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Arts & Culture

The magazine America grew up with

Review by bookpagedev

It’s a cultural institution, a reflection of our national character, a testament to our affection for the absurd. The New Yorker made its publishing debut in 1925 and has been amusing readers ever since. Now, as the revered weekly prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary, The Complete Cartoons of The New Yorker sure to be the blockbuster book of the holiday season collects 2,004 of the magazine’s comics in one uproarious, outsized treasury. Organized into chapters based on decade and subject matter, the cartoons presented here tackle topics of timeless import like dogs, cars, drinking and politics. The pieces span nearly a century and serve as a record of our cultural evolution, documenting the intellectual shifts, political attitudes and moral trends that marked America’s coming-of-age. As the pages pass, references to Prohibition and the Depression and the scandal of divorce give way to mentions of drugs and yoga, motorcycles and miniskirts. Indeed, one of the many pleasures offered by this nearly inexhaustible book lies in the comparison of eras: James Thurber’s good-natured jibes at humanity, for example, which he produced in the 1930s and ’40s, stand in fascinating contrast to Saul Steinberg’s contemporary, irony-laden offerings. Over the course of the volume, all of the magazine’s classic humorists are represented William Steig, George Booth, Charles Addams, Roz Chast and Gahan Wilson, among countless others all artists who helped define America’s sense of humor with their wit and brevity, with their skill at distilling the human experience into the confines of a cartoon. A roster of beloved New Yorker writers, including Ian Frazier, Roger Angell, John Updike and Lillian Ross, contribute introductory essays to each chapter, providing background and context for the selections. Two complementary CDs contain every single cartoon published in the magazine, from February 21, 1925, to February 23, 2004. That’s 68,647 different reasons to laugh. Truly a grand anthology. Julie Hale is a writer in Austin, Texas.

It's a cultural institution, a reflection of our national character, a testament to our affection for the absurd. The New Yorker made its publishing debut in 1925 and has been amusing readers ever since. Now, as the revered weekly prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary,…
PhotographyArts & Culture

Family reunion

Review by bookpagedev

Sisters: Tenth Anniversary Edition revisits 13 sets of sisters originally featured in Sisters, the sleeper New York Times bestseller of the early 1990s, along with some new siblings. Surprising, difficult and touching sentiments are revealed in Sharon J. Wohlmuth’s updated photos and Carol Saline’s interviews: aging, illness, disillusionment and death have caught up with some of the women, while affection and deep emotional bonds are more pervasive than ever. Famous sister reunions include the stunning trio of supermodel Christy Turlington, now a mother, and sisters Erin and Kelly; Coretta Scott King and Edythe Scott; musical sisters Irline, Louise and Barbara Mandrell; and Clare, Jeanne and Chris Evert. But some of the most moving reunions include the Green sisters, now in their 90s and separated for the first time in their lives; Janice Coffey, whose brother is now her sister, Elizabeth; and Julie Johnson, who happily gave birth to a baby boy, now 10 years old, for her sister Janet. Deanna Larson is a writer in Nashville.

Sisters: Tenth Anniversary Edition revisits 13 sets of sisters originally featured in Sisters, the sleeper New York Times bestseller of the early 1990s, along with some new siblings. Surprising, difficult and touching sentiments are revealed in Sharon J. Wohlmuth's updated photos and Carol Saline's interviews:…
PhotographyArts & Culture

A wonderful LIFE

Review by bookpagedev

Many of the images from the pages of LIFE magazine are iconic: the sailor kissing the nurse in Times Square on V-J Day by Alfred Eisenstaedt, the aerial shot of a near drowning on Coney Island by Margaret Bourke-White, Gordon Parks’ “American Gothic” portrait of cleaner Ella Watson, Larry Burrow’s photo of a GI shot dead onboard the Yankee Papa 13 in Vietnam, Phillipe Halsman’s swirling composite of artist Salvador Dali in “Dali Atomicus” and Milton Greene’s photo of Marilyn Monroe. The Great LIFE Photographers eatures pictures by more than 200 of the century’s best photojournalists on staff at the magazine throughout its history. But lesser-known works still retain enormous storytelling power decades later, attesting to the skill and artistry of photographers who placed themselves mere feet from the action to frame the shot. George Strock was following troops in New Guinea when he discovered the bodies of three U.S. soldiers half-buried in the sand of Buna Beach in 1943. Carl Mydans caught the faces of terrified young children huddled in the snow hiding from a Russian air raid in 1940s Finland, and George Roger snapped a young German boy walking past hundreds of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp corpses in 1945. Some works such as Lennart Nilsson’s microphotography of the moment of conception; William Vandivert’s photo of young Welsh girl badly injured in the Blitz; W. Eugene Smith’s picture of a mother bathing her deformed daughter, a victim of mercury poisoning, in Japan in 1971; and Michael Rougier’s portrait of a Korean boy found orphaned by his mother’s dead body made the world wonder and inspired change. And some, like the picture of Joseph Goebbels’ cold, hard stare taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt in 1933, prove that immutable truths can be caught forever by a lens in a box. Deanna Larson is a writer in Nashville.

 

Many of the images from the pages of LIFE magazine are iconic: the sailor kissing the nurse in Times Square on V-J Day by Alfred Eisenstaedt, the aerial shot of a near drowning on Coney Island by Margaret Bourke-White, Gordon Parks' "American Gothic" portrait…

PhotographyArts & Culture

Tribal counsel

Review by bookpagedev

The “Native universe” could describe the whole of the Americas and Caribbean, as well as the varied, mysterious and complex societies of Native peoples. Native Universe: Voices of Indian America is the inaugural book of the new National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The book provides a fascinating overview of Native American history and traditions and presents perspectives on the role of Native people in current society by Indian tribal leaders, writers, scholars, poets and storytellers. Native Universe is packed with stunning pictures of ancient clothing, tools and artifacts that accompany numerous essays on rituals, beliefs, cultural milestones and how they all connect to modern Native American life. Among the subjects covered are: the “accidental” gift of horses descended from mounts of Spanish colonial soldiers, which became a “profound agent of change” for Native peoples; “This Land Belongs to Us,” the brief and heartbreaking statement of Lakota chief Sitting Bull in 1882 before the Battle of the Little Big Horn; documents and pictures from a revisit of Wounded Knee during the 1970s Indian movement; a discussion of the war bonnet, a symbol appropriated by American popular culture; and the ancient warrior culture exemplified in modern times by Hopi tribal member Lori Ann Piestewa, who lost her life in the Iraq War.

Deanna Larson is a writer in Nashville.

The "Native universe" could describe the whole of the Americas and Caribbean, as well as the varied, mysterious and complex societies of Native peoples. Native Universe: Voices of Indian America is the inaugural book of the new National Museum of the American Indian at the…
Pop CultureArts & Culture

More than a doll

Review by Faye Jones

Barbie, the stylish playmate for generations of little girls, turns 50 this month. In Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her  Robin Gerber showcases Ruth Handler’s brilliance in all aspects of business and details how she not only identified the market for the doll, but also successfully sold the idea to skeptics. When Handler noticed her daughter, Barbara (the doll’s namesake), playing with paper dolls—changing their clothes and pretending to be them—she realized that “little girls just want to be bigger girls” and began searching for the perfect doll for them. She met resistance along the way, namely from people who said mothers would not buy their daughters dolls with breasts; Handler proved them wrong.

Still, Gerber doesn’t gloss over the bad times. In the 1970s, Handler and her husband were forced out of Mattel, the company they’d founded, and charged with falsifying the books. While Handler always denied doing anything illegal, Gerber argues that someone as interested in the smallest details of the company as Handler simply could not have been unaware of the fraud. Handler managed to avoid jail time, but had to pay the largest fine and serve the longest community service punishment allowable by law. Nevertheless, Barbie has proved to be her greatest legacy.

Barbie, the stylish playmate for generations of little girls, turns 50 this month. In Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her  Robin Gerber showcases Ruth Handler’s brilliance in all aspects of business and details how…

Arts & CultureArt

The Da Vinci crime

Review by Norah Piehl

She has, quite possibly, the most famous face in the entire world. Just as beguiling as Mona Lisa’s smile, however, is her long and captivating history. Particularly notable is the two-year period when one of the world’s most valuable paintings . . . just disappeared. R.A. Scotti explores this fascinating incident in Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa, an engaging nonfiction study that’s as full of twists, turns and suspense as any mystery novel.

Anyone who’s seen the painting behind bulletproof glass in its high-security room at the Louvre would be surprised at how lax the Paris museum’s security was in August 1911, when the painting seemed to simply vanish into thin air. When the theft was uncovered, however, virtually all of Paris was paralyzed; the museum shut down for a week so that police could mount a full investigation, and every newspaper was full of speculation on the painting’s whereabouts. Everyone was under suspicion, from the museum’s staff to the young upstart painter Pablo Picasso and his anti-establishment circle of friends.

Despite the sensational nature of the crime, Scotti’s exploration of the theft of the painting would be fairly humdrum if it merely recounted events—especially since the details of the thief’s means and motives are still not fully understood today. Scotti skillfully heightens the suspense by frequently personifying the painting, almost as if it were a real kidnap victim or runaway: “Mona Lisa had been spotted crossing the border . . . and slinking out of France.”

This approach will delight mystery lovers; of more interest to art history buffs, however, is the way Scotti positions the painting’s disappearance at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. The Parisian police force uses cutting-edge forensic science to find clues; the public’s fascination with the missing lady (even paying to stare at the empty hooks where she once hung) foreshadows the irreverence and self-commentary of modern art; the reproduction of the lady on countless souvenirs previews later 20th-century mass production of cultural artifacts. Placed in these contexts, the theft of the world’s most beloved painting makes the Mona Lisa’s story even more significant—and her smile even more alluring.

Norah Piehl is a writer and editor who lives near Boston.

She has, quite possibly, the most famous face in the entire world. Just as beguiling as Mona Lisa’s smile, however, is her long and captivating history. Particularly notable is the two-year period when one of the world’s most valuable paintings . . . just disappeared.…

Pop CultureArts & Culture

Meanwhile, in the cafeteria

Review by bookpagedev

If lunch was your favorite subject in school, or if you are a lifelong student of pop culture, don’t miss Lunchbox Inside and Out: From Comic Books to Cult TV and Beyond. Authors Jack Mingo and Erin Barrett start with an appetizer-portion of history, charting the transformation of lunchboxes from the utilitarian accessory of working-class men to the domain of children and marketing tool. “Planned obsolescence,” the concept of “convincing customers to habitually replace perfectly good products for the sake of novelty and style,” played a large role in the development of lunchboxes as we know them today, argue Mingo and Barrett. They say it all started with the introduction of Aladdin’s Hopalong Cassidy lunchbox, closely followed by American Thermos’ Roy Rogers and Dale Evans model. From there, things took off, leading to all sorts of tie-ins to TV shows, toys, movies and sports teams. Lunchbox Inside and Out covers the big players, among them King Seely, Aladdin, American Thermos, ADCO Liberty and Ohio Arts, as well as the evolution from low-resolution decals on metal boxes to elaborate total-box designs on plastic ones. This story of lunchboxes is told in bite-sized morsels, richly illustrated with pieces from the collection of Joe Soucy (examples of which are also crossing the country as part of the Smithsonian’s “Lunch Box Memories” show) and includes handy price codes should you stumble upon a treasure in your attic or at your neighbor’s yard sale. Among the delights found in the book: several Beatles boxes, a 1935 oval-shaped Disney “lunch kit” featuring Mickey and his cohorts and a host of designs that saw their share of PB&andJ over the years.

If lunch was your favorite subject in school, or if you are a lifelong student of pop culture, don't miss Lunchbox Inside and Out: From Comic Books to Cult TV and Beyond. Authors Jack Mingo and Erin Barrett start with an appetizer-portion of history,…
NonfictionAudioPhotographyArts & Culture

Looking at lives

Review by John T. Slania

Reza War + Peace: a Photographer's Journey is a look at the human impact of war through the eyes of the renowned photojournalist Reza Deghati, known by his first name. This book is a three – decade retrospective of his war photography for National Geographic, Time and Newsweek, in locations around the world. Reza captures the ravages of war in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia and other countries. The images sometimes are of the frontline soldiers in battle, but just as often, they are pictures of the citizens who are affected by the war. There are images of violence and death, but there are also photos of courage and strength, as ordinary people struggle to make a better life amid the surrounding tumult. As a result, Reza War + Peace presents a message of both sorrow and hope.

In stark contrast to this worldview is The Oxford Project, which focuses on the roughly 700 residents of Oxford, a peaceful, rural community in eastern Iowa. A young photographer named Peter Feldstein came to Oxford in 1984 after landing a teaching job at the nearby University of Iowa. He soon set out on an ambitious project: to photograph every resident in town. His studio portraits of the modest townsfolk were displayed in galleries and exhibitions, then filed away until 2005, when Feldstein decided to return to Oxford to photograph his subjects again.

The resulting images are a fascinating look at how people age and develop, a kind of real – life "before" and "after" experiment. What makes The Oxford Project more interesting is that Feldstein brings along writer Stephen G. Bloom to interview and write about the subjects to see how their lives have changed over the 21 years between the shots. This informal sociological study works largely because most of the residents of Oxford chose to stay there, making it an intriguing look at small – town America.

The best picture show

Give Encyclopedia Britannica and Getty Images credit for ambition in the publication of History of the World in Photographs: 1850 to the Present Day. This thick edition is a comprehensive look at the development of photography, from the grainy sepia portraits of the late 19th century to the colorful, high – resolution digital images of the early 21st century. The book presents a year – by – year exploration of the most important photos in history, including images of the Civil War, World War II, Tiananmen Square and 9/11. It also includes a DVD with 20,000 additional photos. This volume is a must for any serious photography buff.

This book is something to see

Visions of Paradise is a compilation of some of the best images found in National Geographic, chosen by its award – winning photographers. Each photographer was asked: "Where – or what – is heaven on Earth?" The answers were as varied as the parts of the world where the pictures were snapped. Chris Johns' image of paradise is four bushmen walking in the arid desert of Namibia. O. Louis Mazzatenta's picture is of a lone white wolf crossing the Arctic tundra. Robert Clark's definition of paradise is an early – morning shot of a worker checking the rails of the wooden roller coaster at King's Island in Ohio. These and hundreds of other photographs transport readers to some of the most beautiful places around the globe.

Reza War + Peace: a Photographer's Journey is a look at the human impact of war through the eyes of the renowned photojournalist Reza Deghati, known by his first name. This book is a three - decade retrospective of his war photography for National Geographic,…

Religion & SpiritualityPhotographyArts & Culture

Soul-soothing reading for the faithful

Review by Joanne Collings

Does the thought of Christmas shopping get you down? Put yourself at the top of the list and pick up a copy of Rick Warren's The Purpose of Christmas. Warren, the founder of the mega Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose – Driven Life, is all for celebrating the holiday. In fact, he's been having a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas Eve since before he was three; five decades later, it's a family tradition. But he sees the purpose of Christmas lost in the frenzy surrounding this holiday. Warren aims his book at both new believers and those who have just gotten distracted by life: "Because of today's pace of life, we quickly forget all the good things God does for us, and we move on to the next challenge." The short chapters are ideal for reading in those unanticipated free moments, and the book is prettily illustrated. The closing section is about peace and reconciliation, giving readers a helpful boost into the New Year.

Pictures worth 1,000 words

Those longing to visit the Holy Land have two new books to pore over this holiday. Reflections of God's Holy Land is by Christian writer Eva Marie Everson and Miriam Feinberg Vamosh, a tour educator specializing in Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land. The women traveled together, although Vamosh, being Jewish, could not enter some sites. Each section covers an area of Israel and, in addition to the narrative, usually written by Everson, includes Scriptures, rabbinic quotations from various sources and wonderful photographs. It's an excellent armchair book, filled with history, beauty and Everson's joy at finally fulfilling her goal of seeing Israel.

In the Footsteps of Abraham: The Holy Land in Hand – Painted Photographs covers much of the same ground, quite literally, but it's an altogether different kind of book. The photographs, of Christians, Jews and Muslims and their homes and villages, were commissioned in the 1920s by Ari Speelman, a devout Dutch Christian. All of them have been hand – colored, which sometimes involved painting with a single human hair. There are excellent short essays providing information about the photographs, Speelman and the collection, and brief introductions of each image, but otherwise the story is told entirely by the photographs. And they are grand, full of rich detail and without the spooky aspects that often mar hand – painted photographs.

Monasteries and Monastic Orders: 2000 Years of Christian Art and Culture, a coffee – table book only in the sense that it is far too heavy to hold, is absolutely dazzling. The photographs, by Achim Bednorz, are extensive and accompanied by all manner of other helpful and fascinating illustrations, including maps, building layouts, interiors and images of various kinds of art. Kristina Kruger provides extensive text on the history of monasteries, their influence on the development of Europe and the different orders. This is not a book for everyone, given both the subject and the price, but it could provide the right person with a wonderful reading experience during the coming winter (and do wonders for his or her biceps).

Meeting your maker

God Stories: Inspiring Encounters with the Divine lives up to its title. I found many of these stories, collected by former CNN reporter and producer Jennifer Skiff, encouraging. Skiff, who has her own God story, transcribes the reports she has collected from a website she developed for the purpose; there's no editorializing. Divided into sections like "Listening to the Voice," "Accepting the Warning" and "Coming Back from the Other Side," the stories can seem similar, but can also be surprising and, in one notable case, humorous. It's a good devotional book: short testimonies by all kinds of people with one thing in common.

Return of the prodigal

The authors of two current spiritual memoirs, Anne Rice and Joe Eszterhas, don't have much in common beyond returning to the Roman Catholic Church after years away from it. In Called Out of Darkness, Rice recounts her long struggles with her religion – though in this reviewer's opinion, she never totally left it. Rice bought a former church to live in and surrounded herself with Catholic memorabilia (even her most famous novels, the Vampire Chronicles, seem tied to religion). Though her reasons for going back don't seem as persuasive as her reasons for leaving, this is a fascinating book in its own, very weird way, and Rice fans should enjoy it.

Joe Eszterhas, best known for his screenplays for Basic Instinct and Showgirls, had a serious cancer scare. Afterward, he moved with his wife and four young sons back to their native Ohio and became active in their local parish, only to see the priest they loved and respected caught up in a sexual abuse scandal. But they stay, and Crossbearer tells of Eszterhas' daily struggles to be a good Christian and a good Catholic and still make a living, not such an easy thing, especially in his line of work. He's heroic in an everyday kind of way and his memoir is a celebration of how positive change is possible for those with faith.

Does the thought of Christmas shopping get you down? Put yourself at the top of the list and pick up a copy of Rick Warren's The Purpose of Christmas. Warren, the founder of the mega Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose - Driven Life,…

MusicArts & Culture

Face the music

Review by Martin Brady

At the top of the holiday wish list for many music lovers is With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars by Jonathan Kellerman. Yes, it’s that Jonathan Kellerman, the best – selling suspense novelist, who also happens to be a foremost guitar collector. Gorgeous multi – view color photos of each of the 120 – plus guitars in Kellerman’s personal collection are the big draw here, but the author also provides marvelous rundowns of how he came to acquire each instrument and what is so special about its design and musical properties. There are acoustics and electrics of various shapes and sizes, brand names like Gibson, Martin, Fender and Rickenbacker, plus particularly rare instruments crafted by independent artisans, including a double – necked 17 – stringer. A foreword by former Police guitarist Andy Summers testifies to the jaw – dropping experience of viewing the Kellerman collection in person.

Roots music

Country star and longtime Grand Ole Opry member Marty Stuart has been hanging with legends since he was a teenager. During that time, Stuart has amassed a considerable collection of music – biz memorabilia, including his own on – the – road photographs and informal portraits, all of which are gathered in Country Music: The Masters. Stuart’s coverage of the greats and near – greats is comprehensive and often very candid, and even his blurred, snapped – on – the run photos have historic value. There are also pictures of elaborate costumes, tour buses, concert posters, song lyrics, instruments, album covers, etc. Perhaps best of all is Stuart’s gallery of gifted but generally little – known country music sidemen, whose talents have infused thousands of important recordings. The book’s cover shot of

Richard Carlin’s Worlds of Sound: The Story of Smithsonian Folkways tells of Folkways Records, which from 1948 to 1986 was the foremost source of seminal U.S. jazz, blues and folk recordings. Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly and children’s entertainer Ella Jenkins were the label’s leading artists, but founder Moses Asch and his team of traveling producers also searched the world over to record African, Asian and island music; animals; the sounds of cities and rural areas; poetry and political events. Asch ran things on a shoestring from his Manhattan office, but he provided opportunity and freedom to writers, singers and instrumentalists and developed a treasured catalog, all of which was purchased by the Smithsonian in 1987. This remarkable volume features noteworthy black – and – white and color photos of the artists plus fascinating album – cover reproductions and catalog lists. It also includes a CD sampler of representative Folkways cuts.

A lifetime playlist

With a virtually impossible task before him, music writer Tom Moon set out to select 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die: A Listener’s Life List. This all – styles wander through the greatest recorded music of all time finds Moon doing an honest job of trying to isolate the important artists and their work. His alphabetically arranged text is by artist, by composer (in the case of classical recordings), or by individual album title or song. In order to extend the coverage, Moon offers references to related important artists who don’t get a main entry. Hence, Burl Ives and Charles Ives sit side by side having made the grade, yet Moon can’t muster even a passing reference to the pop group The Four Seasons, whose incredible string of classic ’60s recordings certainly might earn a mention above the work of the Beau Brummels or sultry jazz/pop songstress Julie London. Meanwhile, the Smashing Pumpkins are only a footnote, which just seems wrong given the other contemporary groups who earned main entries. There’s probably too much Bart

Icons remembered

Already the author of a biography of Kurt Cobain – Heavier Than Heaven (2001) – Charles R. Cross now offers the late grunge rocker’s many fans Cobain Unseen, described as “a secret visual history of the things [Cobain] created and collected.” Cross’ text tends mostly to explore the youthful pain, obsessions, emotional difficulties and addictions that plagued Cobain but were also key motivators in the emergence of his powerful rebellious image and musical anthems. The book features many previously unseen Cobain family photographs plus reproductions of personal memorabilia including Cobain’s offbeat artwork, his informal writings and letters, song lyrics, early concert posters and samplings of the eccentric things he deemed collectible. The book includes an audio CD on which Cobain recites spoken-word material along with an interview with Cross about his research experience.

The Elvis Encyclopedia, by Adam Victor, is a valuable one – stop source of all things informational about The King. The A-to-Z reference covers seemingly every person, place and thing that touched Elvis’ eventful life, and it’s nothing if not exhaustive. There’s also a bevy of photos, many printed full-page, of Elvis onstage, in front of the movie camera or hobnobbing with family, friends and fans. Occasional typos creep into the text, yet Victor has certainly cast his net widely in search of rarely seen pictures, and on that nostalgic note alone his is a regal book – fit for a king.

The Complete Quincy Jones: My Journey & Passions is yet another paean of praise to a huge musical figure. This colorful, well – illustrated hagiography is generally chronological, from Jones’ early life in Chicago and Seattle, through his growing career as a horn player for ensembles led by Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, to his stint as producer of pop hits like Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party” plus award-winning albums by Sinatra, Streisand and, of course, Michael Jackson (Thriller). The text also covers Jones’ work as a composer of TV and movie scores, plus his role as the mastermind behind “We Are the World.” Jones’ private life – three marriages, two notable affairs, seven children – is rarely discussed, but there is frank coverage of his life – threatening 1974 brain aneurysm and discussion of his humanitarian work. Big names provide the prefatory essays – Maya Angelou, Clint Eastwood and Bono – and Sidney Poitier’s afterword closes the book.

Hear my words

Paul Simon is one of America’s great popular songwriters of the past half century, and Lyrics 1964 – 2008 pays tribute by comprehensively collecting his songs, from the early days of Simon & Garfunkel (“The Sound of Silence”) through his solo period (“Kodachrome”) and on to his later ethnic experimentations (“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”). It’s a treasure trove for Simon’s legion of fans.

Grander still is The Complete Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II, a stoutly elegant compilation of 850 of the theatrical master’s song lyrics, arranged chronologically from early efforts and revue contributions through his incredible collaborative output with composers such as Jerome Kern (Show Boat, etc.) and Richard Rodgers (Oklahoma!, etc.). The text offers cast lists for Hammerstein’s many Broadway musicals, along with revealing tidbits about show history, song origins and lyrics that were cut from opening night or went unused altogether. Of equal note are the wonderfully printed production stills from stage and movie versions of the Hammerstein oeuvre, sheet music covers and photos of Hammerstein himself, hanging with family members and his composer buddies.

At the top of the holiday wish list for many music lovers is With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars by Jonathan Kellerman. Yes, it's that Jonathan Kellerman, the best - selling suspense novelist, who also happens to be a foremost guitar…
NonfictionChildren's & YAReligion & SpiritualityArts & CultureArt

Many happy returns from perennial favorites

Review by MiChelle Jones

A special holiday gift from a picture-book master, Eric Carle's Dream Snow Pop-up Advent Calendar. In this scene from Carle's bright, colorful world, a tree stands in the snow with presents underneath and Santa nearby – and a field of windows hiding trinkets to be added to the tree. (Meanwhile, the calendar's cover, sleeve and dimensions will likely trigger a visceral reaction in those old enough to remember when music came on vinyl!)

From the heavens

Two chance encounters inspired Chuck Fischer's move away from the holiday themes of his two previous books: a 1960s children's Bible in New York, and a daytrip during a stint at the American Academy in Rome. Fischer's paintings are always gorgeous, but In the Beginning: The Art of Genesis, features especially outstanding works, inspired by and based on religious masterpieces (all of which are listed on a pullout at the end of the book). Working again with paper engineer Bruce Foster, Fischer includes a stunning mosaic – like spread recounting the saga of Adam and Eve, a monumental Tower of Babel and a Tiffany-esque depiction of Jacob's Ladder. Text by Curtis Flowers retells the stories and discusses symbolism in the images, making ample use of mini books and pullouts.

Cosmic: The Ultimate 3-D Guide to the Universe starts with a bang – a pop-up of the Big Bang, complete with sound. From there, it's off on a journey through planets, asteroids and other space – bound objects, including the Hubble Telescope and the Space Shuttle. As spectacular as paper engineer Richard Ferguson's pop – ups of the planets and the Apollo 15 lunar lander are – and they really are incredible – author Giles Sparrow's text makes it a great gift for space fans, whether they love pop – ups or not.

You might as well make it a twofer with Moon Landing, by Richard Platt and paper engineer David Hawcock. Published in advance of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the book is also loaded with history on space flight, referencing the people, politics and technology that put men on the Moon. The representations of the spacecraft – a command module and lunar module that dock (!), a super-long Saturn V, a Gemini capsule – are beyond cool. Lucky ones who receive both Moon Landing and Cosmic will end up with two pop-up lunar landers.

Children's tales

Big brother Charlie was able to convince the irascible Lola to try peas and other foods in I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato; now he faces another seemingly impossible task in Lauren Child's made-for-bedtime story Charlie and Lola's I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed Pop-up!. This year the pops are even better, with twirling pajama-clad dogs, Laura up a tree and milk-sipping tigers. Flaps, dials and oozing toothpaste will help wear out little tykes trying to resist sleep (maybe even Lola).

Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart released the first book in their new Encyclopedia Mythologica series, Fairies and Magical Creatures, this summer. In Brava Strega Nona!, the pop-up wizards interpret Tomie dePaola's Caldecott Honor – winning depiction of a magical grandma as only they can. Spreads of a sea of pasta, a courtyard full of celebrating villagers, and a meal served al fresco under an arbor bring the beloved tale to life.

Nonfiction pops

With Sabuda and Reinhart having left beasts behind, Lucio and Meera Santoro, the husband-and-wife team who soared to great heights in 2007's Journey to the Moon, take on Predators. They start with a gigantic spider, even more menacing rendered in the Santoros' trademarked swing pop-ups; pull out the informative mini-pops if you dare. Much pleasanter – even if the actual animals might be just as dangerous – are the bald eagle rising majestically from a navy-blue background, a scaly crocodile and snow – white (naturally) polar bears. Clever mini flaps advise on distinguishing between crocodiles and alligators (here's an idea: stay away from both); discuss how a species hunts and whether it's endangered and how to tell a leopard by its spots (a tiger by its stripes, etc.)

For the past few years, Robert Crowther has explored various transportation options, Trains in 2006 and Flight the following year. Now he's onto Ships and he starts at the beginning of the story, with Egyptians, Romans and Vikings. Crowther's books pack a lot of information into a deceptively simple, accessible design that combines pulls and flaps with large – and small – scale pops of vessels. He explains everything from propellers to ports, poles to oars, simple sailing craft to complex ocean liners and aircraft carriers.

As easy as . . .

The cover of French designer Marion Bataille's ABC3D alone – a hologram that cycles through the first four letters of the alphabet – is worth the price of admission. Inside is no less enchanting: letters spring, unfold or flip into place as the pages are turned. "C" flips to become "D," conjoined lowercase "i" and "j" share a red spiraled dot, appropriated angled black strokes on vellum change "O" and "P" to their successors, and so on.

David A. Carter's Yellow Square continues his inventive pop – up puzzles. Using his signature palette, he challenges readers to find the graphic element, in this case a yellow square, hidden amid a pull – up "swirligig," net – encased Seuss – like towers, a Mondrian – inspired construction and a jiggly tree.

Do it yourself

If reading the above has left you inspired to try your own pop – ups, you won't find a better resource than The Pocket Paper Engineer, the second work by renowned instructor Carol Barton. The book is a step – by – step guide to 10 projects exploring two essential pop – up elements: platforms and props (spirals, tabs, etc.). Barton's own works are in collections such as the Getty Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

A special holiday gift from a picture-book master, Eric Carle's Dream Snow Pop-up Advent Calendar. In this scene from Carle's bright, colorful world, a tree stands in the snow with presents underneath and Santa nearby - and a field of windows hiding trinkets to be…

SportsPop CultureGraphic Novels & ComicsComicsArts & Culture

For your favorite bro’s library

Review by Martin Brady

Outta the park

The baseball books lead off with Harvey Frommer's timely Remembering Yankee Stadium: An Oral and Narrative History of the House That Ruth Built. Frommer provides a nostalgic, factually keen description of the formidable ball yard through its many baseball seasons, 1923 through 2008 (set to be replaced in 2009 by a new facility). He also interpolates hundreds of quotable quotes from dozens of ballplayers and managers (Yankees and otherwise), front – office executives, broadcasters, newspaper writers, team employees and even garden – variety fans, all of whom share their unique perspectives on the great games they witnessed and the specialness of the Yankee Stadium baseball experience. The photographs are even more gratifying: black – and – white and color stills stirringly evoke the Yankee legacy, from Ruth and Gehrig through Rodriguez and Rivera. The foreword is by longtime stadium PA announcer Bob Sheppard, a legend in his own right, who observed the Bronx Bombers firsthand for some 50 years, through good times and bad.

In a similar vein, but loaded with fan – friendly extras, comes Babe Ruth: Remembering the Bambino in Stories, Photos & Memorabilia. Co – authored by Julia Ruth Stevens (Ruth's adopted daughter) and versatile journalist Bill Gilbert, this volume basically avoids the Bambino's legendary excesses, instead focusing on his humble Baltimore youth, his meteoric rise as home – run king, his iconic Yankee status, his role as baseball ombudsman, his life as a family man, and his eventual decline and widely mourned death. The archival photos, some rarely seen, are fabulous, dramatically capturing Ruth the ballplayer at various career stages but just as often portraying his lovable self with loved ones, friends and fans (especially the kids). The book includes captivating reproductions of Ruth memorabilia, including his birth certificate, player contracts, game tickets and programs, and a signed team photo of the famed 1927 Yankees ballclub.

When World War II broke out, FDR made it a point to keep major league baseball going for morale purposes, never mind the hostilities' eventual impact on the game's talent pool. When Baseball Went to War, edited by Bill Nowlin and Todd Anton, serves as a tribute to those who traded the playing fields of America's pastime for the killing fields of Europe and Asia. The text primarily pulls together individual player profiles – Yogi Berra, Ted Williams, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, etc. – detailing their war service and pre – and postwar careers. Even more interesting are the stories of lesser – known individuals such as Lou Brissie, who rebounded from war – related injuries to make the grade as a pro. Ancillary essays focus on the home front during wartime, including Merrie A. Fidler's piece on the All – American Girls Base Ball League, which sheds some factual light on an era immortalized in the film A League of Their Own. The book concludes with lists of major –

Pass the ball

Two seasons ago, Tom Callahan's excellent biography Johnny U included an exciting blow – by – blow account of the historic 1958 NFL sudden – death title game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants. In The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever, Hall of Famer and former sportscaster Frank Gifford, with an assist from Peter Richmond, attempts the same idea but with an elaborate twist. Gifford, a Giants receiver and running back and member of the '58 squad, uses the game itself more as a jumping – off point to interview surviving members of the two teams and to reminisce about his own career and those of players who have passed on. The narrative toggles between personal reflections and game specifics, and Gifford brings in the memories of reporters, wives and other onlookers to help create a detailed and contextual overview of the contest itself. Recommended for "old school" football fans.

With the advent of the Web has come outr

Pop culture heroes

Devotees of the TV show "How I Met Your Mother" may best appreciate the humor of The Bro Code, compiled by sitcom screenwriter Matt Kuhn under the guise of the character Barney Stinson (as portrayed by actor Neil Patrick Harris). Yet it's definitely funny stuff, with Kuhn laying out all the do's and don'ts of contemporary brotherhood – with much of it having to do with the opposite sex. For example: "A Bro will drop whatever he's doing and rush to help his Bro dump a chick." Or, "A Bro shall never rack jack his wingman." (Translation: Steal a buddy's girl.) Much of this – etiquette on grooming, clothes, sports, channel – surfing, pizza – ordering, drinking and so on – will read like common sense to most regular stand – up guys, but it's codified here with hip style and features some humorous graphics. Bottom line? It's all about supporting one another, however best and most realistically possible. Article #1: "Bros before ho's."

Finally, for that guy who just may not want to grow up, there's The DC Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book Featuring Rare Collectibles from the DC Universe. Author Martin Pasko has fashioned an interesting, nuanced history of the comic – book giant, founded during the Great Depression and the eventual purveyor of beloved American superheroes – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. – as well as a long string of Westerns, Army adventures ("Sgt. Rock"), sci – fi tales and pop – culture – inspired ephemera. The main draw in this sturdy, ring – bound showcase are the marvelous photos – of cover art, story pages, early pencil sketches, company correspondence, internal memos, etc. – plus production stills from spinoff movies and TV shows. Hardcore fans will particularly relish the plastic – wrapped inserts containing reproduced memorabilia from the company's long history, including public service comics, promotional items, greetings cards, posters, bookmarks, stickers, etc. Pasko's final chapter tells of DC's corporate repositioning in 1989 as a part of the Warner Bros. movie studio, with a discussion of the marketing and new – media development that has gone on since. Paul Levitz, DC's current president and publisher, provides the foreword.

 

Outta the park

The baseball books lead off with Harvey Frommer's timely Remembering Yankee Stadium: An Oral and Narrative History of the House That Ruth Built. Frommer provides a nostalgic, factually keen description of the formidable ball yard through its many baseball seasons, 1923 through 2008…

LiteratureArts & Culture

The Magician’s Book

Review by Trisha Ping

Romances with books can be just as rocky as the human variety. Critic Laura Miller, who writes about literature for publications like Salon and the New York Times, discovered that the hard way. She fell in love with C.S. Lewis’ Narnia as a child—and then felt betrayed and duped when, as a teen, she realized that the stories she adored could be read as Christian allegories. Still, when asked to write about a book that changed her life, she returned to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe—and, to her surprise, discovered that she could still get lost in Lewis’ world.

In The Magician’s Book: A Skeptic’s Adventures in Narnia, Miller delves into Lewis’ biography, the tradition of children’s literature, the power of myth and the history of fairy tales. She also talks to fellow Narnia fans, from personal friends to well-known writers like Neil Gaiman, Susanna Clarke and Jonathan Franzen. The thoughtful, incisive essays explore every aspect of these novels, which, in Miller’s words, “are far larger than they seem from the outside.”

“I can’t read the Chronicles the way I once did, with the same absolute belief,” writes Miller, yet in The Magician’s Book, she vividly portrays that feeling of enchantment. More than a literary critique or an exercise in nostalgia, these essays are a tribute to the power and depth of story and imagination, and to the pure joy of reading. Though the grown critic realizes how the magician does his tricks, something of the childhood magic remains.

Romances with books can be just as rocky as the human variety. Critic Laura Miller, who writes about literature for publications like Salon and the New York Times, discovered that the hard way. She fell in love with C.S. Lewis' Narnia as a child—and then…

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