Legacies: Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Nonfiction

Book Description

Legacies is an anthology for literature for composition courses that is thematically organized with abundant rhetoric, composition, and argument coverage. Themes outside the usual selections such as "The Heroic Journey" are included as are themes arranged by cluster within the units. Thematic previews at the beginning of each chapter cover al of the genres and show how selections can be studied within the context of the various genres. Each chapter offers a model student essay such as thematic analysis and explication.

Customer Reviews:

College textbook price-gouging going on here........2005-12-04

$67 for a paperback book is highway roberry.

Have been pricing out college textbooks on Ebay, Amazon, and the college bookstore. It's a bloody medieval guild these publishers have going here and professors who insist on the latest editions of texts are aiding and abetting the rip-off.

This is monopolisitic practice if I've ever seen it. If the industry doesn't rachet down this greed-fest, someone else will - and as far as I'm concerned, it can't happen too quickly. Shame on you all.

Here is what counts.......2000-08-24

I am an affectionate critic of "Legacies," as both editors were teachers of mine and many of the contributors were co-teachers with me in the mid-1990s. Regardless, I used the book for several years and the results speak volumes.

This is a college literature/composition reader that tries to do it all -- and succeeds. For its hefty heft, one must acknowledge that each lesson plan (day-to-day lesson plans handed happily to you by real teachers, talented teachers) belongs here. I used many of them before they were "lesson plans" -- they engage and involve students.

Whether you are a reader/student simply looking for a great resource of singular texts or a college literature professor/adjunct composition instructor searching for sure-fire ways of directing your students away from the window and towards what counts -- "Legacies" is the book.

The Time Traveler's Wife
Average customer rating:

Very clever story

Creative and entertaining - not much more

huh......?

An intellectually stimulating unique story of enduring love

Didn't quite deliver

The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel

ASIN: 015602943X

Book Description

A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant.

An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

Very clever story.......2007-10-09

I got this book as an audio book for my ipod, and listened to it during my my daily commute to and from work. I honestly thought it was great. It was the kind of story you can get lost in. The subject matter is interesting, and despite what a lot of the people here who didn't like the book think, I found the character development to be very engaging. I disagree completely with people who didn't like the end of the book. I felt that it was completely appropriate. Some people just want an expected, "happy" ending I suppose. If they're going to judge this book based on one aspect, that is their right...but I recommend it completely.

Creative and entertaining - not much more.......2007-10-08

Story is about a man who mostly involuntarily travels through time. He has numerous interesting encounters. He meets his wife when she was a child. Time travel is never logical if you think hard about it, but this author does a fantastic job making it as believable a possible. Despite all the time travel back and forth the story is not confusing at all and easy to follow. It is very creative and I genuinely had fun reading it.

On the downside, the character development is poor. You don't really care about the main characters. The love story is unconvincing and not particularly romantic. Go ahead and read it specially if you like science fiction but don't expect to be moved.

huh......?.......2007-10-08

I have no idea why folks are gushing over this book! Why all the hype over this drivel?
I personally adore reading anything that has a time travel story line in it, but this story was total garbage. I will admit that the first couple chapters had me intrigued but it never......well...that's just it. It never amounted to anything. The backbone of the story could have been fantastic. This book was anything BUT. Such a disappointment.

An intellectually stimulating unique story of enduring love.......2007-10-06

5 out of 5. I read this book over 18 months ago, so I need to refresh my memory. But, if you can get over the time traveler's visits to his current self, and perhaps the older man spending time with a young girl, then you will find it a rare book that leaves you wanting a love like that. Imagine meeting your true love -- and being able to share in that love before that shared love existed. A story that will evoke laughter as well as tears.

Didn't quite deliver.......2007-10-04

The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger was a really uninspiring book. The premise is kind of sci-fi, this guy is randomly transported to other times and places, leaving a pile of clothes behind, and arriving stark naked wherever he arrives, and then returning to where he disappeared from, again stark naked, and hoping to find the clothes he left behind are still there...and that is only the tip of the iceberg. There is a love story entwined with all this time travel. The book did not, in my opinion, deliver the story it advertised on the cover. It implied that the two main characters, man and wife, overcame danger, etc. in order to be together. It almost got there, but remained undeveloped. Also, this is a little bit of a soapbox here, but I think that this book could have been a lot better than it was. I find that I am really annoyed by crudity of language, especially in describing relationships. Why can we not use nice words when we talk about sex in books? Does the author talk like this to her lover/husband/partner? Do any of us? (Don't answer that, really) I think that her use of language in describing the sexual relationship of the main characters made the book less than ordinary and unappealing. It could have been charming, and the love story could have been inspiring. The author is a professor for heavens sake. One imagines that she has command of the English language, or at least a thesaurus. I will not buy this book or recommend this book to others, I'd be too embarrassed.

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga

Average customer rating:

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars
My Star Wars fanatic loves this book
A Must-Have for any Star Wars fan
Star Wars is a Five star choice for the ultimate fan
My 9-year-old loves this book!

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga
DK Publishing
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Ultimate Visual Guide to Star Wars
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The New Essential Guide to Alien Species (Star Wars)

ASIN: 0756622387

Book Description

Provides a complete, comprehensive overview of the Prequel movies (Episodes I-III) and the Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI), this is the definitive photographic guide to the entire Star Wars saga.

Customer Reviews:

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars.......2007-09-26

This book is extraordinary. The pictures are sharp and extremely detailed. There are explanations of many characters that are only seen in the background scenes. I highly recommend if you're a Star Wars fan. My 4 year old won't give it up.

My Star Wars fanatic loves this book.......2007-09-26

I bought this for my 6 year old who is a Star Wars FREAK. He sat down with this book immediately and has not really stopped looking at it since. He can barely read, but he loves examining all of the characters, and the way they are broken down and labeled is very exciting to him. He likes to see everything that he's seen in the movies, and video game, in full detail.
I can't comment on how this book is similar or different to any other book, but I can say, it's very detailed, it covers a lot of information and describes alot of the relationships and uses of the characters & items. My 6 year old can identify way more than I can. This book is well set up, with loads of information and LOTS AND LOTS of details full color high quality photos which is just what we were looking for.

Good luck!

A Must-Have for any Star Wars fan.......2007-09-21

My son constantly wants to look at this book, and he is only 6 and has never seen any of the movies. That pretty much says how good this book is. I grew up with the original Star Wars movies, so looking through this book is like looking into the past for me. It is well put-together, very concise with a lot of nice photos and a plethora of Star Wars information. An excellent resource for any Star Wars aficionado.

Star Wars is a Five star choice for the ultimate fan.......2007-09-09

This book is just fantastic, and it is worth every penny. I originally bought it for my friends son who loves Star Wars. The kid walked around with the book under his arm like a bible! He never put it down. I recently bought it for my own two elementary age boys and they love it just as much. This is wonderful gift to get for any Star Wars fan -- Once again DK has cornered the market on wonderful visual books for young children. Their books are so well executed and so wonderfully edited, they know exactly how to appeal to this age group by giving just enough information with out making it too simple. An adult fan would actually love this book too. It's a great purchase.

My 9-year-old loves this book!.......2007-09-03

I purchased this book for my 9-year-old son who has been a Star Wars fan for a few years. He has spent hours looking through the book on his own or alongside his friends. I have never seen the movies and I have little knowledge of the people in them, but I could easily learn A LOT from this book if I wanted to. The pictures of the people and tools/weapons are great! I also like the fact that they show pictures from movie scenes that depict the people or the tools being discussed on that particular page. This was a great price for a large hardcover book with great details and pictures!

Average customer rating:

Concepts galore
Pretty Nice Book
Misinterpretations Aside
A great companion...
Newsflash: Persians are Real People!

300: The Art Of The Film
Frank Miller , Zack Snyder , and Tara DiLullo
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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300
300 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Special Edition)
300 (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae
300 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: 1593077017

Book Description

What does it mean to turn one of the great graphic novels of our time into a major motion picture? In 1998, Frank Miller shook the comics world with his groundbreaking series 300. Marking Miller's first collaboration with watercolor artist Lynn Varley (Ronin, The Dark Knight Returns) in over a decade, 300 was a gritty reimagining of a battle in which 300 Spartan soldiers fought to hold back the entire Persian army. The series won five Eisner Awards, including Best Limited Series, Best Writer/Artist (Miller) and Best Colorist (Varley). 300: The Art of the Movie takes you behind the scenes as director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) adapts 300 to the silver screen. With 200 pages of production photos, concept art and much, much more, 300: The Art of the Movie is sure to delight Miller fans and movie buffs alike.

Customer Reviews:

Concepts galore.......2007-08-26

Translating a graphic novel into the world of cinema can be a tricky business.

And the first step is concept art -- creating basic images of the characters, costumes, and important, visually-striking scenes. "300: The Art Of The Film" is crammed with such images, detailing virtually every part of the movie... but it's very skimpy on explanations and information.

It starts off with a couple of prefaces -- one by an expert on military history, and the other explaining the purpose of revealing the concept art. Then concept art itself: it basically outlines the story, beginning with the "inspection" of newborn Spartan boys and ending with another battle brewing between the Spartans and Persians.

These include pages and pages of rough sketches and detailed drawings for the cinematogrpahers, some representing only a few seconds (a fist hitting a slave's face). Then there are plenty of costume sketches, depictions of unreal-looking monsters, tents, and the gorgeous sets for things like Xerxes' opulant golden litter. Actually, it's more of a portable house.

But it has more than just concept art -- there are clay models, special effects shots, elaborate makeup and costume for things like the hunchbacked traitor, Xerxes' chain-porn costume, and things like knives stuck in a eye, and even green-screen shots before the CGI gloss was put on. And there are shots showing how they managed certain effects, like the people who controlled the animatronic "wolf."

And with every sketch and behind-the-scene shot, they show the finished result as it appears in the movie. A lot of them have the original art by Frank Miller as well, to show us how close the movie actually is to its source material. Visually speaking, it's a feast of behind-the-scenes information.

Buuuuut....

"300: The Art Of The Film" suffers from a lack of background information -- they show us loads of information, but don't tell WHY they were done, or even the intricacies of HOW. Come on, they must have had some trial-and-error in this film. While we can see the art for ourselves, we're rarely told much about why they chose this costume, or that monster, and how they created some of the weirder visuals.

So while the book is visually rich, it feels incomplete, like they left a lot of the text out to keep the guide from getting too long. Sometimes pages and pages will go by with only a few sparely-written paragraphs describing the intricacies of the movie. "300" is a visual movie, but come on, there's more to it than that.

"300: The Art Of The Film" has loads of art, but not much explanation in how it got from art to movie. It stumbles badly as a behind-the-scenes guide, but it's still an intriguing visual read.

Pretty Nice Book.......2007-07-28

This book has quite a few photos showing the making of 300 but the biggest draw (to me) was the similarities to the 300 Graphic Novel. Size, shape and cover picture are the same. The book shows a lot of photos of how the digital images were added to bleak green screen sets, how things like the wolf were made, etc. Its a good book for 300 fans it's a must have for those who have the Hardcover graphic novel (to display them side by side).

Misinterpretations Aside.......2007-07-17

It seems that some people are having a hard time realizing that the title of this book includes "The Art of the Film" and are searching for filming procedures, or sociopolitical explanations on behalf of the film when, in fact, this IS an art book. And for what it is, it does a great job revealing the artistic vision behind the film 300. From makeup effects to storyboarding to the comic conversion of the film, "300: The Art of the Film" makes a stylistic presentation that is worthy of the aesthetic care of the movie itself. Anyone who is interested in the artistic background in the movie 300 will appreciate the clean layout and complete presentation of this book.

A great companion..........2007-05-28

A great companion to a great movie and a great graphic novel.
Not often do you get to see behind the blue (or green) curtain to see how a movie is made.
This book gives you that insight!

Newsflash: Persians are Real People!.......2007-05-16

This is an interesting making-of book about an interesting movie based on an interesting graphic novel. I bought this book to see if I could get a clue as to why the Persians were portrayed as inhuman Orc-like mutant monsters, and while the book has something to say about the 'how,' it is curiously silent on the 'why.' Unlike fantasy creatures like Orcs, Persians (also called Iranians) are real people. They were regular folk in the days of the Battle of Thermopylae, and they continue to be regular folk today. I would think that Christians in particular would take issue with the misrepresentations of Biblical history detailed in 300: The Art of the Film. The Xerxes in "300" is the same Xerxes as in "One Night with the King"!!!

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream

Average customer rating:

I know, I know...
A must read for anyone
Good stuff, but less important than his other work
Buy the ticket...take the ride
A wild and extraordinary ride down a lost highway ...

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream
Hunter S. Thompson
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679785892
Release Date: 1998-05-12

Amazon.com Reviews

Heralded as the "best book on the dope decade" by the New York Times Book Review, Hunter S. Thompson's documented drug orgy through Las Vegas would no doubt leave Nancy Reagan blushing and D.A.R.E. founders rethinking their motto. Under the pseudonym of Raoul Duke, Thompson travels with his Samoan attorney, Dr. Gonzo, in a souped-up convertible dubbed the "Great Red Shark." In its trunk, they stow "two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half-full of cocaine and a whole galaxy of multicolored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers.... A quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of Budweiser, a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls," which they manage to consume during their short tour.

On assignment from a sports magazine to cover "the fabulous Mint 400"--a free-for-all biker's race in the heart of the Nevada desert--the drug-a-delic duo stumbles through Vegas in hallucinatory hopes of finding the American dream (two truck-stop waitresses tell them it's nearby, but can't remember if it's on the right or the left). They of course never get the story, but they do commit the only sins in Vegas: "burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help." For Thompson to remember and pen his experiences with such clarity and wit is nothing short of a miracle; an impressive feat no matter how one feels about the subject matter. A first-rate sensibility twinger, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a pop-culture classic, an icon of an era past, and a nugget of pure comedic genius. --Rebekah Warren

Book Description

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is the best chronicle of drug-soaked, addle-brained, rollicking good times ever committed to the printed page. It is also the tale of a long weekend road trip that has gone down in the annals of American pop culture as one of the strangest journeys ever undertaken.

Now this cult classic of gonzo journalism is a major motion picture from Universal, directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro. Opens everywhere on May 22, 1998.

Customer Reviews:

I know, I know..........2007-09-30

I know, it's THE Hunter S. Thompson book. It would be like having the gall to write a review for the Grapes of Wrath or Slaughterhouse Five and think you'd be doing anything other than blabbing just to see your own words on a computer screen.

That said, read this book this instant. Whatever good anyone's ever said about this book, it's twenty times better. I read it in two sittings and only stopped myself from reading it again because it was a library book and had to be returned.

The late HST's gift for gonzo, that strange mix of fiction and nonfiction, is ultimately realized in this book. Reality is seamlessly mixed with a bizarre fantasy world of sentient reptiles and split personality through the medium of hard drugs that serve to clarify (and sometimes amplify) a violent and twisted town in a strange time.

This book will have you laughing hysterically at parts, so don't read it around other people unless you're okay with passing it to them. This book will have you cringing at the brutality of human nature at points, so have your wits about you.

I really can't say anything else, other than that this book must be purchased and read this very instant if you haven't already done so.

A must read for anyone.......2007-09-21

Thompson's book helps create a vivid picture of the drug fueled 60's and early 70's a way no one else has before.

Good stuff, but less important than his other work.......2007-09-14

¨Fear and Loathing¨ is a great ride for sure. A drug-addled, hilarious, disturbing romp through Las Vegas in search of the American Dream. Thompson is definitely a skilled writer and an outlaw and this stuff comes through in this book. I don't want to shrug this work off by any means, but I definately prefer his other work, such as ¨The Great Shark Hunt,¨ because it truly brings out Thompson's outlook on the world, his hatred of wealth, power and greed, etc. This book is fun, but Thompson is definitely capable of more depth and thought. While this work might be what gave him his big break, he definitely went on to better things.

Buy the ticket...take the ride.......2007-08-23

A bizzare journey to the heart of the American Dream, funny, witty and full of memorable episodes. The illustrations by Ralph Steadman are also superb. Raul Duke says it clearly : "buy the ticket...take the ride"

A wild and extraordinary ride down a lost highway ..........2007-08-20

The lost highway of the American Dream.

I wasn't old enough to remember much from the late 60's early 70's let alone the political aspects of Nixon's presidency or the drug culture of the time, so this review won't have any profound social or political commentary, except that comparisons can well be made to the drug culture of today, and it is glaringly apparent that not much has changed.

Considering the climate of the time: Nixon's presidency, the war in Vietnam, and the country's young men succumbing to the draft, it was no wonder that an entire generation wanted something more, for this was not the American Dream they had been sold. And for some, the only way to drown out the hypocrisy gnawing at your brain is to give your brain an escape. Expand your mind, as that might be the only part of you that is truly free. Whatever it takes to get you directly out of your head -- the higher the better. This story chronicles a journey utterly devoid of restraint and reason as these two men, Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, and their trunk full of felonies set themselves loose upon Las Vegas -- the last vestige of the American Dream. However, their idea of the American Dream is not how most of us would understand it, but somehow, through the fog of hallucinatory metaphor, we can actually see and feel what the main characters are searching for so desperately.

All that aside, even if the 60's culture is beyond your age group, Thompson's writing is worth the read -- Brilliant, sarcastic, and frighteningly funny: Bars seething with has-been lounge lizards, tearing the patrons to shreds, blood soaked tacky hotel rooms, police car chases, kidnapping, gambling, excess, and debauchery ... not to mention the Narcotics Convention. The dialog is brilliant. Harrowing experiences abound; it is amazing that the two main characters make it out of Vegas alive.

Definitely a wild ride for all.

Average customer rating:

limited in its bio's
Tons of good information!
The Marvel Encyclopedia
so many errors!
It's not an encyclopedia

The Marvel Encyclopedia
Daniel Wallace , Tom Brevoort , Andrew J. Darling , Tom DeFalco , Peter Sanderson , and Michael Teitelbaum
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0756623588

Book Description

Marvel Comics' character roster boasts some of the best known and most popular characters ever conceived-heroes that are international household names, both as comic book stars and movie stars, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk and Wolverine. This unique, one-volume encyclopedia contains more than 1000 of Marvel's greatest, with full details of their powers and their thrill-packed careers. The encyclopedia's range of spectacular art features eye-popping work by Marvel's finest artists, while the authoritative text is supplied by a team of top Marvel comic book writers. In addition, double-page features, illustrated with classic covers, trace the fascinating story of Marvel Comics through the decades. The Marvel Comics Encyclopedia is an essential book both for new fans and for those who grew up loving the excitement, heroism and humor of the Marvel Universe. Includes a foreword by Stan Lee.

Customer Reviews:

limited in its bio's.......2007-09-19

Though the book is imformative, the bios are very limited. There are no scales to properly determine strength and intelligence. Also there are a lot of typos, leading me to believe that they didn't care much when they created this. If you want a short overview on marvel characters then this book is for you, otherwise don't bother.

Tons of good information!.......2007-08-06

Great book for anyone. Being an avid marvel fan I thought I knew most everything, but I have learned a lot from this book. It is a good buy.

The Marvel Encyclopedia.......2007-06-11

The book is well illustrated and has exhaustive description of each character of Marvel Comic Books.

so many errors!.......2007-06-07

Like any Marvel fan I was very excited about getting my hands on this encyclopedia, only to be sorely disappointed by the amount of errors found within it's pages. Error examples include: page 46, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, an image of Nightcrawler is found under a listing for Black Tom Cassidy. Page 212 , an image of the Shiar imperial guardsman Nightside is shown under the character listing for Nightshade. Page 171 An image of the Asgardian character Lorelei is shown under the character listing for the Savage Land mutate of the same name. These are few example of the many errors throughout the book.

It's not an encyclopedia.......2007-06-06

There isn't enough information on individual characters. (There are a lot of them, and there are pictures, but the pictures take up some much space that there's none left for details.)

Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga

Average customer rating:

OUTSTANDING REFERENCE TOOL
5 stars for COMPLETE Cross-sections!!
My 5 year old loves it!
Not What I Expected But Great Nontheless
Star wars

Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga
David Reynolds , and Curtis Saxton
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga
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The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Star Wars)

ASIN: 0756627044

Book Description

This amazing title unites all four Incredible Cross-Sections books in one volume, enlarged and updated with brand-new illustrations-including the TIE bomber, Imperial shuttle, A-wing, and B-wing-along with revised technical introductions, behind-the-scenes pages, glossary, and index. (c) 2006 Lucasfilm Ltd. and TM AUTHOR BIO: Hans Jenssen Hans Jenssen has spent the last nine years in a galaxy far, far away, co-illustrating a total of ten Star Wars books with Richard Chasemore, with whom he has developed a close friendship. They have traveled across three continents, sampled exotic beverages with Boba Fett, and partied with R2-D2. He now lives a quiet life in Devon, England, with his partner and young son. RICHARD CHASEMORE Richard Chasemore has worked as an illustrator and 3-D computer artist in the United States and Europe, most notably on DK's Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections and, Inside the Worlds of the Star Wars series. Lately he has written educational books for budding digital artists. He lives on the south coast of England, where he enjoys sports involving boards and high speeds!

Customer Reviews:

OUTSTANDING REFERENCE TOOL.......2007-09-14

Previously, DK Books has release four volumes in their Star Wars cross-sections series, covering the various Star Wars films. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, they've now combines all four of those volumes, along with new illustrations into the massive Star Wars: The Complete Cross Sections. This coffee table-sized hardcover book packs information on every ship and vehicle used in the six films into 152 full-color pages. John Knoll, the Visual Effects Supervisor for episodes I - III, provides the foreword to the book.

The book is basically an encyclopedia for Star Wars ships and vehicles. The items are shown in a cutaway art, allowing the reader to not only see the outside, but also see the interiors as well. This gives fans a unique viewpoint as you generally didn't get a chance to see inside many of these ships and vehicles in the films themselves. Most of these are given a full two-page spread which include data files about each one. The data files provide information such as design and manufacture, wingspan, speed, crew capacity, armament, dimensions, ship or vehicle type, and other special features.

The book begins with Episode I, The Phantom Menace with each of the first three episodes getting their own chapter while the original three films are combined into the last chapter. In addition to the data files, a host of other information is provided on each vehicle as well. Text keys with map lines are drawn to each, pointing out important features of each vehicle. These are about the next best thing to the actual ships blueprints. The detail is simply amazing! On the Naboo Cruiser for example we see where the fuel tanks and fuel lines are located, along with coolant ducts, deflector shield projectors, sensor arrays and even mundane things such as the crew lounge and locker areas. These allow the reader to get inside these massive vehicles and ships and almost take a virtual tour through them.

Get up close and personal with Jango Boba Fett's heavily armed Slave I ship with its blaster cannons, laser cannons, missile launchers, and mine layers. Other ships included from the episodes I to III include Padme's Starship, ARC -170 Fighter, General Grievous's Wheel Bike, Pod Racers, and Palpatine's Shuttle.

The final chapter dealing with the three original films has certainly the most popular ships for fans including the Millennium Falcon, AT-AT Walker, Jabba's Barge, and Darth Vader's Tie Fighter. Several of the major ships and vehicles get fold out sections that provide four full pages worth of data. Chief among these is the first Death Star. The Slave I makes a second appearance here that includes the modifications made by Jango Fett's son, Boba.

Hats off to DK Books for also profiling the two artists whose brilliant work is on display here, Hans Jenssen and Richard Chasemore. The detail and effort that went into these drawings is truly phenomenal. This is one of those items that is tailor-made for the hardcore Star Wars fan, a reference tool that can be consulted over and over again.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

5 stars for COMPLETE Cross-sections!!.......2007-08-23

People should get Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections.
Here are three reasons why anyone who likes Star Wars should get this book.

1. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections includes information about ALL six episodes in one book. It's great to have it all in one volume instead of four separate books (Episodes I, II, III, and the Trilogy).

2. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections has extra content not included in the separate volumes. The Imperial Shuttle, the RZ-1 A-Wing, and the B-Wing Star Fighter are new material in the combined book.

3. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections is jam-packed with large full color illustrations and tons of fascinating facts. The pages are crowded, but the information is great.

The Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections book rules the galaxy and any Star Wars fan would just love to have a copy. I checked it out of the library, but now it's on my Christmas wish list!!

My 5 year old loves it!.......2007-08-11

I purchased this for my 5 year old because he loves Star Wars. We have a couple of other Star Wars guides. He loves the cross section book because "it shows all the ships and details and that's cool". He loves finding something small that I would have missed. Great book for all ages.

Not What I Expected But Great Nontheless.......2007-07-05

Don't know why but I was expecting technical drawings of the Star Wars vehicles. Instead I get beautiful drawings of the vehicles and some of the characters which was an unexpected plus. Especially for scale comparison with some of the bigger vehicles. The reason this item dose not get five stars from me is because when reading the book things can get somewhat confusing there is so much info on each page it practically spills out from the sides. I would recommend it to anybody who wants more information on their favorite Star Wars vehicles!

Star wars.......2007-06-09

My son has not put this book away since we bought it. It goes on every car ride with us, and even to school for free time reading. The pictures are beautiful. He absolutely loves it.

Johnny The Homicidal Maniac: Director's Cut

Average customer rating:

JTHM
Insanity and Murder are Funny
The darkest, goriest, most awesome story ever!
Amazing Book
Jhonny kicks your [...]

Johnny The Homicidal Maniac: Director's Cut
Jhonen Vasquez
Manufacturer: SLG Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0943151163

Book Description

Mayhem and violence rule in this collection of issues one through seven of Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, as well as material seen before only in Carpe Noctem magazine. Dark and disturbingly funny, JTHM follows the adventures of Johnny (you can call him Nny), who lives with a pair of styrofoam doughboys that encourage his madness, a wall that constantly needs a fresh coat of blood, and--oh, yeah--his victims in various states of torture. Join Nny as he frightens the little boy next door (Todd, known to fans of Vasquez's work as Squee), thirsts for Cherry Brain Freezies, attempts suicide, draws Happy Noodle Boy, and tries to uncover the meaning of his homicidal existence.

Customer Reviews:

JTHM.......2007-08-24

VERY FUNNY LIGHT READING IN THE VERY DARK ZONE,IF YOU LIKE OVER THE TOP GORE THIS BOOKS FOR YOU!!

Insanity and Murder are Funny.......2006-11-26

Well actually, they really aren't, but after reading JTHM you might think they are. Jhonen Vasquez has an amazing talent; he is capable of making the most disturbing things laugh-out-loud hilarious. For this I wish to give JTHM Director's Cut a 5/5, but I cannot. But before I explain why, let me attempt to explain the meaning behind Jhonen's madness. Naturally, this is merely _my_ interpretation of his work.

JTHM is an attack (and a very violent one at that) on normalcy through the use of satire and parody with disturbing, dark themes. Due to the dark themes and disturbing content, this work could be labeled as "gothic" (and often is), but that would be rather insulting. Ironically, "goths" tend to adore the disturbing and the dark simply because it is not "normal," but they end up carving a very specific mold of normalcy out for their own clique. "If you don't fit a certain image, you're not goth and you're not one of US," a goth might say. JTHM is not only an attack on what MOST of us would consider normal, but also an attack on what GOTHS consider normal. It is an attack on all those arrogant people out there who deliberately exclude others because they don't fit in with their own definition of what normal is.

This theme pervades the entire series, from when Johnny is brutally torturing bullies for making fun of him for what he wears, to the little comments JV sometimes scratches in at the corners of his panels. But, it is not JV's attack on normalcy that is the most interesting aspect of JTHM, it is the contradictions. On the one hand, much of this comic book is rather demented and disgusting, but at the same time the book is hilarious--pulling the reader in two different directions at once. Also, sometimes there are comic strips that are completely pointless and filled with excessive (and unnecessary) violence, while there are others that have Johnny going on thought-provoking philosophical ramblings. This tension from pulling the reader back and forth (between violence and humor, and between pointlessness and meaning) is so instense that if you try to read too much at once you'll either sweat excessively, vomit profusely, or pass out from lack of oxygen because you're laughing so hard (or a combination of all three). I suggest reading in small dosages, you've been warned :)

This actually brings me to one of my only complaints. The JTHM series once featured "Meanwhiles" which are mini comic strips whose sole purpose is simply a brief, funny intermission between the JTHM series. The lack of meanwhiles lowers the value of the book (since they are really funny). But, the Meanwhiles also served as a means to break up the tension in the Johnny series. Since JTHM is so intense, the random and so often silly nature of the Meanwhile comic strips served as a pleasant deviation, and the lack of these pleasant little breaks means it's much more difficult to read JTHM in longer bursts.

My only other complaint is in the sturdiness of the actual book itself. I've only read through JTHM a few times, but already pages are falling out all over the place. I feel kind of bad negating a star primarily because of this reason (since it is not Jhonen's fault), but pages falling out really does detract from the overall experience.

Despite the lack of Meanwhiles and the overall flimsyness of the book itself, this is a solid purchase. Unless you're too easily offended or puke all over the place at the sight of blood, this graphic novel should not disappoint. Highly recommended!!!

The darkest, goriest, most awesome story ever!.......2006-11-05

I was introduced to this by my crazy friend, and I love it. Jhonen Vasquez has a very dark sense of humor, and has very comedic ways of showing someone kill people. I would HIGHLY suggest that one peeks into the book (click "Search inside this book") and read a couple of pages. In all honesty, though, if you don't like the few pages that are shown through Amazon, then you probably will not like the book. I think that the artwork is extremly well done, but it might not hold the interest of certain "normal" people.

Amazing Book.......2006-09-07

For anyone thinking of buying this book, the title explains the content: Johnny is a homicidal maniac. And this isn't an 80's horror film kind of homicidal maniac (one who likes to kill whislt in silhouette), oh no; the tortures and murders are shown in detail. The art work is very different compared to pretty much any other art work you'll find. Jhonen's use of skinny-as-hell characters and geometric drawings make this truly unique. Some may not like it, but that's a personal preferance.
That aside.
The story is non-linear in its own way (let's get one thing straight: it's not Tarentino non-linear), with different events taking place that can pretty much be interchanged with themselves (until part five), which gives the reader a simular sense of Johnny's psychosis. The dialouge is well crafted, logical (irony!) and often philisophical. If you're an intellectual, you'll thouroughly enjoy what the book has to offer...if you can manage some gore.

Also, the Happy Noodle Boy one-page segments are kept in this "Director's Cut" edition. These I found to be hilarious in their own, beyond random way. Seriously, these things are extremely random. Basically, it follows Happy Noodle Boy throughout a day in his life, which is often filled with swearing, yelling at people and usually ends with Noodle Boy getting shot.

In all, this is a great book and I highly suggest you pick up a copy. I find it very hard to believe anybody could whole-heartedly dislike this book.

Jhonny kicks your [...].......2006-08-09

dude, this book is the most awesome book ever. it just is.
Oh, and I LOVE that he listens to clasical music!!!!!!! thats one smart...put psycho....guy!!

But I must say one thing...
There are chicks on the internet that think that he's "hot" and they say that they'd "so do him"
but,
1. he'd kill you
2. HE'S A FRIGGEN COMIC BOOK CARACHTER YOU WEIRDOS!
3. You must be a freak if you HONESTLY think that.

yeah..i wouldnt do 'im...i wouldnt be evil to him like everyone else in the book...but yeah...i wouldnt think that a comic book character was hot. thats just odd. like...not good odd, like, say...invader zim-odd...but odd like.....say...my uncle that steals my grandma's bath towels odd......thats just stupid.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Average customer rating:

I Want to Go There!
Children's Classic
midnight museum magic
From the Mixed up Flies of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E.Frankweiler

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
E.L. Konigsburg
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689711816

Amazon.com

After reading this book, I guarantee that you will never visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or any wonderful, old cavern of a museum) without sneaking into the bathrooms to look for Claudia and her brother Jamie. They're standing on the toilets, still, hiding until the museum closes and their adventure begins. Such is the impact of timeless novels . . . they never leave us. E. L. Konigsburg won the 1967 Newbery Medal for this tale of how Claudia and her brother run away to the museum in order to teach their parents a lesson. Little do they know that mystery awaits!

Book Description

Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away...so she decided not to run FROM somewhere, but TO somewhere. And so, after some careful planning, she and her younger brother, Jamie, escaped -- right into a mystery that made headlines!

Customer Reviews:

I Want to Go There!.......2007-09-15

I want to go to New York to see this museum. This book was incredible and I loved the style of writing and the way the story unfolded letting each character have their own voice. I loved the notes at the end from the author. I really could tell she loved these characters and did care about their ever after. Every child should read this book. Wait, every adult should read this book!

Children's Classic.......2007-07-08

I bought this book for a class that I was student teaching for, and to my dismay none of them heard of it. Thanks to standardized testing books like these collect dust. My class loved it, and I highly recommened having it on the bookshelf for future generations

midnight museum magic.......2007-06-13

Do you like adventure, mystery and fun? Well then this is the book for you. It is about a girl named Claudia (11), and her brother, Jamie(9); they decided to run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They worked together which helped them to survive many days and nights in the museum. I learned that you should work together no matter who it is you are working with; your brother, your sister, a friend, or even Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! I'd love to tell you more, but I can't spoil the story befroe you read "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."

From the Mixed up Flies of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler.......2007-06-12

From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler
E.L Konigsburg

Twelve year old Claudia Kincaid, is bored with her life - being an "A" student all the time, not having a big allowance, and having to deal with being the only girl and oldest of all her brothers. So, she decides to change things a bit to make them exciting. She takes all her allowance, her brother's allowance, her brother (Jamie) and a trumpet and violin case and heads off on an enjoyable, fun adventure to the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York City. There, they take tours everyday, sleep in queens' beds and do whatever they please while being careful not to get caught. One day, they uncover a beautiful, exquisite statue of an angel. As they get to know more about this angel, they find out that it is a mystery. No one knows who actually created this angel. Claudia is determined to find out who the artist is. But will she ever figure it out without getting caught?

This book was full of adventure, and filled determination and concentration. I really enjoyed this book because I felt like I was in the story with the characters through their good and bad times. Konigsburg makes this story become so realistic, it comes to life.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves a good adventure. The plot and setting of Konigsburg's book makes it an incredible, thrilling quest that I am sure you will enjoy! I know I enjoyed it!

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E.Frankweiler.......2007-04-17

E.L. Konigsburg wrote, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a Newberry children or teens book. The book is about two children running away from their house and staying at the Metropolitan Museums of Art. The obstacles they go through to live independently include regrets from going anyway. It reminds you how much you care about your parents. While at the museum the kids find a mysterious puzzle that has clues that to an unexpected conclusion. There are no weaknesses in this book. I read this book because my Aunt is the author. I am not saying this book is good because I am related to the Author but because it is a fantastic and interesting novel. I totally recommend this book to anyone. There is also other books of hers that have won Newberry medals. A movie has been made to go with the book if you are more of a movie kind of guy.

Average customer rating:

Delicious slice of Edinburgh life!
Wonderfully Enjoyable Book
makes you want to visit Scotland
hilarious
A very enjoyable read

44 Scotland Street
Alexander Mccall Smith
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400079446
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Book Description

Welcome to 44 Scotland Street, home to some of Edinburgh's most colorful characters. There's Pat, a twenty-year-old who has recently moved into a flat with Bruce, an athletic young man with a keen awareness of his own appearance. Their neighbor, Domenica, is an eccentric and insightful widow. In the flat below are Irene and her appealing son Bertie, who is the victim of his mother’s desire for him to learn the saxophone and italian–all at the tender age of five.

Love triangles, a lost painting, intriguing new friends, and an encounter with a famous Scottish crime writer are just a few of the ingredients that add to this delightful and witty portrait of Edinburgh society, which was first published as a serial in The Scotsman newspaper.

Customer Reviews:

Delicious slice of Edinburgh life!.......2007-09-24

This book was written for The Scotsman newspaper in serial form, as many of Charles Dickens's novels were. It's not Dickensian, but Smith's view of the purpose of fiction is certainly compatible with Dickens's - "to remind us of the virtues - of love and forgiveness, for example - and these can be portrayed just as well in an ongoing story of everyday life as they can on a more ambitious and more leisurely canvas." That is not to say that this book is dull or moralizing - far from it! Smith's sly wit enlivens each character and scene and makes me think more of Austen than of Dickens. It is no easy feat to write article-length chapters interesting in themselves, that are connected in theme and tone, with a central plot thread which is tied up satisfactorily in the end (at least for me...some reviewers have disagreed). Smith has done it.

The cast of characters here is presumably the one that we will meet in the next two novels of the series, Espresso Tales and Love Over Scotland. Smith has left loose ends for future exploration. These characters may not equal the popularity of his Botswana folks (Mma Ramotswe of the Ladies Detective Agency) but it's a very close call. It's satisfying to watch Pat (the twenty-year old in search of work and love and social life) grow in realizing and acting on her own very good judgment of people and situations. Pat's older sidekicks, Domenica and Angus, are witty sophisticates with a taste for the down-to-earth - Pat probably won't turn out to be like them, but they are an amusing counterbalance for her innocence and honesty.

Bruce - aaaahhhhh, Bruce! Bruce deserves his own paragraph, as he would certainly tell us. No more about Bruce, you gotta read it. Irene, our other over-the-top manipulator, is equally amazing, in a much more intellectual way. I still can't get over the idea of a Stockhausen ringtone...anyway, that's the snobby nouveau-riche side of Edinburgh for you. And Bertie, Irene's son, is right up there with Pat as the most interesting character. We are going to see much more of Bertie, I hope. Matthew, Pat's "boss" (if it is possible to think of Matthew as a boss), will continue to surprise us.

Edinburgh itself is a character in the book. Some of Scotland's poets and politicians appear in this book (the introduction fills us in on who is real and who is not), and as we get to know them and hear some of their poems (courtesy of Domenica and Angus), we feel that we are beginning to know this place, its past and present. Big Lou, the coffee-shop owner who reads Proust, is fictional, but I bet there is someone close to being Big Lou in Edinburgh somewhere. One day I'm going to meet her!

If you like the Botswana series, give this one a try! I'm betting you will be hooked.

Wonderfully Enjoyable Book.......2007-09-22

I picked this (and the sequel) up on my way back from a business trip in the U.K. I've read all of Mccall Smith's "#1 Lady Detective Agency Books" so I thought I'd give this a go.

The book is excellent and an incredible joy to read. I started and finished the book on the 7 hour flight back, and many times laughed out loud at some of the humor and the fascinating characters.

I'll say this - every book I read by Mccall Smith makes me want to go visit the country in which it's set. This is no different. Edinburgh in Scotland is high on the agenda for the next trip.

If you're traveling overseas, buy this first book for the trip over, then wait to get the sequel for the return flight.

makes you want to visit Scotland.......2007-07-29

Good characters, an alluring setting and a good tale make this series an enjoyable read. You will be eager to read the next one.

hilarious.......2007-05-21

This book is absolutely hilarious. The characters, while apparently quintessentially Scottish, are easily relatable to anyone of any nationality in that you sit there and think, "I know someone exactly like that!" You do not have to be from Edinburgh to find this book laugh-out-loud funny. True, there is not much of a resolution at the end, but this book is one of the few instances where the writing is the point, not the plot (which is enjoyable on its own anyway). I can't wait to read the sequel.

A very enjoyable read.......2007-02-22

I really liked this book. It was a joy to read. The characters are interesting and unpredictable. Also, it's been a while since I've laughed out loud while reading a book, but I did so with this one.

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