Oscar Fashion by Reeve Chace - A Book Review

Oscar Fashion is a heavy book--literally, but not figuratively. The pages are made with the same process as hardcover textbooks, giving it the illusion of heft. At 192 pages, it certainly is long.

However, the book is not as substantive as one would hope. Of course, nobody opens a book like this expecting Tolstoy; but one does expect more detail than this book actually provides. Instead, the book is laid out like an extended People magazine, with little intellectually or aesthetically stimulating content.

One of Oscar Fashion's most devastating shortcomings is the lack of vintage photographs. Granted, this book has photos on every single page; but the book only represents many Oscar years with one page of photos, which means three or four photographs for, say, 1944, or 1966. At the beginning this is understandable, since early Oscar ceremonies were not televised or photographed; for some years, only a few pictures are known to exist. However, for later years, showing only three or four gowns is simply inexcusable, and necessitates grievous omissions.

The book has some persistent features, which I would have liked to see expanded. The start of every decade (every chapter covers a decade) shows three different films which were somehow influenced or innovative in fashion, including The Graduate, Breakfast at Tiffany's and so on. This is a very interesting topic, one we have tried to do justice to. However, three films, for ten years, is a little on the skimpy side, especially for a book devoted to a movie awards ceremony.

The book also features different outfits that persist through the years, such as The Big White Dress. I like this idea; it's interesting to see common threads running through Oscar fashion, from the 1940s to the 1990s. This is one of the more interesting parts of the book, and I would have liked to see more of these features, with more detail (i.e. why such-and-such was a persistent feature).

On balance, though, the book is not worth buying, and skimming through it is likely to be a somewhat frustrating experience. Those looking for inspiration should go elsewhere.

This review appeared originally in Enjoy Your Style magazine. Hi! I'm the managing editor for Enjoy Your Style. I love kitesurfing, drawing, writing essays, interviews and more. Hope you like my work! Enjoy!: )

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Tom Cruise Top Gun Type Pictorial Books Go Ballistic

Ever since Tom Cruise appeared in the movie Top Gun, the United States Navy has received more applications for flight contracts each year then just about any time in history. But this comes as no surprise to Hollywood or even the booksellers of aircraft fighter plane books. Young or old, all boys and men loved that movie and it has become one of the classics of all time.

Personally, my dad was a US Naval Aviator and flew 250 Combat missions in Vietnam off several carriers in an A-4 Skyhawk, and later was CO of an A-7 squadron. He did fly and train at Top Gun, which has now moved to Northern Nevada from San Diego. If you would like to learn more about the history of the jet age in Naval Aviation then perhaps, I might recommend an excellent pictorial book for your coffee table at home. The books is called;

"Top Gun Fighters and American Jet Power" by George Hall; Publications International LTD, Lincolnwood, Il 1988.

This book is fully illustrated and large, the pictures are life like and all the famous fighter jets of both the US Air Force and Navy are listed. Each aircraft has specifications, speeds and armament capabilities, with an explanation of its role in the battle space. There are also electronic surveillance aircraft, spy planes, trainers, and attack aircraft, not just fighter planes.

Every young man interested in aircraft ought to have a book like this and every aviation enthusiast ought to have one of these pictorial books on his coffee table. Move the women's artsy books out of the way and make room for the Top Gun Book.

"Lance Winslow" - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

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Underwater Wonders of America Told in Pictures - Photography Book Review

Most people who visit the state and federal parks in the United States are in awe of the beauty in nature that has been preserved for them and their children and grandchildren. Still, even if they go out of their way to visit most of the state and national parks they are only getting half the picture, they are seeing what is above ground and not necessarily what is under the water, where a whole new ecosystem exists.

It is for this reason that the National Park system in the United States encourages underwater snorkeling and diving in many of its parks. And what better way to learn about all you are missing than to get a book that shows you through pictures what it is all about? If this sounds good to you, then let me make a book recommendation to you of a book I personally own myself:

"Underwater Wonders of The National Parks -Diving and Snorkeling Guide Compiled by the National Park Service" by Daniel J. Lenihan and John D. Brooks; Diane Publishing Company; 1998. ISBN: 978-0756765231.

You will be amazed at all the information in this picture book, as it lists camping areas, locations, pictures of underwater spectacular scenes, and where to find them, along with all the best places to eat, stay and get supplies. Check out the coral reefs, Lake Superior, sunken ships, Hawaii's coasts, the Channel Islands in California, in fact there are over 60-locations listed in the book.

This is perhaps the best introduction to the underwater wonders of the United States and best of all it's all in pictures, truly incredible. I recommend this book for snorkelers, diving tourists or beginners. And even if you don't dive or have never tried snorkeling, you'll love this book.

Lance Winslow enjoys community philanthropy - Lance Winslow likes small business. Lance Winslow has also been involved in the Oil Industry; http://www.oilchangeguys.com/aboutus.shtml.

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The Wedding Photo Book

Personalized Photo Books

Personalized photo books can be created using any digital photos and other digital picture files including scanned images and downloaded pictures. The cover can be customized with the addition of a single photo, which is then added to both the front and back cover. A second picture can be provided in order to have this printed on the back in place of the original picture. Every side of every page can also be customized with one or more photos and depending on the size of photo book chosen this means between 30 and 80 sides of photo printing on high quality materials.

Turning A Book Into A Wedding Photo Book

The book has many uses but is especially good looking and personal when used as a wedding personalized book. Whether you're arranging it for your own use or are looking for a unique and very personal wedding gift for the happy couple, a wedding book is the ideal choice. It combines customization with a traditional wedding item and it can be kept and enjoyed for many years to come.

Giving A Wedding Book As A Gift

A wedding book can be given as a gift to the bride and groom to celebrate their big day. Ordinarily, this might mean giving them the gift after the big day but you can instead pay for the wedding book and receive a gift certificate which can be presented along with the rest of the wedding party's gifts on the wedding day. Once the day is over and the couple have chosen their favorite photos they can then choose the photos to print in their own wedding book.

Creating Your Own Wedding Photo Book

Alternatively, you may be looking for a high quality and great looking wedding book for your own use. Use pictures taken by a professional photographer and combine these with more candid shots taken by guests in order to create a beautiful photo journal of your big day. There's no need to mount the pictures yourself either this way, making it more convenient and better looking than a album.

Wedding Photo Guest Books

A guest book is another type of book that can be customized. Choose a picture and have it printed on the cover of a guest book and then choose the column headers to include on all of the pages. A photo guest book will usually hold around 200 entries although this can be extended by having extra pages added to the standard photo guest book size, ensuring that all of your guests are able to leave a message of congratulations for you and your partner.

Sarah shares her knowledge about gifts. Visit Bags of Love for stunning gift ideas including professionally designed photo books Personalized gifts don't need to take time - Bags of Love have a speedy service, guaranteed to make you look good, and with presents for everyone, you will never be caught short again. SAME DAY DISPATCH - order today to get delivered tomorrow!

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Poster Frames - Sensible Options at Low-Price

The poster frames are an excellent low-cost option to advertise for your company both indoor and outdoor! Be it the ultimate island getaway or an exceptional holiday decoration or the excellent home makeover, the poster open up new world to the customers. The possibilities of using a poster are unending and you will need poster frames to keep them safe from the outside weather and street-smart people.

Since the posters are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, their prospective is endless. One can buy the pre-printed, poster created by the mass. The internet has some excellent stock of posters, and also has the vintage and worldwide alternatives. You can also opt for the display posters of your vendors, to showcase the items or the companies that you market. This will let their popularity to work in your favor and propel your organization.

You can again create unique graphics, highlight a targeted advertising slogan, and also add an eye-catching image to make the poster your own creation. A poster needs a lot of dynamic potential to advertise your item, or occasion, or service or brand loyalty. It should catch the focus of the passing-by site visitors. So when selecting or developing a poster is done your next step is to get them printed. A number of large format printers are available over the internet, and at very affordable price! The price of having a poster printed is a recurring amount and will be done several times a year for one particular occasion. So there should not be much issue on the variety of the poster you are deciding on. You will also need a poster frame to ensure safety and protection to the poster.

The poster frame is quite critical until you want the pushpins to be used. Since most of the posters are body-much less. Previously, posters were made for specific purposes and specific duration, and can be pasted to the walls or the billboards to promote an event. This was quite popular for the concert or the films. As time went, companies from other sectors became aware of the effectiveness of advertising, and hence creating posters became popular. With this there came poster providers as well.

Since most posters have limited time use, the poster frame is also made for short phrase use. They are mostly made from very thin and fragile broken plastic. Such a frame is not made to withstand the fury of weather or time. If you are willing to invest a little more in marketing you can invest in industrial grade poster body. They do not break or turn out outdated with time. The industrial poster frames are made to stand the test of time and can be used classically.

With the modern posters and poster frames, break free to experience a new and bold advertising marketing campaign. Your advertisement will surely catch the eye of your consumers. Good Luck.

For more information on poster frames, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the metal frames!

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See America the Beautiful in Pictures - Coffee Table Photography Book Review

How would you like to see America, I mean really see the most beautiful scenery and sights that this great nation has to offer? Well, if so, I'd like to recommend a very good book to you. It is one of the greatest collections of sights and pictures, I've ever seen.

In fact, after traveling around the US for 7-years and having been to most of the places in the book, I can say for certain that the photographers did an excellent job in capturing the essence and spirit of each place. The name of the book is:

"Scenic Wonders of America - An Illustrated Guide to Our Natural Splendors" by Reader's Digest Association Books, New York, NY; 1973.

This book is one of best photography coffee table books you can own, it is fully illustrated and takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of the most beautiful places in America. For instance there are pictures of Niagara Falls, Mammoth Cave, Natural Bridge (KY), Everglades, Badlands, Devil's Tower, Black Canyon, Painted Desert, Mesa Verde, Petrified Forest, Meteor Crater, Redwood Forest, Ross Lake, Columbia River, Bid Sur, Kilauea Crater, Death Valley, Mount Saint Helens, and Wiamea Canyon.

The colors are true to life and the team at Reader's Digest Association did a great job in editing the work. Each picture is accompanied by a story of the area and information that is apropos for the reader or viewer to understand all there is to know about the formations and geology. You will not find a better coffee table picture book to capture your love of life and travel.

Lance Winslow enjoys community philanthropy - Lance Winslow likes small business. Lance Winslow has also been involved in the Oil Industry; http://www.oilchangeguys.com/aboutus.shtml.

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The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II

World War II was a defining event in history, especially America. I had a grandfather who served in that war, earning two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. I've seen countless movies depicting events from World War II, and I've also read a number of books about those years as well. It was a different time, and the war helped shaped that generation's identity. It was a war that many refer to as the "last good war." Like my grandfather, many of the veterans from World War II are passing away each day. It is because of this, that I liked what Thomas Sanders and Veronica Kavass have put together. The book "The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II" is a beautifully done coffee table type book that pays homage to those who served our nation in war.

The book is filled with magnificent photographs of men and women who served, now much older, but often holding pictures of when they were younger. Many pictures are black and white, but there are also color photographs included too. These are men and women who are true heroes, that very few have ever heard about. They are heroes because they answered when their country called. They sacrificed and did what had to be done. They then returned home to become productive members of their communities and lead lives just like the rest of us.

Sanders dedicates the book to all American veterans and soldiers, especially to those who do not make it home. And while there really isn't anything good about war, just as Hampton Sides says in the introduction, there was a lot of "good" in the men and women who served, and this book helps us remember the selfless, determined, humble, and heroic veterans of that time. At the beginning of the book there is a quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower, General, U.S. Army. This was when he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during World War II and before he became President of the United States. He said, "The world must know what happened, and never forget." I think sometimes we do forget, and we shouldn't. Looking through the book, noticing the aged faces, I can't help but think what they went through during their time of service. And I can't help but feel a sense of gratitude and thankfulness for what they did. Reading their stories makes me ashamed at how some people today cry and moan about difficulties that are nowhere near what those men and women faced.

This is an important book, and I hope many will take the time to read it, and more than that, to realize the history that our older generation have not studied, but lived, and to take advantage of learning from these men and women, so we don't ever forget. Because, as the author says, one day they won't be here to tell their stories.

Alain Burrese, J.D. is a writer, speaker, and mediator who teaches how to live, take action, and get things done through the Warrior's Edge. He is an expert on conflict and mediates and teaches conflict resolution and negotiation. Additionally, he teaches physical conflict skills in his Hapkido and Self-Defense courses, lectures, and seminars. Alain is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From The School Of Hard Knocks, the DVDs Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking series, and numerous articles and reviews. You can read more articles and reviews and see clips of his DVDs as well as much more at http://www.burrese.com/ and http://www.yourwarriorsedge.com/

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The Magic of Black Picture Frames

Perhaps one of the most difficult things in the world, and the most impossible, is to capture time. Yet, this is something which we humans will never stop doing. It is for these reasons why we always take pictures of certain special moments in our lives, and then feel the need to give the pictures a special place in our surroundings, so that we can always look at them occasionally, and relive those special moments. These moments are not ordinary ones. They are special because they have a very significant role to play in defining who we are. Thus, they need to be treated as such, and we must give them proper respect. This also applies to special people in our lives, who have played a very important role, and who our heart will always cherish more than the others.

Black frames

Black picture frames are the perfect ways of achieving this. These frames are now available in some truly exotic designs, and at a very cheap rate. The main reason why such picture frames are becoming so cheap these days is because the makers are facing intense competition from digital pictures, frames and social networking sites. Yet, we still purchase them, because the charm of a framed picture on a table or on a wall can never be matched with something on a networking site. Websites feel very virtual to us, because we cannot touch and feel them. On the other hand, pictures on tables can be stared at, held lovingly and respected.

Types of frames

A black picture frame can be purchased in various types. You can get simple wooden or plastic frames in some pretty cute designs for simple pictures, or those bearing the pictures of special people. They have a very quaint charm, and can be used to set up anywhere. If you want something more special, you can opt for metallic frames, or ornate ones with heavy intricate designs. These may also be available in paper Mache or other miscellaneous varieties. You can select from a huge variety, depending on your budget, and the importance of what you want to frame.

Selecting a frame

While selecting a frame, you must always keep in mind that advantage these black frames offer. They go with almost any kind of interior, and will never look odd or misplaced. Thus, if you are someone who will keep changing your location, or will always want to keep renovating the place, you can go for these frames, since they will always look very beautiful and in place. The style quotient of these frames is also something that cannot be ignored. These frames are the epitome of dignity and grace, and can make even the most jaded pictures look very surreal.

For more information on black picture frames, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the black picture frame!

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