Average customer rating:
- A Taste of Owners' Plans, Editorial Direction, Style, Fashion, Great Photography, and Memorable Models
- Just OK.
- Magnificient overview of an iconic magazine
- A travel through time by book
- InVogue: The Illustrated History of the World's most famous fashion magazine
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In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine
Alberto Oliva , and
Norberto Angeletti
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0847828646
Release Date: 2006-09-22 |
Book Description
In Vogue is a fascinating look at the history of the world's most influential magazine. The complete compendium is illustrated with hundreds of covers and archival interiors of past Vogue editions, featuring the work of some of the twentieth century's most respected artists, cover illustrators, and photographersâfrom Edward Steichen, Toni Frissell, and Erwin Blumenfeld to Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino, Steven Klein, Bruce Webber, and Herb Ritts. In 1909, an entrepreneurial New Yorker named Condé Nast took charge of a struggling society journal and transformed it into the most glamorous fashion magazine of the twentieth century. In Vogue traces the history, development and influence of this media colossusâfrom its beginning as a social gazette in the late nineteenth century, to the exploration of modern fashion photography and new visuals in the mid-twentieth century, to its status as the top style magazine today. The book explains the makings of the magazineâfrom runways, to editorial meetings, to the pages of Vogue.The thoroughly researched story incorporates first-person accounts, interviews with editors and photographers, and excerpts from stories written in the magazine by many world-renowned writers, including Truman Capote, Aldous Huxley, Richard Burton, Federico Fellini, and Marcello Mastroianni. Unparalleled in its scope and exceptionally illustrated, In Vogue is sure to be among the most important publications on the subjects of culture, art, fashion, photography, and media.
Customer Reviews:
A Taste of Owners' Plans, Editorial Direction, Style, Fashion, Great Photography, and Memorable Models.......2007-07-16
What attracts you to Vogue? Chances are that element is represented someplace within the pages of In Vogue.
To me, the photographs are the main appeal of Vogue. Since its founding on December 17, 1892, Vogue has attempted to capture current and future fashion through its images. The magazine has been blessed by talented work done by most of the world's best fashion photographers since then who brought us the most interesting society women, celebrities, cultural icons, and, of course, fashion models. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book contained at least a few works by each of the greatest photographers to appear in Vogue. Most of the images were known to me, but a number were new. My main disappointment was that the photographers I like the most didn't have more photographs in the book. But the book is very bulky and heavy as it is.
To my interest in the photographs came many essays about why the photographers were selected and what the editors asked them to accomplish. The interaction of the art directors and the photographers was particularly noteworthy in regard to covers.
I have also spent many years as a management consultant in the magazine industry. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there's a pretty complete overview of the management thinking and decisions that led to Vogue becoming so successful.
But the most interesting surprise came in the extended views into the editorial philosophies and working styles of the magazine's editors. Creating a fashion magazine is very demanding, and Vogue has been fortunate in its editors both for their energy and their vision for the reader.
If neither business nor editing interest you, you'll still find lots of marvelous images to help you trace the development of fashion and style in the United States over the last 100 plus years.
Here are a few of my favorite photographs in the book:
Helen Lee Worthing by Baron Adolphe de Meyer, September 1, 1920 (p. 61)
White by Edward Steichen, January 1, 1936 (p. 67)
Mademoiselle Koopman by George Hoyningen-Huene, September 15, 1933 (p. 69)
Mary Taylor by Cecil Beaton, May 15, 1935 (p. 73)
Lisa Fonssagrives by Horst P. Horst, August 1, 1938 (p. 76)
Decor by Horst P. Horst, March 15, 1938 (p. 77)
Corset by Horst P. Horst, September 15, 1939 (p. 78)
Coco Chanel by Horst P. Horst, February 15, 1954 (p. 79)
Cover by Horst P. Horst, September 15, 1940 (p. 89)
Loretta Young by John Rawlings (p. 111)
Twelve Beauties by Irving Penn, 1947 (pp. 116-117)
Cover by Horst P. Horst, May 15, 1941 (p. 131)
Cafe Society by Cecil Beaton, 1948 (pp. 136-137)
Concentration Camp by Lee Miller, June 1945 (p. 143)
Jean Pachett by Irving Penn, February 15, 1949 (p. 144)
Atelier of Pablo Picasso, November 1, 1956 (pp. 156-157)
Twiggy by Richard Avedon, July 1967 cover (p. 172)
Marisa Berenson by Berry Berenson, 1969 (p. 179)
Marisa Berenson by Irving Penn, April 1970 (pp. 186-187)
Lauren Hutton by Richard Avedon, January 1, 1969 (pp. 198-199)
Celebrity covers, 1965-1971 (p. 202)
Cheryl Tiegs and Rene Russo by Helmut Newton, 1974 (p. 215)
Cybill Shepherd by Helmut Newton, 1973 cover, (p. 216)
Kim Basinger by Irving Penn, September 1978 (p. 217)
Beverly Johnson by Albert Watson, October 1977 (pp. 218-219)
Charlotte Rampling by Helmut Newton, 1974 (p. 221)
Eveningwear by Arthur Elgort, 1978 (p. 222-223)
Lisa Taylor by Arthur Elgort, October 1976 (pp. 228-229)
The Right Moment by Arthur Elgort (p. 230)
Lisa Taylor by Helmut Newton, May 1975 (p. 233)
Winnie by Helmut Newton, 1976 (p. 234)
Daryl Hannah by Helmut Newton, 1984 (p. 235)
Bathhouse by Deborah Turbeville, May 1975 (pp. 236-237)
Satin and Leather by Peter Lindbergh, September 1991 (pp. 252-253)
Color and Opulence by Peter Lindbergh, October 1997 (pp. 254-255)
Tribute by Annie Leibovitz, November 1999 Cover (pp. 272-273)
Linda Evangelista by Steven Meisel, September 2001 (p. 274)
Shape by Annie Leibovitz and Patrick Demarchelier, April 2002 (p. 278)
Lisa Cant by Irving Penn, September 2005 (p. 283)
Cindy Crawford by Helmut Newton, December 1991 (p. 287)
Haute Couture by Irving Penn, December 1995 (p. 292-293)
Epic Proportions by Irving Penn, April 2004 (p. 297)
Swimsuits by Mario Testino, May 2000 (pp. 298-299)
Portrait of a Lady by Steven Meisel, March 1995 (p. 307)
Mad About You by Steven Meisel, October 2003 (p. 313)
Naomi Campbell by Herb Ritts, May 1996 (pp. 314-315)
Barbarian Chic by Arthur Elgort (p. 325)
Near Bora Bora by Patrick Demarchelier, December 2004 (p. 330)
Golden Girl by Annie Leibovitz, April 2006 (pp. 345-346)
Condoleeza Rice by Annie Leibovitz, December 2001 (pp. 358-359)
Kate Moss by Irving Penn, September 1996 (pp. 368-369)
Hillary Clinton by Annie Leibovitz, December 1998 (p. 372)
Nicole Kidman by various photographers, September 2003 (pp. 378-379)
Models and Supermodels by Steven Meisel, September 2004 (pp. 380-381)
Ben Stiller and Stella Tennant by Annie Leibovitz, October 2001 (pp. 388-389)
Mario Testino, April 2006 (pp. 392-393)
Take a close look!
Just OK........2007-06-28
I liked the information and photos about the early Vogue, and wish there was more of it. I was not so interested in the later stuff, as it seemed overly self-important. Instead of presenting fashion, the current Vogue seems to commision special clothes for its photo shoots. What's the point if you can't buy that? Plus the photos don't even show what the clothes look like. I have better books on fashion, but this really was about the history of the magazine, and as such it succeeds. I just don't happen to like the magazine as it never shows anything I'd want to wear.
Magnificient overview of an iconic magazine.......2007-06-22
Ten gets you one that when you ask someone to name a fashion magazine, the first answer you get will be, "Vogue". That's how much of an institution the magazine has become. While "Elle" and "Women's Wear Daily" might dispute the contention, "Vogue" seems to have become the periodical of record for worldwide haute couture. As such, as the authors note in their introduction, a basic history is past due. With a great deal of help from the Vogue staff itself - Anna Wintour, the magazine's longtime editor (and so prominent a figure in her own right that Meryl Streep's spoof of her in last year's movie "The Devil Wears Prada" was instantly recognizable), is prominent in the list of contributors - Angeletti and Oliva, magazine historians both, have assembled an informative text and a gorgeous array of imagery which effectively covers the century-plus history of Vogue, from the cover of the very first magazine to the latest photos of Nicole Kidman. The book is certainly a highly display-worthy item, as another reviewer has suggested, but more than that, it's meant to be leafed through and read. You can find it brand-new at a wide variety of prices, but even if all the Amazon Marketplace sellers were somehow sold out of their copies, it'd still be worth the list price!
A travel through time by book.......2007-05-14
The authors of In Vogue composed a diversified chronicle of the appearance and the development of Vogue from 1892 until today. The photographs chosen portray the history of fashion photography wonderfully, each of them either a ravishing new sight or a spectacular recognition. The structuring by Decade, introduction of publishers, contributing editors, photographers, etc interposed by special contributions and excerpts of resumes offers the reader a diverting journey trough publishing history in general and the publishing of fashion in particular.
InVogue: The Illustrated History of the World's most famous fashion magazine.......2007-03-28
great extensive fashion history on Vogue magazine: superb pictures, designers, models....
Book Description
From the dawn of humankind to today's global complexities, this monumental volume presents world history from an original perspective that provides fresh insights with every colorful spread. Few references are as invaluable, all-inclusive, and satisfying to browse. For readers of all ages, world history is easily accessible, depicted as never before—so that events occurring simultaneously around the world can be viewed at-a-glance together. For example, Texas Instruments launched the pocket calculator the same year the Soviet Union launched the first manned space station, in 1971. Columbus sailed from Spain the year Martin Behaim constructed a terrestrial globe in Nuremberg. The California Gold Rush followed the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s, and the Greek dictatorship of Papadopoulos is overthrown the same year Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia is deposed and U.S. president Nixon resigns, in 1974. The book's innovative time line truly sets it apart, allowing readers to scan across a spread and explore a single area or compare contemporary societies across the globe.
This remarkable resource also contains dozens of maps; scores of sidebars; hundreds of illustrations; and thousands of events, milestones, personalities, ideas, and inventions. Throughout, vivid illustrations depict artworks, artifacts, portraits and dramatic scenes, while sidebar topics range from local customs and lifestyles to the effect of climate change on human migration. Drawing on National Geographic's vast resources, this concise yet comprehensive, one-of-a-kind work is as rewarding as it is compulsively readable.
Customer Reviews:
A very good book, but..........2007-07-19
A very good book but inadequate packaging from Amazon resulted in me having to give my father a damaged book on Father's Day.
Not What I Was Expecting.......2007-06-12
This book does not give a very deep look into any of its historical events. It is merely a visual time line. It's not deep. You won't get much history from reading it. You will simply get a better undersanding of how world history events overlap each other. I wouldn't buy it if I had it to do over.
birds-eye view.......2007-04-05
This is an excellent source for obtaining a quick, clear, and coherent context for an event or a period. For example, if you want to know what the rest of the world was doing when the Conquistadors sailed onto the shores of South America, this book is the best first step in your research. The entries are concise and the layout is attractive.
Very good book but I have to take issue with something important.......2007-04-02
I like the way the book covers things like the cave man section. It mentions that humans learned to walk upright about 4 million years ago. Then it proceeds on to describe the ice age of only thousands of years ago and mentions things like the domestication of dogs by humans. In the world at a glance section of the book it talks of Homo Erectus nad Neanderthals. It also covers recorded ancient, medieval, and modern history all pretty well too. Now for the thing I take issue with. When describing Saddam Hussein's illegal (according to the UN)invasion of Kuwait--the book actually gives the wrong year. It gives 1989 as the year of his invasion rather than 1990. Then it gets something important right when desccribing his use of chemical weapons against Kurdish civilians. This is referring to his deadly, genocidal Anfal Campaign he conducted in the 1980's against Kurds (more than 100,000 kurds killed by him in just one year!).
National Geographic Concise History of the World.......2007-02-13
Very explicit and easy to follow. Great for referencing your travels and world history.
Book Description
From the moment that Master and Commander, the first of Patrick O'Brian's sequence of 20 novels about the 19th century British Royal Navy officer Jack Aubrey and his surgeon colleague Stephen Maturin, was published in 1970, critics hailed his work as a masterpiece of historical recreation. Called "the best historical novels ever written" by The New York Times, the books have sold more than 3 million copies. This first full-color illustrated companion to the Aubrey-Maturin series, timed to benefit from the release of the blockbuster Twentieth-Century Fox film adaptation starring Russell Crowe, explains the fascinating physical details of Jack Aubrey's fictional world. An in-depth historical reference, it brings to life the political, cultural, and physical setting of O'Brian's novels. Annotated drawings, paintings, and diagrams reveal the complex parts of a ship and its rigging, weaponry, crew quarters and duties, below-deck conditions, and fighting tactics, while maps illustrate the location featured in each novel.
Customer Reviews:
It expands the O'Brian reading experience.......2007-09-25
I feel that it is a must have companion to:
A Sea of Words, Third Edition: A Lexicon and Companion to the Complete Seafaring Tales of Patrick O'Brian.
The books complement each other and in particular to the wonderful illustrations in this book helps to clarify and in places, expand the information that one finds in A Sea of Words.
Perfect company for the 'Sea of Words' .......2007-09-25
This informative, wonderfully-organized book is presently one of two on my coffee table and is picked up by just about all who visit.
Yes, I have all twenty (twenty-one) of O'Brian's works on Jack Aubrey's travels and travails and this text sets the whole collection off nicely.
Sweet.
tg.......2007-09-14
This is a fine complement to the Aubrey-Maturin series as it brings to life the action, locations, politics, etc about the period when the action took place by artwork, maps, tools, ship information and many other things that you read about but if you have this book when you are reading then it really brings everything to life. Highly recommended. Also recommend the Sea of Words and Harbours and High Seas: 3rd Edition, both by Dean King. The first explains the terms you wonder about when reading the series, and the second includes synopses and tracing of each voyage on maps. These are great.
Beautiful pictures.......2007-08-22
This is a good overall book for visual explanation for the O'Brian series of books. I enjoyed this book, but must admit that I was looking for something more in depth. I haven't seen anything better yet, but will keep hoping that someone will write something even better. There is a lot of ground to cover and although this is a good book, and I would happily purchase it again, I am still looking for more visual information that just doesn't seem to be out there.
A short overview of the sailing Royal Navy.......2007-01-24
If you have read every sailing naval action book already, there isn't a lot here new. But, if not, this is a good book to have either as a reference or a coffee-table piece- it can do either, and the illustrations are certainly good.
Book Description
Mapping the World is a one-of-a-kind collection of cartographic treasures that spans thousands of years and many cultures, from an ancient Babylonian map of the world etched on clay to the latest high-tech maps of the earth, seas, and the skies above. With more than one hundred maps and other illustrations and an introduction and running commentary by Ralph E. Ehrenberg, this book tells a fascinating story of geographic discovery, scientific invention, and the art and technique of mapmaking.
Mapping the World is organized chronologically with a brief introduction that places the maps in their historical context. Special "portfolios" within each section feature key cartographic innovators and maps of exceptional artistic quality or significance, such as the 1507 Waldseemüller Map, the first to use the name America. Unusual and surprising maps are also presented, including a set of playing cards that contained a secret escape map for American prisoners in Germany during World War II.
With its broad historical and cultural range, unmatched variety of maps from the finest map collections in the world, more than one hundred illustrations, and a fresh and authoritative perspective on the history of cartography, Mapping the World will delight everyone with an interest in maps and mapmaking like no other book on the subject.
Customer Reviews:
Cartography.......2007-04-11
A must have book for anyone that loves the history of maps and how they have changed during time.
Mapping the World.......2006-08-28
Stunning pictures, brilliant descriptions and text that is relevant, readable and informative.
Recommend for any serious world history collection, from the high school level on up.......2006-01-04
Mapping The World: An Illustrated History Of Cartography comes from one of the major publishers specializing in geography subjects: so one would anticipate an exceptional production in book form - and it's not disappointing. Author Ralph Ehrenberg is former chief of the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress, among other major archives: his background lends to a lovely coverage of over a hundred maps from around the world and across the eras. Each full-page color maps is accompanied by a detailed history and explanation setting the map in social and historical perspective. Recommend for any serious world history collection, from the high school level on up.
And in this corner..........2005-12-21
Two very fine and beautiful books about maps appeared at the end of 2005, published within a month of each other. The other one is "The Map Book" edited by Peter Barber. I happened to discover "The Map Book" before "Mapping the World", although the latter was published first. Like "The Map Book", "Mapping the World" has at its center beautifully reproduced maps in chronological order with lively and informative texts and explanations. Unlike "The Map Book", "Mapping the World" has a single author of the texts, giving the latter a more unified voice and a greater sense of historical narrative. The curious reader may delve deeper into either book on any page and become engaged in the history, culture, and technology embodied in a particular map. Both books sit on my coffee table both for easy access and conspicuous display.
Amazon.com
To compress 8,000 years of a civilization's life into a single volume is a daunting task, but University of Illinois historian Patricia Ebrey does the job with authority and considerable flair. Writing with an eye to explaining recurring themes in Chinese history, she discusses ideas of order and statecraft, resource allocation and use, imperialism and population growth. Along the way she makes interesting asides, noting, among other things, that the Mongol conquerors of China monopolized the bamboo trade because they did not want the ethnic Chinese to make weapons, and she gives stimulating overviews of such matters as the manufacture of silk, hardwood furniture, and ceramics.
Book Description
More populous than any other country on earth, China also occupies a unique place in our modern world for the continuity of its history and culture. In this sumptuously illustrated single-volume history, noted historian Patricia Ebrey traces the origins of Chinese culture from prehistoric times to the present. She follows its development from the rise of Confucianism, Buddhism, and the great imperial dynasties to the Mongol, Manchu, and Western intrusions and the modern communist state. Her scope is phenomenal--embracing Chinese arts, culture, economics, society and its treatment of women, foreign policy, emigration, and politics, including the key uprisings of 1919 and 1989 in Tiananmen Square. Both a comprehensive introduction to an extraordinary civilization, and an expert exploration of the continuities and disjunctures of Chinese history, Professor Ebrey's book has become an indispensable guide to China past and present. Patricia Ebrey is Professor of East Asian Studies and History and the author of Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook (1993).
Customer Reviews:
An interesting perspective on Chinese history.......2007-05-27
I'm a Chinese living in China. Because of politicized history accounts in China after 1949 I have little interest in official history books in Chinese. But I like this book very much; for me it provides a totally new perspective on the evolution of our culture, peoples and economy etc. The rich pictures in the book make reading easier and more interesting.
Cambridge Illustrated History of China.......2007-03-21
Highly informative and readable; wonderfully illustrated both with photographs and maps. This was exactly what I had hoped for.
Good Reference; Not Detailed.......2006-11-12
I used this book as a reference text for a course in Ancient Chinese History. The labeled illustrations are a pretty good reference for the components of the class that require us to identify and date archaeological pieces. Ebrey does a good job giving an overview of all the various things happening in China, however, it truly only skims the surface. In addition, points of controversy are not really discussed. Among the academia, there is debate of one of the groups of Chinese people- the Xia. In this book, Ebrey identifies the Xia as a group that does exist. Depending on who your professor is, you might get a different spin on the situation and the Xia might be considered mythical. While this isn't a serious point of contention, there might be other discrepanicies like this between what Ebrey writes and what others think.
Now this may be nitpicky, but the book doesn't do very well with sitting in a backpack. If you intend to take take it around with you, you'd be better of buying a hardcover version. The binding comes loose relatively easily and it's printed on this beautiful, heavy, glossy paper.
Buy this book only if you're looking for a quick read and a good reference.
An excellent overview of Chinese history.......2006-08-21
As a single volume overview of Chinese history, you couldn't ask for much more than this book. It is clearly written, objective and very readable. The most significant events in Chinese history are all covered (albeit in only superficial depth, necessarily.) The book also tries to describe developments from the perspective of ordinary people, not just the emporers. Cultural and technological advances are covered as well as the major military conquests. Finally, each chapter is concluded with the author's analysis of the period and comparisons to other contemporaneous civilisations.
My only criticism is that the Japanese atrocities during World War II are glossed over, only the Rape of Nanjing is mentioned, and even then, only the lowest bound of the estimated death toll is given. If you read only this book, you might get the impression that the Japanese occupation was a relatively benign experience.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking an introduction to Chinese history.
Bored to tears.......2004-09-13
I faithfully read this book as a text for a class. The fact that it was boring wasn't such a problem because reading the book was unpleasant. In fact, it wasn't such a bad read, for a textbook. However, I was bored enough that I retained next to nothing from each chapter.
I personally find Chinese history fascinating (I speak the language, studied in Beijing, and majored in Chinese studies) but this book was a snoozer. For what you are going to get out of this book, take my short synopsis instead and forget the rest:
Qin Dynasty 220 BC: Unified China, Machiavellian
Han Dynasty 200 BC - 200 AD: Confucian
Tang Dynasty 600-900: Cosmopolitan
Song Dynasty Around 1000 AD: Confucian revival
Yuan Dynasty Around 1200: Mongols
Ming Dynasty 1300-1600: VERY Chinese
Qing Dynasty 1600-1900: Manchus
Average customer rating:
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The Biblical World: An Illustrated Atlas
Jean-Pierre Isbouts
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't
ASIN: 1426201389
Release Date: 2007-11-06 |
Book Description
Casting the tumultuous history of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam against the rich canvas of the Near East, The Biblical World reveals how three great religions emerged from the same cradle. Author Jean-Pierre Isbouts employs a non-denominational perspective and a wide range of sources—from ancient hieroglyphic texts to the latest scientific findings—to place Bible stories in the framework of history. Chronologically arranged chapters detail battles, conquests, tribal migrations, natural calamities, and more, supporting the stories with intriguing archaeological evidence. To locate sites and events, National Geographic cartographers have created fifty all-new maps of stunning quality. Hundreds of photographs and artifacts add visual excitement. Quick-read timelines link events across cultures while illustrated sidebars focus on what life was like during each era: family roles, farming, trade, dress, childbirth, burial customs, and other aspects of daily existence.
The story traces the evolution of Judaism from Abraham to the Unified Kingdom of Israel... chronicles the emergence of Christianity in the context of Greco-Roman civilization... and identifies the unique circumstances that prepared for the rise of Islam. The multi-dimensional approach weighs similarities and differences among the three faiths and follows developments in nearby lands. With a foreword from bestselling author Bruce Chilton and text reviewed by distinguished advisers, The Biblical World offers a carefully researched, balanced view of history and religious tradition. For its scope, beauty, and relevance in today's world, this unparalleled atlas is destined to become a classic.
Book Description
Depicting the history of Israel from biblical Abraham to the present, this sophisticated, four-color graphic adaptation is academically grounded, guiding readers through highlights both in historical detail and from Israel's world view. History, religion, politics, and the current Middle East situation are all given comprehensive coverage in the text, which opens in a university setting with a professor teaching a series of sessions on Middle East/Near East modern history, beginning with Israel. With painted art that jumps right off the page, this crash course is an absorbing way for readers to absorb, understand, and retain key information about 4,000 years of complicated history.
Customer Reviews:
A unique and visually impressive publication .......2007-10-07
A superbly illustrated history, "Homeland" is a historical overview of 3,500 years of Israel's complex and complicated history presented with the accuracy of university level scholarship and the accessibility of a graphic novel. Exceptionally easy to understand, Israel's history is laid out chronologically with almost every page featuring full color photos and painted illustrations enhancing a superimposed explanatory text. The collaborative effort of Marv Wolfman, Mario Ruiz, and William J. Rubin, "Homeland" begins with the story of Abraham, continues through biblical times down to the period of Roman rule, the diaspora, the Holocaust, the founding of the modern State of Israel, notes its accomplishments, as well as the recent wars the Israeli's have had to wage in order to preserve their nation and themselves. Of special note is how the authors, while writing from a Jewish perspective, have also drawn upon non-Jewish narratives as well, giving "Homeland" an historical context with respect to contemporary Middle East issues. A unique and visually impressive publication which is also available in paperback ($19.95), "Homeland: The Illustrated History of the State of Israel" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, school, and community library collections.
A Unique Item!.......2007-06-26
This wonderfully llustrated history gives a great overview of Jewish heritage and a context for today's politics. A great way to get a grounding in the subject for those of Jewish heritage who missed Hebrew School, or others wanting insight into the tragedies and traditions informing modern Judaism (and Zionism). Would be great for teens, but also for adults looking for the big picture.
Fun and Amazing Graphics.......2007-04-12
A friend let me read her copy and I just ordered my own.
The story is both enlightening and entertaining.
And the web doesn't even do justice to the graphics. They are even more amazing in print. I think fans of history (both ancient and contemporary) and those who like graphic novels will love this new book.
It's Amazing!.......2007-03-29
This is the first time I've ever reviewed an item at Amazon.com, but I think this book is so special, I had to share my comments.
The illustrations are breathtaking and the content is interesting, easy to read and digest, and through provoking. I love every page!
This book is the perfect gift for anyone interested in history, art, Israel, or politics.
Book Description
"A complete, unabridged edition of one of the most famous chronicles of the Arthurian legends comes with new illustrations. Edited by a lifelong scholar of the legends, the book includes some widely accepted corrections."--Publishers Weekly
The epic story of King Arthur never fails to stir the imaginations of readers everywhere, and this outstanding illustrated version showcases original artwork that creates a unique vision of Camelot. Some of these breathtaking watercolors and pen-and-inks have hung in museums, including the depiction of Tintagel Castle, the Sword in the Stone, Merlin and Nimue, and Guenevere rescued from the stake. With remarkable accuracy, Anna-Marie Ferguson captures every nuance of the historical period, from the knights' shining armor to the intricate architecture to the English forests. Yet she also revels in the fantasy, with mysterious and magical landscapes, misty and moonlit. These legends have always been a treat for the mind--and now they are a feast for the eyes, too.
About the Artist
Anna-Marie Ferguson studied graphic art at Southampton College in the UK, and her work has appeared in various galleries and books--particularly volumes of fairy tales. Anna-Marie served as the "Arthurian expert" on the recent NBC mini-series, Merlin.
Customer Reviews:
An epic disappointment.......2006-03-24
Having enjoyed Arthurian legend in modern retelling, I thought it behove me to go back to an early source. If you are expecting a rousing good story in the style of Mists of Avalon, or Mary Stewarts quartet, or even the Once and future king/The sword in the Stone, you will be quite let down. If you want bare, basic recitation of events (mostly repeating in pattern) then the book is what to expect.
What a disappointment. Vast tracts of the story are just about Sir, X,Y or Z encountering Sir A, B, C in some forest, jousting like boars, either killing one, or coming to a gentleman's agreement that the loser go to King Arthur's court. Incredibly tedious, no character generation, England seems spotted by bored knights just looking for a joust with convenient castles just dotted about.
At the least the beginnign about Arthur was intriguing, thought the Roman Emperor stuff stretches credibility even in fiction.
The book shows us that medieval chivlary was not as portrayed in modern retellings. Knights such as Tristram sleep around, get into love triangles etc. Horses are killed deliberately in battle, the only form of entertainment seems to be jousting, and few deeds seem to be of intrinsic good worth, in the modern sense. Even Tristram, a so called great love story, falls into the formulaic element I describe above. Everynight seems for the duration of his moment in the book to be passing good, and be the best in the world. Tristram kills a hundred knights in one day by hand, again not credible and not even written with any sense of epic. His love story with Isould does not capture the reader, I simply don't care about him or Isould.
There is nothing like a modern novel ( perhaps to be expected as this is touted as the first thing approaching a modern novel ), no character generation, no motivation etc.
I remember Monty Python's spoof of this, a bunch of crazy English actors (but well educated) prancing around jousting and carousing. They meant the movie as a spoof, but were not too far from the book in many respects.
What a shame!
Oh, dear..........2006-03-09
If you want to read about hundreds of duels, in a forest, between knights on horseback while they fight each other following the same scenario, duel after duel for more than 1000 (!) pages, following the same pattern while nothing changes but the color of their armor, then this book should be your cup of tea.
The fight can end in two different ways: either the bad guy is beheaded or his life will be spared on condition that he goes to the court of King Arthur and confess his crimes before the King and the Queen.
That's it. Plot? None. Psychology of the differend characters? None.
This book reminds me of those video games where one enemy pops up after the other and all you have to do is hit the 'attack' button.
If you like to read an interesting and engrossing book written in the middle ages I can recommend you 'The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes'.
A Good Read..........2005-12-13
Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur is the culmination of twenty one smaller books written by Malory while incarcerated during the late fifteenth century. Little else in known about Malory himself, however, this romance of Old England draws its material from accounts and legends of chivalrous English Kings, and today inspires and entertains creative minds of all backgrounds. Legend has it that the adult King Arthur is based on a Roman General who claimed lordship over the Anglicans after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire. Verifiable facts regarding the historical origins of King Arthur and his knights, if there are any, are very scarce. For this reason, as well as speculation regarding how much of Malory's work is factually based, it is near impossible to discern fact from fiction in Arthurian Legend. This same conundrum holds true for other anonymous or unknown Arthurian authors as well.
As the title implies, Le Morte D'Arthur describes in great detail the life and death of King Arthur of Camelot; it also gives an account of the lives and intertwining relationships of King Arthur's knights, lords, women, and other members of his court. Themes central in Le Morte D'Arthur are chivalry, honor, loyalty to one's King, Country and God (in that order), as well as what the aforementioned traits are not. In his work, Malory provides a plethora of examples to illustrate these themes.
At the time it was penned, there were several kings in Briton. In the eighth book, it is clear that loyalty in Arthurian times was paramount. Queen Elizabeth of Liones, upon dying to bear her lord's son inquires of her lord (the king)'s well-being. She is more concerned with her king's life than her own. Elizabeth was more than a wife and queen, she was also her king's humble servant. In the first chapter, Tristram's father, King Meliodas, is hunting when he comes under the spell of a `lady [not his wife the Queen] [...] and he was taken prisioner (238).' As time persisted, his wife `waxed great with child [...](238)' and missed her lord. Taking a gentlewoman (midwife) with her, she races into the forest to find her lord. Queen Elizabeth did not make it far into the woods before going into labor:
When ye see my lord [,] [...] recommend me unto him, and tell him what pains I endure here for his love [,] [...] and that I am full sorry to depart out of this world from him [.] (239)
Even in the face of death, and uncertainty for the life of the child, Queen Elizabeth was primarily concerned with the wellbeing of her king.
In all of circumstances, the noblest of persons in Le Morte D'Arthur are always loyal to their kings.
Books XV-XVII, Pp. 205-270 in the second volume, hold the conclusion of King Arthur's quest for the Sangreal, or The Holy Grail. After being commissioned by God, King Arthur summons his most elite, loyal knights to aid in his quest. What unfolds in those three books could be called the greatest story of chivalrous bravery in Romantic Literature. Knowing full well that only the purest, chaste of all the knights could find the Sangreal and bring it home to Camelot, the knights waged tremendous battles, searched tirelessly, some even died, to uphold their holy covenant with their king, their God, and their holy quest.
At the time Malory was writing Le Morte D'Arthur, he had to imagine that only the most wealthy would be reading his work, for the simple fact that they were the only people who could afford to learn to read. This edition targets a more mature, educated audience, judging by the subject matter, language, and tone of the work.
From this is sprung an illustration of the differences between one hundred years of style and editing. At some point in one's life, I recommend reading Le Morte D'Arthur. It would be best if the reader is a little older, a little wiser, when the book is read. A targeted, more educated audience would better appreciate the plot complexities and historical/religious/contemporary themes of the work. As with any literary work, it is best to always acquire the most recent edition in order to read a more modern translation.
-Ben Taylor
The once and future king..........2005-09-10
Sir Thomas Mallory was a great one to write the adventures of King Arthur and his knights - a knight himself, he led a life of intrigue and adventure, albeit not one that always lived up to the ideas of chivalry he penned at the heart of the Arthurian legends. Mallory did not invent Arthur; he is one of the principle medieval chroniclers, having time (he was in prison with nothing else to do, after all) to set down in prose stories he'd heard throughout his life. These were popular tales, not always told in the same way with the same details, as is true of most oral legends and transmitted stories, much to the later frustration of scholars and readers. The earliest printing of Mallory's stories had his authorship suppressed by Caxton, one of the better-known publishers of the time.
The earliest Arthurian legends date back as far as the late Roman times in Britain. Controversies abound, but many have settled on a late Roman or Romano-British general named Arturius - however, given the linguistic nature of the name (it is derivative of ruler or leader), it is impossible to know if this was in fact a name or a title, and the legends may be compilations of the acts of many leaders bearing the name. There was also a Welsh leader with the name/title Arddu, 'Dark One', who is sometimes conflated into Arthurian legend. Arthur was celebrated in the pre-Norman times for the order and stability he represented; Arthur was celebrated in post-Norman times for his campaigns against Saxons. Arthur continues to be an intriguing character, today reminiscent of ancient mysteries as well as pagan and new age ideas as well.
In any event, Mallory doesn't attach specific dates to his tales. The book actually consists of many tales. The first is entitled 'The Tale of King Arthur', which introduces the figures of Merlin, Gawain, Uwayne, Pellinore, Morgan le Fay (the Celtic war goddess Morgana, dressed up as Arthur's sister) and others, and includes the sword-in-the-stone event. While this text has been modernised by Keith Baines, there are certain crucial lines left in Mallory's English, including this most famous one:
Whoso pulleth oute this swerd of this stone and anvyld is rightwys kynge borne of all Brytaygne
Following this tale, Mallory includes many of the famous tales in Arthurian legend as stories more or less complete in themselves, but still linking to the other tales. 'The Tale of Sir Lancelot du Lake' is a knight's tale indeed, with no fewer than twenty horseback duels back-to-back. 'The Tale of Sir Gareth' is a similar spirited tale, less well known. 'The Book of Sir Tristram of Lyoness' makes Tristram and Iseult, famous by other writers as well, into lovers, this time with a more happy ending than usual. The lesser known 'Tale of Arthur and Lucius' describes battles and skirmishes with the emperor, but never really captured popular imagination.
Mallory saves the best for last, with three major tales - 'The Tale of the Sangreal', the Holy Grail; 'The Book of Sir Launcelot and Queen Gwynevere'; and finally, 'Le Morte D'Arthur'. The tale of the Holy Grail continues into the present day in various fashions; here is contains strange glosses of the Old and New Testaments, as well as a good number of miracles, as one would expect from the Grail. The last tale, the death of Arthur, is probably the most famous, and the best written.
Even though an English knight, the courtly fashion was after a French design for many centuries after the Norman conquest, and this French influence in notable in the stories, from their titles to their plots and characterisations, including the places Mallory uses.
This edition is illustrated beautifully by Anna-Marie Ferguson who studied art at Southampton College, and is known for similar graphic representations in collections of fairy tales, a literary form not dissimilar to the Aruthurian saga. John Matthews has provided a good edition of the text of Mallory, complete and unabridged here.
Arthur lives on into the modern world and beyond.
A beautiful book!.......2005-01-14
The core story of Arthur: how he defeated the Saxons and saved the Britons is completely absent in this late Medieval canonical version of the Arthur story. What we have is an English re-telling of the tales the French told about him, ultimately going back to Welsh sources. Arthur is clearly portrayed as English in this re-telling, and has all the apparatus of a 15th Century monarch, such as Parliament, tournaments etc. In a sense, this book summarizes the whole cultural experience of the Middle Ages! This particular edition of the book is absolutely beautiful! It has nice, large print and is decorated brilliantly throughout with paintings of the legends with a lovely Medieval-Celtic-mysterious theme.
The main storytelling strategy employed is that of the unexpected: there are always knights, ladies, giants, wizards, sorceresses and strange beasts popping up, requiring the knights to take some kind of action.
The stories can get quite crude at times, both sexually and otherwise (the parts involving giants and maidens is quite disturbing actually!), and we have to throw out our traditionally held ideas of what knighthood is all about in order to appreciate what is really at work here. 'Gentle maidens' are not 'gentle' in the modern sense, but rather 'powerful/upper-class' and seem to have a penchant for slaying their enemies and causing just as much damage as the knights do: HARDLY the sterotype we are accustomed to regarding ladies in the time of 'knights in shining armour'. The 'sword' fights tend to end up with a grappling match on the ground where one knight finally removes the other's helmet and beheads him with a knife. This is raw and ready stuff, and it will show you to what degree children's books in our culture have led to a popular gross misunderstanding of the original tales.
The author, Malory, whoever exactly he was (and he CERTAINLY was NOT a criminal) must have thought of Arthur as an English hero deserving an English edition recounting his deeds. Researchers say that he stuck to re-telling the plot of the French stories, as if he thought he were getting at the 'truth behind the legend' to tell the 'true' story of Arthur. He seems to have had first hand experience in battle, as the fighting in the book is very realistic and he seems particularly interested in telling us about the thousands of fights in detail. A major part of the story is how Arthur conquers Rome: something that none of us would ever believe was there unless we had seen it written in the book! Merlin, believe it or not, dies (well, not exactly dies, but is out of the story anyways) near the very beginning of the book! Arthur has sex with anyone's wife he wants to! There are so many things in this book that you won't believe could ever have been written in this, THE tome of Chivalry! The Middle Ages is always in style, and it is always incredibly popular. This is the kind of book you can enjoy many times, and it is moreover REAL Medieval fantasy stuff, not the pulp-fiction-fantasy stuff so common at every bookstore. Read this book written by a real knight about 'real' knights! The spirit of the Middle Ages is one we can all enjoy and benefit from in our much more complex modern lives.
Amazon.com
From the rise of Greece to the fall of Rome, this superbly illustrated volume is a wonderful account of the warriors and battles that dominated Europe and the Near East for more than 1,000 years. The story begins at Troy, drawing upon Homeric legend and modern archaeological evidence. It continues through Greece's Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, Alexander the Great, Rome's Punic Wars, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, and the barbarian invasions. Although John Warry's text is worth reading, the color drawings of uniforms, equipment, weapons, warships, siege engines, and more are the real highlight and make the chronicle extremely accessible. Warfare in the Classical World will excite both readers who have a mature interest in the period and, although it's not a kids' book, children becoming acquainted with ancient history for the first time.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent introduction to ancient warfare.......2007-05-13
This is an excellent introduction to ancient warfare. It is lavishly illustrated, and provides excellent diagrams to support some of the concepts such as how a phalanx of Greek infantry manoevered and then moved into combat. The book covers the technology of the times, but also looks at tactics and gives an overview of the politics that lead to the various conflicts. I would higly recommend this book for beginners in the field of ancient warfare such as myself. My only reservation, is that while the primarary authorities are extensively referenced in the text, I would have liked to see a bibliography (although the glossary is great too!) Highly recommended for beginners or those with a general interest in the topic.
Great Read.......2007-03-29
Loved the book. The sketches and battle tactics illustrated made them come alive for me. Gave me a much better insight into the whole thing. And the delivery was fast, even with free shipping.
The Best Resource Available on Ancient Warfare.......2007-02-09
As I researched the equipment and modes of Greek warfare while writing the historical novel "Maccabee," I consulted numerous excellent sources, but John Warry's book was without a doubt the best. It became my virtual bible for the staging of the battle sequences between the Jews in the Maccabean Revolt and their Syrian enemies who employed the Greek methods that had worked so well for Alexander the Great. Warry's explanations of military techniques in their historical context as well as the wealth of illustrations makes this a valuable resource for anyone interested in ancient warfare.
Must have if you are interested in ancient wars.......2006-12-08
I just got this for my son Shawn and I ended up reading it first. I am sure during this X'Mas both of us will want to fight for the book. The pictures and the drawings are of the highest qualities. I love the descriptions of major wars. I just wish that the author has given it more explanation of the drawings for the major battles like adding more legends. Also, it is kind of hard to read/understand the numbers and types of soldiers for both sides on the battlefield. But all in all, this is a great book that I suspect I will read and re-read many times.
All you wanted to know about Greek and Roman Military!.......2006-03-19
This volume contains details of battles, of famous strategic details that are hard to find in other books. There are pages on the uniforms and weaponry along with the organization of the entire armies of the times.
Great Book for the Military Buffs.
Book Description
The most comprehensive, up-to-date, accurate information on life in Bible times available in one volume for the general reader.
Customer Reviews:
Very adequate.......2006-09-27
An appreciation of the history, political climate, trends, and just plain way of life of persons and generations of the times of the Bible is important in the understanding of the potence of the main thrust of it. One needs to ensure that he/she is taking everything within context and divine guidance in his/her quest to understand the Bible with a derived main motive of being more of an accurate servant to God.
Although the Bible can be understood by itself in itself through careful and patient study with humility and guidance, this book is - in my opinion - is an adequate assistant. It goes through the history and meanings of customs as well as the politics and rules of the land. It has accurate maps and drawings and even gives evidence based on secular history of biblical content.
If you are a student or considering purchasing a gift for such a student of the Bible - I say that this would be appropriate.
This Books Takes You into The Biblical World.......2006-07-25
This book walks you through the streets of Jerusalem in the time of Jesus and helps you to appreciate what family and social and cultural life was like. You also get to walk with the apostle Paul through the streets of Ephesus and Colosse.
But the sections of the book that really opened my eyes was learning about life in Ur of the Chaldees and in Haran where Abram and his family relocated before God called him to leave his father's household to the place where he would show him.
Howard Vos writes in a clear and engaging style that will hold the attention of the pastor and the layperson hungry for more knowledge of the biblical world. I give it my highest recommendation.
Rev. Marc Axelrod
Excellent Bible Resource.......2006-05-17
Have you ever read the Bible and wondered why a character did or said something a certain way or why certain events took place the way they did? Like, for instance, why did Ruth lay beside Boaz's feet on the threshing floor or why did Matthew become a tax collector, and why was he so despised? Learning the cultural significance of certain things enriches one's Bible study. If you are not one to just read the Bible, but are dedicated to serious and in-depth Bible study, then this book is a must-have. Knowing the backstory of the people in the Bible lands of Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, etc., their cultural habits, and the way they lived their daily lives helps to illuminate the scriptures. For example, in the 4th chapter of the Book of John when Jesus has a conversation with the Samaritan woman, we know by the woman's statement that there was tension between Jews and Samaritans for the woman was surprised that Jesus asked her for a drink of water since the "Jews have no dealings with Samaritans." However, the text doesn't go into detail about why this tension exists, but referencing Nelson's Bible Customs and Manners will tell you that because the Samaritans were taken captive by the Assyrians, they intermarried and adopted many pagan beliefs leading to enmity between the Samaritans and the Jews. This book is an invaluable resource for learning not only the customs and manners of certain groups, but it also presents exciting articles about the political landscape, wars and captivity, socio-economic conditions, how different cultures evolved, and the impact all of this had on God's people and His purposes. It is not laid out in dictionary format; it's more encyclopedic and has a wonderful and comprehensive index. Also, the photographs are very useful and very well-placed throughout the book. This book will certainly help to increase your understanding and appreciation of the Bible.
student reviews.......2006-03-30
A real good reference work. I also have this on my LOGOS program and go to this material often. In my future as a full time student I see many times of going back to this material. Highly recommend this not only in the students library but in any one serious about biblical studies.
This is a must have book to really Understand the Bible!.......2000-02-16
If you truly want to understand the Bible Days this is a must have book. This book brings the Bible to life again. You can see every detail of how people really lived. This is not a dictionary but more of an Advanced Encyclopedia on how people really lived. I believe the Illustrated Version with the Photography is very important to have here. The Photography is so amazing and detailed. I also ordered, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary : An Authoritative One-Volume Reference Work on the Bible, With Full-Color Illustrations... Using the two of these together you can really understand the meaning of phrases and words in the Bible.
Take for example if I said, "This is a really cool book". 1000 years from now you would think I was saying this book is very cold. But really I meant this book is very useful, neat, or exciting. These Two Nelson books go hand in hand.
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- Marketing: Real People, Real Choices (4th Edition)
- Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire
- Mississippi Sissy
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