Alain Resnais's "Stavisky..." provides a fictionalized account of the last months of the notorious swindler (played by Jean-Paul Belmondo), whose financial shell games brought down the French government in the early 1930s. I sometimes think that the word "exquisite" was coined to describe this film and I don't mean that entirely positively. Immaculately designed, shot, lit and cut, nearly perfect in its way, "Stavisky..." is designer filmmaking at its most refined, elegant and yes, precious.

Resnais and screenwriter Jorge Semprun are very conscious of the fictional nature of what they are presenting, to the point of beginning the film with a disclaimer. Whatever the historical reality of the Stavisky character, we certainly believe that as portrayed by Belmondo, he could sell coals to Newcastle. He is aided by a host of first-rate French actors, including Michel Lonsdale, François Perrier and especially Charles Boyer, in a final performance that makes every gesture into the physical equivalent of an aphorism. The force of the actors' personalities, the fastidious period recreation, Stephen Sondheim's jazzy score, all contribute to the film's point: no matter what evil Stavisky may have caused, it was impossible for those who knew him well not to be taken in by the romance he could conjure out of thin air.

This willingness to excuse corruption by dint of style seems very French, and as an alternative to the easy moralizing of American culture, very refreshing. Still, the glamorized decadence may be easy to enjoy as the intricate surface of a movie, but not so easy to imagine forgiving in reality, particularly for the victims of it. (Among other things, Stavisky was responsible for flooding France with millions of francs of worthless government bonds.) I'm not suggesting that the film would be improved by a sanctimonious, Hollywood-style reminder of the evils of corruption. It would be ruined by such a banality. Rather, because we cannot ever quite forget the reality of the period (the actions take place in the depths of the Great Depression, after all), we also can never quite accept the film's aestheticized vision as anything other than an extremely beautiful evasion.

In a sense, that evasion does get at a reality of the thirties, the willingness of the rich and powerful to turn away from the ever-deepening crises around them. The problem is that in so successfully achieving the world view of a thin-blooded, exhausted society, "Stavisky..." seems a tad removed itself. But exquisitely so.

"STAVISKY" is the true story of Serge Alexandre, known to the world as Stavisky. And Belmondo is terrific as the titular con artist who looted France during the 1930s. Acclaimed director Alain Resnais shepherds a consummate cast that includes Charles Boyer through this lavishly mounted saga of deception, romance, and bittersweet justice. Stephen Sondheim's big score is memorable and evokes the era as well as the moral corruption. You will believe the time and place and characters as the events unfold like a grand, medievel morality play but with superb production values. An odd and interersting film about an amoral character driven by greed and power. Deadly sins both. Belmondo is pitch perfect.

This is the story of some tools (e.g., Penny Plane, Mike Hammer, and Walter Wrench) stuck in the basement, yearning to taste the comforts of the upstairs life. Meanwhile, the upstairs appliances, including Blake Blender, Suzie Seltzer Bottle, and Calvin Coffeepot (the latter looking suspiciously like Thelonious Monk) contemplate cleaning the neglected, sink-clogged, slimy kitchen. But before they do, the downstairs tools stage a coup d'etat (or de kitchen, as it were). The victorious tools devise ways to make lunch and clean up, while the appliances tackle the filthy basement, with the not-so-startling conclusion that it takes different tools working together to clean a house.

The fun is primarily the loopy picture style that recalls Disneyland's Toon Town, and the groanfully corny puns of the tools: "'Hey Walter Wrench,' said Penny Plane, 'remember the time you fixed that drippy faucet?' 'Yep, I really had a grip back then . . . '" and "'Heck, I bet we could run the kitchen!'" hammered Mike. Our little boy loved this book, and it's great fun to read out loud. Worth looking for!

This is an excellent book, delightful to read. Written by a "universal man" contains pictures, drawings, and even music. Really holds your attention and gets the main points across. I recommend the book.

This book is an excellent introduction to the Amazon's tortured past and offers some insight into the region's prospects. What really sets it apart are the illustrations, many from early manuscripts. Reproduced woodcuts and watercolors give the reader a genuine feel for how the conquistadors and early explorers perceived the Amazon's people and wildlife. The book progresses logically, from initial forays looking for El Dorado and cinnamon forests to the explorer-scientists, in a sweeping historical vista. Gheerbrant's account of the rubber boom is especially poignant, and the reader becomes utterly outraged at the shamelessly inhumane treatment of local tribes by greedy industrialists. The book's reproduced photographs from this era drive home the untrammeled brutality of the rubber barons in their urge to acquire riches at any cost to the indigenous people. The author's observations of the Amazon's current status (the "Present") seem somewhat outdated, as the area is changing fast and there is not much on conservation efforts or scientific research (although other books cater). The "Documents" section added as a sort of appendix offer some interesting facts, but seem collected together on a rather ad-hoc basis. However, the chronology and bibliography are commendable. Generally well-written, in places the text seems a bit convoluted and may frustrate readers used to a snappier style. Perhaps something happened in the translation. In summary, I recommend this book for its illustrations, and overall historical perspective.

I would recommend this book to all those interested in plant science, horticulture, and particularly viticulture. Not an ultimate collection of knowledge in this area, but a very nice and original contribution to it.

The Crew of the RTL-Timex, a racing sailboat, was faced with diaster and recovered from it. Their sailboat capsized in rough seas between Bermuda and New York and they spent more than a week waiting for rescue. They were fortunate to be in shiping lanes, and see 5 ships before they finally got rescued! The author and the survivors wrote a section with survival tips and necessary materials that every salior should know about. A great read!

A truly exquisite coffee-table book with outstanding color plates. Could be more though, Cassandre did many others. Text entirely in French.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the middle ages and/or architecture, it provides the reader with good background information on the construction process and its history. Numerous first hand accounts are presented, along with a great number of color illustrations to guide the reader and liven the work up, usually a couple per page. It also includes a long reference section in the back of different primary documents for further study. The only downside is that it is only an introductory guide, so it does not delve too specifically into the construction process. It does, however, provide a great backdrop for further learning, and was very entertaining the whole way through.

Vibrant, colorful pictures make this an excellent coffee table book

This paper model contains many details true to the actual chateau. It contains a great historical account of the chateau including the previous owners and very detailed pictures. It can be challenging for beginners and even experienced persons because it contains many tiny precision cuts and folds. It also does not have sufficient instructions as to the construction of the castle. Once completed it is very attractive. It is a very nice addition to a collection and I recommend it. Nice job Alain de Bussac and Paul de Boever.