Book Description
Each card in this inspiring deck offers an idea to stretch your approach to observing and chronicling the daily events around you. You'll learn how to harness the power of words (what to write about, and what to write with), explore extreme photography techniques without having any previous photography experience, focus on the little things (like a two-inch section of a painted mural you drive by every day), and discover unusual ways to create a self-portrait (from plastic wrap and tree lights, to close-ups of your hands). Includes 50 cards and a creativity notebook to record your own art-journal explorations.
Customer Reviews:
Very Cool Concept.......2007-09-26
I love these creativity cards! The graphics on one side are unique, interesting, colorful, and eye catching. The prompts on the flipside are thought-provoking, meaningful, and different. The small journal is a great creative jumpstart in itself. I love the colors and techniques that were used to produce the backgrounds. Think I'll even attempt to create some of those myself. The box housing the creativity cards and journal is sturdy and pleasant to look at.
This is a fresh concept, and I am enjoying this package very much.
By the way, this is in no way a "how to" of any type. It is intended to make you think about doing old things in a fresh way or to help you attempt something new altogether.
Highly recommended.
Wow!.......2007-08-05
these cards are amazing. each one is a little piece of art in itself. you'll want to frame and hang them. except then you wouldn't be able to turn them over and get a shot in the arm of inspiration... yummy. i'm too afraid to work in the little workbook as yet, tho. i don't wanna mess it up. :)
if you're looking for cutesy, pretty art, tho, look somewhere else. this is real, gritty from-the-soul art. the kind that hits you "right there". and hopefully will help you make your own journal pages that do the same.
several of them are geared towards photography but lots of it is the kind that can be done with even an el cheapo camera. the author will also have you using tape, glue, spraypaint, and maybe a few things you never thought of as art supplies before. this is the kind of journaling that begs you to jump in and get messy.
if you do any kind of visual journaling, i highly recommend these cards and workbook.
So Much Fun.......2007-08-05
I got this after much thought. I figured it was just another "how to do a journal book". But, I found it to be much fun to do the exersizes and if you are an artist with a block, this will help to unblock you. It can give you ideas you never really thought of before on approaching your art work. Plus, as I said, it is a lot of fun to do the exersizes suggested on the individual cards. The kit also includes a fun little notebook/journal book to do as you please with. If you teach art, these are also fun ideas to inspire your students. I plan on doing that with my students this Fall.
This is a Gem.......2007-07-26
First of all, this will make a perfect gift for anyone crafty or involved in journaling, scrapbooking, altered books, ATCs, etc. It's a very affordable gift that keeps on giving.
The author opens your eyes to new ways to be creative in a way anyone, whether an "artist" or not, can use everyday observations to create real, unique, personal, fun, journal pages. She'll encourage you to take in all your surroundings and find a common element - she was able to find the common element while sitting in an Italian restaurant and watching war protesters: she, the waiter, the protesters were all waiting, caught up in a moment in time which was the theme she used for one one of her journal pages. She uses paint, photography and any object that she can use to express herself in her work -and makes no apologies. I LOVE this little gem. Just lovely and real. You won't be disappointed.
Great things come in little boxed sets..........2007-07-04
I noticed that there was a 1 star review of "Wide Open...". No offense, reviewer, but clearly you don't have a clue. Yes, the cards in the set are sort of vague -- if you are looking for step-by-step instructions for making something, don't waste your money on this. And, yes, you do need to own... and have some very basic knowledge of... art supplies (again, no offense, but if you've been within spitting distance of an art supply or craft store, then you'll know what gesso is).
[Ok, stepping off my soap box and done with the snarky comments.] Randi Feuerhelm-Watts is such an inspiration! I love her style and the ideas for inspiration that she presents on the cards go way beyond some of the tired, old suggestions that seem to always crop up in art/craft publications.
I read all the cards in one sitting (because I'm obsessive like that!) and I did notice that some of them related to each other. Not that they are dependent on each other or that you would be lost if you pick them at random... but I did observe some links between the individual ideas. I think this is great for continuing themes in your art work. Also, while she references photography quite a bit (she is a photographer after all), I definitely do not feel that any of the ideas are pigeonholed by the techniques. The author's basic ideas translate really well no matter what kind of visual artwork you might do.
The cards themselves each feature snippets of the author's artwork on the back. This alone is incredibly inspirational. You almost get double the bang for your buck - pull out one of the cards to interpret the visual side and then come back to it later for inspiration from the narrative side.
My only complaint would be about the Creativity Notebook... I wouldn't really call it a complaint, persay. I guess I'm just ambivalent about it's inclusion in the set. On one hand she has provided some great backgrounds to help you combat "white page syndrome" as well as some random instructions to offer a jump start to someone who is new to visual journaling. But on the other hand, I don't see myself personally using it since I already have half a dozen journals and prefer to make my own backgrounds (once you get on a roll, its half the fun).
The ideas and techniques are presented in Randi's conversational style, along with her great little stories. While I have not had the pleasure of taking a class with her or meeting her, she comes across as the kind of person you'd love to have as an art friend because she'd always be inspiring and challenging. I think that's the greatest thing about this kit... she's managed to package a ton of her personality and a lot of what I imagine she teaches in her workshops into one cool product. This set definitely gets a front row spot on my art-bookshelf.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
From its opening pages, Mike Farrell's new memoir reveals the distinctive voice of a man for whom life is an ongoing odyssey of self-discovery, personal commitment, and uncompromising social engagement.
With deep insight and disarming candor, Farrell describes his early years as a timid but restless teenager in West Hollywood, delivering groceries to the homes of Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Jimmy Stewart, and countless other celebrities, while dreaming of having his own career as an actor. In stark but riveting language, he relates his formative years as a Marine recruit, confused, conflicted, and eager to prove himself as a man.
Farrell humorously portrays his professional development from a young soap opera player on
Days of Our Lives to the amiable star of two popular television series,
M*A*S*H and
Providence, to the respected producer of successful motion pictures like
Dominick and Eugene and
Patch Adams.
At the heart of his story, Farrell narrates his public struggle to be a responsible citizen of the world. From his firsthand accounts of the ravages of war and oppression in Cambodia, El Salvador, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and the Gaza Strip, to his tireless advocacy against capital punishment, to his deep commitment to environmental causes, Farrell portrays each of these experiences with passion, outrage, and stubborn optimism.
Customer Reviews:
NIce Book, I enjoyed it........2007-05-15
I am a conservative, over 20 years served, active duty US Marine, currently deployed to Baghdad Iraq. I am guessing some readers would wonder why I read the book. I know Mr Farrell is a little to the left, so what. I have enjoyed hearing his opinions on various political shows over the years so that I can hear what the left has to say. He has always been polite and respectful to all opinions, so I gave it a shot. I was not dissapointed, he tells a great story of how he became who he is, to include his time in the US Marines. I almost laugh at the thought of him serving, but I believe from reading this book Mr Farrell loves his country and is a patriot, just with differing opinions from my own and I salute his service to our country. You will read some about MASH, his childhood and how he became a activist. Be warned, he is harsh to conservatives, which I did not agree with, but I respect his right to speak out, and speak out he does. Maybe a little too much conservatie bashing, he could have got his point across with less, but overall a good read, just have a open mind, and if you are looking for a book only about MASH, this is not it. Semper Fi Mr Farrell, I enjoyed your book.
Inspirational is a really great word to describe this book.......2007-05-10
This personal account of the life of a personality known to millions exceeded my expectations. Although an autobiography, it goes beyond the typical remembrances of a life lived outside of and in the spotlight, pushing past the usual, and manages to inspire, and to make you think.
Mike Farrell's integrity and commitment to humanity, to making the world a better place, are not just conveyed throughout the chapters of this book in his own words, but have been demonstrated in perpetuity by his selfless actions on behalf of mankind. This book is missing an important word in the subtitle- It should have been called "Just Call Me Mike- The Journey From Actor to Activist to TEACHER." An educator, he is indeed.
M. A. Moore
The Family Press
An inspirational tale of change.......2007-04-19
Mike Farrell's autobiography traces a life that moves from an actor who worked on MASH and other major productions to becoming an activist. His brand of 'citizen activism' takes him from TV set to the streets, using the influence that accompanied his celebrity image to contribute to humanitarian works which are his real passion. His autobiography traces his evolution from a California actor to activist and provides an inspirational tale of change for a wide audience, from prior fans of his career to newcomers who may have never heard his name, but will appreciate the transition story. Public lending libraries, especially those strong in film or celebrity stories, will want this.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Average customer rating:
- Huoshenxian- an Immortal in Human Form
- Qong Fu: skill that transcends mere surface beauty!
- China in the Eighties
- Martial Arts and China
- Amazing Martial Arts film
|
Iron and Silk
Mark Salzman
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0394755111
Release Date: 1987-10-12 |
Amazon.com
In 1982, Salzman flew off to teach English in Changsha, China. He writes of bureaucrats, students and Cultural Revolution survivors, stripping none of their complexity and humanity. He's gentle with their idiocies, saving his sharpest barbs for himself (it's his pants that split from zipper to waist whilst demonstrating martial arts in Canton). Though dribs of history and drabs of classical lore seep through, this is mostly a personal tale, noted by the Los Angeles Times for "the charmingly unpretentious manner in which it penetrates a China inaccessible to other foreigners."
Book Description
Salzman captures post-cultural revolution China through his adventures as a young American English teacher in China and his shifu-tudi (master-student) relationship with China's foremost martial arts teacher.
Customer Reviews:
Huoshenxian- an Immortal in Human Form.......2007-08-08
This was how Mark Salzman's students thought of him in China. His account of his time spent there in the early 1980s is a fantastic journey in and of itself. His narrative style is intriguing as he does not probe into the thinking of the Chinese people that he encounters day to day. He presents his experiences always on the surface and rarely speculates on the speakers intentions. Even though he is fluent in Chinese he does not seek to offer insight in the mindset of the culture he lived; he only reports it. Although such dialogue may sound superficial and trivial it is not. Salzman draws us into the events by merely presenting his encounters with his Chinese friends and acquaintances, and chance meetings. So powerful are the stories that the words and actions of the individuals portray an honesty and passion that is captivating.
The uniqueness of everyday Chinese thinking he faced for two years is inherently surprising, delightful, curious, odd, shocking, and hilarious.This was truly a memorable account of a young man who came not only to teach but to learn as well.
Qong Fu: skill that transcends mere surface beauty!.......2007-07-10
"Iron and Silk" is a delightful book and film. I had the pleasure of reading the book awhile ago; but was delighted to see the film in a local Asian film festival in my community.
The author Mark Salzman plays Mark Franklin in the movie of the same name. It is a memoir (a true story) of Mark's travel and teaching experiences in China (Changsha, Hunan Province). The events took place during 1982 - 1984 and Mark became as much of a student of Chinese life, martial arts, calligraphy, tai chi as he was a teacher of the Middle Aged English Teachers (a group of Chinese Russian teachers at the Hunan Medical College who had been told to forget Russian and now learn English).
Mark always wanted to be a Kung Fu master growing up, and he took lessons from a local teacher; but always felt like the smallest kid on the block. From a young age, he loved all things Asian. His mother was a musician and his father a social worker; but he found that he had developed an exceptional talent for the cello. He was admitted to Yale at 16 because of his cello expertise; but soon decided that he would major in Chinese languages and philosophy (again not much of a surprise). As part of a Yale program, he found himself traveling to Changsha, Hunan Province, China to teach English to a group of Chinese Russian teachers who were being asked to retrain. For two (2) years he lived, taught and learned a great deal in China about the Chinese people and also about himself.
He always wanted to study martial arts from a true wushu master and was fortunate enough to find as his teacher, the grand master himself: Pan Qingfu (known as the Iron Fist). Pan was the best in the world and was known as the Iron Fist because he punched a heavy iron plate 10,000 times a day! Mark was also learning Tai Chi and Chinese manners and etiquette from Teacher Wei and calligraphy as well from other teachers.
Mark soon found that "as a student in America, he had searched for ancient wisdom, as a teacher in China, he learned to find it in himself." Mark Salzman, when interviewed, stated: "Learning about another culture doesn't mean you have to reject your own, It allows you to see yourself from another perspective, see your good side and your bad side and appreciate what you have." Some will say that the book and the movie focus on martial arts and in part that is one of the major themes; but the blending and the co-existence of the two cultures in the classroom and in social interactions is illuminating.
There are many humorous and philosophical revelations in both the book and movie. Telling Mark that he has a big nose by saying, "You have a very 3 dimensional face"...is probably the most diplomatic way of stating the obvious. Mark might have been able to name the book, "Let's Make a Regulation" if he wanted to only focus on the difficult aspects he faced in being a foreigner living in China. The Washington Post reviewed that "Salzman demonstrates with skill and subtlety just how China society works."
This Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1987 is dated; but describes the undercurrent that still exists in part today. The movie's script stayed true to the book; yet the movie was shot in Hangzhou and not Changsha. Make sure to stay for the vignettes and movie credits at the end; they are another joyful experience of the film and you will not be disappointed that you waited. Mark found out that happiness was not a simple thing in China and though he valued being well liked and mastering a skill; his Chinese friend felt that "these goals can be achieved easily. All you have to do is to be kind and work hard. But to eat and sleep well that is a difficult wish, because you cannot control these things yourself."
One interesting note is that on the last night of the shooting of the movie, the brutal crackdown occurred in Tiananmen Square (June 3, 1989).
I loved this book and the movie and the delight that two very different cultures shared in learning about each other. All that I can say is "very well done" (Manhaodilei!)
Mark really learned Qong Fu: a skill that transcends mere surface beauty!
Bentley/2007
Iron and Silk
China in the Eighties.......2007-05-14
I've seen this movie some 15 years ago and very much enjoyed to see it again.
Martial Arts and China.......2007-04-12
If you're interested in martial arts or planning a trip to China, this book will give you a great perspective. Comical and true-to-life, this is a story about perfecting an art form.
Amazing Martial Arts film.......2007-03-09
I was looking for this movie so long, and finally I found it. It talks about Kungfu, China in a different way from the other kungfu films. I read also the book by which the film is based on. try it.
Book Description
From New Hampshire's formidable Mount Washington to San Francisco's spectacular Golden Gate Bridge, the scenic treasures of the United States are brilliantly captured in this artistic tour de force. Award-winning poet Diane Seibert's inventive poems are perfectly paired with Caldecott Honor recipient Stephen Johnson's compelling imagery. Each turn of the page offers a surprise whether it's an impressionistic painting of Niagara Falls, a wild collage of Las Vegas, or an evocative tallgrass prairie landscape. Additional facts about each site and a list of art media are provided, making this distinguished volume a gem for the study of literature, art, history, or geography.
Book Description
Lily Burana had given up on stripping years before she accepted a marriage proposal-but decided to strip her way from Florida to Alaska before settling down. Lily, now a successful journalist, looks back at stripping with a writer's perspective. Her humorous yet hard-edged memoir deftly describes funky clubs and offbeat characters, the exhilaration that overtakes a dancer on stage-and the darker realities that assail her heart when she's out of the spotlight. Strip City is both a hugely entertaining insider's account of a hidden world and a moving voyage of self-discovery. Lily Burana has written for The New York Times Book Review, GQ, New York magazine, The Village Voice, Spin, and Salon. She lives in New York State. This is her rst book.
Customer Reviews:
Thoughtful and interesting.......2007-08-26
Stripping is a misunderstood and incredibly complex profession. So says Lily Burana.
Rather than the lascivious and trashy book most would expect about this issue, we are treated to a meditation on women's roles in society, sexual politics, the history of stripping as a profession, and Burana's autobiography.
I found myself thinking a lot about strippers and what they do. Burana shows us all the different types of strip clubs. Some are all nude, some are only topless. In some clubs, the dancers move the patrons through as if on an assembly line, and in some the dancers and patrons treat each other like old friends. Above all, Burana dispels the stripping myth. Even in the best clubs, the cloud has no silver lining. Burana is unapologetic about stripping, but she doesn't sugarcoat it or defiantly proclaim that stripping is her right. In that way, this book is very poignant.
Burana is also a woman in transition. She interposes vignettes of her earlier stripping days with her current life as a writer and someone's fiance. It's a true testament that she is able to tell these stories without dragging down the overall narrative.
I haven't read any other books on stripping, but I doubt you will find one as honest and thoughtful as Burana's.
A Bittersweet Farewell.......2007-07-09
Little or nothing is more fascinating than human sexuality, especially when the sexuality involved is on the edge. In the past few years, a number of highly literate women have written books describing in substantial detail their experiences in various aspects of what is called the sex industry. Among the best of these books is Lily Burana's "Strip City: A Stripper's Farewell Journey Across America." (2001). Lily Burana (b. 1968) has become a well-known essayist, and she the author of a recent novel, "Try". But her memoir of her life as a stripper established her fame.
Burana grew up in New Jersey as a rebellious daughter of highly-educated parents. She dropped out of high school and ran off to New York City where she was determined to establish her independence and her own character. In order to support herself she began to work at Times Square's notorious "Peepland", dancing nude for men in the grimiest atmosphere behing a two-way mirror. She gradually becomes involved in the industry and moves to San Francisco where she works as a nude dancer for two major clubs, the "Lusty Lady" and "Mitchell Brothers" for five years. During this time, she was teaching herself to write and finding a market for her writing. She spearheaded a lawsuit against Mitchell Brothers for which she worked trying to secure the status of "employee" rather than "independent contractor" for the dancers and better pay and working conditions.
When the book opens, Burana has been away from stripping for several years and is supporting herself as a writer. On assignment in Wyoming she meets and falls in love with Randy, a rodeo worker and cowboy who is comfortable with her past. Before settling down with Randy, Burana finds she needs to get stripping out of her system. She takes up dancing again in a variety of clubs across the country. This new period of life as a stripper differs from the first in that Burana determines to dance topless rather than nude. She discusses at length the differences in exposure both the dancers and their customers see between nude dancing and dancing with even the tiniest g-string.
The book moves back and forth in Burana's life from her childhood, to her first experiences as a dancer, to her decision to go back to the business and then again to give it up, apparently for good. The book offers a picture of the externalities of a life of a stripper in its pictures of countless clubs and of the endless details of buying costumes, hustling customers, and trying to maintain one's physical and sexual allure. Burana has also done research on her topic and offers portrayals of the Pure Talent School of Dance, a school for strippers that Burana attended at the outset of her second tour in the profession, and the Exotic World Museum in California, among other places.
A great deal of the book is internal, as Burana attempts to describe the complex factors that led her into stripping, and the factors that led her to leave it. Burana discusses her relationship with her parents and their reactions to her career and with her sister who had taken a different path in life and become a minister. Many of the best moments of the book involve Burana's relationship with other women in the profession. Burana obviously feels close kinship to many of these women as they are joined in a life that they perceive as beyond the accepted pale for the expression of female sexuality.
Burana remains deeply ambivalent about stripping. Clearly, she enjoyed the money and, unlike many women, had the prudence to save wisely. She also found a rewarding relationship with a man (She doesn't much describe her personal romantic life before meeting Randy.) and a permanent career as a writer. She also seems to enjoy dance, the sexual allure of her profession, and the feeling of power she received from knowing men's attentions and desires were riveted on her when she was, ultimately, unattainable. But Burana also realizes that stripping is a difficult, dangerous, and emotionally-damaging business, as she is wrung-out from her nightly dancing, incessant sexual come-ons, disrespect, rejections, and mutual objectification, of herself and of the men. Burana remains attracted to the business and does not advocate its elimination. But she becomes open to those who criticize and who ask her if she made the best choice in pursuing it. In short she becomes less defensive and more aware of the pitfalls of the life she had led for many years. She made her second tour as a stripper and presumably wrote her memoir as a sort of catharsis to get the profession out of her system for good. She herself realizes that she only partly succeeds.
"Strip City" is a well-written, thoughful, and I think, largely candid account of Burana's experiences as a stripper and of her responses to these experiences. It teaches a great deal about the sex industry and about what Burana calls the sexual underside of life in the United States -- and probably in most other highly-developed nations, at the least, as well.
Robin Friedman
Yawn........2007-06-27
Don't ask me how a book on a stripper could be boring, but it was. Maybe I have become jaded after reading Jenna Jameson's and Traci Lord's autobiographies. If you haven't read those yet, they are far more exciting, although you have to hide in your room to read them.
This book somehow made stripping boring, and for that I must give it one star.
Amazing , Accurate and Truthful........2006-12-14
I loved this book. What a truthful and accurate description of all the places she has traveled to and worked at. I should know because I've worked at several of the same places!
I felt like we were one of the same person and it opened a door of powerful memories. This book is exciting. Your on the Journey to Peepland in NewYork City, then to the School of Dance in Clearwater, Florida; then off to the famous O'Farrel Brothers theater in San Diego and so much more. If anyone wants a non-fiction view of the real world of a feature exotic dancer this would be the best choice.
The only thing I didn't like is when she would talk about her personal relationship with her now husband, which I thought was boring and I would rush to the parts about the clubs and dancing. I probably thought is was boring because I'm already married...LOL.
Lily Burana hits the mark..........2006-08-29
...with her book, Strip City.
As someone with over 10 years in the business, I was pleased to read an account that is so close to my own experience. Burana explains the appeal of dancing better than any other author I've read. When she explains "the zone" she goes into on stage in Texas it was like reading my own thoughts. And the same stands true for her explanation of how she stopped dancing. I think all dancers have experienced that same feeling at some point.
I also enjoyed Burana's interviews with other dancers and the history she gives of stripping and of burlesque. I really think it is great that she took the time to add those things into the book. It gives it something deeper than just her personal experience.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has curiosity about the exotic dancer experience. Lily Burana is a class act!
Average customer rating:
- Sanity and Grace
- a book as beautiful as her voice
- The truth is: You Never "Get Over It"
- A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength
- Suicide, another elephant in the living room
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Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength
Judy Collins
Manufacturer: Tarcher
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ASIN: 1585422606
Release Date: 2003-09-25 |
Book Description
In this long-awaited sequel to the international bestseller The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron presents the next step in her course of discovering and recovering the creative self.
Walking in This World picks up where Julia Cameron's bestselling book on the creative process, The Artist's Way, left off to present readers with a second course-Part Two in an amazing journey toward discovering our human potential. Full of valuable new strategies and techniques for breaking through difficult creative ground, this is the "intermediate level" of the Artist's Way program.
A profoundly inspired work by the leading authority on the subject of creativity, Walking in This World is an invaluable tool for artists.
Customer Reviews:
Sanity and Grace.......2007-05-06
A moving account of how many lives are touched by a single moments mistake.
a book as beautiful as her voice.......2006-07-16
I purchased this book while in Boulder CO because Judy Collins, one of my favorite artists, was doing a talk and signing at the bookstore that night. Her book is an amazing memoir of life before and after her son completed suicide. She manages to put his life into context by sharing her background. I was mesmerized as I read, and I continue to be impressed by her strength and ability to put her life on display and speak out on so many issues that we as a society would prefer to ignore. The beauty of Judy Collins' singing voice is echoed in her written words. Reading her book is like having a private concert in your home.
The truth is: You Never "Get Over It".......2005-08-19
I didn't experience suicide of a loved one, but did experience the murder of my mother by a psychotic patient who came for treatment where she worked as a social worker, over 40 years ago when I was 9. There are many differences, but also commonalities in suicide, murder, and all sudden, violent death where there is no opportunity to say goodbye. And the major truth is this: you never "get over it." You can go on, and even laugh again and love again and experience great joy again, but part of your heart is permanently ripped out, and you feel it forever, and you never "get over it." The challenge, for survivors, is to try to create a loving, full life in spite of it. This is a key message of Ms. Collins' book.
A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength.......2004-05-22
Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength
by Judy Collins
Reviewed by Suzanne M. Retzinger, Ph.D.
"The streets of London have their map; but our passions are uncharted." (Virginia Woolf).
I was given a copy of Sanity and Grace by a remarkable man - Al Lowman - and was not sure at the time what I was meant to see. I read it to find out. I found a rare combination of expression of feeling and intelligent use of the work that has been done on suicide - woven together into a story. What I saw in Judy Collins's book was a roadmap of the passions. I read the story of a journey from the stigma and shame of a family secret - her son's death by suicide - into the open where healing begins to take place.
Breaking down the ancient walls of a taboo, Judy chose to build bridges, rather than remain behind the wall. She questions why a person would be defined by a moment in time when someone takes his or her life - why this moment would weigh more than all others. A mix of journal entries and prose shows the road from pain to light - and there is light.
Like many who suffer from the death of a loved one, Judy was told to stop talking about it, "get on with your life", "you're bringing others down". I hear this again and again from people who come to the bereavement groups I facilitate. Silence prevents healing - suicide is whispered she says, and "never quite shouted, as it should be, to the rooftops." She refused to stay silent, or to accept shame that would have been isolating. Instead she chose to express her pain. Talking is healing, and grief is the acceptance of that loss.
Judy gives a clear message: there is only one way to heal - right through the pain. She found sobriety, and refused medication for her grief - grief is not a disease, "I wanted to feel everything, the pain and the depression, the hurt, even the rage." And she allowed herself to feel, "let it role over me and around me, let it boil up and claim me, let it wrench the tears out of my eyes and let it roll into rage." Her complex emotions find voice and grace through words.
Going through mourning can feel insane, and no one needs to do it alone. There's "power in the intimacy that comes with sharing secrets", and is in itself healing. A network of caring people and support groups helped her move through. There are support groups - there are caring people to travel with us. Hospice is a starting place to find such a group. By speaking her suffering, and courage to be vulnerable, Judy Collins charts a path for others to follow. A god has given us a voice to speak our pain - let us use it.
I sing my highest praise.
Suicide, another elephant in the living room.......2004-04-05
Just this week in Joyce, Washington, a 12-year old boy--popular and happy by all accounts--took a rifle into his classroom and shot himself in the chest in front of his teacher and 18 classmates. Last month, a 12-year old in Seattle tossed herself off a freeway overpass. Judy Collins is a singer, songwriter, author, and actress, with many years of recovery from alcoholism. Depression, the "dog on the leash" often attached to alcoholism and addiction, plagued her since childhood. Her first husband's father killed himself. Nobody talked about it. Years later, at 33, Ms. Collin's son, after a period of sobriety, relapsed and then killed himself, narrating his own death on audiotape. Suicide is like child abuse, cancer, domestic violence, addiction: the attitude of many is "it's time to move on. Get over it." What Ms. Collins knows and tells eloquently in this book, which also features an excellent reference list of other books on suicide,is that those left behind never get over it. She postulates, instead, that suicide must be talked about. The writing in the book is a combination of songs, poems, journal entries, interviews with other writers on suicide, and anecdotes about Ms. Collin's own life. The writing is sometimes uneven, with breathtaking imagery juxtaposed with cliche or platitude, though I of course enjoy platitudes that come from 12-Step programs because I know what life-savers they are--and this is how Ms. Collins uses them. I "grew up" to the sound of Judy Collins'songs; when she appeared nearby in a concert nearly a decade ago, she never mentioned that her tour was part of her own therapy for her terrible sense of loss and hopelessness from her son's suicide. This singing and her writing lend hope.
Book Description
These 30 unique crafts, inspired by a variety of cultures and shown in lovely color photographs, are more than just beautiful to look at: they can also promote peace, harmony, and personal well-being. Some, such as a soothing Tabletop Fountain and Crystal Light Box, encourage tranquility in the home. A wealth of intriguing facts accompany the projects.
Customer Reviews:
Creative Spirituality.......2006-10-05
Beautiful, vivid photos that definitely make the book. Gorgeous full color shots of all of the crafts, as well as zen photos randomly scattered through the book. I loved the quotes scattered throughout as well. The projects within are designed to bring a calm and peace to your daily life. The instructions are easy to follow for anyone making these crafts as well as easily adaptable if your needs differ. They vary from easy, such as the Healing Meditation Candle and the Receptivity Salts or can be quite involved such as the Star Light with Nine Points and the Doors of Perception Curtain. I have already made the Travel Altar, Smudge Pot, the Witness Mirror which I use for a small shrine, and of course the Low-Fire Kiln. I was very pleased to see the instructions for that included since I didn't really want to find try and find a local kiln that I could use. I have also used the kiln to make a Simple Earthen Chalice found in Witch Crafts by Willow Polson. I have a list of items that I wish to do soon, such as the Dream Decanter, the Amulet Bag, the Zafu and the Belly Belt. LOL. I have other projects to finish first or my husband won't let me buy the items needed for new stuff. I have 4 dresses cut and ready to sew for my daughters that have been sitting by the sewing machine for almost a month. :D I find this book invaluable no matter what Path you may be on.
A New Age.......2006-09-02
For those of us who are new age it is a wonderful book. Finally a book that gives you sights and scents that are really easy to make to put in your meditation area. And while you are making the art maybe put on some Yanni or David Arkenstone in your cd player to set just the right mood. Everyone needs a place where they can go and have some personal quiet time. This book gives you what you need to make it all that more relaxing.
Surround yourself with spiritual beauty.......2005-04-03
When I discovered this book I was filled with delight. The vivid photographs which are bursting with color depict each project in absolute detail. The instructions for making the crafts are easy to follow and the cost of gathering the necessary supplies is minimal when compared with purchasing something at a shop. I was especialy taken with the dream decanter, the retablo, and the hope vessel. Even if your not going to make any of the crafts, the photographs and pictures alone are worth having as a coffee table book.
Nice book if you have the resources..........2005-01-25
This is a beautiful book that will inspire you to create. The only problem is that it seems like you need to have a lot of materials to create these projects. There are really only TWO of these that I would find myself making: The travel altar and the chakra bracelet. These are two of the simplest ones. I would love to make the smudge pots, but you have to build your own kiln if you don't have one available. Then a few of the other projects you need a sewing machine for. Then on a few of the other ones you have to use a saw, drills and some lumber. This may appeal to some, but for those of us on budgets and looking for some simple projects, you won't really find it here!
An Invitation to the Spiritual.......2004-09-08
This is such an amazing book of projects and crafts which truly do enhance your spiritual life. Each and every project from the low fire kiln to the dream decanter is a wonderfull idea. My personal favorite however was the portable altar. Everyopne can benefit in some way from reading this book.
Book Description
The Shadow of God is part memoir, part spiritual autobiography, and part tour of great works of art, literature, and music. In the form of a journal written over the course of a year, Charles Scribner shares childhood recollections of a household where figures like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald were family friends. He tells stories from his own noteworthy publishing career, from his journey toward faith, and from his deep knowledge of Baroque art.
Born an Episcopalian, he charts the story of his interior life and the importance of the arts in helping him choose the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual paths he would follow, including his Catholic conversion. He asks himself questions like “How far back can we trace the roots of faith?” Scribner writes with contagious enthusiasm about the pivotal truths he discovered in the novels of Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh and the inspiration he found in art, music, opera, and the Bible.
The Shadow of God is a journey through memory, art, and faith that shaped Scribner’s year as it passed through the seasons, from Epiphany to Epiphany. It is a moving portrait of a man who has devoted his life to words and the Word and a work of rare power by a writer whose grace, humor, and candor will touch readers.
Customer Reviews:
Light that is the Shadow of God.......2006-09-12
Charles Scribner III takes his faith seriously but, in the manner of a saint he admires, always with wit and grace. It is a delight to accompany him on the spiritual journey that he so beautifully describes in "The Shadow of God."
On one occasion, Mr. Scribner tells of walking down Fifth Avenue and pausing to watch workmen dismantle the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. He links the abrupt end of the commercial holiday to the rhythms of a church that is always slightly apart from the secular world around it. The author seems unable or unwilling to accept this "disconnect" between the spiritual and the mundane. Indeed, he sees God's presence everywhere -- in lofty cathedrals or hideous parish churches, in his schoolmates or strangers. He has found a way to unite his faith with the thousands of tiny events that make life what it is.
The title of this book is taken from a Latin expression that his father entrusted to him -- Lux Umbra Dei. It not simply the shadow of God but light that is the shadow of God. And this book is filled with light.
A Beautiful and Important Book.......2006-06-21
The notion that a life of privilege is somehow a strike against an author's ability to tell a powerfully insightful story is ridiculous and would damn a whole literature of such books if true. Marcus Aurelius would have nothing to say to us. Nor would Proust.
Scribner writes from what he knows and in doing so goes deep into the universal experience that unites everyone. His writing is refined --and if this refinement suggests a bygone era, it does well to remind us of the measured grace that we have misplaced in the discourse of our own time. "Stately" does not mean staid in this book.
The book is a primer for many who may have forgotten that unfevered reflection is profitable for the human spirit and the close proximity Scribner has had to many of the great literary figures of the Twentieth Century (and how he distills this proximity) is not to be missed.
Two sides to the life of a very privileged man!.......2006-05-06
Great-great grandson of the founder of Charles Scribner's Sons, the publishing house, Charles Scribner III has worked as an editor and publishing executive for nearly 30 years.
This is an artfully arranged memoir of his schooling, his youth, his love for music and art. It is also about his conversion to Catholicism when in college, and highlights epiphanies of coincidence and faith during the course of one year.
While he did have a privileged upbringing-private schools, Princeton, trips to Europe, and incredible exposure to art and music-he also had his share of darkness (deaths by cancer of close friends and relatives, his father succumbing to Alzheimer's, and the alcoholism of a beloved teacher). His profound faith and the meaning it gives to his life every day shines through his words like sunlight through a veil of leaves blowing in the wind.
Not a riveting or exciting read; but a calm and thoughtfully expressed paean to the Catholic Church, the people of his youth, music and art.
Armchair Interviews says: Two unique sides to the life of a very privileged man.
Book Description
This book is highly entertaining, but it also provides significant insight into contemporary life in America. Caudron reveals why people are indulging in their fanatical passions, and how that indulgence is transforming community life.
Customer Reviews:
Searching for passion.......2007-09-03
I loved reading this book. Shari's writing style hooked me in the introduction. She chose fascinating subjects. Her insights were wonderful and she used her journalist's curiosity to ask great questions while avoiding judgement. I learned a lot from the book. I think Shari's passion is in learning new things. I am sure she can find a conference hosted by those with a similar hobby!
Likeable author on misguided mission.......2007-03-04
I took to Shari as a person who was very outfront about her own perceived flaw of a life lacking in passionate persistence at hobbies; she right away reveals many other personal proclivities that helped win my trust and affection. But after the first few chapters reporting on assorted offbeat hobbyist groups, I felt I wasn't learning anything terribly interesting or being well entertained. I think we all instinctively know there any number of people in our own hometowns with idiosyncratic recreational interests; it seemed contrived for Shari to have fashioned a 3-year cross country oddysey to 'discover' that there are groups obsessively dedicated to their Barbie doll collections or to memorizing trivia from, and re-enacting episdoes of, their long-gone favored TV sit-coms. A catalog of a dozen or so peculiar pastimes and some cursory chats with a few ardent devotees is suitable for a quick magazine-length read; the heft required to make a book-worthy effort takes far more passionate digging than Shari musters here. An excellent example of a superlative book about the addictiveness of an offbeat hobby is Dan Koeppel's "To See Every Bird on Earth: A Father, A Son, and a Lifetime Obsession" -- for which I gave a 5-star review.
Good but not great.......2007-02-23
This is a good book and gives good info about stuff that is not vital information. Enjoyable reading but "put-downable".
interesting and entertaining.......2007-01-21
I'll be honest..when this book arrived in my mailbox, I wasn't overly excited about reading it. You know that old saying "don't judge a book by its cover?" Well, I didn't do that exactly, in fact I think the cover is interesting in this case. I did however, judge the book by its subtitle.
"A Personal Journey Into the Heart of Fanatical Passion in America."
Oh. Swell.
I think I was supposed to read this is a sociology class in college or something..
All that said, imagine my surprise when after reading the first few pages I wasn't miserably bored. Not only was I not miserably bored, I was sincerely entertained. Mental note to self, never judge a book by its subtitle.
The author, Shari Caudron, is sharp--she's intelligent, witty and borderline sarcastic, and as a result the stories she shares in her book made me smile.
Shari felt she had no passion in her life. All around her she noticed fanatically obsessed people and wondered why she didn't have a passion of her own. She set out on a journey to discover who these people were, and what exactly it was that made them tick.
Her book details hobbies such as collecting Barbie dolls, board gaming, pigeon racers and of course the imfamous trekkers. Over the course of three years she ventures around the county to meet these people and experience their passions first hand. The result is this book which made me laugh and shake my head in amusement, for I too have witnessed these people in their elements. This book is about the quirkiness of our fellow Americans, and its an entertaining subject to read about.
My suggestion to the author though..maybe rethink that subtitle.
Interesting and informative.......2006-11-06
The book was a good insite into interests that people have that I did not
have any first hand knowledge of.
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