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If you are reading this, I will assume that you are already a fan of either Dave McKean in particular or Sandman in general.

Included are all the covers from the Sandman series minus the logo, publisher and price indicia, UPC codes, etc., thus showcasing these wonderful works of art in the format they deserve. Also included are some extra pages of art used to fill out the Sandman trade paperback collections. Even if you own the whole series, it is a worthwhile buy. But what makes the collection particularly unique is the inclusion of a brand new true story by Neil Gaiman and McKean about how the ficitonal world of the Sandman intruded upon their lives during the planning stage of the series.

As other reviewers have noted, the artwork is worth viewing on its own merits and deals with universal themes from the unconscious, so even if you don't know what the heck Sandman is it is worth a look. This is surrealism at its height by a master of many artistic media including painting, collage and computer graphics.

Dave McKean has vision. His art trancends mediocrity, transporting you to a place where true creativity reigns supreme. The art is interspersed with colorful, sometimes humorous, anecdotes by McKean and Sandman writer Neil Gaiman. Every page of this book is a treat. Even if you have every Sandman issue ever published, you'll want to compare the original covers to the art in this book. Unencumbered by logos, etc. and printed with higher quality inks on better paper - Dust Covers is an unparalelled showcase for one of the most visionary artists of the 20th (and soon - the 21st) century.

When I had collected the original Sandman issues, I was always intrigued by the cover art as well as the story and illustrations inside. Sometimes, I would find myself staring at the covers for minutes before reading the actual story. This was the only time I had ever really done that. And now you can own this book full of those intricate, detailed, and amazing art pieces, along with commentary by McKean and Gaiman.

And there's a Sandman story that I have never read before! If you're a Sandman fan, buy this book.

Like some of the previous reviewers, I grew up in Japan and enjoyed the 70's hit TV anime series (they later re-made them in the 90s to be truer to the original books, I believe) and later read all the books voraciously. The series captivates its readers much like the Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter books do; by totally drawing them into its unique and marvellously rich world, a world that is somehow fanciful yet credible.

Now that I have a 7-year-old boy of my own, I enjoy reading them aloud to him. We burst out laughing every time Sniff says something self-serving, get the shivers when we see a picture of the Groke (I was truly scared of her when I was a child), wonder what in the world the mysterious Hattifatteners are up to, and marvel at how everything comes together in the end of each story. The author has a true gift for weaving fantastical creatures, objects and situations together to create a solid, almost palpable world. Finn Family Moomintroll is probably the best introduction to the Moomin Family, and a great book to read by yourself, to give to that special child in your life, or better yet, to share with him/her by reading it aloud.

this is the very first of the moomintroll series by tove jansson. children of any age will love to read this book, or have it read to them. it is full of moomintroll and his friends adventures, in their beautiful fantasy land. i got this book before i could even read, but had my mother read it to me before bed, giving me sweet dreams of happiness and laughter. the moomins are fun-loving trolls from finland and are adventurous and go on wild excursions together. i reconmend this book to anyone who loves fantasy.

So far there have been eight Moomin books translated ino English. All are splendid. I don't want to draw comparisons, because they are all so good, and each in a different way, but the last two are perhaps the best - all are very definitely five star. They tell of the adventures of a family of little trolls in, mainly the forests of Finland but other places as well, including fairgrounds, theatres, and uninhabited islands, along with all sorts of other strange creatures such as hattifattners, fillyjonks, hemulens and astronomers. A perfect blend of adventure and domestic warmth, evoked by an endlessly original and imaginative writer, who knows "The Usefulness of Everything," in a world slightly - not too much - transmogrified but still recognisable

Full of warmth, wit, wisdom and delight. They should probaby be read in order as the characters become more complicated as time goes on, but Finn Family Moomintroll is a great place to start. The pictures (author Tove Jansson was also a professional illustrator and stage designer) are the perfect compliment to the stories. If you don't know them, buy them and your lives will be richer.

That Olsen-Ecker guy is a real crazy kook. The book really puts this whole Y2K thing in a perspective we can all laugh about and silence the hysteria. Olsen-Ecker is one of the great creative minds of the 20th century. It is not just a book but a survival manual for the next millenium. Save those cheese doodles, take the stairs, and cancel that flight to Hawaii. The Y2K hysteria is upon us people! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!

We didn't invent the Y2K problem, but we do have to live with it. Olsen-Ecker sums up the insanity of it all--the fact that the entire culture can be held hostage simply because some slob programmer was too lazy to use four digits and a calendar--with this extremely funny look at being on the losing end of a losing proposition. Written for those who move their lips when they read, this easy-to-understand, hard-to-put-down book is a great antidote to the predictions of world apocalypse and the end of civilization, which, frankly, probably needs to come to an end based on how we've handled things thus far. This was easily the funniest thing I've read since my insanity commital papers, which provokied a good laugh both in court and out. Be Warned--those who laugh easily could have a seizure. Best read after a few martinis or a bottle of wine and among friends who have the courage and decency to revive you should you pass out from the fun.

Very funny! Hilarious pictures, funny context. Whoever this man is, he is one hilarious, nuttyguy! This is a funny view of the Y2K problem, that everyone who panicks about it should definitely get. Bill Gates, watch out for Brad H. Olsen-Ecker! He can surely make anything funny, especially referring to Lady of the Water. Great Book!

Shows you lots of illustrated information & recommendations for upgrading your 90's Mustang 5.0, includes excellent how-to-install pages, useful blue prints for machining, and lots of different aftermarket 5.0 parts manufaturers with their part numbers. This book is a must for 5.0 performance modification projects.

This book appears to be a 30 year summation of experience from a veteran Ford hot-rodder. Mr. Mathis gives excellent advice on choosing the appropriate parts for a particular combo and it's all derived from hard core experience on the track and the dyno. His down-to-earth approach and plain english really cuts to the chase, this books subject matter is as correct as it gets yet very easy to understand and apply. He also pays attention to the fact that not everyone is made of money and doesn't cater exclusively to the ultra-expensive setups and parts. If you are even THINKING of upgrading your 79-93 Stang then buy this book, you won't be disapointed!

The information and detail covered in this book is the best I've ever seen. Mr. Mathis keeps the information as simple as possible by keeping the text easy to read and understand. The text is very lightnote and often times humorous to those of us who have been in situations he mentions. He covers it all from A to Z. Making very good recommendations for manufacturers and including the order number for the parts. A true "Must Have" for any Stang or Ford owner.

Barchester Towers is a sly, funny novel- that is not for every taste. It is a Victorian story within an ecclesiastical milieu- and yet, it could be any modern corporate, non-profit or 'faith-based' arena.

The engaging settings include mansions of the bishop, an ancient and peculiar manor and a variety of homes of archbishops, deans and rectors. The characters range from a morally questionable, lame, Italian Countess- and her child, 'the last of the Nero's', to anachronistic nobles and a cuckolded, weak-kneed Bishop. An impudent newcomer and assistant to the new Bishop spurs a rebellion of sorts- this upstart, Mr. Slope, fulfills all the qualifications for a sweaty, sneering, fox who will offend the congregation- including all of the other rectors at his first sermon.
From that point onward, as Mr. Slope's sexual drives and greed seem to collide within him, and his hold on the power in the diocese requires war; the tale has tension, comedy and ultimately romance.

There is certainly a resemblance to Jane Austen here, but Trollope does not lend himself to a feminist interpretation. His heroines are either well-meaning 'spinsters' or dutiful, yet quietly influential wives. Their villainous counterparts are overbearing, seditious or vampish- not particularly modern, definitely engrossing and fun.

"Barchester Towers" has proven to be the most popular novel Anthony Trollope ever wrote-despite the fact that most critics would rank higher his later work such as "The Last Chronicle of Barset","He Knew He Was Right" and "The Way We Live Now".While containing much satire those great novels are very powerful and disturbing, and have little of the genial good humor that pervades "Barchester Towers".Indeed after "Barchester Towers",Trollope would never write anything so funny again-as if comedy was something to be eschewed.That is too bad,because the book along with its predecessor "The Warden" are the closest a Victorian novelist ever came to approximating Jane Austen."Barchester Towers" presents many unforgettable characters caught in a storm of religious controversy,political and social power struggles and romantic and sexual imbroglios.All of this done with a light but deft hand that blends realism,idealism and some irresistible comedy.It has one of the greatest endings in all of literature-a long,elaborate party at a country manor(which transpires for about a hundred pages)where all of the plot's threads are inwoven and all of the character's intrigues come to fruition."Barchester Towers" has none of the faults common to Trollope's later works -(such as repetiveness)it is enjoyable from beginning to end.Henry James(one of our best novelists,but not one of our best critics) believed that Trollope peaked with "The Warden"and that the subsequent work showed a falling off as well as proof that Trollope was no more than a second rate Thackeray.For the last fifty years critics have been trying to undo the damage that was done to Trollope's critical reputation."Barchester Towers"proves not only to be a first rate novel but probably the most humorous Victorian novel ever written.

This is the second of the six Barsetshire novels, and the first great novel in that series. THE WARDEN, while pleasant, primarily serves as a prequel to this novel. To be honest, if Trollope had not gone on to write BARCHESTER TOWERS, there would not be any real reason to read THE WARDEN. But because it introduces us to characters and situations that are crucial to BARCHESTER TOWERS, one really ought to have read THE WARDEN before reading this novel.

Trollope presents a dilemma for most readers. On the one hand, he wrote an enormous number of very good novels. On the other hand, he wrote no masterpieces. None of Trollope's books can stand comparison with the best work of Jane Austen, Flaubert, Dickens, George Eliot, Tolstoy, or Dostoevsky. On the other hand, none of those writers wrote anywhere near as many excellent as Trollope did. He may not have been a very great writer, but he was a very good one, and perhaps the most prolific good novelist who ever lived. Conservatively assessing his output, Trollope wrote at least 20 good novels. Trollope may not have been a genius, but he did possess a genius for consistency.

So, what to read? Trollope's wrote two very good series, two other novels that could be considered minor classics, and several other first rate novels. I recommend to friends that they try the Barsetshire novels, and then, if they find themselves hooked, to go on to read the Political series of novels (sometimes called the Palliser novels, which I feel uncomfortable with, since it exaggerates the role of that family in most of the novels). The two "minor classics" are THE WAY WE LIVE NOW and HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. The former is a marvelous portrait of Victorian social life, and the latter is perhaps the finest study of human jealousy since Shakespeare's OTHELLO. BARSETSHIRE TOWERS is, therefore, coupled with THE WARDEN, a magnificent place, and perhaps the best place to enter Trollope's world.

There are many, many reasons to read Trollope. He probably is the great spokesperson for the Victorian Mind. Like most Victorians, he is a bit parochial, with no interest in Europe, and very little interest in the rest of the world. Despite THE AMERICAN SENATOR, he has few American's or colonials in his novels, and close to no foreigners of any type. He is politically liberal in a conservative way, and is focussed almost exclusively on the upper middle class and gentry. He writes a good deal about young men and women needing and hoping to marry, but with a far more complex approach than we find in Jane Austen. His characters are often compelling, with very human problems, subject to morally complex situations that we would not find unfamiliar. Trollope is especially good with female characters, and in his sympathy for and liking of very independent, strong females he is somewhat an exception of the Victorian stereotype.

Anyone wanting to read Trollope, and I heartily believe that anyone who loves Dickens, Austen, Eliot, Hardy, and Thackery will want to, could find no better place to start than with reading the first two books in the Barsetshire Chronicles, beginning first with the rather short THE WARDEN and then progressing to this very, very fun and enjoyable novel.

The machine gunner is an enjoyable book to read. It gave you a sense of what it was like to be a child in World War 2. It's interesting and fun to read, when Chas McGill finds a working machine gun with 2000 live rounds. He tries to keep this secret safe he builds a fortress with friends to fight the Germans in Garmouth Chas's hometown. I recommend this book to anyone because its full of action but historically it gives you information about what it would be like to live in world war 2 times

as previous reviews have mentioned, this is a first rate novel from one of britain top childrens authors, now sadly deceased. It highlights some of Westall's own experiences in war torn tyne and wear - an idea born from his own son (who many of Westall's books are based on - in memorium), when asked by him to stop a leaking roof on the den/base his son and friends had built. Westall states that he felt extremely priveliged to have been invited into their secret world.(hence the den in the book). a very detailed account for those interested in ww2 britain - right down to shrapnel collections found under hedges, to chrysanthemums for christmas. an excellent read, and a book adopted by many schools for english tutoring. This is his best and first book, but try secret lovers, a collection of short stories, and in particular Blind Bill.

The Machine Gunners is a wonderfully written story. The descriptions of WWII life are amazing. All the characters are carefully built up and grow a lot throughout the story. The one drawback to the "majesty", is the abrupt ending. In one chapter they cut off each story line in somewhat of a cheezy way. No invasion ever happens, and the kids are split up, never to meet again. Overall, the book is action-packed, quick reading and totally unpredictable.

Whether you're a novice book maker or advanced book artist, be prepared to be inspired by the color photos and easy-to-understand projects found within Cover to Cover. I teach bookmaking workshops and recommend this title to all my students. You won't need exotic or hard-to-find materials to complete the wonderful books. My favorite: the book bound with bamboo skewers!

What I liked best about this book was the variety of projects that are detailed, step by step, with clear, easy to understand instructions. I would higlhy recommend this book to someone just trying book making for the first time.

Lots of wonderful colour photographs and examples of what can be done.

In my quest to find new and unique projects to make myself, I stumbled across this book, and I'm really glad I did. Though some of the books are a little "over the top", it's packed full of great ideas that will motivate and inspire. The instructions are clear and concise and there are some truly beautifully photographed books in here. Most of the materials will be easy to find, and the very first book to make is made with copy paper and a needle and thread. I see myself making at least a half a dozen books in here.

This book will satisfy the demands of even the most "image-hungry" fan of Marilyn Monroe. It is a delight for the eyes. The magazine covers are presented in chronological order and are not your usual thumbnail photos. These are large enough to really view Marilyn at her most captivating. The images reveal a Monroe who is at times glamorous, at other times vulnerable. The images allow you to fully realize the evolution of Norma Jeane to the high wattge superstar, Marilyn Monroe. Not only is the Hollywood glamour there, but there is also images of her touching humanity.The information provided for each cover is thoroughly researched by Clark Kidder. This book is a valuable resource for Monroe trivia. Mr. Kidder has given us an intelligent and highly provocative book about Marilyn Monroe. The love of the subject by the author is demonstrated in the careful attention to details. This book is a must have for any collection. A rare find for fans. I only hope this will be followed up by Volume 2.

Features 160 pages with 200 large (some full page), sharp full color magazine covers from all over the world. Includes numerous quotes and anecdotes accompanying the pictures. Estimated values are shown. All of this is in chronological order. The volume is completely indexed. A history of the legend and a timeline of her life from 1926 to 1962 is provided. This volume is a collectible in its own right. If you collect Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, this 5 star rated book is essential.

Now in a revised second edition, Marilyn Monroe: Cover To Cover by Clark Kidder is a unique collection for the fans one of Hollywood's best known personalities, as it features full-color illustrations of numerous magazine covers that showcased this talented actress and American heartthrob. Each picture offers a brief caption or memorable quote (often by Marilyn herself) about the picture, as well as the average selling price for good condition copies of the magazine. Marilyn Monroe: Cover To Cover is a very highly recommended resource for celebrity memorability collectors in general, and Marilyn Monroe fans in particular.

Ah, the adventures of Pooh & Co. Far fewer people have read these light lovely little books than seen their animated semi-accurate Disneyfications. Should the average reader choose to actually read, "Winnie the Pooh", they'd find a series of adventures set in a child's safe/tame landscape. The great recommendation of this book (and its subsequent sequals) is the jokes that kids won't get but that adults will adore. Aside from some of the more C.S. Lewis-like twistings of the English language, some characters are written as charicatures of the timid, the pompous, and the dejected. After all, who hasn't known their own Owls or Eeyores at some point in their life? In my opinion, Piglet is almost the quintessential timid Englishman. As for the original illustrations, they cannot be improved upon (especially since the movie has so invaded the public consciousness). My advice? Get kids to read this before they see the film (which is probably an impossible thing to desire these days). You won't regret it and they'll take them to heart.

This is a review of the Jim Broadbent recording of the first Winnie the Pooh book. Although it does seem to include the other recordings I have heard, and I expect his version of The House at Pooh Corner would be quite similar.

Jim Broadbendt does a great job reading us WtP. Anyone who has heard the Charles Kuralt version- this version is 300% better. Jim not only has a sense of of humor, but does a different voice for each character. Two things sorely lacking on the CK versions. Now, for those who have heard the Peter Dennis recordings, well, those are better, there's no getting around that. Peter's piglet cannot be topped and he also does the most wonderful versions of the songs I have ever heard. But alas, those tapes are no longer available and Dennis never recorded the entire book(s). So, I figure Jim is still deserving of the 5 stars.

Broadbent does a wonderful job of bringing out the humor in the stories, something which the Kuralt recordings do not. His Eeyore does sound a bit like Ringo Starr- but, that works rather well now, doesn't it? Pooh, well, he's a bit on the not-so-bright side, but he's cheerful and trustworthy. Piglet does sound timid and sweet. Rabbit, well, he could be a bit more edgey in these. Jim has made Rabbit a bit more sympthetic a character than I envision him. Still, the subtle nuances are not lost, even on children. And, it is nice to have an unabridged version of the story available.

My children just love these cds. Which is nice. It's always good to have something that the entire family enjoys and is still a worthwhile use of time. Especialy something that one can listen to in the car that doesn't bore the pants off the driver and yet amuses the children enough to keep them quiet. I highly recommend this version for anyone who would like to expose their child to the original Pooh stories.

Ah, the treasures you come across cleaning out your adult child's closet once he's grown and left the nest. How could I have forgotten this enchanting book? My son used to love Winnie the Pooh and all his friends when he was three years old. In Piglet, Kanga and Baby Roo, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl and Pooh himself, A.A. Milne created some of the best-loved characters in children's literature. The stories in the book are funny and endearing, what child doesn't laugh out loud over Pooh and Piglet hunting for Woozles, and Eeyore losing his tail? Read this book out loud to your child (or silently to yourself), and you may find yourself transported back to your own childhood:

"Isn't it funny
how a bear likes honey?
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
I wonder why he does?"

After years without picking up a novel by Dickens (memories of starchy classes at school), I decided to plunge into "Bleak House", a novel that had been sitting on my bookshelf for about ten years, waiting to be read. Although I found it heavy going at first, mainly because the style is so unfamiliar to modern readers, after about ten pages I was swept up and carried off, unable to put the hefty tome down until I had finished it. This book is a definite classic. The sheer scope of the tale, the wit of the satire (which could still be applied to many legal proceedings today) and the believable characters gripped me up until the magnificent conclusion. One particularly striking thing is the "cinematic" aspect of certain chapters as they switch between different angles, building up to a pitch that leaves the reader breathless. I can't recommend "Bleak House" too highly. And I won't wait so long before reading more Dickens novels.

This is the second book by Dickens I have read so far, but it will not be the last. "Bleak House" is long, tightly plotted, wonderfully descriptive, and full of memorable characters. Dickens has written a vast story centered on the Jarndyce inheritance, and masterly manages the switches between third person omniscient narrator and first person limited narrator. His main character Esther never quite convinces me of her all-around goodness, but the novel is so well-written that I just took Esther as she was described and ran along with the story. In this book a poor boy (Jo) will be literally chased from places of refuge and thus provide Dickens with one of his most powerful ways to indict a system that was particularly cruel to children. Mr. Skimpole, pretending not to be interested in money; Mr. Jarndyce, generous and good; Richard, stupid and blind; the memorable Dedlocks, and My Lady Dedlock's secret being uncovered by the sinister Mr. Tulkinghorn; Mrs. Jellyby and her telescopic philanthropy; the Ironmaster described in Chapter 28, presenting quite a different view of industralization than that shown by Dickens in his next work, "Hard Times." Here is a veritable cosmos of people, neighbors, friends, enemies, lovers, rivals, sinners, and saints, and Dickens proves himself a true master at describing their lives and the environment they dwell in. There are landmark chapters: Chapter One must be the best description of a dismal city under attack by dismal weather and tightly tied by perfectly dismal laws, where the Lord Chancellor sits eternally in Lincoln's Inn Hall. Chapter 32 has one of the eeriest scenes ever written, with suspicious smoke, greasy and reeking, as a prelude to a grisly discovery. Chapter 47 is when Jo cannot "move along" anymore. This Norton Critical is perhaps the best edition of "Bleak House" so far: the footnotes help a lot, and the two Introductions are key to understanding the Law system at the time the action takes place, plus Dickens' interest in this particular topic. To round everything off, read also the criticism of our contemporaries, as well as that of Dickens' time. "Bleak House" is a long, complex novel that opens a window for us to another world. It is never boring and, appearances to the contrary, is not bleak. Enjoy.

Umm, I thought the book was too short! I fell in love with the book within the first ten words, and like all love affairs, this one ended too quickly. For those who thought Bleak House was dull, boring, lengthy, and wordy, may I suggest a television reality show?