If you are looking for a good art book that covers some of the best in Mexican Art than look no further. As part of an exhibition that toured Dallas, Phoenix and San Diego, where I was lucky enough to have seen the impressive collection, this book is full of varied works and styles. Although the emphasis is on Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, there are many more artists featured, including Nahum Zenil, Rufino Tamayo, Carlos Orozco Romero, Agustin Lazo, Maria Izquierdo, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Gunther Gerzo and of course the others in the "Three Greats," David Alfaro Siquieros and Jose Clemente Orozco to complete the triad masters of Mexican Art. Some of the art is breathtaking ,original and shocking but all pleasing. There are many more artists featured, to numerous to name, but suffice to say that the broad spectrum of Mexican Art is covered, including the works of contemporary artists as Natasha continued to collect into the 1990's, a decade after her husbands passing. As beautiful and magical as the art is, so varied in form, subject and media matter, the text is one that teaches about how this collection came to be. The outstanding essays reflect on the intriguing lives of the art collectors, beginning with their meeting and becoming naturalized Mexican citizens from their European exile. The relationship between Jacques Gelman and the Mexican movie comedian icon Cantinflas, who he discovered, is discussed and the stuff of legend. Jacques Hollywood connections are also featured, both in essay and pictures. The personal relationships both Jacques and Natasha had with Diego and Frida is now legendary. Although they have European(not featured here) Art in their private collection, their real love was for Mexican Art. The Gelmans devotion and dedication to Mexican Art was their baby they never had. They have nutured and shared their gifts with the rest of the world by keeping their collection intact and it speaks for itself as a collective art piece. If you missed the tour than by all means get this book which features all the exhibitions art pieces, short biographies of the artists and an interesting bilingual text. Recommended for art enthusiasts interested in the evolving art of Mexico.

Where can you find a collection of the best of Mexico's artists of the 20th century? Contained in these pages spanning four generations in the 20th century are some of the greatest names in Mexican art. The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection presents for the first time a wide span view of the development of Mexico's greatest treasures in art.

Here you will find Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco and the other older greats of the muralist and painting traditions of Mexico. The art of these "Masters" are rich in their expressions of presenting the indigenous art of the people before the public. You will also find these "Masters" experimenting with impressionism, cubism and surrealism but in the end they develop a style unique to their cultural heritage.

Just viewing the "Masters" alone would be enough but Mexico's artists are progressive in their style as we view the work of the younger artists who have made their mark on the artistic scene. Francisco Toledo, Cisco Jimenez and Marco Arce explode upon the scene with their framented narrative texts, irreverance for religion and interpretations of the myths and legends of their land. Their works are just as stunning, provocative and controversial as their elders.

Such a diverse collection shows the viewer the varied styles and development of Mexican art through the 20th Century. Nothing can match it. Art lovers everywhere will appreciate the styles represented in this collection and will gain a deeper appreciation of Mexico's artistic tradition.

You can give someone life--or you can put someone to death. But you cannot "give" someone their own death. Death is a "gift" because it insures our irreplaceableness in God's eyes; it is ours and ours alone. No one can die in my place no more than I can die in theirs. Our willingness to acknowledge this relationship with our own deaths (which above all requires "responsibility," a term Derrida seems to prefer to "faith") in turn unites us with God and the self, with the giver and the receiver.

I'll admit I hadn't expected a deconstructionist to use terms like "absolute," "transcendant," "God," "self"--in profusion and in earnest. But perhaps Derrida has sufficiently exposed the instability, metaphoric basis and deceptive play of language to be able to employ it without qualifiers, disclaimers, and tedious textual self-referentiality. As is his custom, he represents his own work as a critique of others' works--Plato's "Phaedo," Nietzsche's "Genealogy of Morals," Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling," and the contemporary, politically executed Polish philosopher Jan Potocka. While he establishes his distance from Plato and Nietzsche, his re-visioning of Kierkegaard offers new angles without questioning or challenging the great Dane's existential reading of the Abraham-Isaac story. And his alignment with Potocka is so complete as to suggest more an apologia than a critique of the latter's work. Add to these texts numerous references to Heidegger and to both the Old and New Testaments as well as to stories by Poe and Hawthorne, and you'll have some idea of how richly allusive, not to mention dense, Derrida's discourse can be, even in a brief work such as this.

The primary requisite for reading "The Gift of Death" is some knowledge of its precursor, "Fear and Trembling." Like Kierkegaard, Derrida defines religion as access to the responsibility of a free self, which in turn is defined as a relationship consciously and secretly experienced by the individual subject who sees him or herself in the gaze of God. Truth is separated from Socrates' truth by its interiority, by its replacement of reason, ethics, and aesthetics with the sheer horror of the abyss. Compared to Kierkegaard, however, Derrida's account is less romantic, less inspiring, more disturbing. The leap of faith involves not a sacrifice of Isaac but of oneself, a secret and senseless meeting with one's own death. Derrida interprets the absence of woman in the Abraham and Bartleby stories as proof that the "knight of faith's" quest is not the "tragic hero's". Instead, it is beyond all knowledge, a confrontation with the abyss that marks the Absolute singularity of the self. (This latter observation is reminiscent of Marlowe's inability, or unwillingness, in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," to share the "truth" of Kurtz' final words, "The horror, the horror," with Kurtz' fiance.)

In the latter part of his critique, Derrida offers a paradoxical criticism of the technological, modern age. Far from becoming quantified or de-naturalized, we have returned to the demonic and orgiastic from which religion arose. Modern man has fallen into inauthenticity, becoming not a self or person but assuming the mask of a "role." Present-day democracy, in turn, is not about the equality of individuals but of roles. Hence the importance of discovering and accepting the gift of death that determines human uniqueness. Responsibility is the criterion; freedom is the result.

This is a work not to be read quickly or only once. Derrida moves slowly, taking two steps backward before moving one step forward, but his method insures the communication of his meanings. If it's any inducement to the reader, I would suggest that the fourth and final chapter, "Tout autre est tout autre," is anticlimactic and unhelpful. By then the attentive reader will already have located the gift.

Derrida, as usual, is able to tease apart the conventional ways of thinking--in this case about the (im)possibility of ethics--and force us to think in a completely different way. I might disagree with his analysis of the ramifications of the ethical gesture explicated in Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling," but i can't say old Jack didn't make me think.

Jacques Futrelle was way ahead of his time. I remember when I first read some of his stories, how they seemed so "Modern" with talk of Computers, and Scientific, AND Futuristic things. Jacques Futrelle was very, very famous in his day, and perhaps would have wrote many more great books, unfortunately he was one of the many, many souls that lost his life on the ship you all have heard so much about...The Titanic. So sad that after being so well known in his time, he is all but forgotten now.

This collection of Thinking Machine stories is the classic American analog to Sherlock Holmes. The author develops the logical detective model and these stories are a must-read for all true lovers of the mystery genre. The author died on the Titanic.

As Director of Education of a congregation in a Spanish-speaking area, HaMadrij is just what I needed but couldn't find: a comprehensive guide to modern Judaism written in Spanish. In just one volume, it covers a wide range of topics, from Jewish history to basic precepts, conversion, etc. -- and it does so from a neutral perspective, highlighting Orthodox and non-Orthodox viewpoints. It's perfect for outreach programs, Spanish-speaking Jews interested in returning to Judaism, as well as potential converts or non-Jews simply interested in Judaism. A quality "Judaism 101" book, ideal for individuals or classes. What I like most about HaMadrij is its user-friendly format: the "Consulta rapida" sections at the end of every section, and its extensive appendix, especially the exhaustive glossary. It's really the best Intro. to Judaism book I've seen in Spanish.

Por fin una guía realmente comprensible y útil de judaismo en castellano, a la medida del judío de nuestros días. El libro tiene todas aquellas ideas básicas que se supone que uno debe saber y que no se atreve a preguntar, desde por qué se encienden dos velas en Shabbat hasta las diferencias entre los movimientos judíos contemporáneos (ortodoxos, conservadores, reformistas y reconstruiccionistas). Tiene unos cuadros de consulta rápida y ladillos en cada página que permiten navegar por el libro con extremada sencillez. Un libro sencillo, pero no simplista donde se cubre desde la historia hasta los usos y rituales fundamentales del calendario judío. Y todo ello magníficamente explicado. Recomiendo vivamente el libro como el primero paso para todos aquellos que quieran hacer del judaísmo una forma de vida.

I don't understand French but I bought this book for the pictures and the topic. I had the good fortune to have visited the Maginot Line near Longuyon and wanted a picture book as a souvenir. This book surpasses my expectations and the lavish presentation and format sets new standards on presenting a little known topic.

Excellent book which is well illustrated and presents an interesting view of the planning and construction of the ouvrages (forts) of the Maginot Line. The authors provide data along with the most comprehensive view yet of the troops that served in the Maginot Line in northeast France. Virtually every regiment, most of them RIF (Fortress Infantry Regiments) are included in the descriptions along with details on the uniforms and insigna worn. A knowledge of French is not really needed to enjoy this book, although a good dictionary might be useful. If you are reading this you can also use one of the many translation sites on the web to help you through the book. This is presently one of the best illustrated books available on the Maginot Line in the U.S. This is volume 1 of a 4 volume series. The second book will cover the the armament used and the third will deal with the short combat history of the Maginot Line. The final book will be devoted to the Little Maginot Line in the southeast on the Alpine front with Italy. Best of all, the price of this book is relatively modest considering its size and the number of illustrations (182 pages with from 1 to 4 illustrations or charts on almost every page).

Jacques Lowe is a wonderful photographer, which is evident in these wonderful photographs of Jackie Kennedy. Thank you, Jacques, for creating such a beautiful book. FOR QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT JACKIE ONASSIS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT MellissaLD@aol.com. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The photographs of the young Mrs. Kennedy are absolutely spectacular. Congratulations Jacques!

I found a review about "Jesus" from Jacques Duquesne.I have just read "Le Dieu de Jesus", which is kind of a continuation. I am not Christian, that means that I am not sure about any choice. Nevertheless, if I were, I would agree with J. Duquesne about God. The God that he presents is the one that I would like to refer to. He shows us a very different God than the one I used to know, throughtout the Bible studies that I attempted. He seems more "accurate". The picture J. Duquesne gives us about God is wonderfully bright picture. If you have the opportunity to find a translation of that book, go ahead and read it. Great for everyone, christian or not.

Any biography concerning Jesus is bound to cause controversy. Typically, a biography concerning Jesus is presented with a fundamentalist Christian bias or with a blatantly anti-Christian bias. Buying this book in the secular section I fully expected the latter. Books and movements purportedly exposing Jesus as a myth are fairly popular. I was surprised at what I found. As I read through the book I was unable to determine if Duquesne is personally a Christian or not. If Duquesne is a Christian, he definitely is not of the "The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it" mold. Duquesne points out the various historical and theological inconsistencies that are present throughout the Gospels. However, Duquesne writing gives the reader a sense of the wonder and significance of Jesus. He does not write as an atheist out to debunk or mock the Christian faith. Duquesne beautiful prose takes the reader back to that ancient land. Duquesne explains many of the Jewish customs and beliefs that allow a Christian reader to make better historical sense of the Gospels. I found some of the ancient Jewish customs to be quite bizarre. In describing the Wedding at Cana, Duquesne illustrated the Jewish wedding ceremony and associated customs. The Jewish wedding ceremony was a party that lasted for days. The wedding ceremony was a time of much eating and drinking. After the marriage was consummated, the groom would wave the blood stained sheet, proving the bride's virginity to the cheering guests. This is the type of culture education that you will typically not find in your local Bible class. Duquesne does not claim that the miracles were impossible. Duquesne also makes the case that the greatest miracle of all, the resurrection, was possible. Atheists to this day have some troubles explaining the empty tomb. Why would all the apostles be willing to die for claiming they had seen the resurrected Jesus if they knew such a claim was false? This is the sort of question that Duquesne analyzes is a logical, yet sensitive manner. Christian readers may be troubled by Duquesne's illustrating the inconsistencies in the Gospel accounts. Non believers may become uncomfortable with Duquesne's non-repudiation of the miracles and the resurrection. Any book that is able to trouble both camps is a must read. I found this book to be entertaining, enlightening, troubling, comforting and, in a sense, spiritual. I give this book my highest recommendation

A good thriller with an eerie resemblance to the crash of TWA Flight 800. The author weaves many of the unresolved facts from the Flight 800 case into his story and makes the saying that "facts are some times stranger than fiction", much more believable.

Kuchma's Dictum is the mother of all conspiracy theories. A taut and compact thriller with a plot that lets the reader know the author really knows his stuff. Airplane buffs in particular will relish the accurate detail. The main character is well drawn, an ex-cop so down on his luck he is working as a security guard, who stumbles on to something big and who just won't let go until he finds out the truth. The plot is plausible and well worked out. It could be in the headines tomorrow.