Average customer rating:
- Way too simple, but OK for kids
- Definitely not worth the money.
- Perhaps he should name it....Catapults for Kids.
- More fun!
- Amusing catapults, interesting history, but no metric units
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The Art of the Catapult: Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery
William Gurstelle
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Military & Wars
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
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How Things Work
| Science, Nature & How It Works
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General
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| Science, Nature & How It Works
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General
| Ages 9-12
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History of Technology
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General
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| Europe
| History
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ASIN: 1556525265 |
Book Description
Whether playing at defending their own castle or simply chucking pumpkins over a fence, wannabe marauders and tinkerers will become fast acquainted with Ludgar, the War Wolf, Ill Neighbor, Cabulus, and the Wild Donkey—ancient artillery devices known commonly as catapults. Building these simple yet sophisticated machines introduces fundamentals of math and physics using levers, force, torsion, tension, and traction. Instructions and diagrams illustrate how to build seven authentic working model catapults, including an early Greek ballista, a Roman onager, and the apex of catapult technology, the English trebuchet. Additional projects include learning how to lash and make rope and how to construct and use a hand sling and a staff sling. The colorful history of siege warfare is explored through the stories of Alexander the Great and his battle of Tyre; Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and the Third Crusade; pirate-turned-soldier John Crabbe and his ship-mounted catapults; and Edward I of England and his battle against the Scots at Stirling Castle.
Customer Reviews:
Way too simple, but OK for kids.......2007-06-29
I find this book to be very superficial when it comes to the real deal. If you're looking for a book on catapults, you're going to get disappointed. This book focuses om making simple small scale models of catapults. I suppose it's great for a weekend project with your wannabe engineer kids, but if you're really interested in pre gunpowder siege warfare, you should rather take a look at Konstantin Nossov's book on siege warfare, which is a really thourough work. Also note that there aren't any metric units for the models, which complicates construction for the common european.
Definitely not worth the money........2007-04-17
I was really dissappointed with this book. Several of the projects are ridiculous, and he didn't do enough research. A few quick searches of the internet reveal that he gets a lot of historical facts wrong.
His first two projects, have nothing to do with anything related to actual catapults. The first is two sticks tied together, and the second is the equivalent of a waterbaloon slingshot. He calls it the "Viking Catapult". Of the ten projects in this book, three of them are modeled on actual historical types of catapults. Two are sub projects, that just show you how to build parts of the catapults, and the other five are things a child could design on thier own. As the one of the other reviewers pointed out, the last project is a plastic spoon catapult game. Small children do this on their own.
Do your self a favor, and download some free plans off the internet.
Perhaps he should name it....Catapults for Kids........2007-01-10
I was disappointed in this book. I was expecting some historically accurate designs and what I received was overly simplified plans presumably designed mostly for children. Yes, most of the text is related to the history of these weapons, but the plans left something to be desired. The ballista plan suggests use of a peanut as ammunition (not a bolt?) and the catch mechanism is nonexistent. The last project is a plastic-spoon-based basketball game. Enough said?
More fun!.......2006-11-10
This is a great book - got a copy for my brother for Christmas, and after taking a look had to get my own copy. I've been wanting to build a trebuchet ever since I saw one as a teenager - here are the plans!
Amusing catapults, interesting history, but no metric units.......2005-07-20
This book contains easy-to-follow instructions on how to build different catapults. Unfortunately there is no data regarding approx. distance and height for the suggested projectiles, why you must try for yourself. All units are english/american, which means you must translate this to metric units if you are more used to that.
A lot of historic background around catapults in general and around each model is given, which makes the book very interesting to read, even if you do not plan to build any of the models.
I can recommend this book to both historically interrested people and those who are more fond of making amusing toys!
Book Description
The foundation for drawing manga begins with the artist copying the works of an admired manga artist. The artist learns the traits of the characters' faces and figures while replicating the eyes, the mouth, and other features and recreating the overall images projected. The first chapter of this volume painstakingly explains the artistic development process beginning with copying professional artists' work to the point where the beginning artist is able to produce his or her own original manga. The second chapter covers the basics of a character's face and body, as well as portraying backgrounds. Chapter Three demonstrates how characters from professional manga artists' work are portrayed.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect For Begginer Manga Artist.......2007-03-07
This was my very firt book my daddy bought me and let me tell you, he made a smart decision on buying How To Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons! This book is great for the basics of Manga.
My personal favorite was the deep detail the author went into when drawing the head. I also liked how the author clearly showed the differences on age of the child, protagonist, younger adult, mother, and an elder.
I would recommend this book to all ages, only one page with minor, let me repeat, MINOR nudity. Overall, this was a pretty great book.
The Good 'n Bad.......2005-11-08
The Good:
Compared to the other How to Draw Manga series, I would say this book was a summary of every book in the series. With multiple artists and varying styles, it offers a beginning artist a definite edge and foundation for drawing manga. Not only does it show a more stylized version of manga, and also shows a more realistic version. This was one of the more useful books for head angles. The heads are a variety of , high, low, and side angles. This is very useful for a beginning artist so that their work doesn't look dull or monotonous.
The Bad:
I somewhat felt a little ripped off when I saw the price for such a small book. Also, it seems as if this book doesn't go deeply into each specific section. It's more of a 'general' help book. For instance, if you want to know more about anatomy, I recommend buying the 'Bodies and Anatomy' book in the How To Draw Manga series. This book is more of a 'overall' book.
In conclusion, I'd recommend buying this book if I was a beginner or intermediate. You can always improve as an artist. Hope you found this helpful.
it's alright.......2005-08-03
okay this is my first review ever so hang in there with me alright? Now I purchesed this book "How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Lessons vol. 1" mainly because I like the other HtDM books and I wanted to see what this had to offer me. When the book came I was expecting it to be as big as the other HtDM books. Boy was I wrong! it was as thick as the others but the hight and with were 'shorter' none the less the content of the book itself prooved to be of some help. The book itself starts off with the begining mini comic or 'manga' if you will then the table of contents, and then the actual material. The first chapter is all about the basics, starting with "practice by starting with copying" then it moves onto how to go and create your own charatures by showing you the basics of drawing (start with a rough general outline of blah blah blah then refine it and add detale blah blah blah). First they start with the head and face the move down to the torso, arms, and legs. In the book they also show examples of expressing emotions, depicting 'cool action poses', a little bit of sceanery, and how to properly hold your drawing tools. IN the book itself it says these are the goals it's trying to teach you:
1) The Basics of Faces
2) Basics of Figures
3) The ABC's of Tools ans Materials
4) Basic Background and Special Effect Techniques
and
5) Producing and Original Draft of Manga
In all it's a pretty helpful book; however it'll do you jack if you don't put it to use.. in other words keep on drawing. The book is only there to help you get ideas on how you may want it to look. It's not going to do it for you, or magically you'll be able to draw "manga" the instant after you read it.
Now I gave it 4 stars because for some reason I felt that it was lacking a little something in it.. other then that it's a great refference book for anyone, not just people who want to draw manga/anime, who wants to improve their drawing technique.
Good Book.......2005-07-15
How to draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Volume 1 is a good book to start with if you are trying to learn the art of drawing manga. This book covers almost all the basics and helped me alot. It tells you how to use different drawing materials and how to start drawing your own manga. It also showes you the differenses between male and female cheracters. Also as to be acspected in any how to draw manga book there is some mild nudity (but nothing that detailled). So alaround I think this is a very good book to start drawing manga with.-_-
Absoulutely amazing!.......2005-07-03
This is the most amazing drawing book I have ever purchased. This book is extremely helpful, especially towards the end. It shows characters in different poses to help you learn how to draw them. It does suggest in the beginning to copy some of your favorite artists' work. I copied pictures out of my manga books and then tried to do something original, and I have improved greatly! GET THIS BOOK!!
Customer Reviews:
It need color pictures so badly!.......2003-11-14
If you think this book would be a good inspiring source for your Halloween costume or for your kids' school show, think again.
The ideas in this book are good but it has several big problems. First, there are no color pictures. Each entity has a hand drawn illustration for the alternation and a two inches high, whole person figure, very bad quality, black and white picture to show the final result. Since most of the costumes here need at lest two pieces of original clothing of different color and style to combine with, only if you saw a lot of board way show and hopefully remember exactly how the major characters' costumes looked like, you probably will be easily confused by those illustrations. Second, a lot of material she used here is originally costume itself (or quite fancy old-style dress to say the least) but not ordinary cast-off clothing you might think you could find in nowadays closet.
A Great Book For The Beginning Costumer.......2002-05-01
I had my doubts at first when the author said she could assemble a costume with just glue,some seam ripping and little to no sewing. Then I saw the costumes. Wow! I just wish the pics were IN COLOR(hint,hint) so I could fully appreciate them. Now were's my glue gun?;-)
$50 Richer!.......2000-08-02
Even though we had never before made a costume in our lives the book allowed both me and my wife to win a local costume contest. The clear and consise directions saved my life when I had to finish my costume the weekend my wife was out of town. And thanks to Ms Rogers we not only impressed our friends, we're $50 richer!
Costuming Made Easy: How to Make Theatrical Costumes from Ca.......2000-06-04
I thought this book was wonderfully written so even somone like me does not sew well, I can still create a costume to die for. I am always making costumes for something, but this book has really opened my eyes to new innovative ways to create something alot nicer than I would ordinarily make. Thank You Barb for the book, it helped me alot and I am sure I am not the only one.
Book Description
By the charismatic host of the PBS miniseries "How Art Made the World," a compelling and gorgeously illustrated account of how humans made art and how art makes us human.
In the late nineteenth century, the first discoveries of prehistoric painting were greeted with incredulity. How could there have been such deft and skillful artists in the world over 30,000 years ago? Noted art historian Nigel Spivey begins with this puzzle to explore the record of humanity's artistic endeavors and their impact on our own development.
Embarking with the motto, "Everyone is an artist," Spivey takes us on a quest to find out when and how we humans began to explore the deepest questions of life, using visual artforms. With the help of vivid color illustrations of some of the world's most moving and enduring works of art, Spivey shows how that art has been used as a means of mass persuasion, essential to the creation of hierarchical societies, and finally, the extent to which art has served as a mode of terror management in the face of our inevitable death. Packed with new insights into ancient wonders and fascinating stories from all around the globe, How Art Made the World is a compelling account of how humans made art and how art makes us human.
Customer Reviews:
evolution of the mind.......2006-11-10
excellent show, actually better than the book. I watch a lot of documentarys and Non fiction films and this is one of the best I have seen for the tlelevision market.
A bit dry and overblown, but thoroughly delightful.......2006-05-28
The premise that "art made the world" is overblown. The text is often a bit dry. But the trip through the ages on the wings of art is superb. Of course, back 30,000 or so years ago, we don't know if the folks daubing walls and cutting into rock gave a thought to "art." In fact, we don't really have a solid clue as to why they did what they did.
A bit further into history, say a few thousand years ago, we know that people were attempting to immortalize their rulers, gods and priests. Again, we don't know if they were conciously creating "art" or simply communicating.
Art is, after all, in the eye of the beholder.
Whatever purpose may have been in mind, the images, carvings and engravings that have come down to us are mind-boggling and certainly, in our age, may be fairly considered art.
Nigel Spivey is certainly knowledgeable in his area, though he sometimes wanders off into unsupportable theory. The illustrations are magnificient and, frankly, I would preferred to have seen more of them and less of Spivey's text.
Overall a worthwhile book and, despite its occasional pomposity, delightful.
Jerry
A Charming and Fascinating Evocation of Primitive Art and Humanity.......2005-12-14
Nigel Spivey writes with eloquence and gentle humor and a rich understanding of his chosen topic - how art has informed life has informed art since the beginnings of history. This is one of those books that will appeal to all audiences, whether they be primarily interested in history, archeology, art, human studies, or mystery. It is all here in one splendid volume.
Based on a British television series by the same title, Spivey wanders through the most primitive art known from cave drawings, to ornaments, to early 'sculpture' or god figures, into the Renaissance. With very generous pictorial examples he clearly demonstrates how from the very inception of 'art', as we know it, mankind has tackled with the Big Questions - creation, life, death, and gods to God. He shows panoramas of cave drawings which address 'us vs. them', hunting, procreation, fertility, and symbols to ward off evil, be those mythical beasties or Satan or elements of nature confined to diagram, and celebrations and funeral rites. The permutations seem endless.
But in the end this book invites us to look at 'art' in a new way - as a manifestation of man's looking inward at himself, finding a rational universe out of his attempts to represent phenomena. It was then, it is now, and hopefully it ever shall be - Art. Wonderful book. Highly recommended! Grady Harp, December 05
Book Description
Do you commit apostrophe atrocities?
Are you tormented by the lie/lay conundrum?
Do you find yourself stuck between floaters and danglers?
Do your subjects and your verbs refuse to agree?
If so, you're not alone. Some of the most prominent professionals in TV broadcasting and at major newspapers and magazines-people who really should know better-are guilty of making all-too-common grammatical errors. In this delightfully amusing, clever guide, Thomas Parrish points out real-life grammar gaffes from top-notch publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker to illustrate just how widespread these errors are. With red pen in hand, Parrish's fictional friend the Grouchy Grammarian leads the charge, examining the forty-seven most common mistakes in English and imparting the basics of good grammar with a charming mixture of fussiness and common sense. All of which makes The Grouchy Grammarian the most entertaining, accessible how-not-to guide you'll ever read.
Customer Reviews:
Grouchy Buyer.......2005-10-02
I thought this book would have been a fun-filled, easily understood education in grammar. Instead, it has turned out to be a waste of my time, money and will be useless to me as a teacher. Mr. Parrish's presentation of the subject is done in such a way that one has to read and reread to get what he is attempting to say. This is not a good resource tool for those in search of such...
A passionate guide on how-not-to write........2004-06-23
In "The Grouchy Grammarian," historian and long-time editor Thomas Parrish offers an easy-to-read, informational, entertaining and blithesome reference filled with advice on how to avoid 47 of the most common mistakes in English grammar.
Each topic is covered in a short chapter with a handy summary at the end for quick check-ups, and each is humorously presented through the point of view of the author's alter ego, The Grouch, a clever, witty, and very opinionated fictional curmudgeon who is a self-proclaimed guardian of grammar and calls errors "infelicities to be corrected."
Not only will The Grouch teach you the rules of grammar, usage and good writing, reinforcing his point by ruthlessly citing real-life examples of grammatical gaffes, careless errors, and basic mistakes taken from the blunders of some of today's best-known newspapers, magazines, and TV broadcasts, he will also make your learning experience enjoyable by having you laugh, chuckle or at least smile at his passionate remarks and his quixotic personality.
As a bonus, for those who wish to go deeper into the subject, the book includes a vast bibliography, and a thorough index for quick consultations.
Overall, this is an excellent resource that combines narrative and reference to help you learn or review the elements of precise writing that are most often forgotten, also throwing in for good measure some general and common sense advice on writing.
--Reviewed by Maritza Volmar
Like a well-furnished room..........2004-05-26
At one point, author Thomas Parrish's persnickety friend, the grammar hawk referred to in the title, likens a well-constructed sentence to an automobile engine. Others may prefer Parrish's own analogy of a well-furnished room. Automobile engines suggest a highly specialized knowledge, something intimidating for those without vocational training. Pretty much anybody can set up a room that looks nice, however, and enjoy the results. A well-furnished room is a room that has everything one might need while seeming empty and spacious. Likewise, good prose has the feel not of something dense or impenetrable, but of something easy to apprehend quickly and digest. Parrish assumes the persona of a reasonable go-between, someone moves easily between the grammatically-challenged and the scowling figure, imagined yet feared, of the lexical inquisitor. The book is entertaining and reduces a lot of the mystery of grammatical usage. I keep a copy of it, along with my Strunk & White, right on my desk.
We've Needed This Book For A Long Time.......2004-02-13
If you've ever struggled with the proper placement of an apostrophe, or the usage of "lie" or "lay", or the difference between "compliment" and "complement", this book is for you. Most English-speaking people can't speak English. Perhaps they slept through every single English class they took. Perhaps they just don't care. It's written in a very humorous, readable style that will keep you interested rather than putting you to sleep. And with all the examples of atrocious grammatical errors, it will show people just how ridiculous they sound when they can't be bothered to get it right. Every chapter has something in it that will at least get a giggle out of you. I found it especially amusing after reading his numerous bashings of editors and proofreaders, to find that his own proofreader apparently wasn't paying too much attention on page 131. This book should be required reading for anyone who speaks English and for those that only think they do. Read it, learn it, and apply it. If it doesn't actually make you smarter, at least it will make you sound smarter.
Teaches you how to speak and write clearly without mistakes........2003-04-27
Contrary to the title, this book is not some esoteric grammar book. It it a way to help you express your thoughts in writing and speech without redundancy or embarassing common errors. The writer is very reasonable and modern, not some old man just complaining about the demise of proper English, but someone truly attempting to help journalists, broadcatsers, and everyone avoid some of the simplest, but most common, mistakes made. You will also enjoy the humorous examples from the AP and New York Times.
P.S.: slightly short on correct examples or full explanations sometimes, but still a 5 STAR BOOK and a MUST-READ for anyone
Book Description
A unique collection of amazing views of the world by Stephen Biesty.
Machines, ships, buildings, and the human body as you've never seen. This unique collection of extraordinary illustrations by artist Stephen Biesty explores machines, building, ships, and even the human body from the inside out. From the Grand Canyon to the Space Shuttle, Biesty's amazingly detailed cross-section views take you right inside to reveal how things work or how things are made. See how a 14th-century castle holds up against a siege, and what life would have been like inside a World War II submarine. Learn how 18th-century warships battled on the high seas and what life is like on a space station. Discover how everyday things are made, from false teeth to Formula 1 racing cars and what holds up to the Empire State Building.
Author and illustrator team Richard Platt and Stephen Biesty's first collaboration Incredible Cross-Sections went straight to the top of the best-seller list.
Customer Reviews:
For kids of all ages and for diverse interests.......2007-09-03
This is the best-beloved book in our house. Our scientific-minded 5 year-old loves the body parts, my engineer/husband loves the machines and my humanities-trained mind loves the historical diagrams of castles and galleons. Don't buy one copy- buy two for when the first is read to disintegration.
A book we go back to again and again!.......2005-02-08
The age range of 9-12 for this book is too narrow. It is a favorite among ALL of our family members! With a book store gift card in hand, our newly-turned five-year-old picked this book himself above all others to bring home... and it has remained a favorite of his a year and a half later. Mom and Dad even enjoy pouring over this book with him WHENEVER he asks, and we have all learned a lot. Highly recommend this book to people of all ages!
It REALLY IS the Coolest Cross-Sections Ever!.......2004-07-17
We absolutely love this book and so glad it is in our home library. It is on our coffee table and continually poured over. I think this book will be timeless in this family. We love the detail, the layout, the insight and depth it gives on a topic in such an approachable way. Beautifully illustrated and presented. I think it deserves more than just 5 points. It is a winner.
Average customer rating:
- A definate for vehicle lovers!
- A Vroom with a View by garrie keyman
- This Is Wizzard Anni!!!
- A good book...if you're into that sort of thing like me
- Very detailed book with few missing points
|
Incredible Cross-sections of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace: The Definitive Guide to the Craft
David Reynolds ,
Richard Chasemore , and
David West Reynolds
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Film
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ASIN: 078943962X |
Amazon.com
Want to get a battle-droid's-eye view of the inside of an AAT battle tank? Care to see what Darth Maul's hiding in the trunk of his sinister-looking Sith Infiltrator? You're in luck: the crew that brought us the super-cool Star Wars Visual Dictionary and the Incredible Cross-Sections for the first movie trilogy is back. Boy wonder archaeologist-author David West Reynolds has put together another Incredible Cross-Sections guide, this time pulling apart the vehicles and vessels in Episode I: The Phantom Menace. DK has mastered the art of making Star Wars fans drool, and this latest guide is definitely state of the art, opening up everything from Naboo starfighters to Trade Federation transports.
As always, Reynolds approaches the Star Wars universe with the respect and love of a fan, putting each ship in context with his characteristic friendly but scientific style. The clean chromium lines and meticulous wiring of Queen Amidala's Royal Starship reflect the order and honor of Naboo royalty; the flowing, shell-like details on a tribubble bongo sub show off the Gungans' organic aesthetic. The best ships, of course, belong to the bad guys: you can check out the secret weapons and cloak field generator packed aboard Maul's Infiltrator (which, we learn, has an "experimental" ion engine that will later put the I-E in TIE fighters), and the Trade Federation's droid starfighter and control ship get a full giant fold-out. From the "bunker-buster" high explosive shells spit out by an AAT to the flame emitter weapon on Sebulba's podracer, this inside-out tour makes all the stops you want it to. --Paul Hughes
Book Description
Experience the Star Wars saga through the vision of DK's cross-section illustration techniques and the magic of the imagineers at Lucasfilm. All of the vehicles and space craft found in Star Wars: Episode I will be explored in precise detail. Cutaways are accompanied by informative text to not only reveal the armaments, defense capabilities, propulsion systems and all other key technological aspects of these vehicles but also give you insights into the culture of their creators. See why the Sith Infiltrator is the most dreaded craft in the Universe. Discover how many droids can be carried on a Droid Control Ship. Learn how the Naboo Queen's Starship is designed to conform to the Naboo philosophy of peaceful existence. Explore the weaponry of the Droid Starfighter and much, much more. Together with the Star Wars Episode I Visual Dictionary, these books create a definitive Star Wars Episode I reference library. Fourteen unbelievably detailed cross-section artworks, including a magnificent gatefold cutaway of the heart of the Trade Federation Invasion Fleet, as well as encyclopedic text provide the ultimate reference resource for the craft of Star Wars Episode 1. Watch the fastest Podracers in the galaxy compete for their lives, the golden Naboo N-1 Starfighter in Battle-action, the Trade Federation Landing Ship disgorging its unstoppable cargo and the awesome weaponry of the secret army's armored fighting vehicles. Discover the lethal secrets of the stealthy Sith Infiltrator, how a Gungan survives in the treacherous core of Naboo, and the eerie internal workings of the droid starfighter. Then explore the graceful aesthetics of the Naboo Queen's Royal Starship and the hidden control centers of the Trade Federation invasion fleet!
Customer Reviews:
A definate for vehicle lovers!.......2006-02-27
I always wanted to see more and to be able to look inside of the vehicles more closely, and this book provides that information (and more more) in great detail. I really like the mini illustrations of where in the vehicles that events from the movies took place, it helps to "put a name to a face".
A Vroom with a View by garrie keyman.......2004-02-26
If you've stayed up nights wondering about the inner workings of a Naboo N-1 Starfighter, or even occasionally contemplate the unconventional solid-fuel concentrate slugs that the strange society of the Neimoidian traders use to give their droid starfighters such powerful thrust, you'll want to read Star Wars Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections cover-to-cover. This handsome book - deservedly referring to its illustrations as incredible - shows us a vroom with a view; more than fourteen vrooms, in fact.
SW Episode I Incredible Cross-Sections is brought to us by the great people at Dorling Kindersly Publishing -- or DK for short - where just about any topic you might think of has already been turned into a beautifully illustrated right-brained adventure in learning. The illustrators for this masterpiece are Hans Jenssen and Richard Chasemore, arguably the two artists with the best job available in that field this side of Alpha Centauri.
Jenssen, who specializes in technical art, especially machines, lives in England but claims to spend his vacations on Tatooine (no accounting for taste in vacation spots) where he has been known to engage in "moderately disreputable pursuits (he goes all the way to Tatooine for that?)." Chasemore has worked as an illustrator in both the U.S. and Europe on a great variety of projects, one of which was another collaboration with Jenssen: DK's Star Wars: Incredible Cross Sections featuring intergalactic vroom-vrooms previously made famous by the vision makers at Lucasfilms. Chasemore says he enjoys "perilous sports involving boards and high velocities (now, maybe he's the one who should check-out Tatooine).
Rounding out the gifted team taking us on intricate tours of Gungan Subs, Podracers, Coruscant taxis and Republic Cruisers, is Dr. David West Reynolds who earned his PhD in archeology at the University of Michigan. His background as a lecturer, veteran of field expeditions on three continents and as an author of scientific archeological publications should make one thing perfectly clear: you don't have to be a dullard denizen of the local mall scene to be a StarWars fan. If his background doesn't make it perfectly clear, the intellectual acuity of his copy will.
This must-have addition to the shelf of any die-hard StarWars fan is equally enjoyable to tot and teen as to tottering sage. It's a picture-book nonpareil or a detailed account of mid-power repulsorlifts and hydrostatic bubble projector units (if you do more than look at the pictures). It's even a trivia-hunter's true treasure. For instance (be honest now), did you know any of the names of Anakin's co-contenders for the Boonta Eve Podrace? Sure, you say - Sebulba. But anybody knows that! True buffs will want this book so they can win rounds of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit with answers like Ark "Bumpy" Roose, Teemto Pagalies, and the ever-impressive Clegg Holdfast.
If you like schematics (or even the word schematics - it's such a great one, isn't it?) you're going to want to pour over this book like hot fudge on a sundae. Featured is a dual fold-out center page affording a panoramic view of the Trade Federation's Droid Control Ship. The resultant artistry of this and the other detailed drawings was generated when the DK team worked directly with the film production art department at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch, mapping out the anatomy of each craft as it was being created. This book comes from the source, folks: from the source ... of the Force.
My ten-year-old loves taking turns with me reading sections of this book aloud and I can almost see his gray matter expanding (hasn't hurt his imagination too much, either) while we huddle by the lamplight. Only problem I'm left with now is what to do with all these detailed schematics of his own left lying about the house - outlandishly labeled creations from foreign worlds contemplating an invasion of Earth, no doubt. Hmm. Maybe I should call George Lucas.
This Is Wizzard Anni!!!.......2003-09-11
This edition is devoted to the Spaceships and Craft from The Phantom Menace.
As with Star Wars Cross Sections it is very well detailed and even better with todays print technology. Great for children and first generation Star Wars fans alike.
A good book...if you're into that sort of thing like me.......2002-06-22
I wouldn't call this the greatest technical book of all times. I wouldn't be suprised if this book wasn't nominated for any kind of award. But Episode 1: Incredible Cross-sections is captivating enough to stand on its own. I enjoyed it because I got to look through the insides of some of the film's most enigmatic ships and vessels like Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator and the Gungan Bongo. It's good for those who were still puzzled about the ships after the end of the film.
Very detailed book with few missing points.......2002-06-01
One of the missing points is the Chancellor ship which appeared in the movie and it was not displayed in this book.
It is more complete than the former book, even considering it is only for one movie and the other is for all three.
Other missing point is the lack of a picture of the ship without the cross-section. It is important to compare.
I recommend.
Customer Reviews:
Color Theory made easy.......2006-07-08
This is a good referance material for comprehensive study of colors. I find it very useful when I have to use complementary colors and choosing colors from different brands. The author did in deepth study on how to mixing different colors with various outcome. It helps me a great deal to choose the colors I want to use in my paintings.
For Watercolor painters only ;(.......2006-07-07
Because watercolor colours name's aren't the same as acrylic and oil, it just doesn't make sense at all to me, and to say "made easy" I didn't think so, but i'm sure it's a great book for watercolorists!
An indispensable book on color theory.......2006-05-26
Combined with Michael Wilcox's book, "Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green," this book will help make sense of the enormous number of colors available to the watercolor artist today. Many watercolor artists recommend specific colors just because they've been using them for years, or they confuse the issue by trying to talk about staining versus non-staining, opaque versus transparent, granulating versus non-granulating. Those are all important qualities to know about a paint, but even more basic to that is what color it is and how it will mix with other colors. If you understand the color theory presented in this book and in Michael Wilcox's book, then you will be quite capable of creating a wide range of quite satisfactory colors from just a few well-chosen basics. (Not that you have to stick with just a few basics.)
What I found particularly valuable in this book is that the ideas *work.* I am not so sure about his theory about *why* they work, but the fact is that they do. The information in this book both overlaps to some extent and is complementary to Mr. Wilcox's book, so I highly recommend that you get both books. Between the two, you will have enough grounding in sound, applicable color mixing procedures that you will be able to confidently mix any two colors you want and have a very good idea what you will get as a result.
Great theory book!!!.......2005-09-01
I just finish the book. i am not a painter but this book gave the basic, and more, theory on colors and how to use them.
I study graphics and design in computers and today I can select colors and understand why i was selected them.
this book belong to all of those that want to know how to understand colors and how, for instanse, to make a deap design or how to manipulate your color in the artwork.
use this book!
Excellent book.......2003-08-09
This book teaches correct color theory and gives a great deal of useful information. The scientific explanation of cyan, magent, and yellow being the primary colors is very convincing and makes a lot of sense. There's a lot of practical information in this book. I don't know if there are any better color theory books, but at least this book is a good one and not a waste of money like Quiller's book, "Color Choices."
Book Description
For anyone, young or old, who has ever wondered, how do they make those?-here is an entertaining, illustrated exploration of the process behind the manufacture of everyday items.
What are bulletproof vests made of? How do they get lipstick into the tube? How much brass does it take to make a trumpet? The answers-and so much more fascinating information-can be found in HOW THINGS ARE MADE, a behind-the-machine look at everyday objects of all kinds, from guitars, helicopters, and compact discs to lawn mowers, running shoes, and chocolate.
Each page of HOW THINGS ARE MADE features informative, step-by-step text along with detailed illustrations, diagrams, and sidebars to tell the stories behind the things we sometimes take for granted but often wonder about. Did you know that Edison didn't really invent the light bulb? Or that the first bar code was on a pack of Wrigley Spearmint gum? Find out these answers and much more in HOW THINGS ARE MADE, which has a cover made of real denim with a pocket.
Customer Reviews:
A book about how some things are made.......2007-06-28
As the title of this book said, this hardback book contains many items and how they are/were made. The book does not contain every item in the world, but the ones the author chose to explain were fun to read.
PS: ...The book's cover is just amazing! The heavy-duty cover is made from thick denim with a pocket in the front. So, if you are giving this book as a gift, and the information does not impress, then the cover sure will.
Simple minded.......2007-01-20
Lots of interesting explanations. Poor pictures. Total lack of detail to make room for quantity. Cute but no big deal. To the point of boring.
interesting and informative.......2006-08-02
Excellent reading - easy to read a little, stop and come back (like read a section before bed at night) Answers a lot of question in an understandable way!
For the enquiring mind.......2004-01-02
If you enjoy learning about how things are made and how they work, then you will find this book a treasure trove of information. It goes beyond the more elementary "How Things Work" series, because it also covers the history, manufacture, materials, quality control, future evolution, and additional reading for many common household and technical objects. Behind its clever denim jeans pocket-clad cover, the book presents an alphabetical arrangement of items from airbags to zippers, including pencils, salsa, tires, helicopters, compact discs, lightbulbs, and many more.
Besides the basic information mentioned above, there are sidebars and boxes containing additional fascinating facts about the products. Here are some examples:
- The YKK symbol you see on most zippers stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, the manufacturer of most zippers since 1939.
- The "pearl" in pearlized nail polish is actually produced from small pieces of fish scales and skin.
- A guitar craftsman is known as a "luthier."
- The largest consumer of rubber bands in the world is the U.S. Post Office.
Not only is this a valuable reference for specific items you want to learn about, but you will enjoy opening it at random for the pleasure of discovering something new about something very ordinary.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting.......2006-11-07
An interesting if not biased look at the life (and art?) of Roger Corman. Essential reading for low-budget filmmaking.
Very interesting read for pop culture, film and business buffs.......2006-06-24
I'm not sure of how I happened upon this biography, but I'm glad I did. I'm not particularly a Roger Corman fan, having seen perhaps three or four of his films without really noticing that Corman had a part in their making.
Corman's life is interesting. Not only was he probably the most successful independent filmaker in history, he was also mentor and first-chance for many of today's leading producers, directors, writers and stars.
Remarkably down to earth and honest, Corman admits that his life has not been totally fulfilling: like many successful people, success is never enough - there's always one more challenge down the road and more than one challenge left unexplored in the past.
Corman engages in some, but not deep, analysis of his films, explains his evolving political philosophy and provides snippets that from another author might be construed as name-dropping. But Corman was there and it's his interactions with these people he's talking about, so it's not in the least obnoxious.
Above all, the value of Corman's book may not be to film buffs, but to business people, especially small scale entrepreneurs. Corman's management methods and his approach to filmaking were true nose-to-the-grindstone. He knew his market; he studied his market; he created his product to appeal to his market and he kept costs down to a minimum in order to reduce his risk of loss.
Quite a guy and his biography is worth the couple of hours it takes to read it.
Jerry
You'll Understand Corman Better.......2005-06-26
To this day, I haven't seen one Corman film I've liked. Still, this book is a nice look into the world of low-budget producing. It gave me the opportunity to truly understand my disdain for Corman and AIP.
Most of the book focuses on three or four of the productions Corman is most proud of. I would have preferred him spending additional time on his more obscure films. Teenage Caveman only gets a paragraph or two written about it.
A documentary would have been a more appropriate format for this material than a book. It would have been much shorter that way at the very least. Then again, Corman always had a knack for dragging things out in his films. Ever seen Swamp Diamonds?
The main theme of the book seems to be, "Yeah, Corman's films were bad, but he did pretty good for what he had." That doesn't take away the fact that they're bad films. Don't watch them unless you have a high threshold of pain.
Roger Corman, John Waters & Jack E. Jett.......2003-11-18
i love this book. i love this man. i love what he has done with very little money and some big....imagination. i love women, cereal, movies, and water. and i love roger corman too.
cinemajohn
for
the jack e. jett show
Good book from the king of Trash.......2003-11-12
First, this is really a 1990 book, and all information pertains to 1988 and prior. I enjoy exploitation films and this book adds to my enjoyment. Many films today are boring and darkly filmed. Just a bunch of special effects done on a computer. It's nice to know that many of Roger Corman films are still available. Maybe not at you local Wal Mart, but they do appear on TV occasionally. This book provides information to further my appreciation of what Roger Corman was able to accomplish during his life-time. Well through 1988, anyway.
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