Mary Jane Alexander, I am a New York film critic and enthusiast.

Film historian and authority James Robert Parish has done it again! "The Encyclopedia of Ethnic Groups in Hollywood," like all of Mr. Parish's well-regarded books, is comprehensive, thoroughly accurate and immensely readable. The sheer research is astounding and Mr. Parish uncovers the many fascinating tidbits that enliven film history. This is a book that is a must not only for every film and media library, but also for the general reader and film fan who wants is interested in the careers, lives and place in film history of the many ethnic stars who have thrilled us on screen. Bravo.

Also recommended: The Hollywood Songsters; Hollywood Divaas; and Hollywood Bad Boys

This is a wonderfully concise, detailed, and helpful general reference source for anyone researching ethnicity in the major films, television shows and performers of the past century. The Encyclopedia of Ethnic Groups in Hollywood is easy to read, gives only the important highlights of each title and personality, and is well-indexed. The photographs in the book are nostalgic and illustrative. It's all in here -- the breakthroughs, the award winners, the important firsts, as well as other contributions that make Hollywood history and today's Hollywood unique.

The movies have always help guide and shape moviegoers into an an understanding of who they are, where they're from, and where they're going. But much of the vast American public has been virtually invisible on the screen -- which is why this book is so valuable. Our overlooked ethnic groups -- African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Jewish Americans, and Native Americans -- now have a wonderful reference source to help them understand who they are, where they're from, where they're going. This encyclopedia may be a bit pricey for average bookbuyers (where's the cheaper paperback edition?), but it will be criminal if every library in the country doesn't make it readily available.

I first met this breathtakingly beautiful book several years ago while working at a beadstore. It was an absolute treasure trove of information while I was studying the history of beads and beadwork. The photos of historical and cultural projects are a wonderful source of inspiration and knowledge. The pull-out chart of the bead time line is beautiful. a beautiful coffee table book and useful reference.

Lois Sherr Dubin's 32,000 year history of beads book appeals to both lay person and scholar. Gorgeous color photos and striking black and white photos enhance the reader's imaging delight. The author's all-encompassing focus on the multi-faceted technological achievements of the human imagination in creating beads throughout the millennia is both astounding and inspiring. In addition, the comprehensive time line, table, notes, bibliography, and index make this an invaluable research tool as well as an illuminating work of art. I cannot recommend this book more highly

Reviewing the history of beads through variable aspects and most intreresting historical links. It reflects the joy of holding beads and is both comprehensive and superbly astetically designed.

You must have this book in your permanent collection. The beauty of the human spirit is captured by Martha Perske with a divine skill. If this collection of children with disabilities does not touch your heart - check your pulse to see if its still working. This book is for any parent who truly loves their children, for any grandparent who shares the world with other grandparents in their pride of parenting of all Gods children.

Jerry Fink

I admit up front that my review is a bit biased, because Martha and I have been friends for more than 50 years. But this book, showing some of her very early sketches, lets you watch her talent mature, until when you look at the later drawings, you think they must be black and white photographs. Her ability to capture the beauty of these children (and adults) with disabilities is truly a gift from God. Her husband, Bob, captures the essence of Martha in his foreward, and when you read Martha's words about her father, you will begin to understand the depth of this woman. I have many wonderful memories of times spent with Martha and her parents, and know that the love and support she received from them helped her to develop into the woman she became.

In collaboration with her husband, several wonderful books have been published dealing with the many problems of people with disabilities, both from the viewpoint of their parents and carekeepers, and from the disabled themselves. Enough good things cannot be said about their collaborative efforts. But if you simply appreciate an extraordinary artistic talent, Pencil Portraits is a must.

In October, Martha will be receiving yet another in a long list of honors. She will be honored as an Outstanding Alum of our high school, Topeka High. Certainly not as noteworthy as some of her many other honors, but more special to me.

A pencil.

In my hand it makes numbers and scribbles letters that often even I cannot fathom. In the hand of Martha Perske it creates miracles that can melt even an icy heart. In this new book from Abingdon Press, we see a collection of her artwork depicting persons who have disabilities over a twenty year period beginning in 1971. We see her bring the human essence of all of us into her illustrations with such warmth, joy and compassion that I marvel not only of her self-taught talent, but of her uncanny ability to see in our soul.

How to experience this book? How do you review a book you don't "read", except for the forwards by both Martha and her equally renowned partner and husband, Robert Perske. Do you view the book? Are warmed by it? Enveloped by it? I shared my copy with staff who were not brought up with the Perskes work and some were brought to tears by the unabashed joy radiated in Martha Perske's illustrations. Can a ten-minute read to complete a book touch such nerves? Yes, and her work has for many of us for more than twenty years. The book also shows the growth in her artistic talent during the span covered by the book, from a lighter touch to illustrations of such richness and depth that one can only marvel at her talent. What is unchanging during the 20 year period is her ability to capture the beauty, common humanity, and the shining light even in a person with the most severe disabilities.

I recommend this book to those in disability services who are familiar with Martha Perske's past work and, like me, have been sustained by the humanity in her illustrations when our advocacy might flag from weariness, from budget cuts, from administrative indifference that disadvantage those we serve. Her work is a tonic during those questioning moments. I also recommend this book for those who are not in disability services so they can understand, without a word being spoken, the common humanity within all human beings and the motivation behind our work .

I recommend this book to anyone with a bookshelf, a coffee table or for a friend during gift-giving time. Every member of my Board of Directors will receive one as a gift for their gift, their volunteer service.

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Ed Goldman is the Executive Director of Solano Work Services, a vocational training and employment agency serving persons who have disabilities in Suisun, California. He has over thirty years experience as an advocate, government official and manager of services.

Robert Irwin is a wonderful artist, and this is a must-read for anybody interested in his work, or in his West Coast brand of conceptualism. But this book is also a fantastic biography in its own right - Weschler, who now works for the New Yorker, writes like an angel, and reading this book is a pleasure indeed. To say that this is one of the best biographies of an artist ever would be far too faint praise: this is one of the best biographies ever, period.

This was an amazing read. Not only did it open my eyes to the concept of abstract art, but it opened my eyes to a different way of thinking. I highly recommend this book.

Whether you know Irwin's work or not, are an art afficionado or not, this is a great read for the curious and perceptually
aware.Weschler translates visual concepts into easily understandable language. His writing is clear and insightful and never falls into boring art jargon. This is no simple task for Irwin's work which is all about looking is not necessarily transferable on paper, but ultimately Weschler's writing does it justice. Weschler gives insight not only into the mind and heart behind this work but the personality that comprises Robert
Irwin. The book is like being in a restaurant and overhearing a really interesting conversation at the adjacent table so you don't resist the urge to eavesdrop and you stay and listen 'till the end.

Using what I've learned from reading all of Robert Fritz's books, and especially Your Life as Art, I've seen changes that are nothing short of phenomenal with clients in my psychiatry practice, and in my own life. After years in therapy trying to "fix themselves," often without success, I hear clients newly introduced to this work say, "Oh! You mean creating what matters in my life is what it's about!?!" It often doesn't take them long to put this into practice, with gratifying results.

Having trouble creating the life you want? Or are you already creating results that matter personally, but want to improve your effectiveness?
'Your Life as Art' may be the next book you should pick up. It is packed with clear, insightful information, and doable experiments that can put your life on the fast track to the achievement of your dreams. Fritz is a life-long creator, and draws from his extensive experience in this very practical book. This is his best effort to date, and creators of any experience level should find it helpful.

Very few books can inspire you to create a higher vision for your life. Robert Fritz's latest book not only inspires you to do this, but also gently coaxes you with all the tools necessary to make this vision a reality.

To find out how you can use the power of structure to create the life of your dreams, as an artist or a painter would, read your "Life as Art", a masterpiece by Robert Fritz.

Adults will love this book both because it will remind them of the many characters with whom they grew up, and for the incredible science of Robert Sabuda's "paper engineering".Children will delight in the wonder of the "pop up". Not only do they love the recent and classic Disney characters, but thrill to know that they can identify the first letters of those characters' names!

The House of Mouse finally meets a master movable book artist and the results are more dazzling than the Electric Parade along Main Street -- or even more spectacular than a synchronized fireworks display in the Orlando, Florida skies. What could have been a run-of-the-mill volume if executed by someone else, Robert Sabuda's latest masterpiece celebrates over 60 years of movie magic with paper, paint and a passion for cutting and folding. Instead of simply replicating the characters and making them move, Mr. Sabuda infuses them with his unique style and sense of humor. (See Pinocchio get cross-eyed as he watches his own nose grow longer! Gepetto would have been proud.) Julie Taymor (surprisingly with the blessings of the formula-bound Disney folks) impressed the critics and the crowds with "The Lion King" on Broadway. Now, Mr. Sabuda likewise has proven to our pop-up publishing planet that creativity and commerce need not be exclusive of each other. Bravo, Robert! (But where is Sebastian? I can't wait for the sequel. A is for Aladdin, B is for Belle, C is for Chip...) Note: This review has been published in the Movable Book Society's newsletter, Movable Stationery Vol. 7 No. 1 February 1999

This book captures the personality of the Disney Characters. You feel as if you are watching a movie with the way these pop-ups come to life.

I bought this book after reading several articles written by Corbett. As a GTA, I hoped it might be useful in teaching freshman composition. Although I found it helpful, it is certainly not written for most of today's college freshmen. Although Corbett uses fairly simple language, the text fails to use principles of document design to present the information effectively. Although this text was originally intended to be used in teaching freshman composition, I do not believe that it will be as useful to me in the classroom as I had hoped. I would not, for example, be able to assign readings from directly from this text and expect my students to grasp the material. Today's college students appear to be far less willing to work to get the information they need from a text, and this text definitely requires work.

This book should be required reading for all college graduates.

Rhetoric has come to be seen as a discipline for frauds and charlatans. It has the connotation of artful trickery and deception. No matter what you may think of rhetoric, you engage in it each and every time you try to prevail upon someone to see things your way. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. Any artform practiced by mortals can be (and is) misused by unscrupulous villains. Those who decry rhetoric for its susceptibility to misuse overlook this point: Rhetoric, properly understood and applied, is the best defense against misused rhetoric.

For a good grounding in the basics of rhetoric, the student need look no farther than this textbook. It is not easy reading, but diligent study will equip the reader well for the tasks of analyzing, defending, and making arguments. The book aims at the written word, but the principles apply as well to the spoken.

The book divides itself into six chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Discovery of Arguments (Deciding what to say).
3. Arrangement of Material (Marshalling your arguments for greatest effect).
4. Style (How best to speak/write your arguments).
5. The Progymnasmata (Exercises in rhetoric).
6. A Survey of Rhetoric (History of rhetoric from Ancient Greece to modern times).

Draeger is the quintessential chronicler of martial treatises. He lays it all out for you with detail and high vocabulary, yet rarely never reveals any of the emotion that obviously keeps him on the path. Long before Jane Hallander or Leung Ting, detailing the branches and often the techniques of other people's arts. He's good for learning the history and principles of an art. IN FACT, IN THAT REGARD HE'S BETTER THAN MOST INSTRUCTORS OF THEIR OWN ARTS. He's very meticulous about the reporting of each art's specific nature and characteristics, as well as the general tactic of the applications.

The late Donn Draeger and Robert Smith produced a classic text on the Asian martial arts and the many cultural influences that have spawned a following all over the world. The book was written in 1969 and therefore, most of the history on the arts is pre-mid 20th century.

The different arts are catagorized by the countries from which they sprang. This approach is effective and enjoyed. Because of this approach, the reader enjoys the culture of the country and can betetr understand how the "arts" developed the way they did.

Further, this book is unquie in that smaller countries which have contributed greatly to these fighting systems have chapters devoted to them. Countries like Burma and India are not overlooked as what so often happens in martial arts books.

Passion and history are intertwined as we see the different forms of combat come alive on the written page and discover the unquie cultures in which they developed. A martial arts must.

"~... everything about Martial Arts ! the local arts, their history, the local weapons (with drawings...). A must in your library.

was left out as a co-author, please remedy this oversight.

Any serious Tai Chi practitioner will know that Tai Chi is more than just movement. This book presents the original Tai Chi texts translated into english, which allow the reader to think and feel each movement in a new, more intense manner.
Each sentence is a lesson in itself. While some are easy to understand, others will not be so clear in the beginning. I am sure that you will read this book more than once, reflecting on the movements and thoughts behind each form.

I recommend this books to any Tai Chi practitioner who wishes to understand the roots of the discipline.

This book is a new translation of a number of classical tai chi texts. The translations are clear, and the language flows well. The translators also included brief explications of difficult terms withing the text itself so as not to disrupt the flow of words. The presentation of the book is well done, with many illustrations and pages of calligraphy. While fairly short, this book is very nice introduction to the classic Chinese texts on tai chi.

This book has a great deal of detail. I feel as if there was too much emphasis on her sex life versus her screen image, and frankly that was her business, not important in the book. Otherwise a good book.

I wanted to know all about the men in Grace Kelley's life, both before and after her marriage. This book told me everything, but in a classy, well-researched way. I learned a lot about Monaco, and just the things I would have wanted to know about her family members, too. After reading this excellent book, I plan to read more of Robert Lacey's works.

'Grace' tells the life story of Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly the movie star Grace Kelly. It seems Grace had some problems adjusting to royalty, including the fact that her mother-in-law, Princess Charlotte, despised her. But as years went by, it seems Grace and Rainier became closer. The fact that Rainier is still a widower and always poses for pictures in front of her portrait shows he will always love her!