Average customer rating:
- Great for the collector
- Very Good Book
- All the Playmates in one book...
- Once a Playmate, Always a Playmate
- Excellent Collection of Five Decades of Beautiful Women
|
The Playmate Book: Six Decades Of Centerfolds
Gretchen Edgren
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Erotic Photography
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Portraits
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Nudes
| Subjects
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Popular Culture
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Playboy: Fifty Years : The Photographs
-
Playboy: The Celebrities
-
Playboy: Brunettes
-
Playboy: Helmut Newton
-
100 Naked Girls
ASIN: 3822848247 |
Book Description
Beloved Bunnies In celebration of Playboy magazine's 50th anniversary, TASCHEN brings you this ultimate Playboy Playmate tribute featuring each and every Playmate of the Month since issue number one. Beginning with Marilyn Monroe herself and including such favorites as Pamela Anderson, Anna Nicole Smith, and Jenny McCarthy, this chronological look at the history of Playboy centerfolds includes photos of the Playmates as well as updated personal information about their lives to this day - just enough to spark your memory or pique your interest and surely leaving you yearning for more...
Hugh Marston Hefner was born in Chicago on April 9, 1926. The first issue of Playboy magazine, featuring the now-famous calendar photo of Marilyn Monroe, was produced in 1953 on a card table in his South Side apartment. Playboy grew at a phenomenal rate and by the end of the decade, the magazine was selling more than a million copies a month. At the start of the Sixties, Hef began to live out the "Good Life" depicted in the pages of his publication. He hosted a popular syndicated television show called Playboy's Penthouse, purchased the Playboy Mansion, and opened the first Playboy Club on the Near North Side of Chicago. Throughout the Sixties, Hef and Playboy became what Chicago columnist Bob Greene has called "a force of nature." Hef wrote an extended series of editorials titled "The Playboy Philosophy," championing the rights of the individual and challenging the country's heritage of puritan repression. By 1971, when Playboy Enterprises went public, the magazine was selling 7 million copies a month and there were 23 Playboy Clubs, resorts, hotels and casinos with more than 900,000 members worldwide. Hef established a second residence in Los Angeles, which quickly became known as Playboy Mansion West, and in 1975 decided to settle there permanently. In 1980, Hef championed the reconstruction of the Hollywood sign (then in serious disrepair) and was honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame for his efforts.
Since the mid-Eighties, daughter Christie Hefner has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Playboy Enterprises, but Hef continues to serve as the magazine's editor-in-chief.
Customer Reviews:
Great for the collector.......2007-01-10
This book is the definitive collection of all the Playmates since the very begining. For the collector, or even the fan, of all things Playboy this serves as a great guide to all the beautiful women who have graced the pages of the magazine. Not only are the photos stunning, but the short-but-sweet stories of where they are now and what they've been doing since appearing make for enjoyable reading. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of the ladies and getting this book autographed is like getting your yearbook signed...by all beautiful women.
One caveat though: if you've got the previous edition (the 40th) you'll find the only change is the addition of the last ten years of Playmates.
Very Good Book.......2006-11-06
very well shot pictures&tastefully done. Playboy has always had Beautiful Women pose as Centerfolds&this Book does a very Good Job of capturing the best shots. I've always been a fan of Playboy.
All the Playmates in one book..........2006-10-15
This book starts out with pictures of Marilyn Monroe. Every playmate of the month from the fifties to Miss December 2004, have a small paragraph about where they are now or how they got into Playboy. The pictures are beautiful and tasteful.
Once a Playmate, Always a Playmate.......2004-09-29
THE PLAYMATE BOOK is a tastefully presented heavyweight coffee-table edition book which showcases every woman who appeared in PLAYBOY between 1954 (Marilyn Monroe) and 1996 (Victoria Silvstedt). The photographic quality is superb. The history of the magazine is well-documented. The book does skimp on many of the capsule biographies of the 512 beautiful women who grace these pages. The Playmates of the Year, perennial favorites such as Bettie Page and Pamela Anderson, famous Playmates such as Stella Stevens, and Playmates who met infamous ends (Jayne Mansfield, Claudia Jennings and Dorothy Stratten come to mind), are given far more coverage than the average, perhaps fairly so.
THE PLAYMATE BOOK brings humanity to these otherwise often anonymous pin-up girls, many of whom suffered social ostracism (particularly in the early days of the magazine) for daring to bare all, and shows the Playboy Playmates to be an eclectic and interesting group of women with widely divergent lifestyles. Some of their stories are wonderful, some are tragic, some involve jets, yachts and 'beautiful people' while others involve kids and picket fences. There is no one 'definitive' Playmate.
The book's greatest failing is its inability to bring it all together. More than just a "family album" THE PLAYMATE BOOK should be a social history of women over four decades, but sadly does not editorialize even briefly on "what it all means." It's a bad oversight on the part of the editors, and takes away from the finished product.
It's fun to see the evolution of the Centerfold over time, the changing styles, the increasing daring. It's also fun to find your favorite Playmate(s) and discover what she is/was doing (circa 1997). Hopefully, PLAYBOY will update this book periodically, and add new Playmates as they appear.
Excellent Collection of Five Decades of Beautiful Women.......2001-11-25
Finding your dad's stash of "Playboy" magazines is one of the rites of adolescence. Here you find 'em all! Actually, it's just one photograph of each woman who was a Playmate between the first issue and the year this book was published. This is a good collection of photographs of beautiful women. Looking at these pictures, you see why "Playboy" really is a magazine that's done in good taste. The women are presented as examples of beauty, and the brief history that accompanies each woman tells you what they've been up to since. Most of these women explain how "Playboy" changed their lives for the better. And you'll also discover how many famous women have appeared as Playmates, including Janice Pennington, Jenny McCarthy, and Pam Anderson. Keep in mind, though, that the "Playboy" lifestyle isn't for everyone, and this may not be the perfect gift for everyone.
Book Description
Colossal spectacle preserved in 128 rare, vintage photographs with concise, fact-filled text: 200 buildings — 79 of foreign governments, 38 of U.S. states — the original ferris wheel, first midway, Edison's kinetoscope, much more. 128 black-and-white photographs. Captions. Map. Index.
Customer Reviews:
Great look at the "White City".......2006-07-25
A beautiful collection of images, showing the wonders of the 1893 fair. A great look back.
Fantasy City.......2005-08-15
One book leads to another. After reading The Devil in the White City, I wanted to see the Exposition described in the book. It definitely was an amazing sight to see and this book satisfied most of that curiosity. To go one better, I might look for a book that goes even further into that time in life. The city is every bit the accomplishment as described in the afore mentioned book. Where is the America of that artful integrity, that is, to do the best that can be accomplished? Gone to disposable products including much of architecture.
Book Description
Nobody can make a building soar like the architectural photographers of Hedrich Blessing. Since 1930, they have been the world's messenger of modern architecture. Based in Chicago, the architectural photography firm has achieved an international reputation that extends far beyond its regional association, and has made them the photographers of choice for some of the greatest architects of our time. Coinciding with a major retrospective at the Chicago Historical Society, Building Images: Seventy Years of Photography at Hedrich Blessing chronicles the history of this groundbreaking firm with close to 150 dazzling shots of architectural and design masterpieces by such greats as Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Albert Kahn, Eliel Saarinen, Bruce Graham, and many more. Architectural historian and memoirist Tony Hiss contributes a lyrical, insightful essay on what makes the assiduous photographers of Hedrich Blessing rise above the rest. Building Images brings the majesty, nuance, and poetry of our era's great buildings to light with these indelible photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring Work from the Masters.......2007-01-01
If you have any desire to learn about how to photograph architecture or interior spaces, sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Sometimes they are the very best teaching aids you can use, far better than pages of technical writing, diagrams, measurements and angles. Look at the composition, the light and the color. Aside from just enjoying the beautiful photographs for what they are, you can learn a great deal from them, if that is your aim. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to know how to make compelling photographs of structures, interiors and designed spaces. You may need other books to master the technicalities of the craft if you're just beginning, but start here.
(Another great place to learn is from the work of Julius Shulman...)
Simply beautiful.......2003-12-06
There are some bodies of work that simply stand out from others. Be it style, approach, purpose, or quality, there's something that clearly puts certain groups of work above the vast majority of others. This book is such a body of work.
The images presented are commercial photographs. They were taken over a span of 70 years by different photographers, all of them doing architectural photography as a professional venture for commercial purposes. All too often it seems that people automatically assume that if something is commercially produced, it simply cannot exist on the level of other things that have been produced for the purpose of art. And unfortunately, a lot of the photography and design we come in contact with on a daily basis just reinforces this notion. However, there are certain individuals who are capable of completing a commercial venture in such a beautiful, elegant, and truly artful manner that it becomes astoundingly clear that commercial work need not be anything short of fine art. In design, we have people like Viktor Schreckengost who have proven this. In photography, there are photographers like those at Hedrich-Blessing.
I do not mean to imply that these photographers are infallible or incapable of producing work that would simply fall into a pedestrian classification. However, given the photographs in this book, it is clear that they have been able to produce a large number of photographs that are both highly communicative and visually clear, concise, and overwhelmingly elegant. Few photographers have been able to approach architecture in such a way.
The book itself does a simply wonderful job presenting these photographs. The layout, editing, text, and photographs are nearly perfect. The introduction, written by Timothy Samuelson, is wonderfully done and does an excellent job of introducing the photographs that follow. The reproductions of the photographs are gorgeous. The order is very well thought-out and the periodic sections of text that identify the photographs contain individual paragraphs about some of the photographs that provide wonderful insight into the process, the photographers, etc.
I think just about anyone could get something out of this volume. Most of all, though, I think that it's something that would be most meaningful for photographers, designers, and architects. Or anyone with a strong sense for the visual, for that matter. I don't know how many times I've spent a coupel hours just slowly going over the photographs in this book. Every time I've done so, I've gotten something different out of the images. And almost always I feel refreshed and eager to get out there and work on making better images myself (I'm a photographer).
I cannot say enough good things about this book. But given that I'm sure you probably think I've already written too much, let me just say this much more - this is a significant volume, being beautiful throughout, more than worthy of the price, and sure remain a prized part of your collection for many, many years.
70 Years of Historic Beauty.......2000-10-09
What a beautiful collection of photographs! The images in this book are some of the most georgeous photographs of buildings that I have ever seen, beginning with that stunning shot of the Chicago Federal building on the cover. This is the kind of coffee table book that is very smart and invites attention. The images move though 70 years of different styles of architecture, but with a consistent focus on what is most important -- a detail, a beautiful shape, or a play of textures and color to create a mood that shows the strength of the architectural designs. This consistency is amazing considering how many photographers Hedrich Blessing has used -- 19 in all. The book features images that you rarely see elsewhere, like the 1930's panoramic shot of the Palmolive building with the spikes of lighting in the sky (and shows just how far back Hedrich Blessing goes)to the more abstracted photographs, like the design elements of a servant's hallway( something you might never notice as important or beautiful). The essay by Tony Hiss does makes good points about why Hedrich Blessing's work is important. The book wonderfully designed. I especially liked the way each photographer's work is referenced by their name next to the page number and the way that two photographs are paired together on the same page. The book reflects 70 years of history in ways that show how architectural photography started and the way the field has grown. This book could be broken down into different books on different subjects: retail/commercial design, tall buildings, residential interiors, etc., but overall, the book shows off Hedrich Blessing's art fabulously. A must for architectural and photographic enthusiasts!
Book Description
Rare large-format prints offer detailed views of City Hall, State Street, the Loop, Hull House, Union Station, many other landmarks, circa 1904-1913. Introduction. Captions. Maps.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Photographs.......2007-01-29
This book contains full page photos, many of which I had never seen before. The clarity of the photographs is comparable to the digital photos we are able to take now. Although the book consists mainly of photos of buildings (of course) there are many which include pedestrians, carriages, automobiles, signs, etc. I think this book would be interesting to anyone studying Chicago, the history of the time period, architecture, clothing or photography, or to anyone who simply loves old photographs. The only complaint I have is that some of the photos were not dated. Very good book!
Big City Big Look.......2006-07-25
Great look into the "City of Big Shoulders" at the turn of the century. Good aid to understanding of urban America at the beginning of the 20Th Century
Photographs of Chicago during the early 20th century.......2005-07-19
I have been to Chicago many years since I lived in IL from 1933 to 1963. My mother's people came to Chicago in the 1830's.
I found the early photos extremely interesting as I am a former teacher of both high school & college history. I reall liked this book as I had seen it before & could not locate another copy until I saw it on Amazon.
Many Thanks for stocking this item.
Outstanding Views of Old Chicago.......2000-04-02
I can't say enough about this collection. This book includes a number of photographs that I have not seen in any other book. The large format allows one to see a lot of detail as every photo gets a full page.
Average customer rating:
- Poignant and Interesting Black and White Photography
|
Kenneth Josephson: A Retrospective
Kenneth Josephson ,
Sylvia Wolf , and
Stephanie Lipscomb
Manufacturer: Art Inst of Chicago
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photographers, A-Z
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Photo Essays
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Exhibition Catalogs
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0865591784 |
Customer Reviews:
Poignant and Interesting Black and White Photography.......2001-03-12
Kenneth Josephson's Retrospective is a phenomenal view of life through the artistic eye of black and white photography. Josephson's pictures-within-pictures are interesting and fresh, a new take on a theme that others have tried, but not mastered as well as Josephson. If you like black and white photography, this book is a must. I saw the exhibit at the Whitney in NYC, and purchased the book afterwards. Unlike some photography books, where the pages don't capture the magic imparted by the prints when seen in person, this one does -- beautifully.
Amazon.com
If Chicago is an architecture lover's paradise today, it is largely due to the efforts of a single individual. Richard Nickel (1928-1972) was not "just a photographer who happens to take pictures of buildings," as he modestly called himself. He was a soft-spoken missionary whose passionate one-man campaign to preserve Chicago's ornate 19th century architectural masterpieces--earmarked for destruction by Mayor Richard J. Daley in the name of progress--inspired a nationwide movement. Richard Cahan's superb biography of Nickel depicts the photographer's heroic and ultimately tragic struggle to salvage everything he could get his hands on, first with his trusty view camera and then with a hacksaw and chisel.
Book Description
"Richard Nickel, whom I had the delight of knowing during his all too brief life, is one of the unsung heroes of Chicago architecture. He was not an architect himself, nor a designer. He simply took pictures, but what pictures! He was, for want of a better description, one of the most sensitive of architectural photographers. More than that, his life—and ironically, tragically and poetically, his death—were fused to Chicago architecture. How he died tells us how he lived: for the beauty in the works of Sullivan, Wright and the others. His story is one that must be told." —Studs Terkel, author "He was completely understanding of architecture and genius and of the quality of the work he was dealing with. He was single-minded in his pursuit and dedication to quality in history, art and architecture. That is an increasingly rare quality." —Ada Louise Huxtable, former New York Times architecture critic "Richard was an excellent photographer—sensitive and intelligent, and a very good craftsman". —John Szarkowski, former Director, Photography, Museum of Modern Art, New York "Richard Nickel was one of those who saw architecture, and who passionately and skillfully pursued its portrayal. He was one of a very small number, and to make his work known would be a fundamental service to architects, students, and teachers as well as to the art of architecture." —Edgar Kaufmann, Jr., architectural historian
Customer Reviews:
A Treasure for Architectural Preservationists.......2002-01-17
Richard Nickels was a strange fellow, and I don't know if most people would be comfortable in his company. He desperately wanted to save what he considered to be Chicago's architectural landmarks, but in the end grew terribly disconsolate, finding few allies in Mayor Daley or others within the city's power structure. He managed to save many bits and pieces before the wrecker's ball arrived, some of which went to Southern Illinois University, but tons of which ended up in landfills after his death. Do you need this book? If it sickens you to see a beautiful old building torn down, then yes. If you read "Lost Chicago" and were amazed at the priceless treasures we've squandered, then yes. If you think the now burgeoning architectural salvage industry is a good thing, then yes. Nickels fought to save buildings, but when that failed, he saved everything he could. The book doesn't claim he was a pioneer or innovator in that regard, but then I haven't heard of anyone else who dedicated their life to the field. The Trading Room from the Stock Exchange Building - where Nickel's died - survives in the Art Institute of Chicago today only because of his efforts. We almost certainly owe him a far greater debt than the book has claimed, since he helped to publicize the threat to our architectural heritage and started building a consensus towards preservation and salvage. The book will amaze and annoy you. You'll learn much more about Nickels' personal life than you would want to know. You'll wish he had finished some of the writing projects he started. And you'll wonder how much more he might have accomplished if he had lived a bit longer. It's a book that makes you think, and one you won't soon forget. - tjm
Outstanding.......1999-04-26
I ate this book up! Nickel's photgraphs are outstanding, and his dedication to salvaging historical buildings is heroic. The historic preservation movement owes an enormous debt to this man.
Outstanding.......1999-04-26
I ate this book up! Nickel's photgraphs are outstanding, and his dedication to salvaging historical buildings is heroic. The historic preservation movement owes an enormous debt to this man.
Wonderfully engaging story of an archetecture 'nerd.'.......1997-12-08
The story of Richard Nickel, who loved buildings of Adler & Sullivan fame. A wonderfully well-written book. I saw it in the library, and to my own amazement, could not put it down when I got home. Even if you know little about archetecture, you will love this book for it's story, the life and love of Nickel. Who I call with slight tongue-in-cheek a nerd.
Book Description
From early amateur snapshots to today’s advanced digital images, photography has been the perfect means to record people’s lives. This provocative book explores the complex and varied ways that five contemporary photographers––Tina Barney, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Nan Goldin, Sally Mann, and Larry Sultan––use their own daily experiences as inspiration for their art.
Each of these artists has created highly personal, shifting, and intriguing visions of his or her life. The works range from Tina Barney’s orchestrated depictions of her friends and family in affluent New England settings to Nan Goldin’s unabashed portrayal of intimate, and often brutally honest, moments. Sally Mann turned to her children and their surroundings as her subject, and Larry Sultan has accomplished something similar in his depictions of his parents. Philip-Lorca diCorcia offers up his “storybook life” in photographs that—like others in this group—span nearly twenty years.
So the Story Goes is arranged in portfolio format and features beautiful color reproductions of about twenty photographs by each artist. With an introductory essay that examines the development of personal narrative in photography, as well as insightful entries on each artist, the book analyzes how these works tell a life’s story.
Customer Reviews:
wonderful.......2006-09-21
This exhibit was excellent and this book is a wonderful summary of the show. A great collection of some of the world's best contemporary photographers for a great price!!!
Book Description
Playboy celebrates its 50th anniversary with this lavish collection of the very best of the magazine's photography. More than 250 full-color photographs, chosen from the ten million images preserved in the Playboy archive, chronicle five decades of brilliant, life-affirming art. Playboy: 50 Years revisits the girl next door, the sex symbols, and the gods and goddesses who shaped our culture. It visually tracks the changing politics, fashions, and mores through the frenzied peak of the sexual revolution and beyond - from the almost nostalgic eroticism of the 50s bachelor, a martini his secret of seduction, to the highly charged images of modern sexuality. Celebrity models such as Raquel Welch and Cindy Crawford, along with interview subjects such as Mohammed Ali and Salvador Dali, and infamous bunnies such as Anna Nicole Smith and Pamela Anderson reveal all. Portfolios devoted to the bachelor pad, the perfect cocktail, fashion, and sports cars celebrate Playboy as the ultimate wish book. From the history-making red velvet shot of Marilyn Monroe, "posed with nothing on except the radio," to the highly charged images of such masters as Herb Ritts and Helmut Newton, this book is a breath-taking photographic tour de force. The definitive gift of the season, Playboy: 50 Years is also the only book being published in the fall to coincide with the launch of the magazine's 50th anniversary.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect Item.......2007-01-19
I purchased this as a gift for my husband and he absolutely loves it. The book is done very tastefully and it's truly a work of art.
Fifty years of memories and coming of age.......2006-07-05
I think I saw my first playboy at my friends house, his Dad had every issue since the fifties and I fell in love with the girl next door. I remember even then that the photography of playboy was somehow different from the other magazines such as Life and Look. I enjoyed this book so much that I bought three copies for friends who also lived those playboy years!
Not bad, but not worth buying........2006-05-07
"Playboy The Photographs" wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't good enough to buy. My recommendation is to look at it at a book store and save yourself the money. Check out "The Playboy Book" and "Inside The Playboy Mansion". These were vastly superior books compared to the "Photographs".
Pictures of Pictures.......2005-12-06
For a photographic book, i was expecting better quality pictures. To me, most of the pictures look like "pictures of pictures". if you expect the high quality crisp images and excellent color quality images of Playboy, i think you will be disappointed. I am.
Classic.......2005-12-05
Can't Imagine not going to the Newsracks&Not seeing Playboy. It's been Part of My life for a long time.I Loved this Magazine big time.always kept a big ole stash.all those fine Beautiful Ladies would have me all dizzy&Knocked out,funny thing was:I wasn't even drunk. the Sight of Beautiful Ladies looking so Hot&whatnot just left me under a spell.seeing Racquel Welch(who is still very Hot) still warms up my room.Great Photos&Memorys. Props always to the Man Hugh Hefner for making it all happen.
Books:
- The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America
- The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On
- Tickle His Pickle: Your Hands-On Guide to Penis Pleasing
- Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
- WACK!: Art and the Feminist Revolution
- Whoosh Boom Splat: The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters
- Your First Year in Real Estate: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional
- 303 Digital Filmmaking Solutions : Solve Any Video Shoot or Edit Problem in Ten Minutes or Less, for Ten Dollar or Less (Digital Video/Audio)
- A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005
- Adobe After Effects 7.0 Studio Techniques
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Sacred Bridge: Carta's Atlas of the Biblical World
- So Sleepy Story
- Suttree
- Oh What A Lovely War
- Ireland: History, Culture, People
- On the Day You Were Born
- Remote Viewers: The Secret History of America's Psychic Spies
- The USPC Guide To Confirmation, Movement And Soundness
- Ross Perot: The Man Behind the Myth
- 79 Years of Wonderful Memories and Some Regrets
