Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-Mannequins

Book Description

If sex sells, what better come-on for merchants of the repressed decades of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s than the come-hither wink of a coquettish countertop mannequin? In Counter Culture, Steven Heller and Louise Fili take us on a colorful peep show of these sexy, sometimes erotic, but always fetishistic, plaster bodies and body parts. Theirs is a surreal look at how mannequins play on consumers' desires, acting as agents of seduction, beckoning us toward that ultimate act--the consumption of goods. In this entertaining book, Heller and Fili unearth the fault line between sex and shopping--between voyeurism and "just looking"--that underlies much of modern commerce.

Customer Reviews:

Packed with a colorful survey of commercial culture.......2002-02-05

The small-statured Counter Culture by Steven Heller and Louise Fili may too easily be missed on laden shelves, but is packed with a colorful survey of commercial culture examining how mini-mannequins and other counter displays both created art and appealed to consumer interests. Color photos of these mannequins pack the pages.

Average customer rating:

A beautiful book!

Jack's Mannequin
jack's Mannequin
Manufacturer: Carl Fischer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0825863066
Release Date: 2007-01-22

Product Description

With his band Something Corperate on break, Andrew McMahon united the best of his songs into a concept album exploring his alienating return to the hometown he left to pursue his music, and the dissolution of a long, meaningful relationship because of it.

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful book! .......2007-06-08

I pre ordered it when it first came out and got a signed copy. And I ordered a second one so I could actually crack the spine and use the music. This book is awesome! I love the photos and the story of Jack's Mannequin in the beginning of the book and the music isn't hard to understand at all.
I'm in love with this book!

The Mysterious Mannequin (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, No 47)

Average customer rating:

A mysterious message
Nancy Tours Turkey
You won't believe the ending !!
A very detaled book
One of The Best Nancy Drew Books yet!

The Mysterious Mannequin (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, No 47)
Carolyn Keene
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0448095475

Customer Reviews:

A mysterious message.......2006-05-30

I liked the book "Nancy Drew and the Mysterious Mannequin" because I like mystery books. This one was exciting because it had so many details, twist and turns, and surprises. At the beginning of the story, Nancy's father, Carson Drew, receives a beautiful rug with a hidden message about a missing mannequin. Nancy is excited about the mystery and asks her friends to help her try to find out where the mannequin is now and why it has been hidden all this time. This takes them on an adventure around Riverdale and then around the world. The friends end up travelling to Istanbul, Turkey where someone gets kidnapped and.... well, I won't ruin it for you but it was great!

Nancy Tours Turkey.......2003-10-12

A woven Oriental rug is anonymously sent to the Drews from Istanbul and Mr. Drew believes that it is from a Turkish client of his, Farouk Tahmasp, who formerly owned a rug shop in River Heights. Nancy discovers a coded message woven into the rug. The message instructs Mr. Drew to bring Farouk's mannequin to Istanbul and Nancy tries to learn what became of the mannequin after Farouk closed his shop in River Heights. I didn't find the mystery in this book terribly exciting and there really wasn't much action or suspence either. Toward the end of the book, when Nancy and her friends go to Istanbul and the book should be coming to a climax, what do they do? They go sightseeing and the book turns into a tour guide with about one chapter left. There is a different twist at the end of the book, but if you paid enough attention when reading the book and didn't fall asleep you could probably figure that out anyway. This isn't one of the absolute worst books of the series, but it isn't far from it.

You won't believe the ending !!.......2003-03-14

I chose this book because I love mystery books and I really love Nancy Drew Books.A summary of the book is ....Farock sends a rug with a hidden message in it to Carson Drew.Nancy Drew decides to make it a case and find out what it says. The rug wanted Carson Drew to come to Istanbul,with Farock's manniquin. Nancy Drew finds this out and takes Her father,Ned(her boyfriend),Bess and George(cousins),Dave and Burt ( there boyfriends),and Aisha (Farocks lover)to Istanbul to find Farock.
YOU WON'T BELIEVE THE ENDING!!

A very detaled book.......2001-03-10

This book is about a rug who was sent to Carson Drew with no name or address. This was the message woven into the rug:Carson, find mannequin. I love her. Carry her to, well, I can't tell you the rest because you have to read it and find out because I don't want to spoil it for you!

One of The Best Nancy Drew Books yet!.......2000-09-06

The story starts when Mr. Drew recieves a rug from Istanbul. There is a secret message woven into it and tells him to find a mannequin of his because he loves her. Of course Nancy sets out to find it. It had such an awesome ending. I will let you find out what it is though.

Average customer rating:

Mannequins
Steven M. Richman
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-Mannequins

ASIN: 0764323512

Average customer rating:

Fulvio revels in the complexity of the human animal
excellent Italian serial killer thriller

The Mannequin Man
Luca Di Fulvio
Manufacturer: Bitter Lemon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1904738133

Book Description

"Di Fulvio exposes souls with the skills of a surgeon. It's like turning the pages of something forbidden-seductive, elegant and dangerous."-Alan Rickman

"A wonderful first novel that will seduce the fans of deranged murderers in the style of Hannibal Lecter. And beautifully written to boot."- RTL

"A novel that caresses and kisses in order to violate the reader with greater ease."- Rolling Stone

"A powerful psycho-thriller of spine-shivering intensity. Written with immense intelligence and passionate menace. Not to be read alone at night."- The Times

"Know why she's smiling?" he asked, pointing a small torch at the corpse. "Fish hooks. Two fish hooks at the corners of her mouth, a bit of nylon, pull it round the back of the head and tie a knot. Pretty straightforward, right?" Amaldi noticed the metallic glint at the corners of the taut mouth.

Inspector Amaldi has enough problems: a city choked by a pestilent rubbish strike, a beautiful student harassed by a telephone stalker, a colleague dying of cancer, and the mysterious disappearance of arson files concerning the city's orphanage. Then the mutilated bodies begin to appear.

This novel of violence and decay, with its vividly portrayed characters, takes place over a few oppressive weeks in an unnamed Italian city that strongly evokes Genoa. A finalist for the European Crime Writing Prize.

Customer Reviews:

Fulvio revels in the complexity of the human animal.......2007-02-20

Three citizens are slaughtered in the woods outside an unnamed Italian metropolis, for no apparent reason. The world weary Inspector Almadi, however, knows from sad experience that there's always a reason, it's just that you sometimes need to examine the evidence from obscure angles in order to discern it. Indeed, he's already starting to identify with the killer after only a few minutes on the scene, his instincts telling him that the killer will strike again soon. When he does, Almadi can only hope that he leaves additional clues that will enable the policeman to penetrate deeper into the killer's twisted psyche. What Almadi cannot know is the sheer number of distractions he will have to cope with--among them a citywide garbage strike, an old case that refuses to go away, an ailing colleague, and a new romance--before he finally confronts his quarry.

One of the myriad things Luca di Fulvio does well is to draw readers into his story; there's an immediacy to his writing that leaves readers feeling as if they had actually witnessed the events which transpire. Di Fulvio also revels in the complexity of the human animal--his characters never fail to surprise. The author seems to be saying that you just never know exactly whom you're dealing with--appealing surface traits may conceal abhorrent characteristics, undesirable traits may cause you to reject someone who ultimately proves worthy of your trust and respect. This uncertainty adds yet another layer of tension and suspense to this well- written, well-wrought thriller.

excellent Italian serial killer thriller .......2006-12-27

In Italy, his passion is taxidermy. He accomplishes his craft in two clever steps. First he captures his prey and then he completes the conversion. Both stages provide his sadistic tendencies with euphoria as he appreciates the kill as much if not more so than the transformation. Still he remains ever diligent and careful not to make any mistakes especially since some of his subjects are human though he leaves behind mutilated corpses using taxidermist threads to complete his trophy.

Chief Inspector Giacomo Amaldi knows he is dealing with a brilliant serial killer at a time when he already feels overwhelmed. The garbage strike has turned the city into a big dump, making all investigations smell worse than usual while a questionable fire at the nearby orphanage should be tying up his time. Instead he walks amongst the trash seeking clues to a deadly killer one stitch at a time.

THE MANNEQUIN MAN is an excellent Italian serial killer thriller that uses satirical symbolism to delineate the human condition. Amaldi is a fascinating character as he wades through garbage in search of clues that will enable him to identify the killing taxidermist while his adversary is brilliant at both of his crafts. Police procedural fans will want to follow the Chief Inspector as he struggles to separate the trash from the clues.

Harriet Klausner

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories - The Mysterious Mannequin #47 1970

Average customer rating:

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories - The Mysterious Mannequin #47 1970
Carolyn Keene
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mook Jong Construction Manual: Building Modern and Traditional Wooden Dummies on a Budget

Average customer rating:

Cheap Man's Dummy
Terrible
innovative and great reference tool
A good place to start
Disappointing

Mook Jong Construction Manual: Building Modern and Traditional Wooden Dummies on a Budget
Michael Janich
Manufacturer: Paladin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581600771

Book Description

The mook jong, or wooden dummy, is one of the most versatile and effective martial arts training devices ever developed. Unfortunately, commercial dummies cost anywhere from $500 to more than $1,000 - well beyond the reach of the average martial artist. Now, thanks to this new book, anyone with some simple hand tools can make a wooden dummy for well under $100. Veteran martial artist Michael Janich takes you step by step through the process of building a traditional dummy that is proportionate to your height and reach, as well as constructing in-ground, wall-mounted and freestanding support platforms. He also shows you how to build his innovative Human Response dummy, a modern spring-loaded variant of the traditional dummy that provides almost human movement and allows the realistic practice of virtually any martial arts technique.

Customer Reviews:

Cheap Man's Dummy.......2007-01-10

Although innovative in many ways, this guide to making cheap muk jongs is not worth the price asked. If it were priced at $9.95, it might be worth a look, but at $16 plus shipping it lacks enough in content to make it not worth the more expensive price.
Having said that, it should be noted that this book explains how to make a cheap man's version of a wooden man---NOT a traditional Wing Chun dummy. Keep in mind, the title of the book is "The Mook Jong Construction Manual" not "How to Make Your Own Traditional Wing Chun Dummy." It is a guide to making an economical muk jong which mimics the Wing Chun wooden dummy, but lacks the beauty and finesse of the real thing. Contrary to what's stated, you will need some carpentry skills, tools, and an abundant amount of time before it's finished.
Finally, the details in the construction procedures and b/w pictures shown were good enough for a novice to contruct a dummy.

Terrible.......2007-01-08

The arms and legs and body of the dummies that this man is making aren't even close to the traditional sizes. If you are looking for an idea or drafting plan on how to make a real traditional dummy don't buy this book.

innovative and great reference tool.......2002-05-20

its a great book. the human response dummy is worth the price of the book itself. being handy with tools helps but you dont have to have handyman skills. i supplemeted this with free info on the net but the book is well worth the price. i added to the human response dummy design and made two legs instead of one and in addition to having a knife fighting dummy I have a takedown dummy i use for building my wrestling skills. if you like cover it with strips of old car tires an it will last you for life. additional ideas can be found by doing a search on the net for "pell" or medieval pells which were basically knife and sword training tools. buy the book and you will save money and be able to build a great dummy.

A good place to start.......2000-09-10

Definitely a good place to start if you're looking for help on building your own dummy. It has a good foundation, but unfortunately, that's about it. The layout is pretty bad- the step will reference a picture that's about 3 pages over. Pictures are adequate (in number) and good quailty, but are B&W. The book's price is also on the high side. The last section was unique in that it illustrates how to build a 'human response' dummy- a dummy that has moving arms and life-like response. A solid 2.5 stars- a good foundation with detailed steps, but not much else. If you're looking for a beginner's guide to building book, pick this one up for reference. Supplement this book with free mook jong plans found on the internet. Don't have time to build your own dummy- check out www.mookjong.20m.com JG

Disappointing.......2000-06-15

It would be an understatement to say that I was disappointed with this book. The whole style of this manual is like something that you would get handed at a seminar. This book supposedly shows how to build a Mook Jong dummy for cheaper than those available. However the details are very sparse. In addition I would question the usability of the dummy constructed...This is the first one that I have seen with the arms constructed of steel pipes. There are much better plans available for free on the web, my advise therefore is save your money.

Minnesota Mall Mannequins (American Chillers)

Average customer rating:

This is an awesome book!

Minnesota Mall Mannequins (American Chillers)
Johnathan Rand
Manufacturer: Audio Craft Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1893699463

Customer Reviews:

This is an awesome book!.......2004-09-17

This is one of the best of the American Chillers series. How would you like to be chased around by an evil mannequin? Sound scary? I recommend reading this book if you'd like a good scare while your shopping at your favorite mall!

Living Pictures, Missing Persons: Mannequins, Museums, and Modernity

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Living Pictures, Missing Persons: Mannequins, Museums, and Modernity
Mark B. Sandberg
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691050740

Book Description

In the late nineteenth century, Scandinavian urban dwellers developed a passion for a new, utterly modern sort of visual spectacle: objects and effigies brought to life in astonishingly detailed, realistic scenes. The period 1880-1910 was the popular high point of mannequin display in Europe. Living Pictures, Missing Persons explores this phenomenon as it unfolded with the rise of wax museums and folk museums in the largest cities of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Mark Sandberg asks: Why did modernity generate a cultural fascination with the idea of effigy? He shows that the idea of effigy is also a portal to understanding other aspects of visual entertainment in that period, including the widespread interest in illusionistic scenes and tableaux, in the "portability" of sights, spaces, and entire milieus.

Sandberg investigates this transformation of visual culture outside the usual test cases of the largest European metropolises. He argues that Scandinavian spectators desired an unusual degree of authenticity--a cultural preference for naturalism that made its way beyond theater to popular forms of museum display. The Scandinavian wax museums and folk-ethnographic displays of the era helped pre-cinematic spectators work out the social implications of both voyeuristic and immersive display techniques. This careful study thus anticipates some of the central paradoxes of twentieth-century visual culture--but in a time when the mannequin and the physical relic reigned supreme, and in a place where the contrast between tradition and modernity was a high-stakes game.

Average customer rating:

The Georges make for a good story
Magical story of two Georges
A Zany Caper through the 20th Century
Funny, insightful, a unique world, actual surprises

by George: A Novel
Wesley Stace
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316830321

Book Description

In the illustrious history of the theatrical Fishers, there are two Georges. One is a peculiar but endearing 11-year-old, raised in the seedy world of 70s boarding houses and backstages, now packed off to school for the first time; the other, a garrulous ventriloquist's dummy who belonged to George's grandfather, a favorite traveling act of the British troops in World War II. The two Georges know nothing of each other--until events conspire to unite them in a search to uncover the family's deepest secrets.Weaving the boy's tale and the puppet's "memoirs," BY GEORGE unveils the fascinating Fisher family--its weak men, its dominant women, its disgruntled boys, and its shocking and dramatic secrets. At once bitingly funny and exquisitely tender, Stace's novel is the unforgettable journey of two young boys separated by years but driven by the same desires: to find a voice, and to be loved. "By George is one of those rare works of fiction with an essential triple helix -- it's funny, it's clever and it's perfectly woven together with story. If writing is how we imagine not being lonely, as Wesley Stace suggests, then his conjuring trick as a writer is that he brings a large crowd along with him.This is a wonderful follow-up to his debut novel, Misfortune." -- Colum McCann, author of Zoli and Dancer

Customer Reviews:

The Georges make for a good story.......2007-08-29

George Fisher-one name, two boys. One is an eleven-year-old human boy living in 1970's England, and the other is a ventriloquist's dummy, in the 1940s.

The human George comes from a family of performers. His mother, the famous Frankie Fisher, beloved stage and pantomime star, spends her time in a whirlwind of show schedules, travelling from town to town with the shows.

His grandmother, Queenie Fisher, was a children's entertainer in her time, adored by the hoards of children that she entertained at birthday parties. And then there is his great-grandmother, the fabulous, and formidable, Evie, who went by the stage name of Echo Endor. Echo Endor and her `boy', Narcissus, had been a celebrated act in the 1940s, much loved by her public.

Due to his mother's hectic schedule, and his great-grandmother's recent turn for the worse, George finds himself shipped off to Upside School For Boys, a dreary boarding school. George does not fit in with the other boys, and finds himself seeking solace in the school's old and dusty library.

The other George was `born' in the 1940s-a product of the famous Romando, where all of the best ventriloquist's dummies were made. Commissioned by Echo Endor for her son, Joe Fisher, George finds himself cast aside by Joe, who has no interest in following in his mother's footsteps.

From his vantage point in Joe's room, George narrates his own story, and the story of Joe "King" Fisher, who despite his initial reluctance to be a ventriloquist, finds himself drawn to it. And through the manipulation of his mother, he finds his path in life laid out for him, without having any choice in the matter himself.

This is a story of youth, life and the twists in the path of life that we often encounter and must take, while not knowing where they will ultimately lead us.

This is the second book by Wesley Stace, a well-loved singer/songwriter who performs under the name John Wesley Harding. His first book, Misfortune, was published in 2004.

Armchair Interviews says: Unique use of a ventriloquist's dummy in a story.

Magical story of two Georges.......2007-08-29

Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (7/07)

Two boys named George piece together their family history in this exciting and magical novel. George Fisher is a wooden "boy," a ventriloquist's dummy, who leads an adventurous life as a war hero when he and his owner, Joe Fisher, become a traveling act entertaining the troops during World War II. The other George Fisher is Joe's grandson and named after the first George. He leads a lonely life as an only child in a house full of theatrical dames. His great-grandmother Evie was the well-loved ventriloquist Echo Endor. His grandmother Queenie is also a ventriloquist and children's party entertainer. His mother Frankie is a stage star.

"by George" is written from the point of view of both Georges. Alternating chapters give alternate voices. While half of the book is told by the wooden George, it is really the story of Joe, the grandfather. We find similarities between Joe and his grandson as the story unfolds. They both grow up with the same set of show business women who don't trust men, only boys.

After inheriting some books from his grandfather, George becomes intrigued and enlightened by Joe's writings on ventriloquism. He gets interested in magic and learning the technique of throwing his voice. These books lead George to seek out his namesake and find the dummy's memoirs that give him even more insight into his family. George resurrects the dummy and together they reveal deep family secrets.

At first I found the novel a bit confusing, especially because one of the main characters is a dummy. Every time he opened his mouth I couldn't help thinking, "That is George talking, but really it is Joe talking through George." Eventually, I told my rational mind to get out of the way and let my imagination take over. I was able to enjoy the book much more after that.

"by George" is an entertaining novel that includes drama, comedy, and mystery. I found the magical world of ventriloquism and show business fun to explore. Wesley Stace is a strong writer who does not give it all away, but relies on the reader to fill in the gaps. He builds up the action to an exciting and unexpected climax.

A Zany Caper through the 20th Century.......2007-08-28

Wesley Stace's By George makes good on the faith of his first novel, Misfortune, presenting the reader with colorful, exciting characters who delight and surprise you on every page. Unlike so many contemporary novelists, Stace enjoys plot and he knows how to create it. In By George he ingeniously weaves his story together, twining two separate stories into a deeply satisfying whole. It's a great book by a terrific new writer.

Funny, insightful, a unique world, actual surprises.......2007-08-19

Wesley Stace has fashioned his second excellent novel in "by George." The book creates a world probably little-known to most Americans, the English music hall of the 1920s and 1930s, a special vaudevillian milieu in which ventriloquism could thrive as a major fine art and broad entertainment. That's half the book. The other is a more contemporary story about a teenage scion of a great family of the music hall, coming to understand the family business and secrets and their effect on his own family life. Surprisingly rich psychologically for a book in which a major protagonist is made of wood, "by George" uses the ventriloquist's art of misdirection to cast light on one very entertaining storyline while allowing a richer and more resonant thread to take the reader by surprise.

I recommend "by George" as well as Mr. Stace's previous book Misfortune.

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