Field Guide to the Aesthetic Experience

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Field Guide to the Aesthetic Experience
Jerry Farber
Manufacturer: Foreworks Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0943292158

Book Description

Forty of the fashion industry's most acclaimed designers present their vision for clothing and accessories in the new millennium in this lavishly illustrated volume. Sketches and new photography of clothing, hats, shoes, and jewelry-in many cases designed specifically for this book-are showcased as representative of the "millennium mode."

The designers explain in their own words what's in store for the twenty-first century, commenting on the role of computers in clothing design, the discovery of new ranges of color, and the latest breakthroughs in textile development. Ideas that were once relegated to the realm of science fiction will be tomorrow's runway looks: clothing that responds to temperature by changing texture and bracelets that serve as cellular phones. This book offers an exciting glimpse into the future of fashion.

Customer Reviews:

Boffo Fashion for the Future.......2000-01-07

This is an amazing book because, rather than offering pics we've all seen before, this book is fraught with new photographs taken expressly for it; and this is because the book shows fashion that is never-before-seen too.

There are lots of books out now (and tv programs too) about fashion for the future, but if you want to see what the really top designers are planning (and clothes that are wearable, not weird), this is the best collection I've seen so far.

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How to conduct and analyze real estate market and feasibility studies
G. Vincent Barrett
Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Public Finance | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Investments | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Real Estate Development: Principles and Process 3rd Edition

Commercial Real Estate Analysis and Investments (with CD-ROM)

Real Estate Market Analysis: A Case Study Approach

Construction Funding: The Process of Real Estate Development, Appraisal, and Finance

ASIN: 0442225687

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How to Conduct and Analyze Real Estate Market and Feasibility Studies

Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0317636405

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BINGO!

A Great Book

Lisanti gets the dirt on the beach scene

Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969
Tom Lisanti
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Drive-In Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties

Fantasy Femmes of 60's Cinema: Interviews with 20 Actresses from Biker, Beach, and Elvis Movies

Surf Movie Tonite!: Surf Movie Poster Art, 1957-2004

Beach Party/Bikini Beach

Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (Midnite Movies Double Feature)

ASIN: 0786421045

Book Description

Surfers loathed them, teenagers flocked to them, critics dismissed them, and producers banked on them. They were surf and beach movies—which were Hollywood's interpretation of the surf culture. For a short period in the 1960s these films were extremely popular with younger audiences—mainly because of the combination of sand and surf, the musical performers, the shirtless surfer boys and bikini-clad beach girls, and the wild surfing footage.

This lavishly illustrated work features profiles on 32 sizzling fun-in-the-sun teenage epics from Gidget to the Beach Party movies with Frankie and Annette to The Sweet Ride plus a few offshoots in the snow. It offers an introduction with an overview of the surf movie genre; film entries with credits, plot synopses, DVD availability, memorable lines, reviews and awards; and biographies of actors and leading actresses who made their marks in the genre. The work also includes behind-the-scenes commentary from such actors as Aron Kincaid of The Girls on the Beach, Susan Hart of The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, Peter Brown of Ride the Wild Surf, Chris Noel of Beach Ball, and Ed Garner of Beach Blanket Bingo. Catch the wave!

Customer Reviews:

BINGO!.......2006-08-02

All of you land-lubbers will love this one; surfers are warned not to swim. Anyone who loved watching these moronic movies while necking in a drive-in or doing your homework will be glad to realize that he or she is not missing big plot points! But no one watched beach movies for storylines; fans wanted to see the hunks and honeys shaking like a bee victims to an annoying bonga beat while resisting physical intimacy. All of them are here ... Gidget, Nancy Sinatra, James Darren, Elvis, and, of course, Annette and Frankie! The text is frank about the movies' lifeless plots or mediocre musical talents, but the author is unapologetically enthusiastic about this genre. One complaint: no color pictures!

A Great Book .......2005-09-13

There is a photo of Barbara Eden (Page 147) and a chapter (Pages 139 thru 150) all about the movie "Ride The Wild Surf".

Lisanti gets the dirt on the beach scene.......2005-07-05

Tom Lisanti - the author of "Drive-In Dream Girls," "Fantasy Femmes of Sixties Cinema," and "Film Fatales" - expands his horizons from '60s sexpots to covering the entire Beach Film genre which catered to teenagers between 1959 and 1968.

Lisanti profiles the following movies in depth: Gidget and its sequel Gidget Goes Hawaiian; the Elvis films Blue Hawaii and Girl Happy; the Frankie & Annette classics Beach Party, Muscle Beach Party, Bikini Beach, Beach Blanket Bingo, and How To Stuff A Wild Bikini; plus Where The Boys Are, For Those Who Think Young, The Horror Of Party Beach, Pajama Party, Ride The Wild Surf, Surf Party, Beach Ball, The Beach Girls And The Monster, Daytona Beach Weekend, The Girls On The Beach, One Way Wahine, A Swingin' Summer, Wild On The Beach, The Endless Summer, The Ghost In The Invisible Bikini, Out Of Sight, Catalina Caper, Don't Make Waves, It's A Bikini World, and The Sweet Ride. There's also the winter off-shoots Ski Party, Winter A Go-Go, and Wild Wild Winter which merit inclusion due to their use of beach film regulars, musical guest stars, and inane plots which merely substitute a ski slope for the beach. My own favorite beach films are Beach Blanket Bingo (probably the most fun) and Ride The Wild Surf (definitely the best made and owner of the best beach film theme song: the title cut by Jan & Dean).

Lisanti interviewed several of the stars of these films (including Peter Brown, Dave Draper, Shelley Fabares, Susan Hart, Aron Kincaid, Jody McCrea, Chris Noel, Quinn O'Hara, and William Wellman, Jr) and it is their frank and often bitchy comments about the filmmakers and their co-stars in the Behind the Scenes section of each film's chapter that makes this book must reading. I especially enjoyed the commentary supplied by Jody McCrea who played Deadhead/Bonehead in the Frankie & Annette Beach Party series. McCrea has a strong opinion on seemingly everyone he ever worked with, and his high opinion of himself is quite humorous.

After profiling the movies, Lisanti offers substantial bios of several of the stars of these films: actors John Ashley, Frankie Avalon, Peter Brown, James Darren, Sandra Dee, Don Edmonds, Shelley Fabares, Annette Funicello, Ed Garner, Aron Kincaid, Tommy Kirk, Jody McCrea, Yvette Mimieux, Mike Nader, Chris Noel, Quinn O'Hara, Bart Patton, Pamela Tiffin, Deborah Walley, William Wellman Jr., plus surfers Mickey Dora and Johnny Fain. The other female stars of the beach films that aren't profiled here - like Mary Hughes and Salli Sachse - are covered in Lisanti's other books so make sure you check those out as well if you haven't already.

Book Description

A book for all those who have wondered what CDs their favorite celebrity puts in heavy rotation while on film sets, backstage at concerts or before playoff games, Star Tunes offers a running list of stars and the music they love best. Some of their choices will intrigue and shock you; others will send you racing to the nearest music store.

Here are just a few of the best-kept secrets catalogued in this indispensable guide:

• Which long-running band appears-twice-on Guns & Roses musician Slash's hit list
• The legendary musician who puts Little Richard at the top of his list
• What band Fabio welcomes with "Open Arms"
• How Winona Ryder's top ten ranges from jazz to punk
• Iggy Pop's favorite crooner
• The CD Britney Spears can't live without
...and much, much more

Star Tunes takes readers on an informative and entertaining journey into the musical souls of their favorite actors, musicians, athletes, writers, and directors. Both a fascinating reference guide and a behind-the-scenes look at celebrity CD racks, it is sure to appeal to music buffs and stargazers alike.

Customer Reviews:

What a Concept !.......2001-05-28

This book is a long time coming. I mean, really when you think about it , we really ARE what we listen to. This book hits right at the heart of the matter. It has the favorite records of everyone from Monica Lewinski to Shaquille O'Neal to Wynona Ryders to Nikki Sixx' to David Schwimmer to Jackie Chan to Joan Rivers to you Name it... This is a very revealing look at Celebrity record collections like I have never seen it before . Bravo! Bravo !

Music of the famous.......2001-05-25

When I saw that one of Monica Lewinski's favorite albums is "Sexual Healing," I had to buy this book. It's got a bunch of lists from interesting people. Checking out their musical tastes is really fun. This is a cool book that's more than worth a look.

Helps me discover new music!.......2001-05-10

How refreshing to have access to a book that lets me see what music influences the celebrities that I like and lets me learn about new music I may want to buy!

Quite a compilation!.......2001-05-10

Check out Cloe Sevingy's list to get a look at a true Alternative music lover. Hilarious! You really get some insight into these celebrities when you see what they consider their "all time favourite albums." I'm really enjoying it. I flip through the book all the time and always see someone or something new.

Book Description

This commemorative book pays tribute to a chapter of Houston's baseball history nearly swept away in the fanfare of the Astrodome.

Customer Reviews:

The ultimate book on the history of the Houston Colt .45's/Astros.......2005-11-02

Anyone who enjoys reading about the history of baseball will love this book whether one is a Houston fan or not. It is a history book and a human interest story all rolled into one.

One get's the feeling after reading this book a feeling of a little sorrow of not having the opportunity to have known some of the unusual personalities depicted in the book, especially pitcher Dick "Turk" Farrell whom obviously was an under rated but solid major league pitcher and a man of a thousand pratical jokes.

The power struggles between the men who helped bring major league baseball to Houston is a story that is almost too intriguing to be true yet is a story that is factual in every detail.

To the fan of the Houston Astros baseball franchise, this is the ultimate book on the history of the origin of the team.

Author Robert Reed definitely did his homework on this one.

Hot Times In Houston.......2004-08-08

I grew up and still reside in the Bayou City. I was born in 1967, two years after the Colt .45's moved from Colt Stadium into the Astrodome and changed their name to the Astros.

Even as a young child I remember having an almost mystical interest in the Colt .45's. It was a marvel to me that they could actually play basball outside in the summers in Houston. I clearly remember my little leauge days in Houston thinking about the heat and humidity and the glare of the sun.

There was never an abundance of information on the Colt .45's or pictures of the old stadium unless you heard it about it from older Houstonians or former players that still called Houston home. This book is truly the Bible of Houston baseball. It is comparitive to the Old Testament's GENISIS. I swear if you curl up on a lazy afternoon and let your mind flow with the book you will feel as though you have travelled back into yester-year and you are there at Colt Stadium, mosquitos, humidity and all.

Sadly baseball in Houston now is a joke. The Astros are the epitome of over-paid, grossly under achieving, lazy athletes. I grew up with the Dome and I would have glady gone to Colt Stadium to root on a near last place team. AT LEAST THEY TRIED AND MADE AN EFFORT. The new ballpark downtown I have nicknamed "The Coffin". With it's retractable roof "The Coffin" is either opened or closed depending on what day you drive by. Most every player inside the place is alrady dead or just going through the motions.

This book celebrates the effort, the entertainment and the energy that once exsisted in Astros history but no longer does. This is the written account of the genisis of major leauge baseball in Houston. It also includes INCREDIBLE photographs in color and black and white.

This book is NOT to be missed ! Read it !

A real winner.......2002-01-08

An excellent and detailed history of the Colts and their origins in the planned Continental League, the National League expansion of 1961-62, and their colorful early days until they became the Astros. Lots of great photos of players, now-defunct ballparks, and memorabilia, and the real inside story of the name changes from Colts to Colt .45s to Astros. A winner all around.

Sweet and well done.......2000-09-01

I stumbled on this book at a bookstore in upstate NY, a far cry from the Houston area. As a baseball fan, it caught my eye although I had very little knowledge of Houston's MLB origins. What sold me-- at least during that quick perusal in the bookstore -- was its treatment of how Houston and NY both came into the league at the same time. After reading it, though, I'm astounded at the history and story of baseball's first major-league team in the south. The no-hitters, the futility, the tear-jerker about Jim Umbricht .... this story reeks of everything that baseball is -- good things, such as colorful characters, true fans, baseball as a game first and business second, and tragedy as well -- the real "Love of the Game" story, not that Kevin Costner tripe. Whether you know anything about Houston, the Colt 45s, or Texas, do yourself a favor and read this book. Heck, it's a human story, not just a sports story. The younger fan may not "get it," but those of us who grew up with those hot summer nights listening to baseball on transistor radios -- no matter were you lived of what team you claimed -- will enjoy the trip back.

When Baseball Came to Houston.......2000-05-22

Texas coastal heat, tropical humidity and giant mosquitoes; those are my memories of Colt Stadium. But I also remember the excitement of going to a real major league game in Houston. This book brings back all those memories and tells things I never knew about the screwball cast of characters who made up the team and the giant personalities who labored to bring big league baseball to Houston. The Colt .45s included major talent such as Joe Morgan, Rusty Staub, Jim Wynn and Larry Dierker. But they also had "colorful" players such as Richard "Turk" Farrell. A must for any collector of Texana, baseball or Houston history.

Customer Reviews:

Mark up & Profit .......2007-03-08

This book has a world of information that is extremely helpful for any aspect of the construction field from start to finish. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone that wants to know how to lower their overhead and still give out quality service with a greater profit or to someone that is looking for inexpensive ideas on marketing their business to increase activity.

Markup & Profit.......2007-02-01

it is a very good book that help new contractors and even old ones to price properly and not to lose also it gives alot ot tips

Good advice put dated.......2007-01-24

While the book has some great advice and positive inspiration. I thought it was a bit dated for 2007. The forms on the CD were old and lacking. I had made a batch of forms before I read the book that were much better. I would like to see someone do a book like this focusing on a specific trade.

Markup and profit for construction.......2007-01-16

Just skimmed this detailed book and its focus is profitability for a construction company. Includes a CD with helpful forms and checklists.

Marketing Advice Sucks...Not Complete Enough!.......2006-06-22

I'm not sure about all of the reviews but I didn't get that much from this book.

Most of my life has been done studying marketing and I've done really well with the information that I've learned from Dan Kennedy and other marketing gurus. I got this book because I thought that this would have some info on contractor marketing specific to this type of business and I was wrong.

He starts talking about market in Chapter 4 and the first thing he labors on is business cards. Great. However, that doesn't get the phone ringing. Then he talks about job signs to use at the job site. Great. But you use those AFTER you get a job. Again, that doesn't get the initial leads in. Then he mentions a brief summary about using door hangers, the yellow pages, and direct mail.

AND THAT'S IT!

Yes, I understand that this book is called "Mark Up & Profit" and not "Market & Profit." Don't get me wrong; this is a great book on maximizing the leads and jobs you do have. It's great in the aspect of marking up your jobs and profiting, using the right forms, what to do and what NOT to do in your contracting business. If that's what you're looking for then you'll get that from this book.

I think the reason that I gave this 3 stars is because I believe the guy is a little old fashioned. He states that it's more difficult for women to sell construction jobs which I disagree with adamantly. That pissed me off. I close more jobs than my male counterparts so that's completely untrue.

He also talks about wearing a suit and tie when estimating jobs. How stupid is that? This is the construction business...we're not selling insurance!! We've always used very clean and pressed button shirts or polo shirts with our logo on it and nice slacks. Never a suit and tie. And we've always done very well getting jobs.

Then he doesn't talk about getting the phone ringing, although he claims that he does with his half-baked marketing section. There are no other suggestions to get construction jobs like using the AOA magazine and other apartment manager/owner magazines, or getting on thebluebook.com.

I recommend this book if you're interested in the numbers and the bottom line of your business. He helps you find your break even point and other number equations that can help you stop losing money and start making more money.

Just skip his "marketing" section...

Average customer rating:

Markup & Profit a Contractors Guide
Michael Stone
Manufacturer: CRAFTSMAN BOOK CO *
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UDGOK2

Average customer rating:

LOUIS B. MAYER......."THE LION OF MGM"

A Hollywood bogeyman gets his well-deserved due

Opinions, Everybody's Got One

Compelling and Knowledgeable Look into an Industry and a Man

Needs an editor

Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer
Scott Eyman
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Hollywood Be Thy Name: The Warner Brothers Story

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The First Lady of Hollywood: A Biography of Louella Parsons

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ASIN: 0743204816

Book Description

Lion of Hollywood is the definitive biography of Louis B. Mayer, the chief of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -- MGM -- the biggest and most successful film studio of Hollywood's Golden Age.

An immigrant from tsarist Russia, Mayer began in the film business as an exhibitor but soon migrated to where the action and the power were -- Hollywood. Through sheer force of energy and foresight, he turned his own modest studio into MGM, where he became the most powerful man in Hollywood, bending the film business to his will. He made great films, including the fabulous MGM musicals, and he made great stars: Garbo, Gable, Garland, and dozens of others. Through the enormously successful Andy Hardy series, Mayer purveyed family values to America. At the same time, he used his influence to place a federal judge on the bench, pay off local officials, cover up his stars' indiscretions, and, on occasion, arrange marriages for gay stars. Mayer rose from his impoverished childhood to become at one time the highest-paid executive in America.

Despite his power and money, Mayer suffered some significant losses. He had two daughters: Irene, who married David O. Selznick, and Edie, who married producer William Goetz. He would eventually fall out with Edie and divorce his wife, Margaret, ending his life alienated from most of his family. His chief assistant, Irving Thalberg, was his closest business partner, but they quarreled frequently, and Thalberg's early death left Mayer without his most trusted associate. As Mayer grew older, his politics became increasingly reactionary, and he found himself politically isolated within Hollywood's small conservative community.

Lion of Hollywood is a three-dimensional biography of a figure often caricatured and vilified as the paragon of the studio system. Mayer could be arrogant and tyrannical, but under his leadership MGM made such unforgettable films as The Big Parade, Ninotchka, The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, and An American in Paris.

Film historian Scott Eyman interviewed more than 150 people and researched some previously unavailable archives to write this major new biography of a man who defined an industry and an era.

Customer Reviews:

LOUIS B. MAYER......."THE LION OF MGM".......2007-09-17

A VERY INFORMATIVE BIOGRAPHY NOT ONLY ON LOUIS B. MAYER, BUT ON MANY OF THE MGM STARS OF THE GOLDEN ERA.......THE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE TRANSITION FROM SILENT PICTURES TO SOUND WAS EXTREMELY INTERESTING...ESPECIALLY THE REASONS FOR HOW AND WHY SOME SILENT STARS MADE THE TRANSITION AND WHY SOME DID NOT.....THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR MOVIE BUFFS OF THE 20'S...30'S...AND 40'S......

A Hollywood bogeyman gets his well-deserved due.......2007-07-22

The legendary boss of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gets a surprisingly "fair and balanced" treatment from Eyman, whose previous credits include an excellent biography of John Ford. I say "surprisingly" because posterity has not treated Mayer well at all - he has usually been caricatured as a reactionary tyrant who lived to harass and exploit creative talent. Eyman himself admits that, while he has "never begun a book with more misgivings," he has "never been more pleasantly surprised" about what he found. While a number of the unpleasant stories do have some basis in fact, Mayer was a far more complicated man than the stick-figure villain of popular legend. He was an expert manager who knew when to delegate authority and when to impose his own, and he salted his generally imperious manner with many acts of thoughtfulness and consideration. The book gets a little grab-baggy in the middle - with Eyman eschewing a chronological development of Mayer and MGM in favor of a collection of anecdotes based on interviews with MGM survivors - but it is most definitely fair-minded and presents both sides of every famous and not-so-famous anecdote about Mayer. A good read for anyone interested in the history of the movies and 20th-century popular culture.

Opinions, Everybody's Got One.......2006-08-02

I'll have to remember from now on that MGM never gave any diet pills or sleeping pills to Judy Garland, a liar and drug addict who brought all her problems on her own shoulders and whom MGM only tried to help. Even firing her from ANNIE GET YOUR GUN was them helping her. This is one of literally hundreds of revisionist lessons that Scott Eyman reveals in his new biography of studio mogul Louis B. Mayer, in LION OF HOLLYWOOD (2005).

Did you know that Mayer was so progressive he hired Lena Horne even knowing full well that he'd never be able to cast her in any proper roles because of the racial climate of 1940s and 1950s America?

Did you know that Clarence Brown (the director of THE YEARLING and INTRUDER IN THE DUST) was America's greatest director and that everything he touched was magic?

Did you know that Dore Schary, the man whom Loews, Inc, turned over MGM to after deposing Mr. Mayer, was a "yes and no man," so untalented and mediocre that he couldn't even produce a single decent picture and fired Gable and Ava Gardner to replace them with ordinary average schlemiels like James Whitmore and Nancy Davis?

Did you know that Irene Selznick, LB's daughter, became Broadway's greatest theater producer, while not one person showed up for the funeral of Edie Goetz, the other, inferior daughter who preferred collecting art to giving LB Mayer more grandchildren?

Eyman is a great biographer but he is opinionated to an astonishing degree and sometimes his opinions just get in the way. His snipes at such beloved figures as Nelson Eddy or Lana Turner are amazing, and so unnecessarily distracting an editor might have cleared his throat once or twice? Otherwise the book teems with new and useful information, grand analysis of cultural trends, a real sense of history. There might have been a few more photos perhaps. But you can't have everything.

Compelling and Knowledgeable Look into an Industry and a Man.......2006-06-29

What distinguishes this book about Louis B. Mayer, the fearsome and legendary Hollywood mogul of the classic MGM era, is that it's far more than a biography. I was tempted into reading not by a fascination with Mayer (though I came to be fascinated once I began reading) but by the author's, Scott Eyman, previous books about Hollywood and the studio system. His knowledge and understanding of movie-making back in the Golden Age of Hollywood are outstanding, nuanced and multi-faceted. "Lion of Hollywood" is so much more than just an insightful biography of a complicated man -- Eyman's expansive book is also about the ins-and-outs MGM, from the business practices to the personalities, and how Mayer forged American cinema because he was the head of the greatest movie studio in Hollywood, therefore the greatest movie studio in the world.

There is a lot of well-researched information and carefully argued hypotheses of Mayer's personality and home-life, and while Eyman is full of understanding for his subject, he never lets Mayer off the hook for his hypocrises or cruelties. He didn't write this book to redeem Mayer into a "good man" -- he wrote this book to properly give Mayer the place in movie history he deserves. When he and the other moguls arrived, L.A. and Hollywood consisted of orange groves and dirt streets. Mayer didn't build Hollywood with his hands, he did it with his massive will, guile, business acumen and cunning understanding of mass entertainment. What comes through in the book is not what a nice man Mayer was, but what a *great* man he was. Flawed and venal, yes. Brilliant and complicated, also yes.

It's easy to look back at the movie moguls, with their terrible reputations for crushing actors and directors, their womanizing and vulgar ways, and condemn them as "what's wrong with Hollywood". But without them, without Mayer, Hollywood as we knew it wouldn't have existed. They set up and ran the studio system that nurtured such stars as Greta Garbo, Clark Gable and Gene Kelly. Mayer was a major reason American movies are the hallmark of mass entertainment all throughout the world today, and it wasn't because he was a great artist himself. He was that very rarest of beings: a businessman who understands, recognizes and nurtures talent in others. He was instrumental in setting up the Academy Awards because he instinctively got that actors and directors would almost prefer the prestige of awards over money. He was a dedicated Republican but hired Communists, Socialists, lefties of all stripes -- and said so to the McCarthy witch hunts -- because political affiliation had nothing to do with talent. He covered up murders, hushed up scandals, arranged marriages for gay stars: anything to keep the machine of movie-making well-oiled.

Mayer knew movies and he knew his audience -- he prided himself on being the "average movie-goer" -- and he was a savvy enough businessman to know that you have to spend a dollar to make a dollar and ten cents. He was a man of many contradictions, especially in his personal life, and an emotional ogre, not someone I would like to sit down to dinner with, but I finished the book absolutely convinced of Eyman's overall theme: that Louis B. Mayer did a lot for the movies, perhaps more to build the glittering empire known as "Hollywood", than any other man or woman.

Needs an editor.......2006-03-01

I enjoyed reading this book; however, I found it jarring at times. I've always said it was a mistake to stop teaching sentence diagramming in grade school. I think this book proves my point. It's a great yarn and has a lot of good information as well as all of the Hollywood dirt. That said, the writing could have been more clear--excessive use of reflexive pronouns left me re-reading more than one passage. Thoughts that should be separate sentences find themselves as subordinate clauses in lengthy awkward paragraphs. Despite its subject matter and presumably myriad dynamite photos out there, the photograph section was pretty stingy. In a Hollywoood bio, this is definitely a negative. Overall a good read, but requiring more effort than it should have. I don't like when I have to edit passages myself to make them make sense.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book, definitely worth reading.......2006-05-06

This book detailed what actually happened during the Bay of Pigs incident. The author is one of the two CIA agents with the troop into Cuba. The writing is clear and chronical, and very esay to follow. While reading it, the disaster is apparent in the making, mainly due to the personal characters of the people involved. Major lesson from the book is that the half-hearted approach would never work, and would actually incur more risks than facing the reality. Again, the book also shows the impotance of principle management. The decision maker, in this case JFK as the President of USA, has to be responsible for the results he approves. Trying to look good and hoping for a lucky break would not work, especially not for the President of the United States. A really sad, but true, story!

Book Description

First published in 1981, The Second Stage is eerily prescient and timely, a reminder that much of what is called new thinking in feminism has been eloquently observed and argued before. Warning the women's movement against dissolving into factionalism, male-bashing, and preoccupation with sexual and identity politics rather than bottom-line political and economic inequalities, Friedan argues that once past the initial phases of describing and working against political and economic injustices, the women's movement should focus on working with men to remake private and public arrangements that work against full lives with children for women and men both. Friedan's agenda to preserve families is far more radical than it appears, for she argues that a truly equitable preservation of marriage and family may require a reorganization of many aspects of conventional middle-class life, from the greater use of flex time and job-sharing, to company-sponsored daycare, to new home designs to permit communal housekeeping and cooking arrangements.

Called "utopian" fifteen years ago, when it seemed unbelievable that women had enough power in the workplace to make effective demands, or that men would join them, some of these visions are slowly but steadily coming to pass even now. The problem Friedan identifies is as real now as it was years ago: "how to live the equality we fought for," and continue to fight for, with "the family as new feminist frontier." She writes not only for women's liberation but for human liberation.

Book Description

From an apartment-rail hummingbird feeder to a backyard bat house. . .from a butterfly-friendly window box to a nest full of baby swallows. . .here are simple instructions for creating inviting, easy-to-make feeders and havitats that will attract insects, birds, squirrels, bats, frogs, and other small creatures. Many of the projects use recycled materials. These enjoyable science-based activities are accompanied by attractive illustrations and amazing anecdotes, facts, and insights into the lifestyle of creatures.

Customer Reviews:

Naturally Good.......2002-02-18

THE COMPLETE BACKYARD NATURE ACTIVITY BOOK

You can tell that Robin Michal Koontz, the author-illustrator of this book, has personal knowledge of the wildlife subjects she writes about. Each topic, from butterflies to birds to bats, gives children a wealth of information and plenty of projects to choose from. For example, kids can make a hummingbird feeder from an empty plastic bottle or draw a "family tree" of all the animals that use a tree for food or shelter. The sidebars provide fascinating information, such as the fact that many birds pick up ants and tuck them under their wings, so that the ants can deter lice, mites, and other annoying pests. I highly recommend this book - parents as well as kids can learn from it.

Book Description

Twenty full-color reusable stickers depict cardinals, goldfinch, blue jay, chickadee, nuthatch, other favorites. Apply again and again to beautiful garden backdrop on inside covers.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2007-05-30

Excellent item; lots of different bird species represented, complete with their names. Great value!

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Learn About Birds (Learn About Series)
Jen Green
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1859675824

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Hidden Spirits
Judy Larson
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

The Art of Bev Doolittle

ASIN: 0679858032
Release Date: 1996-02-13

What is a Bird? (All about Animals Chart Pack)

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What is a Bird? (All about Animals Chart Pack)
School Specialty Publishing
Manufacturer: Frank Schaffer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Wall Chart

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0768213231

Book Description

Many charts have extra information or reproducible activities on the back. This simple-to-read and colorful chart is sure to bring a smile to your class! It's also large at 17" X 22".

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Invisible Birds Magic Picture Book
Anna Pomaska
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 048629269X

Book Description

What feathered creature swims faster than some birds can fly? Answers to this and 15 other puzzles appear when you rub illustrations with a pencil.

The Badger and Bird's Story (Animal Friends Flip-overs S.)

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The Badger and Bird's Story (Animal Friends Flip-overs S.)
Siobhan Brandon
Manufacturer: Zero to Ten
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Bill Oddie's Birding Pack
Bill Oddie
Manufacturer: New Holland Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

Bird (Hand-Made Habitats)
Paul E. Read
Manufacturer: A & C Black
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0713635487

Average customer rating:

The Bird Woman
Irena Sibley
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1875843108

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