This is a wonderful glimpse into the development of Hopper's paintings. It appears to be a photocopy of Hopper's working journals, which were assembled and maintained by his wife Jo over a period of 30+ years. Jo wrote the text and Edward drew a thumbnail sketch for the paintings. For many of the paintings, the text includes the brand of paint (e.g., Rembrandt, Blockx, W&N), the type of canvas and the priming, the studio in which it was painted, and to whom it was sold. Jo frequently included a description of the place, the people, or the mood portrayed in the paintings.

If you're an artist or a serious Hopper fan, you'll enjoy this book.

The synopsis for this title is incorrect. The text refers to the title "The Poetry of Solitute". THIS publication is a facsimile of Hopper's record keeping journals. It includes mostly thumbnail drawings, paint recipes and sales information for many of his works.

It has been an exemplary sample of my belief system as a designer. I was a student when I learned of Halprin's work, and have, always had a sense of affinity for the philosophic approach he has been able to publish. I am thankful that individuals, like Mr. & Mrs. Halprin have been able to promote a conscientious process for decision-making. I think I lent my book to someone and now I am unable to find it in my library. Either I must stop lending books, or

This book is just mesmerizing - it is so beautiful. Mark Rothko took art to a spiritual level that has seldom been achieved. The beauty of his colors and the simplicity of his work mesh to dominate the field of art, and make him a true master of our times. This particular book is full of color pictures of his work. Highly recommended for any art lover.

American artist Mark Rothko's artworks represents the very foundations of the Abstract Expressionist movement, and his key works are here presented in full-page color, introduced by essays from his contemporaries. This superbly produced volume with its exquisite presentation considers all of Rothko's works and contributions and is an essential acquisition for any serious collection on the Abstract Expressionist movement.

Yes, the reviewer who commented on the quality of the prints needs to get their specs looked at. This book is wonderfully produced, from the quality of the printing to the quality of the paper. It will sit alongside Anfan's wonderful catalogue raisonee on my shelves. I only wish I had followed my urge to hop on the Eurostar train from London to Paris on a day trip to see the exhibition. The last full Rothko exhibition I saw was in London in 1987, a mind expanding experience. This book is a world better than the catalogue of that exhibition and is definitely a must for any Rothko admirer. I will be in the Rothko room of the new Tate Modern gallery almost every day.

This is an original and fascinating story of an isolated Irish village which suffers a series of tragedies during the early forties that leads to its demise. A caring priest tells the tale of a terrible winter during which the five young women of the village die. This tragedy casts suspicions on the occupants of the village from the larger community at the bottom of the mountain, suspicions which continue to be fed by the primitive behavior of a damaged young man. The destruction and cruelties that result from innuendo and rumor build and begin to impact the good men of the village. An absorbing, wonderfully written story set in a bleak but fascinating time and place.

The Deposition of Father McGreevy is the story of the collapse of a small village in Ireland at the start of WWII and in a larger sense represents the disappearance of the old Ireland to be replaced by a new more urban Ireland. As is typical of a novel which was on the Booker shortlist it can be read on many levels.

On the surface the story of a village's dissolution after a disease kills only the women is a dark, gothic and relentless tale of loss and suffering. It is also shows the weakening of the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, the increasing urbanization of Ireland and numerous human follies. During Father McGreevy's relentless deposition the reader sees that in spite of his earnest, if sometimes naive, efforts the village is going to fail. The reader knows that the good Father has been defrocked and that something disastrous has happened to the village but the novel details his futile efforts to prevent what the reader knows is inevitable. There are signs early in the novel that indicate Father McGreevy's power is not as great as one might think. For instance, there is a reference to an event years earlier involving the IRA when Father McGreevy is told not to interfere in what turns out to be the execution of a captured English army officer. How could a Christian man especially a priest turn his back on such an atrocity? This incident also brings to mind his attitude towards the English. During the Battle of Britain Father McGreevy and the other residents want the English to win but don't mind seeing them get their noses bloodied a little in the process. Did they not think that innocent men, women and children were dying in the process?

The story is relentless, tragic and well written. However, there are some flaws. There are noticeable anachronisms in Father McGreevy's accounts of the war. There are also anachronisms in the footnotes which were supposed to be written in the 50s but often reflect present day terminology or cite death dates for Irish artists who were alive beyond the 60s. All in all, it's entertaining and thought provoking although I fail to see why it was a Booker nominee.

This book puts a dagger close to the heart of old Ireland. It's as sure in that as the roads and by-passes that now saw through the towns and villages of the Republic: Dev is truly dead. O'Doherty's book is riveting as a story and a piece of poetic prose writing. Whoever imagined describing a face as "like vinegar"? Its real coup, however, is in the way it neatly captures the past and slays it before our very eyes. Sure, there's a certain amount of wish-fulfilment in the events described in the book. The doomed village is an uneasy metaphor for old Ireland and the portraits of the distant clergy are made to look wise by the more recent shenanigans we have read about ad nauseum and much to our mirth. But there is a lot to enjoy not least the often comic, sometimes heroic and ultimately flawed Fr McGreevy. He is supported by three or four very credible and strong support acts not the least of whom is his surreal housekeeper Biddy McGurk. Occasionally, O'Doherty strains to capture the essence of his thoughts which do centre around the passing of time and place. I was reminded of "The Butcher Boy" and, going back, some of the short stories from my youth. So, three cheers for the book and a couple of Hail Marys wouldn't go amiss either.

O'Doherty has researched his Viennese courts well, and his Mozart and Ben Franklin; the descriptions of Anton Mesmer seem so real, I'm pretty sure I've read them before. Not that it's a criticism to say he cribbed from contemporaneous descriptions; the blending of borrowed reportage with fictional text is actually done pretty well.

However, O'Doherty waxes much too purple for my taste when he lapses into streams of consciousness that seem to turn into whirlpools from which he cannot extricate himself. More unfortunately, while he has done tons of research on the details of say, seventeenth century Viennese table legs, he hasn't read too many diaries from the time. His prose seems awfully Victorian to me. Or pseudo-Victorian. Actually, there were times when it reminded me for all the world of Elinor Glyn.

His problem is that the novel isn't a seventeenth century form, and stream of consciousness, moreover, is a twentieth century construction. Still more incongruously, O'Doherty appears to have his eye on eighteenth century fictive diary prose such as Charlotte Bronte writes in Jane Eyre. However, he can't even separate the first person narrative of early novels from the stream of consciousness that readers today are familiar with. In addition, he uses three-point narration (Mlle. P., her father, and Anton Mesmer) and seems to be trying to do something along the lines of The Moonstone, yet another form that didn't exist in the seventeenth century. O'Doherty has set himself up for massive leaps of invention. Sadly, he never quite does what he sets out to do, and the thing shrivels in the bud.

I'm just addressing his prose style, though. If you can stomach it, then you have the pleasure of the devices he uses to work Mesmer, Mozart, Benjamin Franklin, Empress Maria Theresa, and most of the rest of the Hapsburg court, plus the French Revolution into 240 pages. They are actually pretty artful. So if you like that kind of stuff, and aren't fussy about the mode of communication, this might the book for you.

On top of that, there's sex, lots of it, and a blind girl Mesmer is trying to cure, and some neat messages about talent vs. function.

However, if you read for style and rhythm of language as much as plot, this will set your teeth on edge.

This novel may be technically out of print, but you can still buy it in many bookstores...There are probably lots of warehoused copies. Since it's on the Booker shortlist, there's a good chance it'll come back into print. Nonetheless, if you're interested, you ought to grab it while you can.

This is an absorbing little tale of an unorthodox doctor treating a blind, aristocratic young lady who possesses considerable musical talents. It takes place in the Austrian royal court at the time of Mozart's own prodigious childhood.

While there are horrific moments highlighting the destructive effects of ill-conceived parental control, O'Doherty sheds light on the mysterious penchant talented people have for falling into the hands of suppressive creeps. The doctor seems sincere enough, but even he cannot keep his hands off the lovely musician.

Chapters told by different characters, the story is a fine exercise in viewpoint and voice. O'Doherty sets his scenes with amazing conservation of adjectives. The language and syntax alone paints vivid pictures of court settings. This reader really got the impression O'Doherty did his research meticulously.

Now that the author's shortlisted for the Booker, we have good reason to snap up this out-of-print novel!