No comments about Golf Panoramic Postcard Book.

No comments about Greetings from Portland.

No comments about Montreal: A Book of 21 Postcards.

5 comments about Boring Postcards USA.

1. First a word of clarification. These are not postcards to be mailed. I didn't read the description clearly. This was only my fault, but someone else out there might make the same mistake.
   
   Second, the publisher's description and viewers' comments are correct: These are boring, charmless, insipid images, that might tell us a lot about who we think we are -- perhaps of how proud small-town America was of its new airports, bus terminals and banks after the war. But I thought that not including any reflections by a student of our culture (Lord knows there are enough candidates), was just plain cheap, and makes this little book, well, boring.



2. I have owned this book for several years. Once in a while, I break it out if I yearn for something nostalgic or a break from the present-day pace. The sometimes placid and unassuming images cause the reader to consider a simpler time. It never fails to entertain. Yes, it has humorous images, some staged--yet others seem to be a snapshot of everyday life. The postcards depicting tacky motel room interiors are fun. Any reader could imagine a nice restful escape in these quarters. If anything, this book encapsulates a time gone by but not forgotten. Hardly boring as the title implies, these postcards are a comfort and a great page-turner for those that want to de-stress.



3. I bought this gift as a "funny" Christmas present. Most of the pictures don't even look like they were postcards (just pictures) ... nor can you tell when / where they are from... and most of them are just pictures of interstates... the commentary under each of the picture is sort of random too... just not what I thought it would be...



4. I read reviews before I purchased this book, and followed the advice of the positive ones. I actually sent this book back the day after I received it. Thank goodness for free return shipping. BORING BORING BORING
   Nothing fun about this book at all.



5. This is an awesome book, made up entirely of old postcards with pictures of highways, restaurants, airports, and other prosaic places.
   
   The postcards aren't like the ones you see today, photographs of beautiful places. They look like someone snapped a picture of the highway or restaurant, without even bothering to pick a scenic spot. Only, many of them have captions describing the pictures as 'beautiful' or 'scenic.' That only makes it funnier.
   
   On the one hand, I applaud the use of average, even somewhat ugly images in this book to convey a feeling of time and place. At the same time, I can't believe anyone thought these pictures would make good postcards -- even decades ago.
   
   The pictures are quirky and make me laugh. Best of all, they feel like a window into another time. I can look at these photographs and feel like I'm there... in that prosaic, rather ugly place, probably filled with real people with all their quirks and oddities. It's like a time machine!
   
   All in all, I'm very glad I acquired this book.

No comments about A Postcard Journey Along the St. Johns River.

No comments about Till the Boys Come Home: The Picture Postcards of the First World War.

No comments about Lexington, KY: A Postcard History.

No comments about Florida Citrus: On Old Postcards.

4 comments about The Cincinnati Sound (Postcards of America: Ohio).

1. I have recently purchased Randy McNutt's book "The Cincinnati Sound"and find myself going back to like a good habit.Cincinnati was a big radio city with WLW,at one time 500,000 watts,and by virtue of this attracted the top musicians and singers from all over the country.And speaking of country thats were pop music and rock and roll had their birth.I was surprised to read just how many country musicians had their careers kicked into gear in the"Queen City".People like Hank Williams,Homer and Jethro,Kenny Price,and Chet Atkins can all thank Cincy.Homer and Jethro used to say that WLW stood for "worlds lowest wages". Sadly, they were right-I was employed there while I was in College.Having worked with a lot of people that appear in the book,it took reading it to really see how important they were,I was working with pioneers. I had no idea that Zeke Turner had played guitar on Hank Williams' records recorded in the city or that Bonnie Lou actually had a hit record. Ruth Lyons wrote hits for Johnny Mathis.
   
   The book follows music's progression to rock and roll.There's no shortage of talent here either.Everyone from the fifties'Carl Dobkins Jr.,to the sixties'Lemon Pipers, Casinos and Lonnie Mack,to the seventies'Heywoods.
   
   Pop music, not to be forgotten includes Bob Braun,Rosemary Clooney,and Ruth Lyons-a fantastic songwriter.
   
   We find out that,where there was talent record companies and recording studios would soon follow,or is it the other way around? It dosen't matter Cincinnati had both.None was more famous than "King Records" and recording studios-the home of James Brown.
   
   But the real wealth of this book is its treasure of photos.Many of them obscure,all accompanied by mini histories.
   
   In the end this is not simply the story of one cities music scene but that of the whole music industry. A snapshot of a moment in time where a singer or musician from anywhere just needed talent and a good break.A time that is no more but can be relived again through the pages of this book.Thank you Randy McNutt.



2. This is a pleasant and short general summation of the local music scene of Cincinnati. I had to have it because my band's small picture is in it, but I have some personal opinions about this book. It does not accuratly cover the 1960's rock era well at all. Lets face it, the baby boomers are the majority of book buyers now so another book should now be written to cover our favorite time in music history the 1960's. (not our parents hey days) In this book rock & roll was more of an incomplete after thought. If you didn't know better you would think Dale W and the right guys were pretty much the entire Cincy music scene. Apparently Dale W. was kind enough to furnish lots of photos and the author used every one of them to fill the book.(including the book cover photo) As part of the local Cincinnati music scene for 40+ years I can attest most musicians were left out or got minimum coverage here at best. In all fairness to Mr McNutt this is a large period of time to cover in one small book and I for one am glad someone has made the first attempt to summerize our musicial history. This book should now be a catalyst for someone to write an extensive Cincinnati Music history early 1960's to maybe 1990? And please-make some calls first-we all have lots of pictures and stories to tell to make it a complete and accurate summary of a great fun time in Cincinnati music.



3. Too much country! There is not enough coverage of the best days of rock and roll music in Cincinnati....the mid 50's to the mid 60's. Seems to be limited by the authors personal experience. No inclusion of Classical music in Cincinnati. Big band sound at places like Castle Farm, Moonlight Gardens and the Topper Club is minimal. The Cotton Club and black music innovators in Cincy are virtually unmentioned.



4. Why a book about popular music in Cincinnati? Because the city has an extensive involvement in the evolution of pop and country music. Rock, soul, country, R&B, blues, and bluegrass have always been well-represented by musicians and singers in the region, many of whom went on to national fame. Among the more notable of these are singers like Doris Day, Andy Williams, and Rosemary Clooney in the 1940s, continuing through the 1950s and 1960s with the likes of the McGuire Sisters, the Isley Brothers, guitarist Lonnie Mack, the Lemon Pipers (remember "Green Tambourine?"), the Casinos, Billy Joe Royal, and more.
   
   During the period covered by this book (1940 - 1970, a classic period in popular music) Cincinnati was a way-station for even more big names. Upwardly-mobile performers such as Grandpa Jones, Chet Atkins, and Merle Travis put in time at WLW, then moved on to bigger things. Some legends buzzed into town to record, among them Hank Williams. Bobby Bare, and James Brown.
   
   But those two paragraphs don't begin to summarize Cincinnati's popular music heritage. Chronicling even three decades has to have been a tough job, but newspaperman and historian Randy McNutt willingly took it on. The result is The Cincinnati Sound.
   
   Randy McNutt is no stranger to the popular music, having been a record producer. He's also written (among other titles) four histories that cover rock, rockabilly, small recording studios, and record labels. The Cincinnati Sound naturally benefits from the research for his earlier books, but it's clear that a lot of dedicated effort went into researching this volume.
   
   Being a part of the Arcadia Press "Images of America" series, the book adheres to a tight format that calls for two images on most pages, with around 90 words attached to each image. (A few pages have just one image, and there's one two-page spread showing James Brown and the Famous Flames in action.) This is restrictive, but McNutt manages to pack a lot of information into every cut line. And it's clear that he did quite a bit of research into the history of each entertainer. (Readers who are familiar with the Cincinnati scene may note the absence of this group or that singer. This is due to the limitations imposed by the book's format and size. But what's in the book makes up for the forced omissions.)
   
   The photos (there are over 200) are treasures, and many have never been published. Some come from the artists themselves, and McNutt dipped into his own collection for still more. Though some of the photos were originally snapshots, McNutt and the publisher's production people managed to turn them into quality images. Rare posters, record labels, and other ephemerae highlight the book's pages.
   
   It may sound cliched, but The Cincinnati Sound is a must-have for Cincinnati history buffs, as well as rock, soul, and country music fans. I think it would make a good gift for anyone who lives in or is from the Cincinnati area, as well.

No comments about Chicago's Soldier Field (IL) (Postcards of America).