John Virtue: London Paintings (National Gallery Company)

Book Description

John Virtue was invited to become the sixth National Gallery Associate Artist because of his deep-rooted relationship with the great European landscape tradition that is magnificently represented in the museum’s collection. Working in the National Gallery’s studio, Virtue has made an unprecedented series of large-scale paintings that represent the London cityscape looking towards St. Paul’s and a smaller group showing Trafalgar Square from the roof of the National Gallery. Executed solely in black and white, they are monumental, epic works.

This book illustrates all of Virtue’s London paintings and a selection of his drawings. Following an introduction by Charles Saumarez Smith, other contributors explore the artist’s place in both the context of his contemporaries and in the historical tradition of London cityscapes, the connection between Virtue’s earlier work and the paintings and drawings he has made at the National Gallery, and Virtue’s new paintings in the context of his residency at the National Gallery.

Amazon.com

It's hard to believe that everyone's favorite fat cat has been around for 20 years and is still going strong. This feline festschrift celebrates "Garfield"'s two decades at the top in a host of ways. You can watch the evolution of the characters, take a trivia quiz, or read Jim Davis's top 20 strips. The chubby chap (Garfield, that is, not Davis) even gives a rare interview.

It's always fascinating to look back at an enduring piece of pop culture, and "Garfield" is no exception. In spite of all the changes that have happened since 1978, it's somehow comforting to read this book and realize that those annoying little things that make life such fun haven't changed a bit. Whether he's dabbling in disco (Saturday Night Feline) or gobbling lasagna, life is always cool for this cat. --Simon Leake

Book Description

20 YEARS OF FABULOUS FELINE FUN!

Laugh along with Garfield and the gang in this timely tribute to the world's feistiest--and funniest--feline!
Inside you'll find:

¸  Jim Davis' Top Twenty All-Time Favorite Strips!
¸  Foreword by Mike Peters!
¸  Exclusive 20th Anniversary Interview with Garfield!
¸  A Rare Glimpse Inside Jim Davis' Original Sketchbook!
¸  A Heaping Helping of Classic Garfield Strips!
¸  Doodles, Trivia, Anecdotes!
¸  Embarrassing Photos!

It's nothing less than a milestone for Garfield and a must-have collection for every fat cat fanatic!

Customer Reviews:

Illuminating, but too much filler.......2006-09-01

As a staple of my childhood, Garfield will always have a soft spot dedicated to him in my heart. But unlike the other comics I adored growing up, such as Calvin and Hobbes or Peanuts, which actually become funnier and more insightful the older I get, the world of Garfield seems ever to shrink and become more shallow and superficial. Like a mediocre standup comedian, the strip stays well within the boundaries of familiarity and comfort. Garfield is certainly not a strip that takes risks, or reveals any significant truths of any size about life. I suppose the predictably of gags that all deal with eating, sleeping, nerdiness, television, stupidity, boredom, spiders, and all the other topics that permeate the very confined universe of the strip has contributed to its longetivity: in the tradition of pop music, sitcoms, sequels, and fast food, Garfield spoonfeeds us that which we already know we like. Davis never challenges us, makes us think; instead he deals us a handful of words and pictures that lightly reaffirm what we already know. The characters are all one-dimensional, the punchlines obvious. In twenty years, the strip hasn't changed a bit, and it is perhaps that stagnant quality that has kept the strip anchored in the popular consciousness of a constantly shifting and uncertain world.

I suppose there are those who will say that I am being too demanding. After all, it's just a kid's strip. But if I didn't think Davis could rise above the level of stasis in which he dwells, I would accept the strip on its own terms and move on. His selection of the Top Twenty Garfield strips of all time, however, affirms that, at its best, the strip can be witty, absurd, satirical, and character-driven. I can only explain the overall middling quality of the strip as a combination of laziness and marketability (why waste time and risk alienating an established audience simply for the sake of a better strip?).

Having said that, 20 Years and Still Kicking does contain a decent assortment of goodies. Of particular interest is the biography of Jim Davis, explaining the root of his cartooning aspiration and his influences. Including a section on "Gnorm Gnat," his much less successful pre-Garfield strip, was a nice touch. The selection of comics from 1978 to 1997 give the casual reader (i.e. anyone who doesn't own every Garfield collection) a competent overview of the past twenty years, showing how the look and feel of the strip have changed in that time. The commentary is worthwhile more often than not, calling attention to notable moments in the strip's history (the first time Garfield walks upright, Jon's only date with Liz, the inspiration for particular ideas and characters, etc.). Davis also places each main character as of 1997 next to his 1978 counterpart, highlighting a rather significant contrast. Unlike most comic strips, which refine the visual look of the characters up to a point and then stop, Garfield himself never seems to stop changing. He loses weight and gains it back, his eyes go from perfect circles to more and more exaggerated ovals, and his proportions overall tend to shift and fluctuate from one year to the next. The aforementioned "Top Twenty" is also a noteworthy addition, showcasing what Davis believes to be his best work.

The Intermission section also contains a few gems. A page from Davis's sketchbook shows a number of rough drawings in all their raw glory. Some have nothing to do with Garfield, while others are recognizable as the inspiration for particular strips. The following section features different comics that reference or even include Garfield. A feature labeled "Weird Fan Mail" has smatterings of bizarre letters that Davis apparently received.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the special features are either incredibly lame (the Top Ten lists, the "G.Q" quiz) or regurgitated from other works. (the Feature Pages, the little themed boxes that appear at the bottom amidst Acts I and II). At least twenty pages in the book could have been replaced with something that was actually meaningful and original.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the book was the inside look into the step-by-step process of creating the strip, which only reveals what an assembly-line production it has become. Overseeing his immense merchandising empire apparently limits Davis's schedule quite severely; by his own admittance, he sets aside only "three consecutive days each month" to write the strip, which is apparently the extent of his involvement. Drawing, lettering, and inking all fall on the shoulders of his various assistants. Even in the writing process, Davis is only half the equation. When it's finished, Davis signs his name and collects the check.

I suppose what bothers me most is that Davis cares so little for the integrity of his comic that he is only willing to spend three days a month putting any amount of work into it. There is no longer any aspect of creating the strip that he has total control over, and yet his name is the only one that appears in the newspaper. Instead of using the strip as a creative outlet for exploring all the absurdity and humor inherent in life, it seems that it has become just another element that aids Davis in selling merchandise and fattening his own wallet. Something about this seems very tragic and insulting, but the general public eats it up, and I guess that's all that really matters.

Wonderful.......2003-01-19

This is one of the best kinds of comic books. Why? Because after almost every strip they include here, there is a little comment by Jim Davis that's usually very interesting to read. This book is littered with wonderful little "Top 10" lists and other jokes.

A cute little book with Garfield........2002-02-19

This is not the usual comic strip book with our beloved fat cat. However, no real Garfield fan should be without it. In here you can read the story of the man behind the cat, see how Garfield came to life, enjoy classic moments with the fat cat in a book that is a joy to go through.

A must for Garfield fans.......2001-03-15

This book is a real treat. It starts with a short biography of Jim Davis before he started drawing Garfield and details his struggles getting the strip started. It then gives some background to all the characters, even the MIA Lyman. Then it gets into the heart of the book, strips from all 20 years, showing the evolution of the characters and drawing style. There are occasional comments from Jim that help give more insight. Other highlights include drawings from Mr. Davis's sketchpad that were inspirations for strips, his top 20 strips of all time, all 20 of Garfield's birthday strips, and appearance or references to Garfield in other strips.

I've been a Garfield fan for a number of years now. I greatly enjoyed getting a look into the creative process that gives us such a wonderful daily treat. Any fan of the fat cat will love the book.

Unbelievably a Laugh Riot.......2001-01-22

I have been a huge Garfield fan since the early '80s. And as I am a few years short of turning 30, I remain an avid fan of the orange fat tabby. I love the ten explainations to why Lyman disappeared. My absolute favorite section of the books is Jim's top 20 cartoon strips he had done. My personal favorite [and one of Jim's favorite] is when Garfield sticks his head into the mouse hole only to be on the receiving end of a makeover. There has never been a moment when Garfield has never made me laugh. To a certain extent I have emulated myself after him. I hate Mondays, I love to eat and sleep, and I am extremely lazy but I don't mail cute kittens to Abu Dhabi and kick dogs off the table like Garfield does. Overall this book is a must have for Garfield fanatics.

Amazon.com

In the wrong hands, this book would receive a dousing of gasoline and a quick flick of the Bic. In the right hands, this is a delightfully subversive manual for a lifetime of fun.

This is the do-it-yourself handbook for enjoying our media-saturated world by tinkering with how it works. Pulls together the kookiest and most engaging ideas from the Internet, great suggestions on "culture jamming" (a practice of co-opting the resources, messages, and brain-washing machinery of existing media, pioneered by Adbusters magazine), and generally jam-packed with loads of fun ideas and funny material.

Notable contributors include Bruce Sterling, Rudy Rucker, R.U. Sirius, Richard Kadrey, and that most prolific of all authors, Anonymous.

(Editor's note: In some ways, the Happy Mutant philosophy is the cyberspawn of the behavioral shenanigans of the Dadaists, Surrealists, or the lesser-known but more interesting Situationists. )

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorites............2006-10-07

Back when paper zines were cool.....

An eclectic, entertaining, interesting and thought provoking collection of people, organisations and ideas expressed as only a combination of Boing-Boing (the original 'zine) and Wired could.

Sex, drugs and cyberspace as seen in 1995

This book changed my life, literally........2006-01-27

When I first read it, I had never before heard of the Cacophony Society, bOING bOING magazine, the Billboard Liberation Front or Burning Man, and I had no idea what "culture jamming" was. But my eyes were opened, and my life has gone all *kinds* of strange and wonderful new directions, all because of the resources in this incredible little book.

It's a damn shame it's out of print, but it's howling for a sequel. How about it, Carla?

Looney Anarchy with a Side of Jello-O.......2004-06-11

Do you laugh at authority, enjoy silly putty, get a kick outta kitsch, appreciate goofy pranks, take pride in being a do-it-yourselfer? Do your knees get weak over Water Wiennies, Sea Monkeys, Crazy Straws, or Esquivel? If you answered "yes" to a few or more of these then you are probably a happy mutant and this book is for you.

It's great. You'll find tips on building hacking, how to do "your" work while appearing to be doing "their" work, turning the tables on telemarketers, creating your own personal anti-marketing strategy, getting your zine seen, and The Urban Absurdist Survival Kit which offers official looking signs you can copy and stick around to confuse and amuse. It also includes character profiles of idiots you are likely to run into on the net, conveniently printed up as cards to cut out and keep handy for quick identification. Plus, articles on Ivan Stang, Roger Corman, Jim Ludtke, and Patch Adams (oooh, even scarier than Robin Williams).

Get your giggles off while undermining the Man. But, this book isn't all just fun and games, it contains a degree of seriousness, yet it is also serious fun. *The Happy Mutant Handbook* possesses teeth but when it nips it aims for the funny bone.

Buy this book, read it, play with it, give it a hug. You two kids could become really good friends.

This book is pretty darn good.......2001-09-10

Everything from prank calls, odd types of hacking, and Wham-o products to strange but simple foods, comix, and the Happy Mutant Hall of Fame, the Happy Mutant Handbook has most everything that the other 10% of the human population, who aren't Normals, could want to know. There are lots of fun little pranks that can always be used. One is standing in an elevator and giggling the entire time you're reading the phone book. It's quite entertaining and your able to read it again and again, each time knowing that there are actually other people like you out there. If there weren't this book wouldn't exist. So worship it and read it.

This the best example of a fun self help ever writen!!.......1999-03-12

Because of the happy mutant handbook I know now that being weird is the best thing in the world!! It has made me look at the world in a whole new way. I carry it with me every were. you to sould check out this funky book on life. a must have for any one pussing reality.

Book Description

From the classic, powerful epic motion picture picture come these musical cameos: Ashley & Melanie * Mammy * Tara * Rhett Butler * Scarlett O'Hara and more. Complete with picture section.

Simon and Schuster Crossword Puzzle Book #238: The Original Crossword Puzzle Publisher (Simon & Schuster Crossword Puzzle Books)
Average customer rating:
Simon and Schuster Crossword Puzzle Book #238: The Original Crossword Puzzle Publisher (Simon & Schuster Crossword Puzzle Books)
John M. Samson
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Crosswords | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Crosswords | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Simon and Schuster Crossword Puzzle Book #236: The Original Crossword Puzzle Publisher (Simon & Schuster Crossword Puzzle Books)

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Simon and Schuster Crossword Puzzle Book #241: The Original Crossword Puzzle Publisher (Simon & Schuster Crossword Puzzle Books)

ASIN: 0743251121

Book Description

In 1924, Simon & Schuster published its first title, The Cross Word Puzzle Book. Not only was it this new publisher's first release, it was the first collection of crossword puzzles ever printed.

Today, more than seventy-five years later, the legendary Simon & Schuster Crossword Puzzle Book series maintains its status as the standard-bearer for cruciverbal excellence. Published every two months, the series continues to provide the freshest and most original puzzles on the market. Created by the best contemporary constructors -- and edited by top puzzle master John M. Samson -- these Sunday-sized brain-breakers offer hours of stimulation for solvers of every level.

Can you take the challenge? Sharpen your pencils, grit your teeth, and find out!

Book Description

Step-by-step instructions on how writers can earn top dollar writing for magazines are provided in this book. Secrets are revealed about what the high-paying magazines really want, how to build relationships with editors, how to ascertain which sections of a magazine are open to freelancers, what kinds of stories are in demand, what to do if a deadbeat publisher doesn’t pay up, how to market reprints, and how to become an expert in one’s chosen writing field. Basic terms like query, clips, and source sheet are defined for beginning writers, and tips on everything from coming up with an idea to pitching a syndicated column are also included. Writers learn about the little-known sources top freelancers use to find new stories and experts. In addition, they learn how to get their first paying assignments even if they have no prior clips, how to negotiate for better pay, how to find high-paying magazines that aren’t swamped with queries, and how to worm their way into editors’ inboxes even if their e-mail addresses aren’t publicized.

Customer Reviews:

For Serious Freelance Writers only!.......2007-07-04

Jenna is a great thought leader in this difficult, thrilling industry. She gives practical advice for those who want to make a real business out of writing. I get a lot of queries about how I stay in business--and I refer people to her book!

What References . . . .......2007-07-01

. . . do I rely on? Over and over again, I've been asked which books I turn to time and time again for reference. I can't believe I have talked about this book on here yet - I've been raving about it all over the Internet ever since its release. So, here I am, a bit late with a lot to say.

When it comes to venturing through the freelance writing world, it's not uncommon to take the first step with fear and a sort of sick feeling in your gut. You want to feel secure, want answers to all the hard questions, and you want your hand held. Well, Jenna's done all of that in this guide.

Don't let how slim this guide fool you at all. It isn't because it's lacking material, information and resources. On the contrary, it's bursting at the seams with everything a freelance writer needs to run a successful business. The key is that there's no fluff. Sure, there's a LOT of humor and personal experiences injected in just the right places. You won't find a lot of useless information just thicken the book up, though.

When I first started my business in 1999, I searched HIGH and LOW for an all-in-one reference to guide me through the process and never coule really find what I was looking for. Now, when I come across new writers in search of the same thing, I direct them to this book. And, each time they've talked to me about what they've learned from reading and USING this book, they've raved about how glad they were to have it right from the beginning.

Sharp, practical advice from an insider who knows.......2007-02-21

Want to be a freelance writer? Jenna Glatzer tells you the truth about the business in a conversational, factual, no-nonsense style sprinkled with her warm personality and humor. She lays out the writer's path and bids you to take the first steps.

After reading so many books on writing that don't deliver on the promises they make, Jenna's book is refreshingly honest and practical. If I were teaching a course on writing, I'd make sure every student had her book.

Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer is great for novices and veterans. She surprises you with solid tips on researching and using the internet to full advantage. Her book takes the fear out of an often imposing business and reminds one that writing is compelling fun.

Rebecca Jacoby, copywriter
www.afewchosenwords.com
www.beckyjacoby.com

Good Job.......2006-03-10

Jenna Glatzer has performed a valuable service in her work. Her work is insightful to what the news taking place in the media today. I enjoyed reading it. It answered several questions for me. It also brought up things that I had not thought of. I appreciate her work and what I was able to get out of it.

Exactly what I was searching for.......2006-02-23

This book is packed with tactical real-life strategic know-how about how to get published. It's not a book full of fluff! Every page contains something that a writer should know. Great source of information.

The Zanzibar Chest
Average customer rating:

Best book on modern Africa

A page turner, but....

Very Different

Truth about Africa told so well it is poetic

Could Not Stop Reading

The Zanzibar Chest
Aidan Hartley
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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Emma's War

The Shadow of the Sun

Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown

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A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa

ASIN: 1594480117
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Book Description

Hartley, a frontline reporter who covered the atrocities of 1990s Africa, embarks on a journey to unlock the mysteries and secrets of his own family's 150-year-colonial legacy in Africa, and delivers a beautiful, sometimes harrowing memoir of intrepid young men cut down in their prime, of forbidden love and its fatal consequences, and of family and history, and the collision of cultures that defined them both.

Customer Reviews:

Best book on modern Africa.......2007-09-30

I just wrapped this one up about a week ago and WOW, I can tell you already it's one of those books that lingers in your head. When I wasn't reading it I found myself thinking about it (at work, on the bus). Aidan Hartley is an african born (4th generation, of english decent) journalist, in the field during the tumultuous late 80's to mid 90's. He covered wars in Ethiopia, Somalia, Rwanda, and even in the Balkans. The Zanzibar Chest weaves the experiences of Aidan's father, his own childhood in Kenya and his experiences working as a stringer for Reuters into the history of Africa itself. Hartley's ability to capture the bittersweet love affair he has with his homeland is remarkable. He fully realizes (more so than most) the horrors perpetuated on the african people, by outside forces and by one another. Neither overly condeming nor sentimental, Hartley writes with a passion that is firmly grounded in his vast knowledge of the contintent to create a narrative that is romantic, horrifying and gut wrenchingly honest.

Another thing I enjoyed about his writing style was that he conveyed a sense of both the epic and the intimate about his own experiences. Although his knowledge of things like history, geography and politics is impressive, he also consistantly includes detailed descriptions of people, objects, foods, customs, locations, etc. These small personal details often convey a humanity and even humor despite the horrifying events throughout the book. He creates a real sense of being there that I think most non-fiction writing ignores. I hope Hartley writes more, because this book fleshed out my own thinking on Africa as no other single book has. I suggest anyone interested in expanding your world view, to read this book and prepare to do so with a lump in your throat. Intense and wonderful!

A page turner, but...........2007-01-06

...The Zanzibar Chest is at times nearly obscene in it's adrenaline filled adventure. Many of the stories are beyond belief. Mr. Hartley has lived a life none have lived and few would wish to live. But it is certainly entertaining reading.

Hartley also does an excellent job developing a unifying theme of Africa and it's mystery and relates it to his fathers life.

Other similar books I'd reccommend would be Don't let's go to the dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller and Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux. Zanzibar chest tops both in excitement but is perhaps their equal in writing quality.

Very Different.......2006-12-30

I agree this book is an "amazing" and "stunning" not to mention terrifying glimpse of the "depths of hell". I had to put the book down often because I needed breathers from the atrocities and horrors described.

While I agree with some of the reviewers who didn't like the way the stories change abruptly and that it does seem like three books in one, I think that the writing overcomes these minor annoyances.

Someone else wrote critically that you can't learn anything about the Africa today from this book. I disagree. There are many countries in Africa and most of them seem to be in turmoil much of the time. Things are constantly changing and today's book won't describe tomorrows news. However, isn't the best way to learn about something is to know its history?

There are some terrific reviews here that sum up the book much better than I could. I'm looking forward to Mr. Hartley's next book which should be very different from this one.

Truth about Africa told so well it is poetic.......2006-12-13

This is the best memoir of Africa I have read. The honesty and introspection is stunning. Adrian Hartley's prose is so beautiful it is almost poetry. The first below is inspired by this wonderful book, the second is from the book:

Africa Is Bathed In Light

Inspired by Adrian Hartley's
The Zanzibar Chest

Rising before dawn
Waiting for sunrise
The deep light reveals
Everything in incredible detail.

The morning is awash
In color and shadow until
Blinded by the orange sun's ball
I'm trapped in the crescendo of radiance
As Africa is bathed in light, and
The world becomes two-dimensional.

Somalia

from Adrian Hartley's
The Zanzibar Chest

In the all out war
Of Everybody
Against Everybody
Lies a grim paradox:

If you have nothing,
You Starve.

If you have something,
You are attacked.

Either way,
You get killed.

Could Not Stop Reading.......2006-08-23

A finely crafted account of the gritty, dangerous, sometimes glamorous experiences of a journalist in war-torn Africa. Gives the reader a new appreciation for those who risk their lives to bring us the news. Highly recommended!

The Zanzibar Chest A Story of Life, Love, and Death in Foreign Lands

Average customer rating:

The Zanzibar Chest A Story of Life, Love, and Death in Foreign Lands
Hartley Aidan
Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UEABR8

ZANZIBAR CHEST PB MEMOIR OF LOVE AND WAR

Average customer rating:

ZANZIBAR CHEST PB MEMOIR OF LOVE AND WAR
Aidan Hartley
Manufacturer: HarperPerennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8OYMS

Average customer rating:

THE ZANZIBAR CHEST. A Story of Life, Love and Death in Foreign Lands.
Aidan: Hartley
Manufacturer: Pan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W35DLQ

Luftwaffe Fighter Units: Europe 1942-1945 (Osprey Airwar 24)
Average customer rating:
Luftwaffe Fighter Units: Europe 1942-1945 (Osprey Airwar 24)
Christopher Shores
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0850452988
Release Date: 1979-06-15

Book Description

This book examines the combat histories of Luftwaffe Fighter units during World War 2. The major aircraft types operated by the Luftwaffe during this period are all covered, and their missions detailed. Aircraft markings and aircrew uniforms are shown in full colour illustrations.

Book Description

An eye-opening explanation of the greatest natural disaster in American history. Katrina was the seminal event of the new century, a body blow to the national self-image. Could such devastation have been prevented? Sensationalism and political finger-pointing have made it nearly impossible to distinguish the truth from the spin. But now, in Path of Destruction, John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein cut through the confusion to offer a clear explanation.

Customer Reviews:

Katrina and survival.......2007-01-04

I am a Katrina survivor and, of course, am interested in all things written about this storm and its aftermath. This is the best of all that I have read and reads like a great novel with good descriptions of the devastation as well as the principles involved.

A must read!.......2006-09-18

In 2002, John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein wrote "Washing Away," an award-winning series for the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The authors exposed the unique vulnerability of New Orleans to hurricanes, exploring "an obvious but little-acknowledged fact: here was a city that, for the six months of every hurricane season, lived with a substantial risk of utter annihilation...much of the city was built on top of a swamp, below sea level and gradually sinking."

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Louisiana coast. In Path of Destruction: The Devastation of New Orleans and the Coming Age of Superstorms, McQuaid and Schleifstein revisit familiar territory, helping readers understand why this tragic event happened when there were so many warnings.

Path of Destruction outlines the factors that contributed to the tragedy in New Orleans. By 2005, many levees were still incomplete and those built had inadequate safety levels, with safety factors of 1.3 (bridges have a safety factor of 2). The Army Corps of Engineers were more interested in commerce than hurricane safety. When combined with sinking marshlands and unstable soil, these facts increased the likelihood that levees would be overtopped or broken by a Category 2 hurricane, turning much of New Orleans into a lake. Hurricanes sweeping in off the Gulf of Mexico no longer have extensive marshlands to diminish the storm's strength for "the delta has collapsed like a souffle."

McQuaid and Schleifstein also provide extensive evaluation of Katrina's aftermath. Once the levees broke, 80% of New Orleans was under water and the delayed response by FEMA severely increased the misery caused by Katrina.

Despite the harrowing experiences of one year ago and the knowledge that what happened in New Orleans was "catastrophic structural failure" not an "act of God," the U.S. government is poised to repeat prior mistakes. The Corps is rebuilding levees to their former level of protection, leaving New Orleans as exposed as before Katrina. At one point, Corps contractors were caught "dredging up weak soil and incorporating it into a new levee." Given the prediction of an increase in Katrina-like storms, the time to act and prevent future tragedies is now.

Armchair Interviews says: Alarming information from award-winning journalists.

The only Katrina book you need to read.......2006-09-18

This is not your typical Hurricane Katrina book, and that's why you need to read it. Of all the books I've read about the storm, this book best explains what happened to lead up to the events of Aug 29, 2005. The other reviewers have really summed the book up well.

Thoughtful, Informative and Readable.......2006-09-15

Path of Destruction provides an in-depth background to the geographic, technical and political contributions to the Katrina disaster. It describes the natural challenges of settling on the active Mississippi delta, the innately human bone-headed attempts to protect settlements on an increasingly vulnerable marshland, and the classic political forces (farces?) over the centuries that made problems worse, and it does it all in a very readable way.

I grew up in New Orleans, and visit family there often, so I thought I understood the growing threat from hurricanes, yet McQuaid and Schleifstein filled in the gaps, and corrected common misconceptions; it is impressively well researched. (The horrendous tale of the response to the great Mississippi River Flood of 1927 alone is worth the price of admission.)

This is what I would call a "crossover book": Even if you're sick of hearing about Katrina-this and New Orleans-that, this book is interesting and readable enough to earn space on your "classic studies of human behavior" bookshelf.

I second that WOW!.......2006-08-18

This is an amazing book, a real page turner. I lived in Louisiana for eight years, and the book really captures a lot of the history, the culture and the realities that led up to the tragedy that befell my beloved former home on my birthday last year.

The narrative is riveting without insulting the intelligence of the reader.

The tragedy of Katrina began many years earlier, and this book helps place events in context. Fully a third of the book recounts history prior to the first raindrops hitting Louisiana.

The book steers a nice balance. It is deep enough to illuminate the political, economic and engineering factors that created the mess, but not so dry as to make it stuffy. It really presents a compelling case study in public policy and illustrates how important geography is to understanding our future.

It is clear that the authors' familiarity with the subject going back several years helped with the background portion of the book. These guys really know this stuff.

This should be a model for a popular account of a major event.

I know that some people may be unhappy that the book skirts over material supporting the second half of the title ("Coming Age of Superstorms") and others may object to any discussion of that topic, but I think that the authors do a good job placing their argument within the framework of mainstream thinking about climate change.

My only complaint is that I wish that there were more maps.

Birds of North America (Usborne Spotter's Guides)
Average customer rating:
Birds of North America (Usborne Spotter's Guides)
Dr. Phillip Burton
Manufacturer: E.D.C. Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Nonfiction | Birds | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0746011458

Birds of North America (Spotters Guide)
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Birds of North America (Spotters Guide)
Philip, Dr. Burton
Manufacturer: Edc Pub (Lib)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Nonfiction | Birds | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0881109843

Spotter's Guide to Birds of North America
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Spotter's Guide to Birds of North America
Philip John Kennedy Burton
Manufacturer: Wh Smith Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 083170876X

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