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September 2002 |
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Caribbean: The Islands (Macmillan
Caribbean/$40) is a sleek, gorgeous volume. Photographer Donald Nausbaum's
love of this region stands out in nearly every picture. Since his "momentous
first taste of the islands" (years ago when he and his wife-to-be visited
St. Lucia), Nausbaum readily admits that he has been "hooked." The book
takes us from the Virgin Islands and the Leeward Islands to Netherlands
Antilles and the Bahamas. Though Nausbaum's introduction and text notes are
winningly telling, it is his large, sharp, color photos that truly shine.
Particularly accomplished are, just to select a handful, the gigantic
boulders at Virgin Gorda; Pinney's Beach at Nevis; the islet of Mopion in
the Grenadines; and the Saturday morning market at historic St. George's
harbour, in Grenada. To read more about this splendid tome, go to:
www.macmillan-caribbean.com The Soul of Vermont (The Countryman Press/$39.95) is a luminous and informative celebration of the Green Mountain State. Acclaimed photographer and longtime-Vermonter Richard Brown shows us not four seasons, but six. The added two are the "brief November transition before the snow flies" and the "Mud and Maple" of March. There are over 140 large, sharp color pictures here. Some of the most evocative and skillfully-composed include Evening Lights: East Corinth, Woodpile: East Hardwick, Peak Mud Season: Peacham, and the Last Hay Crop: Caledonia County. Refreshingly, Brown doesn't romanticize Vermont. He notes that the state's recent snow-falls have been "limp-wristed"; and that Mud Season means "knee-deep slush and vast pools of water with no place to go." But the photographer's love for this marvelous state is readily evident in both his pictures and his telling prose. Susan Brown, the lensman's wife, did a sterling job as the book designer. Begun in 1996 and edited by Jim Kacian, the Redmoon Anthology is a solid and award-winning annual collection of the best English-language haiku and other writings. (Haiku is a Japanese verse form that traditionally consists of three lines of 5-7-5 syllables each.) A Glimpse of Red: The Red Moon Anthology 2000 ($14.95 softbound) features the haiku of more than 100 writers from around the world. Two first-rate works are Kacian's "undressing in the dark--/the sparks/from her sweater" and Peggy Willis Lyles's "into the night/we talk of human cloning/snowflakes." (Lyles, by the way, lives in Georgia and is one of today's most accomplished writers of haiku.) The book has several essays, with "Common Ground: The Basis of World Haiku in the 21st Century" being particularly informative. The Loose Thread: The Red Moon Anthology 2001($14.95 softbound) has 151 haiku, as well as some other Japanese verse forms (haibun, renku, septenga, etc.). Netherlands poet Rob Scott pens the masterful "still no word/the moon/through another window" and Cor van den Heuvel's outstanding "deep snow/the amusement park lit/by a single bulb." Praiseworthy too are many of the essays, such as "The Mechanics of Haiku," "Some Thoughts on the Writing of Haiku," and "The Way of Haiku." To order these anthologies from the Redmoon Press, you can email Kacian at: redmoon@shentel.net. How to do Everything With Your Digital Camera ($24.99 paper), the author takes us from the basics of digital photography (e.g., storing images and sharing images over the Internet) to a variety of advanced photography techniques (such as time-lapse, motion, and panoramic photography). There are lots of illustrations here--most of them black & white. Alas, some of the latter are dark and fuzzy. Still, this is an immensely-helpful guide. The title says it all in Digital Photography: 99 Tips to Make You Look Like A Pro ($19.99 paper). Ken Milbun's concise but valuable resource covers everything from camera features and photographic techniques to uploading procedures and publishing images on the Web. Photoshop users are sure to want to peruse two new books from New Riders. In Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy ($45 paper), the acclaimed Photoshop expert and master teacher follows up on his previous best-selling title, "Bert Monroy: Photorealistic Techniques with Photoshop and Illustrator." This latest work contains new (and updated) information, stunning photorealistic images, and a wealth of valuable tips and techniques. Inside Photoshop 7 ($49.99 paper) is a solid and highly-readable reference. Principal author Gary Bouton provides clear, step-by-step techniques base on real-world examples. Bouton also discusses Photoshop's latest updates and includes a plethora of colorful illustrations. The Bonus CD contains resource files of all the examples in the book, shareware, and graphics software demos. Illuminating and immensely-practical, Natural Highs (Putnam, $24.95) examines the ways that nutrition, supplements, and mind/body techniques can be used to enhance calmness, vitality, and mental sharpness. Hyla Cass, M.D.--an innovative board-ceritified psychiatrist from California--explores such subjects as amino acids, herbs, biofeedback, color therapy, ancient breathing exercises, and meditation. Dr. Cass's prose is at once detailed and accessble; and the book's layout is thoroughly inviting, with plenty of graphics, white space, and topic divisions. At the back of Natural Highs, Dr. Cass provides--among other things--"Top Tips" ("instant programs to chill out, get an energy boost, improve memory, sharpen the mind, and /or feel connected"), an "A to Z of Natural Highs" (from B Vitamins and Choline to Green Tea and Valarian--which reduces anxiety and insomnia), and Resources (a marvelous listing of Web sites on the products and businesses discussed in this work). The book is ably co-authored by Patrick Holford, one of Britain's leading nutritionists. Other titles by the lovely and accomplished Dr. Cass include "Kava: Nature's Answer to Stress, Anxiety, and Insomnia" and the now classic "St. John's Wort: Nature's Blues Buster." Her informative Web site can be found at: www.doctorcass.com How To Write High Structure, High Concept Movies (Xlibris/$20.99) is a witty, engrossing, and marvelously-instructive work. As the title tells, the book--to quote its author, Rob Tobin--is "a step-by-step manual on how to write structurally sound, high-concept screenplays." High-concept means that the premise can be told in a couple of sentences or less and that it has a singular twist for greater marketing interest. With pristine clearness, Tobin discusses the structure, characters, and dialogue in such high-concept films as ROCKY, LETHAL WEAPON, FOREST GUMP, and WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. Further, Tobin provides preceptive gems on nearly every page--e.g., "It is always the hero's story played out against some larger backdrop." The author is a former script reader and development exec. Now he is giving writing seminars and doing one-to-one coaching. He can be reached at: scripts@earthlink.net Larry Langman and Paul Gold has collected over 4,000 bits of funny dialogue in the delightful Comedy Quotes from the Movies (McFarland & Company, $27.50 paperback). The book covers all film genres, and it is topically arranged from Aging and Friendship to Politics and Work. Also, the editors set each quotation in context, giving the name of the actor or actress, the name of the movie, and the year of the movie's release. Not every entry is hilarious or witty. But most are. From BEAT THE BAND (1935), we read: " 'Were you ever in love?' Hugh Herbert asks his servant Eric Blore. 'Oh, no, sir, but I've been married.' " And from BANANAS we get: "An aide asks Woody Allen, the new President of San Marcos, what the chief export of his country is. 'Dysentery,' Allen replies." In Meditation, Oneness and Physics (Lantern, $15), Glen Peter Kezwer--a Canadian who holds a Ph.D. in atmospheric physics and who is a member of the notable International Meditation Institute in Northern India--winningly delves into the connections between the sciences of physics and meditation. As he notes in his Preface, "I somehow sensed that behind multitude of phenomena which the physicist investigates there must be some essential underlying reality that is unchanging and all-encompassing." This "Oneness" provides the core of this book. Kezwer's prose is very clear. Whether he's discussing The Special Theory of Relativity or the nature of consciousness, his points are always accessible. Further, Kezwer's does a great job of weaving details about his own direct experiences into his essays. Some of the chapters are "What is Scientific About Meditation?", "Why Bother with Oneness?", and "Einstein Takes on Neil Bohr." Kezwer's book can be purchased at Amazon.com. Focal Press has brought out two titles for filmmakers. Practical DV Filmmaking ($29.99) is an excellent guidebook for the complete beginner. Russell Evans discusses both filmmaking principles and how to use the various technical tools. He covers Development (turning your idea into a workable script and storyboard), Production (learn the skills to shoot an original short film), Post-Production (develop basic editing techniques using iMovie, Premiere, and Director), and Distribution (set up a Web site and use the Internet to promote your creation). The third edition of Ken Dancyger's The Technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Theory, and Practice ($35.99) provides a detailed and inviting look at the artistic and aesthetic principles of editing--for both picture and sound. New topics in this third edition include new trends in documentary and the editing characteristics of nonlinear storytelling, as in such films as "The Ice Storm" and "The Thin Red Line. 3D Graphics & Animation (New Riders, $49.99) is an outstanding guide for those who wish to enter the 3D marketplace. Mark Giambruno not only covers 3D basics (modeling, texturing, lighting, and animation), but discusses such commercial topics as story concept development, storyboarding, and creating a demo real and portfolio. The book contains valuable interviews with industry leaders, as well as great tutorials for 3ds max 4, Maya 4, and LightWave 7 on the bonus CD. New Riders has also released the instructive and sumptuously-illustrated Photoshop 7 Artistry ($55). This new edition of Barry Haynes' title is geared for professional photographers and digital artists want to create museum-quality imagery. Haynes is an acclaimed digital photographer who has been teaching Photoshop courses since 1990. Laudably translated by Thomas Cleary, Instant Zen: Waking Up in the Present (North Atlantic Books, $12.95 paper) delivers the teachings of Foyan, an acclaimed 12th-century Chinese Zen master. Foyan's observations are straightforward and penetrating. Each of the book's 40-something concise chapters hold many a jewel. In "Facing It Directly," we read: "Wisdom is like the sun rising, whereupon everything is illuminated. This is call the manifestation of nondiscriminatory knowledge. You should attain this once, and from then on...we will have something to talk about." Cleary gives us an informative introduction, as well as provides extensive references from traditional Zen sources. North Atlantic Books has also published Dreams Are Wiser Than Men ($14.95 paper). Edited by Richard A. Russo, this is an impressive anthology of essays, reflections, and poems on dreams. There are over 30 contributors, and they include Archibald MacLeish, Ursula Le Guin, Denise Levertov, Charles Tart, Robert Bly, and Russo himself. North Atlantic Books can be found at: www.northatlanticbooks.com The Fourth Edition of Television and Screen Writing: From Concept to Contract (Focal Press, $29.99 paper) is a solid and tremendously-instructive resource. Richard Blum--Professor of Film at the University of Central Florida--not only covers the usual topics (script formatting, revision, registering your script with the Writers Guild of America west, etc.), but he delves into such heady matters as writing for animation and New Media, how to create a new television series, national and state funding sources, and the intricacies of joining the WGA. Particularly fine are Blum's early chapters on "Creating Marketable Premises for Motion Pictures and TV" and "Story Development." In the latter, you'll find excellent suggestions on developing story ideas with a hook and first-rate examples of Treatments and Step Outlines. And in the Appendix, Blum includes portions of the immensely-helpful WGA's Theatrical and Telelvision Basic Agreement Theatrical Compension. In Martial Arts of the Works: An Encyclopedia (ABC-CLIO, $185), Thomas A. Greene--an associate professor of anthropology at Texas A&M University--has expertly edited 100-plus A-Z entries on the history, philosophy, and evolution of martial arts worldwide. Each article in this two-volume set is signed, is three or more pages in length, and is given a bibliography of relevant works. Also, the contributors include acclaimed martial arts scholars and skilled practioners. The topics range from Aikido and Judo to Swordmanship and Wrestling. There are even entries on Archery and Stick Fighting. Near the back of volume 2, there is chronological history of important occurrences in martial arts from from 30,000 years ago to the early 1990s. This volume also contains a general bibliography (with Web addresses!) and a comprehensive index. In a word, Martial Arts of the World is a valuable and engrossing work. Bruce H. Stewart, Jr's Land Battles of the Civil War, Eastern Theatre (McFarland Publishers, $75) is a dramatic and informative work. Each battle--infantry, cavalry, artillery--is closely examined, and the names of commanding and senior officers (Union and Confederate) are provided. The conflicts range from the War's first battle at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, on April 12, 1861 (when the Confederate's General Pierre G.T. Beauregard and the Union's Major Robert Anderson began the War) to the April, 26, 1865 clash when a defeated General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to General William T. Sherman. The book contains more than 70 maps and a plethora of first-rate illustrations. McFarland also abou to release the 2nd Edition of Chess Lists ($30 softcover). Noted author and chess master Andy Soltis delivers the best, the worst, the shortest, the longest, the oddest, the most brilliant, and the most memorable games, books, and matches in chess history. There are lots of great info about the peculiarities of great chess players. This new edition has more than 25 percent more lists, games, diagrams, and annotations. Highly-recommended for chess lovers. Note: If your local book stores don't have these titles, you can order them at: www.mcfarlandpub.com FrameMaker enthusiasts will certainly want to add FrameMaker 7: The Complete Reference (Osborne, $59.99) to their book shelves. Sarah S. O'Keefe and Shelia A. Loring not only show you how to create text, control page layout, and construct books (from automatic page numbering to indexing), but they delve into such advance techniques as working with hypertext and XML. The authors also take care to go over basics, e.g., understanding FrameMaker 7's interface, including the document window structure view, and toolbars. The authors' text is thoroughly readable, and the book's layout is at once inviting and functional. In Embracing Fear (HarperSanFrancisco, $21.95), Tennessee psychotherapist Thom Rutledge examines how we--as individuals, communities, nations, and as a species--react to and cope with fear. Rutledge laudably details not only how fear is natural and universal, but how it is one of our greatest protectors. Neurotic fear, however, is "the arch-villain of our existence." The book is as instructive as it is telling; for Rutledge provides lively stories about clients and about his own personal growth and experiences. The gracious and astute author has been a psychotherapist for over 20 years, and has been featured on NBC's Today Show. His Web site can be found at: http://www.webpowers.com/thomrutledge. Blain Brown's Cinematography: Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors, and Videographers (Focal Press, $44.99) is an invaluable resource for videographers, cinematographers, and film students. Lavishly illustrated (400 photos, 300 of which are in color) and engagingly written, the book covers the entire range of topics related to professional-level cinematography. Those topics include filters, video, film space, camera dynamics, and the especially fine "Lighting as Storytelling." Focal Press has also released The Web Writer's Guide ($24.99). Darlene Maciuba-Koppel covers a multitude of topics in this lively and comprehensive volume. You're find online writing principles, using an active voice, finding online writing jobs, promoting yourself as an online writer, editing your online writing, and info about e-zines and email newsletters. The author also provides several informative iinterviews with Web writers and developers. Osborne is bringing out two top-notch titles this month. In How to Do Everything with Photoshop 7 ($24.95 paper), Laurie McCanna skillfully guides readers through common problems, technical issues, short cuts, art work, and even experimenting with new ideas and approaches with this stellar graphics program. McCanna's prose is engaging and accessible, and the book has lots of crisp illustrations. Firewalls: The Complete Reference ($59.99) is just that--a detailed and well-illustrated guide to installing and maintaining a robust firewall system. The authors--Keith Strassberg, Richard J. Gondek, and Gary Rollie--discuss everything from the intricacies of designing and configuring firewalls to evaluating the most current products. One of the latest and most comprehensive media industry directories, Gardner's Guide to Multimedia and Animation Studios (Garth Gardner Company, $29.95) examines hundreds of animation, computer graphics, and multimedia companies in the United States and Canada. Edited by Garth Gardner, Ph.D., this stellar resource includes company descriptions, achievements, areas of specialization, and complete address information. Gardner has also penned the substantive Careers in Computer Graphics and Animation ($29.95). It has detailed descriptions of over 130 positions, along with salary info. The author gives us 100 interviews actual animation and computer graphics professionals, and advice from 75 creative employees at such studios as PIXAR Animation, DreamWorks, and Disney Interactive. The publisher's Web address is: www.gogarder.com Garth Gardner Company has also just released Gardner's Guide to Feature Animation Writing: The Writer's Road Map ($24.95). With humor, concision, and engaging details, Marilyn Webber shows how to develop marketable animation stories and scripts. She covers everything from cartoon genres and character arc to plotting and structure. And in the back of the book, she has a valuable glossary, Cartoonography, and Animation Road Map. MTIV Inspiration and Practice for the New Media Design (New Riders, $45) is a lively, humorous, and informative work. Hillman Curtis gives us a seven-step process for creating concepts, as well as for designing and developing New Media. Curtis's writing is always accessible, even when he's delving into XML and streaming media. This title is a great purchase for artists, Web professionals, and graphic designers. New Riders has also just published the sumptuously illustrated Photoshop 7 Magic ($45). Sherry London and Rhonda Grossman focus on how to create a slew of innovative effects using Photoshop 7. Tips, tricks, and techniques are fully customizable to fit readers of levels of experience. McGraw-Hill has just brought out Wireless Security ($49.99). Merritt Maxim and David Pollino thoroughly discuss major mobile/wireless clients and operating systems, including Windows CE, Palm OS, UNIX, and Windows. The writers do an excellent job of showing how to design and implement a robust security system that will keep hackers out of your network security system. High Score! The llustrated History of Games ($24.95) is a winning volume. Replete with rich illustrations and captivating info, the book covers the entire game spectrum, from arcade games and home console systems to computer games and hand-held devices. The authors--Rusel DeMaria and Johnny Wilson--also provide some great, never-before-published photos from the nascent days of the game industry. Final Cut Pro 2 for FireWire DV Editing (Focal Press, $49.99) is a detailed and accomplished handbook. With his accessible workbook-approach, Charles Roberts shows how to set up your desktop studio, edit your digital video, and complete (as well as distribute!) your Hollywood-bound project. Roberts also explains the nuances of Apple Macintosh hardware, software, and FireWire DV. The book has over 500 first-rate screen shots. Focal Press also gives us Real-Time 3D Character Animation with Visual C++ ($49.99). Nick Lever explains how to create your own computer games from basic C codes. This advanced and comprehensive, and well-illustrated guide comes with bonus CD-ROM that offers a full-featured development environment for 3D character animation. Now revised and enlarged, Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light (Snow Lion Publications, $14.95) is highly-recommended for readers interested in developing awareness during the dream and sleep states. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, one of the most esteemed Tibetan meditation masters and scholars currently in the West, provides detailed and easy-to-utilize instructions for increasing clarity within the dream and sleep states. This clarity, in turn, will generated greater awareness in one's general life. Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light is a classic and illuminating volume. It can be ordered at: www.snowlionpub.com Written by Colin Fletcher and Chip Rawlins, The Complete Walker IV (Knopf, $39.95 hardcover/$22.95 paper) is a lively, informative, and well-researched new edition of a now classic series. Given that there has been monumental changes in hiking and camping equipment in recent years, the authors have completely revamped their equipment recommendations. Indeed, their equipment searches are incredibly comprehensive, including details about everything from socks to freeze-dried trail curries. There are solid and detailed discussions the ideal boots, tents, food, and clothes for your next excursion. At the end of the book, Fletcher and Rawlins provide us with moving philosophical reflections on the joy of walking and outdoor life.
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