2 comments about The Bare Truth: Stars of Burlesque From the '40s and '50s.

1. Rothe presents a wonderful photographic collection of some of the great stars of burlesque's golden era. Most of the photos appear to have been promotional photos for display on marquees or in hallways of burlesque houses. All of the women are beautiful and must have been fabulous to see in performance. Rothe worked in the entertainment industry and it would be interesting for him to record his memories of these women. But until then, these photos will serve as reminders of a generation of beautiful performers.



2. this is a very informative pictoral of burlesque dancers. From the top stars and their chorus line partners of the stage, how they dressed and their routines. It was an era I just missed. Too young for their heyday and dead by the time I left the military service when I was of legal age. I am doing some research to see what I missed.

1 comments about Art Nouveau (DK Collector's Guides).

1. While my interest in Art Nouveau is largely a consequence of its incorporation into cross stitch designs, I also admire the inherent beauty in many of the pieces.
   
   I picked up this book simply to feast on the many and varied works pictured including: ceramics, jewellery, furniture, posters and glassware. A cornucopia of designs from Rene Lalique, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Tiffany Studios, Alphonse Mucha and many others.
   
   If you have an interest in Art Nouveau, or just enjoy looking at it, then you may well enjoy this book.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith

5 comments about Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them.

1. As a toy inventor I was surprised when I first saw the book by how beautifully designed it was as well as the extraordinary quality of the photography. On further examination, it greatly surpassed my first impression with its fascinating stories and (truly astonishing), that it got its facts right!
   
   In addition to the fun of seeing all those cool looking toys and taking a nostalgic look back over the last century, it's an historical tribute to American and American immigrant's genius and hard work that has given us all so much pleasure.
   
   treat yourself and your friends to this fine book.



2. The author has created an excellent book covering the most popular toys of the 20th Century. As you go through this book, you are going to come across many toys you remember from your own lifetime. While some have faded with time, many are still popular and have entertained ever since they first appeared.
   The book takes a rather wide view of what a toy is; and includes many games,puzzles,and other things that have entertained young as well as those who are young at heart,if not in years.
   The first toy discussed was the Flexible Flyer sled.It brought back a memory to me ,since I had one as a kid.Mine had the straight-runner,and I ran into a gutter grate and punctured my thigh. It seems it happened enough that the runners were rounded.Then, there is the Big Wheel. The kid next door had one and he loved it so much ,he wore completely through the plastic wheels.
   Here, you will not only see great pictures of the toy or game ;but also the story behind its being invented and marketed. You will also learn about the person who invented it,details about patents,how many were sold;and lots of other interesting details. It's highly likely that you will find your favorite toy or game covered.
   At the back of the book you will find an extensive Bibliography. The book covers many games and puzzles.I have been a long time fan of puzzles and if you are interested in them ,I suggest a search under Jerry Slocum,[...]or The Slocum Puzzle Foundation,Beverly Hills,California.
   Overall,a wonderful book that would be interesting to just about anyone who enjoys toys,games or puzzles.



3. As someone interested in toys and collecting, I've read lots on the subject. But Tim Walsh still told me things I didn't know. The best part is that someone with no interest in the subject will still find this lavish, inviting coffee table book an enthralling read. The reason is the author, Tim Walsh. Most toy collecting books start with no criteria as to what goes in and what stays out of the book. Tim did. One criterion was that the toy had to be created or invented by an outsider. Thus, a lot of well- known toys already didn't make the cut.
   
   The ones that did have stories a lot better than the title, Timeless Toys, makes them sound. By that I mean that this isn't one of those nostalgic "see how much better these simple toys were than all your overdone gadgetry?" books that abound in collecting circles. You might come to that conclusion, but Tim started somewhere else. When he made his own games, he started asking questions about others. Why is the box like that? Why is this that color? Where did they get that name?
   
   Those are the same questions one asks playing with toys. The cynical answers are that marketing research showed that more people would pick up the package if it were blue, and a computer poll of all co-eds showed they liked the letter "Z". But Tim shows, thank heaven, that those cynical answers are wrong. Lots of great toys came from accidents, and many inventors began with a sense of wonder.
   
   Tim doesn't stop there. Those outsiders need insiders to make a toy. Tim covers all that, including the most famous toy designer, Marvin Glass. As with Andy Warhol, the Glass name covered a design team, and Tim introduces some of the faces behind the scenes. Many toys were inspired by other toys, and Tim traces the roots back. His findings usually don't jibe with the urban legends surrounding their creations, and when there are multiple tales, Tim tells them all.
   
   The most interesting parts to me are some that might be overlooked. They are small sidebars showing the origins of a toy and some of the companies that have made it. Often the company names change because the companies are bought by other firms. A decade ago Tyco was bringing back all the classic toys that ever existed, having bought those companies or their toy molds. Where's Tyco now? I wondered, until Tim revealed it was bought by Mattell.
   
   Tim also tells the origin of many toy companies, including one started by two guys named Matson and Elliot. I've read about Wham-O before, and even interviewed an animator who made Superball commercials, but Tim reveals the secret of how Wham-O made so many great toys. Tim also breaks it all down with by decade timelines. He often shows the box art of toys that were revived in various decades. Toy art in the '50s and '60s, much of it done by comic book artists, is a wonder to behold, while the overdone, throwaway art of today really does look like the result of committees on market research.
   
   The bad news is that this 300 page book is only about 75 toys. But that may be a good thing. Those interested might track down Bill Bruegman's Toys of the Sixties or related volumes to read on. Don't buy The Playmakers, though, because Timeless Toys is the new title of the same book. Tim Walsh convinced me that creative souls, even today, even if by accident, may still have a chance. If toys be the fruit of wonder, play on!



4. I happened upon this book browsing through a used book store. I sat down and started flipping through the pictures and descriptions of familiar, famous toys, and COULD NOT put the book down! I bought it that night, of course, and was even more spell-bound the more I read. I was astounded by Tim Walsh's research; the large, bright photographs; and the intimate history of the development of so many toys that are part of any American children's heritage. Learning that Mr. Potato Head originally came without the potato (children used a real one!), seeing all the variations of Candyland (found my own version: 1970's), and reading about what made the Cabbage Patch Doll craze (4th grade - I remember so clearly!) was fascinating. It was my treat to read every day coming home from work until sadly, I finished it! But, as a 5th grade teacher, I promptly took the book to school and watched with delight my students' reactions as they discovered interesting and arcane facts about toys they all knew about as well (how long some toys have been around got the biggest reactions). It was passed around the classroom for several weeks. I cannot recommend this book too highly!



5. I have nothing to add to all the other five star reviews, just that this book is amazing, a real labor of love, huge amount of illustrations and history, and impossible to put down. it's worth every penny of the list price as a fascinating coffee table book, and you can get it for ten percent of the list value, used,as well. apparently there were two publishers with two titles, 'timeless toys', and 'playmakers' seems to be the same book.

2 comments about Gun Digest Book of Ruger Pistols and Revolvers.

1. As the title says, this is a decent enough book, but it does have some inaccuracies. Right off the bat, the author states that Rugers first gun was the MK1. Not so, it was the Standard Auto, or Standard Model. Now granted, the MK 1 was just the same gun with adjustable sights and longer barrel, but this is a pet peeve of mine. In another place he states that a bobbed hammer on a SP101 will keep dirt out of the action! Now, an enclosed hammer will keep dirt out of the action, but a bobbed hammer will keep no more dirt out of the action than a regular hammer model will. On page 28 there is a picture of what is obviously regular Blackhawk revolvers, but the caption states they are Bisley-gripped Super Blackhawks. No, they are not! They have the regular grip frame and hammer, not Bisley grip frame or Super grip frame and not their hammers either. The author also states that there were no Old Model Convertable Blackhawks, which is not true, and he states the .45 Colt/ACP Convertable was the first, which is not true either, as the .357/9mm was the first. Then, on the very last page he states that the serial #s for the Single Six are on the butt of the gun! No, if the serial #s were on the butt of the gun it would be a simple matter to swap the grip frame, which I am sure the ATF would frown upon. The #s are on the side of the grip frame, just like the Blackhawk. Now, some of you may think I am nitpicking, but if you are going to write a book about a subject, it would be good if you were sure of your facts! Now, that being said, most of the book is pretty enjoyable, the pictures of the Ruger factory being the highlight of the book, in my opinion.



2. I really anticipated buying this book to add to my ever-growing firearm book collection. Too bad it falls short of all I expected. No color photos, DOZENS of grammatical errors, misspelled words, an overall sloppy editing job. I respect Sweeney, I have his G.D. books on the glock and the AR-15, and they're decent, but this book just overall sucks.

1 comments about American Furniture: Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods in the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum (Winterthur Book).

1. I was excited from the time I opened the package. The volume has high quality photographs printed on gloss pages. The photographs represent a broad spectrum of works by superior funrniture makers. The comprehensive text explained the obvious and not so obvious distingtions in form, format, style, constrution approach, and a host of like details.
   
   I took the volume with me to Marc Adams School of Woodworking for a Philidephia Lowboy class with Allen Breed. The pictures aided in layout and construction of the item. Class members were impressed with the quality and quanity of the photographs. This book is well worth the price.

2 comments about Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology (Studies in Popular Culture).

1. This book forever changed the way that I read superhero comics. Reynolds discusses the factors that are present in virtually every superhero comic since Superman was created. Some are apparent (devotion to justice, secret identitities), and some are subtle (lost parents, accountability only to one's own conscience). Virtually all factors are recapitulations of the developmental struggles of the primary audience of these comics: adolescent males. Reynolds continues by illuminating the grand, mythical nature of the comic-book universes, all stories blending into one vast "canonical" story, each comic becoming part of a larger continuity. This continuity shares several features of classical mythologies, which Reynolds explores in depth, citing the X-Men, the Watchmen, and the Dark Knight Returns series (among others) as evidence. Read this, it's great.



2. In Superheroes: A Modern Mythology, Richard Reynolds does an excellent job of dissecting some of the origins of the superhero genre. Beginning in the 1930s and 1940s, he lays bare some of the prevailing ideas and iconography and puts superheroes in context. Reynolds also does an able job of analyzing The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore's Watchmen, as well as certain superhero origin stories. This book's only disappointment comes from the fact that his analyzes of superheroes' mythic origins don't go far enough - those looking for explicit comparisons to assorted mythic pantheons or full-throated examinations of how superheroes fall into legendary templates (except those of the Joseph Campbell variety) will be disappointed. However, an excellent and important read for anyone interested in comic books.

2 comments about Strength to Your Sword Arm: Selected Writings.

1. Reading Brenda Ueland's essays are like chatting with an old friend. Her description, enthusiasm, and sheer enjoyment of writing permeate every page of this charming book. Each essay is short--between 2 and 4 pages--and deals with a single topic, making it possible to skip between topics rather than read from page one. Her characters are colorful and wonderfully drawn--you will feel as if you were sitting in the park with her, listening to this marvelous woman telling tales of her amazing life!



2. A woman who lived with passion, spunk, and humor, Brenda Ueland is an inspiration to women writers, and especially to writers of memoir. Her style is unbridled and totally original; her voice bounces off the page and engages the reader. Her book of advice on writing, IF YOU WANT TO WRITE, is a classic, and I recommend it (at the top of my list) to all students in my writing workshops. STRENTH TO YOUR SWORD ARM is a fine collection of articles, essays, and newspapers columns written by Ueland. An added bonus in this book is the delightful foreward written by memoirist Susan Allen Toth. Overall, this book is a wonderful way to learn more about Brenda Ueland. Clearly, there is no one else like her. -- Cindy La Ferle, columnist and author of Writing Home. www.laferle.com

5 comments about Stereo Views: An Illustrated History & Price Guide (Stereo Views).

1. This is a brand new, year 2002, 336 page book with over 3,000 detailed listings of stereo view collectibles. It has more than 500 black and white photos with a wealth of useful and interesting text on this popular collectible. Chapters include care, condition, and dates of views, evaluating views, leading photographers and publishers and much information on modern era 3-D visual collectibles, including Tru-Vue, Novelviews, View-Master, GAF and more. The volume is completely indexed for easy location of items. Very comprehensive updated value guide. This updated edition is a must for stereo view enthusiasts. Add it to your library.



2. There are prices listed, as well as tips about how to grade collectibles. While prices are always debatable, it is still a great reference. With more than 300 photos on a total 336 pages it is also a wonderful book to browse.

   A true "must have" book for any stereo collector!




3. The revised edition is excellent, apart from forming a useful catalogue of stereographs to seek out, it is also a wonderful history of the many subjects photographed in 3-D over the years. I rated it at 4 stars rather than 5 because I consider the reduced content of the index to be a retrograde step. Having said that it is a 'must have' for all stereographers.



4. This is an excellent history of the 19th and early 20th century phenomeon "stereo views" in which two copies of a photograph were produced on a letter-sized card and viewed through a hand-held viewer to see the picture in 3-D effect. You still see these old photo cards occasionally at flea markets and antique shops and they have been avidly collected for generations although this form of entertainment died out around the 1920's. Mr. Waldsmith gives us detailed listings of many of the stereo view cards, price value, and information on many photographers. A wonderful bonus for the baby boom generation is the inclusion of the history of Viewmasters, the "updated" version of SVs a fond memory for children for over 50 years and still being issued today. Waldsmith includes a complete list of Viewmaster photo reels and packets issued up through the book's publication as well as the less popular rivals of Viewmaster in the past. Highly recommended even if you don't collect either stereo views or viewmaster reels and invaluable if you do.



5. This is a "must-have" book for the serious collector of stereo views and those just now getting interested in this fascinating subject. Waldsmith really knows his stuff. Highly recommended.
   
   -David Burkhart, author of Earthquake Days: The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire in 3-D.

1 comments about Charleston Furniture 1700-1825.

1. Wonderful book about furniture of this period. Especially interesting for me as I had numerous relatives living in Charleston during this period and up to present. It gives insight into how people lived in Charleston during these times.

5 comments about Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting.

1. Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting is not intended to replace the requisite catalogue, but meant to supplement it. Its sixty-two chapters are divided into three parts. "Stamps of the United States" spans thirty-one chapters and covers definitives, commemoratives, special purpose stamps, and postal stationary. The first two chapters discuss postage before stamps and are well-researched and concise without being simplistic.
   
   "History, Production and Technology" claims twenty-four chapters and covers the history of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, United States Postal Service, and technology of stamp production. The last seven chapters focus on related collectables such as first-day covers, metered mail, seals, and cancellations. Appendix A is a glossary of terms. It is unfortunate that this glossary is not available as a stand-alone publication as it would complement a catalogue well. Appendix B and C are print and web resources. Appendix D is a list of benefactors without an explanation of their generosity.
   
   Each chapter has an almanac, a reference for additional information, and relevant quotes from that period. Some chapters have notes for collectors or examples of postal usage. All of these addendums serve to make philately more interesting for novice and seasoned collectors alike.
   
   Curiously, this publication has no index making it difficult to cross-reference issues that are cited in multiple entries. The term "encyclopedia" would imply that the book contains detailed information on every US stamp issued (until its publication). In this regard it is a disappointment as some issues are not covered at all, and a large number are given perfunctory treatment.
   
   Generally, an interpretative review of the socio-political factors that prompted an issue or public reactions to it is lacking in its depth of coverage. Technological factors essential in the production of stamps are adequately covered and well presented. While the glossy pages enhance the vibrant color reproductions, these pages are not conducive to writing personal notes.
   
   One can debate if the book is truly an encyclopedia. However, it is packed with interesting facts and insights making it a wonderful companion to any philatelist's United States stamp catalogue.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Great for stamp lovers.



2. This is a well put together book. It's very informative and entertaining. The full color illustrations are a plus. Overall great value for the money for any stamp collector, beginner or expert.



3. As a newcomer to American Philately I found this work to be
   
   erudite,logical in its layout and,most importantly,very easy to
   
   read.



4. This book is a must for US stamp collecting. Use it often to find hidden information.



5. This is a very interesting and helpful book. It has a wealth of information about US stamps and the full color illustrations are just great. After collecting for in excess of 50 years, this is a rare find.
   
   I highly recommend this book for US collectors.