Related Subjects: Author Index Reviews Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Book reviews for "Lyle-Smythe,_Alan" sorted by average review score:

Winnie Ille Pu
Published in Paperback by Methuen Drama (1997)
Author: Alan Alexander Milne
Amazon base price: $
Used price: $3.98
Collectible price: $72.20
Average review score:

Infectis rebus abeo
I sing of a boy and a bear...

Perhaps Vergil would have opted for Pu (Pooh) rather than Aeneid had he the choice, and begun his tome not in the journey from Troy, but rather the journey around the forest.

I have this sitting next to books of equally interesting exercise, such as a translation of modern poetry into Old English. Likewise, Henry Beard's translations of various ordinary statements and phrases in Latin (and cat behaviours in to French) also sit next to this honoured tome.

When I returned from Britain and began to think in theological-training terms, I had to re-acquaint myself with Latin; for an exam I had to memorise one biblical passage, one passage from the Aeneid, and one passage of my choice. I chose Winnie Ille Pu, and, as it had not been excluded from the list, I was permitted this indulgence (I believe that the exam list now has a section of excluded works, including this one, more's the pity).

Do not be frightened off by the fact that this is a book in Latin. It is very accessible, and quite fun to read with the English version of Winnie-the-Pooh at its side. The Latin version has kept many of the original illustrations as well as the page layout forms, for example:

In English:
And then he got up, and said: 'And the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it.' So he began to climb the tree.

He
climbed
and he
climbed
and he
climbed,
and as he
climbed
he
sang
a little
song
to himself.
It went

like this:

Isn't it funny
How a bear likes honey
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
I wonder why he does?

In Latin:

Et nisus est
et
nisus est
et
nisus est
et
nisus est
et nitens carmen sic coepit canere:

Cur ursus clamat?
Cur adeo mel amat?
Burr, burr, burr
Quid est causae cur?

Statements sound much more grand in Latin: 'Ior mi,' dixit sollemniter, 'egomet, Winnie ille Pu, caudam tuam reperiam.' which means, 'Eeyore,' he said solemnly, 'I, Winnie-the-Pooh, will find your tail for you.'

This is a delightful romp through a language study. I have recommended this to friends who want an introduction to Latin, together with the Lingua Latina series, which uses a natural language method for instruction.

Alexander Lenard, the translator, obviously did a great labour of love here, and I agree with the Chicago Tribune's statement that this book 'does more to attract interest in Latin than Cicero, Caesar, and Virgil combined.' One wonders if the Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet will be translated into Latin to make them seem 'more philosophical; or indeed, will Winnie ille Pu be likewise translated into Sanskrit and other such languages? It is not uncommon that the entertaining use of language does more for language enrichment and interest than any academic or official push of the tongue. It is no mistake that the Welsh language effort incorporated cartoons from the beginning -- it is natural for people to respond to fun and lively things, and this kind of treatment can be rather tricky, in that the average reader might not be so consciously aware that education is going on...

Winnie-the-Pooh in Akkadian? Hmmm, I feel a Ph.D. dissertation topic coming on...

This work is no small endeavour, but rather a thorough and engaging translation of the entire Pooh story. From the start, when we are introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh, through to the adventures in the Tight Place (in angustias incurrit), when Piglet meets a heffalump (heffalumpum), meeting Kanga and Roo (Canga and Ru), the expedition to the North Pole (Palum Septentrionalem), and finally saying goodbye, the entire story and text is here. One can (as I do) set the Dell Yearling 60th Anniversary Version of Winnie-the-Pooh side-by-side with Winnie-ille-Pu and follow line by line the engaging story, which translates well into this one-time universal language. And why ever not? Surely if there is a story nearly universal appeal, it would be of dear Winnie.

As A.A. Milne was a graduate of the Westminster School (which is housed down the block from my old Parliamentary offices) and of Cambridge, he might consider the translation of his classic work into the classical language a signal honour, and one wonders if, given the fact that Milne studied classical languages himself, if he ever translated any pieces, however small, into those languages that every English schoolboy learns to hate and love.

The story leaves off with Christophorus Robinus heading off to bath (and presumably, bed) ...

Of course, being a person of small importance myself, I identify much more with Porcellus (Piglet) than Pu. I know the struggles against the clerical/hierarchical/academic heffalumpum, and as Pooh has given me a new language of consideration for such conditions, Pu has given me a bilingual command of that language.

Long live the Porcelli amicus!

Dr. Lenard's great legacy
Dr. Alexander Lenard was an hungarian physician, who lived in southern Brazil and dedicated his life to medicine, literature and curious translations. His Latin version of Winnie the Pooh, made in the 50's, stood in oblivion for quite a while, until a fellow publisher in Sao Paulo decided to make 100 copies. One of these got the attention of a Swedish publisher, who prepared 2000 copies as a gift... and the rest is history. Dr. Lenard lived a quiet and secluded life, but managed to become famous in Brazil for a while, first for staying for weeks on the top position of the "Twenty-One" local TV version, then after being mistaken for the nazi officer Joseph Mengele (and chased by the police!).

He would surely have been delighted to know that his unusual idea became a much loved and admired book. He showed us that Latin is still a living and vibrant language, and hopefully will provide a stimulus to the study of Latin for ages to come.

A useful guide to Latin
My wife and I love this book -- as I study my greek and latin I find that there are far too few "real" connections of the languages for me. Imagine my surprise when she suggested this work to remind me of my youth, and yet advance my studies. And, surprisingly enough, it does help! I just wonder if reading it to my little girl (10 months) is a good idea or not. The latin of the Grinch is confusing enough!


The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: A Legacy of Invention
Published in Hardcover by Harry N Abrams (1997)
Authors: Donald Albrecht, Beatriz Colomina, Joseph Giovannini, Alan Lightman, Helene Lipstadt, Philip Morrison, Phylis Morrison, Vitra Design Museum, and Charles Eames
Amazon base price: $34.65
List price: $49.50 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $25.53
Collectible price: $66.71
Buy one from zShops for: $28.37
Average review score:

Modern Design @ it's best!!
Words don't do justice to the work & imagination of Ray & Charles Eames! This is a beautiful book covering the creative minds of two of the best modern furniture designers. Filled with great pictures, & very complete text of their design & the many other things they created besides furniture.The Eames' are my biased favorite, if you love modern 50's furniture,fabric, & art you must have this book.They worked for the infamous Herman Miller company, who has reissued many of the Eames furniture pieces available again today.As creator of the modern molded fiberglass chair, & molded plywood, the Museaum Of Modern Art has Charles' chairs as Art, which they are & comfortable too!More than comparable to their Danish counterparts,this couple brought us sleek,smooth lined furniture that will take us into the space age for at least another fifty years!(check out A.I.-incredible backgrounds of modern furniture!)

Everything Eames
This is a wonderful addition to any coffee table! I learned so much about this creative couple that I never knew before. The pictures are A+ & very well done. If you are a fan of Eames furniture, you cannot live without this book!!

Founders of a Profession
The Eamses were innovators in many fields such as Architecture, furniture design, film, etc. But to my mind their gretest acheivement was the definition of a new profession, 'Graphic Design', or as I beleive they called it, a 'Design Office'.

Up till then, there was 'Commercial Art', and 'Art Departments', and whatever styling was applied to an industrial product was done as an afterthought, and usually by an amateur.

After The Eamses, a new recognition that the design of appearances was a craft and a profession, and not just an art, was born.

This book demonstrates in many ways, how Ray and Charles Eames applied this and many other insights to the various fields of endeavor that they entered and changed forever.


About Face 2.0: The Essentials of Interaction Design
Published in Paperback by John Wiley & Sons (17 March, 2003)
Authors: Alan Cooper and Robert M. Reimann
Amazon base price: $24.50
List price: $35.00 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $24.22
Buy one from zShops for: $23.00
Average review score:

Excellent Book on Interaction Design
even as a 14 year veteran of interaction design, i learned much more than i would have imagined. well written, well organized, full of great insights.

the book for developers
This is the first book and aspiring developer should read. It is also the next book they should read. After they get that big-bucks job and are writing code for a living ... read it again. When you finish a project, that would be a good time to pickup the book and see what of it applies to your "complete" software project. Alan has an engaging, no-nonsense style that is uniquely his. Like his first About Face and The Inmates Are Running the Asylum, this book is loaded with sage advice.

Reading rev 1 of this book a few years back changed my view of how programmers should program and gave insight on how to design programs the correct way. The second release is sufficiently different so that it still a bargin for those that have the first one. The biggest impact of those not familiar with the value of software/interface designers will be the altered view-point you may emerge with. A programmer (as i have been for the last 20 years) tends to get tunnel vision. It's not that we think we're doing things badly and do it anyway; we just don't see the opportunities opened by taking a different viewpoint on the functionality and design of software. Alan and Robert Reimann effectively describe this "enlightened" view of software design through effective use of examples and critique.

A final point is that the book is somewhat granular. The chapters build somewhat on each other, but it is the kind of book that can be read a chapter at a time in any order.

Thanks Alan and Robert!

If I were king, you would *have* to read this book
I've been waiting for this book since I first heard about it from a friend last year. Now it's here and it's proving to be worth the wait. What I need to figure out now is, how can I make the designers of every software program I'll ever use read this book?

Hats off to Cooper and Reimann. You would think that their axioms are common sense, like "Never scroll text horizontally", or "If it's worth the user entering, it's worth the program remembering". But if those common sense ideas were actually common, why is there so much horrid software out there?


Above an Angry Sea: United States B-24 Liberator and PB4Y-2 Privateer Operations in the Pacific (October 1944 to August 1945)
Published in Paperback by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (31 March, 2001)
Author: Alan C. Carey
Amazon base price: $24.95
Used price: $19.06
Buy one from zShops for: $23.64
Average review score:

Colorful, Informative and ACCURATE
Both of his books on this part of the war are more than excellent. There are no more superlatives that can describe the accuracy of the events depicted. Great reading

rockum sockum wwII
This is one of the most informative and telling documentation I have ever read. I highly recomend the reading of this book. It would be a great addition to any historian's library. Every page is loaded with personal accounts of what it was really like to fight above the ANGRY SEA! Mr. Carey has captured the true essence of life on a PB4Y. If Spielberg could get a hold of this book, there would be a great movie made.

Thought Provoking Look at Naval Aviation
Mr. Carey has written a great book on a little known aspect of U.S. Naval History. He clearly brings out the suffering and bravery of the combat aircrew that served with Navy B-24 squadrons. His interviews of veterans and the multitude of photographs captures the spirit of fighting above the Pacific Ocean during World War II.


Applied Combinatorics
Published in Hardcover by John Wiley & Sons (1984)
Author: Alan Tucker
Amazon base price: $18.95
Used price: $8.85
Average review score:

An almost ideal introduction book to combinatorics
There have been wonderfully written reviews of this book, but since this is really an excellent textbook, I am urged to praise again. Fully recommended.

This book is easily and clearly written; covers almost every important basic concept and technic in graph theory and enumerative combinatorics, with neatly selected and wonderfully organised exercises.

And I highly suggested the author give the references to those last exercises in every section, since each of them does lead into a theory.

Excellent undergraduate text
I covered the book as part of a final-year undergraduate mathematics course. This is certainly an undergraduate text, but I think that to fully appreciate the content, the reader should have a little past exposure to the basic concepts. These are usually covered in first-year maths or physics courses anyway.

The book is divided into two almost separate sections - one dealing with graph theory and one with combinatorics. Both make for good reading, and really equip the reader with practical problem solving skills for everyday situations.

I liked the fact that there were sufficient examples in all sections, and of a good complexity that showed the theory in action. Exercises were good and of a fair standard.

Overall, a very good text - get it.

A first-class college textbook
This is one of the college textbooks which I saved from college and found to be an excellent source of reference for years to come. Combinatorics is the kind of math that every programmer needs to know from time to time, but if you're like me you will be a bit rusty everytime a new problem presents itself. I strongly recommend this book to both students and programmers who have yet to appreciate the value of the factorial function ;)


The Architecture of John Lautner
Published in Hardcover by Rizzoli (2000)
Authors: Alan Hess, Alan Weintraub, and John Lautner
Amazon base price: $52.50
List price: $75.00 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $45.00
Buy one from zShops for: $49.95
Average review score:

design that transcends decades
it is amazing to see how the designs of the mid 1900's seem so contemporary even to the present day. this book captures the designs via beautiful photography and commentary.
even the layman will be amazed to find that many of the buildings have been used in the media for many years. whether in movies or magazines they have been associated with the most contemporary designs of our time.
highlights this architects mastery of a typical material palette of concrete, wood, and steel.

Lautner the master of panoramic windows
This book is really beautiful, the pictures are of great value. If the architecture can be said as to be a little "out of fashion" (I mean architecture of the fifties), it is anyway wonderful and inspiring to see such beautiful house. there is a lot of wonderful pictures of all the major houses build by lautner during his career. the only things that can be missed in this book is that there is no drawings but anyway, I really believe it's a good book.

A F.L. Wright Disciple Gets His Full Measure of Recognition
In the few months since I purchased this beautifully illustrated and impecabbly written monograph, John Lautner seems to have become Hollywood's favorite posthumous architect. This month's Vanity Fair features a screenwriter and his wife showcasing their restored Lautner masterwork while virtually every fashion spread in the same issue has one emaciated model or another posing, pouting and preening against a Lautner structure. This wonderful book travels Lautner's career arc from Wright disciple employing the tools and traits of the Master to the emergence of his own distinctive blend of wood, steel, concrete and location that, ultimately, bears little resemblance to his roots at Taliesin. As the text makes clear, Lautner shared Wright's prickly self-absorption and relentless self-philosophizing. However, as the book wanders from one beautifully executed commission to the next, you end up endorsing his sense of self. Like the best of Wright, each structure seems to organically emerge from its site to envelop the owners in a beautifully scaled and very human dwelling. A worthy tribute to John Lautner's artistry and vision.


Are You As Happy As Your Dog ?
Published in Paperback by Alan Cohen Publications (02 January, 1996)
Authors: Alan Cohen and Alan Gordon
Amazon base price: $6.95
Used price: $5.00
Buy one from zShops for: $5.53
Average review score:

great self-help, dog is optional
I bought this little book on a whim for a friend as a Christmas stocking stuffer, read it, and immediately ordered more as high school graduation gifts. The well-drawn cartoons are matched with profound "truths" which any parent of a teenager has tried to say one time or another. From 'Seize the Day' to 'Think Big' to 'Dream With Your Feet Moving' to 'Come Home' this book is absolutely marvelous.

Best self-help around, dog is optional
I bought this sight unseen as a Christmas stocking stuffer for a dog lover, read it, then ordered more to send to young people I know who seem somewhat lost, as high school grad presents. Seize the Day, Be Honest, Keep Your Eye on the Ball, Don't Settle for Mush, are only a few chapters in this very short "book" which is well-done cartoon illustrating very-well-written statements which we try to make as parents.

The truth in this book will bring a smile to your face.
For those of you that have a special connection with your fur friend this book is a gem. I take it with me when I travel near and far along with a picture of my sweet boy to keep me connected to my sacred space that I call home.


Autocourse: 50 Years of World Championship Grand Prix Motor Racing
Published in Hardcover by Hazelton (2000)
Author: Alan Henry
Amazon base price: $59.95
Used price: $18.99
Buy one from zShops for: $48.56
Average review score:

Near perfection
Grand Prix motor racing, despite a long parade of contenders to the pinnacle of motor sport, remains the ultimate distillation of technology and driver courage/skill. The 50 years since WWII, thoughtfully framed by a "Before the War" chapter for historical perspective, are recorded superbly in this magnificent book. No significant aspects of the cars and drivers of this eventful half century have been neglected. Sidebars constantly divert and inform. Even the advertising is captivating.
The reader comes away in awe, sated by the integrity of the text under Alan Henry's meticulous editing and the wonderful photographs of Bernard and Paul-Henri Cahier.
Younger enthusiasts who read this book, who have been watching the boring, little-passing parades of advertising-festooned F1 slot cars of recent years, will acquire essential perspective from this great book and will note--perhaps wistfully--the transition from a high-risk driver's sport to a technology-money game in which the driver has become increasingly subordinated to the machinery and lawyers manipulate the rules. They may also note, by studying the evolution of Grand Prix machinery, the transition (not only in GP but in prototype sports cars) from vehicles that could be driven on road courses to caricatures that can only be driven on billiard-table-smooth tracks, whose characteristics (mile-wide slicks, ground effects, minimal ground clearance, bizarre aerodynamics aids, engine lifetimes measures in minutes or hours of running) have virtually nothing to do with any other kind of road vehicle. The great Stirling Moss, one of the finest drivers who ever raced, railed against this loss of relevance to 'real' cars when interviewed by me on the microphone at Sears Point (where he was Grand Marshall of a historics event). Beyond nostalgia, who is to say that he is not right in decrying this disconnect between racing cars and real cars? Don't suggest NASCAR, fake into the bones, as representative of any remotely real road vehicle.
Alan Henry sensibly avoids much of the recent controversy over rules and money, which have effected so many not-so-subtle changes in what used to be a sport and not a business, although he does gum the issues of the tobacco wars and the rise of lovable Bernie Ecclestone to the role of F1 dictator. The book was published in 2000 and thus could not have anticipated the struggle of F1 in the new Millennium, blandly asserting its posture as "firm and secure." Well, maybe.
In the end, nothing that the recent philistines can do diminishes the ultimate greatness of this world motorsports arena or the care with which this book and brilliant historical record has been assembled.

F1 Fans get it ASAP!
This title is even more precious than the other already outstanding Autocourse Annuals. You can see how it looked when it all started back in 1950. Live through different eras of the past 50 years in F1 racing. I suggect all F1 fans get this book asap or it will disappear from book stores very soon. The team of Henry and Cahier(s) should get more than 5 stars just for this outstanding work.

Magnificent!
The Formula One world driving championship was inaugurated in 1950, making 1999 it's 50th season. The people of AUTOCOURSE have chronicled the sport since 1951, and have never had any equals. This AUTOCOURSE history of the first 50 years is absolutely breathtaking. An "art" book of immensely high quality, it marries the journalistic expertise of veteran correspondent Alan Henry (editor of AUTOCOURSE since 1988) with the photographic brilliance of Bernard Cahier (covering primarily the 50's, 60's and into the 70's) and his son, the imcomparable photographic artist, Paul-Henri Cahier (primarily 80's and 90's). Their photos are simply stunning. The decision to restrict the photographic content of a 50-year history to just 2 men was a brave one, but considering that they chose the true artists of their eras, the choice was clearly inspired. It puts the book on another level entirely. A comprehensive championship table (season-by-season) is present at the back, but there is nothing dry or statistical about this book. Rather than comprehensively document the series "race-by-race", this is a book in which the essence of each era and the true character of its participants (and the cars involved) is brought to life. The people at AUTOCOURE have no peers, and with this book, they've truly outdone themselves. A "desert island" F1 book for sure. Congrats!


A Woman's Passion
Published in Paperback by Booklocker.com (2001)
Author: Alan Barrie
Amazon base price: $21.25
Used price: $15.95
Average review score:

Interesting enjoyable story, but needs more editing
I was looking forward to reading this book and enjoyed the story idea and plot. Unfortunately, I couldn't give this work 5 stars because I found many annoying grammer mistakes, repeated clauses, and missing articles. The author should consider having this work edited independently. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone seeking a true erotic story. This story may be elightening for someone needing to understand the complexities of being a woman, but only a female reader could validate the notions and ideas of this book. Being male, I can't.

Sorry for the few typos.
From the publisher: thanks for the note from the Oak Ridge reader about the copyediting errors in the first printing of this book. He was right. There were over a dozen spelling and double article errors in the first printing for which we apologize and which are, of course, being fixed in future printings. There were almost no true grammar errors. Readers should understand that in a book of nearly 400 pages, these errors are annoying, but do not in any way detract from the enjoyment of this wonderful novel that is rapidly becoming one of the most popular pieces of fiction with transgenderism as a key element that has ever been published.

A sexy and erotic gender-bending fantasy
This is a sexy and erotic fantasy about a young man's brief but intense transition into a female one magical spring break. As a transsexual woman and former crossdresser myself, I can attest that Barrie captures the thrills and challenges of transforming from a man into a woman with uncanny accuracy and affection. He treats respectfully both women, men, and those of us who defy that binary categorization. Our fictional hero/ine's journey from his/her first glimpse of his/her femme self in the mirror, through the first time she is called "ma'am", to her first actual date with a man, echoes truly the milestones that many real-life crossdressers experience (at least the lucky ones!) In the end will our hero/ine decide s/he loves the femme life so much s/he will choose to remain that way forever (as I myself have)? Or will s/he return to the masculine role, perhaps with a new sensitivity to the feelings and experiences of womanhood? The author wraps up his charming fable in a surprising and satisfying solution. If you are curious about the mysterious world of crossdressers and transvestites, A Woman's Passion is a generous introduction to its joys and challenges. If you are lucky enough to already participate in that world, this book is bound to bring back some happy, funny memories and perhaps remind you, as it did me, to value every moment we get to spend "over the rainbow." Heck, if you think crossdressers and tranvestites are sickies and sinners, you may still enjoy this book (you may especially enjoy it--heh-heh!) And it may show you some of the honesty, innocence, and love that can be found in the transgendered world.


Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball
Published in Hardcover by Viking Press (1990)
Authors: David Pallone, Dave Pallone, and Alan Steinberg
Amazon base price: $18.95
Used price: $1.18
Collectible price: $3.18
Buy one from zShops for: $7.50
Average review score:

candid, gutsy account of a very difficult career
It's really hard to rate _Behind the Mask_ without dividing it into two categories: as a book about gay life, and as a baseball book. I found it interesting and valuable in both areas.

Pallone, it must be remembered, came of age in the seventies, when the idea of being 'out' was difficult for anyone--much less a professional sports official. His story has the ring of truth and honesty, and would in particular be a good read for young people wrestling with sexual identity issues: it does not contain explicit sex scenes. Probably PG-13. Of special value is Pallone's own self-analysis; he has come to understand why he handled life the way he did, and the picture we see is of a man who has regrets about some things but is at peace.

With regard to baseball, we get a lot of closeups of Pallone's colleagues. Like anyone else, some good, some not so good; some competent, some not so competent. The degree to which umpires will engage a vindictive streak to the detriment of the game truly stunned me, and I'm generally a defender of the officials. The politics and union/management wangling that go into deciding just who gets to be a big league umpire are laid bare. Pallone contends that he was fired for being gay, and I don't think he necessarily makes the case for this very well; while I wouldn't put it past the league owners, it's also possible that he was fired for being controversial, and that his revelation of his sexuality was simply the one more bit of awkward press that baseball didn't want. Either way, it took a lot of courage for him to pursue his career in the face of a lot of adversity, and I'd proudly shake his hand.

A good read from either standpoint.

Insightful, inspirational, and Touching
This book should be on the shelf of every gay person in America who is in doubt of his or her sexuality. For you baseball fans, there is the inside story of the famed "Pete Rose" incident, but you don't have to be a baseball fan, or gay to enjoy this well written book. It's out of print, but well worth the time and effort to hunt it down or check it out of your local library.

Honest and Insightful
A well-written, honest, insightful book. Dave Pallone should be congratulated on his work, both as a professional in the baseball world and as a first time author. In the same "boat" as Dave Kopay, Pallone rises above and allows the reader to feel and to be ok with being who you are.


Related Subjects: Author Index Reviews Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Reviews are from readers at Amazon.com. To add a review, follow the Amazon buy link above.