Popular Culture Books - Page 15

Wilderness: The Lost Writings of Jim Morrison, Volume 1

Jim Morrison

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent Collection 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is by far one of the best books of poetry I have had the pleasure of reading. Recommended to anyone that not only love's poetry but are interested in enter deeper into the mind of Jim Morrison.

Jim Morrison's conscious wilderness: 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

In this collection of poems; Jim seems to portray his thoughts more abstractly than in "The Lords And The New Creatures." The many themes he engages certainly do appear to be left to interpretation.
A case in point; in Jim's title poem "Miami" he wrote:

"What can I read her
What can I read her
on a Sunday Morning

What can I do that will
somehow reach her
on a Sunday Morning

I'll read her the news of
The Indian Wars

Full of criss-cavalry, blood
& gore

Stories to tame & charm
& More

On a Sunday Morning
------
Some wild fires
Searchout
a dry quiet kiss on leaving
------
Like our ancestors
The Indians
We share a fear of sex
excessive lamentation for the dead
& an abiding interest in dreams & visions"

By properly analyzing this it seems unequivocal that Morrison was struggling to reach out to the woman in question, engaging her with his own interest in American Indian culture, hoping she'd respond to his overtures since she was pulling away from him.
The poem is about lovers growing apart in a world divided. A world where the Indian represents love, while "Manifest Destiny" represents the inner turmoil of the conscious mind.

"Sirens" was also an exceptional poetic verse.

"Midnight
criminal metabolism of guilt forest
Rattlesnakes whistles castanets

Remove me from this hall of mirrors
This filthy glass

Are you her
Do you look like that
How could you be when
no one ever could
-----

Poet of the call-girl storm

She left a note on the bedroom door.
"If I'm out, bring me to."
-----
I dropped by to see you
late last night
But you were out
like a light
Your head was on the floor
& rats played pool w/your eyes

Death is a good disguise
for late at night

Wrapping all games in its calm garden

But what happens
when the guest return
& all unmask
& you are asked
to leave
for want of smile

I'll still take you then
But I'm your friend"

It seems Throughout this book Jim displays his own insecurities/ vulnerabilities. He's a man caught in inner stife. A man who is afraid to love and be loved in return. That's what I ascertained from this book. What does everyone else think?
Also, if you would like to hear Jim recite some of these brilliant poems I strongly suggest buying "The American Prayer" CD.
Jim almost certainly was one of the most thought provoking poets of his time.

Editorial Review:

Compiled from the literary estate of the singer who brought a wildly lyrical poetry of the damned to the world of rock 'n' roll. Includes unpublished poems, drawings, photos, and a candid self-interview.

Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Mating, Marriage, and Why We Stray

Helen Fisher

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Relationships -> Love & Romance
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A fascinating and enjoyable book 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The reviews for this book are very mixed, and perhaps if I were a scientist I might be a little harsh too. As someone with zero scientific training but a strong interest in human relations, I found the book fascinating, easy to follow and fun to read. I think that the author did a great job of introducing interesting ideas in manner that anyone can grasp. I can really recommend one of her other books too, Why we love.

Editorial Review:

"Captivates the reader, answers all those puzzling questions that caused your mother (or priest or guidance counselor or gym teacher) to blame God and/or hormones....Her prediction of a more open and egalitarian order provides a compelling--and hopeful--vision for the future."
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Love at first sight...the copulatory gaze...dinner dates...jealousy... intimacy... homesexuality...infidelity...Dr.Helen Fisher, an anthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History, explains it all in this four-million-year history of the human species. She demystifies much about romance and pairing that we tend to believe is willfull or just plain careless. She offers new explanations for why men and women fall in love, marry, and divorce, and discusses the future of sex in a way that will surprise you.

What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. Second Edition: Revised and Updated Edition

James Paul Gee

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Games & Strategy Guides -> Video Games
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> Video & Electronic Games
Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Psychology & Counseling -> Cognitive

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good for research, not so much for general reading. 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

First of all, this book is not written as a general public book, it is written much more in the vein of a college graduate's analysis. Heavy discussion of the effects of video games on the semiotic domain underpin the analysis. That being said, this book is a good analysis of the effects of video games on those that play them.

If you want a general public analysis of the effects of entertainment (and video games) on people, check out Steven Johnson's "Everything Bad is Good For You." This book is a deeper analysis of part of Steven Johnson's book, so it might be best as a follow-up purchase.

My biggest complaint about James Paul Gee's book is more with the copy editor and publisher. There are so many poorly written or incorrectly written sentences that should have been caught and corrected. It really affects the perceptions about the book's research.

Editorial Review:

James Paul Gee begins his classic book with "I want to talk about video games--yes, even violent video games--and say some positive things about them." With this simple but explosive statement, one of America's most well-respected educators looks seriously at the good that can come from playing video games. In this revised edition, new games like World of WarCraft and Half Life 2 are evaluated and theories of cognitive development are expanded. Gee looks at major cognitive activities including how individuals develop a sense of identity, how we grasp meaning, how we evaluate and follow a command, pick a role model, and perceive the world.

The Enlightened Bracketologist: The Final Four of Everything

Mark Reiter, Richard Sandomir

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Give It a Try 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

The overall concept behind THE ENLIGHTENED BRACKETOLOGIST is that people can figure out the best of everything by putting together a bracketed tournament, similar to what is done during the NCAA basketball tournament. 102 different subjects are bracketed (101 are listed, but there is a bonus category of Baby Boy Names in the Coda). The bracket selections and their ultimate winners have been selected by over 90 different people and those people are usually experts or are heavily associated with their chosen field. So Ken Jennings put together the brackets for Game Show Catchphrases, the authors of THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GUILTY PLEASURES put together the brackets for Guilty Pleasures, and former Presidential speech writer Curt Smith put together the brackets for Presidential Speeches. The categories of brackets in the book are:

March Madness Moments
Where Were You When Moments
Animation Characters
Ad Slogans
Alt-Country Songs
American Beers
American Plays
Bald Guys
Black-and-White TV Programs
James Bond Gadgets
Dodosaurs
Bob Dylan Cover Songs
Candy Bars
Mondegreens, or Misheard Lyrics
Celebrity Sports Couples
CEOs
Spokescharacters Who Will Shill for Food
Cheese
Chick Flicks
Crosswordese
Classic Comedies
Conspiracy Theories
Corporate Jargon
Dogs for the Ages
Marital Arguments
Elmore Leonard Novels
Elvis Costello Songs
Emoticons
Endangered Species
Cooking Tools
Economic Indicators
Film Deaths
Frank Sinatra Songs
Freshwater and Saltwater Flies
Fruit
Game Show Catchphrases
Sportscaster Signature Calls
Memorable Speech Lines
Golf Swing Thoughts
Horses for the Ages
Jock Films
Guilty Pleasures
Guitar Solos
Hairstyles
Hip
Indie Rock Albums
Innovations in Sports
Inventions
Investment Strategies
Most Likely to Survive the 21st Century
Jew/Not a Jew
Kings and Queens of England
Latin Grammar
Long Songs
Longevity Strategies
Magical Sports Numbers
Male Vices
Meaningless Sports Statistics
Most Jersey
Mythological Figures
NASCAR Phrases
Newspaper Headlines
Opera Arias (Male)
Paul Simon Songs
Perfect Book Titles
Pickup Lines
Punctuation
Short Books
Plastic Surgery Disasters
Political Blunders of the Last 50 Years
Political Hot Buttons
Presidential Speeches
Priceless Things
Rednecks
Red Wines
Rivalries
Samuel L. Jackson Films
Scrabble Words
SEX AND THE CITY Wisdom
Shakespeare in Film
Sidekicks
Simple Things
Sins Against the Language
Sport/Not a Sport
Sports Books
Sucker Bets
Talk Show Hosts
Tell Me Again Why They're Famous
Troll Models
TV One-liners
Typefaces
Underdogs
Video Games
Wedding Gifts
White Wines
Women's Magazine Sex Cliches
Women's Undies
Your Boss's Annoying Habits
Yiddish Phrases
Shakespeare Insults
Baby Boy Names

The book does have a few drawbacks. There was no overall standard of how "contestants" were chosen therefore there is an overall lack of connection to the book. Different bracketeers used different criteria for their choices and some apparently just used their own personal preferences without any thought at all. Some of the categories are so limited in their appeal that it was very difficult to even care about what had been written, for example Opera Arias (Male)--I had heard of three composers and that was it; the rest made no sense to me. Lastly, though this is more a book of entertainment, at times it is political and leans towards the leftist side.

Despite these drawbacks, I found THE ENLIGHTENED BRACKETOLOGIST to be entertaining and at times informative.

OBD: Obsessive Branding Disorder: The Illusion of Business and the Business of Illusion

Lucas Conley

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Subjects -> Business & Investing -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A witty, trenchant investigation of a phenomenon that is shaping culture and business in unexpected, disturbing ways.

The world is more branded than ever before: Americans encounter anywhere between 3,000 and 5,000 ads a day. Increasingly, brands vie for our attention from insidious angles that target our emotional responses (scent, taste, sound, and touch). In an ever-faster, more competitive global landscape fueled both by the rise of cheaper, foreign brands and by so-called housebrands (the eponymous brands of Wal-Mart, Target, and the like), American companies are in a mad dash to keep up. Branding, or identity-making, has begun to replace the research and development of yore.

From the fertile crescent of branding (Cincinnati), to the laboratories of sensory specialists (musicologists and "noses"), Lucas Conley takes us on a long-overdue journey through the strange culture that is our own. As hilarious as it is frightening, Conley's investigation into the phenomenon of rampant commercialism (often backed by little substance), offers an illuminating portrait of an age of obsession.

Les Miserables: Vocal Selections

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Performing Arts -> Theater -> Broadway & Musicals
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Voice
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Musicals

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Les Mis Piano Book 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Overall, I am glad I bought this book. The main thing I was disappointed about was that the lyrics to the songs are not included.

Awesome!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Being a huge fan of the Les Miserables musical, I borrowed this book at the library hoping to be able to play some of my favorite songs on the piano. I was not disapointed!

Since I play piano by playing the guitar chords giving for each song, I was so happy to find that the book contained all the chords that I needed to play the songs.

From the start I was able to play all the songs pretty well (with the exception of 'Stars', but that's because I barely know the tune to begin with, lol), and with practice I was able to play many of them VERY well.

Its a fantastic book. I have had so much fun singing the songs and accompaning myself on the piano!

Editorial Review:

This terrific songbook features 14 vocal selections from the beloved Broadway musical: At the End of the Day * Bring Him Home * Castle on a Cloud * Do You Hear the People Sing? * Drink with Me (To Days Gone By) * Empty Chairs at Empty Tables * A Heart Full of Love * I Dreamed a Dream * In My Life * A Little Fall of Rain * Master of the House * On My Own * Stars * Who Am I?. Also includes beautiful full-color photos from the production.

Iron Man: The Art of Iron Man, the Movie

Ruwan Jayatilleke, Jeff Youngquist

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Pages are soaked with art work 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2SXPUI7U6F8JJ The book cover of the book I have is not the same as shown on Amazon. However, the ISBN and size measurement of this book I have in hand is similar to the one on Amazon. It is actually landscape shaped instead of portrait.

This book contains concept art, photographs, paintings, storyboards, miniatures and live models. The main artists involved were Ryan Meinerding and Phil Sanders.

For people who like mechanical stuff, you'll be glad that to know that plenty of iron man designs are included. The drawings are detailed to the nuts and bolts. The evolution of Iron Man from concept to movie can be clearly seen from the first concept art right down to the life size cast created.

3D modelers who are looking for blueprints won't find them in this book. However, there are renders of Iron Man Mark II and Iron Monger from the front and side view. They should be enough to build the blueprint from.

Also included are the drawings for the environment, props and gadgets. That includes Tony Stark's house, his workshop and the Arc Reactor.

The last part of the book contains storyboards and pre-vis plates. Pre-vis are 3D storyboards screenshots. They discuss the story development and the challenges to shooting the movie.

All the pictures in the book are well captioned. They explain clearly the production process and the effect they are trying to achieve.

The only bad thing about the book is the paper stock. It is not thick enough. While black pages are cool, the paper has to be thick enough to absorb all the ink. If not, the paper becomes wavy. Luckily, it doesn't affect the visual quality of the images printed.

I still gave it a 5-star rating on Amazon -- more to 4.5-star because of the paper stock.

There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.

Editorial Review:

This comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look at the blockbuster Iron Man movie features exclusive content, from concept art and armor design, to unreleased stills and a glimpse at the creative process. It's everything you wanted to know about the making of the movie from all the key players, including Jon Favreau, Stan Winston, Marvel's Kevin Feige, and more!

Bond Girls are Forever: The Women of James Bond

Maryam d'Abo, Maryam D'Abo, John Cork

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Before Bond, the parts I used to play in films were demure, sweet, antiseptic and antisex. I wasn't even allowed to think like a woman. Pussy Galore and 007 worked wonders for me."-Honor Blackman, Pussy Galore, Goldfinger

Sexy, stunning, bold, and brazen, the women in James Bond movies are among the most interesting females in films. Attacked by some feminists in the 1960s and 1970s as sex objects, the Bond women today are seen as self-con?dent, sexually assured role models. Teeming with anecdote, first-person testimony, intelligent commentary, and a wealth of visual material, from film stills to memorabilia, Bond Girls Are Forever explores the mystery and mystique behind the Bond women-as heroes and villains, as actors and characters, as love objects and mother figures, as steely bureau-crats and trained killers.

From Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) rising from the sea in her sexy bikini in Dr. No to secret agent Jinx (Halle Berry) in Die Another Day, the Bond women have had a lasting impact on 007, on the lives of the actresses who played them, and on pop culture. Looking at these icons from both the male and female perspective, this elegant book shows us that no matter how they have changed over time, Bond girls are forever-in the fantasy lives of us all.

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, & the Truth about Reality

Brad Warner

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Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Buddhism -> Zen
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Buddhism -> Zen Philosophy

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 84 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

No Core Zen 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is a mass of narcissism, pontification, and muddled thinking - sort of like life, come to think of it - but hidden in it, like a diamond in a manure pile, is the essence of Zen: chop wood, carry water.

Mosh-Pit Roshi 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

"Hardcore Zen" is quite simply the single worst book on Zen I've ever read (and that's saying a great deal.) The aging "punk" author seems to understand Zen as well as my niece, who thinks it's a perfume.

Punk, a youth fashion/subculture created as a marketing strategy, is as remote from the spirit of Buddhism as anything could be, with the possible exception of bullfighting and vivisection.

Why did Bodhidharma come from the West? If he'd known that his journey would eventually result in this book, he would have stayed home, married a Bollywood movie-star and raised a large family with luxuriant eyebrows.

A towering pile now exists of good or readable translations of the Sutras, Zen classics and serious, credible books on Zen. Even if you lived for kalpas more numerous than the sands of the River Ganges, you would never need to read this book.

What's next? Emo Zen? Death-Metal Zen? Connoisseurs of junk culture may enjoy this, but anyone serious about Zen will avoid it like the plague.

Editorial Review:

Hardcore Zen is not your typical "Zen" book. Brad Warner, the young punk who grew up to be a Zen master, spares no one — just like Reality itself. This bold new approach to the Why of Zen Buddhism is as strongly grounded in the tradition of Zen as it is utterly revolutionary: Warner's voice is hilarious, and he calls on the wisdom of everyone from punk and pop culture icons to the Buddha himself to make sure his points come through loud and clear. The subtitle (and the cover!) say it all: there has never been a book like this one.

The Emperor Wears No Clothes: The Authoritative Historical Record of Cannabis and the Conspiracy Against Marijuana

Jack Herer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 35 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The final word on marijuana and hemp ecology 5 out of 5 stars.
23 of 24 people found this review helpful.

Although some of the historical data can be called into question, the essential claims of this book remain unrefuted by the disinformation campaigns of the anti-marijuana lobby. Herer shatters cannabis myths; he shows, with hard data that: pot has absolutely no toxicity to human tissues; pot has anti-carcinogenic properties; the tar, although greater in proportion than tobacco, is completely water-soluble; smoking marijuana shortly after having a stroke prevents the swelling of the brain -- and consequently much of the brain damage and loss of function associated with strokes.

Great Legalization Pot Book 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 16 people found this review helpful.

This is a very good legalization pot book and was one of the first to really break through the scene. There is lots of facts here to get through and lots of oddball type stories that you will enjoy. This is what makes the book unique. All these strange but true stories about hemp.

Some here are asking questions about the whole conclusions that Jack Herer draws. The truth is that he is confused about the difference between government modified Hemp, unmodified hemp and Drug based cannabis cultivars. If you really want to know more about those differences then you need a grow book. I recommend The Cannabis Grow Bible by Greg Green for that. It has an Issues section in the back that deals with these topics of question. But remember Jack Herer wrote this book in an era of information suppression and so it was hard to find out everything that he wanted to know.

This book has spawned countless other legalization books. Yes it does appear almost cartoonish or tabloidish but the facts are all here. In the end it is a very good book about pot laws and political corruption which asks all the right questions.

No one has ever died from using cannabis. That is not a bad fact to know at all.

Editorial Review:

Jack Herer has updated his authoritative history of hemp's myriad uses and of the war on this plant, just as it has become high-profile news, with supporters such as Woody Harrelson and Willie Nelson. Herer thoroughly documents the petrochemical industry's plot to outlaw this renewable source of paper, energy, food, textiles, and medicine. Photos, illustrations & charts. 10 tables.