Book Description
Over three decades and more than 150 million albums, AC/DC has established itself as much more than just a great rock band. For millions of fans spanning several generations across the world, they are an ear-bleedingly loud, sweat-soaked religion, courtesy of such classic albums as Highway to Hell and Back in Black.
Now, in a book of astonishing breadth and scope, comes, for the very first time, the complete story of AC/DC. Everything you ever wanted to know and plenty more you never dreamt of is all here, the ultimate balls-out adventure, laced with sex, drunken escapades and brawls. It's a journey that started in the suburban Sydney, Australia, bedrooms of brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, boys who could wreak havoc with their guitars. Over their power chords were the lyrics and voice of Bon Scott, who would lead them higher and higher—until his tragic death in 1980. The bittersweet irony after his death was that not only did the Youngs manage to hold together without him, but the band's fortunes and status skyrocketed with his replacement, Brian Johnson, and the album Back in Black.
Five long years in the making, AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll is sourced from more than 1,300 interviews the band has given over the past thirty years combined with in excess of 75 of the authors' own interviews with those who worked with AC/DC both in the studio and on the road—many of whom have never spoken about the band publicly. It's topped off with stunning, never-before-seen photos to create the ultimate portrait of the ultimate rock band.
Customer Reviews:
Shoot to Thrill!.......2007-07-06
A great look into the AC/DC story. Learned quite a bit about the band and this well written and compelling without suffering the usual rock bio cliches.
Rockingest band ever.......2007-06-05
Interesting book about the band. Found references to early shows and bands and looked them up on YouTube.
Show business.......2007-05-15
It's a good book but not a GREAT one. I'm missing more detailed info about the recording sessions, making of the LPs etc. I'm sure a lot of research has gone into making the book but somehow it's lacking in depth and structure. Sorry to say but I was expecting a little bit more effort, as the book was so much hyped.
However, this book is a must for any big AC/DC fan (like myself)and I recommend it.
P.S. If you are a Who fan read "Dear boy, life of Keith Moon". That is absolutely the best rock'n'roll book I have ever read.
Bored to Tears.......2007-03-26
For decades now I've been a huge AC/DC fan and eagerly bought this book to validate many of the myths surrounding them. It was definitely full of facts but very repetetive. . ."Despite the bands small stature they were very street tough." Seems to be on every page of the book. From paragraph to paragraph the subject changes making it a hard-to-follow read. There's no story line, and I found myself bored to death. The author could have learned a few things from the writers of "The Dirt".
By Far The Best Book Available On AC/DC.......2007-03-22
Without the shadow of a doubt this is the best book available on AC/DC. From the members pre AC/DC early years, through to the bands Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame induction and beyond, it's all here.
Whether you're a die hard fan, or just have a passing interest in the group, this book has been painfully researched by Murray Engleheart & Arnaud Durieux to provide an accurate account of the bands formation, devolpment, determination and eventual success.
The highs & lows are all covered, from the bands early success, to Bon Scott's tragic death, to the triumph that was "Back In Black". Find out what made this band tick.
Book Description
The John Wooden Pyramid of Success features the words and values of the master: the official Pyramid of Success Lecture, Coach's favorite maxims, interviews with him about his life and philosophy, and 30 photos of Wooden throughout his life. Wooden is the consummate businessman, who during the last twelve years of his job obtained a virtual monopoly on the national title for collegiate basketball. Learn how he did so as the master strategist, psychologist, motivator, and example. Husband, father, friend, educator, poet, athlete, Hoosier, and just plain great guy, Coach Wooden¹s story and approach to life is an inspiration for all ages. At last, the complete story is told. For the inside story of a true hero in sports and life, this is indispensable and joyous reading.
Customer Reviews:
The John Wooden Pyramid of Success.......2007-05-14
Basketball fan or not, this is a good read. Even better if you are. John Wooden's Pyramid is a pattern for successful living with tools that provide the means & inspiration to guide you to a more worthwhile and fulfilling life. Teamwork is the foundation for success in any team effort, on or off the court. This would be a great gift for teenagers invloved in sports. Coach Wooden's teams proved you don't have to be a "glory hound" to gain recognition.
Excellent and No Typos!.......2004-06-08
I think Mr. Willingham is reviewing the first edition of this book. I have seen a copy of that and there are many typos in that edition. I should know as I am a professional proofreader. But I have a copy of the second edition, the one that has the cover shown on this page, and I have found very, very few typos, and most of those small grammar things that you might find in any book. Considering this book is well over 400 pages I think it is presented very well. I do agree with Mr. Willingham that this book gives a lot of new information about the people around Coach during the Wooden Era. All in all, I find it an excellent read and a must for any Wooden follower.
Informative, but what's the deal with the typos and errors ?.......2004-06-03
This book has a great deal of information about John Wooden, UCLA basketball, and many of the people who were involved with Coach Wooden during the "Wooden Era". However, this book is also FULL of typographical errors, grammar problems, and such. While it does not severly impact the content, it is frustrating and irritating for such a product that has so much potential.
The John Wooden Pyramid of Success.......2004-04-21
I am a licensed psychotherapist practicing in San Francisco for the past twenty years. I am always looking for books that give people a healthy and motivational structure for living life.
John Wooden's Pyramid of Success is one of those books that I recommend to my clients. This book was recommended to me and although I did not know much about John Wooden, I was very inspired by his life and his work. His ability to educate, and help others build character, gain wisdom and expand their capacity to live a life of integrity, service and love is remarkable.
Most people come into therapy because there is some area of their life that they are dissatisfied with. Therapy is about bringing into consciousness deeper emotional truths that can keep us from achieving a truly satisfying and meaningful life.
The Pyramid clearly defines the actions we are taking and the decisions we are making when we are living life to the fullest. John Wooden is an important role model and teacher for us all. This book is an excellent resource for living on purpose and for reaching the upper limits of what is available to us all in life.
Great Book on Wooden!.......2004-02-13
This is by far the most comprehensive book on Wooden yet. About half the book is interviews with former Wooden players, with Wooden's family, his friends, and even his former teachers. These interviews prove Wooden truly walks what he talks. The biography section is as in-depth as anything I've seen on Wooden and the amount of new information revealed is daunting. If you are a Wooden fan, or want to learn more about the former UCLA coach, this is the book for you.
Amazon.com
If you had to choose just one book about Pablo Picasso, the most protean artist of the 20th century, what would you look for? Copious, good-quality reproductions. An authoritative account of the way his approach to painting was influenced by his personality, the women in his life, and his awareness of art made by others. An in-depth treatment of key works like Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (which Picasso memorably called his "first exorcism painting") and signature themes, like the half-man, half-animal Minotaur. Then there's the question of tone. Some books cast Picasso as a demigod or a destroyer. Others, like art historian John Richardson's A Life of Picasso, offer a more balanced, psychologically penetrating portrait of the artist.
Hefty, elegant, and inclusive, The Ultimate Picasso hits most, though not all, of these marks. It offers more than 1,200 reproductions (nearly 800 in color) spanning the artist's entire career. Smoothly translated from the French, the book weaves biographical detail and discussions of the art into a concise narrative. ("Olga became pregnant in the summer of 1920, and in Picasso's work forms blossomed and flesh took on the massive quality of stone.") The three authors are all experts--Léal and Bernadac are (respectively) present and former curators of the Musée Picasso in Paris, and Piot coauthored the catalogue raisonné of Picasso's sculpture. They clearly explain visual sources, duly acknowledge leading art historians' interpretations, and choose good quotes from contemporaries. Yet the text can be surprisingly skimpy. The 16-page section on Guernica, for example, has barely two pages of discussion about the painting and its genesis. The authors keep an extremely tight focus on their subject, with only as much mention of Picasso's contemporaries or the outside world as is absolutely necessary.
The major flaws, however, are the authors' hyperbolic view of their subject ("Picasso did not paint nature, but the suffering of the men and women of his time, creating from it beauty and truth") and the lack of any psychological insight about the repeated devastation Picasso wreaks on the female form. In this old-fashioned portrait of the male artist as genius, human failings do not exist, unless they belong to somebody else. --Cathy Curtis
Book Description
Of all the books on the man many consider the greatest genius of 20th-century art, the sumptuous hardcover volume published by Abrams in 2000 stands out as truly the "ultimate" Picasso. This new paperback edition includes everything in the previous book, in a smaller, reader-friendly format. It covers in one volume all the periods of Picasso's long, incredibly versatile career, with exquisite reproductions of nearly every significant work he ever created and texts by leading authorities on particular periods of Picasso's artistic evolution.
Brigitte Léal covers Picasso's formative years from 1881 through 1916, a period that includes his invention of Cubism with Georges Braque. Christine Piot explores the astonishingly fertile period from 1917 through 1952. Marie-Laure Bernadac discusses the unabashed vigor of Picasso's later years, from 1953 until his death in 1973. More than 1,200 magnificent reproductions, almost 800 in full color, illustrate Picasso's breathtaking range of artistic expression, including paintings, drawings, lithographs, ceramics, and sculpture. Picasso once boasted that a book would have to be written every day to keep up with his creative output. Perhaps. But for art lovers and students seeking just one book, The Ultimate Picasso is unsurpassed.
Customer Reviews:
The ultimate Picasso artwork reference........2006-07-13
I took this book out of our university library to have on hand while reading Françoise Gilot's "Living with Picasso", in order to see representations of the artwork to which she refers throughout the book. "The Ultimate Picasso" proved invaluable. Not only does it contain Picasso's complete major works, they are also presented in chronological order which made look-up easy despite Gilot's often describing an artwork and the process used to create it but not always giving its title (she always gives dates). I ordered "The Ultimate Picasso" before the library due date because I couldn't bear to not have the book in my house!
The photos of the artwork are brilliant and crisp, and the accompanying text is informative.
You will not be disappointed by this book.
the best picasso book ever!!.......2005-03-06
this book rocks so much it breaks the very laws that govern physics!! so much information, so many beautiful pictures, so dense. it seems to capture the very spirit of pablo picasso. it was give to me as a valentine's day gift, and it is one of my most prized books. this is a MUST purchase for any picasso fan.
nothing much to say but incredible.......2004-11-13
To see tons of Picasso works in one book is nothing short of breathtaking. This is easily the best Picasso book that focuses on his paintings. What's incredible is to see the prolific amount of work he was capable of, and just what a inventive genius he was. Without a doubt the greatest Artist of the 20th century. Not all the works make sense, or are even recognizable as anything, but that was Picasso; his art was how he viewed the world, and how his own heart felt inside:confused, and out of place. His Cubism is nearly mathmatical, and very intriguing. IF you're interested in Picasso as more than that weird guy who made all those paintings i just don't get, come and check out this book to see all of what he was made of. You'll be amazed and inspired.
Plastic surgeons probably shouldnýt use these for murals........2002-09-28
The Ultimate Picasso could easily defeat The Fabulous Braque and The Superlative Cézanne in an arena style cubist grand melee. It would be no contest, really. The Ultimate Picasso would open up with his patented synthetic slammer sending Cézanne right back through the analytical period. Braque would try to stun him with some multi-viewed complex patterns, but nothing can neutralize The Ultimate Picasso.
Braque might try a new tactic then: swinging wildly with his blinding colors. The Ultimate Picasso would roll towards the canvas, ducking under the swing that hits the helpless Cézanne full on. Then BAM! Right out of nowhere, The Ultimate Picasso lays the smackdown on both of them with his ball-buster blue period. Down for the count: The Ultimate Picasso is once again champion of the art world.
the ultimate picasso book for art enthusiasts........2001-08-14
The greatest part of this huge and informative art book is the literally hundreds of pictures that it contains. A very colorful book, which is a must for anyone interested in this highly acclaimed artist, whose Cubist style signified a new era for the art world. Picasso is one of the best artists, in my opinion, and this book gives an in-depth account of his life and his extraordinary career on canvas.
Average customer rating:
- Incredibly Shallow
- accidental find
- One very funny book
- insightful and disturbing
- What a surprise
|
Accidental Playboy: Caught in the Ultimate Male Fantasy
Leif Ueland
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Popular Culture
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Media Studies
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Magazines
| Pop Culture
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0446527009 |
Book Description
Struggling writer Leif Ueland has hit rock bottom: no job, no money, no decent apartment, no girlfriend, and he's also a really nice guy. Acutely insecure, he's been trying to get a grip on things with the help of a mentoring therapist. Then the opportunity of a lifetime arrives: Playboy's Playmate of the Millennium search. Dozens of cities. Thousands of women.And one man covering it all. Suddenly, Leif, a son in a family of feminists, the anti-Hefner, finds himself at the center of a vortex of erotica, sexual harrassment, plastic surgery, stripping, and, always, beautiful women. But what does it mean to be a heterosexual, single guy? Sensitivity to women's needs? A life full of machismo and meaningless sex? Leif Ueland is about to find out-and tell all.
Download Description
Sometime journalist Leif Ueland has hit rock bottom as a straight single male: not only does he not have a girlfriend, but he's also a really nice guy who's visibly uncomfortable in the presence of overt he-manishness. Combine that with no job, money, or decent apartment, and the result is acute insecurity. How, he wonders, can he expect to decode women's sexuality if he can't even understand his own? Then, the opportunity of a lifetime comes along: The world's leading men's magazine needs a Fearless Reporter to travel cross-country for six months on the "Playboy Bus" in search of the Playmate of the Millennium. Dozens of cities. Thousands of women, willing to take it all off for cheesecake immortality. One man, covering it all: Leif, the anti-Hefner, the only son in a family of feminists, who finds himself at the center of a vortex of erotica, sexual harassment, plastic surgery, stripping, and, always, beautiful women.As the cross-country journey progresses and the overwhelming sense of vertigo increases, Leif struggles to figure out what it is to be a heterosexual single guy. Is it being sensitive to women's needs, like his mother and women friends taught him? Is it being a "man's man," full of machismo and meaningless sex? Or can he find some kind of utopian meeting place, preserving a liberal, enlightened sensibility while at the same time giving his libido a "ticket to ride"?
Customer Reviews:
Incredibly Shallow.......2003-10-02
The book chronicles nerve.com columnist Leif Ueland's experience after he was "accidentally" thrust by circumstance into the position of chronicling Playboy's search for their year 2000 "playmate of the millennium" for the Playboy Web site.
So, early on, the book promises to be something of an expose of the shallowness involved in the whole liking-people-for-their-looks thing, by someone who thinks of himself as a deep thinker, who is working on the great American novel. But, the opposite turns out to be the case. It is, "accidentally" an expose of this so-called deep thinker who, as a friend of mine put it, "thinks he's a saint because he's one step removed from the devil himself." That is, because he's maybe 10% less shallow than the incredibly shallow people around him, he thinks he's incredibly un-shallow, which he isn't. Almost immediately, he's dropped his idea of making his playboy.com column classy, and is obsessed with making it popular. And he keeps telling himself that, because he'll never have another opportunity like this, it's important that he have sex with someone once during this year of working for Playboy. And like a made-for-playboy movie, the book's climax comes when he sleeps with a random stranger who he met on the road, as though that resolves everything.
accidental find.......2003-08-18
I found this book in the political figures section of audible.com and downloaded it on a whim. It turns out to be the most entertaining piece of non-fiction that I have read/heard in a long time.
Leif Ueland, fearless reporter, begins the 1999 search for the millenium playmate very tentatively and is hesitant to dive into the playboy culture. As the bus trip/search progresses, he becomes more bold and lives out a handful of his own "Hef-scapades". Leif Ueland offers an incredibly insightful and sensitive perspective of the millenium playmate search and the Playboy corporate culture. The book is reminiscent of Hunter S Thompson trips but with a 90's flair.
One very funny book.......2003-01-28
I just finished this hilarious book, Accidental Playboy. I purchased the book to give to my boyfriend for X-Mas, knowing he would love it. Unfortunetly, I randomly opened to page 5, my eyes focusing on a line that I don't think I can repeat here. I only put it down to sleep and eat. Ueland is so honest about his sexuality, or lack there of, and I adored that as well. I also loved how he revealed so much through the scenes with his therapist and really let women in on how the mind of at least one guy works. I could go on and on. All and all I loved it and now must buy my boyfriend his own copy.
insightful and disturbing.......2002-12-19
I thought this book was interesting and funny. The author seems quite honest and tries to be such a "good guy" despite finding himself in the middle of the "ultimate" male fantasy. He is introspective on some levels, but doesn't seem to ever realize that little by little he becomes just another man perpetuating harmful stereotypes about women and supporting a corporation that thrives on objectifying them. If Mr. Ueland has foremothers who were writers, they would probably be proud of his skill as an author. But I'm guessing that his feminist foremothers, whom he mentions, would be disgusted.
What a surprise.......2002-11-14
After a exhausting week at work, I picked this book up along with some Haagen Daz and bottle of champagne wanting a mindless, childish weekend at home. I started the book not expecting much, Ueland won me over after a few pages. I resisted, and much like being in the company of a new love affair, I slowly melted and was left begging for more. Although I am not claiming it to be the most well written book, nor a masterpiece, it is however brutally honest and says what most men would hesitate to say. His wit, his words, the sarcasm... We need more Ueland's around. I suggest anyone with any sort of interest in human nature to pick it up, and any gal ever confounded by the male sex needs a copy as well. Oh and did I mention, the general male population could stand to take a few tips.
Book Description
At ten years of age, lined up alongside his two brothers in the living room of their Seattle home, Jens Pulver stared down the length of a shotgun into his father
Customer Reviews:
Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top.......2007-10-06
After finishing within 2 days, I felt that it was very much more of a sob story than anything else. I am not trying to disrespect Jens. For those who want to read about Jen's past, this would fit the bill. It gives detailed account of his family life, school, financial situation etc. Perhaps for him, this was an especially emotional story hence certain people may not like this autobiography.
Jens Pulver the man and the fighter.......2007-08-31
This book was more than I thought it would be. I really wanted to know about Jens Pulver but this book takes you on a wild ride that he calls life. I loved every minute of it and I couldn't put it down. After reading this book I have a new respect for Mr. Jens Pulver.
A Non-stop Read.......2007-05-13
I have been a fan of MMA since I first heard of the UFC in 1993, but was only recently aware of Jens Pulver because of his fights in the now defunct Pride FC which were held in Japan years ago. I found this book almost impossible to put down, and although it had very little concerning his fighting career--just a little bit at the end--the story of his tough life has left an indelible mark on me, perhaps b/c I always wonder how people deal with adversity.
The writing is very well done, and the story flows along to the end without any dull parts in it. Pulver's story is at once gripping and inspiring, and it leaves one feeling hopeful. He shows others that one can either push past the obstacles and fight to overcome one's lousy circumstances in life, or one can play the victim and say "poor me" all their life. Pulver shuns the latter, and embraces the "do or die" mentality for which I respect him even more. If you know who he is, you will really enjoy this book. If not, but you are one of those people who always wonder about people's lives from their own perspective, you will also like this book.
Scary life, great fighter.......2006-05-19
Some really great stories. He's definitely my fav mma fighter.
The Apex - only one way down.......2005-12-26
At some point, all great athletes hit their peak, mostly in a way that will forever define them in the history of their sports. Pele to soccer; Michael Jordan to Basketball; Mark Spitz to swimming....Jens Pulver to Ultimate Fighting. Yet, most people only see their idols at the apex of their accomplishments - nobody really talks about the road taken. Jens Pulver, however, allows his readers to glimpse into the making of a champion. He discusses his life, with great lucidity, and allows the reader to glimpse some of the problems and hardships he has overcome. Yet, at no point in the book does he ever try to say that he is done growing as a person and as a fighter - he is always going to be growing.
Which in a sense gives the reader hope for thier own life. There is, in fact, a light at the end of the tunnel. For Pulver is was wrestling and then fighting, but it is something diffferent for every person.
Great Book.
Book Description
What is Shen Ku? Roughly translated: "Pure Traveler" or "Phantom Passenger." What exactly is the "art of...?" Mastering the skill and knowledge of practically everything anyone comes across while on Earth, including:
* Tying knots and enhancing sex * Numerology and self hypnosis * Herbal therapy and forecasting weather * Curing nosebleeds and removing stains * Kung fu and magic tricks * Isometric and breathing exercises of monks * Self defense and catching fish
And this is only the beginning.
Irreverent and quirky, serious and 100% straightforward, The Art of Shen Ku explores hundreds of topics from a broad spectrum of life situations, and gives ingeniously simple advice on how to cope with them, overcome them, use them, and benefit from them.
"One amazing book...intensely practical. Offering awesome crash courses in everything from joke telling to acupuncture...if you are a traveler in life, this book is for you. If you have anybody who needs an awe-inspiring present, then this book is for you. In short, buy it!" (The Travel and Leisure Magazine)
Customer Reviews:
The Everything You Ever Wanted To Know (& Thensome) Book.......2007-05-12
This book is great...it has everything from tying knots, workout regimens, motivational anecdotes, all the way to macrobiotics and sex-enhancing techniques! This is by far the ultimate everything book! I was looking through a copy that one of my friends had and went to both Borders and Barnes & Noble, but they never seem to stock the neat titles I find! I immediately came home and ordered the book on Amazon.com and it came quick, in great shape, great transaction, great book!
Enlightening and packed.......2007-04-30
This book is full of great and interesting ways to accentuate your health and well being. Although you might want to really delve deeper with other volumes, this one is a great and diverse reference for asian health techniques.
The Art of Shen Ku.......2007-03-20
A manual for everyone to have to refer to for various life experiences. I recommend everyone to have this as a part of their survival kit in everyday life.
Priceless!.......2006-11-24
As a life-long student and practioner of martial arts and esoteric arts, the author, whoever he is, Zeek?, is a genius with respect to collecting and organizing an amazing amount of Asian Secrets that are essential to those who are determined to grow and lead interesting lives.
Save yourself a tremendous amount of time and money toward searching the world for "The Secrets" and instead get Zeek's book.
After owning, studying and using this book for more than a year, my questions are: "Who is this guy", "How did he find all of this information", and "Is he going to write more books?"
Get this book and buy an extra copy for safe keeping.
A very useful book.......2006-11-21
In the movie "MirrorMask" there is a publication titled "A very useful book". This is the RL equivilant for the physical world. (Sufi Book of Life for spiritual/mystic matters) Worth reading/memorizing for the 'boy scout' stuff alone, this is an infodense version of practical ways to survive, live and enjoy life.
Book Description
"If people turn to look at you in the street, you are not well dressed, but either too stiff, too tight, or too fashionable."
-- Beau Brummell
Long before tabloids and television, Beau Brummell was the first person famous for being famous, the male socialite of his time, the first metrosexual -- 200 years before the word was conceived. His name has become synonymous with wit, profligacy, fine tailoring, and fashion. A style pundit, Brummell was singly responsible for changing forever the way men dress -- inventing, in effect, the suit.
Brummell cut a dramatic swath through British society, from his early years as a favorite of the Prince of Wales and an arbiter of taste in the Age of Elegance, to his precipitous fall into poverty, incarceration, and madness. Brummell created the blueprint for celebrity crash and burn, falling dramatically out of favor and spending his last years in a hellish asylum. For nearly two decades, Brummell ruled over the tastes and pursuits of the well heeled and influential, and for almost as long, lived in penury and exile.
With vivid prose, critically acclaimed biographer Ian Kelly unlocks the glittering, turbulent world of late-eighteenth/early-nineteenth-century London -- the first truly modern metropolis: venal, fashion-and-celebrity obsessed, self-centered and self-doubting -- through the life of one of its greatest heroes and most tragic victims. Brummell personified London's West End, where a new style of masculinity and modern men's fashion were first defined.
Brummell was the leading Casanova and elusive bachelor of his time, appealing to both men and women of his society. The man Lord Byron once claimed was more important than Napoleon, Brummell was the ultimate cosmopolitan man. "Toyboy" to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and leader of playboys including the eventual king of England, Brummell inspired Pushkin to write Eugene Onegin, and Byron to write Don Juan, and he influenced others from Oscar Wilde to Coco Chanel.
Through love letters, historical records, and poems, Kelly reveals the man inside the suit, unlocking the scandalous behavior of London's high society while illuminating Brummell's enigmatic life in the colorful, tumultuous West End. A rare rendering of an era filled with excess, scandal, promiscuity, opulence, and luxury, Beau Brummell is the first comprehensive view of an elegant and ultimately tragic figure whose influence continues to this day.
Customer Reviews:
Easy and engaging read.......2007-08-28
I was drawn to the tale of Beau Brummell because I had heard of him as some ultimate arbiter on men's formal clothing, style, inventor of the modern suit, etc.
This book satisfied my curiosity to some extent. I only wish it had more illustrations of clothing at the time and how it evolved. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine what kinds of pants or neckties are being described since they are clearly different from what we see today.
I was disappointed to learn that Brummell was a shallow celebrity, famous for being famous, Paris Hilton of his day. He ended up alone in an asylum and died of terminal syphilis - pretty sad tale overall.
The books is a fascinating description of the social mores in London / Britain during Brummell's time, covering topics like sexuality, Lord Byron, the "public school" educational system, etc. I think this was in fact the book's strongest side.
Finally, a decent book on the Beau........2006-08-30
I give this book a strong rating for a couple of reasons.
First, the book compelled me to turn the page. Full of zest and anecdotes that brings the scenes to life, the story was interesting and lively enough that I wanted to see what came next. Second, the author cuts through the legends and delivers the facts behind the man. Where the man's reputation and tales grew over time, there was misinformation, and the author clarifies what is real and what was not. Third, the author presented a wonderful interpretation of Beau. Whereas other stories of BB tend to a biographical string of one event onto the next, the author explains their significance and highlights their interest. For instance, while Beau later wrote a book on male costume, the author explains how Beau's heart really wasn't into the work and the result was a lame book. Forth, the author makes smart conjecture, filling in the gaps and the rest of the tale of the Beau's life.
So, if you're interested in reading about Beau, I'd make this your first book.
Narcissistic OCD Man-Glam.......2006-08-30
Whew! By the tale's end, the moral is pretty clear. And what a wild, awful ride it was.
This archetypal dandy has to rank as a world-class obsessive-compulsive: three hours to wash, shave and dress, with two changes a day! These ritualistic ablutions would certainly have intrigued Proust and other celebrated male valetudinarians.
A life of shopping, primping and whoring ended up exactly where one might expect -- a telescoping tragedy of ostracism, poverty, institutionalization and grotesque, siphyllitic insanity.
Kelly's publishers should have relented and offered significantly more visual material. Snuff boxes and family pictures are great. What would have been better, though, would have been to document visually Brummell's distinctive (if terribly costly) contribution to civilization: the suit.
Either that, or spare us the endless, excruciating details of his ignominious end!
A racy and enlightening story of a famous public figure.......2006-08-19
BEAU BRUMMELL: THE ULTIMATE MAN OF STYLE comes from a biographer and actor who uses the memoirs, diaries and letters of Beau's friends as well as his own writings to provide an insider's look at the man who inspired the dandy. Despite his widespread fame, Brummell has not had his own serious biography until now: BEAU BRUMMELL delves into the man and his world, providing a racy and enlightening story of a famous public figure.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Much more than a tailor's dummy!.......2006-07-26
Ian Kelly has written an excellent biography of a man who rose from obscurity to command the respect of English society. It's a fascinating study, well written & reseaeched. A highly intelligent man, in another era, Brummell might have achieved much more; but in Regency England, the strictures of a rigid class structure combined with disease and his spendthrift ways toppled him from the heights to a miserable end.
One quibble; on a recent visit to the UK, I saw the English edition, which is nicely illustrated with color prints, and looks much more elegant than the North American edition. A book about Brummell should above all else be handsome!
Amazon.com
Gates, director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1991 to 1993, began in an entry level position and rose to the top. His insider's account of the Cold War, CIA operations and the unraveling of the Soviet Union is sprinkled with revelations including the fact that 1983 was the most dangerous year in U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations and that both the CIA and KGB sponsored countless "black operations" designed to embarrass and discredit the other side. Gates also reveals that he secretly met with KGB foreign operations chief Vladimir Kryuchkov on two separate occasions and how the CIA often acted in contempt of Congress. While none of this may come as a huge surprise, it never fails to shock when it's laid out in black and white by someone who was on the inside.
Customer Reviews:
"From the Shadows" by Robert M. Gates.......2007-10-01
Absolutely fascinating! Mr. Gates is an excellent writer and is able to make complicated information easy to follow. And what an insight he gave to the Presidents he worked for; he didn't have an axe to grind with any of them, even though they represented both political parties.
This is a book I enjoyed so completely that I hated to reach the end of it. It will be on my personal "re-read" list. No wonder Mr. Gates was selected to become Secretary of Defense in our nation's hour of need.
Engages the eyes and mind.......2006-11-17
Rarely do you run across a historical book that is so chocked full of names, dates and acronyms that engages your mind as you push to reader faster. Gates delivers great insight wrapped in words that are illustrative of the push and pull of power players - within and between government bodies - domestic and global. If you are curious about the claims of one party or the other concerning the end of the Cold War, then this book will prove to be enlightening. All contributed to the demise, but perhaps none more than the Soviets themselves. Great read. Engaging. Insightful. Illuminating. Perhaps now more than ever before this a read that helps look at the challenges we, as a global community, face today. Buy it. Read it. Gain perspective.
View from the inside.......2006-10-01
The CIA is probably the one institution that the US President controls the most; or so this book argues. Robert M. Gates spent over two decades working at the CIA, and is one of the few career officials who came in near the bottom and rose all the way to the top. This book is his memoir, and recollection of how the CIA served 5 consecutive presidents in the Cold War. Starting with Richard Nixon, and ending with the first George Bush, Gates shows how each president used, and sometimes abused, the CIA to further their policies with regard to the USSR and communist parties around the world.
The major points one gets from this book are as follows. First, Carter was no wimp with regard to the USSR. Second, the most dangerous years of the Cold War did not end with Vietnam; they included some years in the 1980's. Third, the CIA consistently disregards the laws of the US. Fourth, the CIA often gets suckered into doing thing at the whim of the president that it later regrets. Last, the first George Bush was probably one of the best diplomats the US has seen in recent times. Over all, this was a very good book and I am glad I read it.
Intense Reading - great enjoyment.......2002-09-18
Excellent account of what really goes on from the inside of the govt. They say that truth is better than fiction. This is true in a big way in this book. You will recall many of the events in not too distant history. They come alive in this book and history makes more sense. Intense reading - be sure to underline the names to keep track of the huge cast of characters. A big Aggie thumb's up for this one!
Informative but dry.......2002-07-23
Gates had access to some of the most fascinating characters in the history of the Cold War. His observations are incisive and revealing about many of these personalities; however, his book often reads like one might imagine a CIA memo reads, rather dry. The book provides feedback on several important historical instances but it does not go into much depth on any. I do not recommend it as a book used to learn the history of that era. Instead I would read it to gain a further understanding of what went on behind the scenes.
In general, I find Gates to be an interesting character himself. He has some hilarious anecdotes about life in the CIA. Such as when he is walking up the steps of Air Force One and turns to flip off several of the top officials (I think it was) in Romania after they botch his passport. In addition to a often dry sense of humor he also seems to have a great deal of character and integrity.
Product Description
A former Miss America from Colorado tells the gripping story of her life as an incest survivor. A Colorado best seller in hardcover, new in pb.
Customer Reviews:
Miss America by Day: Lessons learned from Ultimate Betrayals and Unconditional Love.......2007-10-08
I have a friend that went through sexual abuse with your father and has been suffering from this all her life. It was good to read the book to be able to understand her better and also feel it would be a good book for those that have been sexually abused by their father or any other person. You realize that you are not alone and the book helps you to understand what you are going through and why you are feeling the way you do.
A gift to those who've suffered.......2007-09-15
I read the article in People Magazine when Marilyn Van Derbur first told the world she had been a victim of incest. I shuddered and literally sobbed because it triggered a new memory for me. I'd just learned a couple years earlier I, too, had been a victimized, and I was in the process of healing. When I read her book I could relate over and over again to what she'd been through. This is a must-read for victims who want to become (or already have become) VICTORS! Soar Unafraid: Learning to Trust No Matter What
Believing Our Children.......2007-04-02
Painful as this book was to read, as a mother and a massage therapist I found it invaluable. It gives not only a gripping and heart wrenching story, but also useful ways that we can protect our children from abuse. Incest is not what you think, it affects so many more people in so many more ways than I ever thought possible. Miss Van Derbur uses her own remarkable story with statistical facts that make it impossible for anyone to say 'it would never happen to my child'. I'm so grateful that someone recommended this book to me for my own awareness of how our bodies store trauma. I have told almost every mother I know about some of the shocking facts this book reveals. Most importantly, it reminds us to talk to our children and believe them when they tell us the truth!
Excellent resource .......2007-01-10
This is a great book for both rape survivors and those who love them. This book talks about the social stigma over survivors, how they are not the ones who should feel shame, but those who abused them, helping rape and incest survivors understand they can be proud of the people they are. It also makes a beautiful connection that it doesn't matter what someone did to you, if it was a word, a touch, a brutal attack, it is how that interaction made you feel, how it hurt your spirit. This book does not minimize what happened to you and how that made you feel. It is a guide with eye opening stats, and useful advice to help protect children along with conversation starters. Even if you do not know anyone who has had this life experience, but unfortunately we all do, this is a great read for everyone to be better educated to support someone or prevent others from being hurt. Please read this book.
This book gave me hope.......2006-07-20
If you - or someone you love - has been raped or sexually violated, read this book. It is a step by step guide to recovery.
Customer Reviews:
"Can't Judge a Book By....".......2005-07-11
And this book is proof of that lesson. Title and cover graphics nearly had me avoiding this genuine diamond in the rough, as a mere throw-away. I'm a long time fan and collector of things Rolling Stoned. Large collection of sights, sounds and memories on this band and with that, the expected vast amount of overlap. What one always wants, and doesn't always get, is 'new to me' info. I was up till the "wee wee hours" on the first couple nights with this new bedmate. A labor of love by the two authors, this time-line collection of data and quotes fills in more gaps than Keith's dentist in the early 70's. Divided into sections of Studio, Stage, Radio, and Screen this chronological history is to be applauded for it's depth of research, as well as it's appreciation and compassion for the subject matter. Not to say it's a fluff piece or 'warm and fuzzy' at all. Quite the contrary. It is just a thorough reconstruction of events with an endearing running commentary. For example, a date is presented in the bands 1963 touring schedule where the author gets quotes from Glyn Johns about a particular show, that are contradictory (by a few days) to that of Bill Wyman's account in one of his books, of the same show. You are presented with both sources accounts and asked by the author to come to your own conclusion. I liked that. Shows me that homework was done and where there was history's minor mystery, you were presented with all the data at hand and your choice of it's outcome. I was also intrigued by the authors' accounting of Brian's song contributions. Fans are well aware of his instrumental prowess on tracks, but actual songs penned, all or in part, by Jones, that were presented to the band, are given note. And a related interesting footnote; Andrew Loog Oldham's urging Gene Pitney to assist Brian in his songwriting efforts during the recording of the bands first album. Set lists, alternate takes info, other acts on the bill...all a delight, in any degree of completion, to this fan. Were there some omissions, most likely. I think I detected a couple from my own recollection of shows some 35-40 years ago, but then again, my "Memory Motel" has been plagued with too many vacancies recently. The main question is, did I get the joy of "I didn't know that...awesome?!?!", from this book? Most definitely. Overall, this has become a heavily recommended selection to my friends, and to any Stones fan, looking for as much tech and detail data on the band as possible. Satisfaction, go for it.
This One's Got It.......2002-09-10
Let me quote Little Richard....."You Got It - Oh, Baby, You Got It" This is the most authoritative guide I've found on the Band. Absolutely great chronology, concert data (often with set lists), sessionography, discography (both US and UK), films, TV, promotionals, and even a decent shot at the bootlegs. There are lots of notes and details......great listings of which sessions produced all the unreleased takes, so you can finally get your bootleg collection in order.......there is an unreleased version of Beast of Burden with different lyrics on the 8 track (the 8 TRACK!), there is a photo of the 1st gig advert at the Marquee Club, they solved the old legend of the Kink's Mick Avory serving as drummer at the first Marque Jazz Club date on July 12, 1962 by (why not?) asking Avory (get the book to find out the truth). There are dozens of similar nuggets......this is (as the cover states) the ultimate guide to the Rolling Stones.
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll...ain't that the truth......
Note: Be careful not to mix this book up with the similarly titled "The Rolling Stones: It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: The Stories Behind Every Song" or Rolling Stones: It's Only Rock and Roll: Song by Song" both by Steve Appleford and both poor quality, or It's Only Rock 'N' Roll: My On-The-Road Adventures With the Rolling Stones " by Chet Flippo .
Listen to the Music.......2000-08-22
This is one of the most complete guides to the Rolling Stones' music and has a chronological order of events that took place in the Stones' lives. As the last reviewer said, this isn't meant to be a biography. There are umorous accounts o misspelled lyrics, makes mention of some of their appearances on TV (particularly a story Stones fans like most- the performance of "Let's Spend Some Time Together" and the Stones refusing to wave to the audience at the end of 1 TV performance). It also makes mention of 1 lesser known track "I Don't Know Why"- originally released on the now out-of-print Metamorphosis and recorded on the same day of Brian Jones' untimely death and the history of "Waiting on a Friend" (originally recorded in the early 1970's with Mick Taylor). If you're a Stones fan, you'll like this book!
A wealth of Information at your fingertips.......1999-08-02
Authors James Karnbach and Carol Bernson take the reader on a journey through history with the Rolling Stones. They highlight the important events, the concert tours, the album releases, etc., as well as touching on the numerous celebrations, disappointments, and critical moments that have been part of the Rolling Stones' existence for more then three decades.
Included in this book are rare pictures of Stones' memoribilia, many of which I have never seen in a book before (And I have read a good number of books on the Rolling Stones). Much recognition should be given to the authors for gathering up so much data. However, if you are looking for a biographical book about the members of the band, you should pass this up. This is really a reference guide.
Very good but missing some information.......1998-12-27
Great book but the setlists are still incomplete, expecially the 1970's - 1982. With the internet most of the information can be obtained from tape traders and other web sights. Definetly worth the money. The hardback editon is a must if you are a diehard Stones tape collector.
Books:
- AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll: The Ultimate Story of the World's Greatest Rock-and-Roll Band
- All About Me
- An Enemy of the People (Penguin Plays)
- Backstreet Mom: A Mother's Tale of Backstreet Boy AJ McLean's Rise to Fame, Struggle with Addiction, and Ultimate Triumph
- Backstreet Mom: A Mother's Tale of Backstreet Boy AJ McLean's Rise to Fame, Struggle with Addiction, and Ultimate Triumph
- BARBRA STREISAND IN NEW YORK CITY: A Self Guided Tour of Landmark Locations in The Career of Barbra Streisand
- Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant
- Cakes to Dream On: A Master Class in Decorating
- Cash: The Autobiography
- Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington
- The Berenstain Bears and the In-Crowd
- John Singer Sargent
- Lew Burke's Dog Training
- MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit
- Rand McNally 2007 Road Atlas: United States-Large Scale
- Phenomenology of Spirit
- Hawaiian Plants and Animals Coloring Book
- King in Exile: James II: Warrior, King and Saint
- Vault.com Career Guide to Investment Banking, 3rd Edition
Highway to Hell : The Life and Times of AC/DC Legend Bon Scott
AC/DC: Plug Me In (3 disc Limited Edition)
The Story of AC/DC: Let There Be Rock
AC/DC: Two Sides to Every Glory: The Complete Biography
AC/DC: Thunder Rock
