Subjects:  1. Asia - Japan   2. Photo Essays   3. Travel - Foreign   

Customer Reviews (1)

Virtual Knossos
Farnoux's 'archaeology of a dream' - the French title of this splendid little book - is the primary source for the general reader interested in the historiography of excavations at Knossos and in Crete. But the real value lies, I believe, in the reconstructions he has comissioned of the palace, and in his choice of current discoveries in Crete. Strongly recommended for students and travellers alike. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Greece   2. Antiquities   3. Archaeology   4. Archaeology / Anthropology   5. Classical Archaeology   6. Crete (Greece)   7. Excavations (Archeology)   8. History: World   9. Knossos (Extinct city)   10. Palace of Knossos (Knossos)   

Subjects:  1. (Alexandre)   2. Correspondence   3. France   4. Geometry, Algebraic   5. Grothendieck, A   6. Mathematicians   7. Science/Mathematics   

Subjects:  1. 1876-1957   2. Art   3. Brancusi, Constantin,   4. Catalogues raisonnes   5. Individual Sculptors And Their Work   6. Brancusi, Constantin   7. Catalogues raisonnés   

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a big book.
I never really had to draw artistically, but I spent years drafting mechanical objects, carefully placing straight lines in proportionally accurate positions. Having a book like this is much less embarrassing than signing up for a drawing class and having personal responsibility for drawings which don't look good, for whatever reason. The ability to draw is a major basis for art, as far as I am concerned, and a lot of the mechanics are obvious once a technique is successfully demonstrated. Anything you see in this book can be believed, and possibly even understood, artistically. This book also provides a short history in art, mainly about one person in Paris from 1906 to 1913, who had a friend who told him "Don't throw anything away." (Page 9 explains how "Paul Alexandre begged his friend not to destroy a single sketchbook, a single study.") There are, in addition to hundreds of drawings, some oil paintings reproduced in this book. On page 88 is one which was bought by the author's father because the person who commissioned The Amazon, 1909, rejected it (she might have thought that the eyes were too large; "The Baroness did not like her portrait very much and recognized herself in it still less when Modigliani decided at the last moment that he had to repaint her red jacket in yellow." p. 89), so it was purchased by Paul Alexandre.

First, I am impressed that black and white photographs from that era can be reproduced so large and well. The people (see pages 14, 18, 20, 33, 45, 49, 51, 72, 79, 107) and places in Paris (pages 22, 36, 68, 70, 71, 81), postcards from Livorno, Modigliani's native town (pp. 108-9) and even a book by Nietzsche, Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra on page 63, fill these pages nicely. The manuscript notes reproduced on some pages are usually in French. Part of one is translated as "Equilibrium by means of opposite extremes." (p. 92). Earlier it was mentioned that Modigliani was not the type of person who kept track of things in a journal, so "these brief lines are particularly precious to us, even if, in the absence of any other documentation, we are unable to understand their full meaning." (pp. 92-93).

Secondly, there are explanations of the elements of Modigliani's sculptures and pictures. One feature which he drew a number of times, caryatids, are defined at the beginning of a section discussing those drawings. "Another setting which is theatrical in character is created by the architectural use of caryatids in place of pilasters or columns to support the entablature of a building." (p. 189) There are foldout pages of the drawings which follow, so that, after seeing the figures on page 193, and turning to page 194, the next page which is visible is page 199, which lists the contents of pages 195-198, which are hidden until 194 and 199 are folded out to reveal the four pictures inside side by side. This might be set up this way because plate 108 shows a Hermaphrodite caryatid, frontal view, which was supposed to be hidden from anyone who didn't know where to look for it. The other ones might have been hidden because they were smiling, or too luscious, and placed there as a special reward for those who happened to be reading the book slowly enough to discover them.

Thirdly, the next section, Sculptural heads, starting on page 237, doesn't have much to say, but the comparison of the drawings of Head in left profile runs from pages 255 to 263, without numbers on some pages. Plate 194, Head in left profile with earring; Blue crayon heightened with red gouache, is large and colorful. In the later sections of the book, there is a study with blue ink on page 368, and my favorite color in the book is the blue ink on pages 389, 390, and 392. This is, again, a series with pages that fold out, and the comparison with other pictures makes the blue particularly splendiferous. This book has 463 pages, and you need to read slowly enough to find them all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1884-1920   2. Alexandre, Paul   3. Art   4. Art & Art Instruction   5. Art collections   6. Drawing   7. Exhibition Catalogs   8. France   9. History - Modern   10. Individual Artist   11. Modigliani, Amedeo,   12. Private collections   13. Themes, motives   14. Modigliani, Amedeo   

Customer Reviews (3)

"Witness: Images of Auschwitz" by D. Olere and A. Oler
This slim volume contains over forty drawings and paintings done by David Olere. He did these works from personal remembrances of his time at Auschwitz death camp. The text is written by his son, Alexandre, who was not at the camp, but hiding out with his mother.

Olere spent his time in the camp working in the crematorium. He would bring the bodies from the chambers and put them in the ovens. His story is not told as most stories are. His story is told through his pictures and his son's writing. Both are horrific to witness. "Witness" is an important word in this book. Through Olere's art, the reader witnesses what he witnessed. Through Oler's words, the reader becomes a witness. The father and son force the reader to look at the horror, and not turn away.

The images are not for the faint of heart, but the faint of heart should witness this book. Everyone should witness this book. Oler writes that his father died in his eighties but not of a disease. He died from a broken heart when university professors began to deny the Holocaust altogether.

"Witness: Images of Auschwitz" is a small, terrifying book. I suggest it to anyone who thinks we should "get past" the horrors of World War II, and the events of September 11, 2001.

Quote:
"I did not survive to rewrite the history
Of the Second World War
And explain how it came about and why.
I have no idea. I have no opinions.

I survived just to show you what it is like
Every day in the camp.

I say, "What it is like," not how it was.
To me it still is. I am in it.

Every morning I start all over again from
The Hell Train on.

Every night, I struggle for my next breath
Of fresh air."
--page 26

Horrifically Honest
I first saw this book when I was visiting the Holocaust Museum (in Washington) and it was equally disturbing as all the displays/exhibits in the museum. The illustrator is a very talented artist, and the author of the text was very poetic. It's an extremely powerful piece of work, both terrifying and also touching. Specifically, I remember the pictures of the phases of the gas chamber, and the text entitled something like "How Many More?" which was a prayer. An incredible book, but only for mature audiences.

The book caused me to become very mentally disturbed
The books images are very very disturbing. I will never be the same, little kids should not see this. Good Lord all the humanity. Please do not read it if you are weak of heart. If you are satomasikist then go right ahead. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Auschwitz (Concentration camp)   2. History   3. History - Military / War   4. History: World   5. Holocaust   6. Holocaust, 1933-1945   7. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)   8. Military - World War II   9. Pictorial works   

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderfull
Many wonderfull drawing of cats. Mostly gesture type, but beautiful studies.

Cat person
The drawings in this book all include cats in different positions. Sleeping, eating, and playing. They are beautiful and simple drawings of cats. Great book for the cat lover. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1859-1923   2. Cats in art   3. Drawing   4. General   5. Photography   6. Steinlen, Theophile Alexandre   7. Techniques - Drawing   8. Art / Fine Arts   9. Steinlen, Théophile Alexandre   

Subjects:  1. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books   2. Foreign Language Study   3. Language   4. Southeast Asian   

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Fiction   3. Historical - General   4. Literature - Classics / Criticism   

Customer Reviews (2)

The lost world of Russian Exiles
This book covers the now vanished world of Russian exiles from the Revolution till the 1950-60's. It covers such areas as the influence of the Ballets Russies in Paris prior to the revolution, the clothes the exiles bought with themselves, and the importance of the Kokoshnik to Russian fashion design.

We are also given the history of the now vanished Russian émigré communities in Constantinople in Turkey, Berlin in Germany and Harbin in China, with a smaller amount of discussion of the communities in Paris and London.

London and Paris mostly get discussed in context with fashion, as many émigrés, both noble and poor made a living in the various parts of the fashion industry in exile. There is a whole chapter devoted to the house of Kitmr with its exquisite embroideries and beading, which was run by Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna the younger in the 1920's.

The author has also unearthed other Russian émigré fashion houses which were well known and respected in the 1920's but are mostly forgotten now, houses such as Anely, Mode, Paul Caret, Tao, Yteb and Irfe which was run by the Youssoupoff family.

The majority of the book concentrates on fashion, but there is also discussion of the theatre, cafe's and other craft oriented activities which the Russian communities produced, especially in the 1920's. Many years of painstaking research as been conducted by the author to reconstruct this lost world. The book is full of black and white photos, which I imagine would not have been easy to find. However, if you are looking for nice colour photos of Russian costume, you will not find it here, but if you are trying to find something out on the background on émigré communities or the Russian fashion industry in the 1920's this book will be the standard work for many years to come.

Paleolithic Reviewers
An appraisal of European culture from an old maid somewhere in Western Kentucky knits a ludicrously inappropriate Horatio Algerish review to satisfy her puritan work ethos, that went out of date with the blue collar culture of 50's America, Honeymooners, Flintstones etc. She could be Pat Buchanans speech writer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Biography   4. Crafts & Hobbies   5. European   6. Fashion   7. Fashion designers   8. Foreign countries   9. History   10. Hobbies/Crafts   11. Russia (Federation)   12. Russians   13. Art / Fashion   

Subjects:  1. Fiction - Horror   2. Horror - General   

Subjects:  1. Genres & Styles - Classical   2. Music   3. Musical Instruments - Piano   4. Songbooks - General   

Customer Reviews (12)

19th Century Classic, Tragic Romance--very fast reading !!
This is the story of a beautiful, headstrong, and emotionally detached courtesan Marguerite Gautier who seems to live her life for the moment and her tragic love with Armand Duval. The main plot of the story is that their love can really never be allowed because of society's strict standards. Kind of in the themes of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. This book was written by the famous Alexander Dumas's son, so the style of writing is very different. In the film version, Greta Garbo plays Marguerite in the movie, and plays her beautifully. This is one of the classics that everyone should really read, several classic novels and movies take their inspiration and ideas from Camille. The imagery is really pretty outstanding and several scenes stand out vividly in my memory even after several months. My favorite scenes are when Armand Duval and Marguerite meet for the first time in an operahouse,it's entertaining to see 19th Century social conventions-- and to peer into its darker underside. I think the novel is a little lacking in originality, but is made up by the beauty of the charactars and the depth of the love. It runs in the strain of Romeo and Juliette, very very quickly. The book can probably be read in a day or two without any effort. A classic.

Moulin Rouge-ish...such a beautiful novel
I read this in a day...it was very, very hard to put down. Camille's plot is much like that of my favorite movie, Moulin Rouge. Unlike most "classic" novels, I wasn't bored and I could easily understand what they were talking about. (Have you ever tried reading Homer or even Jane Austen? Those were pretty boring books.)

The love story of Marguerite and Armand was beautiful and at the end, even if I didn't cry, I was miserable.

I highly recommend it!

la dame aux camellias
Near the end, when she was coughing blood and had a fever, Marie Duplessis sat in her usual box at the Varietes for the last time, said a Paris columnist, like something beautiful, he reported later, something white and spectral. For the last time the imagined Marguerite Gautier had dragged her white face and camellias to the opera. After Alphonsine was buried in Montmartre, there took place the famous sale auction of her many possesions, furniture, hangings, dresses, objects d'art bibelots and bijoutterie. Literature is not a trusty reproduction of reality and like in most roman-a-clef the original yarn is more vivid and interesting than the fabricated version concocted by an author. This is no exception. Before Verdi's Violetta and Dumas young's Marguerite, there lived briefly and died a mislead soul of such unusual qualities, she was destined to cast a tall artistic shadow. "La dame aux camellias" are the novel (1848) and play (1852) by the son of Alexander Dumas, France's literary lion. The young Dumas, while growing, somewhat dissolute, was one of the many lovers of the fascinating courtesan who was Paris' arbiter of elegance, perennial in the gazettes, carrying camellias, always. An exquisitely enchanting maiden, who rented her love, thus making and spending millions. Duplessis was notorious for her extravagance, and, conveniently, the spell she cast on rich men. She was a fixture at theaters and gaming houses. A madly desired Marie Duplessis could never have imagined she would one day be the muse of Sarah Bernhardt Pola Negri, Eleonora Duse and Greta Garbo. 'La dame aux camellias" the novel and play both became success-de-scandale, both finding an instant and feverish acclaim. This old Romantic novel is based on the true story of Alphonsine Plessis, an abnormally pretty farmer, who abused by her brutal father, runs off to Paris and becomes a grisette. It's believed Plessis began selling his daughter at the age of twelve. There, in Paris, quite effortlessly, she becomes a ravishing courtesan, a swan, before dying of consumption at the age of 23. In the real biography Marie Duplessis (in her climb Alphonsine changed her name) is always juggling lovers (and debts) some, more fabulously wealthy than others. She also finds time for handsome and brilliant young men of fashion, despite their monetary limitation, and soon we learn she gives up Dumas for Frans Liszt (can you imagine the cinematic possibilities here?) Later, as the shadow of death grew near, Duplessis marries a faithful titled paramour, becoming a countess thus adding coronets to her plate. Now in the outs with Liszt (trust me, I can't go into everything but the life of the real heroine is very interesting)and while young Dumas (the original Armand Duval) travels with his father (in reality having perhaps forgotten Plessis, or Duplessis, Gautier or Valery, it's a bit confusing) the lady of the camellias dies alone of tuberculosis, in her dismantling, erstwhile courtly apartment. In this sad note ends the story of Alphonsine, also Verdi's opera, Garbo's movie and Dumas young's novel and play. The novel, a sometimes mistreated literary treasure that has seen print since the days of Louis Napoleon. Some dismiss it, some find it a bridge between the Romantics and the new realism of Flaubert. A curiously intimate young love account ending in a heart-crushing pathos. My regret is not seeing Duse or Eva LeGallienne in the role. See, I think this story would make a great modern movie. Unless you cry at dog-fights and are innately sentimental, don't pick up this book. If you like it, go on to read Abbe Provost's 'Manon Lescaut'. I could have never imagined I would one day get to grade 'La dame aux camellias', but here it is, you guessed it, I give it five stars. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Literature - Classics / Criticism   3. Movie/Tv Tie-Ins   

Customer Reviews (4)

Questioning the total list of books.
The reviewer from Highland, Indiana has given us a list of books which I am afraid is not entirely accurate. I am currently reading Le Vicomte De Bragelonne in the original French, a book which has three installments. I also have a copy of Louise de la Valliere. The first installment of Le Vicomte De Bragelonne appears from the description to be the same as Ten Years Later. But at the end of the day you can never read too much Dumas!

There was a six book
A reviewer says there are 5 books to the English translation series starting with 'The Three Musketers'. There is, or rather there was a sixth. Titled 'The Son of Porthos'. I have a very old copy of this book, but have never seen it printed in over 50 years I have been looking for it. Why? For adventure and pleasure in reading, you cannot beat Alexander Dumas and his Musketers. (The movies dont hold a candle to the books.)

The Corrected Series
For those trying to read The Musketeers Saga: I was thoroughly confused by the placement of Ten Years Later in the series and the reviews listed on this page. In the original French, there are only three (3) books - 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3. Ten Years Later. That's it - no more. But when translated, most English editions split the behemoth Ten Years Later into a Trilogy (and some four - which make it all the more confusing!).

So the reading list should be 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3a. The Vicomte de Bragelonne 3b. Louise de la Valliere and 3c. The Man in the Iron Mask. Five books - that's the total series!

I highly recommend the Oxford University Press': Oxford World's Classics editions - which has the complete unabridged and annotated versions of all of these books... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction   2. Literary   3. Literature - Classics / Criticism   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Adventure and adventurers   3. Animals - Dogs   4. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General   5. Children: Grades 4-6   6. Dogs   7. Fiction   8. Children's 9-12   

Customer Reviews (1)

The best book on the subject
I have been searching for at least a decade for a book on the Sevres production during the Napoleonic Years. This book is exactly what I was looking for and the essays and tremendous illustrations are what made this book worth the search! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1770-1847   2. 19th century   3. Art   4. Art & Art Instruction   5. Brongniart, Alexandre,   6. Crafts & Hobbies   7. Exhibition Catalogs   8. France   9. Glass & Glassware   10. History - General   11. Manufacture nationale de Sevr   12. Porcelain & China   13. Porcelain, French   14. Pottery & Ceramics   15. Sevres porcelain   16. Sáevres   17. Sáevres porcelain   18. Brongniart, Alexandre   

Customer Reviews (14)

Classic of the classics
I had to read a book for my humanities class, and I pick Dumas' Camelias. The reason why I picked this book was that I read a Japanese comic book which has a couple scene of the story. At first, I was very worried about that I might not finish the book on time, because it usually takes me 10 minutes to read a page of a love story. Also I used to think that love story is boring and long, I just hate it when the author is writing a long passage and still didn't get to the point. Although this book is still long (at least for me it is long), and the author wrote some long passage and still didn't get to the point, but while I was reading this book I always want to know what happen next to Marguerite and Armand. The love between Marguerite and Armand, and how one person is willing to sacrifice for other just amaze me. It is the best love story that I ever know. In fact, after I read this book, I watched the movie Titanic; and I don't even think the story of Titanic is romantic compare to Camelias. It is really a great love story, who ever is in love, or was in love, or even not in love should read this book.

The way the author wrote this book amaze me, too. It makes me feel like the author is sitting beside me, and telling me the story. Although the author is kind of jumping around between the "author" and Armand, I mean you might get a little bit confuse about is it the author telling the story or Armand.

Overall, I recommend every single person who knows love, or want to know love to read this book. You will find the true love in this book.

A great classic
This is the touching story of the romance between Armand Duval, Dumas' alter ego, and the beautiful courtisan Marguerite Gaultier. Marguerite sacrifices her own happiness for Armand's sake, only to result in a tragic conclusion. Dumas, fils, has written a moving and engrossing book that reveals the effects of love on human nature. I highly recommend "La Dame Aux Camelias."

la dame aux camélias, belle oeuvre!
I've read the book as a school reading.
The story is good, and we can see how was the life in this époque.
the story is about a young man armand duval who fall in love with a courtesan, they loved each other but it was impossible.
I think that armand is little bit hysterical, and it's boring because he's always crying.
I recommend to read the theatre piece too ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. European - French   3. Fiction   4. French Novel And Short Story   5. Literature - Classics / Criticism   6. Literature: Classics   7. 19th century fiction   8. French   

Customer Reviews (8)

Erkle
I have never even read this book but who cares from what I can tell it's way too long and bor-ing! TEEHEE

A true classic
Alexandre Dumas pere was a master of story telling. If he was still living today he would definitely write some of the most popular television series. This is how this novel reads, as a TV series, and this is also how it was written, since it was first released in 2 page instalements in 19th century french daily newspapers. Every page ends in some sort of dillema or with an item a suspense. There is never a boring moment. Of course, even if this book is based on actual historical events, it cannot be considered a true rendition of what really happened. Nevertheless, Dumas succeeds in making his characters so alive, that you feel you are living through the intrigues with them. You feel what they feel. A true masterpiece of literature, in any language; and by the way, the book is a thousand times better than the movie.

Great book
When I started reading this book I thought it would be classic, boring, long story about some french queen - I was wrong. I could not stop reading it before I finishad. In my opinion every one who likes interesting books should read it. I am sure he will not regret it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction   2. Fiction - Historical   3. French Novel And Short Story   4. Historical   5. Movie-TV Tie-In - Novelizations   6. Movie/Tv Tie-Ins   7. Saint Bartholomew's Day, Massacre of, France, 1572   8. Henry   9. Marguerite