Wow, a photography book that you do not have to buy with a loan application or perfect credit. Weston was such a commanding presence in so many photographic fields, and this overview of his work is great. One quibble: I wish there had been better ties between the women in his life and the nudes featured here. Who was who? Also, his bio mentions the last photo he took, but does not include it. Other than that, great work by a great artist and a great inspiration.

If you were to only buy one of Edward Weston's books, this would be the one -- and for less then $10...

In recent years, we have become familiar with televised pictures of a Europe that few Americans could place on a map. How lucky we are, then, that Sonja Kravanja has honored us with her masterful translations of the poet Edvard Kocbek, and thereby an introduction to the literature of her native Slovenia. Few translators have the ability to literally place the reader inside the thoughts of an author, yet this is what Kravenja has done. A rare and deeply emotional body of work, a window into the mind of a remarkable Eastern European poet.

Kravanja's translation of Kocbek's poems is wonderful. Each poem is distinctive - full of insight and understanding. Most impressive, however, is how incredibly beautiful the poetry is.

In a provocative and well-thought-out, albeit short text, the authors, instead of condemning any act of a business to address environmental concerns as too narrow, choose instead to applaud it. The argument is that any move toward environmentalism is a good bet, basing this on the same concept used by 17th century philospher Blaise Pascal who wagered: "If God does not exist, one will lose nothing by believing in him, while if he does exist, one will lose everything by not believing." There's a particularly telling anecdote in the book involving Edgar Woolard, the former chairman of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., after he pronounced the business's commitment to zero pollution. Subsequent to the pronouncement an engineer told Woolard that there wasn't any way one of the plants could meet the new goal. So Woolard tells the engineer that the plant will have to close. Ironically, after the plant's engineers do come up with a solution, it turns out that it will ultimately save du Pont money. This book is a terrific exploration of how some businesses are discovering that environmentalism is not only a must for survival of society, but also for the future of business. Good, well analyzed stories and thinking here.

Should corporations maximize profits OR preserve the environment? Is the cost of an environmentally sensitive business approach an expense OR an investment?

In this timely book, the authors build on the philosophical foundation of Pascal's Wager to advance what I will call Freeman's Wager:

"assume that it is reasonable to bet that there is in fact an environmental crisis. The consequences of being wrong are too great to bet otherwise."

The consequences of this wager for our children and future generations inform and lend urgency to the arguments advanced in this work.

Recognizing the ambiguity of "truth" in relation to the health of the environment and the contentious nature of public discourse on this topic, the authors advance four new environmental strategies for businesses: (1) light green, (2) market green, (3) stakeholder green, (4) dark green. Each of these strategies has its own logic and they do not represent a continuum requiring inevitable motion along a predetermined path.

Rather, these strategies represent options and the book advances a number of convincing arguments that a corporate value system that incorporates environmental considerations can actually lead to a competitive advantage.

This was an enjoyable and thought provoking tome and left me convinced that adopting a shade of green would be a competitive advantage to a company with a clear understanding of "what it stands for" and which embodies "values based capitalism." Such companies can maximize profits AND care for the environment. For these firms, environmentalism is an investment, not an expense.

I would ask the authors to further explore the implications of their thesis for average companies. They did not fully explicate the applicability of their argument to such firms.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever questioned how to live well today while preserving a good world for our children.

There are a lot of books on Chicago history; Inside the Wigwam takes a unique approach at the Windy City as a political powerhouse for the rest of the nation. It tells the stories of presidential nominating conventions from the unlikely candidacy of Republican Abraham Lincoln in 1860 to the bloody battle of the 1968 Democratic convention. Sautter and Burke have put together a magnificent tome, full of fascinating anecdotes and lively illustrations. The result is a popular history that never fails to entertain as it informs. This is my favorite book on Chicago history.

INSIDE THE WIGWAM is the "must have" book for anyone interested in political science and/or government. Authors Burke and Sautter have packed this fascinating book with the insights necessary to truly understand the American election process. This book should be required reading for every American voter.

I picked this long out of print book up at the Monterey Aquarium - kudos to Western Flyer Publishing for bringing this fantastic book back.

There are two "bibles" for people who want to know about John Steinbeck - Jackson Benson's biography and this one. Personally, I prefer this one because it covers the golden age of Steinbeck and his friendship with marine biologist, philosopher and brilliant mind, Ed Ricketts.

If you've read Cannery Row and Grapes of Wrath (among others), you've gotten a glimpse of Ed RIcketts. In Richard Astro's book, you get the "toto-picture" of the man. Steinbeck's literature has been called simple. Yeah, simple as a Zen painting. Richard Astro shows how the collective (and at times drastically different) philosophies of these two men spawned one to create some of the greatest stories ever told. Stories that can be read and appreciated by a kid in middle school and then upon rereading, it is discovered how many layers lie beneath the tightly plotted tales. Astro's book digs deep too and is a valuable, readible and thought provoking journey into a remarkable friendship.

This was wonderful. So insightful to learn about the man behind the stories.

I gave this book five stars for its originality. I loved that the author (who has a number of great works) pretty much steps back and allows the people of the 14th century to do most of the talking. After all, who better then them to tell their own story?
It was also interesting to read how the Black Prince's contemporaries viewed him. Which was not at all like the tyrant recent historians have made him to be. But this book was more then just about the Black Prince, it gave an insight into medieval warfare and what these soldiers truly lived.

LONG LIVE THE PRINCE OF WALES.

THE BLACK PRINCE ALWAYS TRIUMPHS.

KILLER RABBITS

Having heard Barenboim and Said interviewed on NPR I rushed to Amazon to acquire this book. I was not disppointed! These are highly literate men, wise men, who see music in a social context. Although their roots are Israeli and Palestinian, their exposure to other cultures has broadened their perspectives so that their opinions are informed by their experiences in Egypt, Argentina, America, Germany, Israel, etc. The continuing theme is music, especially that of Beethoven and later Wagner, but in the context of their societies and ours. It may be that the hope forpeace in the world is shared music!

If there is a book that presents valuable and valid lessons in how to resolve differences, be they in attitudes towards the arts, the lack of music in our educational system, the etiology of the Israeli/Palestinian dichotomy, and so much more, then this collection of conversations between Daniel Barenboim and Edward W. Said as edited and synthesized by Ara Guzelimian is it. This powerful but too brief book reaches for the Nobel Peace Prize in its courage, exploration of the state of man and the possibilities for the future, and in its tremendously accessible format that makes the workings of these three great minds available for us all. Each of the extended conversations taped betaween 1995 and 1999 addresses an interesting topic that serves to open vistas that go far beyond the crux of the topic. Hearing Barenboim expound on the fact that no one can exactly interpret a composer's score because the spirit is not on the page but in the making and experiencing the 'sound' that happens in a live performance rather obliterates all critics who descry individual interpretation of the great composers as "not the composer's intention!" Said carries this into the realm of literature, suggesting that contemporary writers are where they are because of the giants of the past and that we, as readers, are influenced in our interpretation of new work dependent upon our exposure and digestion of works by the old masters. Contemporary music by composers such as Carter, Schoenberg, and Birtwistle are discussed in a way that assists our concept of listening and learning in the concert hall. Similar parallels and similar paradoxes in the international political arena are given the same level of inspiring dialog and paths to understanding. This is a fine, fine book and we are indebted to Ara Guzelimian not only for his written and conversational contributions, but for persevering in having this volume published. Read this and gain insight and intelligence on many streams of thought that will help us all save this planet.

If someone wanted to read one book to find out about the Richard III controversy, this is the one that I would recommend, although I think that it is valuable for anyone interested in the topic. In addition to a history of the man and the times, it also brings "richardology" up to date with discussions of romance novels and the Richard III society. If that's not enough, it's gorgeously and generously illustrated.

I have some disagreements with the author, but he is relatively fair-minded and even-handed. Pollard hews to the traditionalist view, i.e. that Richard III was a usurper and murdered his nephews, but unlike so many authors (on either side) he is not consumed with a desperation to prove his case that leads him into nonsensical arguments. He even punctures a few of the sillier traditionalist arguments. He goes into some detail about some of the fine points of the arguments, e.g., the symbolism of the hog, that will be valuable even to people who are already knowledgeable. Pollard also has a dry sense of humor that enlivens the writing.

Pollard gives an excellent discussion and history of his subject, thorough and clearly written. Much of the material can be found in any book on the subject, but some of it cannot, particularly his discussion of a popular play of the Babes in the Wood and its influence on Shakespeare's version of Richard. Pollard believes Richard murdered his nephews, although he softens it by saying it's OK because everybody did it--well, lots of people anyway. He makes a strong case, perhaps the strongest of anyone who argues that Richard was guilty, but is not biased against Richard. His discussion of the bones found in the the Tower during the reign of Charles II would have been more valuable, however, had Pollard researched forensic pathology even a tiny bit; he reports what this scientist says and what that scientist says, throwing anatomical terms around and then in parenthese saying "whatever that is." (A glance at Gray's Anatomy could have told you, Pollard.) Pollard is simply parroting, with only a hazy idea of what he is saying, which pretty much destroys the worth of any conclusions he draws. But the bones are ultimately not conclusive, even assuming that they are the bones of the Princes, and the rest of the book is of solid worth. Every library should own a copy; individuals may well hesitate at the stiff price, cause by the fact that the book is printed on glossy paper and stuffed with colour pictures. Go for the paperback if you must, but the content makes this book in some form essential for those interested in Richard.

I love this book! It has been definitely the best next step for my 3 1/2 year old. She has learned all the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make, but this book introduces the capital letters and the lower case for of the letters. At first she was confused that both forms make the same letter, but after reading the book several times, she would say, "Big letter, little letter". She really got the concept. Then the author uses each letter in the rhyme on each page to bring beautiful language to describe the animal for that letter. The guessing is fun for my daughter, even after many times of reading the book. The learning can be at many levels because the illustrator has included several other animals that also begin with the same letter as the main animal on the page. The construction of the flaps is done very well. My daughter is usually rather enthusiastic while opening flaps and has ripped other books' flaps after reading it a couple of times. These flaps hold up very well and she has not ripped any of them after many, many readings. The pictures are colorful and fun to look at. I love this book!