Extremely well written book and fantastic to read, it gives a well-documented history account of how times change through the decade's spanning the 1900's to early 60's from the beginning of organized crime, the politics, the economics' right through to a future out look as to where it was all going. A very clear look at one-man perspective of himself and everyone he knew, and just what it took to stay one step ahead.

Straight from the horse's mouth. Lucky's testament jives with other reliable accounts of the inner workings of organized crime while filling in a lot of gaps on the development and early history of the five NY families.

For the most part the information appears reliable, although in some cases, such as Lucky's professed denial of his significant involvement in the international drug trade, it seems clear that he 'dost protest too much.'

Lucky's claims about his involvement --or lack thereof-- in Operation Underworld, the WWII Naval Intellegence op to keep the NY docks safe, as well as the invasion of Sicily, also seem to ring true. Like Giancanna, Trafficante and Rosselli in a later clandestine relationship with CIA to kill Castro, it was all a scam. I can even believe Lucky's claim that he actually engineered the sabotage of the Normandie to kick the whole scheme off.

But what the 'Testament' provides best of all is a close look from Lucky's perspective at the personalities and relationships of the most infamous members of Cosa Nostra and their associates:
Lucky knew them all.

Lucky was indeed, The Godfathe

I give this book five stars because its the most accurate accounts of the begining the middle and the future of organized crime. I've read the book five times before I was eighteen years old.and it helped me seperate fact from fiction when studying further on subject. If you want the truth about the mafia, then this is the book for you!!!

The work consists mostly of large format photographs of reenactors wearing original clothing and kit of the period. (Overall size of about 8 by 10 inches.) It goes much beyond anything else I have seen except the two volume set by Jean Bouchery (c.f.) and includes not just the ordinary battle dress worn by Tommy Atkins and his officers but the specialized kit of parachutists, mountain troops (cold weather gear), motorcyclists, and other unusual garb.
Many of the plates are done in the fashion of the French magazine Militaria which is a highly useful source as well.
Not only is ithis work an identification source; it also has some developmental history and organigrammes of front line tactical units.

A great book for uniform buffs, lots of colour pictures. Plenty of equipment shown, although text is generally (as per the books title)related to uniforms. Captions are concise but to have expanded on them would have undoubtedly reduced the number of photographs in the book and as they say a picture is worth a thousand words. THE WW11 Brit uniform book.

I have literally memorized this book as I have poured over the pictures contained within attempting to gain a grasp of what items were used doing the period. The extent of detail in the pictures is astounding. My only negative critiques are that some rare items are only given a single photo (officer's valise and wire cutters/web pouch) and that the captions do not go into enough detail and background of many items. (I.E., the officer's valise, info on binoculars, and different manufacturers of clothing and web gear.) While I will DEFINATELY purchase their future volume on North Africa and SE Asia, I hope they go into more detail of non-uniform items. This book is a great gift idea and should be on the shelf of any WWII British militaria collector/historian's library.

My 13-month old son LOVES this book. He likes to lift flaps in general (he's "flapped" the flaps in Dinosaur's Binkit so many times, one of them fell off--I'm buying another one), and this book has BIG ones that are very easy for him to manipulate.

A simple, wonderful book.

My kids have had so much fun with this one! The older kids love to read it to their younger siblings and the book is simple enough that the toddlers can remember what comes next -- and after several readings can "read" the entire thing.

They act out the parts (in this particular book, it involves making animal sounds -- that's ALWAYS cute to hear the little ones do) and it's interactive, playful fun.

I am VERY glad we bought this one!

It's a great flap book for toddlers. Large flaps, as big as my son's hands. My son loves making the animal noises and playing peek-a-boo with them. It's a short book, with only 5 flaps, but it's worth the price.

Wonderful book! If your into Martin's, this is a great read. This one's better than Walter Carter's book...

DO NOT HESITATE....to buy this book. It is a really great book. It takes you back, all the way to Germany and the Stauffer influence on Martin Guitar. It has all the different models and the history of changes taking place not only with the company but the effect upon the instruments they were building. Maybe I'm just crazy about acoustic guitars but now, I have a greater appreciation for this genuine American guitar company. Richard Johnston and Jim Washburn really did knock the dust off lots of cool Martin guitar memorabilia too. Inside the cover is and acknowledgement to Dick Boak as Consulting Editor, he is a Martin man through and through and wrote the text for Martin's Kit Construction book and drew the plans, I do believe. This is an authoritative book and great photos on most of it's 264 pages. Yeah, I kinda liked it, and you will too if you like acoustic guitars, especially Martins. Two thumbs up, Five Stars.

Like most guitar nuts I'm a Martin lover. I thought that enough books had been written about the company and there was nothing more to say. I'm happy to admit I was wrong. The writers went the extra distance getting personal stories and never before seen pictures of some of the most beautiful guitars ever made. Surprisingly, the authors also delved into the less than rosy times, labor disputes and the near end of one of the country's oldest family run businesses. The book is the type of "bible" that you can return to often and learn something new. I couldn't give it a higher recommendation.

I am 12 years old and I gave this book to my youngest brother who is 4 for Christmas. He loved the story and especially the pictures. It is his favorite book. Both of us think it is and excellent book!

The wolves howl in the darkness, but for young Matthew, their song is nature's lullaby. The singing of the wolves are magical melodies luring him into a fantastic nighttime adventure. Guided by a silvery gray wolf, Matthew joins the pack in their secret play. They paint the night sky with diamond sparkles and a curtain of swirling colors. Wolf Songs is a beautifully presented story transforming fears into songs and wolves into warm and magical friends. Combining Raye Raya-Norman's deeply engaging story text with Richard Ziehler-Martin's rich, dreamlike illustrations, Wolf Songs will entrance children ages 5 and up as it gently encourages their renewed confidence in a friendly world.

This book is wonderful. I've been a wolf-lover for as long as I can remember and now my 5 year old son is becoming fascinated with wolves too. I would recommend "Wolf Songs" for anyone, young and old, to add to their book collection.

Focuses on the romance and idealism of the artist and his art rather than just functioning as a clinical review of his work... as of this review date, new hardcover copies are still available from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Online Store. I've purchased two.

This book is gorgeous--fabulous photography, lots of detailed shots (I love the way they concentrate on the dresses and don't feel obliged to get the manniquin's head in every shot)--glorious! Get this book now!

This is a portrait album of a sampling of Christian Dior's masterpieces shown in the 1996 New York Metropolitain Museum of Art's retrospective. Every garment is beautifully captured. The detail photographs are exceptional.
But this is more than just a picture book about the 11 years Dior designed under his own name. The text offers a balance of historical costume references that Dior used in his creations against the social and economic era he designed in. It is both interesting and informative--two words that usually don't co-exist in most fashion references.
As a coffee-table book, this is a must-have for fashion afficianados. For those who can visualize and appreciate the complexity of drape and construction in some of the garments, there is no excuse not to own this book

Oh, this is a true story, all right. I was a child in the Chicagoland area when the nurses were killed, and I understood (superficially, at least) what Speck had done and the impact it had on the adults around me. "Richard Speck" became like "The Bogeyman," or the other monsters that haunt children's nightmares. So as an adult, I was eager to confront the demon of my girlhood by reading this detailed and serious study. I was not prepared for how genuinely horrible the crimes were, especially against the backdrop of those more innocent times. I had not been aware of how close Speck came to getting away. I had real admiration for the lawyers, jurors and judge who worked to ensure that our system of justice worked -- even for this piece of human flotsam. Most of all, I rediscovered a real-life heroine, Corazon Amurao. No one should have had to endure what she lived through that summer night, and the way she stood up to Speck in court was awe-inspiring. Hers is a truly indomitable spirit. But I'm still as afraid Richard Speck today as I was more than 35 years ago. He was my introduction to evil, and it seems that the killers who have come after him, from Bundy to Gacy to the Washington snipers, have just gotten stronger and meaner and smarter.

As an armchair criminologist and true crime fan, the story of Richard Speck has been the one story that has haunted me for years. I long waited for the gruesome story of Speck and his vicious murder spree to be told in detail. Now, with the release of this excellent book, Speck's prosecutor William Martin gives us an eyewitness view into the crimes and trial of Richard Speck. With the help of Dennis Breo, Martin weaves a page-turning, frightening tale that reads as well as anything by Stephen King. Except this horrifying story is true. Martin reveals many never-before-known facts about the case and pays a great deal of attention to accuracy and detail especially in his depiction of the murders through the eyes of the heroic witness, Corazon Amurao. This book is a must read account of the mass murders that introduced a shocked world to a new age of violence and mass murder. I only wish that they would revise this book to include the discovery of the Speck porno/confession videotape in 1996.

A well researched, exciting read. You've got a story that everyone knows its ending, but you keep turning the pages to see what happens next. What can I say that will inspire someone to read this book? It is a lengthy work through which you will race. A marvelous study of all that was known about a most diabolical personality and the human wreckage he left in his wake.

I was mesmorized by this book! Herb Ritts has the ability to not ownly create a beautiful portrait, but to capture I personality of his models. Each photograph tells a fabulous story of fantasy, glamour, and often just everyday life. I would highly recommend this collection. Among my favorite celebrity photos: Johnny Depp on the set of Edward Scissorhands, Jim Carrey dressed as a Mermaid, Tom Cruise on the set of Mission Impossible 2, the tattooed arm of Axle Rose, and a mysterious grin by Roy Lichtenstein. These photos are also large enough (most are at least 8x10) to remove and frame.

As an amateur photographer, I have always found Herb Ritts to be one of the greatest modern photographers living. Similiar to many celebrity photographers such as Richard Avedon, David LaChapelle, and Annie Liebowitz, Ritts captures the essence that is celebrity perfectly. Whether it is the photograph of Madonna and Sean Pean as a loving couple, or a gathering of today's top supermodels (all nude) Ritts has an eye for detail, as well as an approach few photographers nowadays don't utilize, direct communication with your subjects. In the past (and even in the present) celebrity photography can be a pain as many celebrities tend to want their agents around them whenever there is a shoot.

Many of Ritts photographs in this compilation happen to be of a homoerotic nature. Ritts, who is openly gay, captures the essence of male sexuality perfect, and the results can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their orientation.

I hope in the future Ritts comes out with another huge compilation of his work. His recent work with such celebrities such as Monica Lewinsky and Janet Jackson should be published in a volume, but for the meanwhile, purchase this book for your coffee table or library. It will make an interesting topic of conversation with anyone. Ritts is pure genius!

It is excellent. Sensual, lyrical, erotic, powerful, sometimes whimsical and as hot as the Arizona sun. Ritts is America's Rennaisance photographer and his pictures and videos of Jan and Michael Jackson, Madonna, Cindy, Nicholson, etal, etal, are must-views in exhibit, too. His work is up there with contemporaries Leibowitz, Scavullo and helmut newton...you have got to see his work!

One hilarious book! Tells about a monster who sure loves to eat food. Has pretty funny rhymes and quotes in the story. Has a ton of laughs in it! Just a good book for someone who loves to eat food! One of the funniest books I have ever read!

This book is absolutely the best childrens book. I have had my name on a list at another book store for two years and they kept telling me it was out of print. I decided to look here and voila I see it. I am ordering eight copies to give to each of my grown children (and one for grandpa to keep for when the grandchildren come to visit) so they can read it to their children.

This is a very funny book about a big animal who keeps making people mad because he always wants food, and they keep getting upset with him. This has a lot of funny rhymes about food in th story, and there are some great pictures. Awesome and funny book. For anyone who loves to eat.

What can I say? It's Benjamin Franklin! One of our beloved American forefathers with so much wisdom, it applies to not only our fellow Americans, but to the worldly human race. This compilation is full of tidbits from his "Poor Richard's Almanac" columns written for the hungry wisdom and logical seeking people back in early America. This is a timeless collection of suggestions and instructions that make perfect SENSE. Buy this and learn about YOUR life and how to make life better for not only yourself, but the others around you.

A wonderful book of sayings that espouse Ben Franklin's views on life. In general, he was an advocate of honesty, hard work, moderation in all indulgences, and being a good person. While these may sound like simple principles, the wittiness and cleverness with which they are presented make them memorable and therefore useful.

Buy two copies of this book -- one for yourself and one for your child when they reach their teenage years. You'll both be better off. My copy is marked up so I can easily find my favorite sayings, and I find myself flipping through it often.

Anyone, whom has any ounce of education, common sense or wit for that matter, should know that Benjamin Franklin should be and is still (even as I write this very moment) considered one of the smartest, wittiest and most cerebral person/scholar/learned man to have live in (or have been born for that matter) in this country. Poor Richards Almanack by Benjamin Franklin is not an exception and is filled with a plethora of witty, funny and educational allegories, poems and short parables, e.g., "Fish and visitors stink after three days". I absolutely loved this book and would definitely recommend it to the aspiring scholar/learned man or philosopher; and I do consider it, i.e., Poor Richards Almanack by Benjamin Franklin to be one of the cornerstones in the intellectual man's library.