Buy this book. It is an outstanding visual document of 1990s culture.
934582
I use to work for RayGun as a freelance photographer. I bought this book because my work is in here. I guess they forgot to send a contributors copy to me all those years ago. No hard feelings though I think David and Marvin are top shelf and I always had a great time working for RayGun Publishing. Thanks for the great memories you two.
Buy this book. It is an outstanding visual document of 1990s culture.
4133362
This book is so wonderful.  It really captures the variances over the years in Futura2000's work. The most special, a personal side to the private man in the shadows of so many of the Greatest Designs (Mo'Wax, Bathing Ape, BSF, as well as his website! etc.) of the 1990's.  I find this much more fulfilling than that of say, "Scrawl" an odd book that Many of the Artists contained, (i.e. Dj Shadow and Phil Frost) have claimed to have not known their words nor their artwork were to be printed.  That has left "Scrawl" to feel quite the "exploited" book of artists rather than the Futura book, which Futura himself is quite proud. Futura2000 reveals his thoroughly detailed eye and hands on project through the collective pieces of his work and personal notes and background to his book "Futura." (You'll respect it right down to the paper and binding choices.)  This one's the real gem of all the books put out around this 1990's; "Who's Who, Definitive Underground Graf-Designer."
3750149
Toby Ross describes PAPER DREAMS in the opening credits as
A loving look back at turn-ons that changed our lives. It is that and so much more. Its the story how dirty pictures in magazines evolved into gay self-identity and pride.

This is a remarkable documentary that is unlike anything Ive ever seen before. PAPER DREAMS chronicles male pornography from the 1960s loincloth era through the 1970s and just before HIV/AIDS epidentic.  The scholarship is impeccable, sort of like a doctoral dissertation.  This is a PBS worthy history film that borrows as much from Ken Burns as Gus Van Sant.  Toby Ross is a true curator and historian.

PAPER DREAMS is also technical success. The video and audio quality is far, far superior to the typical gay porn film.  The soundtrack is luscious and warm.  The editing is flawless; the narrator is a good storyteller with an impish impulse.  The archival footage makes this film a must see.  Years from now it will be shown college classes and libraries. PAPER DREAMS is perhaps the finest gay porn documentary ever made.

My favorite chapter in the film is Hopes and Dreams, the early 1970s go-go years when young men from around the world tripped-out to San Francisco and LA.  They came for the vibes, the mind expansion and to fulfill their sexual desires.  These young men caused a sensation in magazine and movie sales because they looked like the guy next door.  Maybe they were the guy next door.  It was possible.

PAPER DREAMS felt like pages from my own life.  I was that sweaty, nervous teen boy buying a gay porn magazine at a seedy dirty book store. Like Toby Ross, these magazines told me of a world somewhere and inspired him to go there.  Toby Ross captures that freedom in PAPER DREAMS.

The film centers on Ross own story. He began his gay porn career in 1973 as a photographer and magazine publisher.  My favorite scene is one where Ross appears on camera as a TV reporter in the mod 1970s. The film is a screen test for a new male model. Ross uses it to talk about the mind of a photographer.

Another of my favorite scenes, early in the film, shows with the beefcake era.  A simple loop from the period of one hunky model is combined with the song Alley Oop by The Hollywood Argyles.  (Kim Fowley would have been proud of Ross use of it.)  Toby Ross is a master at setting a time and place with music.  For example, an instrumental version of Everybodys Talking from the 1969 movie Midnight Cowboy behind images from exact same moment.

Absolutely the films greatest achievement is that it humanizes the models.  Ross talks about the young men he filmed and photographed  who they were as people. He says their names and shares their backstories. We get to know the real person as we crave him.  PAPER DREAMS is about hopes, dreams, and dignity.
2731177
The book is called "Bound for Glory" and is a collection of 175+ COLOR photographs of America from 1939-1943.  Many of you may be aware of the work of the new deal photographers who were dispatched to document the plight of the Depression.  The majority of these pictures (and thus our own viewpoint on the period) was in black and white.

However, in the late 30s, Kodak unveiled Kodachrome film and these gifted "squinters through a box" were given a new weapon in their visionary arsenal -- color.

This book and its barely 10% of the minimal 1600 color shots in the archives is a literal eye opening experience.  No Hollywood creation of the era comes close in terms of presenting to us how things really were.  But to see men, women, children, animals, stores, and events through the eyes of other photographers is always fascinating... and to see this period as if we had just taken the picture is amazing.

I highly recommend you find this book to just look at -- American or otherwise -- and take in the beautiful work of these masters of our craft.
1996070
I've had this book for years!  I even found three pictures that have me in them!

It's a collection of photos that could be submitted after the fact - because of that, the photos were of people and bands that were around the photographer/submitter - thus the limited perspective that some reviewers commented on.

I don't think that the people taking the pictures had planned to publish something of this magnitude, and try to make a documentary of it, but the stories and pictures of people that I remember make it worthwhile.  Some of these people are still very influential in the music scene.

If you want to get a feel for what it was like during the late 70's and into the 80's in the DC punk scene, this book is invaluable.
2525938
I loved every bit of this book. Its a deep look at activist underground punk bands in the 1990s, with a breakdown of the main issues in the scene (animal rights, religion, straight edge and social justice) plus interviews with the many of the most influential (if obscure) bands. What I liked most was how the band members looked back at their activism and dissected what worked, what failed, what values they still hold, and which values they discarded (and why). As someone who has held and still holds some very strong ethical beliefs, it was fun to see how other people struggled with the same ideas and how those ideas have evolved over time. For a scene that was mostly straight, white and male, the author goes out of his way to include a very diverse range of people among the 100 or so interviews. The book inspired me to acquire, no joke, probably 200 albums and at least five other books. I underlined dozens of passages. Excerpts: Revolution needs to be creative to capture the imagination longer than the fuse lit by fury will burn.  Greg Bennick of Trial. I think sobriety has a lot to offer explicitly revolutionary groups. Its much easier to fight when you don't have any extra challenges, like addiction, inebriation (and the drama that comes with it), or raids from the authorities.  Brian Dingledine of Catharsis. Grade: A.
1549217
A book that delivers what the title promises. Spectacular photographs and engaging interviews that tell us so much about the "heroes and villains" of subculture art, from graffiti to comic books.  The photographers have chosen a wide variety of poses, setting, focal lengths and cropping to convey real feeling.
541735
If you've been a long term reader of MAD magazine, this is one for your collection. Great reflection of changing culture and trends, too.
3959612
I am a big Bowie fan and have a ton of books about him. Created as a companion to the exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, this is one of the best. Several reasons:

1. The exhibition was given full access to the official David Bowie Archive which means there is plenty of material you have not seen before, such as handwritten lyrics with corrections (that line in "Heroes", "and we kissed as though nothing could fall", was drafted as "and we kissed and you felt called"), minor details maybe but it is fascinating to get a glimpse at how these songs evolved. There is also a big focus on costumes, photographed in superb quality, many of which are stunning, as well as photographs, posters, artwork done for album covers complete with some early mock-ups and that I have not seen before, and other memorabilia.

One costume example is Natasha Korniloff's "cobweb bodysuit" designed for the 1980 Floor Show, which has a pair of hands clutching Bowie's chest stitched into it. First we see Mick Rock's photo of Bowie wearing this on stage, then pictures of the costume itself. Fantastic.

2. This is not just a picture book. There is a lot of text, and it's good stuff. The authors are various, but the editors are Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh from the V&A, who take a scholarly approach though they still convey enthusiasm for their subject (and overall this is a book for fans, there is not much here that is negative). There is a lot of factual information though, both biographical and cultural. The cultural bit is important. As you would expect from people working for a museum, the editors are interested in how Bowie was influenced by the culture of his times, and in turn how he influenced it.

The book is organized into nine main chapters. These are as follows:

- Astronauts of Inner Spaces: by Geoffrey Marsh, mainly covers early career in London

- Theatre of Gender: by Camille Paglia, covers Bowie and sexual revolution

- Oh you pretty things: by Jon Savage, about Bowie and youth culture

- Putting out fire with Gasoline: by Victoria Broackes, covers bowie and design, costumes, album covers and more

- Bowie Music: by Howard Goodall, about the music, pictures of lyrics and sheet music

- For 'We are the Goon Squad': by Christopher Breward, about the album covers

- Changes: by Oriole Cullen, an essay on Bowie and fashion

- David Bowie then ... David Bowie now: a roundtable discussion with Christopher Frayling, Philip Hoare and Mark Kermode. Wide-ranging, enjoyable.

- David Bowie is Photographic: by Nicholas Coleridge, short piece on 16 favourite photographs, reproduced in small size on a single page. Most if not all of these pictures are properly reproduced elsewhere, but there are no page references which is a shame.

3. The production is superb. Stitched binding, fabric-covered spine, interesting textured feel to the cover, and excellent reproduction of the pictures. Some of the early pictures are not so good, but this is because of the quality of the originals (or the best copy that was available to the publishers).

Having said all that, some Bowie fans may find the text over-scholarly; I can imagine some finding it pretentious though personally I would disagree. Not a problem though, ignore the text if you don't like it and just enjoy the images.

Anything to criticise? Well, bear in mind that the book was done along with the exhibition, and reflects the content that is there. It is not in any sense a comprehensive Bowie book. The text does tend to focus on the early years which is fair enough since this is when Bowie was culturally most influential, but you could say that it is unbalanced.

As you will note from the above guide to the chapters, the book is not chronological but rather, loosely thematic. A bit confusing, and it means that if you want, for example, all the material relating to the Thin White Duke era, you have to look here there and everywhere.

None of this troubles me in the least. The book exceeded my expectations and is essential for fans
35215
Nuetra, Soriano, Ellwood, Koenig - Blueprints for moder living is the catalogue for a major exhibit at the LA MoCA in the late 80's.  It is an excellent sourcebook for those intersted in post war residential architecture.  Modern Architecture (with a capital A) was going to change the world, as these bold case-study house designs show.  This book contains a great deal more than just documenting the Case Study Building Program of the 50's.  There are essays by noted historians Esther McCoy, Thomas Hines and Reyner Banham and others as well.  These essays provide the background for the case study program and the mood of the public (especially in Califonia) after WW2.  There is also an essay on publisher Joh Estnza and the Arts and Architecture Magazine that sponsored the program.  The last chapter "Extending the Case Study Concept" documents the exhibit of six new designs (1987) commisioned by the Museum for a multi family housing project.  Architects include:  Eric Owen Moss, Toyo Ito and Hogetts & Fung.  Lastly there are bio's on the architects, a timeline of events for the program and resourcefull bibliography.  As always, the Julious Shulman photographs are stunning.  This is a must have for the student of Modernism.
707939
I'm still reading this.  There's not much to fault about this book because its done with such care and attention to detail and history.  This looks like a labor of love from John Canemaker.  The visual payoff includes a rich assortment of photos from Disney studios during an era of intense expansion, invention and creative output.  Herman Schultheis isn't usually a noted figure in the studio but what we have here is the reward of diligent record keeping of photographic and effects processes in his personal notebook.  The art of animation is a fusion of art and technology and in those days the technology was multiple exposures, multiplane cameras, printing techniques, film dyes and amazing organic chemical processes, pre- digital After Effects and Photoshop.  Some of the photos which are shown in the context of the actual notebook are so intriguing that I wish they were slightly larger.  They are so unique and informative.  Overall, the book reflects the goals and aspirations and pioneering efforts of its time.  There's something about the early era boom/ post-Snow White, that has a real bristling excitement about it.  And when you see the results in a scene from Fantasia's Nutcracker, for example, there's still, arguably, nothing as naturally organic and atmospheric.  You could do it in CGI but it wouldn't connect the same on a human level, IMO. ( It would look beautiful in the usual once-removed from human hands, eye-candy but overdose of visual stimulation --like hi-fructose corn syrup for the eyes. -OK, off my soapbox).
3995843
The photographs of Bruno Bernard are historic treasures documenting a period of Americana when purity and innocence masked the prurient.  As teenagers when my friends and I joined the military after Pearl Harbor, we considered ourselves to be tough men; our images of naughtiness were induced by the pin-up.
The Ultimate Pin-Up is a coffee table collection of beautiful photographs--the colors are brilliant, the hair styles and clothing which drape the subjects who found their way to Hollywood or Las Vegas in the forties and fifties are significant representations of the American spirit post WWII;  this being an era of US military might and rapid technological changes.  Decades ago I felt these photographs were of loose women yet as I peruse the book I am amused by the sweetness and demurenss of the models and their poses.
The book is printed with high quality paper, the collection is heavy so it needs to rest on a table.  It is fun to peruse; each page delights and tickles my memories of the days before the younger generation elected JFK to the White House.
This book makes me happy.  Bernard of Hollywood will be remembered for his documenting history.  Although the book is filed with the topic "Sex" I feel it should be referenced as "History".  The images are certainly "Art".  Smithsonian.
3721443
On one hand, this book is as hip and fun to read as the title makes it sound. Its also an amazing feat of pop culture scholarship that provides a heavily-researched, lushly-illustrated, in-depth look at the various types of youthsploitation books published in the United States, the UK and Australia in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Its a deep, enjoyable dive into pulp fiction paperbacks about juvie gangs, beatniks, bikers, hippies, punks, skinheads and other social rebels that I think is destined to become one of the must-have books for fans of vintage paperbacks and mid-20th Century youth cultures. In addition to showcasing over 400 covers in full color, the book includes profiles of and interviews with authors, information about the publishers and editors, and insightful analyses of how youthsploitation books affected both the subcultures they depicted and perceptions of those subcultures in the mainstream media and square society. As an avid fan of mid-20th Century pop culture and history, I give this book my highest recommendation.
787140
This is a terrific book. Although published in 2007, it seems very current with today's trends of mixed-media, altered art, and assemblage using found and recycled (up-cycled) materials. It's a mix of discussion and examples from current artists using mixed materials, as well as some project instruction (including digital montage). I would like to see more books on this subject. Few seem to exist.
3777379
For anyone interested in design, style, society or chic, this book is a must. It is beautifully written and lavishly illustrated. The author has a wonderful understanding of American style and how it evolved, and a faultless- and rare- perspective that permits her to place her subject within that framework. This context is often lacking in retrospectives of interior designers and makes this book especially interesting. The quality of the writing is also first rate and the author's wry and gentle humor suits its subject perfectly.

The photographs themselves will make you salivate. I knew of Stacey only slightly before I picked up this book. It's made me a convert- 50 or so years too late. I think you will find, too, that Stacey's approach and ideas are as fresh and relevant today as they were when he was designing for the Cheney's, Astors and Paleys.
1559219
The brilliant, surreal, hilarious, ahead-of-their-time collaborative efforts of Mike Mandel and the late Larry Sultan have finally been collected and documented in book form. From the roots of their work as individuals, through billboards, murals, installations and the proto-postmodern masterpiece 'Evidence', this new monograph (with superb reproductions and incisive essays by Charlotte Cotton, Constance Lewallen and Jonathan Lethem), is essentially a catalogue raisonn for a pair of photographers who collaborated before it was fashionable, and whose output anticipated the referential, appropriative strategies of Richard Prince and Barbara Kruger by almost a decade.

 This book belongs in the library of every individual and institution that aspires to comprehensiveness in American photography and art since 1960.
3140282
This book was obviously published in the 1990's but the topics and explanations are timeless.  Buy it.