Brubaker's disaster is an insult to the word Catwoman, and all but the most gullible see through his self-aggrandizing hype. If you want misogyny masquerading as a comicbook, buy this. If you want a good Catwoman story, buy HUSH

I don't know how anyone can think that Brubaker's depiction of Catwoman is misogynist unless they don't actually know what the word means. This is the Catwoman who is a strong-willed woman finding her own place in Gotham, who fights the good fight and has real conflict within herself. This is one of the best comics on the stands these days and Brubaker is one of the best writers working in comics. And the art in this collection, by the talented Darwyn Cooke is to die for.

Finally, someone is taking Catwoman seriously again. The oftentimes embarassing art on volume I of CATWOMAN didn't save the book. (Hey, Chaos! comics went out of business, proving huge boobs don't sell books!) With Ed Brubaker's brilliant revamp of the character, we get Selina where she always should be: In Gotham City, occasionally tangling with Batman but not making it an obsession. Her supporting cast of Slam and Holly are great, and the art was wonderful. It reminded me of the 1940s and it was quite clean and well done.

Robert Cameron is undoubtedly one of the best urban aerial photographers in the country. However, the landscape of Washington has changed so dramatically in the twenty years since this book was released that anyone with a lot of knowledge about the area will be disappointed by what's missing.
It does contain a wide breadth of pictures, some which are definitely extraordinary. However, the book needs to be updated in order to capture the modernization in architecture and planning that has proliferated in Washington D.C. and the surrounding area since its initial publication.

Above Washington, - like all of Robert Cameron's Above books - is a superb collection of historical to present day comparison photographs. The picture quality and composition is bar-none, especially for aerial photography. Any city planning or Washington D.C. buff will enjoy this book immensely. Please be advised, though: this book has not been updated in quite a while eventhough it has been reprinted many times. The most recent photographs are late 1970-'80s era pictures. Above Washington could definitely use an update. Nevertheless, it's a great D.C. history lesson and has many unique photographs of places such as the U.S. Naval Observatory where the Vice President lives, as well as an aerial view of Marine Ones parked like ducks in a row. Need good pictures for a project - Cameron's Above Washington is the way to go. Want a current picture or coffee table book - you better reevaluate.

Washington, DC is an unique capital city and Robert Cameron shares his birdeye's view with us in this marvelous volume. For residents and vistors alike, this is extraordinary record of the city, particularly the juxtaposition of old and contemporary photographs. Others try to emulate Cameron in this genre, but he is the master who makes it look easy.

the tidbits of cultural info were few and far between-not enough to have justified purchasing this book. personally, i didn't find anything too useful in here-i thought the theme ideas like a luau and a 70s party were kind of cheesy.

Contrary to the title, this is NOT the best baby shower book I've ever read, although it isn't bad. There's a little bit of everything in this book: a handfull of recipies, some ideas for inexpensive shower themes, making your own ivitations, very limited games. There are some interesting tidbits on folklore and traditions around the world that's very good and worth reading the book for. There is also a section on gift ideas and a checklist for the new mom's needs. All in all, this book is a decent place to start, but not sufficient in planning the entire party if you want to make it an all-out occasion

I bought this book after I offered to throw a baby shower for a good friend. I'd never thrown a baby shower before, and I didn't know how to start planning one. After reading the previous review (which obviously refers to an earlier edition), I agree that the book is geared toward beginners, which was just what I needed. I was looking for something straight forward that would show me how to easily throw a fun party that has all the necessary baby-shower requirements, yet would not be overwhelming. This book offers all that and more: inviting party themes that seem simple to pull off, games that didn't drive my guests away, and tasty recipes--lots of recipes.(In fact, perhaps too many recipes. I stuck with the simpler-sounding ones, and they turned out very nicely. And let's face it: food is quite an attraction at these affairs!)My friend loved the shower, I didn't break a sweat planning it, and those two reasons are why this book is worth buying.

Unlike the people of the town of Haven, this book is harmless fun for mystery readers. Anyone with a brain will figure out what is going to happen well before it actually does happen yet the book remains interesting through the end. The least enjoyable aspect of this book is the cliche stereotyping of the people.

Haven, by John Peyton Cooke, is the story of a doctor, Cecelia Mak, and her husband, Mike. Cecelia is transferred to a little town in Haven, Idaho. Problems begin the moment they step into their new home. The people of the small town seem to be surprised that Cecelia is married to an Asian. Mysterious phone calls and pranks begin to take place. Mike suspects the Havenites are racists. But as events begin to unfold, a far worse conclusion is drawn that costs the lives of people. The way the story is written steps into the territory of Ira Levin and Stephen King. It is dark and very scary. Haven is a good book for people fascinated by the details of the Holocaust and what happened to some of the Nazis that fled Germany.

A unique mystery that ties right-wing rednecks with nazi germany. Although that sounds a bit strange, the book was actually very enjoyable. I highly recommend it for mystery buffs.

Most Joplin fans will want this book for the many marvelous,unpublished photos. The diary of live performances is very interesting, but the calander format is annoying. Another book that compliments "A Performance Diary" is "Janis Garden Party", a collection of photos taken at Madison Square Garden in Dec. 1969 by photographer Steve Banks. The book is published by Bugiganga Press, 1998.

This book has to lie on the shelf of all Janis fans, who are interested both in her music and personality - although the texts are not really informative, so you won`t learn much about the details of her life. But this book is not intended to be a biography~it`s more a TRIBUTE. And she deserved it. A beautiful collection of pictures and letters ~some in her own handwriting~ a cronological list of her performances and the summary of the main steps in her carreer. A VERY NICE piece of HIGH LEVEL!

This book contains any number of beautiful photographs, it has beautifully written reflections on Janis from friends and lovers. In short it has it all. A good read.

The book is quite good. It gives a good overview of the different possible injuries and techniques for preventing them. It does has a very 'new age, holistic ' slan, and sometimes seems to discourage traditional (scientific) approaches. It has been written with the lay person in mind, and doesn't go into too much depth in the medical discussions.

Although I enjoyed the book, I can't help feeling that at by the end of the book I hadn't really learnt anything new.

I found this book to be a terrific resource for musicians interested in maintaining a healthy body, avoiding injury or coping with an existing problem. Very accessible and user friendly with lots of great usable suggestions and exercises.

This is the most helpful book I've ever read. It deals with everything a musician needs to know. It helped me learn how to memorize music more thoroughly, how to deal with stage fright, and how to protect my body from injury. I have given copies of it to all of my friends. Thanks Julie!

As someone who is about to graduate to be a Massage Therapist, I find the techniques in this book to be good, and the massage sequences outlined in the Sweedish Massage quite similar to the sequences I learned in school. The pictures and diagrams are thorough, and the instruction on Shiatsu is good as well.

From a professional perspective, I had some problems with this book though. One big probelm is the book discounts knowledge of anatomy as unnessicary for massage, and I strongly disagree with that. Massage is applied anatomy, and the study of anatomy is essential for anyone who wishes to be a massage therapist, or even a good ameture. Without understanding what it is you are pressing, kneading, rubbing, and tapping you're not going to be able to be very theraputic.

I was dissapointed that the book hardly touched on contraindications(cautions, conditions in which massage can be harmfull) such as cancer, diabeties, AIDS, alcohol consumption and others. Where it does mention contraindications, it's more of a short sidenote than anything.

The book has full nudity in most of the books pictures. While this isn't a bad thing nessicarily, I didn't see any information about draping procedures and protecting client modesty. Also, most of the massage is done on the floor, rather than a massage table and there was little discussion of body mechanics of the therapist. I get the feeling the book was actually meant for 'sensual' couples massage, rather than a guide for someone who is out to become a good massage therapist. In that light, it is a decent book for couples sensual massage.

This was the only general massage book I've found that included everything I wanted to know. There were a great many techniques and useful supplementary information. The only way in which it is lacking is that it is too dense. The techniques, though useful, are so closely packed that it's really difficult to extract a good routine. It can be done, surely, but it will take a little patience.

The Book of Massage is clearly and attractively illustrated, with numerous photographs. (Sensitive readers should be aware that there is mild nudity in the book.) The instructions are well-written, easy-to-understand, and presented in a friendly manner.

Each of the three main sections of the book -- traditional massage, acupressure, and reflexology -- demonstrate the same richness and clarity of instruction.

I'm personally more inclined towards traditional massage rather than the Eastern/holistic techniques. But to my surprise, I found the chapters on reflexology and acupressure to be full of useful information, and I have incorporated several of these routines into my massages.

Regardless of which school of massage therapy you favor, you'll find the techniques presented in the book to be a valuable addition to your repertoire.

This is a superior book on massage, and I regularly recommend it to friends. Give it a try!

As with the first review, I agree that more technical info is needed. As I am only a "first- time" Aby owner, I would have liked some more "meaty" info about their unique personalities. For instance, Abys are supposedly not "lap cats", however, mine is a "leaner"-she likes to have half of her body on top of me (or the book I'm reading, or the sandwich I'm eating, etc.) while keeping the other half on the sofa, bed, etc. This is quite similar to the Akida (dog) that my parents had owned (although 7 lbs. ccompared to 130 is quite a difference). If you get a moment, I would love to hear again from you-I have been considering getting a Rex and then breeding both as I will be retiring soon. For anyone considering a pure-bred feline, this is the cat to choose!

As a general information book on Abyssinian cats, it is an okay read. Some sections are sadly lacking in content, such as the grooming and feeding sections, and Ms. Cooke-Zimmerman tends to display very strong prejudices against certain colour varieties which have no place in a book like this and are a turn-off to breeders. I usually lend it to people wishing to buy a kitten from me, or who want to learn about the breed. NO technical information at all, and too many pictures of her dog, Chico.

This book is now useless as it is totally out of date (published Jan. 2001) Do not waste your money on this book. I recommend Romantic Paris by Thirza Vallois instead.

Paris is a wonderful city, with an incredible variety of places to stay. Searching online makes a choice hard; most hotels either have only third-party pages, or a page that fails to give you a real sense of the ambiance.

This book helps. It gives a selection of one-page reviews, each with a photograph (and Web site, when available), that capture the feeling of the hotel. Cooke-Yarborough aims to find smaller, friendlier establishments, with an emphasis on charm and personal service (as well as a penchant for sizing up the breakfast room of each).

Many (if not most) of the hotels presented are of excellent value; it's easy to find a number of candidates that fall between 800 and 1000 FF / night, as well as more expensive and luxurious accommodations. They represent both on the left and right banks, with a number in the desirable St. Germain area. While all of the possibilities aren't captured, there is a good representation here, and it makes a fine starting point for finding that perfect place to stay in Paris.

One word of warning; because of the quality and value presented by Cooke-Yarbourough's selections, as well as Paris' nature, the more desireable hotels fill quickly; book well ahead.

Wow, yet ANOTHER disappointing DC hardcover. This one is made even more diasppointing because it's the brainchild of talented Writer/Artist Darwyn Cooke. Catwoman: Selina's Big Score takes place before the start of her current DC series, and details Selina Kyle's return to her cat-burglar roots for one last job: The heist of a train full of unmarked Mob money. The book has one good thing going for it: Cooke's art is a real feast for the eyes. His skill with dialogue is evident here also, but the plot itself just doesn't justify the ...price. The copy on the back cover promises lots of twists and betrayals, but I just found a very straight-forward heist yarn like a million others we've seen before. This could easily have been fit into a six-dollar Prestige-Format Graphic Novel, especially seeing as how the book is padded with full-page chapter breaks and a pin-up gallery. I also question Cooke's having Selina's Big Score rely so heavily on the reader knowing the particulars of his and Ed Brubaker's "On The Trail of The Catwoman" arc from Detective Comics, which starred Private Eye Slam Bradley. The book makes constant references to that story, but makes no attempt to fill new readers in on what happened there. Fans who simply MUST have this book would be well served by getting the cheaper softcover version; At least that way it won't sting QUITE so much.....

Catwoman: Selina's Big Score takes place previous to the events chronicled in the first few issues of the new and revamped DC Comics Catwoman series. It sets the basic premise for Selina's return, but the story stands on its own too.

And what a story! Selina needs some major cash to get set up in Gotham again, and finds out about a train loaded with unmarked cash en route to Canada for a drug deal. She contacts an old associate (and old flame) to help her, and together they go after the loot. This would make a fabulous movie--it's what I kept thinking while I was reading it.

Darwyn Cooke did an incredible job with the story and art. His art style is raw and expressive--just what the book needed, and what the character of Catwoman demands. And to top off this high quality hardcover edition, are amazing pin-ups by some of the best artists in the business: Mike Allred, Jaimie Hernandez, Adam Hughes, Mike Mignola, Daniel Torres, and Kevin Nowlan--just to name a few.

If you're the least bit curious, do yourself a favor and check this book out. You won't be sorry...and check out Catwoman: Dark End of the Street (By Ed Brubaker with art by Darwyn Cooke) for the continuing adventures of Catwoman.