Jetway Joshua Aka Carl Lewis Lodjic: Four Score and Twenty

Book Description

The life of Carl Lodjic (Jetway Joshua) from birth in the ghetto to the top of a corporate ladder, and to becoming the creator of Jetways (airline passenger loading equipment); followed by a four year trip into ostentatiousness, and into perdition.

He is now living on “cloud nine” in Boulder City, Nevada, with his beautiful sweet Virginia.

Amazon.com

If the subtitle of this delicious collection of Yogi-isms has you scratching your head, it has done its job as stunningly as Berra used to do his behind the plate at Yankee Stadium. The Hall of Fame MVP catcher for the pinstriped dynasties of the late 1940s through the '50s and into the '60s, Berra was about as quick with his witticisms as he was with his bat and glove. But if his observations hit the heart of the plate, his grammar tended to pop out of left field, hence the creation of a unique mode of malapropism dubbed the Yogi-ism. To truly understand the title, you need to know that not every mot ascribed to Yogi actually emanated from his mouth--they only sounded like they should have. Thus, he really didn't say everything he said, which makes The Yogi Book absolutely necessary (see page 10).

To the things that Yogi did say, The Yogi Book does both service and justice. It gathers the witticisms in a single convenient volume, adds a scrapbook of photos, then lets their progenitor riff, filling in color commentary on what was happening beyond his mind and what was going through it when the famous phrases were dispatched into the public domain. He deservedly takes credit for such immortal pronunciamentos as "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." (page 16); "It's deja vu all over again." (page 30); "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." (page 48); "The future ain't what it used to be." (page 118); "It gets late early out there." (page 64); and "Ninety percent of this game is half mental." (page 69). All, like the sacred texts they happen to be, are appropriately parsed for your edification, as is the greatest Yogi-ism of them all: "It ain't over 'til it's over." (page 121).

Book Description

It's deja vu all over again! And just in time for Father's Day. Announcing a hardcover edition of the 300,000-plus -copy national bestseller that has baseball fans everywhere saying "It ain't over 'til it's over" and "90% of the game is half mental" and "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." A $12.95 jacketed edition that ships in time for Father's Day, The Yogi Book is a perfect gift for sports fans, quote book collectors, lovers of pop culture and Americana, and everyone who ever knew exactly what Yogi meant by You can observe a lot by watching.

Customer Reviews:

Yogi Berra Book.......2007-01-12

It is a very short book, with classic Yogi Berra saying and descriptions of the events that surrounded these funny phrases being uttered.

A great book that is is short, concise and not long :).......2005-08-25

This is a must have for Yogi Berra fans or just anybody who appreciates baseball in an older, more pure era. This book contains not only his most famous quotes, but many from his personal life at home as well. The book is short (30 minute read). It is definately well worth reading or at least scanning through.

Short but funny with some ponderables.......2004-11-19

This small book contains many of Yogi Berra's humorous, and sometimes thought-provoking, statements. I added over 30 to my quotes collection. He explains how many originated and that he did not say some of the sayings attributed to him (p. 9: I really didn't say everything I said). Quite a few of them have been quoted so often as to have become part of our culture:

p. 30: It's dèja vu all over again!
p. 95: You can learn a lot by watching.
p. 118: The future ain't what it used to be.

But some were new to me:

p. 64: It gets late early out here.
p. 73: Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't go to yours.
p. 93: Never answer an anonymous letter.

Finally, Yogi's family contributed some of their own:

p. 125: Tim-I knew exactly where it was, I just couldn't find it.
p. 125: Betsy-Sometimes you have to get lost to find yourself.
p. 125: Mario-I've double checked it six times.

Enjoy the read, but don't take this book as historical fact.......2004-05-04

Yogi really DIDN'T say everything that's attributed to him. A whole cottage industry for sports writers has sprung up inventing way too clever stuff and putting it in Yogi's mouth.

Unfortunately, it may be too late to correct the record. How can Yogi disown such gems as "It's deja vu all over again" when everybody WANTS to believe he said it?

In the early 1980's I read an interview with Berra in which a journalist walked him through the fifty best known Berraisms, and Yogi disowned about half of them. Included in the spurious Berraisms was the world-renowned "It's deja vu all over again."

Sorry to be a spoilsport, but let's have a little truth here. Does anyone seriously believe that during his playing days this guy, who had such a shaky command of basic English, had the French expession "deja vu" in his word stock to draw upon when needed?

Fun and Nicely Done.......2002-11-14

What I liked about The Yogi Book is that it was a book about the man, by the man and for the man. It is a very simple book with a promising concept that had great pictures and timeless memories. The cut and dry attitude answers and explains the questions about his famous quotes in a way that is most delightful. The lack of nonsense and filler made the experience much more enjoyable and, combined with the fact that it was actually Yogi talking, made everything feel much more authentic and pure.

The one factor that seems to be a downside of the book is that is a very quick read. I was able to finish it in one hasty sitting and, being about as cheap as the day is long, I saw no need to purchase the book. For those that are fans as frugal as myself, I would recommend not purchasing but definitely reading.

Don't get me wrong, sure I'm a cheap [expletive], but that doesn't take away from this great read. You will be smiling the entire time you are reading and will be pleased that you took the time to go through all the classic quotes and great memories. Short and sweet, there's nothing wrong with that.

Average customer rating:
The Yogi Book "I Really Didn't Say Everything I said"
Berra Yogi
Manufacturer: Workman Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LBWX44

Book Description

The pioneers of the motion picture industry were a group of uncommonly talented men, women, and children. Many of their films have now vanished or disintegrated, and the only evidence of them is in the memories of their creators. The twelve men and women featured in this collection of interviews share their memories of the early days of filmmaking, from the technicalities of lighting and production, to celebrities they encountered. The interviewees include Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Virginia Cherrill, child star "Baby Peggy," director Andrew Stone, and original "Our Gang" member Jean Darling. Their stories of what it was like to make a movie in the silent era are illuminating glimpses into an era that fades with every passing year. Each interview is accompanied by a comprehensive filmography, and dozens of photographs of these celebrities and their associates are also included.

Customer Reviews:

The STARS are ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED! Hooray!.......2005-02-22

I have been a cinema fan quite while, silent films more recently as I research. Finally, I see a book on the market where the author actually sought out former stars and interviewed them!
We get a sense of their personalities and the whole era through this book;
I recently bought SILENT PLAYERS, thinking it a similiar book but many of the subjects were dead before the author wrote it and those who are quoted have little or nothing to say. The chapters are one page at most.
I hope for more good reading. It is sad now but I imagine all the silent players are gone. Are there any still alive? If so, who are they and have they been interviewed?
Another good read is the new bio of Valentino. He must have been quite the loverboy!

A glimpse into making silent films.......2003-02-08

Tony Villecco writes articles on silent and sound films for CLASSIC IMAGES magazine and he has assembled twelve of his articles for this book. Subjects range from clild actors Baby Peggy Montgomery and Jean Darling to major stars like Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and even a director, Andrew Stone. The book has very detailed filmographies of each person profiled, except for director Stone. This book is a fast read, and it would be a great introduction to someone who is new to silent films. Many of the people profiled in the book had long careers in sound films also. The best parts of the book are when he interviews some little know people like director Stone, actress Pauline Curley, and actress Priscilla Bonner and they actually talk about their careers and filmmaking. Sometimes the subjects just give us a list of the many people that they worked with and don't give us much detail about their experiences. In fairness to the author, his subjects were all very old at the time and may not have been able to remember that many details. If you are really interested in interviews with silent film stars, Kevin Brownlow's THE PARADE'S GONE BY and William Drew's AT THE CENTER OF THE FRAME are much better. Baby Peggy's story is told much better in hour autobiography, HOLLYWOOD' CHILDREN.

GREAT BOOK BUT SHOULD BE HARDCOVER!.......2002-07-09

I ENJOYED THIS BOOK VERY MUCH AND THE AUTHOR FOUND SOME NEAT SILENT FILM PERSONALITIES TO TALK WITH. GOOD INSIGHT INTO WHAT THOSE EARLY YEARS WERE LIKE BUT FOR WHAT I PAID FOR IT I FEEL THE BOOK SHOULD AT LEAST BE RELEASED IN HARDCOVER. STILL, IT WAS ENJOYABLE.

AN AMAZING BOOK OF CINEMA LOST.......2002-04-06

Mr. Villecco interviews 12 former silent film players and a director Andrew Stone. We learn about the early scandals and first Academy Awards and early working conditions. It is fascinating. These pioneers really worked, often under undesirable conditions. As far as sex, drugs and rock and roll, the 1920's were no different. Read the chapters on Baby Peggy, Anita Page and Pauline Curley! It's also amazing that Villecco was able to even locate living silent stars. Are there any left?
I rate this book 5 stars-the photos and filmogs are also wonderful.

"Silent Stars Speak" is Superb!.......2001-04-16

"Silent Stars Speak" is a superb book! This is a treasure chest of information about Hollywood's roots. Tony Villeco's interviews with the 12 stars are facinating. He's done a marvelous job, giving us a glimpse into the past. Since many of these stars have now passed on, he's captured wonderful memories and a bit of history as well. It was a joy to read, as well as informative and insightful. The book is full of beautiful, vintage pictures that truly take the reader back to the magical era of silent films. Tony Villeco has created a work of art, in this wonderful book. One can only hope to read more from him future! Bravo!

Book Description

"Cleavage is very 1960s: it shows off the new permissiveness. (Look! we can reveal most of Elizabeth Taylor's breasts!) Cleavage is not nudity. Cleavage is a promise: not sight, but on the verge of sight." [p. 138]

In this brilliantly shrewd, hilarious collection of essays, cultural critic and acclaimed writer Wayne Koestenbaum exposes all that provokes, intimidates, heartens, and arouses us in matters of style, celebrity, obscenity, and art.

Armed with a bold curiosity, a stinging wit, and a subversive sense of wordplay, Koestenbaum reflects on a dazzling array of subjects. Here are the outsized emotions inflamed by Sophia Loren, Robert Mapplethorpe, and locker-room nudity . . . vivid dreams of flirting with Bill Clinton and resurrecting Bette Davis from the dead . . . the intangible joys of thrifting . . . the true meaning of masculinity . . . and the indelible sensation that two scoops of vanilla flesh, heaving incongruously in a 70-millimeter musical, made on a young boy of impressionable age.

From the rigors of a day spent with Melanie Griffith ("Melanie Time") to the healing powers of a gray Prada suit ("Diary of a Suit") to moving meditations on the importance of reading ("Why I Read"), this volume is an irresistible exploration of culture and identity in America. If celebrity is--as Koestenbaum suggests--an earthquake, then Cleavage is the aftershock.

Customer Reviews:

Not his best work..........2004-01-18

Although I am a fan of Koestenbaum, I was less impressed by Cleavage than I was by The Queen's Throat or Jackie Under My Skin. However, I do feel that this book has some merit, and I like the writing style. Although some of the essays are more interesting than others, I think this book is worth reading, if you like Koestenbaum. I don't recommend it as an introduction to him, however.

Does It Smart? Well, Let Me Kiss It!.......2000-08-30

At his best Koestenbaum, wit, ardent fan, astute critic and antic camp, riffs on his idols and his passions to intoxicating effect. Bringing high and low perspectives to bear on his varied subjects here, he flaunts his knowledge (wide-ranging) and queerness (all-consuming) and dares to go out on to the high wire without a net (e.g. "I want to fail in the most beautiful way, to write something so like a parallelogram it baffles every critic and excites the raven-haired young androgynes.") Whether he is writing about his underwear (he starts out from home) or his favorite diva (he ends up at the theater), he lets his imagination run amok, trusting that his daunting intelligence will step in later to ground the musings in the everyday that we all will recognize (it does). Fans of his "Jackie under My Skin" and "The Queen's Throat" will adore this even zestier collection, although some others may feel that a shorter, more focused array of delicacies would have made this very good book a masterpiece of its genre. On a more pedestrian but essential note, Koestenbaum's "Cleavage" will also make you laugh like nobody's business.

Drippy.......2000-08-21

Koestenbaum affects, throughout every essay in this collection, the pose of the breathless, trivial, glib narcissisist, as enamored of fashion and movie stars as he is of himself. He seems to have anticipated much of the criticism which could be (and has been) levied against him, particularly in his essay "Logorrhea." Yes, he tacitly admits, he does tend to gush, and he does obsess about what other people would consider trivialities,--but didn't James, Proust, Wilde, Barthes, and other irresistible gay aesthetes? Isn't this just what a brilliant aesthete can do, transfix his audience with his charming reveries, and show how the seemingly trivial actually demostrates deep truths about our culture? Isn't this an important political strategy?

The answer to these questions he implicitly poses is very much "yes"--that is, *if* you happen to be Henry James, Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, or Roland Barthes. Koestenbaum is not in their league, and where he aims for charm and brilliance he comes off instead sounding both dippy and drippy. It's a pretty pointless read, and his self-indulgence comes off as infuriating rather than irresistible.

Here's what the NYTimes said...........2000-07-31

An omnivorous culture vulture who feels as comfortable discussing Franz Schubert as Rambo -- in fact, both in the same breath -- Wayne Koestenbaum believes that ''it is our job, as observers, to wrest meaning from events and objects.'' Koestenbaum is a semiotician of the trivial and the effete and writes a rarefied designer prose. At their best, the essays collected in ''Cleavage'' can be as intense as poetry, and are, occasionally, elegant. At his worst, Koestenbaum, the author of ''Jackie Under My Skin: Interpreting an Icon,'' produces overwrought, hysterical writing that keeps drawing attention to itself at the expense of the subject at hand. He is given to declarations like, ''I must collect my thoughts about underwear or I will have an epistemological breakdown''; he also describes himself as ''a blurted-out obscenity or nonsense syllable, a case of fashion Tourette's.'' Under such circumstances, perhaps the most telling essay is one on logorrhea; it is an unapologetic defense of what Koestenbaum describes as ''the affliction of those whose desires and whose sentences are old-fashioned, purple, tumescent, waiting to be evacuated.''

Indispensable, excellent book.......2000-07-11

I don't know who these goons are that keep putting down Wayne Koestenbaum, but he's one of the best contemporary writers out there, and this is an absolutely brilliant book -- a compilation of the best of his cultural essays over the past years. Don't let a couple of lamebrains dissuade you from this marvelous book -- Koestenbaum has a lot to say about modern culture, the cult of stardom and the experience of being human, and he says it with remarkable insight and grace. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Pretty good; but he's done better

Todo

Wish I had this book a month ago.

Not perfect but a lot better then a lot of the others

Great Practical information - unbelievably good

Expert One-on-One Visual Basic 2005 Database Programming (Expert One-On-One)
Roger Jennings
Manufacturer: Wrox
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Visual Basic | Development | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books | .Net | C# | C++ | Visual Studio
General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
General | Languages & Tools | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Visual Basic 2005 Programmer's Reference (Programmer to Programmer)

Beginning Visual Basic 2005 Databases (Programmer to Programmer)

Mastering Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 (Mastering)

Professional VB 2005 (Programmer to Programmer)

Visual Basic 2005 Cookbook: Solutions for VB 2005 Programmers (Cookbooks (O'Reilly))

ASIN: 076457678X

Book Description

First, I'll begin with ADO.NET 2.0 basics, then I'll move on to designing and programming smart clients with typed DataSets as their data sources. Gradually, I'll walk you through using DataSource, GridView, and DetailsView Web controls. Finally, I'll demonstrate how to take advantage of the new T-SQL extensions, in-process Web services, and notifications.

What you will learn from this book

How to build usable Windows(r) and Web forms from a sample database in less than five minutes-without writing a line of code
Effective writing of data validation code for bound text boxes and DataGridViews
Ways to apply advanced ASP.NET 2.0 data techniques
The process of creating and deploying VB 2005 SQL CLR projects

Who this book is for

This book is for experienced VB programmers who are upgrading from VB6 or VS 2002/2003 to VB 2005. Basic familiarity with the VS 2005 or VB Express 2005 environment is helpful but not assumed. No prior VB6, VBA, or VBScript experience is necessary.

Wrox Expert One-On-One books present the wisdom accumulated by an experienced author who is recognized as an expert by the programming community. These experts challenge professional developers to examine their current practices in pursuit of better results.

Download Description

Are you hesitant to migrate to Visual Studio(r) 2005? Maybe you're ready to upgrade to Visual Basic 2005 but feel a bit overwhelmed by ADO.NET 2.0 and the Visual Data Tools of this new release. In this hands-on guide, I'll share with you the best practices, the latest features, and advanced data management techniques with Visual Basic 2005 and SQL Server or SQL Server Express 2005. Plus, I'll incorporate simple to moderately complex project examples that feature real-world, database front-end applications with Windows and Web forms. First, I'll begin with ADO.NET 2.0 basics, then I'll move on to designing and programming smart clients with typed DataSets as their data sources. Gradually, I'll walk you through using DataSource, GridView, and DetailsView Web controls. Finally, I'll demonstrate how to take advantage of the new T-SQL extensions, in-process Web services, and notifications. What you will learn from this book How to build usable Windows(r) and Web forms from a sample database in less than five minutes-without writing a line of code Effective writing of data validation code for bound text boxes and DataGridViews Ways to apply advanced ASP.NET 2.0 data techniques The process of creating and deploying VB 2005 SQL CLR projects Who this book is for This book is for experienced VB programmers who are upgrading from VB6 or VS 2002/2003 to VB 2005. Basic familiarity with the VS 2005 or VB Express 2005 environment is helpful but not assumed. No prior VB6, VBA, or VBScript experience is necessary. Wrox Expert One-On-One books present the wisdom accumulated by an experienced author who is recognized as an expert by the programming community. These experts challenge professional developers to examine their current practices in pursuit of better results.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good; but he's done better.......2007-08-01

I snatched this book up as soon as I saw it. I have three other of Roger Jennings' database books and they are great.

This one was a little disappointing. It has good information in it and it is informative. But, percentage-wise at least, it seems to contain a lot more filler, like unneeded code. The style of writing seems so different from his other books that I wonder how much of the actual writing Mr. Jennings did himself.

It's definitely not a bad book. Overall it was worth the money. Maybe the second edition will add more substance. I would actually rate it at 3 1/2 stars, but that's not an available option.

Todo.......2007-03-08

Excelente libro, le agregaria algun truquito mas, pero esta todo, sirve como para arrancar y profundizar en los temas. Muy buena guia.

Wish I had this book a month ago........2007-02-01

Having this book a month ago would have saved me at least $1000. Which is about how much I had to pay someone to write code that this book clearly points out was already written and available by Microsoft.

That's the bottom line. This book is a time and money saver for anyone writing VB 2005 code that uses a database.

Not perfect but a lot better then a lot of the others.......2007-01-04

This book does a better job of explaining what happens behind the vs2005 data object wizzards then many of the other books that just show you how to use them.

Great Practical information - unbelievably good.......2006-07-13

I bought this book even though I am a C# coder. Roger has such great concepts on how to do design and coding that I almost shouted for joy after searching and reading other books (e.g S. Malik which is of little or no value). This book goes beyond my production code needs and is invaluable in doing it right the first time. Thanks Roger for the section on concurrency exceptions which we all have in the real world. Most folks sweep this under the rug because it takes a real pro to fully and accurately address it.

Expert One on One Visual Basic 2005 Database Programming

Average customer rating:

Expert One on One Visual Basic 2005 Database Programming
Roger Jennings
Manufacturer: Wiley-Dreamtech India Pvt. Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 8126506938

Book Description

The classic look at the past with a very jaundiced eye-now updated with even more disheartening facts!

The original "irreverent jaunt through the catastrophes, cataclysms and outrages that shaped our world" has sold more than 73,000 copies. This updated edition takes us from the Big Bang (it was an explosion, after all) to the turn of the millennium, with more than 10,000 new words and 100 new entries that chronicle the disasters, bad decisions, and downright evil events that have taken place since September 1991 (the last entry in the first book). With a light but informative tone and a handy timeline of events, this is addictively friendly fare for those who want a different--some might argue more intriguing-view of history.

Customer Reviews:

Bathroom Reading for the History Geek.......2006-05-14

Are you the type of person who has shelves stacked with biographies? Who finds that reading books about the Russian Revolution is just as interesting as reading fiction? If so, you'll probably like this book. It isn't deep, it isn't weighty, but it's morbid entertainment of the best sort.

Spanning facts from the Big Bang to the Oklahoma City Bombings, this book covers most of the horrible things that humans have done to each other, or that nature has done to humans (or vice versa). It's not a book to sit down and read cover to cover, by any means. However, for the history junkies like myself, it's the bathroom book to die for.

In short, I would recommend this to anyone with a passing interest in history and a sense of humor that has a bit of morbidity to it.

Good read.......2006-05-03

Who knew the author could make catastrophes throughout history so interesting. It is a very thorough book going all the way back to biblical times. Every natural and man-made disaster that has occured is mentioned.

Not as advertised.......2006-02-27

"A tongue-in-cheek romp" is what the front cover says -- the very first thing it says, at the very top, in bold letters. Not true. There's nothing humorous about this book. Nothing tongue in cheek. It's just like any other depressing catalogue of catastrophes and tragedies. Most of the facts it relates are correct, but many aren't. (I read a lot of history). My main objection is that this book markets itself as some kind of alternative, behind-the-scenes take on history, with humorous overtones. It isn't that at all.

gives me the jitters.......2005-12-10

If you like slowing down to look at traffic accidents,this is the book for you.Its rather morbid and depressing but quite fascinating and educational as well. I couldn't put it down until I read the whole thing. It will make you wonder how the human race has managed to last this long.

An easy read of horrible events.......2005-02-09

One would expect to feel some guilt from reading this book, since I found myself being entertained by stories of terrible tragedies that happened to millions of people throughout history, but the authors tend to poke fun at the causes, not the victims, of such events. Another striking thing is that after a while, you feel like you're reading a book about general World History (unfortunately it often seems to go hand-in-hand with misery).

I was amused, yet angered at the human follies that lead to the majority of major disasters - stupid governments, big dumb ideas, racial bigotry, religious wars, etc.,. I also felt fortunate that I'm living in these relatively modern times. Certainly our world is still no stranger to tragedy, but at least modern cities are not in danger of burning down due to a knocked-over lantern or such.

After reading about the variety and volume of major natural disasters, one is amazed at just how little control people have over this world, even now, particularly after witnessing the recent, massively damaging Asian tsunami disaster.

The truly interesting, though tragic, parts of the book deal with man-made disasters; unfortunately, there are plenty of examples both small-scale (e.g. psychotic killers) and large-scale (e.g. psychotic governments). This is where the authors inject most of their wry humor, directed at history's monsters and idiots.

All in all, it may not be something to read while at the beach with the family, but it is an interesting and easy-reading diversion for casual history buffs.

Amazon.com

The tiny island city-state of Venice was, for a time, one of the greatest maritime powers the world has ever known, its influence extending far beyond the Mediterranean. Garry Wills, well known for his studies of American political history, travels far afield to explore Renaissance Venice at the height of its power.

Venice, Wills writes, was "not an ideal state." Its champions would claim otherwise; they held a view of Venetian "exceptionalism," an idea that the city-state, like its classical Athenian model, was somehow destined for great things. It achieved many of them, gathering phenomenal wealth through the monopolies of its many guilds, floating great navies that controlled the seas, and building a splendid, renowned city. Wills profiles the leaders, great families, corporations, and institutions (including what he calls a "gerontocracy" of elder statesmen) that allowed such growth, as well as women, ordinary workers, and other actors who do not often figure in histories of the period. He examines the religious beliefs and worldly wisdom that motivated and justified the Venetian impulse to achieve wealth and power, and he takes his readers on a learned tour of Venice's architectural and artistic glories--many of which survive today.

No, it was not ideal, Wills concludes, "just better than most of those around it--better able to sustain, over a long period, whatever ideals it had." His account of those ideals and the city they made will appeal to a wide audience of readers. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

Garry Wills's Venice: Lion City is a tour de force -- a rich, colorful, and provocative history of the world's most fascinating city in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, when it was at the peak of its glory. This was not the city of decadence, carnival, and nostalgia familiar to us from later centuries. It was a ruthless imperial city, with a shrewd commercial base, like ancient Athens, which it resembled in its combination of art and sea empire.

Venice: Lion City presents a new way of relating the history of the city through its art and, in turn, illuminates the art through the city's history. It is illustrated with more than 130 works of art, 30 in full color. Garry Wills gives us a unique view of Venice's rulers, merchants, clerics, laborers, its Jews, and its women as they created a city that is the greatest art museum in the world, a city whose allure remains undiminished after centuries.

Like Simon Schama's The Embarrassment of Riches, on the Dutch culture in the Golden Age, Venice: Lion City will take its place as a classic work of history and criticism.

Customer Reviews:

Venetian art as reflection of politics/history/economics.......2005-09-15

This is a wonderful book. While Wills has been criticized as a non-specialist in these reviews, in many ways I found that an asset in this book. It is beautifully written - he has a uniquely clear and flowing style of writing that is a continual pleasure for me - and as he presents the essence of the many subjects he wishes to cover, he rarely gets bogged down in detail. In addition, many of the things that he investigates are wonderful surprizes for non-specialized readers such as myself (e.g. that the body of St. Mark was stolen by Venetians and set up in a shrine to establish the legitimacy of the city's unusual political culture).

THe book is organized in several theme sections. First, in Imperial Disciplines, there are the historical origins and unique structure of this Renaissance state, which allowed it to escape the power struggles that dogged medieval Italy, i.e. unlike the innumerable city states re-fought the same territorial battles every generation under different egomaniacs. Second, in Imperial Personnel, Wills looks at the various members of society, from the frozen aristocracy (built on the expectation of duty rather than priviledge) to the workers who made the city's arsenal such as great and unique strategic asset as well as the "outsiders," such as the Jews (the word "ghetto," we learn, was coined for Venetian brass foundaries); how the state functioned, who held power and how it was exercised (in a diffused bureaucratic balance), are expertly described while avoiding the heaviness of a comprehensive history. Third, in Imperial Piety, there is the religious iconography and ritual, which in part allowed Venetians the sense of legitimacy they needed to defy Rome and the Pope over centuries. As I am quite ignorent of Christian history, this was fascinating and valuable for me, e.g. that St George was a Christianized Hercules, who also "fought" the many plagues that inevitably arose in the Venetian environment. Finally, in Imperial Learning, there is the Renaissance scholarship that came late to the city, and how it altered the art, politics, book scholarship, and the like - all set in geo-political context. Throughout - and sometimes with too much descriptive detail for me - Wills interprets the art and architecture of Venice in light of these themes. The result is simply dazzling, in my view, a masterwork by a great populariser and philosophical moralist.

At any rate, this was exactly what I was looking for, and from reading many of WIlls' books, what I expected. It is not for graduate-level academics, but rather for those well informed on European history who are curious to learn more on Venice.

Warmly recommended.

Venice: Lion City.......2002-10-26

This book provides some interesting artistic and historic insights to lovers of Venice, but it is a difficult "read" and is often strained in its interpretations and conclusions. It also presumes a fairly advanced knowledge of Venetian art and history. In addition, there are various out-and-out errors: For example, on pg. 19, the Italian word "fondaco" is wrong-- it should be "fondamento"; on pg. 21, the saint identified as Stephen is actually Sebastian; on pg. 264, St. Sebastian's date, stated unequivocally to be 4th century A.D., could just as well have been 3rd century, since sources differ on the point. I would have expected a higher degree of accuracy from this author.

Turgid, but- -.......2002-10-13

I'm afraid "elventh" has it correct. This book is a great study of a specific slice of art history. I read everything Wills writes and pass along his writings to everyone I know, but not this one. For those with the patience and background, (I lack the background, but after reading it I lack less) however, it is fully worth the time.

An intelligent book in an unsatisfactory edition.......2002-07-09

Gary Wills's VENICE: LION CITY is a very intelligent study in cultural criticism by a popular and eminent American historian: as the book's dustcover makes clear, Simon and Schuster wants to market this as Wills' entry into Simon Schama territory. Basically, he's trying to interpret the most famous works of Venetian Renaissance art and architecture through the pervasive imperial ideology of what was an odd throwback to a Hellenistic city-state. The book works best for someone with a strong familiarity with the art of Venice already, and Wills answers some very intriguing questions along the way both on a factual level (why is the winged lion used to represent St. Mark, the city's patron? Why were Christians in earlier times so obsessed with saints' relics?) and on the interpretive level as well (why are Bellini's Madonnas so inward-looking?). But Simon and Schuster have not served this book well on many levels. It deserves a much fancier format than it is allowed, with much larger reproductions and more full-colored plates: some works Wills discusses (like Titan's "Assumption") are not reproduced at all, and a massive work like Tintoretto's "Crucifixion"--so important to Wills' argument--deserves a two-page (or fold-out) reproduction than the mere one page it receives. Also, someone needed to edit the book much more vigorously. I counted several times when Wills basically repeats an entire paragraph of interpretation from earlier in the work. This is a good book, but not for the casual reader, and it deserves in the future a much more sophisticated revision and re-issue.

Art History 312: Renaissance Venice.......2002-05-17

VENICE: LION CITY is essentially a text book for an art history course. Garry Wills demonstrates how every aspect of society, government and religion that made Venice a great power is expressed in painting, sculpture and architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Wills pulls together a wide range of scholarship and makes it--in one rather compact volume--accessible to the general reader. While it may be a bit dry, the book is interesting and relatively brisk reading.

If you're a Venetophile and would like to know more about art and society at the Serene Republic's height, you should enjoy VENICE: LION CITY.

Average customer rating:
Lion of St Mark Venice: The Story of a City from Attila to Napolean
Aubrey Feist
Manufacturer: BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY, INC.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1299134823

Average customer rating:
Lion of St. Mark. Venice: The Story of a City from Attila to
AUBREY FEIST
Manufacturer: See notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RQQF42

Average customer rating:
The lion of St. Mark;: Venice: the story of a city from Attila to Napoleon
Aubrey Feist
Manufacturer: Bobbs-Merrill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Italy | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006C2YL0

Average customer rating:
Venice: Lion City The Religion Of Empire
Garry Wills
Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Italy | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0756780160

Average customer rating:

The Full Story of Penicillin

Ok, the textbooks need to change!

Florey et al - Bringing Penicillin to the World

This was a good book

Credit Where Credit Is Due

The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat : The Story of the Penicillin Miracle (John MacRae Books)
Eric Lax
Manufacturer: Holtzbrinck Publishers (Non-Returnable)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Scurvy: How a Surgeon, a Mariner, and a Gentlemen Solved the Greatest Medical Mystery of the Age of Sail

Aspirin: The Remarkable Story of a Wonder Drug

The Doctors' Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignac Semmelweis (Great Discoveries)

Splendid Solution

The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history

ASIN: B0007D9VPU

Book Description

he discovery of penicillin in 1928 ushered in a new age in medicine. But it took a team of Oxford scientists headed by Howard Florey and Ernst Chain four more years to develop it as the first antibiotic, and the most important family of drugs in the twentieth century. At once the world was transformed-major bacterial scourges such as blood poisoning and pneumonia, scarlet fever and diphtheria, gonorrhea and syphilis were defeated as penicillin helped to foster not only a medical revolution but a sexual one as well. In his wonderfully engaging book, acclaimed author Eric Lax tells the real story behind the discovery and why it took so long to develop the drug.He reveals the reasons why credit for penicillin wasmisplaced, and why this astonishing achievement garnered a Nobel Prize but no financial rewards for Alexander Fleming, Florey, and his team. The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat is the compelling story of the passage of medicine from one era to the next and of the eccentric individuals whose participation in this extraordinary accomplishment has, until now, remained largely unknown.

Customer Reviews:

The Full Story of Penicillin.......2007-03-06

Many people associate Alexander Fleming with Pencillin. However, if it were not for Dr's Florey and Chain, Penicillin would not have come into use until much later, certainly too late for WWII. The way the author presents the story is very readable and not dry. The author does not get too technical but yet brings in enough science to satisfy the lay person with an interest in science.

Ok, the textbooks need to change!.......2005-03-30

Like most other students in medicine of any kind, especially those of us with a predeliction for books and information about viruses, bacteria, and our 'failing' fight against them, I was under the impression that Fleming discovered penicillin. I guess you could still say that, but he sat on it for over 10 years and never did have much to do with its development as an antibiotic. Typical. Our textbooks are inaccurate because in the rush to make money off of textbooks, publishers don't bother to actually use people who know the history of medicine, to research and read what is known now about such situations as the development of penicillin. Like the exclusion of Rosalind Franklin from recognition of her very valuable part in the understanding of the DNA molecule (thanks a lot to Watson), in most medical histories or books that med students read, Franklin's name never comes up.

Same thing with Florey, and the many other young men such as Chain and Heatley...these guys never received credit for the immense work they did in developing penicillin. It is not enough to find something. Many people discover things everyday, things that could be useable, things that are important...but the 'prepared mind' must be accompanied by plain old work ethics, even grubby work, repetitious work.

I was interested to see how much the pharmaceutical industry has changed, and medical universities along with it. Everyone is out for the money now. The thought of doing the right thing, and sharing information, sharing technology in order to save lives, rather than merely to make a profit seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird.

A very interesting book. I hope that others will read and use Lax's book, especially in setting the textbooks right, and getting these men and women the credit they are due. I also think it may be time to possibly set up another committee, such as the one that awards the Nobel prize, only this time, make it so that even those who are dead are recognized for their enormous contribution to medicine. The prize money can go to their families or institutions or charities. That's the least important part of all this...to encourage other young people to spend years working on possible solutions to current plagues like AIDS and Alzheimer's, they need to see that other researchers are recognized, and that mentorship has rewards outside and beyond monetary awards.

Karen Sadler,
Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh

Florey et al - Bringing Penicillin to the World.......2004-12-29

Eric Lax has written a fine and very readable book about the story of penicillin. I found myself not able to put it down. Eric Lax has put in perspective where the true credit should be for the discovery and commercialisation of penicillin, with the consequence the rise of the antibiotic industry.

The book is well research and documented. It is a great shame that Florey has not gone down in history as the person to bring penicillin to the world. It was his persistence in gaining money to equip a modest lab and his judgement in getting the right people involved (Chain and Heatley). Thisresulted in the isolation, purification, efficiency and toxicity testing and finally commercialisation of penicillin that has saved countless lives.

An excellent book that I recomend to all interested in historical accuracy.

This was a good book.......2004-12-23

The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat: the Story of the Penicillin Miracle By Eric Lax was a really good book. It was very informative and, surprisingly, not deathly boring. Most people associate the discovery and production of penicillin with Alexander Fleming. Alexander Fleming was the first one to discover penicillin, but he gave up on it when he could not isolate the penicillin from its surrounding liquid. The real people to isolate, produce and test penicillin were, Howard Florey, Ernst Chain, and Norman Heatley. However, these great men were forgotten when it came time to name the champion of penicillin. This book tells about the real men behind the great miracle, their lives, how they went about studying and creating penicillin, and why they never received their proper credit. It is actually a little sad. The men didn't want the drug to get a lot of press attention due to the fact that it was still experimental and could still fail. So when Fleming was wrongly credited they did not correct it thinking the matter would soon die down. It did not and Fleming made no move to correct people either. In fact he benefited financially and award wise for something that he had basically nothing to with! The meaning behind the title is also a very interesting story, no, it does not mean that Dr. Florey discovered penicillin in his coat. The scientists worked on penicillin during a very dangerous time, World War II. With the always looming threat of a Nazi invasion, there was the possibility that they would have to destroy their work so it did not fall into enemy hands. Not wanting to lose all their precious work and have to start from scratch they devised a clever plan. The penicillin spores could lie dormant for many years and then be grown and studied. With the hope that at least one man from the group would survive, they all rubbed the spores into the cotton fibers of their clothing. Fortunately, the invasion never happened and they went on to discover the great miracle drug of their day.

Credit Where Credit Is Due.......2004-09-09

Most of us, if asked who discovered penicillin, would answer that it was Alexander Fleming. The answer is correct as far as it goes. Most of us would probably also think that having discovered how penicillin could fight infection, Fleming got the word out and manufacture of the miracle drug began, to the benefit of all humankind. The truth is that Fleming discovered the mold's antibiotic potential in 1928, and the drug went nowhere. He was not able to find a way to extract the active component of the mold and so he never made any use of it. He gave up trying in 1935. It was only three years later that a researcher unconnected with Fleming got curious about the mold's potential, and thought it would be worth investigation by his team at Oxford. Credit is given where credit is due in _The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat: The Story of the Penicillin Miracle_ (Henry Holt) by Eric Lax. Without the Oxford researchers, to whom Fleming was unconnected, the benefits of the drug would not have been available to Allied troops during the war, and Lax shows that developing the drug was a real wartime effort.

It was only by sheer luck in 1938 that the brilliant German biochemist Ernst Chain found Fleming's paper, and was immediately interested. Chain worked within the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in Oxford. He was part of a team that had been assembled by Howard Florey, an Australian physician devoted to research, a man who combined acute scientific instincts with skillful capacity to manage scientific team effort. Also recruited was Norman Heatley, a wizard in the lab with equipment and microscopic observation and analysis. It was this team that gave the world penicillin as a working drug. Throughout the book, Lax has put in reminders of military developments as the Oxford team made its progress. A picture shows boffins in the decidedly unscientific effort of digging an air raid shelter behind their research facility. Within the pages are descriptions of getting about by bicycles in the black-out, having to make do on rations (and amazement at the good food that was available when they traveled internationally), and worrying about what to do if there should be not just a Nazi air attack but an actual invasion. The title of the book comes from contemplation of that possibility. The team planned that if an invasion of their lab was imminent, they would destroy the lab and burn their research papers. The most valuable part of the research, the mold itself, was smeared into the coats of Dr. Florey and four colleagues, where it could be covertly carried if they had to flee the country.

The patents were lost to America, but the Nobels went to the British. Fleming, Florey, and Chain got the prize in 1945. Heatley, the author argues, with his tireless and inspired tinkering, was neglected. His contribution was belatedly recognized in 1990 when Oxford University gave him its first ever honorary doctor of medicine degree. The real lack of recognition, of course, is that Fleming in most people's minds is the only one to get the credit. Part of the reason for this is that Florey's team worked in quiet determination and did not seek publicity. When news of the effectiveness of penicillin became a topic in the popular press, Fleming made himself available for comments, and though he acknowledged the work of Florey's team, he did little to counter the impression that the team was working on his discovery and even at his behest. Florey, always idealistic, was horrified that publicity would raise the hopes of patients who could not expect to get any of the then minute quantities of the drug, so he refused to meet with reporters. Fleming gained publicity, and thus powerful patrons, while Florey and his team were obscure at the start and remain so. This is an illuminating story that reminds us that there was a time when people used to die because of being scratched by a thorn (and with resistance ever a problem, such times may come again). It is a fascinating tale full of chance and error that affect significant outcomes, and of foibles and mistakes as all-too-human scientists attempt and finally achieve a miracle.

THE MOLD IN DR. FLOREY'S COAT: THE STORY OF THE PENICILLIN MIRACLE.

Average customer rating:

THE MOLD IN DR. FLOREY'S COAT: THE STORY OF THE PENICILLIN MIRACLE.
Eric. Lax
Manufacturer: Owl Books,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7K4LK

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books