GIFTS THAT SPEAK VOLUMES; FROM COFFEE-TABLE TOMES TO AUDIO BOOKS, THERE'S QUITE A SELECTION OUT THERE.Byline: Rob Lowman Daily News Book and Entertainment Editor Books, books, books. Is there anything left to say? Is there anything worth printing anymore? Apparently. The endless stream of new books flooding stores indicates that publishers have taken a shotgun approach 'shotgun approach' A diagnostic philosophy in which every conceivable parameter is measured, especially in a Pt with an obscure disease, to detect rare conditions that may cause a particular Sx. See Defensive medicine. Cf Screening. to picking titles. It seems that the philosophy is: Since we don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what may catch the public's fancy, lets put everything out. Therefore, coming up with a holiday-gift/coffee-table guide to what's currently in stores amounts to almost the same thing. After I collected my initial choices, I realized I would have to publish my own book to cover them all. So after much soul-searching (OK, I thought about it for five seconds), I went with my instincts, meaning my inner logic, which some say makes about as much sense as the average ``Police Academy'' movie. Nevertheless, I forged ahead. As it turned out there was far too much anyway, and this is Part 1. The rest will appear next week. One note - most of what follows is not literature, instead it's art and photography collections and special-interest books, entertainment, etc. But there are plenty of good reads out there, and it's still not a bad idea to give someone a classic piece of literature like ``Great Expectations.'' Don't worry - there will be plenty of copies. There's a movie tie-in coming up. Usually, I give one of two books by Annie Dillard Annie Dillard (born 30 April 1945 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, best known for her narrative nonfiction. She has also published poetry, essays, literary criticism, autobiography, and fiction. - ``Teaching a Stone to Talk'' or ``The Annie Dillard Reader.'' The reason is that both volumes contain the essay ``An Expedition to the Pole.'' In it, Dillard uses the doomed Franklin expedition to the Arctic as way looking at her own spiritual journey. It's an inspired essay that was obviously inspired by the fact that she was reading about the expedition. There is something singular about a person's relationship with the book they're reading. There is something wonderful about the fact that you can read the same book on a mountaintop moun·tain·top n. The summit of a mountain. or in bed. Inspiration and imagination can take hold whether you have a fantastic vista or drab curtains in front of you. There may not be many books in this guide that are breathtaking, but there is one that will give you pause. THE PICK ``Requiem,'' edited by Horst Faas Horst Faas (born 27 April 1933 in Berlin, Germany) is a photo-journalist and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for photography who is best-known for his images of the Vietnam War. and Tim Page
Tim Page (born May 25 1944) in Tunbridge Wells, Kent is an award-winning British photographer who made his name during the Vietnam War and is now based in Brisbane, Australia. (Random House, 336 pages; $65), is a pictorial chronicle of the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. by photographers who were killed there. Some of these photojournalists The is a list of notable photojournalists from throughout history:
Burrows was born in London in 1926. He left school at age 16 and took a job in Life magazine's London bureau. . Others were young and anonymous, like the men who fought there. The time line goes from the collapse of the French colonial French Colonial architecture was an American domestic archtectural style. It was most popular in the American South in states such as Louisiana.[1] Characteristics empire in the 1950s to the apocalypse of the Khmer Rouge Khmer Rouge (kəmĕr` r  zh), name given to native Cambodian Communists. Khmer Rouge soldiers, aided by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, began a large-scale insurgency against in the 1970s. It is a book that makes you uncomfortable with its brutal images of war. The photo of a Viet Cong Viet Cong (vēĕt` kông), officially Viet Nam Cong San [Vietnamese Communists], People's Liberation Armed Forces in South Vietnam. prisoner about to be executed was taken by Dickey Chapelle Dickey Chapelle, born Georgette Louise Meyer (March 14, 1918—November 4, 1965), was an American photojournalist known for her work as a war correspondent from World War II through the Vietnam War. , an American woman. The next photo is Henri Huet's picture of Chapelle's own death. And there is a certain sadness knowing that these were often the last images these photographers took. In one way, ``Requiem'' is a memorial to the 135 photographers from 11 countries who died covering the war, but in another way its a living document, one that helps focus our feelings about the Vietnam War or, really, any war. MUSIC For opera lovers, there's ``The New Kobbe's Opera Book,'' edited by the Earl of Harewood Earl of Harewood, in the County of York, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1812 for Edward Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, a wealthy sugar plantation owner and former Member of Parliament for Northallerton. and Antony Peattie (Putnam; $60). Newly updated for the first time in more than 10 years, this illustrated bible of the opera world contains full descriptions of the operas plus cast lists and plot synopses. It's more for the hard-core fan than the casual one. On the other hand, IDG IDG International Data Group IDG Integrated Drive Generator IDG Installation Design Guide IDG Internet Discussion Group IDG Inset Dielectric Guide IDG International Dangerous Goods (mail, shipping) Books has ``Opera for Dummies'' and ``Classical Music for Dummies.'' Both are written by David Pogue David Pogue (born March 9 1963) is a technology writer, journalist and commentator. He is a personal technology columnist for the New York Times, an Emmy-winning tech correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, and tech guest reporter for NPR's Morning Edition. and Scott Speck and go for $24.99. The volumes contain oodles of information as well as a CD in each to help you gain an appreciation of the music. The books employ the usual ``Dummies'' style, meaning that they try to be irreverent and cute. This may prove irritating at times if you're not a complete dummy. But if you're interested, it makes learning painless. For those of you who like the spectacle of opera, there's ``Fantastic Opera: Great Operas Illuminated,'' with illustrations by John Martinez John Martinez(Also known as John Death) is a Musician based out of Southern California who is currently playing guitar in a Post hardcore band called A Static Lullaby. He has also played in bands such as Adair, Falling Cycle, Screams Of Serenity, Hit The Switch, and others. and text by F. Paul Driscoll (Abrams; $19.95 paperback). In this book, Martinez offers his interpretations of some of the great operas, while Driscoll provides brief descriptions. It's more a curiosity than substantial, but some of the artwork is interesting. Moving into the world of pop music, Crown has ``Joni Mitchell: The Complete Poems and Lyrics'' ($27.50). There are few in the pop world whose lyrics are worth reading, but Mitchell is among the elite. Mitchell can be found in a 1976 photo in ``Rolling Stone rolling stone Noun a restless or wandering person Images of Rock & Roll,'' which is now out in paperback at about half the hardcover price (Back Bay, $24.95). Rolling Stone, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, has displayed some amazing pictures over the years taken by its imaginative staff. If you missed it the first time, this is fun gift for someone else or yourself. ``Heart & Soul: A Celebration of Black Music Style in America 1930-1975,'' by Bob Merlis and Davin Seay with a forward by Etta James (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; $36), contains some great pictures of rare r&b albums as well as stuff from the Cotton Club era. A fun look at a colorful era. ``She Loves You: A Curious Tale Concerning a Miraculous Intervention,'' by Elaine Segal with drawings by Lance Richbourg (Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. ; $16.95), is an offbeat off·beat n. Music An unaccented beat in a measure. adj. Slang Not conforming to an ordinary type or pattern; unconventional: offbeat humor. and charming fairy tale fairy tale Simple narrative typically of folk origin dealing with supernatural beings. Fairy tales may be written or told for the amusement of children or may have a more sophisticated narrative containing supernatural or obviously improbable events, scenes, and personages involving the Fab Four that deals with relationship between a father and daughter - something for parents and children. ``The Ultimate Guitar Book,'' by Tony Bacon (Knopf; $25), is out again in paperback. If you're a guitar-lover - electric or acoustic - this is a fun book to page through, just to look at the pictures. For fans of the Chairman of the Board there's Sinatra: The Artist and the Man'' by John Lahr John Lahr (born July 12, 1941) is an American theater critic and the son of actor Bert Lahr. Since 1992, he has been the senior drama critic at The New Yorker magazine. Born in Los Angeles, California, Lahr holds a B.A. (Random House; $32.50). Lahr tries to reconcile the many sides of Ol' Blue Eyes Blue eyes are eyes that have blue irises (see eye color), and may also refer to:
FILM The 20th anniversary of ``Star Wars'' this year has brought the spate of books, including the revised and updated ``George Lucas: The Creative Impulse,'' by Charles Champlin with forewords by Steven Spielberg and Francis Coppola (Abrams; $39.95). Lucas cooperated in the writing of this volume, which is a more a tribute than a critical look but is great for the fan. Then there's ``Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays,'' edited by Laurent Bouzereau (Del Ray; $12.95 paperback), which explains some of the secrets of Lucas' trilogy - including such tidbits TidBITS is an award-winning electronic newsletter and web site dealing primarily with Apple Computer and Macintosh-related topics. Internet publication TidBITS has been published weekly since April 16, 1990, which makes it one of the longest running Internet publications. as Luke Skywalker's original name: Annikin StarKiller. ``Stars Wars: The Magic and the Myth'' is a companion volume to the exhibit currently at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington, D.C., United States, and is the most popular of the Smithsonian museums. It maintains the largest collection of aircraft and spacecraft in the world. . It includes discussions of some of the myths that Lucas drew from to create his stories. ``Hong Kong Babylon: An Insider's Guide to the Hollywood of the East,'' by Fredric Dannien and Barry Long (Miramax Books; $18.95) is an entertaining look at the cinema that has produced director John Woo (``Face/Off''), action star Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh, who will be making her presence felt in the upcoming James Bond film, ``Tomorrow Never Dies.'' A good reference, it discusses such under appreciated films (at least in the West) as Woo's ``Bullet in the Head.'' For those who like such films as ``A Room With a View'' and ``Remains of the Day,'' there's the newly updated ``The Films of Merchant Ivory,'' by Robert Emmet Long (Abrams; $49.50). In some 30 years of filmmaking, this duo has made some terrific films as well as some curiosities - just check out ``Savages'' or ``The Wild Party.'' ``The Rolling Stone Film Reader'' (Pocket Books; $16) is a collection of the best film writing in the magazine over the years. Rolling Stone has always had good writers, and the opening piece, ``Marlon Brando: The Godfather Roars,'' by Chris Hodenfield, is a classic. One warning: Some of the pieces are abridged. For those of you who want to get into ``the biz,'' there's ``Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting,'' by Robert McKee (Regan Books/HarperCollins; $27.50). McKee is the Hollywood guru who teaches those expensive screenwriting seminars. Some people swear by him; others complain that his style is too restrictive and limits creativity. Hey, it's your decision; I'm not writing the great American screenplay, but I may be the only one. And for those of us who ``like to watch,'' as Peter Sellers said in ``Being There,'' there are numerous video guides that have been updated. Among the usual suspects are ``Leonard Maltin's 1998 Movie & Video Guide'' (Signet; $7.99), which is probably the best general volume overall. A close second is ``Blockbuster Entertainment Guide to Movies and Videos 1998'' (Island; $7.99). The ``Videohound's Guide to Three- and Four-Star Movies'' (Broadway; $10.99) is obviously designed to direct the view to only ``the best,'' but, of course, that is always a matter of opinion. If your opinions coincide, then it's a good buy. Finally, ``Chronicle of the Cinema'' (DK; $59.95) has been newly updated. This gorgeous volume covers the first 100 years of film. It's a terrific resource, but, more than that, it's just fun to page through. Lavishly illustrated and packed with info, this behemoth behemoth (bē`hĭmŏth, bĭhē`–) [Heb.,=plural of beast], large, fanciful primeval monster, like Leviathan, evoking the hippopotamus mentioned in the Book of Job. movie history time line starts in 1894 and ends with ``The English Patient,'' last year's Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards. Laid out in a splashy splash·y adj. splash·i·er, splash·i·est 1. Making or likely to make splashes. 2. Covered with splashes of color. 3. Showy; ostentatious. See Synonyms at showy. , trade-magazine format, the book is separated into year-to-year chapters and provides reviews and news stories of each season's hits, stars and scandals. RADIO AND TELEVISION Now that they have moved on to the big screen, we have ``Star Trek The Next Generation: The Continuing Mission,'' by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens (Pocket Books; $35). It's a 10th anniversary tribute to the show, which has spawned two spinoffs. It may be more than the average fan needs, but it is an interesting look behind the scenes of one television most inventive shows. ``Worlds Without End: The Art and History of the Soap Opera'' (Abrams; $29.95), from the Museum of Television & Radio points out the similarities between Charles Dickens' weekly serials that Londoners would wait breathlessly for and soap operas. I wonder what Chuck would think? For the fan or those interested in a media phenomenon. ``The Great American Broadcast: A Celebration of Radio's Golden Age,'' by Leonard Maltin (Dutton; $36.95), is a terrific read for those who appreciate an age when imagination on the airwaves counted. It's something that now only occurs on National Public Radio. But once upon a time, radio was call on to provide more than endless opinionated o·pin·ion·at·ed adj. Holding stubbornly and often unreasonably to one's own opinions. [Probably from obsolete opinionate : opinion + -ate1. (and mostly uninformed) chatter, headline news and unimaginative musical programming. The book is a reminder of what radio could be. ``The Wonderful World Disney Television: A Complete History,'' by Bill Cotter cot·ter n. 1. A bolt, wedge, key, or pin inserted through a slot in order to hold parts together. 2. A cotter pin. [Origin unknown. (Hyperion; $24.95) is more than most people will ever want to know about the Mouse on TV. Complete with synopses of every program, this is only for fanatics (but I know you're out there). ``Meet the Press: 50 Years History in the Making,'' by Rick Ball and NBC News (McGraw-Hill; $39.95), looks at the highlights of this seminal TV news program, including interviews with world and national figures from Indira Gandhi to JFK. ``SCTV SCTV Second City Television SCTV Slow Scan Television SCTV Sea Cadet Training Vessel (Canada) SCTV Separation and Control Test Vehicle ,'' by Dave Thomas (M&S; $17.95), takes us behind the scenes of the TV show that first brought the comic talents of John Candy, Rick Moranis, Martin Short, Harold Ramis, Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy, among others, to national attention. It was a consistently funnier show than ``Saturday Night Live'' and arguably more influential. THEATER ``The New Amsterdam: The Biography of a Broadway Theater,'' by Mary C. Henderson (Hyperion; $75), takes us inside one of Broadway's venerable theaters. Currently the home of the new stage version of ``The Lion King,'' this grand palace has recently been restored by Disney. In the '20s, it hosted the Ziegfeld Follies and Eddie Cantor in ``Whoopee,'' and in the '30s Jerome Kern's ``Roberta,'' before becoming a movie house in 1937. The book shows how Disney has reclaimed this landmark from disrepair, something the entertainment giant should be commended for. Speaking of old theaters, ``Theo Kalomirakis's Private Theaters,'' by Brett Anderson with photographs by Phillip H. Ennis (Abrams; $49.50), looks at 11 classic movie houses that were re-created in private homes. Eye-opening, if only for the money people will spend. And speaking of Broadway, ``Andrew Lloyd Webber Noun 1. Andrew Lloyd Webber - English composer of many successful musicals (some in collaboration with Sir Tim Rice) (born in 1948) Baron Lloyd Webber of Sydmonton, Lloyd Webber : His Life and Works,'' by Michael Walsh (Abrams; $49.50), looks at the life of the man more closely identified with Broadway success - ``Phantom of the Opera, ``Evita'' - than anyone in the last 25 years. Give Walsh credit, he takes a balanced approach in this handsomely illustrated volume between those who think Webber a genius and others who think his stuff is dreck dreck n. Slang Trash, especially inferior merchandise. [German, dirt, trash and Yiddish drek, excrement, both from Middle High German drec . ``Dance Ink: Photographs,'' edited by J. Abbott Miller J. Abbott Miller or Abbot Miller was born in Indiana and studied at the Cooper Union School of Art in New York. [1] [2] Miller is a graphic designer and writer. He is a partner in the New York office of the design firm Pentagram. and Patsy Tarr (Chronicle Books; $35), is a collection of pictures of some of the brightest stars of the dance world by some of the best photographers - Annie Leibovitz capturing Twyla Tharp in a park, for example. It is a wonderful reminder of how expressive the body can be. CULTURE ``Stars,'' by Sebastian Kruger (Morpheus; $34.95), is a collection of caricatures of entertainment celebrities by the German artist. These drawings are, if nothing else, intriguing, and Kruger has a flair for being able to capture the essence and image of the celebs. ``About Glamour,'' by Len Prince (Simon & Schuster; $40), takes contemporary stars like Jack Lemmon and Teri Hatcher and puts them in a ``golden age of Hollywood'' setting. The black-and-white photographs are quite striking. It's a bit of a stunt, but a fun one. With an introduction by Dominick Dunne. ``Support and Seduction: A History of Corsets
A corset is a garment that girds the torso and shapes it according to the fashionable silhouette of the day. Most often it has been used for cinching the waist and supporting the breasts. and Bras,'' by Beatrice Fontanel fontanel (fŏn`tənĕl'): see skull. fontanel or fontanelle One of six soft spots at the junctions (sutures) of the cranial bones in an infant's skull, covered with tough, fibrous membrane. (Abrams; $39.95), is an illustrated history of this uplifting endeavor. From the early days in Greece, where a wide band of cloth was used, to Madonna's cones, designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier, the subject is covered - and sometimes uncovered. ``Leg'' (General Publishing; $45) was put together for the 10th anniversary of the Donna Karan Hosiery Co. Some of the photos are by the famous - Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton - others by unknowns, but their subjects are gams. Proceeds from this eclectic collection benefit Gilda's Club, a nonprofit support center for individuals with cancer that is named for the late comedian Gilda Radner. Call it a stocking stuffer. The editors of US magazine have given us ``Winona Ryder'' and ``Brad Pitt'' (Little, Brown; $24.95 each). These Rolling Stone Press books tell us everything we need to know about two of Hollywood hot young stars without really telling us anything. Hey, isn't that what covering celebrity is all about? Plenty of cool photos and illustrations with reprints of articles (mostly from Rolling Stone) about their careers. AUDIO There is an awful lot of great audio books on the market, with some very fine actors lending their voices to the dramatic readings. Two that might be overlooked involve short stories. ``Tales of Love & Longing'' is Volume XI in the Selected Shorts series by Symphony Space ($16.95) and was recorded in front of a live audience at the old J. Paul Getty Jean Paul Getty (December 15, 1892 – June 6, 1976) was an American industrialist and founder of the Getty Oil Company. Biography Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, into a family already in the petroleum business, he was one of the first people in the world with a Museum in Malibu. The performers include Leonard Nimoy doing James Thurber's ``The Catbird Seat,'' and Bonnie Bedelia reading ``We'' by Mary Grimm. Nimoy is especially lively and wonderful, but all the performances are excellent. The tapes can be found in some bookstores, including Dutton's in Brentwood or by writing Sympathy Space, 2537 Broadway, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , N.Y. 10025-6947. Include $4.50 for shipping. ``The New Yorker Out Loud'' ($19.95 CD or audio cassette) has five stories that have appeared in the magazine. Three of them are read by the authors - Martin Amis, Ian McEwan and John Updike. The other two are read by Oscar winner Frances McDormand and actor Gabriel Byrne, both of whom - naturally - are excellent. While writers are usually not the most dramatic readers of their own work, they often offer nuances that other readers may not pick up on, adding a certain interesting element to these three stories. CAPTION(S): 5 Photos PHOTO (1) Jacket cover of ``Requiem'' (2--4) Left: Medic Thomas Cole of Richmond, Va., cradles the head of Staff Sgt. Harrison C.D. Pell of Hazelton, Pa., of the First Cavalry Division in Vietnam, 1966. Center: A helicopter lifts the body of an American paratrooper killed in action near the Cambodian jungle during a 1966 evacuation in this Henri Huet photo. Right: A woman cries for help for her dying child in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after a rocket and artillery attack in 1975. Photo by Sou Vichith. (5) Len Prince re-creates the Golden Age of Hollywood in ``About Glamour,'' using contemporary celebrities as models, such as Debbi Mazar. |
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