Books

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

Average customer rating:

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction
Provocative, appealing and controversial
pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
Forbidden History: Prehistoric Technologies, Extraterrestrial Intervention, and the Suppressed Origins of Civilization
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Provocative, appealing and controversial.......2006-08-02

Fomenko has succeeded to convincingly demonstrate the misconception about what "history" factually is... It is fiction and -like we can read and judge for ourselves- no science. It indeed is "make belief" only. I "discovered" Fomenko while studying the "old" history of Al Andaluz, Spain. Having found too many contradictions in available data, having seen too many forgeries as to pretend the importance of christianity for its decline, I ventured out to find Fomenko, who convinced me that we know little if anything for sure of the epoch before the XI-century. However, the integration of the Arabic-Islamic cultural history into the heavily distorted Western fails... There are some attempts to fit "the budding new religion" (Islam) into Fomenko's scheme, but they are too weak to be taken seriously and too often focussing on Turkey as the region where things started to influence the West, which is untrue at all.
Islam certainly was no "new religion" in the X-century. That the highly cultivated Al Andaluz ruler Mohammed-I could have been "mirrored" down in time into some myth about the "illiterate" founder of Islam itself is highly speculative. Nevertheless, Fomenko convinces me about the processes that were involved in forging a christian history. Intriguing and controversial as his books are, I recommend them as to rethink our current position in time and space and simply verify what was claimed. It is a "good" book, but not for bedtime reading... Mundus vult decipi, the world wants to be cheated. Fomenko's readers will understand why.

pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD.......2006-02-16

Traces of white wine were found in Tutankhamen's tomb however there were no record of white wine in Egypt until the 3rd century AD, 1600 years after the young pharaoh died according to the traditional chronology. http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18925395.400
It can be interpreted as a contribution towards New Chronology theory that pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD.

American Splendor: The Residential Architecture of Horace Trumbauer

Average customer rating:

Real Splendor
They don't build them like this anymore.
Excellent Architectural Book!!
Absolutely Fabulous
A Great Book on a Great Talent

American Splendor: The Residential Architecture of Horace Trumbauer
Michael C. Kathrens , Richard C. Marchand , and Eleanor Weller
Manufacturer: Acanthus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0926494228

Customer Reviews:

Real Splendor.......2006-03-21

It would take a much larger book to do justice to all the works of Trumbauer. Wish there is one on public buildings by him. However, it is the best one out so far.

They don't build them like this anymore........2006-02-27

I love this book. Found it by accident in my local library. Was suprised to discover many of Trumbauer's buildings still standing and in my area in PA. All except Whitemarsh Hall, which
is pictured on the cover. I still get sick to my stomach when I think of this masterpiece being demolished. One of his other grand estates, Lynnewood Hall, is also in ruins. Please everyone, support restoration of historic buildings. We spend millions of dollars to travel to Europe to see 800 year old castles, but tear down our own grand estates. I also bought a book called "Great American Mansions" which tells you state by state what places are open to the public. I love old homes and
"American Splendor" is a must read for anyone who appreciates great architecture and preserving it's past. I bought my own copy and plan on visiting as many sites as I can.

Excellent Architectural Book!!.......2005-10-05

This is a very fine architectural book and would be a great addition to anyones collection. The only down side is that I bought this book hoping that one of Trumbauers lesser known houses would be in it. It's the Benjamin C Allen House, in my hown town of Colorado Springs CO. It actually has a funny story to why it was demolished too. Mr allen built the house for his wife, but twenty years later, ran away with her chamber maid. She couldn't bear to live in the house he had had built for her, so she had it demollished and a local architect had a near replica built in its place. Other than not having any information on the Allen House, this is a fine book.

Absolutely Fabulous.......2005-01-15

As someone who loves books like this, I can honestly say this is perfection. Anyone who thinks Delano and Aldrich, or dare I say McKim, Mead, and White designed the most lavish Guilded age mansions need, no must, buy this book. Horace Traumbaur would give Richard Morris Hunt a run for his money, as a Beaux Art master. I had no idea he designed so many beautiful mansions, I knew he was a great architect and I knew about his masterpiece Whitemarsh and it's disgusting demise, but I didn't grasp the depth of his range nor the breath of his work. I thank the authors for honoring him with this great book and as an admirer of his work I am thrilled to get the chance to own such a great book. The quality of this book is superb and the photos are outstanding. I can only hope that this book saves the rest of his buildings in particular the Widener mansion, let's not allow it to meet the same fate as Whitemarsh, who needs another bland housing tract, what we need are reminders of special talent and amazing buildings, mansions like this will never be built again. The Guilded Age is long over and the talented masons and the great architects who honored the past are all gone, replaced by the likes of Frank Gehry and Rem Koolhaus.

A Great Book on a Great Talent.......2003-09-06

This is a superior book, and for three reasons.

First, the obvious: Well researched, beautifully presented, excellent high quality images, lots-o-plans, and an engaging text.

Many readers may not consciously notice the second reason, but it makes all the difference in the world. Most architectural monographs (and many books in general) scatter images throughout a book, and it is difficult if not impossible to develop a clear understanding about individual projects. Various rooms will be many pages (and many projects) apart, and with plans grouped together (or not even included). Also, captions will be brief to the extreme, forcing one on a hunt through the text to access more information. Is there anything more irritating? Not so with American Splendor. Author Michael Kathrens and his graphic designer (and editor?) should be applauded for the clarity offered the reader - like an unexpected gift. Each house is presented on concurrent pages, with beautiful (often full page) images, and concluding (mostly) with clear plans. Ahh! Plans! While the captions are short, the relevant text is always nearby. No hunting!

The third reason is another highly useful (even thoughtful) gift to readers, yet also rarely offered. When one concludes reading about each Trumbauer creation, its current status is articulated! One is never left hanging with those two terrible, dreaded, lingering questions: Was this beautiful creation destroyed? (If yes, one wants to weep.) Or is it well loved and maintained? (If yes, a grin spontaneously ensues.) I cannot count the books that don't answer these important questions, or, again, sadistically force the reader to search and search for an answer.

So, American Splendor should be applauded for the usual reasons. But it should also be applauded for reasons that too few authors (and designers and editors) pay attention to.

Michael, thank you for these many gifts.

The New American Splendor Anthology: From Off the Streets of Cleveland

Average customer rating:

The New American Splendor Anthology
More interesting than it has a right to be!
Please welcome back Harvey Pekar
Pekar in the 1980's
From Off The Streets Of Cleveland Comes...

The New American Splendor Anthology: From Off the Streets of Cleveland
Harvey Pekar
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0941423646

Customer Reviews:

The New American Splendor Anthology.......2007-05-15

If you can't love Harvey Pekar, you can't love anyone. He is a lovely man, with as many neuroses as the rest of us, who listens and watches and reports on the people and world around him. His kindness and caring for the people who populate his world - these are real stories with real people Harvey knows, including his family- is obvious and makes reading his work a delight. I found the Pekar books to be like peanuts - I kept wanting more and more and hate to finish one - unless I have another ready to read. Harvey's 'comics" are the first graphic novels I've spent time reading, and I am hooked. The drawings add immeasurably to the story - a format I would like to see developed further in the future.

More interesting than it has a right to be!.......2004-12-17

Seinfeld, a show about nothing? Pbbbb. Never thought it was that special. Heard about this guy named Harvey Pekar who writes comics about well, nothing. Not nothing really but ordinary, mundane everyday things. Saw the movie, liked it, picked up the Anthology at the library. Hooked. Want more. More. The first friggin' page had me hooked, the old fella telling Harvey about the rag peddlers cry. 'PAAAY-PER REGGS'. The thing is I don't think Harvey needs every dollar now. Between the movie and his work being reissued and the new found interest in him and his comics, he's probably laughing, or brooding, all the way to the bank. Good for you Harvey Pekar!

Please welcome back Harvey Pekar.......2004-01-29

This is the second American Splendor Anthology. It features material that was written after the first Anthology came out, plus some older stuff that was left out of the first book. If you like Harvey Pekar's stuff, you will love this book. For people who became interested in Harvey because of the movie based on his life, you will be interested to find the comics based on his David Letterman appearances here. Also, Toby and the "Revenge of the Nerds" story is featured here. For Harvey's hardcore fans, there are some rarities here, such as pre-American Splendor comics from the early '70s, and Harvey's Forwards to other people's books. Buy this book, Harvey can use the money.

Pekar in the 1980's.......2003-09-16

This is another great collection of Harvey Pekar's AMERICAN SPLENDOR "comics". These are some of his later ones, from the mid 1980's up until 1991. They include his stories on his Letterman appearances.

If you've read the movie tie-in collection and have become a Harvey Pekar fan, this is the best collection to pick up next.

From Off The Streets Of Cleveland Comes..........2002-01-05

This comprehensive collection of American Splendor autobiographical comics by Harvey Pekar features the artwork of many prominent underground comic artists, including Jim Woodring, Joe Zabel, Gerry Shamray, Chester Brown, Spain, Drew Friedman, and R Crumb. But Pekar is truly the dominant force here. Whether he is trading records, arguing with people at work, getting sick, or losing the library's copy of "Confessions of Zeno," you'll get right inside his head as he muses, worries, broods and gets [angry] at the people in front of him in line. Strong stuff with a hard edge of realism.
Compiled from the American Splendor comic books published in the 70's and 80's (which are now largely unavailable), this is highly recommended for those who dig underground comics, new forms of biography or jazz (Pekar is also a renowned jazz reviewer and writer who sometimes talks about music in his comics).
This is not a psychedlic "head" comic, and it does not try to be hip. Harvey is no hippy, he's his own person. There is some social commentary in there too.

Average customer rating:

Vivid and captivating
A Vivid and Fulfilling Read
Captivating story!
Good, but not better than Indu Sundaresan's previous books
Excellent book

The Splendor of Silence: A Novel
Indu Sundaresan
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743283678

Book Description

Set in India during four searing pre-monsoon days in May 1942, The Splendor of Silence is internationally bestselling author Indu Sundaresan's most unforgettable accomplishment yet, merging her Indian and American backgrounds into a heartrending tale of love and clashing cultures in a time of war.

Sam Hawthorne, a twenty-five-year-old U.S. Army captain, arrives at the princely state of Rudrakot in search of his missing brother, Mike, carrying with him wounds from combat in Burma and several secrets. But Sam's mission is soon threatened by the unlikeliest of sources -- he falls hopelessly in love with Mila, daughter of the local political agent. Mila, unexpectedly attracted to Sam, nurtures a secret of her own and finds herself torn between loyalty to her family and Sam.

The Splendor of Silence opens twenty-one years later with Olivia, Sam's daughter, receiving a trunk of treasures from India, along with a letter from an unknown narrator that finally fills all the silences of her childhood -- telling her the story of her parents' passionate and enduring love for each other that throws them in the path of racial prejudice, nationalist intrigue, and the explosive circumstances of a country and a society on the brink of independence from British rule.

Sweeping and poignant, reminiscent of Paul Scott's Raj Quartet novels, The Splendor of Silence will draw a host of devoted new fans to this hugely gifted storyteller.

Customer Reviews:

Vivid and captivating.......2007-06-15

Being a big fan of her two previous books, I was looking forward to Sundaresan's new book. I wasn't disappointed. She is an amazing storyteller. This story takes you to a fictional region of Northwestern India, in May 1942. Sam Hawthorne is a US soldier on mission in Burma, who goes to Rudrakot to search for his missing brother. There he stays at the political agent's house, where he meets Mila. Mila is in love with Jai, the prince of Rudrakot, and is sure to marry him. Sam's presence in Rudrakot does not go unnoticed and causes a stir within the political and military circles, as well as within Mila's house and Mila herself, and it will have repercussions long after the 4 days are over. This whirlwind of a story tackles many topics, all relevant to understand the period and the conflicts within the characters: the effects of the British presence in India, the nationalist movement, politics, racism, young people coming of age, family relations, the social system in India and between Indians/ British, history. Sundaresan does a great job with this story which will stay with you a long time after you finish the last line. Highly recommended.

A Vivid and Fulfilling Read.......2007-05-13

For avid readers of historical fiction, Indu Sundaresan's latest book is a jewel. With elements of adventure, espionage and romance weaved into the story, you are left wanting more and yet, satisfied with the story's ending. The book paints a vivid picture of a world war two era city in India where an American soldier goes to look for his missing brother and in the course of a few days comes away with much more than he expected and leaves behind consequences that reverberate years after.

Captivating story!.......2007-01-09

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The captivating story is excellently narrated with so much ease by the author! I could not keep aside the book until I finished it. It's long since I have read such an intriguing historical novel based in India.

Good, but not better than Indu Sundaresan's previous books.......2007-01-03

This book is decent, but definitely pales in comparison to either "The Twentieth Wife", or "A Feast of Roses", both of which are among my favourite books ever. While the book is written well and eventually captivates a reader, the plot takes a while to unfold, and at times seems a little dull. Sundaresan however, still strikes me as a wonderful author and I look forward to reading her books for years to come!

Excellent book.......2006-10-16

The Splendor of Silence was a book that I could not put down and at the same time I did not want to end. Indu Sundaresan weaves historical information into a beautifullly written novel that has you truly caring what happens to the characters. I highly recommend this book along with the Feast of Roses.

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar

Average customer rating:

A Humdrum Life Writ Large
the best pekar collection
Splendid glimpse into the male mind in a comic book format
Seinfeld-like tripe, that is, just a show about nothing
This book literally changed my life!

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar
Harvey Pekar
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The New American Splendor Anthology: From Off the Streets of Cleveland
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ASIN: 0345468309
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Book Description

The inspiration for the award-winning movie
from HBO Films and Fine Line Features

AMERICAN SPLENDOR
The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar

Two classic comic anthologies in one volume

Stories by Harvey Pekar

Introduction by R. Crumb

Art by Kevin Brown, Gregory Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, R. Crumb, Gary Dumm, Val Mayerik, and Gerry Shamray

The classic collection of the comics that inspired the movie American Splendor, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival

American Splendor is the world’s first literary comic book. Cleveland native Harvey Pekar is a true American original. A V.A. hospital file clerk and comic book writer, Harvey chronicles the ordinary and mundane in stories both funny and touching. His dead-on eye for the frustrations and minutiae of the workaday world mix in a delicate balance with his insight into personal relationships. Pekar has been compared to Dreiser, Dostoevsky, and Lenny Bruce. But he is truly more than all of them—he is himself.

“Mr. Pekar has . . . proven that comics can address the ambiguities of daily living, that like the finest fiction, they can hold a mirror up to life.”
—The New York Times

“[Pekar] has a vision that makes daily city life—a ride on the bus, a run-in with a boss, or simply buying bread—dramatic.”
—Chicago Sun-Times

“Simply stated, American Splendor is the most superb literary endeavor to come off the streets of Cleveland in decades.”
—The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

“Mr. Pekar lets all of life flood into his panels: the humdrum and the heroic, the gritty and the grand.”
—The New York Times Book Review

Customer Reviews:

A Humdrum Life Writ Large.......2006-09-07

I've been a fan of Harvey Pekar's work for over fifteen years. The first time I ever read his self-published comix, American Splendor, I was impressed by its examination of everyday life. His self-effacing humor grows on those who want more than mainstream comics starring spandex-clad teens with superpowers. Compared with Pekar, Spidey has it easy.

I was happy when this movie tie-in release of his early collected work was published. The everyday brilliance of the real life interactions between Pekar and his friends, co-workers and loved ones merit more attention by discerning readers. It would behoove anyone who cares about the comix medium to claim a copy for their personal reading enjoyment. This volume is not for collectors, but for fans of alternative graphic literature who want more meat and potatoes rather than the visual eye candy of more mainstream publishers.

Pekar has been described as a "working class intellectual" (The Comics Journal), and this label is respectfully accurate. He comes from a generation who grew up devouring a culture that had more respect for intelligence than is common today. Instead of just mourning this trend, Pekar rebels from it in true beatnik fashion. His long-time association with R. Crumb (who drew the very first American Splendor story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story") attracted other artists within Cleveland as well as from other locations as the series has progressed.

The everyday heroism of Pekar working a civil service job in order to create his vision of the potential of graphic literature comes through in every page of this collection. I am glad that there are other collections and issues of American Splendor that are available. It would be grand if future generations of comix fans could gravitate around the work that Pekar has never tired from creating. Even at the worst of his lymphoma and chemo treatments, he has never quit observing and relating the drama of everyday life.

the best pekar collection.......2006-07-08

i own i think every american splendor collection book there is, and this one is my favorite. there's a few in particular that really blow me away (the one with pekar wondering around a park, reflecting on his past marriage, his present, and whether there is a God is spectacular). there are a wide variety of artists, from the goofy robert crumb drawings to more serious ones. there are certainly weak points IMO, but not as much as in the other collections. while "the quitter" is his most consistent i've read so far, there's no replacement for finding a really cool comic collection like this and reading through it, finding a bunch of random pekar stories and seeing which ones you enjoy best.

Splendid glimpse into the male mind in a comic book format.......2005-12-24

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar is the largest published collection of the comic series, containing the complete text of American Splendor and More American Splendor. With an introduction by R. Crumb and art by Kevin Brown, Gregory Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, R. Crumb, Gary Drumm, Val Materick, and Gerry Shamray this is 320 pages of a classic American comic.

Pekar's work is a cerebral approach to the comic medium. Many of the panels have no dialog and only illustrate the external while the text reveals the thought stream of Pekar's mind. His ability to portray the inner workings of his thoughts, in a humorous and sympathetic manner, is the key to the success of his writings. The comic is a working class version of Seinfeld with a populist self-made intellectual as the leading character. Yet there is a Existentialist angst to this work that puts it in a class by itself.

Seinfeld-like tripe, that is, just a show about nothing.......2004-08-23

Pekar is an okay writer who has absolutely nothing of any importance to say about anything, so he fictionalizes trivial incidents from his humdrum existence as a file clerk in Cleveland into badly drawn comic books and calls it writing. In short, this is a guy who did nothing with his life except write about how he was doing nothing with his life. The thing is, there are millions of people out there who do even less with their lives, so they eat this stuff up with a spoon. Go watch paint dry instead and save your money.

This book literally changed my life!.......2004-06-10

When I was a student at the University of South carolina in 1987, I was browsing through the library and I came across "American Splendor" with the cartoon cover of Harvey on a Johnny Carsonish talk show. It looked interesting, and when I read it- WHOA!

These are stories straight from real life like you've never read them before! The tale of the old man who tells Harvey great stories,but clams up when he meets an attractive lady. Emil,the lonely Slav whose racism covers his insecurities, Mr. Boats, the cranky old man whose race (African-American) is never called attention to in the stories. I was moved more than anything I've read since Charles Schulz and said, "DAMN! If this guy can write like this,I should give it a try."

Since then,I've been a newspaper commetator as well as a writer of historical articles.

Thank you Harvey, for showing me that I can.

A Royal "Waste" of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World

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Good Book
Great for Corporate Worship. Bad for True Worship
Beyond Singing
"A Royal Waste" is a great investment of your time

A Royal "Waste" of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World
Marva J. Dawn
Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080284586X

Customer Reviews:

Good Book.......2007-04-24

As a Catholic, I have enjoyed reading Marva J. Dawn's book "Reaching out without Dumbing Down" as well as this book. Her theology is close to ours in so many ways.

Great for Corporate Worship. Bad for True Worship.......2005-01-04

A Royal Waste of Time is another character sketch on "how to do" Worship. Although, highly insightful on Corporate Worship, Dawn misses the mark on true Biblical Worship. She is blur of many authors today who are trying to "fix" Worship instead of doing Worship - just another slant on how to create a corporate worship environment.

Beyond Singing.......2003-11-11

Those who have read anything by Marva Dawn will love "A Royal 'Waste' of Time." Those who aren't familiar with her work are in for a book that is very compelling and challenging. This book isn't merely about worship singing; it is about being a church community centered on the worship of an Infinite God. The book articulates a missional ecclesiology focused on biblical worship that engages the world.

"A Royal Waste" is a great investment of your time.......2001-07-31

This book is very helpful in understanding and interpreting our postmodern culture as it impacts worship. The author describes God as our "Infinite Center", and worship as "immersed participation in all the fullness of God's splendor." She emphasizes the need to "be Church" to our culture. The author also deals candidly with many of the music issues affecting worship today, especially the "traditional" versus "contemporary" struggles, and worship and evangelism issues. While many authors offer practical suggestions for "what works," she gets to deeper levels, reminding us that worship is not a matter of taste, that evangelism itself should not "drive" what happens in worship, that we cannot sacrifice substance for style. Throughout the book, she reminds the reader that she is not seeking to provide answers for "being church" in our culture, but she invites us to ask better questions about the meaning and purposes of worship in postmodern times, and how our worship practices form us to be God's people. Reading this book is definitely not a waste of time!

American Splendor: Another Day - Volume 1

Average customer rating:

Not the best
Another Great Day

American Splendor: Another Day - Volume 1
Harvey Pekar , Eddie Campbell Haspiel , and Ty Templeton
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401212352

Book Description

First appearing in 1976, AMERICAN SPLENDOR rose from the streets of Cleveland to change the way comics readers and creators viewed the potential of their medium. The series won an American Book Award and became an Oscar-nominated film.

Following the success of his critically praised, top-selling graphic novel THE QUITTER, Harvey Pekar returns with an all-new volume of AMERICAN SPLENDOR, celebrating 30 years of the series that first showed how, as Harvey says, "ordinary life can be pretty complex stuff."

In this collection, Harvey is joined by an all-star roster of artists including his collaborator on THE QUITTER, Dean Haspiel. Three decades after his self-published debut, Harvey Pekar proves that while his life has changed, his ability to find the exceptional in the everyday has only grown sharper with time.

Customer Reviews:

Not the best.......2007-05-18

I have gotten into Harvey's stuff mostly through his best-of collections, and this is certainly not up to that level of quality. The last of his books I read was "Our Cancer Year" which was excellent with no nonsense. "Another Day" has too much nonsense; perhaps a third or more of the book is made up of stories that are as fun as listening to someone talk about something you don't care about. In one piece he actually lectures to us about regionalism, which he drags out over six pages. It is fine to sneak in a little something about regionalism, but it seemed like blabbering and lecturing.

On the plus side there are some excellent artists doing some nice work and it is interesting to see the differences between artists.

Some of the stories are good, but too many of them tasted like re-cooked food or just basically uninteresting material. His stories that are good in this book are great, but there are others that are boring and others that are stale.

If you are new to Harvey Pekar, grab "Our Cancer Year" which is about a full year in his life. Or grab "The New American Splendor Anthology", or "American Splendor" or "The best of American Splendor", but note that these three, in contrast to "Our Cancer Year", are collections of short stories.

The best that Harvey does is tell stories that are interesting or frame a seemingly mundane situation in a way where we see it through fresh eyes and appreciate it and enjoy it. Not enough of this book was up to that level.

Another Great Day.......2007-05-15

This is a shorter anthology than the others i've read, but a fantastic one. The art is all top-notch, the stories are great as ever, with a range of flashback and current tales. I've read the other AS anthologies, and knowing the back story on lots of the topics is extra good, but I imagine even a first-time reader would enjoy Another Day for its high quality storytelling and art. Also my favorite cover art yet.

The Splendor of American Ceramic Art, 1882-1952

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The Splendor of American Ceramic Art, 1882-1952
Donald Karshan
Manufacturer: Museum of Arts & Sciences
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9992739096

Splendor in the Short Grass: The Grover Lewis Reader

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Splendor in the Short Grass: The Grover Lewis Reader
Grover Lewis , and Robert Draper
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

"Dave Hickey gets it exactly right in his preface to this collection of journalism, poetry, fiction and memoir: Lewis, who died in 1997, was indeed 'the most stone wonderful writer that nobody ever heard of.' Writing for Rolling Stone in the early '70s, he almost singlehandedly invented the movie set piece, and no one's ever improved on his flint-eyed profiles of Sam Peckinpah and the Allman Brothers. But the best piece here is his searing memoir of his white-trash Texas parents, who died in what was ruled a double suicide. Etched in acid and heart's blood, it is a terse masterpiece."

—Malcolm Jones, Newsweek

"The least known of the New Journalism's founding fathers, Grover Lewis has long been a legend among nonfiction writers, and this overdue collection shows us why. A beautiful stylist blessed with a blistering honesty, Grover saw it all and wrote it like nobody else could. Put Splendor in the Short Grass up on the shelf with the best of Tom Wolfe, Hunter Thompson and Gay Talese. It belongs there."

—Kenneth Turan, film critic for the Los Angeles Times and National Public Radio's Morning Edition

"Grover Lewis, the most literary of journalists, did things his way, simultaneously inventing a genre and setting the standard. These days ambitious feature writers, whether they know it or not, all strive to do it Grover's way. But, as this long overdue collection shows, not only did Grover do it first, he did it best."

—Tim Cahill, author of Lost in My Own Backyard and Hold the Enlightenment

"Grover Lewis was a gift to American letters. He had a hard eye, a sharp eye for hidden reality, and the unique ability to raise a popular journalism piece to the level of a universal truth. Plus he wrote like an angel. This collection, Splendor in the Short Grass, is not just a terrific read, it's an important work. I loved every page of it."

—James Crumley, author of the hardboiled mysteries Dancing Bear, The Last Good Kiss, and The Final Country

"Your gonzo journalism library isn't complete without him."

— Ruminator
"Grover was, after all, the most stone wonderful writer that nobody ever heard of....His job was to hammer the detritus of fugitive cultural encounters into elegant sentences, lapidary paragraphs, and knowable truth; and, in truth, the loveliness and lucidity of Grover's writing always rose to the triviality of the occasion."

—Dave Hickey, from the foreword

Grover Lewis was one of the defining voices of the New Journalism of the 1960s and 1970s. His wry, acutely observed, fluently written essays for Rolling Stone and the Village Voice set a standard for other writers of the time, including Hunter S. Thompson, Joe Eszterhas, Timothy Ferris, Chet Flippo, and Tim Cahill, who said of Lewis, "He was the best of us." Pioneering the "on location" reportage that has become a fixture of features about moviemaking and live music, Lewis cut through the celebrity hype and captured the real spirit of the counterculture, including its artificiality and surprising banality. Even today, his articles on Woody Guthrie, the Allman Brothers, the Rolling Stones concert at Altamont, directors Sam Peckinpah and John Huston, and the filming of The Last Picture Show and One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest remain some of the finest writing ever done on popular culture.

To introduce Grover Lewis to a new generation of readers and collect his best work under one cover, this anthology contains articles he wrote for Rolling Stone, Village Voice, Playboy, Texas Monthly, and New West, as well as excerpts from his unfinished novel The Code of the West and his incomplete memoir Goodbye If You Call That Gone and poems from the volume I'll Be There in the Morning If I Live. Jan Reid and W. K. Stratton have selected and arranged the material around themes that preoccupied Lewis throughout his life—movies, music, and loss. The editors' biographical introduction, the foreword by Dave Hickey, and a remembrance by Robert Draper discuss how Lewis's early struggles to escape his working-class, anti-intellectual Texas roots for the world of ideas in books and movies made him a natural proponent of the counterculture that he chronicled so brilliantly. They also pay tribute to Lewis's groundbreaking talent as a stylist, whose unique voice deserves to be more widely known by today's readers.

Average customer rating:

Graphic literature
The Saga Continues
Hard to say what draws one to a Pekar comic
Excellent addition to movie tie-in anthology
Let the buyer beware

Best of American Splendor
Harvey Pekar
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345479386
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Book Description

Experience the heartwarming all-American story of a crank and his comic book.

What’s a file clerk from Cleveland doing with an Oscar nomination? How did a movie about Harvey Pekar win the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival? The story begins in 1976, when Harvey began publishing his autobiographical, slice-of-downtrodden-life comic book series American Splendor, illustrated by a who’s who of underground comic artists, including R. Crumb, Kevin Brown, Greg Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, Gary Dumm, Val Mayerik, and Gerry Shamray. After self-publishing American Splendor for nearly two decades under less than splendid conditions (and racking impressive accolades in the process), Harvey finally got a break when Dark Horse Comics took over the publication in the early 1990s. It was an opportunity for Harvey to reach a wider audience–which, as it turned out, included a few Hollywood types, too. (Who knew?) But that’s another story. . . .

Now we are happy to bring you the Best of American Splendor, a collection of some of Harvey’s greatest work. Harvey Pekar has been compared to Theodore Dreiser, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Lenny Bruce, but this collection is a true American original. Just like Harvey.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic literature.......2007-03-26

It's not just the fact that Harvey was the first to put the everyday into comic-book format, it's the fact he has a literary knack for observation (and I mean that in a good way!). Plus also, the everyday, for Harvey, is rarely what the rest of us mean by the term -- these vignettes into his life are highly interesting happenings. Also, the fact he also uses illustrators other than Crumb -- some equally good but very different -- allows you to get more of a sense of the man doing the writing, 'cos all these illustrators see him a little bit differently. That said, I would start with the anthologies ('American Splendor (The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar)' and 'The New A. S. Anthology') first -- they're a little bit better (and this collection contains no Crumb at all -- not that it matters all that much).

The Saga Continues.......2006-12-03

Harvey Pekar is one of my heroes! 20 years ago when I was a student at the University of South Carolina, I came across the first American Splendor Anthology in the browsing section of the school's library. This was the book that inspired me to be a writer myself.

With that said, on to this book. If you liked the other American Splendor collections, I don't see why you wouldn't like this. Toby the Geek, Mr. Boats, his archenemy David Letterman (yes, THAT David Letterman) and the usual cast of characters (minus Freddy the Brooklyn Freeloader) are along for the ride. This goes pretty in-depth with Harvey's family life with his wife Joyce and his adopted daughter Danielle, but as with most of his stuff, its easy for the reader to relate. I particularly like where he discusses his inability to hold a decent conversation with Danielle (what adult hasn't been through that)?

Some other stuff really stands out. A Black jogger confronts Harvey about his depiction of Black characters in his works. Personally, as an African-American fan myself I've always respected the fact that Pekar's Black characters range from the ignorant to the intelligent, showing a wide variety of black life and just portraying us as people who he happens to encounter in his daily life without an agenda. Although admittedly I enjoyed his discomfort about the question of Robert Crumb, whose portrayal of blacks I despise.

Perhaps the most moving segment involves a British fan with autism who writes Harvey about his sad life and experiences. One really feels for this fellow, as others mock and misunderstand his illness and loneliness(at one point, he is molested by a crude oaf in a Chinese Restaurant, but no one sees fit to stop this cad or even call the police). Surprisingly, Harvey does not say if he responds to the pathetic fellow.

But overall, once again Pekar gives us through his writings and cartoons a multidimensional look at the human condition, and shows us, perhaps unintentionally, how much we as human beings really have in common. Enjoy.

Hard to say what draws one to a Pekar comic.......2005-06-24

There are certainly moments when I'm astounded by how well I can relate to some of these stories. For instance, Harvey has a pretty keen ability to sense "the beginning of the end" of a relationship. In other instances, he struggles to rationalize the stereotyping that occurs in his stories, sometimes relying on a sort of tacit understanding that, even though the line is clearly visible from where he stands, he hasn't quite crossed it just yet.

On the other hand, you have to be careful not to try and read one of these volumes all the way through in one sitting. Somehow it just doesn't work so well that way. There's a certain flow to his stories that seems to be interrupted at certain points throughout the compilation. At moments like that you need to set the book down and come back to it later.

I preferred the other two trade paperback compilations to this one, but it has its moments too. I got into Pekar via the HBO movie of a few years ago, and one of the amusing aspects of these books is observing the subtle ways in which the comics differ from the film. If I'm not mistaken, the movie makes no mention of the fact that Harvey is in the midst of moving into a new house when he discovers he has cancer.

If you are already familiar with the peculiar charms of an American Splendor comic, then you'll probably find what you're looking for here.

Excellent addition to movie tie-in anthology.......2005-06-01

I admit that the title is misleading but that doesn't mean this anthology is not great. I thoroughly enjoyed it as an excellent addition to the 'American Splendor' anthology that was released to tie in with the movie...

Let the buyer beware.......2005-05-10

Although the title says this is the best of American Splendor it doesn't feature any of the R. Crumb illustrations. This compilation only features stories published in the last ten years or so. A mayor dissapointment. The second star is only because of the sheer quality of the material that is there. Just don't expect a proper retro-spective.

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