Digital 3D Design
by Simon Danaher
Softcover 192 pages
ISBN 0823012964
List Price $29.99

I found this book to be exceedingly strange. I really don't have any idea who it was written for. It doesn't really contain enough information for a 3D newbie to get a good grasp on the topic, and it contains way too much information for someone who ISN'T going to start doing some 3D design, so I am a bit confused. The book is rather elderly in 3D world standards, having been published in 2001, but I found it for $.75 on half.com so it was still under $4.00 with shipping and it wasn't much of a risk. Its promise of a non-program-specific "comprehensive guide to the relevant state-of-the-art digital technology" sounded like what I was looking for. I use Poser and Studio and Bryce, and I am learning to use Shade, so I know how some of the programs work, but I was looking for more of a foundation in the principles of 3D design, what makes a good design, what makes a bad one, what are the various methods of creating and editing 3D objects, etc. I did learn a few things, but the information presented was very basic. For instance, the author discusses the differences between bump and displacement maps, giving examples of finished renders with each kind of map applied, but not showing examples of the maps that were used, or discussing what makes a good displacement map versus a good bump map, etc. The chapters on UV mapping only covered 4 very text-light image-heavy pages. As each (very short) chapter ended, I felt as if the author had only begun to touch on the topic, and I wanted much more information. Hence my confusion as to who the intended audience of this book is. So, I can't really recommend it on the basis of content.

On the basis of layout, would really like to find the creature that designed this book and kick them in the face and stomach repeatedly. This is, without a doubt, the worst designed "art" related book I have ever had the misfortune to read. The layout was horrendous. It took me serious searching to find the page numbers, for God's sake. The images were a horrible mix of low and print-resolution, with some looking as if they had been lifted straight from the web, or a game screen-cap. For a book that is discussing the effects of raytracing and radiosity and comparing render engines, you'd expect images that would allow the reader to see the differences. That's kind of hard at 72dpi. Further, almost every single spread in the book had an image smack-dab in the middle! Many details that the text referred to were swallowed up in the crease of the book, which was intensely annoying, especially when there were easily seen alternative layouts which would have prevented these images spanning the book's spine. The image captions were also confusingly laid out (see image) with numbers out of order and not intuitively laid out next to their corresponding images. In short, I don't know who this person slept with to get this layout job, but I hope that their skills in the bedroom are much stronger than their skills in design.

So, if you can pick this book up for 75 cents like I did, you may learn a few things, if you're prepared to deal with low-res images and infuriating layout. Otherwise, give it a pass.

Anyone have a recommendation for me for a book on basic 3D design principles? Non program-specific would be ideal. If so, send it on to me.

Anansi Boys
by Neil Gaiman
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN: 006051518X
List Price $26.95

OK, so I have a bit of a Neil Gaiman fetish. OK fine. That doesn't mean that this book isn't the damn bomb-diggity! I bought this when it came out and I saved it until Christmas break, just so I could read it while I was happy and relaxed and really savor it. And I did just that. Those of you who've read American Gods will remember Anansi, the spidery-trickster-storyteller guy. This is a story of Anansi, and his sons. Hence the, uh, title.

You know, I don't know what it is about Gaiman's writing that sucks me in and makes me lose myself. He's what my driver's ed instructor would have called a good driver. When the journey's done you don't remember anything about how you got from point A to point B, you're just there and you know you enjoyed the trip. He's not a self-conscious writer, inserting himself into everything so you know that HE knows that you're reading. His humor is subtle and intelligent, and the characters are perfectly formed and understandable, even in all their peculiarities.

The thing that I related to most was the main character, Fat Charlie's, sense of profound embarrassment at the antics of his father. For those of us (all of us?) whose parents constantly acted out in unpleasant ways, poor Charlie's tales will set us to squirming in an all-too familiar, red-faced way. (Back, entendre monkeys!)

For my taste, the book could have been twice as long, though I admit that American Gods spoiled me and I am in an epic-loving mood of late. Something about the real world makes me want to get lost in an imaginary one. But otherwise I loved it, and any Gaiman fan will too. And for those of you who haven't read Gaiman before - well get up and get to the dang bookstore, willya? There's just no excuse not to read and love this man.

Oh, but I kind of wondered why his graphic novels weren't in the list of "also by this author" at the front of the book. I don't know what's up with that but I will assume it's a publisher's quirk and not Neil's decision to leave them out. I mean, Neil keeps it real. Right Neil? :\

Kiss me once then kiss me twice then kiss me once again, it's been a long, long time...

17 years in fact. 17 years since we last saw Jack Sawyer, the pre-adolescent hero of The Talisman, the first collaboration between Peter Straub and Stephen King. I remember being 14 and never wanting that book to end, I was so caught up in the journey Jack was taking. It's always been one of my favorite SK novels. I wasn't dying for a sequel as some apparently were, for me the story ended nicely at the end of the first book - but having finished the second, I am glad it's out there.

Without giving too much of the plot away, we reencounter Jack, now in his early 30's - and a retired policeman. "Retired?!" you say - "Yes, retired." says I.

Anyhow - conveniently forgetting his childhood drama (amnesia being a common problem in SK heroes) he's moved to a seemingly idyllic town in Wisconsin. I say seemingly, because, just like Maine, Wisconsin seems to be developing some pus-filled pockets of badness. Specifically, in this town there is a man abducting and murdering children, after he's eaten parts of their bodies. "How's that connected to the Territories?" you say. "You have to read it and find out." says I.

Overall I enjoyed the book - but SK is going over the top with his tie-ins. He seems to have to connect each book with all the ones that came before. Not only has he compared his current "Black House" to "Rose Red" that house of wretchedly bad miniseries fame, he has also made a strange twist to connect this book to the "Dark Tower" series - the only things he's written that I really could never get into. And of course, the way he's done it makes me want to try to read them again, but I am not putting myself through the hassle - I remember hating them last time I made the attempt to get through them. What can I say, I am not much on gunslingers. They've also left the way open for yet another book - which I would like to read actually. There's a lot more I want to see resolved now.

Of course the writing is spattered with trademark Kingism's like: "he frolicked happily in the woods...not knowing he would be decapitated less than 45 minutes later..." which, even though he's done it a million times, still works to creep me out. I am a sucker for impending doom I guess.

I wish there were more strong female characters - the women in this book were good for sucking dick, getting fucked, getting killed and going crazy. Oh and let's not forget the one idealized female heroine who gets to say about three words in the entire book, and then get fucked. Without her, our madonna/whore dyad just wouldn't be complete.

If you read The Talisman, you will enjoy Black House. Pick it up used for a couple of bucks and set a weekend aside - it's worth it.

OK, I admit it. I picked up this book because I think Salma Hayek is hot. There, you got me. That said, I loved reading the collected letters of Frida Kahlo. Her writing style is open, childlike, honest. The letters are written to friends, lovers, family, doctors, and show the state of mind of this amazingly complex and yet somehow simple woman.

I always wonder what impressions people would get of me if someone published my letters (ok, emails) posthumously - I hope they would reflect me as I really am. If these letters are an accurate reflection of Frida, then I see why she was universally desired by the men and women who knew her.

There isn't too much else to say about this book, if you like collected letters, give it a try.

Gregory Maguire has made a career from rewriting the stories that we think we know. The Wizard of Oz (Wicked, 1995), A Christmas Carol (Lost, 2002), and now Cinderella. Taking a look at these stories from another point of view is fascinating, and I think always a good lesson to not trust the narrator of any story completely. After all, every story is skewed in someone's interest - how do you know it's the right person's?

Set in 17th century Holland, this book tells the tale of a not so wicked stepmother, and her two daughters - neither of whom has been blessed with excessive brains or beauty.

The mother Margarethe, struggles to find a way to support herself and her daughters, and since at that time the only way a woman could advance herself was through marriage, she can't be blamed for taking an opportunity that presents itself. The events that follow, and the new perception you will have of this tale, are enchanting.

Reminding us all that A) women have always had a pretty goddamn hard time of it and B) things aren't ever what they seem, especially when seen through the eyes of a child, MacGuire helps us to have compassion for some pretty unsympathetic characters.

I am still amazed at this (male) author's ability to write women so well, as I am amazed at any man's ability to do so. But I recommend this book, and Wicked (which is a slightly more ponderous read unfortunately) "Lost" is on my list of books for the near future, I will let you know what I think of that when I've read it.

Note: if you like the "retelling of fairy tales" genre, you should check out Neil Gaiman's short story "Snow, Glass, Apples" in the short story collection Smoke and Mirrors. It's infinitely creepier than Maguires work, and fascinating.

First of all, if you've never read any Neil Gaiman, get up, cast off your grubby pajamas and get to the book store before I have to come to your house and kick your ass. Seriously. You can't ignore my favorite, most beloved and adored author, the man that gave Sandman to the world. You just can't

OK now that that is out of the way, I can tell you that I sincerely enjoyed Coraline. It's a children's novel, but I read everything that this man puts on paper so that was no drawback for me. Set in present-day England, Coraline is about an enterprising young woman who "loses" her parents in their London apartment.

Turns out they've been taken by a malevolent entity, the button-eyed "other mother" who wants to make Coraline her child. Coraline sets out to find her parents, pitting her wits and will against that of the ancient other mother, and, in the way of all good children's stories that don't end in years of therapy bills, triumphs.

Coraline is an impressive character, displaying a strength of character I'd love to see in some of my adult friends. She's also quite plain spoken, and vocal about her wants and needs, another trait I would appreciate in adults I have to deal with. One of the best scenes in the book has to do with Coraline's interaction with her distracted writer-father, and his penchant for making "recipes" when all Coraline wants is regular food.

Though this story sounds creepy, and is, I have been assured that kids don't find it nearly as horrific as adults imagine they will. I have recommended it to several of my friends that have young kids, I will let you know if any of them run screaming into the night.

"This book is about the way that communication creates what we call reality." - Paul Watzlawick

One of my driving forces is the desire to understand how people understand each other. So, when a friend mentioned this book to me, the title was enough to send me looking. I understand that this book is often used as an introductory text for communications classes, and I think it would be very effective in that role. When you read it, you absorb the material without feeling like you are learning.

Though the writing is rather dated (my edition was published in 1976), I found it fascinating. From one of the opening anecdotes, of how a translator almost caused an international incident at the Geneva conference in Korea by trying to "clarify", to the last chapters dealing with communication with animals and possibly extraterrestrials, this book is a fascinating peek into the ways we assume that everyone communicates, and the trouble that can get us in. Also examined is the way that our reality is shaped by how we interpret our experiences, so there is no one "real" reality, only each person's subjective view of the world.

Watzlawick discusses our need for information being of primary importance in order to make the world seem orderly and reduce anxiety. Chapters cover topics such as the benefits of confusion, disinformation (including examples of espionage), interdependence, paradoxes, and "psychic" abilities. Every topic is explained primarily (and hilariously!) through anecdote, though some theories are examined in more detail.

One story describes the case of some European researchers who thought that they had established communication with a horse. The horse could answer questions by tapping with it's hooves. Further research discovered that the horse, rather than being able to add, subtract and answer other questions, was able to give correct responses based on minute changes in the body language of the researchers. These movements were completely unconscious on the researchers parts, and almost invisible, but the horse could detect them.

Another story deals with two psychologists, each told that they were about to examine a patient with severe delusions who thought he was (!) a psychologist. Each tries to analyze their "patient" and the more serious they are in attempting that analysis, the more insane they appear to the other.

Watzlawick goes on to discuss how humans learn to look for certain cues to gauge the progress of our interactions with each other, and how misreading these signals with members of our own or other cultures can have severe consequences.

I can't sum it all up right here, but it's a fascinating read for anyone interested in how humans communicate. I highly recommend it.

This book details the beginnings of trade between Europe and what was then known as the "East Indies" or Spice Islands. It covers a period from the 1550's to the 1620's, when all of the western world was desperate to get a lock on trade with the countries that produced spices such as nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. Believing that these spices cured almost any ailment, as well as desiring them for their more flavorful properties, Europeans would pay exorbitantly for them. These spices could be purchased cheaply in the Spice Islands, if (and that's a big ol' if) one could manage to get there.

Not being an adventurous sort myself, I was exhausted just reading about all the failed voyages, the deaths, the mutinies, the sheer idiocy on these tiny wooden boats that would set off for years at a stretch, without the slightest certainty of ever returning. Not to be too sexist, but I also thought that the quest for this sort of adventure must be uniquely male. If women ran the world, Europeans would all still be sitting peacefully over in Europe, with America as yet "undiscovered".

Another uniquely male trait, the inability to ask directions, was highlighted as well, since a good portion of the ships that sailed from England and Holland ended up just a tad off course, landing in North America, South America, Greenland, and some even in Russia, rather than in Indonesia as they had hoped. Each captain felt that *he* knew the one and only shortcut to the Indies, and they each followed their instincts to the detriment of their crews.

The lack of humility shown by these men is astonishing. One bizarre story even tells of a captain who had barely got off the coast of England before he declared his intention to land on an island and set himself up as king, with the sailors as his none-too-loyal subjects.

Overall this was an informative read, as I am interested in this region of the world. And of course, the story culminates in the Dutch making the infamous trade of the ownership of the island of Manhattan in exchange for the rights to the nutmeg trade on the tiny Indonesian island of Run. This marked the beginnings of New York, and is probably the reason Americans speak English rather than Dutch. (But as we are all well-read and well informed about our own country's history, I am sure we already know the details of that deal - right kids?)

Anyway, the super-dull details are filtered out, leaving only some of the more mildly dull incidents to wade through, and the author balances the drier historical narrative with anecdotal tales of the foibles of both the Europeans and natives of the Indies.

Give this book a try - you'll feel better educated than and morally superior to those around you for at least 15 minutes after you finish it.

I read the Barrytown Trilogy on vacation. It's a little difficult to get yourself into the down and out Dublin mindset of the books whilst basking in sun on sandy beaches. But the "overcrowded houses full of grubby Catholic children" aspect was easy to identify with when our whole group (including three teenagers and a five year old) piled in to devour dinner and camp out in front of the same TV.

The first book in the series was made into a successful movie of the same name: The Commitments. It concerns an attempt by a few forward thinking individuals to bring "soul" to Dublin in the 1980's. The ups and downs of that experience and its inevitable conclusion are well written, if a bit hard for the average person to identify with. I felt much more a captivated spectator than a part of this book.

The second book in the series: The Snapper was also made into a (much less successful) film. It's the same family as we've seen referenced in the 1st book, but a much more intimate look at them. Sharon, the oldest girl has got herself "up the pole" and not only that, but won't say who she's having the baby for! What will the neighbors say? How the family can deal with this situation in their tight-knit Irish Catholic town, and within the confines of their own lovingly dysfunctional/functional home are painful and joyful to follow.

The third book in the series "The Van" rambles on incessantly about the activities of Jimmy Sr. (patriarch of books 1 & 2) and his out of work attempt to glom on to the project of opening a chipper van that his also unemployed friend hatches. With half of the middle pages cut (how many descriptions of one cleaning grease off the side of a van can one read?) this might have been an interesting read, as the tension between the two men grows steadily, albeit at a snails pace. This book (of the three) won the Booker Prize.

With many a laugh out loud moment I can recommend this collection for those who love the Irish culture. Doyle is a wonderful writer.

I picked up this book only because its setting was Amsterdam. As a former resident of that city, the rare books and films that are set there are inherently interesting to me. I love being able to precisely envision settings, placing myself in the city's streets, smelling and feeling the crush of the markets, hearing the trams and tasting the air of the city as I read. But this book fascinated me on many levels, including even the author's choice to set it in Amsterdam, a city which in some ways has morals so permissive as to make it ultimately depersonalized. The Dutch pride themselves on their "live and let live" culture - but in some ways this permissiveness mimics an attachment disorder. If no one cares about anything, who is left to care about what happens to you? How do you learn to care about other beings?

The story is about a ballet dancer who, on his way to buy cigarettes for his girlfriend, is abducted by a trio of cloaked, masked women, and held for a length of time. Abused both sexually and mentally, his release is as traumatic for him as his capture was.

The first half of the book deals with his capture, torture and release several weeks later, while the second half deals with next decade of his life, as he tries to reconcile his earlier understanding of the world with what has happened to him. The utter narcissism of his girlfriend, combined with the unique nature of the crime (a sex crime against a man being somehow less believable or empathetic than one against a woman) facilitates the disintegration of that relationship almost immediately, and the protagonist's inability to attach to anyone or anything leads him around the world on a quest for peace, or vengeance, or escape. The book can only end when he begins to face the enormity of what has happened, and deal with the consequences openly.

The author, whose other works I haven't read, switches from first to third person without rhyme or reason, and his spare use of language echoes for me what it must be like to think with a man's mind.

I recommend this book, if only for its ability to make me place myself in someone else's skin, and have sympathy for a character who, if I didn't know his history, I might despise.

I know that everyone and their grandma is probably telling you to read this book. Well, guess what? Everyone and their grandma is RIGHT. This book is one that I am going to use the dreaded "must-read" label on, because I think it's that important. If you are at all interested in what is happening to our country, and how our own complacency and laziness is allowing it to happen - because we DO NOT QUESTION ENOUGH - you have to read this book.

I was lucky enough to hear Al Franken speak a few weeks ago, and I have never had a comedian scare me so much. And when you hear and understand what's going on, you're going to be scared too - and angry.

Now, I work in a highly politicized field, and I am well aware that the right wing tide is carrying our civil liberties out to sea - but I didn't see the full scope of it, the NERVE of those who are lying to us, and the complex way these things are carried out until it was laid out for me here. That's Al's supreme talent by the way. Explaining political machinations and maneuverings without the ponderous language of most political minds.

I can't say much else, except that I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Oh, and I had never before sat down and watched Hannity and Colmes but the day after I saw Franken speak I watched it. Less than 8 minutes in...3 lies. Whoppers.

Get your eyes opened. Read this book.