil of Stars" and "Beneath The Gated Sky", Mr. Reed is one of the better "new" sci-fi writers in the field... if you like original ideas, exploration themes, shape-shifter plots, or that "high lonesome" feeling of old Bradbury novels, this might be for you.
   
   Reed's 2 related novels in this series will make you ~think~, and perhaps dream, of alternate realities. I have re-read both books numerous times since. They are quite original, and devastatingly believable.
   
   Please Mr. Reed, write a third book in this series!



2. Beneath the Gated Sky is a wonderfully conceived and joyously written followup to the New York Times Notable Book of the Year, Beyond the Veil of Stars.

   In this outing, Reed seems to concentrate more on the character of Porsche. I found Porsche to be a rather one-dimensional, predictable character in Beyond the Veil of Stars. In this book, however, a great deal is told from Porsche's point of view. As such we get a greater glimpse into her psyche, which makes for a much more rewarding read.

   Perhaps Robert Reed's greatest strength as an author is his ability to introduce stunning scientific ideas while still maintaining believable situations and believable, likeable characters. Beneath the Gated Sky is no exception. Reed expands greatly upon the ideas first put forth in Beyond the Veil of Stars. To go into any detail about his extensions would be to take away the thrill of discovery, so suffice it to say that Beyond the Veil of Stars is just the tip of the iceberg.

No comments about Arts & Crafts Collector's Guide, The.

No comments about Miller's Collecting Modern Design.

No comments about More Roycroft Art Metal: With Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

No comments about Miller's: Victorian: Antiques Checklist (Miller's Antiques Checklist).

2 comments about Art Deco Sculpture and Metalwares.

1. Disappointing book. The title should be Germanic influenced metalwork from 1910 through 1935 to be more realistic. Does not cover the wide spectrum of Art Deco sculpture in Western Europe, deals mainly with European sculpture and metalwork east of the Rhine river.



2. The chryselephantine sculpture is disappointingly covered both in content (just worth a couple of lines) and pictures (awful, tasteless and neglected duotone photos). Clearly, the author focuses just on arty sculpture rather than serial manufacture, missing the point of art deco sculpture, a blend of art and craftmanship.

2 comments about Mexican Folk Art: from Oaxacan Artist Families.

1. I've visited Oaxaca City and some of the surrouding craft villages on a trip about 8 years ago. I'm going again in October 2008. I decided to purchase this book so that I could have a better understanding of the various crafts, who makes them and where they are located. I hoped to have more knowledge then the average tourist who might simply go on a tour and only visit the craftsmen they were shown. With the information this book provided I could hire a driver and tell him which places I want to visit. I found the history of how the crafts were started in various families and then passed down interesting. The author mentions that some are going to be more expensive then others and that she tries to provide a range of options within the same craft category (pottery, wood carvings, weavings, etc.). It would have been helpful to have been provided an average price range per craftsman. Once I'm back from my trip this book will be a happy reminder of many good travelling and shopping memories!



2. This is a great book, that shows over 40 families in Mexico who make Mexican folk arts. There is a short history of each family and pictures of what they craft with the price and address to order it. There are also tons of beautiful pictures :) This is a great book !

No comments about Public Sculpture in Australia.

2 comments about Bronzes of the 19th Century: Dictionary of Sculptors (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This book was perfect for my parents who like to know all they can about the antiques they have. This book is well illustrated and thorough. Of all the bronze books they ahve recently aquired, this one is their favorite. They wanted the book for the Mene and Barye bronze information in particular and were pleased to find most of their pieces in the book. I would recommend this book for those wanting to know about thier bronzes and the people behind them. ( My parents love it.)



2. This publication will be of interest to 2 groups of people. Firstly collectors of Bronze figures of the classical period will be able to use this as a reference for studying artists which thewy may encounter in their antique hunting. The book is large and imrpessive and handsomely presented with colour and B & W photographs.
   For the second group (lovers of quality books) this one is very impressive and is of the type that would make a great coffee table book.
   I am in both categories and will use this publication for both avid collecting and just as a good read.

1 comments about The Golden Age: Manuscript Painting at the Time of Jean, Duke of Berry.

1. I have owned my copy of this book for many years, for the simple reason that the illustrations in it are all beautifully reproduced samples of what is justifiably seen as a golden age in illuminated manuscript painting c1380-1420.

   The book starts with an introduction into the various artists and their techniques and their patrons. This is followed up by full page reproductions, mostly of "carpet pages" from various manuscripts. This includes books such as: - The Bodmer Hours, The Visconti Hours, The Bible of King Wenceslas, The Psalter of Jean De Berry, The Belles Heures of Jean De Berry, The Boucicaut Hours and The Rohan Hours as a small sample.

   The plates are beautiful reproductions, with gold in used to highlight various manuscripts. However, luckily, it has not been so heavily printed as to obscure detail. For an overall purely visual look of the range and beauty of manuscripts of this period this book is hard to beat.