Jim Henson: The Works - The Art, the Magic, the Imagination

Book Description

The ultimate gift for Muppet lovers everywhere, this extraordinary tribute celebrates 40 years of Henson's creative genius--from his best-known inventions to his lesser known but equally fascinating notions for everything from designs for futuristic nightclubs and homes to experimental films. 500 color illus.

Customer Reviews:

A read worthy of Henson's genius........2007-09-03

Complete with full color pictures, as well as black and white photos of Jim's early years, this book is not only a great read. -It's fun to look at too! Even young children can sit and appreciate the magic of Jim Henson's creations through the artwork and photo-journalistic shots throughout.

This book contains a great deal of biographical information on Jim throughout his life, and includes a great deal of his earlier forrays into the world of experimental art and design.

Definitely a good buy.

Letting the lights shine warmly on Jim Henson.......2007-03-29

It's hard to believe Jim Henson has now been gone for over 16 years. Christopher Finch's book stands as a great testament to Henson's amazingly prolific work and his larger-then-life existence. Despite Henson's natural shyness and reticence and quiet manner, the thing that strikes you in the book is how many lives this guy touched. He bestowed livelihoods on literally thousands of people. Their gratitude is expressed in these pages time and again in fervent, emotional recollections. To say Jim Henson inspired devotion only begins to get at what this guy meant to his family, friends and employees.

My hat is off to Christopher Finch for this wonderful collection, which is still available here as a beautiful and hardily-constructed first-edition hardback. Mr. Finch gets an extra level of respect for the decision (of which he no doubt had a say) to keep his name off the dustcover front. He's graciously stepped aside to let the lights shine warmly on Jim Henson.

To Jim..........2006-11-06

I remember the day Jim Henson died. I was in complete shock. In fact, I sat there, first in disbelief and then before I knew it, I was sobbing. Did I know him, personally? No. Not really. I only knew the man through his creativity through his artistry, through what he gave to me as a child, a teenager, and as an adult. It seemed that no matter what age I was, the muppets and Jim Henson were always there.

My first introduction to them was through, of course, Sesame Street. My favorite characters were Bert and Ernie. In fact, my dad, to this day, feels as though my whole life has been patterned after Ernie. I did, love Ernie's sense of humor and his willingness to always laugh at himself no matter what he went through. I haven't always done this, but during those times when I took myself and the world too seriously, I always seemed to have "disastrous" results, but during those times where I have approached things with levity and with humor, I always felt as though I was more in control of the situation than instead of the situation controlling me. That's how the Ernie character was. He was always "in control" of things because he could laugh at things...even those things he felt scared of or worried about or frustrated over. Sometimes I watch clips of Sesame Street and I am always amazed at "human" those skits were. Even though they were acted out by muppets, they were things that a child or even an adult might be feeling about certain things. Those skits always had a deep sense of humanity about them. They were never condescending or degrading. They always spoke to the spirit of the individual and that is a very rare thing to be able to pull off and pull off consistently and effectively.

Jim Henson seemed to have his finger on the pulse of the human soul. He knew it in its folly and in its wisdom. Kermit the Frog is a character that, I heard, mostly resembles Jim Henson. He seems to be surrounded by craziness and disorder and chaos. But instead of being consumed by it, he deals with it. He makes the most of it. And isn't that really what we are to do in any given situation? I think sometimes we "fight" too hard, when really, maybe what we really need to do is throw up our hands and let the "stream of Life" take us to where we need to go....

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life is but a dream

And then there were the Muppet Movies. Even though I was in my early teens when the first one came out, I secretly went to it. I loved Jim Henson's humor. It was gentle and non-abrasive and yet there were, at times, sarcastic undertones. Not that he was being malicious or mean-spirited, but sometimes in our exasperation or frustration, we do get sarcastic because sometimes things are so absurd, so strange, so ultimately crazy, that sarcasm is warranted in that particular situation.

Jim Henson left this world at such a young age. I believe he was only 54. But with everything he did, he gave the world all of himself. He never held back, he never skimped out, he always gave each and every production he was involved with, his all. Maybe it's something we can learn to do, as well. To stop looking at how we'll be compensated or reimbursed, but to just start knowing and feeling that the universe will always take care of the details and that we will be compensated many times over if we give the world all of our mind, all of our heart, all of our soul because like the universe itself, our minds, hearts, and souls are connected to that which is Infinite, Inexhaustible, Immeasureable...we are all connected to Life Itself.

Jim Henson knew this. Jim Henson lived this. And I thank him from the bottomless bottom of my heart. I know that he is not resting in peace, because that wasn't his style, but he probably has the next life "in pieces" with his humor, his creativity, and his joy for life Itself.

Peace and Blessings, Fellow Beings of Light and Love...

A Great Inspiration.......2006-03-03

Everyone who knows me as an adult thinks that I must have been a huge Disney fan as a child. While I've always enjoyed Disney films and shorts, my childhood was focused mainly on three things: Peanuts, Star Wars, and The Muppets.

This week's book spotlight is Jim Henson, The Works - yet another of my most prized books in my library. In it, we not only read biographies and histories of the characters that we've grown to love, but we also learn about some of the projects that he would have like to have produced and how much of an artist and visonary Jim Henson really was.

The book contains some of the most creative and unique page layout designs that I have ever seen. I especially enjoy the small "Jim Henson: The Early Years" book which is about a quarter of the page dimensions of the rest of the book which is tipped-in to the binding. The entire volume appears to have been assembled as thoughtfully and lovingly as you can imagine Jim doing all of the projects during his life.

In a nutshell, I would highly recommend this book-not just to people who are fans of the Muppets, like myself, but to anyone who likes to have a peek into what makes creative people tick, and maybe glean some inspiration in the process.

What made me decide to comment on this book-besides seeing it on my bookshelf every day at work-is my recent purchase of The Muppet Show: First Season on DVD. I was a little nervous when I first got it that I wouldn't enjoy the humor as much as an adult as I did when I was a kid, but I couldn't have been more mistaken. It is so nice to see the sophisticated wit in the writing of this show that still makes me laugh out loud. I was also happy to see that my 5 & 7 year old daughters also laughed quite a bit at the show and often ask to watch them over again. The shows still have value today as great entertainment and I would highly recommend them.

If you didn't know beforehand why Jim Henson was so great,.......2004-09-14

... you will after you read this book!
I had this book overdue from the library for a MONTH. I know, I know... but really, it's gorgeous, just looking at the pictures, and the text made me long to work for Jim Henson Productions. You need to read this book, you NEED to learn about this wonderful man.

Book Description

Artists know how difficult it is to find quality photographs of birds to reference for their work. In this follow-up to his successful Artist's Photo Reference: Birds, Bart Rulon comes to artists' aid with more than 600 sharp, high-quality photographs of the birds customers have requested. Readers will turn to this reference for:

*Popular songbirds like sparrows, finches, wrens and robins, as well as other artist favorites like eagles, hummingbirds and swans. Songbirds has more than 50 birds not included in Rulon's first reference.

*5 painting demos that illustrate how successful artists use reference photos to add realism to their work.

*A welcome variety of scenes and positions--birds shown close up, in natural habitat, individually and in groups--to suit artists of many different styles and interests.

As an added bonus, the introduction offers tips on how artists can save money by taking their own photos to expand their reference collection even more!

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The Pivot of the World: Photography and Its Nation
Blake Stimson
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Criticism & Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 026269333X

Book Description

The old dream of social belonging and political sovereignty--the dream of nation--was fraught with anxiety and contradiction for many artists and intellectuals in the 1950s. On the one hand, memories of the Second World War remained vivid and the chauvinism that had enabled it threatened to return with the growing tensions of the Cold War. On the other hand, the need to bind together into a new global identity--into a world nation or "family of man"--seemed ever more pressing as a bulwark against the rapidly expanding threat of a nuclear World War III.

The Pivot of the World looks at an exceptional effort to work out that geopolitical tension by cultural means as developed in three hugely ambitious photographic projects: The Family of Man exhibition that opened in 1955 and traveled the world for the next decade; Robert Frank's influential book The Americans, photographed in 1955-1956 and first published in 1958; and Bernd and Hilla Becher's typological record of industrial architecture, begun in 1957 and continuing today. Each of these projects worked to release the dream of nation--of belonging and sovereignty--from its old civic trappings through the medium of photography's serial form, in the experience of one photograph followed by another and another and another, so that all seem at once intimately connected and at the same time autonomous and distinct. Innovations in the serial composition of photographic form could open new possibilities for social form while the modern desire for political belonging could be made cosmopolitan, could be globalized--but in the most human of ways. This epic sense of purpose lasted only for a moment--it had already passed by the beginning of the 1960s--but it bears particular interest for any historical understanding of the contest over globalization that continues to hold such great consequence for us now.

Book Description

Avigon lives in a world of dark, gothic landscapes, where the sky is black with smoke, and the rivers run slick with oil. A world inhabited by strangely surreal clockwork creatures, all governed by eccentric politicians and egomaniacal clockwork masters. But Avigon is looking to change all of that. Avigon is looking to escape. Avigon's search for a ray of hope will lead her to the darkest regions of humanity, past the edge of her soul, and into the embrace of her destiny. Join the breakthrough writer, Che' Gilson, as she twists a wicked tale of desire, hatred, and love. Likewise, fall into the seductive visuals of Jimmie Robinson's artwork, where complexity lives in the simplicity.

Customer Reviews:

Avigon.......2001-08-08

Avigon, although somewhat brief, was an incredible book that really provoked your thoughts. You are drawn into the world of Avigon, a beautiful "clockwork" that has feelings, thoughts, and emotions, although no one acknowledges them. In this cleverly woven story, you meet Master Clockworker Pulsifer, who considers herself a god and knows that although her Clockworks leave, they will always return. There is Lord Shrift, the sour man who wishes to see Pulsifer put in her place, and Kazrael, a clockworker who has an extreme desire to replace Pulsifer. You meet the Sphynx, a peaceful clockwork who saw the horrors of the outside world but still thought it was worth it. Avigon ventures out into the world, sick of fighting, although she is the strongest clockwork ever made. She goes to the library to learn all she can about herself, and meets Lukan Roth, a Philosophy Major at the university. While a romance between the two begins, it is abruptly stopped when Avigon inquires whether he believes a Clockwork could be considered human. His answer is no, and Avigon flees back to the world she came from...

The book is extremely moving. If you liked the movie A.I. or the Little Mermaid, this is a halfway point between them. Although the story lines are similar, this graphic novelette deals with some advanced concepts that some people just won't enjoy. ....

A wonderful story.......2001-05-31

This graphic novel tells a haunting, beautiful story. The look of the book, done entirely in black and white, is stylised and reminds me of the works of Tim Burton, such as *The Nightmare Before Christmas*. The writing and art are both elegant and deceptively simple. It is a science fiction story, with robots and futuristic settings. It has elements of Gothic fiction, with its dark towering castles and eccentric characters. It is also a fairy tale, using an exotic setting to tell a human story.

Book Description

Avigon has to escape. Her mechanical world ruled by political clockwork masters is killing her soul. But can she hide in a surreal world of machines where she herself is one? This complete volume unveils the full story of Avigon's journey. A clockwork creation pushed beyond the dark world binding her soul where her true destiny is unlocked.

Customer Reviews:

It's Chobits meets The Corpse Bride.......2006-03-07

Possibly, you might remember a one-shot prestige format one-shot comic from a while ago titled Avigon. It was a strange but wonderful sci-fi gothic fairytale. Now, its back in an all new extended graphic novel called Avigon: Gods & Demons.

Taking place in an alternate reality, mechanical creatures known as Clockworks are used for human amusement. One of the best makers of these is Pulsifer. One of her latest creations is the humanoid one Avigon. Although she sometimes makes creations which appear to be crossovers with animals like a sphinx, Pulsifer usually adds a hint of emotions and sometimes free will to her clockworks. She usually creates for the elite rich, and even her country's young empress.

Avigon though longs to be free on her own. She runs away from Pulsifer's castle, and heads for a nearby town. She meets a young student there who mistakes her for a human. But when Avigon asks him what he thinks of clockworks being truly alive, she becomes
disappointed, and runs away again. She ends up in a small town at the end of the tracks where a novice mechanic finds her and totally wound down. He forges a new key for her and revives her. This leads to an altercation between the two when he tries to force himself on her, and inadvertantly activates her self-defense program.

Avigon then runs back home, only to find that she's been sold by Pulsifer to the Empress herself. After a while though, Pulsifer's new creation Daemon challenges her to the right to be the Empress' personal clockwork. After loosing, Avigon is then given back to Pulsifer. Once back in her castle, Avigon then realizes she was truly happy to be there to begin with.

This comic is what Chobits would be like if it we done by Tim Burton. A fine moody piece that is an instant classic taking you to a new world of what it means to be human, and how someone can see themselves as being truly alive.

The complete story of Avigon.......2005-08-16

Five years ago, I picked up a graphic novel titled _Avigon_ at my local bookstore, simply because the cover intrigued me. What was behind that cover turned out to be one of my favorite stories ever, about a robot girl who runs away from her master to the outside world, and the painful lesson she learns there. I thought the story was near-perfect, though the book had some spelling issues and one page printed out of order.

Now the author and illustrator, Che Gilson and Jimmie Robinson, respectively, have given us the complete story of Avigon. The original novella is included, so you don't need to go find it to be up to date.

The story is pretty much the same, but expanded. Avigon, a beautiful clockwork, runs away. The outside world treats her cruelly, though she also discovers much beauty and falls in love. I'm not sure if I understand the end completely, but it is an ending, not a cliffhanger. When all is said and done, while I like having the complete story, I feel that the first version had a more dream-like quality, and a lovely, sad ending.

Che Gilson's writing style is perfect for this story. And the art is lovely, all in black and white and greyscale, with simple, dramatic lines. It is a bit like manga, a bit like Tim Burton. I only wish that the book had been printed on glossy paper, like its predecessor. I find the matte paper looks less professional, but that's just my opinion.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fairy tales, manga, and science fiction with a heart.

Average customer rating:

Get on your bikes and ride!

Top Notch Storytelling

Great Book

Metal Cowboy - A pleasure

A Life Less Ordinary

Metal Cowboy: Tales from the Road Less Pedaled
Joe Kurmaskie
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cycling | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Journalists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0609809113
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Book Description

Joe Kurmaskie, dubbed the “Metal Cowboy” by a blind rancher he encountered one icy morning in Idaho, has been addicted to the intoxicating freedom and power of the bicycle ever since he “borrowed” his big sister’s banana-seat bike at the age of five. As he careened down the neighborhood hill, much to his parents’ dismay, Joe set in motion what has become a lifelong love affair with the road and the wheel. In Metal Cowboy, Joe offers up an infectious and big-hearted collection of true adventures and misadventures, chronicling his time touring America on his bicycle.

Whether he is climbing a tree to avoid the insistent pecking of a flock of geese in New Hampshire, tooling around a motel parking lot in Utah with a touring group of Elvis impersonators, or filling in as a last-minute scarecrow in a North Carolina Halloween parade, Joe revels in the charm of small town America and the unforgettable characters who dot our landscape. Full of energy, wit, and wisdom, Metal Cowboy is both an inspiration and a call to the road, full of the simple joy of a path well pedaled and a life less ordinary.

Customer Reviews:

Get on your bikes and ride!.......2007-05-16

A "born again bicyclist" who thinks bicycles will save the world, I went to the library to get books about cycling & bicycles. I discovered The Metal Cowboy and hung on to it even though it wasn't "technical". I tried to read a funny bit aloud to my family but I was giggling too hard.
The almost-romantic chapter is my favorite.
Reading this book makes you feel like there is hope for America's privileged middle class kids. By getting lost on a bike we can find ourselves.
Joe's most recent book (Momentum is Your Friend) is equally excellent.

Top Notch Storytelling.......2007-02-23

From my blog: [...]
I started reading Metal Cowboy, a collection of stories by Joe Kurmaskie, a few weeks ago at my Dad's suggestion and have had a hard time putting it down. I finished it on Thanksgiving day and knew I had to get a review up in short order. Metal Cowboy is a collection of some of Kurmaskie's stories from his long distance bike tours but I promise you that you don't need to be a cyclist to appreciate this book.

Kurmaskie is a top notch storyteller who writes in a way that is relatable to anyone who would come across his material. He also has a knack for showcasing what is good among people. Joe's optimism shines through even when he is in the worst of situations while on the road. He manages to make you feel as if you are right there with him experiencing everything he does.

One of my favorite stories in the book is called "The Tree Huggers versus the Tree Cutters as Told by the Fence-Sitter" and it begins with this quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat."

The quote is a powerful one and it foreshadows the rest of the story nicely. In a nutshell, Joe runs across a logger while at a campsite who he becomes friends with. The logger then offers to let Joe stay with him when Joe makes his way towards his house in the coming days of his trip. Joe ends up at the loggers house but he is not home so Joe decides to camp in the woods where he meets a number of the "tree huggers" who are protesting the company that Joe's logger friend works for. Joe, trying to be friends with both the loggers and the tree huggers, ends up having to explain himself to both the logger and the tree huggers and everyone ends up not caring for Joe too much since he wasn't really up front about his true beliefs.

The story reminds us to not be afraid to talk about what we believe in and to be up front. It also urges us to step out of the gray twilight and take some chances. As entrepreneurs and VCs we are all taking our shot at changing the world. Yes, a lot of us will fail at some point in our lives but I, for one, would rather fail while taking a chance on something I believe in than to have never taken a chance at all and I think a lot of you probably feel the same way.

That said, I highly recommend picking up Metal Cowboy. You won't regret it. My only warning is the book may cause an overwhelming urge to grab your bike, load it up and head out on an extended bike tour of your own!

Great Book.......2007-02-11

This is the first book that I read about long distance and adventure bicycle touring. I loved the stories about the people Joe meets and the situations he got into. I liked it so much that I immediately read the second book and ordered "Momentum is Your Best Friend". I would recommend the same to anyone! This was a great book.

Metal Cowboy - A pleasure.......2007-02-08

I have just completed Metal Cowboy and have ordered a couple of copies for riding and non-riding friends. Joe reminds me of Bill Bryson or an early Peter Egan.

A Life Less Ordinary.......2007-02-07

As I live my life, going from one task to another, there is a part of my brain that yearns for more, something a little closer to the edge of my comfort zone. I received "Metal Cowboy" as a gift a few years ago and there it was, the life less ordinary that always seemed to escape me! Joe Kurmaskie tells wonderful stories about true humanity and the good that exists in this world. Sure, I only get to experience a slice of this life on long weekend rides and the last full week in July on RAGBRAI, but the Metal Cowboy makes me hopeful for the future.

Metal Cowboy: Tales from the Road Less Pedaled

Average customer rating:

Metal Cowboy: Tales from the Road Less Pedaled
Joe Kurmaskie
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLLX38

Average customer rating:

Metal Cowboy: Tales From the Road Less Pedaled
Joe Kurmaskie
Manufacturer: Breakaway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7C5EE

Average customer rating:

Metal Cowboy: Tales from the Road Less Pedaled
Joe Kurmaskie
Manufacturer: Breakaway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NQK65U

Product Description

Picking up where the storybook, "The Squire and the Scroll," left off, this easy-to-use devotional covers biblical teachings on purity, integrity, and God's plan for relationships with your child in a nonthreatening and age-appropriate way. These life lessons are packed with wisdom from God's Word, truths that young men need to know as they navigate the paths that lead to an adult life of integrity and honor. You and your son can build a godly heritage with these short, practical, life-changing studies and activities that can be personalized for any age. An optional "Squires of the Lantern Ceremony" is also included as an exciting and memorable way to formally celebrate your son's growth.

Customer Reviews:

Christian Literature.......2007-05-10

My son loved it. It is meant for elementary age children. But older children would enjoy it too.

Customer Reviews:

A Bene Israel view point.......2001-08-09

THIS BOOK SHOWS THAT THE AUTHOR HAS DONE HER HOMEWORK WELL. THE BOOK GIVES A DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE THREE JEWISH COMMUNITIES OF INDIA . IT ALSO HAS AN INDEPTH FEELING FOR THE COMMUNITIES WHICH COULD ONLY COME FROM INTIMATE AND CONTINUING CONTACT WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE DIFFERNT COMMUNITIES. AN EXCELLENT BOOK FOR THE AVERAGE READER OR SCHOLAR.

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