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One of the greatest nineteenth-century scientist-explorers, Alexander von Humboldt traversed the tropical Spanish Americas between 1799 and 1804. By the time of his death in 1859, he had won international fame for his scientific discoveries, his observations of Native American peoples and his detailed descriptions of the flora and fauna of the new continent'. The first to draw and speculate on Aztec art, to observe reverse polarity in magnetism and to discover why America is called America, his writings profoundly influenced the course of Victorian culture, causing Darwin to reflect: He alone gives any notion of the feelings which are raised in the mind on first entering the Tropics'. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Ignorance and arrogance in equal amounts, then as now, trademarks of the Hispanic world
Humboldt's travelogue through Spanish America and the Canary Islands from 1799 to 1804 sounds fresh and vivid. It's the closest thing to time-traveling. The author takes us to a timewhen practically all America south of the US border was one varied but politically unified entity. The 300 hundred years passed since colonization had barely made any difference in the way peoples and races lived on the continent. No progress either economically or socially. So the most interesting thing of this book, in my opinion, lies on this ability to make a still picture of 300 hundred years of life in South America.

Afraid that the book would be too technical, too botanical, I had had put it aside for too long, regrettably. This is humanity at work, civilization-making (or rather staling), this is a picture of humanity surrounded by humbling nature. Man strives to improve his condition against that of his neighbor, fights to better his social condition against those who are not his kind, his race, his relatives. But man is humbled over and over again by nature.

It is thought-provoking, if not downright funny, to see supposedly civilized Spaniards trying to civilize their Indian "pupils". Retrospectively both failed, as always happens when the one-eyed lead the blind. Fat chance of finding any literate Spaniards among the "civilized" conquerors and colonists. The Catholic church endeavored to keep the monopoly of literacy for so long, in Spain as well as in America.

Humboldt's clarity of mind and sensibleness are made apparent, to mention one example, when he takes on the praise lavished on the Guanches of the Canary Islands, who became a fashionable topic among Spaniards, only "when Spain was at the zenith of her glory". More so: "When nations are mentally exhausted and see the seeds of depravity in their refinements, the idea that in some distant region infant societies enjoy pure and perpetual happiness pleases them." Utopias and phariseism were things Humboldt didn't fall for as socialists-turned-environmentalists today do: "enormous forest fires are also caused by the carelessness of the Indians who forget to put out their camp fires."

Being myself a Spaniard by birth I have to deplore how little, if at all, has the Spanish idiosyncrasy changed since immemorial times,and am amazed how well this author detects faults in our national soul: "a shoemaker of Castilian descent ... received us with gravity and self-sufficiency characteristic in those countries where the people feel they possess some special talent." One might think the author a little arrogant himself, but this is not so. Humboldt is equanimity personified. The shoemaker "pulled a few small opaque pearls from out of his leather pouch and forced us to accept them, making us note down ... that white and noble Castilian race had given us something that, across the ocean, was thought of as very precious."

More on Spanish traits: "The missionary in San Fernando was an Aragonese Capuchin ... sitting in his redwood armchair most of the day without doing anything, he complained of what he called the laziness and ignorance of his countrymen ... however seemed quite satisfied with his situation." It is also very symptomatic of Spaniards from all regions to see their "lively curiosity manifested ... in the middle of American jungles for the wars and political storms in the Old World." Reminds me of the the bigoted upper and middle classes in Spain today who shout out anti-capitalist slogans, never seeing the pillar in their own eye. They also are satisfied with their own situation.

Spanish old prejudice against manual labor (when done by themselves, that is), as was described in 16th century Spanish literature, picaresque mostly (e.g. Lazarillo de Tormes), lives on and well: "Many of the whites of European stock, especially the poorest ... leave their townhouses ... dare to work with their own hands, which, given the rigid prejudices in this country, would be a disgrace in the city."

Humboldt does recognize the divide between the English-speaking world and the Hispanic world, as reflected in their American versions, and as early as the 1800's: "Beyond the Atlantic ocean, only the United States of America offers asylum to those in need. A government that is strong because it is free, and confident because it is just, has nothing to fear in granting refuge to exiles."

A book to relish because it blends beautifully Hispanic cupidity and arrogance with nature's zero tolerance for stupidity and tough reality. The Spanish-speaking world continues to reap what it sows.

God save the USA, if only as a last resort. Oh, and please, no fools allowed.

Humboldt is great! This version- maybe less so
It's true that this version of the Narrative stops halfway through the actual journey. If I wanted the full Humboldt experience, or even if I just wanted to read the most interesting parts, I would probably get a different version that was in fact complete. But it is also true that what this book does contain is highly worthy of reading.
For anyone interested in 19th century science and exploration, it is a delightful read. Humboldt visited many interesting places, and viewed them with an enthusiastic and scientific eye that makes reading this work entertaining and thought-provoking. His descriptions are world-famous-- they brought him great popularity upon his return to Europe, inspired Charles Darwin to travel on the HMS Beagle, and still today evoke wondrous images. He speculates on the geology and anthropology of the places he visits, and recounts anecdotes that make the people and the story more human and relatable. Basically, reading this half of Humboldt's Narrative just makes you want to read the rest-- so even though the translation in this version is very good, and the notes at the back elucidate Humboldt's points and provide the reader with nice additional sources, it's probably best to just go ahead and get the real deal.

Just a glimpse of the Journey
I bught the book, and was expecting it eagerly.
Once it arrived I realized I had make a mistake by not realizing it was just an exceprto from the real deal.

Only a small part of the trip is described and nothing in the parts I was interested is even mentioned.
I hope the other parts will come at any time soon.

woefully incomplete, poorly edited, superficial introduction
Much as I'm glad to have at least some of von Humboldt's very important travel writings availible, this edition is sadly emasculated.

While it does include the initial Amazonian phase of Humboldt's South American expedition, the narrative is cut short at mid-point, von Humboldt's stay in Cuba.It's inconceivable to me that the editor would have omitted all of the author's writing on his exploration of the Andes, and in particular the volcanoes of South America.

Those excluded descriptions are not only fascinating to read today, but were also what most inspired readers in von Humboldt's own day.As a matter of fact, von Humboldt's account of the Andes so inspired the 19th-century imagination, that the era's greatest landscape painters, such as Frederic Church, actually travelled to South American specifically to witness and depict the vistas which von Humboldt had recorded in print.The integral von Humboldt, in contrast with the one presented here, wanted not simply to view and record exotic cultures and climates, but far beyond this to attempt as much as possible to experience the totality of the Cosmos in microcosmic form.The closest von Humboldt came to this impossible experience was his rapid ascent of the large volcanoes of South America, insofar as in this manner he could pass, virtually, through all the Earth's various climates in a single day--an astounding and Romantic feat completely unavailable to anyone using this edition as an introduction to von Humboldt.

But none of the above can be glimpsed even remotely by the reader equipt with only the Penguin edition.Because of the premature truncation of the text, one entirely loses sight of von Humboldt's overarching project, which was not merely a geographical descripton of the Earth's surface, but rather a geodetical construction of the World as an organic Unity.Thus abbreviated, von Humboldt appears scarcely different from his Enlightenment precursors; we lose all view of him as writer who has passed through defiles of Romanticism.Not the real von Humboldt at all.

Rather than making one rash cut down the middle, the editor would have served the reader much better by extracting key episodes from von Humboldt's entire journey.As I said above, something is generally better than nothing at all.But in this particular case, not much better.

Entertaining account of 5 years in S.America
Alexander von Humboldt (of the Current fame) was a famous polymath during the age of enlightenment. Like many noblemen, he used his money and leisure time in esoteric pursuits, such as collecting flora & fauna and trying to find the deeper meaning of it all.

This particular volume has been well-translated from the original - there is none of that stilted 'I haf von the Cherman translated been' style - it reads conversationally (assisted by the editing-out of long passages where Humboldt takes one of his many diversions) yet it also gives us an idea of what the man was really like. There is an extensive set of notes at the back, not just references, but elaboration of the point, which I found very illuminating.

His travels to South America span 5 years, during which time he collects and measures EVERYTHING - for at this time in history, no-one knew what was going to be pertinent or useful to science or economy. There are some amazing descriptions where he was the first educated person to see places; the problems of travel in uncharted, trackless & mountainous country make terrific reading. We may scoff at the zeal of the man, but if Hiram Bingham hadn't done the same, we wouldn't have the fantastic ruins of Macchu Picchu to study.

We also learn of the relatively tight circle of 'scientists' at that time - almost everyone knew everyone else, either via letters, Society writings or personal contact - and they knew it all; there was as yet no division between geology, biology, zoology etc - it was just 'Natural Philosophy' and one studied the lot (of course some dedicated themselves to a favourite pursuit). What is amazing to us now is the most simple things were unknown; for example, a sailor at death's door deep in the bowels of the ship, 'miraculously' recovers when taken on deck, out of the fetid miasma of the orlop - well, who wouldn't?... There are many similar incidents.

Slightly heavy going at times, because of the writing style of the period, it is nevertheless chock full of interesting snippets and amazing discoveries, giving a great insight into the mind and motives of a typical adventurous philosopher of the time. ***** ... Read more

Product Description
The essays in this volume are all concerned with the arguments about law as a system of rule-based decision-making,particularly the ideas advanced by legal philosopher Frederick Schauer.Schauer's work has not only helped revive interest in legal formalismbut has also helped relocate arguments about the relationship between posited rules and morality.The contributors to this volume, themselves distinguished theorists, have concentrated on three aspects of Schauer's work: the nature of jurisprudential description; his theory of presumptive positivism; and the application of his theory of rule-based decision-making to other areas of legal and moral thought. Contributors: Larry Alexander, Brian Bix, Philip Bobbitt, Marianne Constable, Michael C. Dorf, Jeremy Elkins, Claire Oakes Finkelstein, Leo Katz, Jason Johnston, Dennis Patterson. ... Read more

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Chapters: People From Collingwood, Ontario, Lynn Johnston, Reg Noble, Claire Alexander, Jason Arnott, Daniel Kennedy Knott, Stacey Dales, Paul Shakes, Robin Milhausen, Collingwood Airport, James Whalen, Eddie Bush, Jean Vanier Catholic High School, Darryl Sly. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 52. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Edward Reginald Noble (June 23, 1895 January 19, 1962) of Collingwood, Ontario) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 17 professional seasons in the National Hockey Association (NHA) and National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Blueshirts, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto St. Pats, Montreal Maroons, Detroit Cougars, Detroit Falcons and Detroit Red Wings. He was a three-time winner of the Stanley Cup, with Toronto and Montreal and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962. He was also the last active NHL player from both the NHL's inaugural season and the 1910s. Reg Noble started his professional career with the Toronto Blueshirts in their ill-fated season of 1916-17. The club was suspended by the league and he was assigned by the league to the Montreal Canadiens for the rest of the season. The following year, the new NHL assigned the Toronto franchise to the Toronto Arena owners and Noble signed with the team. The Blueshirts, despite the ownership difficulty and several personnel changes, won the NHL title and defeated Vancouver for the Stanley Cup championship. Noble would stay with the franchise as it became the Arenas, and later the St. Pats, eventually traded to the Montreal Maroons in the 1924-25 season. The St. Pats would win the Stanley Cup again in 1922, a season where Noble was playing coach and captain. One season after joining the Maroons, the Maroons themselves would win the Stanley Cup in 1926. In 1927, he was traded...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1784838 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a fairytale for the young at mind
This remarkable little book can be read on as many levels as there are catagories of readers.Superficially it could be called a rational response to Jonathon Livingston Seagull, but it bears more resemblence to Jonathon Swift. This book is however more than an intellectual Rorschach. It is a trip, through a looking glass(lightly), down a yellow brick road (sprightly)-to tomorrow, to the future. Be prepared for a shock.

Eccentric, thought-provoking
A lot of obsessive erudition went into this rambling commentarythat combs history, mythology, and the human unconscious for explanations of what the hell is going on in today's world. As the cover blurb says, "One reader will find the delight of a children's fairytale and another, a systematic statement of philosophy. One will find an art history, another a critique of education; some will find all, some none. This book is, however, more than an intellectual Rorschach. It is a trip, through a looking glass, down a yellow brick road--to tomorrow, to the future. Be prepared for a shock."

They're not exaggerating. Illustrated with some fascinating artifact photos. A real oddity and a treat for those who relish such things... ... Read more

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32 pages (unpaginated). The text answers the title's question with a father's thoughtful answer that tells the facts but allows some wiggle room for magic. ... Read more

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17 new prose short stories of the PHANTOM! High adventure and intrigue in the African jungle, on the high seas, and in the city!There is always justice that needs to be served, whether it's in the present... or the past.Nearly five centuries ago, during a daring raid at sea, pirates took the life of merchant ship captain Christopher Standish.In the heat of the pitched battle aboard the ship, Standish's son was knocked overboard to wash ashore on a remote beach where he was found by a friendly pygmy tribe.After stumbling upon the body of his father's killer, young Standish swore an oath on the murderer's skull to devote his life, and the lives of his sons and their sons, to the destruction of piracy, greed, cruelty and injustice. To the outside world, this man, seemingly immortal, has always worn the mask. As the legend grew, it transcended the life of any one mortal.And that legend became THE PHANTOM!Interior illustrations by Disney sculptor extraordinaire Ruben Procopio! And an introduction by The Phantom's creator's (Lee Falk) daughter Valerie! ustice!!!!!Take a look at this great line up of authors: Craig Shaw Gardner ("Battlestar Galactica", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Jim Alexander, David Bishop, Mike Bullock, Ron Fortier, Steven Grant, Clay & Susan Griffith, CJ Henderson, Nancy Kilpatrick, Len Kody,David Michelinie, Will Murray, Mike Oliveri, Martin Powell, Ed Rhoades, Trina Robbins, and Dan Wickline. Cover: Doug Klauba*** DIAMOND EXCLUSIVE: LIMITED Hardcover edition= (limited to 400)Comes signed by cover painter Doug Klauba and has a signed and numbered exclusive (to this edition) Phantom Sketch tip sheet as well!(signed copies and tip sheets limited to initial orders only)*Other books from Moonstone on the Phantom: The Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks: 1933076097 The Phantom: Death in the Deep Woods 1933076062 The Phantom: Legacy: 1933076119 The Phantom: Law of the Jungle 1933076127 *This book would appeal to fans of: Heroes (TV show), Indiana Jones, Batman. *Other works by the authors: by Craig Shaw Gardner: *Battlestar Galactica: "Cylons Secret" 0765315793 *Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Return to Chaos" 0671021362 by Nancy Kilpatrick: *Jason X #3 1844161838 by Steven Grant: *The Punisher: Circle of Blood 0785123318 by David Michelinie: Spiderman: Carnage in New York 0425167038 By Trina Robbins: Wild Irish Roses:Tales of Brigit, Kathleens, & Warrior Queens 1573249521Animation work by the artist: The Lion King Fox & the Hound Little Mermaid Tarzan ... Read more

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The Summer 2009 issue of the Quarterly Journal of Superhuman Fiction.Contains the following stories:"Mister Brass and the Red Horror of Frankenstein", Joshua M. Reynolds; "Doc Crimson: Final Blackout", Nick C. Piers; "Friday, 3 am", Chad Boudreau; "Acquainted with the Night", Cat Rambo; "Castle", Jason Jordan; "Rose City: Long Lost", Ryan W. Bradley; "To Sleep, Perchance...", Jason Stout; "Zhero", B.A. Booher; "Secret Origins", James Mascia; "One of the Good Guys", Stephanie Scarborough; "Personal Hero", Rob Brooks; "Forced Retirement", Robert J. Jeschonek; "Pain Upon Their Pain", D. Alexander Ward. ... Read more

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"The Psychology of Marketing" is a comprehensive guide to both the theory and application of psychology to marketing. This book comes from the author team that produced the acclaimed Customer Relationship Management. It will be of immeasurable help to marketing executives and higher level students of marketing needing an advanced understanding of the applied science of psychology and how it bears on consumers; on influencing; and on the effective marketing of organizations themselves, as well as of products and services. Drawing on consumer, management, industrial, organizational, and market psychology, this book's in-depth treatment of theory embraces: cognition theories; personality, perception and memory; motivation and emotion; and, power, control, and exchange. The depth of theory presented here is complemented by case studies from across the globe, providing a trans-national perspective on how the theory revealed here is applied in practice. Marketers and those aspiring to be marketers will find this book an invaluable help in their role as 'lay psychologists'. ... Read more

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The Escapists tells the tale of three aspiring comics creators with big dreams, small cash, and publishing rights to one forgotten Golden Age hero-The Escapist!Inspired by Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, this is Vaughan's love letter to his chosen medium, a story about what it takes to start out with nothing in Cleveland, Ohio, and end up with a comic so hot a major corporation wants to steal it from you! Brilliantly interweaving the lives of the creators with the world of their creation, artists Steve Rolston and Philip Bond bring the comic-booking trio Maxwell Roth, Case Weaver, and Denny Jones to life, while the inimitable Jason Shawn Alexander and Eduardo Barreto illustrate the thrilling trials and exciting extrications of the new-and old-Escapist! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

For the comic lover
This book is a testament to the true love for a character that develops within all comic fan boys. If you have ever loved a superhero this book will make you smile.

BKV does it again
Brian K. Vaughan is so predictable. Predictable in the sense that his stuff is always the best f what comics can be. Pride of Baghdad, Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways. I've been reading comic for over 30 years and BKV makes me more excited about the medium than I've ever been.
This book is beautiful. The story is exciting, moving, personal and, most of all, fun. It works as a sequel to Michael Chabon's delightful The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.
A collection of extremely talented artist take on different aspects of the story and it really works. Instead of feeling disjointed, the various art styles take us to the different moods and states of mind the story weaves in and out of. Word and pictures here work like the music and lyrics of a beautiful song. Masterful.
If you love comics and good storytelling, you'll love this book. I sure did!

Could not put it down
Buy it. Seriously. You don't need to know anything else, just click 'add to cart' you'll love it.

The Amazing Adventures of Roth, Weaver and Jones
In Michael Chabon's Pulitzer-Prize winning "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay," two teenagers create the comic book character The Escapist in the forties.Since then Dark Horse comics has been featuring comics about the Escapist and other characters from Chabons book.This book, however, is actually a sequel to the original book.

Just in case you're unaware, Amazon offers a "Search Inside" feature.If you go up to the image of this graphic novel above and click on it, you can read the first six pages of the book.Go up and read it.Seriously.Those pages sold me on the book.

Back already?

After his father's death, Maxwell Roth discovers his collection of Escapist comics.We see young Max's geeky, awkward youth.We meet his equally awkward but much bigger--and therefore bully repelant--friend Denny Jones.When Max's mother dies, she leaves him an inheritance which he uses to buy the rights to the Escapist.He bumps into Case Weaver, a cute starving artist, who he approaches to illustrate the book.

After months of work and a publicity stunt gone horribly right, they achieve a modicum of success, but a big businessman is interested in reacquiring the rights to the now popluar character, and he has the money and the lawyers to do it.

Broken down that plot sounds like a cheesy eighties movie, but the characterization is done well so you don't notice, and the story doesn't play out in a predictable or sacharine fashion.Through some major highs and major lows, the book ends with a simple but strong ending.

If you haven't heard of Brian K. Vaughan, you should know he's one of the top comics writers of his generation.This book proves why.

"The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" used the comics industry of the forties, fifties, sixties, and seventies as a back drop.This book uses the present.While this story and its characters aren't as complicated (and to be fair it has less than half the page count, and Michael Chabon uses more words in one sentence than most comics have on a page) The Escapists is still a great book, and really shows what the medium of sequential art can achieve while holding onto and honoring its superhero roots.

Great Book, different size format
This book is a great companion to "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay".The artwork and writing are top notch.My only complaint is in the packaging, the book is smaller than a normal comic book, but larger than a Manga. I wish they had made it a standard hardcover size. ... Read more

Product Description
When Gaby overhears some older kids on the playground saying that the tooth fairy is just make-believe, he goes straight to his father to find out the truth. The enchanting tale his dad tells him of a time long ago when mysterious and magical creatures lived on the earth will delight and entertain children and adults alike. For any child who has ever wondered about the existence of the tooth fairy, this original and reassuring story will satisfy their curiosity and give them the power to believe magical things can happen! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

very cute book
yes, it does say, that your parents are the ones leaving money and taking the tooth, BUT it helps to explain the deed in a very sweet magical way, instead just saying: YES< IT WAS ME- you get to keep the MAGIC part in their lives. Just keep in mind, that you have to read the book at the right time and it will be one of your kids`s favorite- as it is in our house :)

This book is a SPOILER for small children....
Don't read this book to your child if they still believe in the Tooth Fairy (Easter Bunny, etc, etc). There aren't many childrens books that I haven't enjoyed - this one is the exception.

Wish I had read it FIRST
I was not angry about this book but do believe it should have a Warning!! I guess I am just super nieve because I didn't believe there was a children's book that would completely blow the whole tooth-fairy and magical creatures idea for the kids having it read to them. I was reading this to my 4 and 6 year old daughters at bedtime and had to stop mid-sentence when I realized the father in the book was admiting to taking the child's teeth and leaving the money...on BEHALF of the toothfairy. I had to think on my feet and come up with a story that looked like it matched up to the pictures. Not good.
I could see this book working for an older child who is on the brink of not believing anymore, but even then, it's a bit of a stretch.
My suggestion: Don't read this book to any child who still believes in the toothfairy, or any other magical character for that matter (Santa, perhaps).

Read this book first before showing it to a child!!!
This book blows the tooth fairy's cover.I made the mistake of reading this to my 6 year old son and having to stop midway through, quickly making excuses and smoothing over the blown secret in the book. I'll bet the next book in the series is called "Mommy aren't you and Daddy Santa?"!

Does not lose, but enhances, the magic we want to believe
Those of you who read this and did not come out of it believing in fairies must have a different version than I have.Not only does it leave the magic intact, it gives roots to a child to carry magic with them throughout their life.A wonderful treatment of the tooth fairy dilemma.I wish I had heard my children's fairy and written notes for her. ... Read more

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Chapters: David Blaine, Martin Gardner, Harry Houdini, Orson Welles, Bill Bixby, James Randi, Raymond Smullyan, Jason Alexander, Persi Diaconis, David Copperfield, Jim Steranko, Anton Zamloch, Neil Patrick Harris, Penn Jillette, Richard Turner, Arthur Kurzweil, Dorothy Dietrich, Penn ... Read more

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Chapters: Jason Alexander, Green Line Rivalry, List of Boston University People, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University School of Education, Boston University Housing System, the Daily Free Press, Boston University School of Law, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Bruce Karatz, Wtbu, Boston University School of Management, Boston University School of Theology, Boston University College of Fine Arts, Wbur, Daniel Goldin Presidency of Boston University, Wrni, Boston University Academy, B.u. Exposure, Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University Dear Abbeys, Agni, Boston University Stage Troupe, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston Theological Institute, University Professors Program, Vps/vm, Boston University School of Social Work, Academy of Media Production, Jack Nusan Porter, Boston University Police Department, Group on International Perspectives on Governmental Aggression and Peace, Boston University College of Communication, Boston University Cricket Club, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems Technology Lab, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston University Brussels, Boston Camera, Boston University College of Engineering, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences, Editorial Institute, Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University, Archaeological Institute of America, Butv10, West Campus, Boston University Science and Engineering Program, Roger Williams Medical Center, African Leaders State of Africa Report, Clarion, Fitness and Recreation Center, New England Scholastic Press Association, Rhett the Boston Terrier, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Citylab, Center for Millennial Studies. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 296. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books withou...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=61114 ... Read more

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Weekly entertainment magazine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good
It was delivered in a timely fashion and was in good condition. no problems here. ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Michael J. Fox, Jason Alexander, Robert Downey, Jr., Alec Baldwin, John Lithgow, Tony Shalhoub, David Hyde Pierce, Sean Hayes. Excerpt:Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae " Alec " Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage and television. Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing , which aired on CBS from 1984 to 1986. He has since played both leading and supporting roles in films such as Beetlejuice (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). His performance in the 2003 film The Cooler garnered him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination. He currently stars as Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock . He has received two Emmy Awards , three Golden Globe Awards , and four Screen Actors Guild Awards . He is the oldest of the Baldwin brothers working in Hollywood. Early life Baldwin was born in Amityville , New York, the son of Carolyn Newcomb (née Martineau) and Alexander Rae Baldwin, Jr., a high school history/social studies teacher and football coach. Baldwin was raised in a Catholic family of Irish, English and French descent. He has three younger brothers, Daniel , William , and Stephen , who also became actors. Baldwin attended Alfred G. Berner High School in Massapequa, Long Island, and played football there under Coach Bob Reifsnyder , who is in the College Football Hall of Fame . Baldwin worked as a busboy at the famous New York City disco Studio 54 . He attended George Washington University from 1976 to 1979. He then transferred to New York University to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute under Elaine Aiken and Geoffrey Horne. He returned to NYU in 1994 and graduated with a BFA that year. Career Stage Baldwin ma... ... Read more

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They're back! What happened to Spider-Man, Colonel America, Power Man, Giant-Man, and Wolverine at the end of Marvel Zombies 2? Where were they transported to... and, more importantly, when? A frightening five-part event shambles to life here, penned by resident (evil) Marvel Zombies 3 and 4 scribe Fred Van Lente and three of today's hottest novelists of zombie fiction! Collecting Marvel Zombies Return #1-5. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Somewhat bad ending to a fantastic series
When I first heard about Marvel Zombies I thought it was going to be retarded. After reading the first three volumes (MZ: Army of Darkness, Marvel Zombies, Marvel Zombies 2...AND YES you need to read them in that order. MZ: AOD actually came out after MZ: 1), I was absolutely enthrawled in this new cast of characters, and how the humans were trying to survive. I loved it. I loved it a ton! In fact I don't have the single issues but each of them in a nice hardcover edition. Yes, that's how much I enjoyed those stories.

BUT, Marvel Zombies 3 took a complete turn and followed a new set of Zombie hunters and I lost interest. Hell, I even picked up Marvel Zombies 4 hoping it was better, but it wasn't. It was worse.

FINALLY, I hear that the original Zombies were coming back and I thought, "Yes, the Zombies I care about", but I was wrong. The cliff hanger at the end of MZ: 2 was mentioned on two pages in issue #5...TWO PAGES! Without ruining it for people that want to get this bookend, you don't really get the Return of the Zombies from the original story. It ticked me off! The ending wasn't great either, especially explaining the origin of the Zombie plague.

Anyway, I wasn't happy and I sure as hell wasn't happy I paid $25 for this.

If you are coming into the Marvel Zombie universe do yourself a favor. Only buy MZ: Army of Darkness, Marvel Zombies, Marvel Zombies 2. If you really feel you need to have a conclusion to the whole thing, THEN and only THEN buy Zombies Returns.

Since Amazon can't give me the rating I really want to give it, I'll do it right here. **1/2 out of *****.

Ending the MZ saga on a sour note
Since I first picked up the first trade of The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, my already strong love of zombies only grew stronger.Kirkman weaves a tale of sorrow with a touch of hope, safety with an ever present dread, and pesonal drama that sticks with each and every character in the book.Surprisingly, he was able to translate this style of writing faithfully over to Marvel Comics when he worked on the now legendary Marvel Zombies and Marvel Zombies 2.With a publisher like Marvel that often sees quality on extreme opposite ends of the spectrum as opposed to varying levels of good or bad with their titles, Kirkman managed to begin a compelling story that was rife with humor, heavy on gore, and interesting enough to keep you glued page after page.Sadly, with Kirkman no longer in the picture for Marvel Zombies, the seemingly final chapter of this saga comes to a sour and unremarkable close.

Picking up after Marvel Zombies 2, Marvel Zombies: The Return doesn't really continue the story of the "Alpha Zombies" so much as it hastily draws the Marvel Zombies series to a conclusion.It almost seems like Marvel has grown tired of the Marvel Zombies phenom and decided "Let's just end it quick".Virtually none of the loose ends left by MZ2 are addressed, as the story follows only Spider-man and his quest to atone for the horrific past actions of himself and his zombie cohorts.Transported to an alternate universe designated as "Earth-Z", Spider-man and the rest of the surviving Alpha Zombies are scattered throughout the cosmos.From this point onward, the individual chapters of the story switches focus onto other characters, namely Giant Man, and Earth Z's Iron Man and Wolverine.Following an almost identical formula to MZ1, we conclude in post-apocalyptic Earth with only a handful of Super Zombies remaining, led by Sentry and including the likes of Namor and Super Skrull.The "return" and subsequent battle between the original and Earth Z zombies is brief and resolved quickly.

Essentially, MZR just boils down to a quick resolution of the events from MZ2, with little actual emphasis on said events.There is only brief mention of Black Panther, Wasp, Colonel America and Luke Cage.They have little if any bearing on the story as a whole, thus their involvement is inconsequential despite having a considerable impact on MZ2.The saga ends with a time paradox and endless loop typical of Marvel.Whether or not Marvel intends to return to the original Marvel Zombies storyline at any point in the future is questionable, as they clearly indicate with MZR that they are quite done and have no real interest in continuing it.This is pretty disappointing, considering how well (if haphazardly) MZ3 and MZ4 introduced the zombie virus into the mainstream Marvel Universe while managing to resolve its presence.

In conclusion, the gore and humor of the series is still here.If you find that you're more attracted to those aspects of Marvel Zombies and don't really care how the story ends, then you'll be happy with this.In my opinion, Kirkman's original story is actually dishonored with this lazy and haphazard entry into the Marvel Zombies continuum.After waiting quite a long time for the continuation of the events of the original Marvel Zombies, I couldn't possibly have been more disappointed with this entry.Marvel sure does seem to have a way of making the final moments of their biggest series agonizing...

Almost as Good as the Original
Almost as Good as the Original with all new gore and twists from our favorite Zombie Heroes. Nough Zaid

Loved it
The book has a great story and is filled with lots of laugh. I'm glad we weren't left hanging from Marvel Zombies 2! ... Read more

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