Art of Technique, The: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production

Book Description

This book provides readers with a teaching tool not currently available. It fills a gap in the literature by going beyond simple discussions of hardware usage, basic technical knowledge, and descriptions of technique to in-depth discussions of how this knowledge can be applied in a coherent approach to production.

Customer Reviews:

A first-rate primer for the aspiring filmmaker.......2002-01-21

"The Art of Technique: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production," is more of a primer than it is a critique of cinema. Yes, there is a big difference between this volume by John S. Douglass and Gleen P. Harnden and "Film Art: An Introduction" by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson. The latter utilizes literally hundreds of frames from both classic and relatively unknown films to demonstrate cinematic techniques. "The Art of Technique" does the same thing with student models. Whether this has to do with the cost of using copyrighted images and/or transforming them into individual frames for use in a book, this is a major difference between the two textbooks. When Douglass and Harnden discuss something, like Ingmar Bergman's use of Extreme Close-ups (ECU) in "Scenes from a Marriage," they can only talk about the extraordinary intimacy it gave the production, without offering visual evidence to support their claim. However, the authors do use their "homemade" examples to good use at time; for example, when exploring the concept of framing they provide examples of "bad" shots (filled with distracting clutter) before showing better choices for the cinematographer.

"The Art of Technique" is divided into two main sections. After an introductory chapter on "Interpretation and Treatment," there are six chapters focusing on the various ways a film can tell a story, essentially pre-production considerations. There is a nice little section detailing the basic types of stories Hollywood tells over and over again ("Jack the Giant Killer," "Fish Out of Water," etc.). Clearly the emphasis here is more on production than criticism, which makes the orientation of this textbook more towards the filmmaker than the movie audience. This first section ends with a look at Mise en Scene and questions of design. In terms of concepts covered, separate from the issue of how those concepts are presented in the textbook, the authors provided a comprehensive, well-organized presentation.

The second half of the book covers "Techniques for Interpretation," which starts with a consideration of the trinity of how the camera, editing and lighting can be used for interpretation. Again, everything is here; I could not find a concept or technique that was an obviously glaring omission. The book concludes with a pair of chapters on Symbols and Significance, which get into the impact film can have on an audience. You might expect to find a glossary at the back of the book, but instead we have a pair of appendixes on Electricity and Measuring Light, which only serves to reaffirm that this book is geared towards the novice filmmaker. If you are looking for a textbook that because you are a budding film critic, then this is not going to be your first choice. I can even make the argument that by not saturating their textbook with frames from dozens of films, Douglass and Harden do their readers a favor, because instead of borrowing shots and techniques from the acknowledged masters of the art form, they are being asked to reinvent the wheel. Do not knock this, because that is basically how we think Orson Welles made "Citizen Kane."

An Excellent Overview.......2002-01-15

This book explores many aspects of filmmaking in a logical, easy-to-follow manner. A great find, albeit a bit pricy. I used it as my text for teaching a video class as it offers some aesthetic considerations for why techniques may or may not be used in a given situation. This approach helps to minimize the technique-euphoria beginners tend to have with techniques which are new to them (ala George Lucas in the new Star Wars...)

good intro for the novice filmmaker.......2000-04-21

this book works very well as an introduction to the creative use of techniques for filmmaking. it is quite clear and concise and is not bogged down by too much technical details or dicussions on film theory. a good starting point.

Stick to "Film Art" by Bordwell/Thomspon.......2000-04-17

I was shocked when I looked over this book. I had always relied on "Film Art" which is the standanrd intro to film but I wanted to branch out. I found this book to be a superficial approach to cinema, no probbing analysis or challenge to interpretaion of technique or narrative. Save your money and stick to the classics. No one seems to use this book in higher education film studies- ask your professor to suggest a book.

Best introduction to filmmaking I've found.......2000-02-16

I teach filmmaking, and needed a book that covers all the basics in a few meaty and meaningful pages. This is it. Most books on filmmaking technique either wax philosophical on the author's pet theories or get lost in gee-wiz-you-can-do-this-neat-trick-with-the-camera mania. There's little of either here; instead, you'll find a focused, highly readable series of lessons on what really matters most--how to communicate a meaningful message on film or video. Unlike some VERY annoying books that give examples of lighting and other techniques via badly drawn line-art, this book shows every technique with actual stills from video shoots so you can see how lighting, framing, lens use, etc. actually change the appearance and impact of a scene.

There are also numerous references to excellent classic and modern films with quite specific suggestions for examining the techniques that make those films work so well. Perhaps most important of all, the authors never lose sight of the fact that filmmaking is about interpreting and creating a reality that evokes a meaningful and powerful experience for the audience.

So if you want a book listing all the oh-so-tacky transitions and effects that your new NLE will do, or a thousand-page treatise on the history of film, THIS AIN'T IT. But if you want a book that will help you quickly learn to put cameras, lighting, and editing in the service of your creativity--buy this one first.

Excelsior, You Fathead!: The Art and Enigma of Jean Shepherd
Average customer rating:

An Excellent Compendium of Shepherd's Life

Excelsior, You Fathead! Missed a lot

Warts and all, still a genius

A crummy commercial.

Hmm.. Head Scratcher

Excelsior, You Fathead!: The Art and Enigma of Jean Shepherd
Eugene B. Bergmann
Manufacturer: Applause Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Theater | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General Broadcasting | Radio | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Will Failure Spoil Jean Shepherd?

A Fistful of Fig Newtons

Jean Shepherd: Don't Be a Leaf

Jean Shepherd: The X Random Factor

Jean Shepherd and Other Foibles

ASIN: 1557836000

Book Description

Jean Shepherd (1921-1999), master humorist, is best known for his creation A Christmas Story, the popular movie about the child who wants a BB gun for Christmas and nearly shoots his eye out. What else did Shepherd do? He is considered by many to be the Mark Twain and James Thurber of his day. For many thousands of fans, for decades, "Shep" talked on the radio late at night, keeping them up way past their bedtimes. He entertained without a script, improvising like a jazz musician, on any and every subject you can imagine. He invented and remains the master of talk radio. Shepherd perpetrated one of the great literary hoaxes of all time, promoting a nonexistent book and author, and then brought the book into existence. He wrote 23 short stories for Playboy, four times winning their humor of the year award, and also interviewed The Beatles for the magazine. He authored several popular books of humor and satire, created several television series and acted in several plays. He is the model for the character played by Jason Robards in the play and movie A Thousand Clowns, as well as the inspiration for the Shel Silverstein song made famous by Johnny Cash, "A Boy Named Sue." Readers will learn the significance of innumerable Shepherd words and phrases, such as "Excelsior, you fathead," and observe his constant confrontations with the America he loved. They will get to know and understand this multitalented genius by peeking behind the wall he built for himself - a wall to hide a different and less agreeable persona. Through interviews with his friends, co-workers and creative associates, such as musician David Amram, cartoonist and playwright Jules Feiffer, publisher and broadcaster Paul Krassner, and author Norman Mailer, the book explains a complex and unique genius of our time. "Shepherd pretty much invented talk radio ... What I got of him was a wonder at the world one man could create. I am as awed now by his achievement as I was then." - Richard Corliss, Time magazine online

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Compendium of Shepherd's Life.......2007-05-14

This book does not attempt to be a linear, narrative biography of Shepherd's life, but instead contains voluminous material organized around broad themes that cut across different time periods of his life. This is both a difficulty and a strength. It can make for a somewhat difficult and disjointed reading experience. The text contains extensive quotes from Shepherd's radio broadcasts, which, while valuable to have in writing, lose something in translation from Shepherd's delivery to written text and break up the flow of Bergmann's text. However, when viewed as a Jean Shepherd encyclopedia, the book is an indispensable addition to a Shepherd fan's library, as it assembles a prodigious amount of material. The book paints a full picture of Shepherd in both his genius and his flaws, including a sensitive treatment of Shepherd's problematic relationships with women and with his two, sometimes unacknowledged, children.

Excelsior, You Fathead! Missed a lot .......2007-05-13

I was very disappointed after reading this book. A lot of good information about the life of Jean Shepherd was left out. Many details of his life were either missed or overlooked. I would hardly call it a biography. Most of the details were left out. After reading the entire book, I said to myself, "Is that it?" Hopefully someone will write a more complete story of such a man that was larger than life.

Warts and all, still a genius.......2007-04-11

For this listener of the incomparable Jean Shepherd when his show was live on WOR radio out of New York and who still tunes in via taped recordings on the internet, "Excelsior...[ever higher]...You Fathead! [a Shepherdism]" is very welcome. His show did not book guests; it was Shep alone, monologist at work. Yes, Shepherd branched out into books, records, and a film he wrote and narrated--but those were pale imitations of the real thing, the radio show.

Some of Bergmann's revelations about Shepherd's personal life will be disappointing to those who carried his banner a tad too high. Bergmann is a fan but his view of Jean Shepherd's unpleasant side is unvarnished and well-researched through interviews and published quotes of those who knew him. By all accounts Jean Shepherd was a hard man to know. Purposely so: he often did not give his real address to employers, coworkers, and friends. He would disappear for days in fast cars, touring the countryside. He traveled the world, usually alone. Which left the author fewer sources than he would have preferred decades after Shepherd's radio years. But he found enough. They offer insights into the "enigma" in the title, a polite description of a probable manic-depressive who often sabotaged his own dreams of fame and fortune.

The "art" was spun out of an empty studio near Times Square in the quiet of late night from the 1950s to the mid-70s; it is an art like no other before or since. Some of Shepherd's monologues are partially excerpted here from recordings Bergmann painstakingly transcribed. Among these the author deftly weaves details he has unearthed of Shepherd's childhood in Indiana, his Army service, his tempestuous years in the Big City.

Of course, not all Shepherd's radio broadcasts were unforgettable. The man had to fill forty-five minutes every night. When he got away from his natural talent for storytelling and indugled in shrill rants against all manner of "phoniness," he played too strongly to the sophomoric segment of his audience, the size of which he sometimes claimed dismayed him, Bergmann notes. Yet throughout his career Shepherd relied heavily on gigs at college campuses for extra income. But he wanted it all. The author relates how his subject fancied himself an heir to Jack Paar on the big-money "Tonight Show" before Johnny Carson snatched it away; had he won the job, Shepherd wouldn't have lasted a month: he was consistently dismissive of that audience...but he still craved its approval. And was bitter he didn't get it.

Yet, he played Carnegie Hall to great success. Carson was an admirer, Bergmann says, advising Shepherd to "get out of that damned medium [radio]." But radio was made for Shepherd and he for it. Bergmann writes that U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins grew up a regular listener and acknowledged being influenced by Shepherd. When Shep was "on," it was magic. Regretfully, talk radio was withering in Shepherd's best years. And he knew it.

This is the first book-length work that gives real shape to the man that was Jean Shepherd and the genius behind the voice.

A crummy commercial........2006-12-31

Forget "A Christmas Story" for a moment. Even this long love letter to Jean Shepherd only covers it to the extent of two pages. This book attempts to document the body of work Mr. Shepherd produced, within its contemporary context, and relate it to the present-day descendants. At least, that's where I think the author intended to go.

What ended up happening, from what I can tell, is that there was a great deal of research done 'breadth-wise' and not enough 'depth-wise'. Mr. Shepherd had two children who he disowned, which was a bit of a shock considering his on-air persona. This alone merited an entire chapter of material, analysis, interviews, anything. It barely made it into the book, except to lightly underscore some mild point about Mr. Shepherd being a bit of an SOB. There are all these interesting inflection points throughout, but no attempt is made to root out anything other than a mere mention or two. Instead, the author chooses to use radio transcripts to either demonstrate some thinly-connected theme (Shep as a jazz talk-radio guy, Shep as an anti-corporate loner, Shep as a 'realist'). The transcripts are hit and miss on the coverage of the point being proposed as well. Yes, it's great to read some Shep transcripts, but what's the point being made here?

As a full spectral coverage of Mr. Shepherd's work, it fails to catalog along some consistent continuum all of the work, in its proper context. The author could've used a timeline structure to place all of the known media, which would have made an extremely useful supplementary guide for the book as well as a nice 'wish list' for fans. I feel as though this review could easily turn into the kind of editorial feedback the author needed *before* he submitted his final galleys.

For all the heft of this hardcover, I expected far more analysis or even a somewhat cogent thesis. Even as a comprehensive biographical reference book, it falls far short in the editing department. Still, it merited three stars because it does bring much to the table. It never really organizes it, though.

-Fred

Hmm.. Head Scratcher.......2006-07-17

This will be short and not so sweet. I was disappointed in this book for one reason, it read like a text book, and a very boring text book at that. I don't mean any disrespect because I know this work took hundreds of hours, and the information was very interesting, but like I said it was boring and I had to struggle through just to finish it

Average customer rating:

very idiosyncratic
Great fun
Surreal and delightful (but probably not for everyone)
Personal and arty

Phantasmagoric Theater Tarot
Graham Cameron
Manufacturer: U.S. Games Systems
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Misc. Supplies

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Napo Tarot Deck
Golden Tarot Deck
Fenestra Tarot: Premier Edition
The Druidcraft Tarot
The Victorian Romantic Tarot

ASIN: 1572811951

Book Description

Join the quirky, colorful cast of characters who inhabit the 78 cards of the Phantasmagoric Theater Tarot as the journey towards spiritual fulfillment. Graham Cameron's whimsical illustrations invite the reader to follow The Fool as he introduces the players in the performance of life.

Customer Reviews:

very idiosyncratic.......2007-01-13

The cards are beautiful, but you'll get a very different impression looking at them than you would reading the artist's descriptions in the provided booklet. The cards are appeallingly ambivalent and complicated; Cameron's descriptions of them are uniformly simple and skewed heavily to the bland positive. ("This card reminds you that challenges are an opportunity for growth", that sort of thing. Not that I think growth is bad!) Even so, the booklet is well worth reading for the names that it gives to all the characters. If you ordinarily find that the suit cards blur together in your mind a little bit, perhaps being introduced to Tate, Fizzy, X, and The Plasticine Junky will help (to name just a few).

I found myself slightly disappointed that the suit cards often had the requisite number of cups/wands/coins/swords just lying around on the floor rather than playing a significant part in the scene. For example, the three of wands depicts a stilt-walker... but while your eye is initially drawn to the imposing stilts that he balances on, those aren't wands. The wands are tiny things sitting in a pile. Still, that choice just puts more emphasis on the characters and other wonders that Cameron has invented himself.

I suspect you can tell whether you'll love this deck or hate it from the sample images Amazon provides. I bought it otherwise unseen based on the samples, and I'm happy about it.

Great fun.......2004-02-05

I'm usually not too fond of theme decks, finding that too many of them end up in back of the book case but I was very intrigued by this one. It's a very idiodyncratic expression of the tarot and you will either love it or hate it immediately. Highly surreal, cartoonlike art. It does work as a reading deck.

Surreal and delightful (but probably not for everyone).......2001-05-12

The Phantasmagoric Theatre tarot encourages us to think of our lives as a stage play. We are all actors, and the scenes have been carefully designed before we enter, stage left. However, as in real theatre, sometimes things don't go right: we flub our lines, we don't like our costumes, or the lights malfunction. These things very subtly change the play itself and can even change the very outcome. However, as Mr. Cameron suggests, "as a tarot reader, however, you can connect yourself through a psychic process back to the original script, and become informed of deviations you may have made to the performance that is your life, helping you to avoid any unnecessary disasters."

Mr. Cameron has produced an astonishing tarot deck as laden with heavy symbolism as any tarot I've yet worked with. Dice, question marks and puzzle pieces can be found in most (if not all) of his cards, and each has a special significance for him. Dice represent entropy or chance in our lives: we may WANT the roll of the dice to turn out a certain way, but often they don't. Like puzzle pieces, we are all interconnected and interlocked to each other in complicated matters. As far as questions, well, I certainly don't have many of mine answered, tarot cards or not!!

The characters in the deck hover in an odd realm somewhere between childlike and sinister. Many look like dolls with button eyes and happy smiles. Some are glowering in a powerful "I know something you DON'T..." sort of way that is almost eerie. When pressed to describe this deck, I often say it resembles something of a cross between the Beatles "Yellow Submarine" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas". Still, this analogy doesn't do the deck justice-there is far, far much more to see.

Many of the cards are modeled after what may be the most well known tarot deck, the Rider-Waite. Since most people start with the Rider-Waite (it's the deck most books use to illustrate the tarot) this will certainly help the reader gain fluency with these cards. However, be aware that the resemblance quickly stops-this is not like any other deck you are likely to run into. Two very short examples of how these cards are different are the card of the Grand Master, a sort of levitating, psychedelic visionary that stands in the place of the card of the Hierophant in most other decks, and the Ace of Cups, which is something of a coffee mug.

The cards themselves are oversized, weighing in at about 5.5" x 3.5". While this makes them easier to see and meditate on their meanings, bear in mind that they're slightly more difficult to shuffle and they won't fit in a standard-sized tarot box. The instruction booklet that accompanies the deck is written in a more poetical fashion than most other decks as well. Each card's astrological alignment is noted, as well as a 1 or 2 word description-- "The Fool (Inner Child)" for example. Quite a few cards' characters actually have names, which, for me, add a more personal dimension to them. As an example, here an excerpt from the Queen of Cups: "Say hello to Fizzy, the Queen of Cups. She represents sensitivity in a woman. Fizzy is happy and content. She represents our ability to enjoy all emotions."

As another reviewer noted, the deck IS very personal, as are all tarot decks, and it may not resonate with everyone. Someone once said that choosing a tarot deck is the same as choosing a lover. While I don't find it to be THAT extreme, I do believe that the cards must speak to a person to be of any use to them. For example, I can appreciate the artwork in the new Vampire Tarot, but the deck has no resonance with me as a person so I don't use those cards. Beginners probably would be best advised to stick to the Rider-Waite, but as you grow more proficient at reading the card's symbols, those with a particular affinity to the surreal or bizarre may wish to add these cards to their collection.

Personal and arty.......2000-09-12

This over-sized deck has a child-like tone. It is highly personalized. The backs of the cards have the number "56" on them, which the author explains as "my chosen number". The cards themselves are equally idiosyncratic. The figures on the cards are like dolls, or puppets; their surrounds are simple and whimsical. Another unique feature is a jigsaw puzzle piece on various cards to show whether the influence of the card is masculine, feminine, or both. The designer must have had a great time doing these cards, but the statements they make are far too personal for me to make an archetypal tarot-type connection with. People involved with the theatre, or puppetry, might appreciate them more than I do.

The Crystal Zodiac: Use Birthstones to Enhance Your Life

Average customer rating:

Crystal Healing According To Your Sun, Moon, and Ascendant

The Crystal Zodiac: Use Birthstones to Enhance Your Life
Judy Hall
Manufacturer: Godsfield
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Crystal Bible: A Definitive Guide to Crystals
The Astrology Bible: The Definitive Guide to the Zodiac
Crystal Prescriptions: The A-Z Guide to Over 1,200 Symptoms and Their Healing Crystals
Colorstrology: What Your Birthday Color Says About You
The Crystal Healing Pack

ASIN: 1841812412

Book Description

Star power combines with earth's gifts in a richly illustrated guide to the astrological use of birthstones. Crystals, in tandem with astrology, can attract beneficial energies, balance out less desirable qualities, and even improve health. But because each sign now has many stones connected with it, anyone wanting to harness their potential needs help finding exactly the right ones. The search for a crystal begins with sun sign, and a list of stones for abundance and rituals, as well as a variety of companion choices; there's even information on where on the body to wear it. Complement this with knowledge about crystal masks (based on the Ascendant) and lunar crystals. An exquisite crystal zodiac mandala closes this illuminating volume in style.

Customer Reviews:

Crystal Healing According To Your Sun, Moon, and Ascendant.......2005-05-14

"You may already know your birthstone, but you may be surprised to learn that there are several other stones associated with your birthchart." --from the book

Your natal astrological chart is based on the date, time, and place of your birth. Most people are familiar with their Sun sign, which is one of 12 Zodiac symbols. The placement of the Sun in your chart indicates the pathway your soul is following, and each sign is associated with one or more crystals. Using the gemstones associated with your Sun sign can help attract beneficial energies, balance out less desirable tendencies, overcome your karmic inheritance and connect you to the path of your soul.

Each Sun sign is also associated with specific body parts, indicating areas where health challenges may occur. Birthstones can help with these ailments, as well.

While the Sun sign is important, there are two other components of your natal chart that paint the unique portrait that is you: the Moon sign and Ascendant (also know as the Rising Sign). The Moon sign shows how you process and express emotion. Your instinctual nature, unconscious patterns and expectations are also governed by your Moon Sign.

The Ascendant, or Rising Sign, is the "mask" you show to the world. It's the part of your personality that is readily seen to most-a "first impression" if you will. Interestingly, this face you present to the world may be far different than the inner workings of your Sun sign!

The Crystal Zodiac by Judy Hall is an incredibly practical book that explains which gemstones and crystals correlate with each Sun, Moon, and Ascendant placement...and why. So if your Sun is in Scorpio, your Moon is in Aquarius and your Ascendant is in Aries, you'll get a comprehensive overview of the crystals that will aid you on your own unique journey.

For each of the 12 Sun Signs, Hall provides an in-depth look at the corresponding birthstone, abundance stone, ritual crystal, and companion crystals. She then takes you on a journey exploring each Sun sign and how specific crystals help you reach your highest potential, deal with challenges, handle emotions, balance your thinking, link you to your soul's pathway, and heal physical ailments. Hall even provides a special birthday ritual for each Sun sign.

The Crystal Masks section explains the Ascendant and what it reflects in a natal chart. Hall asserts that the Ascendant crystal for each sign is a powerful tool for self-development, bestowing confidence and helping you "own" the qualities of your Ascendant. For the 12 Ascendant placements, Hall explains how each one "meets" the world, the nature of its "mask", and crystal "confidence tricks". She also provides the "fairy godmother" blessings innate in each Ascendant Sign, as well as a wonderful meditation.

For the Moon Sign, Hall outlines the Moon crystal, intuition crystal, and lunar crystals for each of the 12 placements. She explains the significance of your Moon crystal, and the positive qualities of each Moon sign. Because the Moon is associated with emotions, ingrained behavior patterns, and intuition, you'll find out what crystals help with exploring hidden needs, overcoming emotional blocks, developing intuition, and nurturing yourself. Two intriguing aspects to the Moon Sign section is the past life association and a specific ritual. For example, the ritual for the Aries Moon involves a Co-Operation Ritual, Scorpio Moon a Forgiveness Ritual and Cancer Moon a Tie-Cutting Ritual.

Because we each possess a bit of all 12 Signs, Hall provides a full-color Crystal Zodiac Mandala for meditation and contemplation.

The Crystal Zodiac consists of 144 glossy pages featuring dozens of full-color pictures of gemstones and crystals. Although gemstones may often be prettier and pricier, Hall provides the less-expensive correlations for each-assuring the reader that they exhibit the exact same qualities as their counterparts.

Hall writes in an enjoyably lucid style, so this potentially complex subject has been rendered quite graspable for individuals new to crystal healing and astrology. Those familiar with Sun, Moon, and Ascendant signs will be sure to gain additional insights into personality patterns and past life ripples. Crystal healers will love the added dimension that the Zodiac brings to balancing mind, healing the emotions, grounding the body, and expanding the spirit.

Average customer rating:

Little on Size,yet Gigantic on Rune Info for All Runesters
Brings The Runes To Life
Dynamite comes in small packages.
SOMETHING FOR THE DILETTANTE . . .
Well, if She Copied Others, She Copied Well....

The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Runes
Sirona Knight
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Art | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Parapsychology | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Runes Workbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Learning the Wisdom of the Staves
Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic
Practical Guide To The Runes: Their Uses in Divination and Magic (Llewellyn's New Age)
Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Runes (Complete Illustrated Guide)

ASIN: 0806949945

Book Description

Tap into the age-old, secret power of runes to create a better and more enriching life. Generally associated with the ancient Northern European peoples, runes are magical symbols that convey the story of creation, life, destruction, and rebirth, and how these forces are constantly occurring on many levels of being. Runes connect with your body, mind, spirit, and the environment, and they are ideal for use in psychological integration, spiritual growth, healing, and magic. Learn the history of runes and the meanings and associations of each symbol. Then discover a wide variety of ways to use these tools to find answers to personal questions, increase self-awareness, relieve stress, gain a sense of personal empowerment, clear out blockages in your life, and even foretell future events. Cast and read runes, create runic charms, do runic yoga, and more. As you work with these mystical tools you will find within them the power to transform yourself. Bonus: extensive mythological glossary.

Customer Reviews:

Little on Size,yet Gigantic on Rune Info for All Runesters.......2007-08-21

This small book has a lot of good examples for your essential rune stone divination procedure.Yet,i wished the book was a bit larger in size,like a paperback.It was difficult to turn the pages over because of the stiff binding.It should just be published in regular paperback style rather than like a mini-paperback.I guess it was meant to be for the 'Runester on the Go!',on a plane or a train-trip.Yet,this book can be read anywhere.So,with the exception of the small physical size of this excellent glossy mini-book aside,i would recommend using this book.It can only enhance ones understanding of the rune stone meanings and for your divination practices.

Brings The Runes To Life.......2006-04-17

I have always had a fascination with Runes, but most of the good books on the subject are poorly written and hard to understand. "The Little Giant Enclyclopedia of Runes" brings a lot of information together in a way that is enjoyable and worth reading.

Dynamite comes in small packages........2005-11-21

This book was very helpful to me. It showed me the things I wanted to know about Runes; how to make them, use them and learn from them.

SOMETHING FOR THE DILETTANTE . . ........2003-04-15

Are you familiar with the saying, "10 pounds of (stuff) in a 5 pound bag"? This is an example of such. This silly little book is a mish-mash of runic systems, with a lot of contradictory and questionable data. If, however, you happen to be a typical "New-Ager," this will not be a problem. I was disappointed with this one. Flipping through it at the bookstore it appeared to have some merit, but after I had more time to see what she had to say for herself, I found that there was an abundance of filler material. She seems to have copied information from several conflicting systems without a clear understanding of what she was doing. An understandable error for a neophyte, and a worthy attempt at a difficult undertaking -- but she simply was not up to the task. The runes are a complex subject which require a deep understanding on many different levels before one can presume to instruct others. There IS some good information here, but it is mixed in with far too much fluff and filler to do any good. This text will only confuse and disappoint most readers (provided that they, indeed, have a sincere interest in the subject). Unfortunately, a sad example of "The blind leading the blind."

Well, if She Copied Others, She Copied Well...........2003-03-31

OK, so some say that she copied much of the lore in this book with nary a bibliography. This would be bad scholarship and bad form. I would hope that those who feel that their intellectual property was stolen would take legal proceedings in order to set the records straight. If they are unwilling to prove their claims in court then perhaps silence is their best course...

That being said...

I found this book to be a valuable tool in getting to know the runes in a more detailed and deeper way. I have made my own set of runes. I did not follow her suggestions step by step. I am ecclectic to say the least. I also made my own rune bag and I'm working on my own rune cloth.

Anyway, the lore in the book is sound as I have read other works. She does not give false information. None of the usual dark Neo-Nazi garbage is contained within this volume. I appreciate that.

Book Description

Using the theatre as a central metaphor, this text provides a flexible framework to explore the psychic realities of the characters within us. Case studies underscore how different kinds of patients construct particular fantasies as a response to the pain of earlier life scenarios.

In the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind

Average customer rating:

Highly readable
Seminal work.
Baars delves in to the theater theory in a practical way.
In the tradition of William James
How consciousness works (and why)

In the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind
Bernard J. Baars
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Consciousness & Thought | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Cognitive | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Cognitive Psychology | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Medicine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Essential Sources in the Scientific Study of Consciousness (Bradford Books)
The Blackwell Companion to Consciousness
The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach
The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory (Philosophy of Mind Series)
The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness

ASIN: 0195147030

Book Description

Written by eminent psychologist Bernard J. Baars, this book brings us to the frontlines of the consciousness debate, offering the general reader a fascinating overview of how top scientists currently understand the processes underlying conscious experience. The study of conscious experience has seen remarkable strides in the last ten years, reflecting important technological breakthroughs and the enormous efforts of researchers in disciplines as varied as neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy. Scientists are just now beginning to find common ground in their understanding of consciousness, which may pave the way for a unified explanation of how and why we experience and understand the world around us. This book offers an invaluable introduction to the field, brilliantly weaving together the various theories that have emerged as scientists continue their quest to uncover the profound mysteries of the mind--and of human nature itself.

Customer Reviews:

Highly readable.......2007-01-24

Bernard Baars presents a highly readable account of his Global Workspace (GW) theory of consciousness. The GW is a cognitive architecture model that is based on a simple, theater metaphor. Briefly, it imagines that consciousness occurs on a center stage. The stage is equivalent to a working memory buffer. Conscious experience consists of a spotlight area on this stage. The spotlight is shifted, to illuminate various contents, according to both involuntary and voluntary forms of attentional control. The players that compete (and cooperate) for access to the stage include the variety of exteroceptive senses, interoceptive senses, and more abstract ideas. The theater stage has a limited capacity, but it creates vast access, by broadcasting information to a variety of unconscious routines and effectors (the audience). A variety of context operators also work `behind the scenes' to provide the necessary stage backdrops.

In this short and concise book, Baars devotes a chapter to each of the components of the theater metaphor. While the GW theory of consciousness is a cognitive model, Baars also delves a little into brain anatomy. He pays some attention, for example, to the Extended Reticular-Thalamic Activating System (ERTAS).

One of the things not fully addressed by Baars in his model is the subjective nature of consciousness. For example, with any conscious experience, there is a sense of self in the act of knowing. Baars makes no mention of the work of Damasio on the primitive self-representational mechanisms in the brain, though he does develop to some extent, his own idea of `self as deep context'.

Baars believes that the way to make progress on the issue of consciousness is by gathering empirical evidence. Once consciousness can be treated as a variable, we can begin to make some headway in understanding it. One way of treating consciousness as a variable is through the method of contrastive phenomenology in which a single experimental task is performed under both conscious and unconscious conditions, with the differences between the two being closely tracked.

Overall, the theater metaphor has considerable heuristic value - it allows for a considerable amount of information to be packaged in a very simple manner. It turns out that the general mechanism (a limited-capacity center stage which creates vast access to specialized control systems) is a sound design solution for complex nervous systems.

Seminal work........2002-02-02

I think it is fair to say that Baar's global workspace model is the most influential cognitive model of consciousness out there. The theoretical work is simply outstanding. Few would today contest the main idea behind the model -that the function of consciousness is to broadcast information to separate functional modules all arround the brain-. Some recent papers by Baars, available on line, summarize all the emirical evidence that has appeared the last decade in favour of the model. Baars is currently at the neurosciences institute, headed by Gerald Edelman, and it is no surprise his latest views seem to include reentrant connectivity and Edelman and Tononis concept of complexity. However, although this is clearly a step forward, it is far from being a THE answer consciousness studies is looking for. Baars himself sees a gap between the cognitive model and the neurophysiological machanisms involved. He has presented the ERTAS model, but it is not clear how it has stood to recent neuroscience. I'm not saying i'ts been falsified, but it has been deprived of supremacy. However, the global workspace is still a brilliant contribution to the study of consciousness. Some philosophical nuances are still roaming, however. There is no qualia in the theather, and it is not clear how the audience could be conscious..how would they enjoy the show?.

Baars delves in to the theater theory in a practical way........1999-02-22

Baars allows any reader to follow his tour through the theater theory of consciousness in an easy readable approach. He makes sure the reader has adequate examples of real life events and situations in order to better understand an interesting theory. Where does the human species go from here?

In the tradition of William James.......1998-08-25

What is consciousness? Or at least how does it work? Historically, the last individual to seriously address these questions was the great American philosopher William James, who in his seminal tome 'Principles of Psychology' (1890) outlined the essentials of a fairly comprehensive 'stream of consciousness' theory. But for most of the twentieth century the hard-problem of consciousness was either studiously avoided or redefined as something else. But in recent years with the demise of Behaviorism and its repressive dogma, groups calling themselves Cognitivist Psychologists have emerged who are resurrecting the pioneering work begun by James over 100 years ago. For serious readers interested in 'getting their feet wet' in the relatively new field of Cognitivism, Dr. Bernard Baars' highly readable book 'In the Theater of Consciousness' would serve as an excellent introduction. I have to rate it 5 STARS. Also, if this book whets your appetite for more, you may want to consider Baars' more rigorous 'A Cognitive Theory of Consciousness' where his global workspace theory is more fully developed.

How consciousness works (and why).......1997-06-13

Baars explains the structure of consciousness in highly readable, involving, accurate, and scientifically deep terms. (Amazing but true!) His book is laced with exercises that demonstrate the phenomena he is explaining in entertaining and often surprising ways. His analysis is just about the only comprehensive functional account of consciousness. This is a must read for anyone interested in scientific understanding of the mind

Average customer rating:

great historical fun
great book , fun to see history through the posters
Not much to see!

A Must See!: Brilliant Broadway Artwork
Steven Suskin
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Broadway Musicals: A History in Posters
Second Act Trouble: Behind the Scenes at Broadway's Big Musical Bombs
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time
The City and the Theatre: The History of New York Playhouses: A 250 Year Journey from Bowling Green to Times Square

ASIN: 0811842177

Book Description

Curtain up! A Must See! proudly presents a visual feast of Broadway ballyhoo. For this compendium of graphic design excellence, theatre historian Steven Suskin combed through rare archives to bring us more than fifty years of plays and 175 compelling pieces of Broadway art. Dazzling shows and their glittering stars spill off the pages in artwork from top illustrators of the day, such as Al Hirshfeld, William Steig, Peter Arno, Alberto Vargas, and even Norman Rockwell. Covering every genre, A Must See! includes great hits (Oklahoma!, A Streetcar Named Desire), ignominious flops (Kelly, Carrie), and assorted delights in between. Throughout, Suskin peppers the text with insider information and juicy asides. Much of this material hasn't been seen since the shows closed eons ago, making A Must See! a bonanza of a browsebook -- shining with well-loved classics and surprising oddities from the beloved world of Broadway.

Customer Reviews:

great historical fun.......2006-02-12

Expectations are everything for this book. So, be prepared: Do not expect a sumptious coffee table book of gorgeous prints. This book assembles a diverse collection of Playbills and "heralds"(advertising for new or then current plays stuck in the programs), finding common themes in the diversity. It is more a collection of historically interesting artwork with sidebar comments on marketing and production notes. I wouldn't say that the artwork rises to the level of "brilliance", but many of them are very clever and ,again, from an historical perspective,very entertaining.

great book , fun to see history through the posters.......2005-04-30

Nice visuals, good research, very well done. I dont what the other reviewer's expecations were but I was most satisfied and wanted to offer another perspective.

Not much to see!.......2005-01-27

This book illustrations have a certain spartan appeal,like charles atlas ads in back of comic books.The lackluster design of about 80% of this artwork is really sad although it does add another piece to bway history for which the normally fabulous Chronicle books should be commended.The captions are also uninspired and sparse ,there is just no joy in this presentation,a missed chance to do something really worth having.I would buy it but will wait til it is remaindered,sorry!

Faking It: A Look into the Mind of a Creative Learner

Average customer rating:

interesting subject, terrible writing
It was like cutting off the top his head and looking in.
excellent insights for parents and teachers
revealing look from the inside

Faking It: A Look into the Mind of a Creative Learner
Christopher Lee , and Rosemary Jackson
Manufacturer: Boynton/Cook
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Lesson Planning | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Beautiful Child
A Guide to Observation, Participation, and Reflection in the Classroom
Instruction for All Students
Educating for Character: How Our Schools Can Teach Respect and Responsibility
The Soul of Education: Helping Students Find Connection, Compassion, and Character at School

ASIN: 0867092963

Book Description

Faking It is Chris Lee's story of almost two decades of academic frustration, matched by remarkable persistence, resilience, and ingenuity. It is a moving account of how people with his problems can be helped to overcome them. The story Chris tells of what happened to him when he wound up in the University of Georgia Learning Disabilities Adult Clinic, where he met Rosemary Jackson, is both a moving account of how people with his problems can be helped to overcome them and, at the same time, a powerful indictment of the system--and it is nationwide--that leaves people like Chris feeling incompetent and stupid.

Chris was considered 'disabled' because he could not see or hear letters correctly; his processing of written language interfered with his ability to use both written and spoken English, and for this reason the system labeled him handicapped. He labeled himself as stupid. Fearing every encounter with the English language, he devised his methods of faking his way through school sufficiently well to be admitted to the University of Georgia. There he found his faking wouldn't work--he had to recognize and deal with his problem. But he also found support and encouragement from people who not only understood his problem, they understood him. After five years of intensive work with Rosemary Jackson at the Clinic, he graduated from the University. He lost the need to fake it, And he wrote this book.

Customer Reviews:

interesting subject, terrible writing.......2007-01-05

I had to read this book for a course, which was a good thing because I would never have made it through otherwise. I am interested in the subject, and you do learn more about what the world is like for a learning-disabled individual. It is amazing that this guy could write a book at all, even with a lot of help! Unfortunately, he doesn't appear to have had access to any kind of editorial services, so reading it is like reading a 200-page freshman essay: painful. This is a pity, since this book could have been a fascinating read, and even a sort of reference work.

It was like cutting off the top his head and looking in........1999-11-20

I am the mother of a son with a severe reading disability. Tears welled up in my eyes when I read Christopher's reflections of his days in elementary school. I know my son was going through that too. I can not personally imagine being in any place day after day for 14 years, surrounded with things I could not understand nor cope with. I would be a very unhappy and probably unruly, due to anger, soul. That is how many years my son was in school by the time he graduated. He now attends Landmark College and has been inducted into Phi Theta Kappa. So much for being the dunce so many thought he was. By the way, I found myself on the pages about math. All though everyone assured me it was easy, I never did get it very well. I recommend this book to every parent and every educator involved with a Special Learner. You really can't cut off the tops of their heads to take a look inside, no matter how much you would like to. Read this book and you will see just what might be going on in there.

excellent insights for parents and teachers.......1998-12-30

The author provides those of us who are not LD with a view into his world and the perspective from which he approaches life and learning. As a teacher of students with learning disabilities, this book has helped me to approach my students in a different and... better way. I routinely recommend this book to other teachers and parents, so that understanding and acceptance can be cultured. I applaud the author for taking the bold step to share relevant information with those of us who work with individuals with learning disabilities.

revealing look from the inside.......1998-06-30

As a former tutor who help a job essentially identical to Rosemary's, I read this book eagerly, for it allowed me to visit the world outside of the tutor's office. My students, like Lee, had many talents but often found college challenged their self esteem. This book provides a revealing look at what Lee experienced in all the disciplines, as well as in life in general.

One scene that will stay with me forever was when Lee had to write a check and felt paralyzed with fear when he realized he had to risk misspelling words -- simple words -- in front of the clerk.

I assigned this book in my graduate education class, for I felt it would provide future teachers with a detailed, sensitive, thoughtful account of students with learning disabilities. Many remarked that this book was the most influential book they had read, for they did not realize the abilities many students with L.D. have.

Some criticisms included the repetition; many felt the book needed to be edited further. We felt the strength lay in the anecdotes, the ones that were probably most difficult to share. But those rich stories are what make this book special, what make this book move beyond just another article about L.D.

Your future book may include other adults' experiences. We are all eager to read it.

Smash It! Crash It! Launch It!: 50 Mind-Blowing, Eye-Popping Science Experiments
Average customer rating:

Get ready for science!!!

Smash It! Crash It! Launch It!: 50 Mind-Blowing, Eye-Popping Science Experiments
Rain Newcomb , and Bobby Mercer
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Experiments & Projects | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Leaping, Sliding, Sprinting, Riding Science Book: 50 Super Sports Science Activities

Peter and the Shadow Thieves

Hattie Big Sky

The Higher Power of Lucky

Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)

ASIN: 1579907954

Book Description

Crash, boom, bang: destroy! There's nothing children love more than the satisfying smashing and bashing of things being demolished. They always do it for sheer amusement; now they can do it in the name of science. And they'll enjoy it so much that they won't even think they're learning physics as they're wrecking stuff. Just imagine the expression on kids' faces as they watch a microwaved marshmallow grow bigger…and bigger: up to four times its size. Will it blow up? Think of the delight as they power cardboard racecars with ordinary balloons or launch homemade rockets. All the scientific terms are explained in language that children will both understand and appreciate--and the safety precautions make sure the science stays fun and worry-free.

Customer Reviews:

Get ready for science!!!.......2007-07-05

This book has everything you need to make science fun!!! Most of the items you need are laying around your house just waiting to be applied. The best part is that it explains the science. You know why the marshmellow explodes in the microwave. This book is the best if you really want to explain science the FUN way. (the way it should be)

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books