Vintage Wristwatches by Reyne Haines (a J!-ENT Book Review)

If you are a watch collector, especially one who collects vintage watches, “Vintage Wristwatches” by Reyne Haines is an excellent resource for information on older wristwatch companies. And for its current low price online, it’s a book worth having in your collection if you are a wristwatch collector.  Recommended!

TITLE: Vintage Wristwatches

BY: Reyne Haines

PUBLISHER: Krause Publications Inc.

PAGE COUNT: 260

RELEASED: 2010

Fashion with Function

Step into the fascinating world of watches with this stunning book which features everything from World War I-era “trench watches” to diamond-studded timepieces of today.

Written by Reyne Haines, noted appraiser and reoccurring antiques expert on “The Early Show,” Vintage Wristwatches features intriguing (alphabetically arranged) histories about American and European watch manufacturers of the past and present, along with more than 1,200 photographs of collectible wristwatches. Each watch is accompanied by a short description, including values paid at auction. In addition to identifying facts and photographs, this book also contains an extensive glossary of common watch terminology, expert tips for identifying wristwatches, and accepted factors considered when determining the value of a watch.

Add this beautiful and valuable wristwatch reference to your library, and it will be money and time well spent.

Are you a watch fanatic (or the term which many tend to use now these days – WIS – Watch Idiot Savant)?  Are you into vintage wristwatches?

What best than to learn from Reyne Haines, an appraiser, dealer and watch collector who has been called upon to appraise collectibles ranging from antique watches to $20 million dollar paintings.  Haines also spent years moderating for the watch discussion group TIAS (The Internet Antique Shop) and has appeared on television as a recurring special guest, has wrote and contributed to many books including “Antique Roadshow Collectibles” by Leslie Hindman.

Needless to say, Reyne Haines knows her wristwatches and it was a primary reason why I wanted to read this book.

As a watch collecting enthusiast, although I have spent a lot of my time looking towards the latest models of wristwatches, I have suddenly taken interest in vintage watches.  I can easily remember the wristwatches my father would wear and in fact, during Thanksgiving 2010, he amazed me by showing me his wristwatch collection and then my mother showed me hers.  It’s funny because inside, I knew they were watch collectors and for the life of me, if you told me ten years ago that I would be collecting or caring about wristwatches, I would probably raise my eyebrow because although I had interest, I felt that maybe I would be to young to care.

But of course, I’m wrong.  As I participate in many watch forums, I’m meeting young men and women who are watch collectors and I think Al Bandiero said it right, when he wrote in the foreword for “Vintage Wristwatches”, “You can tell a man by his shoes and his watch”.

It’s hard to talk about this to non-collector’s or people who don’t need a watch and feel their cell phone is all they need in telling the time but really, when I wear wristwatch, it’s part of my lifestyle.  It’s something that I feel needs to be coordinated with my dress attire and my mood.  In many ways, I look at wristwatches like a piece of art.  Each constructed differently and a history that goes behind these wristwatches.

And as a collector, sure…you may have heard of “Rolex”, “Omega”, “Seiko”, “Breitling” but the more you delve into watches, especially learning of where watches are built, what makes them so special and so historic, you start to care about their history.

Sure, you can easily look on Wikipedia for information about wristwatches but what I enjoy about “Vintage Wristwatches”, I can find it immediately and also get a good idea of various watches the company had made many years ago.

You can find information on older companies listed in alphabetical order.  For example, you look for “Audemars Piguet” and you learn about the history including photos of both Jules Louis Audemars and Edward August Piguet and you also get photos of many wristwatches made by that company.

You get hi-res photos of the dial and occasionally the case-back, information (unfortunately many of them do not have a model # or year) for the watch and its value.

I own several wristwatch books but “Vintage Watches” is for those who want to know the history of the companies that have made wristwatches.  You will find many of the companies that have created wristwatches since the 1800′s and while this book does cater to the collectors of the upper class bourgeoisie that tend to spend over several thousand dollars for a watch, you will not find companies that cater to the affordable watch collectors (under $500).  But you will find some companies such as Jules Jurgensen who is one of the oldest watch making companies but since these companies like Jules Jurgensen are sold to another company (like a watch distributor) while their older productions are more expensive, their current line may be very cheap and affordable today.  Interesting was that there is a page on Croton but a focus on more expensive watches from the company and how celebrities (like Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Josh Groban, etc.) have sported Croton wristwatches.

And you will also find Seiko watches featured but unfortunately since Grand Seiko’s (the very expensive line for Seiko) were just made available for American consumers, you’re not going to find information on it in this book, nor are you going to see many Seiko watches being featured (in fact, only one page and one watch is designated for Seiko).  But it would have been great since I do look for older Seiko wristwatches but I suppose Seiko is considered by many as very affordable.

While some companies get featured with more pages than others, there are some companies that are popular among current watch collectors such as Tag Heuer fans who may be disappointed to know that there is no Tag Heuer section, but their is a Heuer section.

But you can definitely expect multi-pages of information on Gruen, Omega, Rolex, Patek Philippe, IWC, Cartier, Longines, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Hamilton and Bulova. Other companies such as Mido, Chopard, Breitling, Blancpain and many others do get a page or two.  But also watch companies that are not around anymore but their wristwatches are still highly collectible get a single page.

But still, “Vintage Wristwatches” may not be for the affordable but for those who are looking for highly collectible and expensive wristwatches from yesterday, this may not be the book that will feature the watch you are looking for, but it is good as a reference for older watch companies and their history.

Also, although this book has been released in 2010, you can find a hardcover for under $20 these day on Amazon.  I have found it as an excellent resource and each time I feel like I will be putting it into my bookshelf, I end up removing it because I refer to it so many times.

A lot of good information for this book and for its price today, if you are a watch collector especially vintage watch collector interested in older and expensive wristwatches, “Vintage Wristwatches” by Reyne Haines is definitely worth checking out!

 

The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches to Go by Makiko Itoh (a J!-ENT Book Review)p

One of the better bento-making books available right now!  Makiko Itoh does a wonderful job in making an easy-to-follow bento book for the Western audience in mind.  Featuring easy-to-follow instructions and recipes, preparation timeline, how-to photography and more.  If you want to start making bento, this book is highly recommended!

TITLE: The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches to Go

BY: Makiko Itoh

PUBLISHER: Kodanasha International

PAGE COUNT: 132

RELEASED: 2010

Healthy, attractive, and economical-bento-box meals will revolutionize your lunchtimes. Let Makiko Itoh, the Net’s leading bento blogger, get you started on your bento journey!

• 25 bento menus and over 150 delicious recipes, both Japanese and Western: Sukiyaki-style Beef Donburi Bento, Egg-wrapped Sushi Bento, Spanish Omelette Bento, Bunny Sandwich Bento, and more
• Every bento photographed in full color
• Comprehensive practical bento-making guidelines: choosing a box, menu-planning, speed and safety tips, staple ingredients
• Timelines help streamline your morning preparation
• Glossary of Japanese ingredients
• An invaluable resource for bento beginners and aficionados alike

For many non-Japanese who enjoy Japanese culture, especially the pop culture and have watched many anime series or drama series, or even read the manga, it is no surprise if you are curious about bento.  The way they are put together and how creative they are (as well as economical), it’s no surprise that more people outside of Japan are catching bento fever and wanting to make bento at home.

So, what is bento?  Think Japanese version of the school lunch but instead of a big thick lunchbox, there is creativity on the portions of what one eats and are typically set in a special container in which food is split.  There is no big bulky apples or bananas or a big sandwich, for the Japanese, you have your steam rice, egg, vegetables, meats, etc. and it all fits into a container.

And it’s no surprise that bento boxes have become popular outside of Japan.  People wanting to create economically cool bento boxes and who best to write about it than food blogger Makiko Itoh, owner of justhungry.com and justbento.com.

Makiko has written “The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches to Go” featuring 25 attractive bento menus and features more than 150 recipes which include the Sushi Roll Bento, the Chicken Karaage Bento but as it does feature Japanese style bentos, she also has a not-so-Japanese section which has a Summer Vegetable Casserole Beto and Every Loves a Pie Bento.

And what is important is that Makiko doesn’t focus on cuteness or for the sake of having cute bento, she writes with care about nutrition and has easy-to-read, concise instructions that go along with photos.

For example, using the cover image (featured above), the photo is for “Chicken and Three-color Pepper Stir-fry Bento”.  She shows you how to create the stir-fry with a recipe, plus how to make instant cabbage and cucumber pickles and blanched broccoli.  Also, information on how to prepare basic white rice.

She also has a time line of how long it takes to create the dish as well.

After you make the dish, she then features how to prepare the food and place it into a single-tier and two-tier box.

So, these are easy-to-follow instructions.

So, what about the rolled up egg?  How do they roll it up?  No problem, she has pictures on how she does it.

What about the zig zagged vegetables?  No problem, she explains how to do it as well.

And it’s important to note that the ingredients featured on the Japanese recipes are ingredients you can find at your local grocery store.  Especially if you have an Asian grocery store nearby.  Granted, sesame salt or kabocha squash may not be at your local grocery store, but the goal is to improvise if you don’t find some of these ingredients.

Now, by using Makiko Itoh’s “Just Bento Cookbook”, you may be thinking…great, we got the recipe down, ingredients for the Japanese and non-Japanese dishes can be found but what about the actual bento box and equipment that Makiko uses.  Now, this is the cool part of the book where she actually showcases bento boxes and accessories and where you can purchase them.

Itoh also goes into foods that can be refrigerated or frozen and for those who are not familiar with the Japanese ingredients, she also has a glossary at the end of the book.  So, for those who read and are not sure what “bonito flakes”, “miso” or what “edamame” are… no problem, she explains what they are.

Overall, this is a fantastic book for those wanting to prepare bento dishes.  Sometimes blogs on how to prepare bento are hard to follow and Itoh recognizes the weaknesses of what others have tried to do and focuses on making the experience as easy as possible for those creating bento for the first time.

So, if you are interested in making bento, I can easily say that “The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches to Go” is perhaps the best book I have reviewed on bento thus far.

Highly recommended!

 

Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata by Yoshihiro Murata (a J!-ENT Book Review)

You rarely find these type of cookbooks, especially coming from a well-renown master chef from Japan, created and tailored for a person regardless of cooking experience and location.  He breaks things down simply and makes sure that eating Japanese food doesn’t have to be so difficult.  Murata wants you to experience, experiment and the better you get, try your own variations from the recipes he has provided in this book.  A magnificent, user-friendly cookbook that is easily deserving of five stars. Highly recommended!

TITLE: Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata

BY: Yoshihiro Murata

PUBLISHER: Kodanasha International

PAGE COUNT: 116

RELEASED: 2010

Japan’s celebrated kaiseki master, Yoshihiro Murata, has combined his culinary expertise with his enthusiasm for sharing Japanese cuisine into one book: Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata.

This book contains 60 healthy home recipes, from classic to modern, that are popular all over Japan. All of the dishes can be made using Western kitchen tools and ordinary ingredients from the supermarket. With his trademark charisma, Chef Murata shows how easy and fun it can be to make tasty, popular Japanese dishes like beef teriyaki at home from scratch. With his versatile sauce, you can also create tempting teriyaki dishes of your own using healthy ingredients such as fish or tofu. Sukiyaki, tempura, hot pot, yakitori grilled chicken, salad with peanut dressing—in these pages you will find making all these favorites to be surprisingly simple.

Throughout the book, Chef Murata maintains the authenticity of traditional recipes, but avoids complicated methods and techniques, showing the easiest and best way to make recipes that can be enjoyed just about anywhere in the world. He also has many suggestions for readily available ingredients as substitutes for their Japanese counterparts. For example, he suggests using store-bought chicken broth instead of traditional Japanese dashi stock. With chicken broth and soy sauce you can make tempura with its classic dipping sauce, Japanese-style savory custard, miso soup, and beef shabu-shabu.

Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata brings Japanese cooking within reach, allowing you to expand your cooking techniques and make your meals healthier and more enjoyable.

When it comes to Japanese recipe books, especially from a notable chef, part of me usually gets very excited and the other half me feels a bit of skepticism.

Having reviewed many Japanese culinary books from notable chef’s to at-home mothers who wanted to share their own recipes, when it comes to chef’s, you usually get beautiful coffee table books with beautiful photography but when it comes to the actual recipe and ingredients, these books are tailored to those who are practicing chef’s and have the cutlery to partake in the dish, those with access to Japanese ingredients.

But for some, they are so world renown, especially from traveling the globe that they use the finest ingredients that they have come in contact with and it’s how they create their dishes for their well-known restaurant typically reserved for the haute bourgeoisie and those that are looking for delicious food with the best ingredients.

And it’s great to read how some chef’s accomplish such dishes, may they get the spice from India, Malaysia, or somewhere in Japan that even local chef’s have no access to.  But that’s how things are and the fact they are willing to share their culinary secrets is wonderful but for those of us living in the United States without access to a Japan Town, China Town let alone an Asian store that specializes in spices, cooking these dishes may prove to be too difficult.

So, when I finished going through “Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata”, needless to say, I had a smile on my face.  A smile because here is a book from a master chef from Japan, very well known and yet, he doesn’t feel the need to make things difficult for the reader and those wanting to learn how to cook Japanese home cooking.  He keeps things simple, basic and there is no request for one to have access to hard-to-find spices.  All he asks is for one to have access to soy sauce, chicken broth, corn starch, possibly sake, peanut butter and other ingredients that you can find at your local supermarket.

Although not hardbound, you get clear instructions to the dish along with full color photos.  Although some may have been used to hardbound Japanese cook books, “Japanese Home Cooking” is still a wonderful book from the master chef.  Want to learn how to prepare seared rice balls with bacon soy sauce?  No problem.  He teaches you how to make the marinated sauce (2 tbsp of soy sauce, 4 tbsp of sake, 1 tbsp sugar) and mix this with the bacon in a pan over low heat and stirring until all liquid is gone.   Then add the lemon peel, lemon juice and toasted sesame seeds.  Then you get your rice and put 1/4 of rice on an 8 inch plastic wrap and place the bacon mixture to the center of the rice, shape the rice to a ball and create a patty.  Then unwrap the rice ball and place on a pan and sear until well brown on both sides.  So, easy to do!

And this goes for plenty of the recipes featured throughout this book.  There are plenty of Japanese home cooked meals featured in this book.  May it be a salad, sauteed dish, deep-fried dish, steamed dish, simmered dish, hot pots, rice and noodles and soups.  From tempura to sukiyaki, tofu recipes to supplemental recipes on how to make your own rice to making a dashi stock and sauces.

I have to say that this is one Japanese cook book that I absolutely loved because Chef Murata kept things simple.  No need to make things complicated and I like it when chefs can at least put themselves in the shoes of the consumer and knowing that not everyone, especially around the world have access to the best spices or access to hard-to-find vegetables in America or the other country that typically found in East Asia or other countries.  And personally, I respect that a master chef is willing to take his time to reach out to that consumer for home cooking, even though they are so used to making extravagant dishes for their own customers at their restaurants.

“Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata” is clearly for those of us who are passionate about Japanese food, but food done easily with clear and concise recipes and easy-to-find ingredients in which anyone can find at a local supermarket.

You rarely find these type of cookbooks, especially coming from a well-renown master chef from Japan, created and tailored for a person regardless of cooking experience and location.  He breaks things down simply and makes sure that eating Japanese food doesn’t have to be so difficult.  Murata wants you to experience, experiment and the better you get, try your own variations from the recipes he has provided in this cookbook.

A magnificent, user-friendly Japanese cookbook and easily deserving of five stars!

Highly recommended!

 

Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt (a J!-ENT Book Review

Sure, there are many ninja and samurai books available but authors Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt (known for their last book “Yokai Attack!”) thoroughly research the time period, focus on a variety of real life warriors (as welly as mythical characters), present them, their accomplishments and their demise but also making the book lively, fun and entertaining.  Another wonderful, well-written and highly entertaining book.  Definitely recommended!

TITLE: Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws

BY: Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt

PUBLISHER: Kodanasha International

PAGE COUNT: 196

RELEASED: 2010

Ninja. The word is loaded with connotations, most rooted in fantastic flights of pop culture. But the truth behind these shadowy assassins is more mind-blowing than any manga, more astounding than any anime, more fascinating than any martial-arts flick. Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws introduces dozens of unforgettable real-life ninja straight out of the annals of Japanese history—many of whom are all but unknown outside of their home country. Ninja masters. Solo assassins and operatives. Femme fatales as deadly as they were sexy. Swordfighters out of legend. And the Shogun and warlords who commanded them. Each individual is profiled with a full-page, full color manga-style drawing, and a dossier brimming with top-secret information, including photos, anecdotes, and dramatic stories of the individuals in action. The book covers ninja clothing styles, the types of weapons that were used, ninja tools, ninja tricks of the trade, and the basics of the ninja diet. It also includes a do-it-yourself tour of ninja related spots in modern Tokyo.

Were you one of those people that watched Sho Kosugi films when you were younger?  Watched Kung Fu cinema on television in hopes that “Super Ninja” would be televised?  Purchased ninja clothes and weapons online so you can be like those ninjas you watched in the movies?

Well, if you were one of those type of people, then “Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” is definitely a book for you!  And also a book for those who love stories about real life (and fictional) ninjas in general with some added samurai warriors to make this book even more enticing.

Back again are Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt, the husband and wife team who wrote the 2008 book “Yokai Attack!” featuring Japanese mythological spirits and monsters with a humorous take on the subject, the duo does the same with their ninja (and samurai)-driven book by featuring historical facts about these individuals and their affect on Japanese pop culture many, many years later.

As a child, I have always been into ninja storylines and like many kids back in the ’80s, we had access to ninja magazines from our local supermarket and purchasing the latest ninja gear via mail order was not too difficult.  Granted, my parents were not exactly the accepting type and when they found ninja stars and a sai in my closet, needless to say, my collection of ninja magazines were trashed and my hopes to becoming like a ninja were dashed.

Well, fortunately, we had a Japanese American student in our school who claimed his father learned ninjitsu from a descendant who trained from one of the last living ninjas, Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi but when I went to undergo training from my future ninja teacher, to find out that training would be conducted at his home in a trailer park, needless to say, that moment was the end of my pursuit of trying to become a ninja.

So, the next years of my young teenage life of following ninja was through “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (the black and white comics), whatever was shown in film and the popular “Ninja Gaiden” video game series on the NES and of course, early ninja anime.  Needless to say, I wished I had a book that was easily accessible on ninja adventures when I was younger, something cool that would feature other ninjas and their adventures.  Stories that would show us why they were so bad ass!

Well, fortunately we now have a ninja book that is not about training or the history of one man, this is a book that goes into the story of various men in Japanese history who were dedicated to the life of the Shinobi, those who have lost their way and those who were active in trying to exterminate the various ninja clans.

“Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” was thoroughly researched and similar to Yoda and Alt’s latest book, a good dose of humor added as well. Also, provided with each chapter on an individual are cool illustrations by Yutaka Kondo.

The book is broken down in various chapters.  The book features “The Illustrated Ninja” which gives the reader information on history, milestones, ninja warring nations, ninja terms, style and weapons, tools, techniques and how the lived.  But the main portion of the book deals with a certain ninja individuals.

In the chapter “Ninja Ninja”, we learned about characters such as Mochizuki Izumo no Kami, Togakushi Daisuke, Hino Kumawaka-Maru, Momochi Tanba, Mochizuki Chiyojo and many more.  In fact, if you play many video games or watch many ninja films, names such as Hattori Hanzo, Matsuo Basho, Sawamura Jinzaburo Yasusuke are also feature.

In each chapter featuring these men, an illustration by Yutaka Kondo are featured and next to it is a file information on that ninja.  From their birth-death, occupation, cause of death, nicknames, hobbies, preferred weapon, clan affiliation and confirmation of that ninja’s existence.

So, for a ninja like Hattori Hanzo, we learn how he is part of the Iga Clan and he uses a spear.  His occupation was a “Jonin” (master ninja) and the chapter would go into describing the man, the moment of their glory, how they died and information of how these ninjas are respected in today’s culture.  In Hanzo’s case, The Hanzomon Line in Tokyo goes to the Hanzo Gate which was a part of the imperial palace.

The next chapter titled “Ninja Gone Bad”, we learn about ninjas such as Ishikawa Goemon, Nippon Zaemon, Fuma Kotaro and Kosaka Jinnai who turned to a life of crime.  Goemon who was once with ninja Iga clan and after his clan were hunted by Nobunaga’s successor Hideoyoshi Toyotomi and Goemon used his skills for profit (which was forbidden).  Unfortunately this ninjas arrival to a village was leaked and the ninja along with his young son were boiled to death in an iron cauldron of oil and his death would influence the name of an iron tub as a “Goemon-buro” (Goemon bath) in Japan.

Another ninja, Nippon Zaemon was like the American gangsters of the early ’30s who would rob the rich and was on the front of the first wanted poster in Japan and featured is the actual text from Zaemon’s wanted poster.

The chapter “Ninja Magic” would focus on ninjas of fiction (and some who were real) in Japanese culture such as En no Ozunu, Kashin Koji, Katoh Danzo, Jiraiya and Sarutobi Sasuke & Kirigakure Saizo.  These ninjas used magic and were hunted down by Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

One of the more popular ninjas to use magic were Jiraiya (a name familiar to manga and anime fans of “Naruto”) who partnered with his sidekick Tsunade and together they fought against injustice.  In Japanese folk tales, Jiraiya was able to summon a large toad and how Japanese pop culture of today has made Jiraiya a major pop culture ninja icon.

The final chapters would deal with ninja rivals, which were typically samurai who fought against the ninja such as ninja rivals Miyamoto Musashi, Yagyu Jubei,  Tomoe Gozen, Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Hanegawa Heizo.  While most of these names are well-known samurai, Yoda and Alt, make sure to showcase the ninja connection with these samurai.  For example, with Miyamoto Musashi, one of the stories of this legendary warrior is how he defeated a warrior named Musashi at the age of 13 and due to the weapons and the location of the duel, it is likely that the man Miyamoto beaten was actually a ninja.

And then there is the chapter of ninja users such as Shotoku Taishi, Takeda Shingen, Sanada Yukimura, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Tokugawa Yoshimune.  Powerful individuals in Japan during that feudal era who would employ ninjas (shinobi) as spies.  One of the most notable figures covered was Takeda Shinen, a man who would create his own spy network in Japan centuries before the KGB and CIA using trained agents who worked covertly as traveling priests and shrine-maidens.

The final chapter would focus on the ninja destroyer, feudal lord Oda Nobunaga, the man who would conquer Japan and would constantly become the target for ninja trying to assassinate him.  While Nobunaga is a man who is covered quite a bit in Japanese books, probably the most interesting story was how Nobunaga had an African man nicknamed Yasuke among his retainers.  I have never heard of an African man working with Nobunaga Oda until I read this book and found it to be quite intriguing.

Overall, the presentation of how this book was written was well-done. The authors definitely made it a book that is fun and reader-friendly, but most of all, it is quite obvious that they did their research on each ninja and samurai and how these popular icons of ninja and samurai glory have been portrayed in Japan today or how they had some influence in Japanese pop culture.

The book is rather thorough and informative and for the most part, I had a great time reading this book as it features a lot of information on ninjas and their lifestyle as well as covering the time period in which many of these clans existed.

“Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” is another enjoyable, awesome book and yet another home run for the the married duo Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt.   Highly recommended!

 

Black Passenger Yellow Cabs by Stefhen FD Bryan (a J!-ENT Book Review)

“Black Passenger Yellow Cabs” is well-written, well-researched but I wish more time was given towards the final chapters on the resolution.   But it is a entertaining, sexually-charged, yet intelligent book.

TITLE: Black Passenger Yellow Cabs

BY: Stefhen FD Bryan

PUBLISHER: Kimama Press

PAGE COUNT: 373

RELEASED: 2010

Formerly from The Denver Post, The Rocky Mountain News, The Phoenix Gazette Republic, The San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News, since early childhood, Jamaican born Stefhen Bryan was thought obsessed, plagued by depression, suicidal ideation, learning problems and sex addiction. High school drop out both in his native Jamaica and the United States, after 8 years of sheer perseverance and a near nervous breakdown he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UCLA at 30. At 35 Bryan proved victorious over his depression and suicidal thoughts, but was still governed by sex addiction and an extreme preference for ‘yellow,’ which propelled him in April 2001 to liquidate all his belongings in California and relocate to Japan. Seven years in Asia, Bryan returned to the United States cured of his addiction, self-actualized and ready for marriage.

For anyone who has been interested in Japanese pop culture and have had the opportunity to visit the country, to partake in the culture and to be passionate about it, I have had the opportunity to meet two type of men in my life who love Japan.  The type who love the culture and literally be absorbed by it and those who not only look at Japan as an opportunity to make money and the opportunity to get laid.

As a person who has written about Japanese pop culture, I am of the former but there are so many people I have went to college with, worked with who are part of the latter.  Men who love Japanese women, men who have been absorbed by the sexual part of the culture through hentai/ecchi manga and anime, Japanese porn and/or gravure models.

And once you arrive to Japan, the sex is a big part of the culture and you can find it all around you.  Stores, vending machines and even your Japanese guy friends who are willing to tell you about Japanese women, Japanese love hotels and much more.  Especially Westeners or other fellow gaijin who are willing to tell you about their exploits on the subway or at a restaurant.

“Black Passenger Yellow Cabs” by Stefhen FD Bryan is a book about a man who not only craves Asian women, he is a man with a sexual addiction, who went to Japan and is now writing about his personal experiences and sexual exploits.

Stefhen is originally from Jamaica and at a young age, was already well-endowed and was taken advantage of by younger women.  To put it bluntly, he was raped as he was only a young boy who didn’t know any better, but this was life in Jamaica and it was what lit the match that would burn inside him for many years to come.

Bryan would write, “I grew to become a lesbian happily trapped in a man’s body and from my first sexual experience until recently, sex was the first thing I thought of upon meeting every woman.”

Stefhen is passionate about Asian women and he details in his book of how his interested shifted to Asian women and what brought him to Japan.  Not long after living in Japan, Stefhen was having a lot of sex with Japanese women.  I know for a fact that many Japanese women I knew had always enjoyed Black actors and athletes and also music performers and for Stefhen, he was a Black man who was their Bob Marley or Jay-Z, and he was there to teach them English and somehow he ended up having sex with women, their mothers, fellow teachers and he writes about each women and his experience with them.

Some may look at how this book was written as glorified bragging on Bryan’s part and in a way, it may appear that way but part of me was not looking at Stefhen as a guy I wanted to high five and say “you’re the man” or looking at a major mac daddy.  This was a man who writes about his experience but knowing he had a sexual addiction.  And it’s important to note that there are books in which people write about sex and their exploits in passing off tips to those who want to get laid, but this is not one of those books.  This is an intellectual man who writes this book intelligently but smart enough to know that the topics he writes about is something that he should not become too esoteric.

Not only does he write about his experience of being a horny man who can’t wait to partake in sex with a woman, but we also get an explanation of Japan culture, an explanation of his state of mind, his living conditions and even his challenges.

From early in the book in which he writes about his first experience of a 16-year-old taking advantage of him at the age of 7, we see how this plays out.  Having sex with a Japanese girl named Ai and then one day alone with her mother, she jokes about him (again, he does make the point that women keep telling him of how well-endowed he is) and similar to the boy at age 7, he whips it out for his girlfriends mother to partake in and how the mother hasn’t had any pleasure for twenty years because of work.  Stefhen brings up how Japanese men are overworked and are never home and then gives us statistics of those who are overworked in Japan.  Interesting but yet related tangent but that is how “Black Passenger Yellow Cabs” works.  You get a little story about his sexual exploits but also teaching the reader about Japanese culture.

While this book does go into his exploits with Japanese women, he also goes into his sexual experience with Chinese, Korean and other women of a variety ethnicities that he had sex with as well.   Needless to say, there are many women that Stefhen FD Bryan has slept with and part of me was growing tired of reading about the exploits.  I looked at this book as a man who was raped at a young age and now acting out of what he thought women were about…sexual pleasure and I couldn’t wait to get to the end because I was hoping that he would get help.  At the rate he was going, not only was I wondering how many diseases he may get (or spread – the Dr. Akari chapter was quite surprising to say the least), I often wondered if there was anyone in his life to tell him that “enough was enough”.

Unfortunately, if you are a foreign teacher and you’re moving around and you meet other gaijin (foreigners) of guys who want to get laid, they are just going to support the habits of one getting all he can get and in this case, Japan was like a buffet and the ending was like a buffet, you get tired of it.

It’s important to note that Stefhen Bryan did get help with his depression and he did get help to understand what happened to him at a young age, but I use the “buffet” as a metaphor because like any buffet, we all get tired when we had our fill but it doesn’t take long for us to get over that and partake in another buffet.  Is Stefhen Bryan really done?  Was the book a therapeutic way to deal with a lot of women he has slept with and put it into perspective?

I can see many guys reading this book, learning from Stefhen’s ways and also learning about Japan at the same time.  I can also see people reading this book and learning what goes through the minds of some men, especially foreigners but it’s important to note that one should not be judgmental on foreigners, especially on Black men who are in Japan and are also Black and are teaching in Japan.  There is enough stereotyping and a blind ignorance that pervades  Japanese culture towards foreigners to note that all gaijin are not in Japan to get laid (and I know many of my guys friends in Japan will then tell me – not if you’re in Roppongi).

But not all of Bryan’s book is about having sex, there is some important factual information and one of the chapters that I found quite interesting was his chapter on “Abortion in Japan” but his experience was afterward with a girl named Fu and how he had to experience a Japanese and their cultural tie to their parents.  I know first hand how that feels and where in America, things are a bit different, in Japan, blood is thicker than water and in most cases, blood will win over love most of the time.

I did find it interesting to find these breaks in chapters where we go from one chapter about a woman and then the next chapter, we would see Stefhen focus more on Japanese culture.  For example, he would talk about Shoko and then we would read a very informative chapter on socialization in Japan from women’s empowerment to child abuse in Japan and then news stories of murders in Japan and then back to Shoko.  Interesting way the book is structured but I look at it as being a non-traditional book, so I was OK with it.

“Black Passenger Yellow Cabs” is a book that I know many guys will enjoy because I know way too many men who would love to be in Stefhen Bryan’s shoes.  But I’m not one of those men.  I came away reading this book, not happy nor excited but part of me felt sorry for Stefhen FD Bryan.  I’m sure many men may think it’s all cool if you can have partake in as many women as possible in Japan and look at Stefhen Bryan as a hero but I don’t.  If anything, may it be that he is done or even if he unfortunately relapses, he finds that one woman in his life that is not a sexual object but a woman that he can truly love.

Overall, “Black Passenger Yellow Cabs” is well-written, well-researched but I wish more time was given towards the final chapters on the resolution because the book ends rather abruptly.   Nevertheless, the book was quite entertaining, sexually-charged, yet intelligently written that under all the detailed sexual experiences featured in the book, you can still learn a little bit about Japanese society and culture.  If you are looking for book on Japanese culture and sex, this book is for you!

 

Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies by Robert K. Klepper (a J!-ENT Book Review)

Critical guide books on the silent film era is quite rare but fortunately, we have one gem courtesy of the late silent film historian Robert K. Klepper.  “Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies” may not have all the silent films (that are available on DVD) but it is still a comprehensive guide worth having in your collection.  If you are passionate about silent films, this book is a must-own!

TITLE: Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies

BY: Robert K. Klepper

PUBLISHER: McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers

PAGE COUNT: 592

RELEASED: 1999

This is a detailed critical guide to 646 silent motion picture projects, from Eadweard Muybridge’s initial motion photography experiments in 1877 to the 1996 silent film “The Taxi Dancer”.

Complete casts and credits are provided, along with detailed descriptions and insightful commentaries regard each film’s unique place in motion picture history.  Nearly 200 photographs are also included, along with a foreword by silent-era child star Frank “Junior” Coghlan.

Silent film historian Robert K. Klepper is also the author of McFarland’s “Silent Films on Video: A Filmography of over 700 Silent Features available on Videocassette, with a Directory of Sources (1996; Silent Film Monthly called it “invaluable” and “The Silents Majority” described it as “comprehensive”.

As a fan of films,  I purchase a lot of guides.  And if you are a cinema fan, there are way too many films out there and it really helps to have guide books lying around to get an idea of what the film is about, and I tend to compare these films on these guides in helping me decide to make a purchase.

But when it comes to silent films, many guides tend to focus on only the more popular titles.

Enter Robert K. Klepper, a young writer and contributor to the publication “Classic Images” and a silent film historian who was very passionate about silent films (he supported the cause of preservation and even funded the transfer of several silent films to video tape) and in 1996, he wrote  a comprehensive guide book titled “Silent Films on Video: A Filmography of over 700 Silent Features available on Videocassette, with a Directory of Sources”.

And in 1999, Klepper returned with another wonderful, critical guide book on silent films titled “Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies”.  And for most guide or film critic books, may it be from Roger Ebert, Pauline Kael or Leonard Maltin, one would expect a yearly book in which one would continue to add to the book on a yearly basis.  Unfortunately, Robert K. Klepper passed away a year after his second book was released and there really hasn’t been a guide book on silent films since then and that is unfortunate.

With that being said, “Silent Films, 1877-1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies” is what one would experience from a book that dealt with film criticism, one may support his feelings towards that film and others may not.   For those used to film critic books from Pauline Kael, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Andrew Sarris, etc., this is not an essay book and some films such D.W. Griffith’s “Intolerance” or “Birth of a Nation” may have more dedicate to a certain film than others.  For example, I’ve read that he has detested Chaplin’s “little tramp” characters, so you aren’t going to find many of Chaplin’s tramp films in this book but he does favor films such as “The Kid” and “Modern Times”.

Klepper is also not afraid to show his disdain for a film that others may have loved.  For example, Murnau’s 1926 film “Nosferatu”, Klepper writes, “While this film has received consistent praise over the years, this reviewer fails to see why”.  Klepper continues with “the narrative style is rather poor, and the film drags in many spots.  In some parts, the store is barely coherent.”.

There are a good number of films in which I agreed with his critical review.  For example, Theda Bara’s 1914 film “A Fool There Was”, Klepper is quick to stand up to this film by writing “Since this was Theda Bara’s first film, produced at a time when the movies were still in their relatively primitive stages, it is not fair to judge Bara’s performance.  At points in this film, she overacts to the point of being ridiculous.” and with that comment, I definitely agree with him.

Another was his review for G.W. Pabst’s 1928 film “Pandora’s Box” in which he praised the filmmaker and actress Louise Brooks but you also get some bits of information of actors who were living at the time that didn’t respond to fan mail to Klepper thanking people and the companies for preserving the film.

The book is broken down by year and each film is presented in alphabetical order in that year and are numbered.  Klepper has provided us his rating for the film as well as cast and production credits as well.  Also, some films have images included.

As Klepper watched many silent films and was very astute on titles that made it to video tape, unfortunately, for those of us who no longer watch VHS copies scour the Internet for any detailed information we can get on silent films on DVD (and now on Blu-ray).  So, certain titles on DVD such as Doris Kenyon’s “The Ocean Waif” or Harry Langdon’s “The Long Pants” on DVD from KINO or Olive Thomas’ “The Flapper” on DVD from Milestone have no mention in this book.  But the fact is there are silent films that are being found, restored and because this book was written and published in 1999, you’re not going to all silent films in this book but yet there are still 646 titles from 1877-1996 that are included.

Overall, this book is a must-own book for those who are silent film fans.  Not only as a reference or film guide book but there’s no book like it out there right now.  Sure, there are silent film review sites but sometimes the reviews are sparse and once in awhile, you are able to access older New York Times reviews online or old copies of Photoplay Magazine, but this book is still timeless.    Some may find the book quite expensive but definitely do your research as you may find it cheaper online.

It’s unfortunate that Mr. Klepper is no longer with us because I truly believe he would have found the evolution of silent films on video to be an amazing time as more are being prints are being found and restored and have no doubt that this book would have grown considerably.  But his work and passion for silent films will continue to be a valuable resource for many others who are discovering silent films.

Highly recommended!

 

The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang by Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann (A J!-ENT DVD Review)

The definitive book on the history, behind-the-scenes info. and episode guide listing for “The Little Rascals”.  If you grew up with the Rascals or “Our Gang”, this is a must-own book!  Highly recommended!

TITLE: The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang

BY: Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann

PUBLISHER: Crown Trade Paperbacks

PAGE COUNT: 298

RELEASED: 1977/1992

When originally published in 1977 as Our Gang, this book sold more than 52,000 copies. This new edition, with an extensive amount of fresh material, will prove irresistible to all fans of the most popular TV series of all time.

The definitive book on the history, behind-the-scenes info. and episode guide listing for “The Little Rascals”.  If you grew up with the Rascals or “Our Gang”, this is a must-own book!  Highly recommended!

As a child, a series that was very dear to me as a child and even now as an adult was “The Little Rascals”.  The series that was created by popular Hollywood director/producer Hal Roach and was originally known as “Hal Roach’s Rascals” (in the fifties the name of the series was changed to “Little Rascals”) and known as “Our Gang” when the series was sold to MGM in 1938.

My first introduction to this book was in the late ’80s when I wanted to know how some of the talent had fared after being part of the popular shorts in the 1920′s and ’30s and I can remember that some of them unfortunately had died under some tragic circumstance or have gotten involved with drugs or died penniless. The book was recently updated via a new and enlarged version in 1992 courtesy of film critic/film historian/writer Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann and to this day, the book continues to be the definitive source for any fan of the Little Rascals.

But for many of us, our memories of Mickey, Jackie, Stymie, Chubby, Farina, Joe, Mary, Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Buckwheat, Porky, Waldo, Froggy and other children were during those good times when these kids brightened our days with their comedic performance were of those good times we watched them on television and for others, the big screen where they were originally shown.

And now, many are discovering (or re-discovering) them through DVD’s, the Internet or via public domain.

Unfortunately as of August 2010, many fans are still awaiting a release of the earlier silent episodes as many dozens of them have yet to appear on DVD (and were never released on VHS or LD).  But there are solid collections now available and for some, many have wondered what ever happened to those children but also what took place behind-the-scenes of those episodes.  And if you loved the episodes, more than likely you wanted to find out what happened to the children playing those well-known roles and also have made you wanting to look for these episodes not on your collection.

And this is where “The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang” is an excellent resource.

The book goes into the early history of the formation of “Hal Roach’s Rascals” and what took place behind-the-scene on the development of the series.  And then we are given an episode guide starting with the first episode “Our Gang” from 1922 up to episode 221, “Tale of a Dog” from 1944.

Maltin and Bann do a wonderful job in providing us the staff credits but also an episode synopsis and behind-the-scenes information on the making of the episodes and interviews with some of the cast members and also touching upon a few controversies of certain episodes and also episodes that may have struck a chord with viewers today.

For example, although the Little Rascals were instrumental on having Caucasian and Black actors and actresses working together, and even in class together while most schools in America were segregated at the time, Hal Roach cared for these children and made sure these children were taken care of financially while they were part of the show.

For episode 154 titled “Three Smart Boys”, there was a scene when Buckwheat had white paintings painted on him ala measles.  When Spanky McFarland asked Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas if he felt that was demeaning to him, Thomas answered, “They have to do something, so white measles was white measles.  Moneywise, it felt pretty good.  It was a job and it was a nice living.”

Also, included in the book are original shooting scripts.  For example, in the summer for episode 162 titled “Our Gang Follies of 1938″, the original script is shown for a scene and the script shows how every little mannerism is detailed on the script and the kids followed that script rather closely.

Another example of how informative the book is when going through each episode is for episode 122 titled “The Kid from Borneo” and the actor playing the tribal man from Borneo is John L. Johnson and also going into detail about Johnson’s life as a boxer and fighting against Jack Dempsey and breaking several of his ribs.  Each episode is loaded with information about the characters, the talent and more.  So, as a resource guide book for episode listings, “The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang” is magnificent.

But along with the episode guide, it’s the personal history of each of the major players of “The Little Rascals” and this is where the book becomes very interesting but also sad as some of these talents had tragic endings to their life.  Most notably, Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer.  It was one thing to learn how he was actually quite difficult and mischievous on the set but to learn how at the age of 31, Switzer was shot and killed after a dispute in trying to get his $50 owed to him by his former hunting business partner but also finding out that it was justifiable homicide as Switzer was holding a knife to his business partner.

Another tragic ending was for actor Scotty Beckett, known to be the other young child that was paired with a young Spanky.  Scotty had a drug addiction and dealt with arrests and failed businesses and at a young age of 38, Beckett checked into a nursing home after being beaten and died two days later.

Of course, not all Rascals lives were tragic like Switzer’s as some lived very good lives and it was good to see that throughout the decades, fans have shown their love to these characters and the show.

Overall, “The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang” is hands down the best resource and episode guide book on “The Little Rascals” series and the characters out there.  The 1992 version features much more detail than the earlier version I read before and you can find it online for an affordable price.  Also, a lot of photos and stills are included in this book.  It’s an entertaining and informative book that never gets boring nor tedious.  I absolutely love this book!

If you are a big fan of The Little Rascals, this is the definitive book to own.  Highly recommended!

 

The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968 by Andrew Sarris (a J!-ENT Book Review)

If there is a book that is worthy of owning, if you are a cinema fan, I can easily say that “The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968″ by Andrew Sarris is definitely recommended!

TITLE: The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968

BY: Andrew Sarris

PUBLISHER: Da Capo

PAGE COUNT: 395

RELEASED: 1968

The auteur theory, of which film criticAndrew Sarris was the leading American proponent, holds that artistry in cinema can be largely attributed to film directors, who, while often working against the strictures of studios, producers, and scriptwriters, manage to infuse each film in their oeuvre with their personal style. Sarris’s The American Cinema, the bible of auteur studies, is a history of American film in the form of a lively guide to the work of two hundred film directors, from Griffith, Chaplin, and von Sternberg to Mike Nichols, Stanley Kubrick, and Jerry Lewis. In addition, the book includes a chronology of the most important American films, an alphabetical list of over 6000 films with their directors and years of release, and the seminal essays “Toward a Theory of Film History” and “The Auteur Theory Revisited.” Over twenty-five years after its initial publication, The American Cinema remains perhaps the most influential book ever written on the subject.

“The Auteur Theory” and the role of film critics during the ’60s was probably one of the most memorable times for those following cinema.

When film critics all over the world looked at cinema beyond just being a movie one would just enjoy at the local theater.  There were directors who went beyond creating film for the sake of entertainment.  There were those who created film for the sake of cinema and there were film critics who felt that some of these directors were true auteurs.  That cinema was an artform.

And the person responsible for promoting “The Auteur Theory” in America was renown film critic Andrew Sarris (who worked for the New York Observer and the Village Voice, editor-in-chief of Cahiers du Cinema in English and an author of many cinema-related books) and for decades, cinema fans and budding film critics have owned a copy of his 1968 book “The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968″.

As filmmaker and film critic Francois Truffaut had advocated since 1954 of describing “Auteurism” as the method of analyzing films or the characteristics of a director’s work that makes him or her an auteur, Andrew Sarris brought that to American culture and whether you agreed or disagreed with it, the legacy of this book continues on as there many who believe that there are filmmakers that many cinemaeaste feel contributed to the art of cinema and many regard this book as a must-have and one of the most important books on cinema ever created.

Granted, at the time when Sarris wrote this book, these were times when people saw films as a form of entertainment and nothing more.  But film criticism was a unique time with film critics (and filmmakers) like Truffaut, Godard, Rohmer were astute in terms of their view of a film, we saw that in film criticism in the late ’60s in America.  The film critics of the East Coast specifically in the New York area was hot!  From Andrew Sarris versus Pauline Kael, these were times when film criticism was the most impressive, most entertaining and when film criticism affected Hollywood and filmmaking worldwide.

Today, we are in times where many people are discovering cinema through various online forums.  People wanting to go beyond mainstream and discovering other films that they have before.  Especially on physical media from companies such as The Criterion Collection, KINO, Eureka!/Masters of Cinema, Sony Pictures Classics, etc.  and then often looking for directors that have crafted films with meaning, with depth and for the most part, films that are truly cinema and can be appreciated for many years to come.

Some may feel that “The Auteur Theory” is just hyperbole, that in the end, all that matters is whether or not you enjoy or dislike a film. But for those who are wanting more and demand more from a film, one can not go wrong with “The American Cinema”. This is not a review book but a book that showcases various directors ala “auteurs”.

“The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968″ is broken down in chapters such as:

I.  PANTHEON DIRECTORS (examples: Charles Chaplin, John Ford, D.W. Girffith, Buster Keaton, F.W. Murnau, Max Ophuls, Jean Renoir, etc.)

II.  THE FAR SIDE OF PARADISE (examples: Frank Borzage, Frank Capra, Samuel Fuller, Cecil B. de Mille, Otto Preminger, Nicholas Ray, King Vidor, etc.)

III.  EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA (examples: Budd Boetticher, Clive donner, Arthur Penn, Donald Siegel, etc.)

IV. FRINGE BENEFITS (examples: Michelangelo Antonioni, Luis Bunuel, Claude Chabrol, G.W. Pabst, Roman Polanski, Francois Truffaut, etc.)

V.  LESS THAN MEETS THE EYE (examples: John Huston, Carol Reed, Billy Wilder, etc.)

VI. LIGHTLY LIKABLE (examples: Busby Berkeley, Henry Hathaway, Alexander Korda, Andrew L. Stone, etc.)

VII. STRAINED SERIOUSNESS (examples: John Frankenheimer, Stanley Kubrick, Sidney Lumet, John Sturges, etc.)

VIII.  ODDITIES, ONE-SHOTS AND NEWCOMERS (examples: Marlon Brando, John Cassavetes, Francis Ford Coppola, Roger Corman, Sam Peckinpah, etc.)

IX.  SUBJECTS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH (examples: Clarence Brown, Rex Ingram, Malcolm St. Clair, etc.)

X.  MAKE WAY FOR THE CLOWNS (examples: W.C. Fields, Jerry Lewis, Harold Lloyd, The Marx Brothers ,etc.)

XI.  MISCELLANY (Michael Anderson, Jack Garfein, W.S. Van Dyke, Terence Young, etc.)

In each chapter, Sarris writes about the director and his impression of them, their oeuvre and defends why he selected the directors in his book.

For example, with Cecil B. de Mille, Sarris writes, “It is inevitable that the mere mention of Cecil B. de Mille will evoke complacent laughter in some quarters, and bristling patriotic speeches in others.  If De Mille had the right enemies, he also had the wrong friends.  De Mille was neither a primitive like Fuller nor a populist like Capra.  Although he appealed to audiences, he never manipulated them.  He remained faithful to the literary tradition of Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales and to the dramatic conventions of David Belasco.”

For Fritz Lang, Sarris writes, “Nonetheless Lang makes sentimental exceptions to this paranoia in the pure, trustworthy love of beautiful girls, a love capable of destroying the most intricately insidious conspiracies ever devised by evil minds.  Romantic love with its intimations of Christian self-sacrifice flows through both the German and American periods of Lang’s career, as strongly in ‘Spione; as in ‘The Ministry of Fear’.”

For Ernst Lubitsch, Sarris writes, “Lubitsch was the last of the genuine continentals let loose on the American continent, and we shall never see his like again, because the world he celebrated had died- even before he did-everywhere except in his own memory.”

Overall, “The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968″ is a book that I have used as a reference many times.  Not just for my own reviews but also, whenever I want to experience cinema, there is always a film I have yet to see and for the most part, the majority of the filmmakers listed in the book are filmmakers I have gravitated towards.

Not all “Auteurs” create great films, in fact, there are some who may have lost their way over the years, but its more of that celebration of the films that they did do so well and films that are appreciated decades later that seem to matter and thus many of have utilized this 1968 book today.  It’s well-written and it’s really intriguing to see what thoughts that Sarris had towards these directors.  He was astute in his observance of these filmmakers and their films and it just amazes me today (not just this book but also his other books) of how immersed he was into the films and its something that I have wanted to experience since I have discovered his work.

If there is a book that is worthy of owning, if you are a cinema fan, I can easily say that “The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968″ by Andrew Sarris is definitely recommended!

 

Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissell (a J!-ENT Book Review)

“Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” is a very enjoyable and well-written book.  It has its moments of high appreciation,  fastidious observations of popular video games and also highly personal moments from Tom Bissell. Definitely recommended!

TITLE: Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter

BY: Tom Bissell

PUBLISHER: Pantheon Books

PAGE COUNT: 240

RELEASED: June 8, 2010

Tom Bissell is a prizewinning writer who published three widely acclaimed books before the age of thirty-four. He is also an obsessive gamer who has spent untold hours in front of his various video game consoles, playing titles such as Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, BioShock, and  Oblivion for, literally, days. If you are reading this flap copy, the same thing can probably be said of you, or of someone you know.

Until recently, Bissell was somewhat reluctant to admit to his passion for games. In this, he is not alone. Millions of adults spend hours every week playing video games, and the industry itself now reliably outearns Hollywood. But the wider culture seems to regard video games as, at best, well designed if mindless entertainment.

Extra Lives is an impassioned defense of this assailed and misunderstood art form. Bissell argues that we are in a golden age of gaming—but he also believes games could be even better. He offers a fascinating and often hilarious critique of the ways video games dazzle and, just as often, frustrate. Along the way, we get firsthand portraits of some of the best minds (Jonathan Blow, Clint Hocking, Cliff Bleszinski, Peter Molyneux) at work in video game design today, as well as a shattering and deeply moving final chapter that describes, in searing detail, Bissell’s descent into the world of Grand Theft Auto IV, a game whose themes mirror his own increasingly self-destructive compulsions.

Blending memoir, criticism, and first-rate reportage, Extra Lives is like no other book on the subject ever published. Whether you love video games, loathe video games, or are merely curious about why they are becoming the dominant popular art form of our time, Extra Lives is required reading.

The art of video games?  Do video games matter?

I have to admit that I was a bit caustic before reading “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” by Tom Bissell.   Not because of Bissell’s work, as he is an intelligent and thorough writer (who was a contributing editor for “Harper’s Magazine” and the “Viginia Quarterly Review”).  But part of being critical is that many people that I know who are playing video games no longer read books, their hours spent on video gaming is almost like a second job (but much more satisfaction and paid with fervor) but you can easily take part in a game, especially on XBOX Live and the words that go through that headset, you wonder if many of the people playing have become brain dead Troglodytes that have mastered the art of profanity and quick kills.

But knowing there are a few writers who have focused on video game writing and are serious about their work, see video games as more than what people read from “Game Informer”, “IGN” or other print and online publications.  Video games are more than what is typed in a capsule review and so, I look forward to reading what Tom Bissell had to write about.

In some ways, “Extra Lies: Why Video Games Matter” is almost like a dawn of a new era… yes, I know it is a bit specious to say that but when you read about what Bissell is writing about, it’s almost like the great film critic Andrew Sarris when he wrote about “The Auteur Theory” for his book “American Cinema”.  Over 50 years ago, people had this mindset that movies weren’t works of art, they were just something to enjoy.

For many, video games are just an expensive form of entertainment and while its true that certain companies have rehashed gameplay and concepts for the sake of financial gain, it’s no different from movies.  But then there was an appreciation of cinema and I use the comparison because Bissell also brings up movies and video games for comparison in this book.  And I see where he is going and it does makes sense.

Where the Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Sam Fuller, Ingmar Bergman, Roberto Rosselini, Federico Fellini and many other talents would separate from the mainstream and create cinema that may not have been created for financial gain but to create a film they believe in with an artistic drive and not part of mainstream kitsch, “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” for me, was a book about a new dawn when it comes to video games.  A new appreciation and a new way to look at video games.  And possibly the need to deviate from the mainstream and do something much different as the those in film have done decades ago.  Bu this time with video games.

The focus on this book are console based games but there is no doubt that where we are headed is in territory that will lead to more meaningful gaming on one’s cell phone, social media site, portable gaming, etc.  We are seeing independent developers creating incredible games on XBOX LIVE and hopefully we will see how things develop overtime…may it be on an iPhone or Facebook.  The thing is, more people are becoming addicted to them and enjoying them.

There are creators/developers who believe in being unique, being different and changing the mindset of today’s video gamers who were just complacent of whatever was being released.

Almost like what German Expressionism or Nouvelle Vague did for cinema, Bissell’s “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” shows us that there are developers who want to getaway from the usual trend.  Untethered from the restraints and paradigms of today’s big corporate video game companies.  And this book goes further than that.  The book also shows us that there are video game writers who will review titles but no longer giving the trite capsule reviews or articles that read like a press release, are going towards video game writing in a different level.

And this is what made me so excited for this book because like the years of cinema writing from Andrew Sarris, Pauline Kael, Jonathan Rosenbaum and many others who would take a movie, dissect it, find its layers and show us why such a film was art or just trash, there are writers today who do the same for video games.

Bissell writes “In many ways, a video game can be viewed as a pure text in the same manner one views a film or work of literature.  There is, however, at least one important difference.  Films and works of literature are composed of signs and signifiers that share some basic similarities with their counterparts in the observable world.”

From “Call of Duty 4″, “Gears of War”, “Braid”, “Mass Effect”, “Far Cry 2″, “Grand Theft Auto IV” and many other titles, Bissell writes with such fervor, a paean of thorough and detailed writing and yes, the use of words that will make readers underline and search the definition but may I emphasize that this is a book that is not too cerebral nor will it turn off the reader.

Like what many film critics and even the auteurs who saw more in cinema as being an art form, Tom Bissell and a few others who see video games as much more today and show us why they matter.  But as most of the chapters were entertaining, I admit that by its final chapter, I didn’t know what to think but…perhaps he should of ended with chapter 8 – “Far Cries”.

But the book also goes through Bissell’s journey and mindset when playing these video games.  Especially when he discusses “Grand Theft Auto IV” for the chapter “Grand Thefts”.  I have to admit that this chapter was a bit jarring and probably the most personal for the writer as he talks about his life is literally video games.  Morning, throughout the day and night and I have to admit, this chapter was like the roller coaster that came off the hill and just headed down the tracks and you just hoped the ride would end soon.

From this chapter we learn that Bissell is possibly a video game addict.  Barely sleeping and playing video games, he paints this life of an addict that can’t have enough and what a great introduction for “Grand Theft Auto IV” but somehow, the chapter starts going into cocaine and I couldn’t help but scratch my head and wonder if the writer had bouts with sleep deprivation but the more you read, you get to know that an addict comes in different forms and Bissell who was addicted to video games was writing about his addiction to cocaine.  And by this chapter, what I enjoyed from the previous chapters, I felt more of wanting to tell the writer, “get some help, get into a program and get clean and stay clean”.  If anything, I hope the chapter was about self-realization but if anything, it does give us a perspective of someone who was hooked on cocaine and “Grand Theft Auto IV” at the same time.  Fortunately, the book doesn’t end on a down note as the appendix features an interview with “Fable” creator Sir Peter Molyneux.

Overall, “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” is a very enjoyable and well-written book. It has its moments of high appreciation, fastidious observations of popular video games and also highly personal moments which may seem out of place at first but the more I think about it now, I can see why Bissell wrote about those moments, especially for someone who is experiencing similar situations as the writer.  And I’m sure among the most determined, most intelligent to those who have shown signs of australopithecine tendencies (and yes, I know, not all on XBOX Live show those tendencies), there is something special about this book that they can enjoy and appreciate.

Video games is a big part of our lives these days… may it be on the console, on your cell phone, on Facebook and more.  It’s a big part of our lives and its very refreshing to have a skilled writer such as Bissell writing about video games.  His written work almost reminds of film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum and his approach to film and his well-written essays.  And it’s great to see Bissell do the same for video games (and also introducing us to other similar writers in this book).  There are people who believe in the art of video games and respect the writers who want to bring more to the foray of video game writing with so much fervor, with deeper meaning and aren’t afraid of a little polemicizing.

I definitely recommend “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” and if you are a fan of video games and also good writing, this book is definitely recommended!

It is important to note that the book I am reviewing is a pre-release that may have changes when it is released on June 2010.

 

Super-Charged Smoothies by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford (a J!-ENT Book Review)

Well-written, well-researched and just an excellent smoothie recipe book that is easy to use, easy to read and in no time will it have you creating healthy and delicious smoothies.   And with summer coming around the corner, “Super-Charged Smoothies” is a smoothie recipe book worth trying out.   Definitely recommended!

TITLE: Super-Charged Smoothies

BY: Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford

PUBLISHER: Chronicle Books

PAGE COUNT: 146

RELEASED: March 24, 2010

Super-Charged Smoothies — Best-selling authors Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford are back with Super-Charged Smoothies, the high-octane follow-up to Smoothies and Super Smoothies. Just as lively and colorful as their previous Smoothies titles, this latest installment stands out with all-new recipes for delicious elixirs rich with the nutrient-packed, disease-fighting, life-changing superfoods that promote energy and vitality. Learn to mix, blend, and sip your way to a healthier life with fruits, vegetables, and base ingredients (such as Greek yogurt and kombucha) containing the phytochemicals, omegas, and probiotic and antioxidant qualities that make one look and feel better every day. Super-Charged Smoothies = fast + yummy + good for you.

Twin sisters Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford live in the San Francisco Bay Area with their families. They are the authors of the best-selling Smoothies and Super Smoothies.

Jenifer Altman is a Kansas City-based photographer.

Alison Eastwood is a San Francisco-based food and nutrition expert.

From the authors of “Smoothies, Super Smoothies” and “The Bride & Groom First and Forever cookbook” comes “Super-Charged Smoothies” from twin sisters Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford.  Along with food and nutrition expert Alison Eastwood, RD and photographer Jenifer Altman comes a vibrant and delectable book featuring 60 recipes on how to make delicious smoothies that are nutritious, healthy and can lead to shiny hair, luminous skin and also a healthy immune system.

In our household, we tend to experiment with making smoothies and for the most part, it has succeed or fail for me as I have tried various experimenting to see if I can come up with something delicious.   Unfortunately, it has been more towards failure and that’s what I get for not looking at a recipe and messing around on my own.  So, fortunately I have a wonderful resource on how to create smoothies that would be healthy and delicious.

“Super-Charged Smoothies” features easy recipes but also some recipes with full color photos.  Each recipe features information on the smoothie, what it can do healthwise for the drinker, the recipe itself and what to do with the ingredients and a few that have factoids.

For example, “Watermelon Agua Fresca” features a photo of the watermelon and reading the information, that the drink is traditionally not using blending but mashing the fruit with a fork before adding water.  But in this case, using fresh strawberries, a few ice cubes and combining watermelon, strawberries, lemon juice and salt in a blender until smooth. Exact ingredients and instructions are included.

What can you expect from this book?  Here is a breakdown on contents of recipes:

CHAPTER I: Energizing Enhancers

CHAPTER II: Wellness Blends

CHAPTER III:  Antioxidants all the way

CHAPTER IV: Probiotic Power

CHAPTER V: Essential Greens

CHAPTER VI: Family Faves

CHAPTER VII: Light and Luscious

CHAPTER VIII: Kid-Licious

CHAPTER IX: For Grown-Ups Only

Also, included is a segment called “Binders and Other Key Ingredients” which provides details on fruits and nuts, so if you wanted to know what the following ingredients such as “Acai”, “Boba” or “Cacao Powder” is, there is an explanation for it.  And also is a nutritional information chart for each recipe is provided with calories, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, cholesterol and nutrition bonus are included.

Overall, the book is well-written, well-researched and just an excellent smoothie recipe book that is easy to use, easy to read and in no time will it have you creating healthy and delicious smoothies.   And with summer coming around the corner, “Super-Charged Smoothies” is a smoothie recipe book worth trying out.   Definitely recommended!

 

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