History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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.

Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity

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Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity
Elizabeth Wilson
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0813533333

Book Description

When Adorned in Dreams was first published in 1985, Angela Carter described the book as "the best I have read on the subject, bar none." From haute couture to haberdashery, "deviant" dress to Dior, Elizabeth Wilson traces the social and cultural history of fashion and its complex relationship to modernity. She also discusses fashion's vociferous opponents, from the "dress reform" movement to certain strands of feminism. Wilson delights in the power of fashion to mark out identity or subvert it. This brand new edition of her book follows recent developments to bring the story of fashionable dress up to date, exploring the grunge look inspired by bands like Nirvana, the "boho chic" of the mid 90's, retro-dressing, and the meanings of dress from the veil to soccer player David Beckham's pink-varnished toenails.

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Top-Hats, Half-Moons, and the Painful Glint of Changes
Let's See by Clare M.
A Filial Memoir
Irritating narrative, badly written book
A good book, because it is a true story.

Bound Feet & Western Dress: A Memoir
Pang-Mei Chang
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385479646
Release Date: 1997-09-15

Amazon.com

When Chang Yu-I was three her mother tried to bind her feet. But the child's cries so tormented her brother that he convinced their mother to stop. This break with convention foreshadowed the extraordinary life Yu-i was to lead. After following her husband, poet Hsu Chi-Mo, a noted philanderer, to Oxford, she made history by becoming the first Chinese woman to have a western-style divorce at age 22. Determined to make her own way, she moved to America and served in a series of prestigious positions, including president of a bank. Written by Yu-i's great niece, Pang-Mei Natasha Chang, Bound Feet and Western Dress chronicles the life of this exceptional woman.

Book Description

"In China, a woman is nothing."

Thus begins the saga of a woman born at the turn of the century to a well-to-do, highly respected Chinese family, a woman who continually defied the expectations of her family and the traditions of her culture. Growing up in the perilous years between the fall of the last emperor and the Communist Revolution, Chang Yu-i's life is marked by a series of rebellions: her refusal as a child to let her mother bind her feet, her scandalous divorce, and her rise to Vice President of China's first women's bank in her later years.

In the alternating voices of two generations, this dual memoir brings together a deeply textured portrait of a woman's life in China with the very American story of Yu-i's brilliant and assimilated grandniece, struggling with her own search for identity and belonging. Written in pitch-perfect prose and alive with detail, Bound Feet and Western Dress is the story of independent women struggling to emerge from centuries of customs and duty.

Customer Reviews:

Top-Hats, Half-Moons, and the Painful Glint of Changes.......2007-07-17

Change can be a frightening affair, and looking back at change can be something that seems almost alien when beheld in the light of certain convictions. That seems to encapsulate the whole of the experience that Chang Yu-I talks about as she tries to explain something of who she is to her granddaughter, Pang-Mei, and it is one of the things that seemed to haunt me as a reader as I listened to Yu-I's tale. The chapters switch from Yu-I to Pang-Mei to give you and idea of how things have changed and to try to identify one person with the other, and I have to say that I found myself glued to the pages and not able to stop reading this book. At first I simply thought it was a story about a granddaughter wanting to explore her grandmother's life because she was the first person to have a Western-style divorce in China, and maybe that was her reason beginning the book. Still, the book goes well beyond that and touches on the dynamics of change and strength and how strong a person can be even when they think they are at their weakest.

Honestly, I thought I could vicariously feel my heart cracking under the weight of some of Yu-I's confessions, amazed by some of the things she was able to tell her granddaughter.

One of the best things about this tale is the detail that Yu-I goes into about China, and about the way things were seen in the past versus the way things became seen as war loomed on the horizon. Yu-I gives a great amount of detail about what it was like to be a child in a country like China, and she vividly recollects what its like to have one's feet bound and the reasons why this practice took place. All that breaking and rebreaking, the tying of the big toe over and over again; when I read this I cringed because it seemed so debilitating just to have a crescent-shape added to the foot. Furthering this are pictures in the book, showing what the feet actually look like when this happens - you can see the shriveled remains of feet that look almost mummified, and you can tell some of the extremes that went into making a foot look like that. Yu-I talks about the pain that's she, herself, experienced because of this practice, too; she tells her granddaughter about being three and having her mother try to bind her feet, and then talks about the torment of those moments and how it was her brother that made her stop this because he couldn't deal with her suffering. Yu-I goes on to tell of the pain that this caused her, too, with her always feeling as if she were ugly because she had "big feet" and "big feet" made a person almost untouchable when it comes to marriage. Still, she does marry the poet Hsu Chi-Mo and, for a time, she thinks this is perfect and learns the rites of being a wife. She cares for the mother-in-law, she takes care of the husband's family; basically she becomes a slave and thinks that this dedication is seem by her husband as love. It is only when she moves to a foreign country with her husband that she finds out what he is like and how she is alone, and when she understands that she is utterly abandoned she explains how it feels to want to die.

There are other painful things in the book, too, things I can't disclose without messing up part of the tale, but I can say that when she is in Germany and loses something more dear to her than anything that this was devastating to read, making the book almost too heavy to pick up because its honesty was like a barb in the soul. I appreciated that, to be honest, and can say that I have read a lot of pieces of literature but that I have rarely encountered a person like Yu-I that both loves the world she lives in, understands the things that she has experienced, and even knows what forgiveness is like.
While this normally would not be something I would recommend, it has my highest recommendation and the most humble form of respect I can give, thinking it an enduring read that really has something to say.
I cannot give the book or the voice behind it enough praise.

Let's See by Clare M........2006-12-13

Bound Feet and Western Dress by Pang-Mei Natasha Chang is about a young girl who has a unique relationship with her great aunt, Chang Yu-i. She first meets her great aunt in 1874, at a family dinner. Chang Yu-i had just come to New York after having lived in China, and then Hong Kong. Several family members had come to these dinners in the past, but this was the first time Pang-Mei had met her great aunt. Pang-Mei explains how the family refers to Chang Yu-i as "half man" because of her strength and persistence. Pang-Mei grew closer to her great aunt as time passed, but she still knew very little about her. She first discovered some of Chang Yu-i's secrets while studying Chinese History at Harvard University. She learned that her great aunt had been married to a well-known romantic poet in China, as well as issued the first "real divorce" in Chinese History. After Pang-Mei learned of this, she asked Chang Yu-i about it at once. Her great aunt told her hundreds of stories about her life in China eventually unraveling over a long period of time. Pang-Mei and Chang Yu-i build a strong relationship together and learn about each other, as well as themselves. Pang-Mei comes to love and grasp the heritage she once tried to hide and Chang Yu-i understands herself better after having told her own stories. They are finally brought together even closer by a major phenomenon that takes place in the end.
I found Bound Feet and Western Dress to be rather tedious. Personally, I find books that dives right into the plot to be the most enjoyable. Bound Feet and Western Dress eased slowly into the excitement. However, I found this book be written with great enthusiasm and detail. Pang-Mei Natasha Chang used delightful details that gave me a perfect picture of the context. On Page 9, Chang Yu-i tells her grand niece about the strict rules she grew up with, "Chinese paintings required admiration form above, Baba said, explaining that the perspective of Chinese paintings differed from Western ones. The best paintings were only hung when your grandfather, Eighth Brother, and I cleaned them, passing tiny feather dusters over the surface of the rice paper. Of all the children, you grandfather and I were the two that Baba allowed near his paintings, and her would hover behind us as we worked, explaining the genius behind a musty mountain landscape or historical portrait." This excerpt shows the details the author used to represent her great aunt's stories.
The stories of Chang Yu-i told were also extremely touching. Not only did they paint a precise image in my mind of her life but were also genuine. For instance, when she was telling of her childhood and growing up with her large family her descriptions were beautifully written and conveyed. I loved hearing of her two favorite brothers personalities and what each of them gave her. I fully understood her thoughts and joy while talking about her brothers.
Generally, I think Bound Feet and Western Dress is a thoughtful and well-written book. It is historical and educating as well as a good read. I would suggest it be read.

A Filial Memoir.......2005-06-20

From what I've read about Chinese culture, the ties that bind a family together are one of its strongest and most enforced traditions. "Bound Feet and Western Dress" is an interesting memoir for the fact that it does not read like a memoir at all. It is the story of a great-aunt told to her great-niece, who mixes in her own observations about her aunt's life and her experience as a Chinese-American among her narrative.

"Bound Feet and Western Dress" tells the story of the author's great-aunt, Chang Yu-i. Born in 1900, Yu-i was the first woman in her family to refuse to have her feet bound. Despite being modern in this aspect, she is stunted and traditional in her upbringing, her education, and the way she acts in her first marriage. She is famous for having perhaps the first "modern" divorce in China and is determined to make it on her own from that point on. No one in her family truly knows her story until her great-niece asks her to tell it.

What passes between the two of them may not be a ground-breaking, fascinating story but is rather a quiet reflection on growing up in a changing time. Yu-i struggles through a great majority of her life to be both modern and traditional, to do what is 'right and expected' and to do what she wanted to do. She is an inspiration to her great-niece, a first generation Chinese-American who feels at home with neither nationality. The intersections of the author's remembrances of past encumbrances fit nicely with Yu-i's struggle to bridge the past with the new. "Bound Feet and Western Dress" offers a poignant look at the role that women have played in China and how they are defining themselves today.

Irritating narrative, badly written book.......2005-04-04

The idea was good but Natasha simply didn't have the talent to put it in written and understandable text. She switches all the time the "I", got me confused about who she was talking about, her or her aunt.She mixed both stories, suddenly she wants to explains her "great destiny" (narcissism) at the same time as she tells the strory about her great aunt. Those second, third, fourth, xth brother's wife, sister, uncles, all irritating narrative. I really tried to like the story, to pick and read and just gave me headaches trying to figure it out whose story she is talking. Go back to school. I don't know how the editor accepts this kind of book to be published, need a lot of editing. Maybe someone in the publishing house is her relative.

A good book, because it is a true story........2004-04-05

I enjoyed the auuthor's simple writing style. The story is about a woman who decides whether or not to make her own life, or allow it to be decided for her. The best thing about this book, is that it is a true story. The book was fast reading, and very inspirational. I would reccommend it.

Splendid Slippers: A Thousand Years of an Erotic Tradition

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Fascinating Book
Haunting and Beautiful
really lovely volume
Beautiful Photography
All my questions about the custom of footbinding were answered.

Splendid Slippers: A Thousand Years of an Erotic Tradition
Beverley Jackson
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898159571

Product Description

Splendid Slippers is an aesthetic and deep exploration of the facts and the fiction surrounding this fascinating and little-studied erotic custom. Beverly Jackson details the 1,000-year history, the necessary surgery and two-year process, the shoes and embroidery, as well as comparisons with other cultures. WIth elegant full color photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Book.......2007-05-20

After reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I had to learn more about foot binding and the slippers...wonderful book and the pictures are amazing.

Haunting and Beautiful.......2006-09-06

Like most Westerners, I am both horrified and fascinated by the Chinese tradition of footbinding. I found this book to be an excellent source of images and history, and cultural context of this rite of passage for Chinese girls. I appreciated that this book is written in a neutral voice, allowing the reader to explore the many meanings of footbinding, rather than simply condemning it as an abhorrant practice.

really lovely volume.......2006-03-14

A stunningly visual book, with wonderful pictures and lots of historical information. Enjoy!

Beautiful Photography.......2006-03-01

This is just a gorgeous book. I bought it to use in a class that I taught on culture. It has great "shock" value in terms of educating students about the power of culture over physical circumstances and "voluntary" body alteration. I do have an appreciation for the craftsmanship of the tiny slippers as well.
Lovely.

All my questions about the custom of footbinding were answered........2005-11-30

Subtitled "A Thousand Years of an Erotic Tradition", this 1997 book measures 10" by 10" square. On the cover is a photograph of more than two dozen authentic shoes which were handmade for the tiny bound feet of Chinese women.

I've always been interested in learning more about this custom, and this book clearly explains every single thing I've ever wanted to know. The author is an American photojournalist whose travels often took her to China. Often, she would find some of these tiny shoes in a market and started collecting them. She also did a lot of historical research and interviewed many elderly Chinese women who still can remember the details of their childhood foot binding. Some of them even allowed her to photograph their bare misshapen feet.

Foot binding has been outlawed in China since the Communist revolution. Women born after this time grow up with normal feet. But before 1949, little girls had to endure a painful childhood. It must have been awful but people really believed that if this wasn't done, the young girl would have no chance of getting a husband. Indeed, this was true. Marriages were arranged and the future mother-in-law would insist on seeing a shoe that the girl had embroidered. If the shoe was very small, it would be understood that the girl could withstand pain. If the embroidery was good, it would prove that the girl was well disciplined. The men also wanted wives with bound feet. Not only did it reflect on the man's wealth and standing in the community but it was also an erotic turn-on.

They say that one picture is worth a thousand words, and this book certainly proves it. There are many pictures of the tiny shoes and of the women wearing them. I was impressed by the complexity of the workmanship and their startling beauty. But the most moving of all were the photos of the bare feet themselves. Looking at them gave me a sick and uncomfortable feeling.

I loved this book because it opened my mind to a culture that is very foreign to me. It made me understand exactly what these women's lives had been for more than ten centuries. Yes, I was saddened. But I was also enlightened. I learned something. And that made this book very worthwhile.

This is a beautiful book. I highly recommend it. But it is certainly not for the squeamish.

Screen Style: Fashion and Femininity in 1930s Hollywood

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An outstanding contribution to fashion & cinema history.

Screen Style: Fashion and Femininity in 1930s Hollywood
Sarah Berry
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0816633126

Book Description

Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich-all were icons of beauty and glamour in 1930s Hollywood. Screen Style reveals the impact of celebrities like these on women filmgoers, looking beyond the surface of the films and fashions of the era-often described as forms of escapism from the difficult realities of the Depression-to show how Hollywood presented women with models for self-determination during a time of rapid social change. Revealing the public and cinematic fascination with the strong-willed women featured in so many movies-ambitious gold diggers, career-minded working girls, social climbers, dangerous androgynous females, and other exotics-Sarah Berry presents a lively look at films, fan magazines, and advertising of that time.

Sarah Berry writes on film, media, and cultural studies and designs interactive multimedia projects. She teaches film studies at Portland State University.

Customer Reviews:

An outstanding contribution to fashion & cinema history........2000-06-04

This survey of women's fashion issues in 1930s Hollywood provides a fine social history of 1930s film style, survey the impact of female celebrities on fashion and showing how Hollywood used actresses as models during a time of social change. Screen Style explores changes in fashion marketing approaches during the 1930s and is a recommended pick for students of fashion history.

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Smart, beautiful, and interesting
The ins and outs of corsetry.
Please tell me...
in depth history
corset history

The Corset: A Cultural History
Valerie Steele
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300090714

Book Description

The corset is probably the most controversial garment in the history of fashion. Although regarded as an essential element of fashionable dress from the Renaissance into the twentieth century, the corset was also frequently condemned as an instrument of torture and the cause of ill health. Why did women continue to don steel and whalebone corsets for four hundred years? And why did they finally stop? This lavishly illustrated book offers fascinating and often surprising answers to these questions. Valerie Steele, one of the world’s most respected fashion historians, explores the cultural history of the corset, demolishing myths about this notorious garment and revealing new information and perspectives on its changing significance over the centuries.

Whereas most historians have framed the history of the corset in terms of oppression vs. liberation and fashion vs. health and comfort, Steele contends that women’s experiences of corsetry varied considerably and cannot be fully understood within these narrow frames. Drawing on extensive research in textual, visual, and materials sources, the author disproves the beliefs that the corset was dangerously unhealthy and was designed primarily for the oppression of women. Women persisted in wearing corsets—despite powerful male authorities trying to dissuade them—because corsetry had positive connotations of social status, self-discipline, youth, and beauty. In the twentieth century the garment itself fell out of fashion but, Steele points out, it has become internalized as women replace the boned corset with diet, exercise, and plastic surgery. The book concludes with insightful analyses of such recent developments as the reconception of the corset as a symbol of rebellion and female sexual empowerment, the revival of the corset in contemporary high fashion, and its transformation from an item of underwear to outerwear.

Customer Reviews:

Smart, beautiful, and interesting.......2007-05-18

Steele's books all feature informative text and beautiful pictures. In "The Corset", she discusses this mysterious undergarment and dispels myths, explains sociological and feminist aspects of it, and looks at controversies surrounding it throughout time.

Steele discusses fashion from so many perspectives: class, gender, art, sexuality, medical, historical, and anthropological, and she does so with insight and clarity. Tracing its antecedents and moving to contemporary times, Steele outlines its influences on fashion and society.

For anyone interested in deeply understanding this beautiful and controversial garment, Steele is the author to read. She merges the world of fashion with academia. This book is fascinating and insightful!

The ins and outs of corsetry........2006-06-28

A great history of the corset, for both men and women. A must read for anyone interested in the history of costume.

Please tell me..........2004-10-14

Theonly problem with this book I would have to say is that the dress on the cover is amazing so amazing I can't find anyone anywhere! If you can in some way help me to get a dress like that one or find that on. I have prom coming up and that dress is amazing I would do anything to get that dress, thanks for reading this and your book is great!

in depth history.......2003-09-11

Love the book!! Its a must have for any corset lover! Detailed history and pictures.

corset history.......2002-05-10

I found this book to not only be informative about the origin of corsets, but beautifully illustrated with period photographs and poetry concerning corsets throughout the centuries.
I am very pleased with this book!
Melissa Hawes.

Sexing La Mode: Gender, Fashion and Commercial Culture in Old Regime France

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Sexing La Mode: Gender, Fashion and Commercial Culture in Old Regime France
Jennifer M. Jones
Manufacturer: Berg Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1859738354
Release Date: 2004-09-23

Book Description

The connection between fashion, femininity, frivolity and Frenchness has become a clicheacute;. Yet, relegating fashion to the realm of frivolity and femininity is a distinctly modern belief that developed along with the urban culture of the Enlightenment. In eighteenth-century France, a commercial culture filled with shop girls, fashion magazines and window displays began to supplant a courtly fashion culture based on rank and distinction, stimulating debates over the proper relationships between women and commercial culture and between morality and taste. The story of how "la mode" was "sexed" as feminine offers compelling insights into the political, economic and cultural tensions that marked the birth of modern commercial culture. Jones examines men's and women's relation to fashion at this time, looking at both consumption and production to show the origins of the idea of shopping and fashion as specifically feminine.

English Women's Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations

Average customer rating:

DEFINITIVE REFERENCE
A good resource for historical costumes for reenactors
English Women's Clothing in the 19th Century
Overall, I was very pleased with this book.
A bit too broad-based

English Women's Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations
C. Willett Cunnington
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Textile & Costume | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0486263231

Book Description

Remarkably thorough illustrated overview based on rare period photographs, periodicals, other contemporary sources. Description and information about hundreds of fashions: morning dresses, riding outfits, carriage costumes, evening dresses, bridal gowns, more. Also millinery, footwear, underclothing, other apparel. 891 black-and-white line illustrations. 226 halftones. Bibliography. 3 glossaries.

Customer Reviews:

DEFINITIVE REFERENCE.......2006-08-13

While this book was originally published in the 1930's, it has stood the test of time to become a definitive reference on the subject of 19th-century women's fashion, from the beginning of the Napoleonic/Regency era right into the early years of the Edwardian period. The text is exhaustive, delving into the smallest details (which can sometimes be the most important) of every feature of feminine costume from year to year, and features extensive sidebars on such things as underclothes and headgear. Since I run a website devoted to glove fashion and history, I particularly appreciated the attention given to gloves (which were so much a key - indeed, mandatory - accessory of women's clothing throughout the century that women would often even go to bed wearing gloves!). The hundreds of illustrations are a mix of first-class original work and authentic period illustrations. Since this is a reprint, there are no color illustrations (which are mentioned in the text), but this is a minor flaw. Anyone who has any interest at all in 19th-century women's clothing needs to make this book a basic part of their reference library.

A good resource for historical costumes for reenactors.......2005-10-30

I bought this book a few years ago and I found it very helpful. The information is presented in an interesting way.

The photographs are period black and white photographs. Color photography did not exist at the time the photos were taken.

The black and white drawings are detailed and beautiful.

English Women's Clothing in the 19th Century.......2005-08-30

This is an excellent book to give an accurate picture of clothing worn in the 19th century for a variety of occasions. Also very useful is the information on fabrics used, hat styles, hairstyles, etc. Easy to find the information for different decades. This is an excellent book for individuals trying to create authentic reproduction Victorian fashions.

Overall, I was very pleased with this book........2004-05-02

I am not a costumer. I am simply a person who is interested in 19th century British history. This book is a fabulous reference and definitely worth the $20 I paid for it.

I was disappointed at the lack of color. The photographs (recent ones only, of course) and fashion plates were in black and white.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in women's 19th century British fashion.

A bit too broad-based.......2000-05-02

I really like this book! The pictures are beautiful, as are the descriptions. Unfortunately, it doesn't neccesarily help me out! I wanted it for a research book on costume, but there are so many years and styles covered that it doesn't give me many specifics. If used in conjunction with another costume book, or if the buyer is just interested in general costume, it's fine. If the buyer is looking for something more detailed and specific, try another book!

Dressed for the Occasion: What Americans Wore 1620-1970 (People's History)

Average customer rating:

Dressed for the Occasion: What Americans Wore 1620-1970 (People's History)
Brandon Marie Miller
Manufacturer: Lerner Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0822517388

Average customer rating:

There might be a generational gap here but the book explains it very well
more than meets the eye
Charming, poignant memoir
It's how we remember
LOVE THIS BOOK!

Love, Loss, and What I Wore
Ilene Beckerman
Manufacturer: Algonquin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1565121112

Book Description

Just as a familiar old song can bring into focus an event from the past, so for Gingy Beckerman, the clothes in her closet are like a magic key opening a door to the past. From her Brownie uniform to her Diane von Furstenburg wrap dress and her Rita Hayworth-style strapless from the Neiman Marcus outlet store, each outfit in LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE tells its own story. All together, they tell the story of a life. "A memoir every reader will wish to copy in her own size."--Glamour. Now in its 4th printing. Over 103,000 copies in print.

Customer Reviews:

There might be a generational gap here but the book explains it very well.......2007-08-14

Delightfully wacky little book deliciously decorated. Even though I'm a male I loved the book and its many drawing/paintings of clothing and other things. It is interesting to know how the book came about and how its author was writing about her life for her children and using her creative ability to show them how her life was growing up.

I learned of the book when reading Jane Smiley's book: "13 Ways of Looking at the Novel" and thought her comments interesting enough to buy the book and read it. And I enjoyed it very much. I recommend "Love, Loss and what I Wore" to everyone regardless of gender.

more than meets the eye.......2007-07-28

This is a remarkable book!

It is so modest and charming that it takes a while before it sinks in that it is also PROFOUND!! Clothes are no obsession of mine, yet for whatever reason we women do remember what we wore at life's pivotal moments. Who knows why? Anyway I've given this to many friends -- the perfect gift for when you don't quite know how to say what you mean--especially at times of love and loss--those creeping up birthdays, job losses, divorces, breakups and so on and so on and so on. It works for the light moments and the heavy ones, too. The artwork is absolutely lovely! A little jewel!

Buy it for yourself, with an extra one for a friend. You'll find it will quickly come in handy.

Charming, poignant memoir.......2006-11-10

I had picked this book up and put it back down several times when I saw it at the book store. I am glad I finally bought it! It is an interesting idea, and one that I am sure many of us can identify with: a memoir built on memories of certain beloved items of clothing. Ilene Beckerman had an interesting childhood and has had a varied life as an adult. Obviously, her talents lie more in writing than in drawing--the sketches of the clothing are rather simple,but she does manage to convey what she felt like wearing each outfit. It doesn't take very long to read, and if read in one sitting you get quite a sense of her life. Sometimes funny, sometimes quite bittersweet, but always entertaining.

It's how we remember.......2006-03-22

I, like most of my women friends I've talked to, including my mother and my sisters, shape memories and moments based on the clothes we were wearing at the time.

I bought this book in 1995 when it was first published and have referred to it several times over the years for inspiration and support. I found it in the "Self-Help" section of the bookstore.

This little book does as good a job as anything I've read, at getting in a woman's head. Clothes are how we remember. Wearing our favorite clothes or shoes or carrying our favorite handbag gives us confidence and helps us cope.

For a while, I kept a diary of drawings of outfits whenever I'd want to remember an important event. Ask me what I was wearing when I held my niece for the first time (navy blue A-line Liz Claiborne dress) or when I went to my first job interview out of college (a polka-dot suit I called The Stewardess) or the night I was first kissed by the love of my life (a shirt that said "Keep On Truckin" in glitter... heh).

A good friend's mother passed away a few months ago, and I bought a copy for her, since Ms. Beckerman mentions the death of her own mother. She also mentions marriages, divorces, babies, and career successes, and most importantly, what she wore.

It makes a great gift for any woman. Or for yourself.

LOVE THIS BOOK!.......2005-08-28

If I could, I would give this book more than 5 stars. What a clever idea to recall onel's life by remembering the outfits worn. Loved the delightful illustrations. Beckerman is a unqiue and talented writer/illustrator. Thanks for the memories!

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