Not too often in time emerges a work of art that can encapsulate all of that's happening, and what will happen in the future in our culture. Just like when the series of Campbell Soups from Andy Warhol came out, it represented the whole pop culture in the late 60's, and the future of Pop art.
Like a true Warhol disciple David Lachapelle is always looking for the beauty in everyday things, he used to get depressed when he would go away anywhere and see signs of industrialitation, until he start finding the beauty in them, "we get excited now when we see Golden Arches an parking lots...The've replaced the forest".
There are no words that can explain these hipnotic, surreal, intriguing and enchanting photograhs and the emotion you could achieve when traveling through the pages of this book. It contains 151 pages of photographs, including pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Basinger, Simon Le Bon, The Smashing Pumpkins and the one and only Andy Warhol; plus 91 small outtakes of the photo sessions in two pages.

In LACHAPELLE LAND absolutely all the people look Hipnotically Beautiful, like he says he wants his photographs to be a break of beauty, this books is a Trip of Beauty.

Lachapelle is one of my favorite contemporary photographers. His use of color is outstanding. Between the excellent technical quality of his work, and the whimsical (and sometimes arousing) subject matter, there is nothing about this book that is unenjoyable! I find the fact that not one of his images was digitally created or even enhanced to be a testimony to his talent and artistic vision.

Not many photographers can put together the camp, kitsch, gloss and lustre that this man can. Even the gaudiest of pictures can envelope you mind's taste buds... Its beautiful, erotic and camp at its best!

When I first saw that this series had been reprinted, I was quite happy. But then I discovered that this new printing had left out all of the pictures which had been one of my favorite parts of the books. As a child, I would sit and stare at the bright, intricate pictures for long periods of time as I read through the stories. I do realize that most of those pictures scream "1980's", but they really added something to the book.

Nevertheless, the stories are still worth reading and I highly recommend them. It is rare that one finds a book of Christian allegories that is really good. Tales of the Kingdom manages to have both fantastic allegorical stories and stories that are good as just stories.

One starts off reading of a boy, Hero, and his younger brother who manage to escape from the oppressive Enchanted City where people are only allowed to be awake at night to the pleasant Great Park. The story of Hero and how he comes to understand who he is and what his place in Great Park is is the main theme of most of the tales in the book. But interspersed with his story are tales of other inhabitants of the park. From silly knights and a girl named Dirty to a prideful baker and a princess and a dragon, the tales are vivid and delightful.

Most Christians will recognize the virtues and allegories that are woven into these tales, but the book is not preachy. All children (and adults), Christian or not, can enjoy these tales of the kingdom.

This story is about a young boy who finds love and acceptance. My mom read it to me when I was a little girl. It is a wonderful book to read to any age. The boy Hero, and the Princess Amanda struggle through real problems, like me. Yet through the help of wise leaders, they are taught to overcome. The illustrations in the original book are incredible. Please reprint the books with the original illustrator!

This book (and Tales of the Resistance) were both given to me when I was very young. I was given the tapes as well (if you get a chance to listen to them, do! ). These books are absolutely wonderful! I learned so much from them! I've been looking for them for ages, and they NEED TO BE REPRINTED WITH THE ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATOR! Read these books, they are well worth your while!

The book is well written, organized, and indexed, with plenty of interesting stories of today and years gone by, and I highly recommend the book. The only negative thing I can say about the book is that very little skeptical research is indicated. However, the author does provide a list of his sources, so that any skeptically-minded readers may check things out for themselves.

Generally, I'm don't get scared by things I read or see on television. This book, however, was quite frightening. I definitely did its job. Many of the stories in this book occurred near where I live, and I never would have imagined these stories had even existed previously. I always knew that New England had a rather strange past, what with all the Salem Witch trials and all, but these stories actually dug deeper than all of that. For instance, could you imagine strange monsters inhabiting Bridgewater, or a strange spirit force on top of Mount Washington? Naturally, these stories are merely legends, but they really make you stop and think. The documentation for this book is also quite good, as first hand accounts are recorded. When people in the law enforcement agency see things, as in this book, you know that there's probably something going on. This book only took me two nights to read. That should give you some indication as to how addictive and gripping it is.

Having been a native Vermonter and New Englander, I had not realized the ghostlore involved with this section of the country. Many of the stories occur within minutes of my own location. This book points out the origins and as much fact as can be researched. The end result is left with the reader as to which can be explained and that that which can not. Read this book alone at night and you will hear sounds that you used to take for granted, or did you?......

British General William Slim commanded English/Indian forces during most of the "forgotten" war in Burma from 1942 to 1945. Slim is now regarded as the finest English general of the Second World War (yes, better than "Monty"). In this book, written some time after the war ended, Slim tells the reader about the early mistakes which lead to the near total defeat of the English army in Burma in 1942. ----- Slim's efforts to rebuild his army and then take the offensive against the Japanese comprise the majority of the book and it makes for a very interesting story. Considering that the terrain over which most of the fighting occured was even worse than Vietnam, I learned a great deal. Contrasting his experiances in Burma with the U.S. war in Vietnam is a good thought experiment. ---- Of most interest to military historians and people interested in the Second World War. As to personal matters the book is almost completely devoid of details. Slim was very much the English Gentleman and all the interesting personal details of his life you will have to find elsewhere. ---- P.S. It contains an interesting side note about the father of the Burmese Nobel Peace Prize winner: Aung San Suu Kyi. Her father fought against the British in conjunction with the Japanese but later turned against the Japanese when he discovered that they were just going to be new imperial masters, even worse than the English. ---- Colin Glassey

William Slim is virtually unknown today - even among the history buff circles, he is a rate footnote. Yet, among those who have studied World War Two - and those few remaining who had direct experience beyond a limited theater view - Slim is regarded as one of the finest army commanders to have served on any front during the course of that war. Slim was among the few that endured defeat in the war's beginning - the agonizing, protracted withdrawal of Burma Corps over a thousand miles of jungle, mountain, swamp and river terrain in Burma and India in 1942 - and survived and had the opportunity to lead revitalized forces to victory in the end (British 14th Army). Revenge was sweet. Slim's memoirs are a treasure - full of criticism and praise in fair measure - with intelligent and honest commentary throughout. His assessments of the critical elements of a successful campaign are worthy of textbook study. Not only did Slim's men have to fight a fanatical, relentless foe in the Japanese - he had to contend with debilitating tropical disease, lack of air and land transport, non-existent infratstructure, shortages of all types of food and supplies, as well as neglect from his own country and army. Burma was in many ways the forgotten theater. Controversial figures such as the American Stilwell and the British Wingate are men that Slim knew well in Burma - and he does not shrink from giving his candid assessment of these figures - strengths and weaknesses. Above all, Slim's book is a testament to the courage, intelligence and fortitude of the fighting men - soldiers, airmen and sailors - of all nationalities (majority of the fighting on the Allied side in the Burma-India theater was by Indians). His comments on the nationalist movements of the Burmese, Indians and Chinese are also of interest, in view of post-war events in these countries, including the expulsion of British rule. Slim was a rare figure - an Army Commander bent on winning for all the right reasons - while always maintaining his touch with the front line solider. He was eager to assign glory to those that deserved it - those that did the fighting as well as those that toiled anonymously behind the lines to keep the forward troops supported. He was also rare in that he was ready and willing to admit mistakes were made, and how those mistakes were overcome. With so many critical decisions to be made in such desperate circumstances with such limited information - it is a wonder that any informed directives could be issued at the command level in that environment. His perspective on the Japanese is also worthy of further study. Slim had a distinguished war record prior to World War Two - he had served in several operations in World War One, in the Middle East between wars - he was familiar with how soldiers fought and died all over the world. His contempt for the Japanese - the atrocities they committed on a routine basis against not only captured, wounded soldiers but civilians held helpless in conquered territory, and the unconscionable treatment of prisoners by Japanese - was thoroughly justified by his experiences. His willingness to continue to fight and kill Japanese and his refusal to treat defeated Japanese with anything other than contempt (he ignored MacArthur's accommodating gestures after the surrender) were measured responses - a reading of this book communicates that point very well. Slim understood his assigned was role was not just to retake Japanese held territory, but to kill Japanese soldiers - destroy Japanese armies. He was the man for the job.

Awhile ago, I read QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE, the wartime memoir by George MacDonald Fraser detailing his experiences as an infantryman with the 17th Division of the 14th Indian Army as the latter pursued the retreating Japanese through Burma during the closing months of WWII. He had nothing but high praise for the army commander, Field-Marshal William Slim. This prompted me to purchase and read Slim's own account of the time and place, DEFEAT INTO VICTORY. The two books are a perfect pair for anyone interested in the India-Burma Theater of the war - perspectives from both the top and bottom of the British Army's command structure.

Slim's memoirs, first published in 1956 while he was serving as Governor General of Australia, begin with his assignment to command the 1st Burma Corps during it's desperate fighting retreat from Burma into India in 1942 after the Japanese captured Rangoon. Then later, as chief of the 14th Indian Army, he oversees the regrouping and rebuilding of the force that finally decimates the Japanese invaders at Imphal in northern India, and subsequently chases the fleeing enemy back south through Burma.

One of Slim's most notable characteristics is his evident lack of an overbearing ego. Several times in his book, he makes reference to his mistakes, errors in planning or judgement, and his deficiencies as a military commander. (Imagine that other famous British Field-Marshal of the war, the prima donna Montgomery, admitting such!) Much to his credit, Slim apparently learned hard lessons as he went along, and emerged as the better man and general for it. This, combined with his great concern for his men's morale, health, training and supply, justifies the high regard in which he was held by "rankers" such as Fraser. Churchill was wrong when he remarked, "I cannot believe that a man with a name like Slim can be much good."

The author's history of the Burma war is comprehensive - perhaps excessively so for the casual reader such as myself. His narrative includes the movement of troops as far down as battalion level, which is way more than I needed to know. Because of this, I might have awarded 4 stars instead of 5 had I been less mindful of the contribution Slim's memoir makes to the history of an almost forgotten theater of the global conflict. A keener student of the Burma campaigns is certain to appreciate these details more than I did.

Finally, there is the Field-Marshal's dry British wit, which shows all too infrequently. For example, when discussing his opposite number in the Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Kawabe, Slim writes:

"I did, however, manage to get a photograph alleged to be that of Kawabe. It showed what might have been a typical western caricature of a Japanese; the bullet head, the thick glasses, and prominent teeth were all there... When I needed cheering I looked at it and assured myself that, whichever of us was the cleverer general, even I was, at any rate, the better looking."

I enjoyed Kentucky Bad Boy very much. It reminded me of my own growing up years in Michigan. loads of laughs and very funny. I love to hear the stories of young people growing up, the funny, bad and sad things make very good reading. I am looking forword to reading more books by cousin, David Rains. Sure hope he continues with more books.

Captivating! A "read at one sitting" type book. This author does not tiptoe around non-traditional country beliefs, but more appropriately uses them as steppingstones to produce a very alluring tale. He has taken romance, humor, despair, hope, hardship, and even witchcraft, and blended them together, using as his catalyst, the perception of a youngster growing up in eastern Kentucky. Reminiscent of Steinbeck and Twain, "Kentucky Bad Boy" is down-to-earth and intriguingly entertaining. Not unlike fine Kentucky bourbon, Mr. Rains has taken the best ingredients of storytelling and blended them together to produce an outstanding book. I will be awaiting more from this writer.

I throughly enjoyed Kentucky Bad Boy. Being David's daughter, I grew up listening to his stories and am overjoyed to finally see my father sharing them with others. Quite often oral history is lost and stories shared are forgotten. Thank you, Pop, for a most unique look at growing up in the mountains. Kentucky Bad Boy is an enjoyable book to read - laugh out loud funny - but most importantly, it will evoke memories of your own childhood. I know there are more stories to tell, and I look forward to reading them!

The words "compelling" and "accounting" are seldom used in tandem, but there is no other way to describe this call to arms written by former Harvard Business School professor and three accountants at PricewaterhouseCoopers. The book, which is framed as a manifesto for change in the world of corporate reporting, is written in un-accountant-like language bordering on the subversive. It's main message: Traditional corporate reporting practices are inadequate and downright dangerous in the New Economy. They are inadequate because they don't capture the non-financial measures and intangible assets that now drive value. They are dangerous because they force investors to rely too heavily on short-term financial results, thereby contributing to unprecedented volatility in global equity markets. The authors' remedy? Disclosure of more and better information. This new model is presented in such detail that executives could use it as a blueprint in building new corporate reporting regimens. But you needn't be a corporate leader to appreciate the far-reaching implications of this book, which we at getAbstract.com recommend to all professionals as a - yes - compelling analysis of the current practice and evolving future of corporate reporting and its standards, pivotal benchmarks in the global economy.

"ValueReporting" smoothly describes many broken financial reporting processes, including "whispering", a time-consuming process that CFOs play with analysts, where CFOs "whisper" their earnings expectations to the analyst, making the analysts appear intelligent. A great deal for the analyst cause they don't have to do any real analysis. If the CFO does not play this game, they risk the wrath of Wall Street.

The problem with this is that it is in violation of the spirit (if not the law) of the yet to be enforced SEC Fair Disclosure Act which states that Sally Q. Public gets to know material information the same time that John Q. Analyst does.

"ValueReporting" does offer a practical solution through XBRL technology. As a member of XBRL.org I strongly agree with the authors that if business reporting, both financial and non-financial, is standardized, Web technologies are in place to distribute this information uniformly to all investors and in a richer format than at present. With the gentle prodding of regulatory agencies like the SEC and FDIC, this will happen sooner rather than later. Let's hope that SEC Chairman Unger reads this book, and fast.

For me as a consultant and a technologist "who can spell XBRL", The ValueReporting Revolution was a call to arms to apply my knowledge to the inequities of financial reporting. Helping clients sell their wares over the Web is nice, but to level the financial playing field for small companies as well as large, for the small investor as well as the institutional, is ennobling. And forcing Wall Street analysts to actually work for a living, would be, well, just icing on the cake.

This is the first book that adresses the critical issue of corporate reporting - which hasn't significantly changed, if not since business entities started to get created in Ancient Mesopotamia, at least since the Great Depression. Yet investing habits have significantly changed. The SEC has brought in much needed changes in the way financial information gets reported, especially the way reports get written, etc. But there has been little movement in the types of information which get reported or new types of analyses that need to get done so shareholders have a better picture of the companies in which they invest.

This book takes us long ways in pushing for such changes. Written by a group of people who know a lot about the topic - unlike most business books, which are typically written by those who know very little, because the ones in the know are too busy working - this sounds the first death knell of corporate reporting as we know it. It is a rather courageous set of arguments that the authors make, coming as it does from an institution, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, which, frankly, has plenty of incentives to maintain the status quo.

I would highly recommend this book to every manager, investor, and student of business. One of the nice aspects of the book is its international breadth, further reinforcing the argument that in today's global realities, the changes ought to be globally driven and required.

The best thing about the book is its rigor. The authors' authority of over their subject matter clearly comes through the book as does their hands-on experience in wrestling with tricky, complex, corporate reporting issues that companies face and shareholders need - issues that under today's requirements are typically not addressed, and therefore, lead to the kinds of deleterious effects that are evident in today's pump-and-dump markets.

Finally, in a world of superficial, shoddy, silly, ghost-written tripe that is published under the guise of management thinking, this book stands as a shining, stellar example of what good management writing is all about: rigor, clarity, and the kind of expansive and aspirational thinking that forces people to want to read a book and ask themselves, "where do I begin?" This book is a much needed call to action on probably the most important managerial, corporate, and financial issue.

I think this is a great book for someone wanting to get started in their personal financial planning. It is easy to read and not boring like other financially-oriented books. You'll be ready to develop your own financial actions plan after reading this!

While not the most intensively scholarly book ever written on Personal Finance, this is almost certainly the easiest to read. The Chapters dealing with Credit, Insurance, and starting to save money are invaluable.

At the time this book was given to me (by my Father), I was a Research Analyst for a mutual fund company. I thought I knew all there was to know about investing....but boy, was I wrong. In addition to working in a financial field, I was also married and had children. Reading this book showed me in such a simplistic and entertaining manner, how incredibly EASY it is to build wealth no matter what your income level is. I also learned about wills, life insurance, and other things that I never gave any thought to, but reading the book gave me insight as to just how important these things are...not to me, but to my family. My father is a very intelligent individual and has great money-sense. He is 51 years old and has never paid a single dollar in interest on his credit cards ! Now that is someone who knows how to properly manage his money ! He himself said that this book is propbably the most important and eye-opening book he has ever read - and that's why he gave it to me as a gift. If you are someone who has always been leary of investing, have no plan for retirement, or have a family, then you MUST read this book. It is written in a story-book format and reads just like any novel. This is not a financial lingo, how-to-get-rich-quick type of book. The "story" WILL show you how to build wealth....slowly, so you will be able to retire in style, not having to worry about money. Do yourself a HUGE favor and read this book. I guarantee that you will not regret it.

My 9 month old loves this book! I bought it thinking I would have to store it for a while, due to the delicate nature of some of the items to feel. I'm so glad I took it out. Every time I turn a page my son goes straight to the "feely" part of the bug and touches, rubs, flicks, etc. As long as you supervise your child, I think this book can be wonderful for any age. The bugs also make great noises when you touch them (the crinkly bugs "crinkle"...)

A friend gave me this book as a baby gift when my son was 2 months old. I thought he was too young for it as the recommended age is 3-5. He loves this book. He loves touching the pages and learned how to turn the pages of the book by 6 months. This is a great book. As a pediatrician and mom, i would recommend it both for my son's love for it and the experience of the different textures.

This book is about touching and feeling and textures. What a great idea! My son (age 2) still loves this book and now he loves sharing it with his little sister (9 months). He helps her feel the sticky bugs and tells her 'soft' on the velvety bugs. What a simple idea that makes for a lot of fun.

I like books that you can build on. I like the fact that we talk about how my new Christmas dress feels like his velvety bug or the lace on my daughters collar is the same as the lace in the book only a different color.

Great.

When in 1976 Jerome Kohlberg, Henry Kravis, and George Roberts left Bear Stears to form KKR, Wall Street realized these three dealermakers might become a major force in the restructuring of American big business then beginning. What could not be predicted was the heights KKR would achieve. It has risen from the ranks of upstarts to become a major player in "The New Establishment." While KKR has been the subject of other books and articles, none could be considered "definitive," as is "The New Financial Capitalists." It is more than a history of a bank, however. Baker and Smith have addressed the problem posed by the separation of ownership and management delineated in 1934 by Adolph Berle and Gardner Means in "The Modern Corporation and Private Property," indicating how the leveraged buyout programs of the 1980s helped resolve it.

Baker and Smith have accomplished two objectives in their short book. On the surface, they have expertly captured the key elements in the development of KKR as the frontrunner of the LBO firm. However, on a deeper level, they have also captured many of the elements that managers and entrepreneurs should consider when running or starting a firm. In this regard, the Preface and Chapter Five are worth the price of admission. For anyone interested in the evolution and history of modern American finance, read this book.

Baker (Harvard Business School) and Smith (New York Univ.) provide a well-documented history of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and its development of the leveraged buyout (LBO). During the period 1976-93, KKR acquired more than 50 firms with an equity investment of only $10.9 billion. As of 1998, these equity investments were worth $40 billion (an annual return exceeding 28 percent). The authors examine KKR's strategy of identifying undervalued, poorly managed firms with potential to increase cash flow. Each LBO was financed with 80 to 90 percent debt, and equity was provided by a partnership organized by KKR. The LBO managers were required to have a large proportion of their net worth in the equity. After the acquisition, KKR's strategy was to cut costs and increase productivity, quickly pay down the debt, and sell the firm to unlock the equity investment. The large debt service inflicted discipline while management's investment created incentives. By linking managerial and ownership interests, Baker and Smith argue that KKR improved corporate governance and contributed to increases in corporate profits and productivity. This volume is an excellent addition to the literature on mergers, business history, and corporate strategy. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections as well as large public libraries.

Having recently gone through the loss of my own father, this book hit very close to my heart many times. I laughed, I cried and for me reading this book was like sitting down with a cup of coffee and old friend talking about your feelings. The story telling ability of this author keeps your interest throughout the entire book. His powerful way with descriptions makes you feel as though you are sitting in his kitchen with him as a child. This is the first book that combined very valuable information with a life story in a way that will make you re-think your own personal readiness for what life deals all of us. My mom is a 75 year old widow now, and went out and purchased this book and could not put it down. Reading it helped her realize she was not alone in what she has experienced in the last year. If you are a baby boomer, if you have elderly parents, or if you just love to read a great book, this is a MUST READ. I hope the author will continue to write, as he obviously has a gift for great story telling.

Excellent book. Purely excellent. I couldn't put it down. Read it in one sitting.

The author bares his soul in this story of family and unconditional love. While taking care of an ill parent, Mr. Eide deals with every twist and turn that life handed him - and he does it with courage and grace.

In this book, everything is laid out for the reader (and the world) to see. But that is also what makes it such an enjoyable book to read as we can all relate.

I loved this book, and you will too.

I must say that it has been a long time since I enjoyed a book as much as I did this one. In fact, I read it twice!

Orphaned at 39 was both highly informative in dealing with elder care issues, as well as being very creatively written. And the marvelous photographs completed a perfect visualization of the characters lives.

This author is a remarkable story-teller, and he has a fabulous command of the English language. In addition, his writing provides just the right amount of detail, which enables the reader to never get lost in a complicated story that spans some sixty years.

By reading this book, I now have a better understanding of the care needs of the elderly. And, happily, I now have a better understanding of what my role will be in caring for my own parents as they age.

Excellent book!