Product Description
A dramatic and literate introduction to one of the twentieth century's most influential and intriguing spiritual teachers.

Born in the shifting border between Turkey and Russia in 1866, G. I. Gurdjieff is a man who would continually straddle borders-between East and West, between man and something higher than man, between the ancient teachings of esoteric schools and the modern application of those ideas in contemporary life.

In many respects-from the concept of group meetings to the mysterious workings of the enneagram to his critique of humanity as existing in a state of sleep-Gurdjieff pioneered the culture of spiritual search that has taken root in the West today. While many of Gurdjieff's students-including Frank Lloyd Wright, Katharine Mansfield, and P. D. Ouspensky-are well known, few understand this figure possessed of complex writings and sometimes confounding methods.

In Gurdjieff: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas, the acclaimed novelist John Shirley-one of the founders of the cyberpunk genre-presents a lively, reliable explanation of how to approach the sage and his ideas. In accessible, dramatic prose Shirley retells that which we know of Gurdjieff's life; he surveys the teacher's methods and the lives of his key students; and he helps readers to enter the unparalleled originality of this remarkable teacher. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Strong Short Biography of a Fascinating Man
John Shirley has written an invaluable biography of the philosopher and mystic G.I. Gurdjieff.His writing is clear and incisive, and he gives the reader a very good sense of the man, "warts and all."

Gurdjieff was a very difficult man to be around, according to those who were his students and companions.He relentlessly strove to shake people from their "dream" and get them to see reality. While he had many faults, he also had a compelling vision of what humans were and could become.

I would recommend reading this book to anyone who wants to study Gurdjieff or Ouspensky in depth, before they take on the original material.Gurdjieff's writing style is very difficult, while Ouspensky is much clearer, conveying the same general orientation.Shirley's book will help clarify the distinctions, and give a good overview of the body of Gurdjieff's thought.

Very Good
Although I am not new in the "Work", it is always very stimulating to come across a nice and well written literary work about such a man as Mr Gurdjieff, or simply G. No matter how much deep we dig into our selves, to me at least, this man still stand above us in his sharp and compassionate view of our own possibilities. In reading Mr Shirley book, one gets the feeling and the atmosphere of those first years of the "work", in a time where the world was (like today!), very much immersed in deep sleep (wars...).
But I do have one little piece of criticism, nothing that denegrates the work itself, but an attitude commom among orthodox Gurdjieff followers. That is, the subtle negativity directed towards Mr Ouspensky. One can feel that throgought the book, and it is my belief that the work (or Mr G) does not need anyone defending its purity, or making sure everyone undertands that Mr G was really THE TEACHER.
Other than this minor mistake (in my view, of course), the book is very pleasent to read and well structured. I do recommend.

Finally, a true Introduction
The depth and complexity of Gurdjieff's teachings simply do not easily lend themselves to explanation. While there are many books on Gurdjieff which detail his complex philosophies, they require basic level of understanding of the Gurdjieff to understand them. Until now, that basic level of understanding could only be achieved through years of research. For the first time, this introduction is available in a single book. Gurdjieff: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas is the seminal stepping stone toward all other Gurdjieff teachings. The clarity and charisma with which Mr. Shirley wields his pen, place this work apart from all other explanations of Gurdjieff and his teachings. Most of these other books, while indeed enlightening, are a true labor to digest.Mr. Shirley's book stands in stark contrast to these difficult reads. Without eschewing detail, Mr. Shirley enlightens and entertains with his splendid introduction. Finally, a definitive background on Gurdjieff and his philosophies, you will not want to put down.

Excellent & Readable Book
The author manages to make some extremely complicated ideas as clear as any introduction can make them and does so in a highly readable manner. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the teachings of Gurdjieff, knows nothing of them, or is already acquainted with his ideas, reading this book will be a rewarding experience. Gurdjieff has always been a controversial figure, but he founded no religion and neither have his followers, but those with an interest in religion, spirituality, philosophy, or just looking for an interesting biography of a fascinating chracter.

Excellent introduction and a great read!
Author John Shirley has written a clear and compelling overview of the life, ideas and teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff. Shirley clarifies that this book is just an introductory piece, and points to other works, including Ouspensky's In Search of the Miraculous, which Shirley describes as the authoritative explanation of the Gurdjieff Work, insofar as a book can do justice to Gurdjieff's teachings, which are said to be experiential rather than intellectual. However I think he's too modest; he's clearly devoted subtantial careful research and consideration to his complex subject. I highly recommend this book - even if you've never heard of Gurdjieff, it's a great read. ... Read more

Product Description
Twenty (20) plus years of R. John Wright characters andtheir variations will come to life in vivid color photographs completewith important identification information.The book features thelatest collector’s secondary market price range for eachdiscontinued character, and romances the characters created by thelegendary R. John Wright.Where to find, buy and sell these dolls,storage tips and other useful information for the collector will bedetailed in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
This book has been a heart warming journey as I have recalled various childhood experiences with many family members. John L. Stephens and Clara Polley Stephens raised a respectful family of eleven children, eight daughters and three sons. The ancestors and descendants of their children are recorded in the pages of this book. I have attempted to record as accurately as possible the information give by family members. Some information I was unable to obtain and therefore left blank. Favorite recipes of the families were submitted for the enjoyment of those who like to cook. Recipes also include those like Snow Ice Cream, Home Made Hominy and Home Made Soap just for fun. I encourage you to pick out some of the recipes and try them. I hope this book inspires you to continue recording your own family history as your individual family grows and adds several more generations to the family. EnjoyShirley Ann Baxter Winders ... Read more

Product Description
Fifteen brand new stories take the trendy formula of “literary classic/historic figure + supernatural element” and transform it in ways the mainstream could never imagine, or get away with. Notable characters include Huck Finn, Capt. Ahab, Sid Vicious, Billy the Kid, Emily Dickinson, Jim Morrison, Edgar Allan Poe, Loki, and Albert Einstein. This subversive take on “Monster Lit” phenomenon using previously unpublished material from real genre writers. Contributing writers include John Shirley, Nancy Collins, Mike Resnick, Kristine Rusch, Chris Ryall, Thomas Tessier, Marc Laidlaw, and Rio Youers. “Dread Island,” a masterful new novella by Joe R. Lansdale, anchors the collection. Mashed up authors include Mark Twain, Herman Melville, Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, Stephanie Meyers, and more. Cultural icons include Edgar Allan Poe, Sid Vicious, Sen. Joe McCarthy, Jim Morrison, Huck Finn, Capt. Ahab, the gods of Asgard, and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Another amazing book by Craig Yoe!
As with all of Craig Yoe's books for IDW Publishing, "Felix the Cat: The Great Comic Book Tails" is beautifully done. The binding will last a lifetime, and the paper stock is perfect for re-creating the look and colors of actual comics - bright and white on paper that isn't too hard or shiny.

And the stories are the cream of the crop from Felix comics from the late 40s and early 50s. The vast majority of the work is by Otto Messmer - done in his gorgeous, balloon-animal style of bigfoot cartooning. Man, I wish comics were still this good. The stories within are perfect examples of how good those old Dell comics could be.

This books celebrates the kind of magnificent art and storytelling that existed before comics became too self-conscious and full of themselves - before they took themselves too seriously and demanded to be seen as "serious art." Back then, they simply were art without trying so hard.

Craig Yoe deserves much praise for preserving this material in a lasting, beautiful format which can be treasured for years. - Mykal Banta

Great book that would be better as the first in a series!
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RUFIR228EF7Q7 This is a great book for any Felix the Cat or Golden Age Comic Book collector. If you know someone named Felix, you should also buy this book! I pre-ordered this book months ago when very little information was available, armed only with the knowledge that the two other books to deal with Felix The Cat, both now out of print, far exceeded my expectations and got me into collecting Felix the Cat comic books and news strips (Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat by John Canemaker and Nine Lives to Live (collection of comic strips) edited by David Gerstein). This book resembles neither of those and complements them well, providing some neat memorabilia (some of which I'd not seen previously) and words from Joe Oriolo and Craig Yoe, with the majority of the book reprinting classic stories from the Dell and Toby comics (sorry in the video review I list Harvey, but on second check that's incorrect). With these three books you'll have a nice history of Felix the Cat, a very good sampling of the Sunday's and dailies from the first half of the century and some nice reprints from the comic books.

The book is very sturdy and the spine does not buckle when the book is fully open. The cover is slightly different than the one posted on Amazon, but Felix is very prominent in glossy black with the title and authors in glossy white (the remainder of the cover is a matte white). The re-printed stories appear color-accurate to their originals and not touched up (ie they appear to be high quality color scans from printed comic books) to their originals (as opposed to the Harvey Classic reprints from the 90s which were re-colored and cleaned) and are about 10-20% larger in size than the Golden Age originals. The pages themselves are off-white (maybe light peach?) of heavier, matte (non-shiny) paper stock, perfect for re-reading! For collectors, the Dedication Page (page with ISBN number) includes a break down of page art by Joe Oriolo and Otto Messmer... helpful, since I have yet to see a comprehensive list of Felix the Cat stories/strips along with their publication date/writer/artist listing.

I really didn't know what to expect from this book, but after reading it, it just makes me want more! I guess I'm a true fan. Hopefully IDW, Craig Yoe and Don Oriolo continue the Felix revival.

Here are some things I look forward (hoping) to seeing in the future (print or on-line).
1. The complete comic strips in chronological order!
2. A cross-reference of comic strips/comic stories (because the strips were syndicated in many different newspapers, then reprinted in some comics).
3. An "art of" book with production and pre-production art (like the ink w/blue line on the last page of this book).
4. More reprints of the comic books (in chronological order), maybe like the Gladstone Carl Barks Library or like the Hailton Felix Keeps On Walking publication.

Now hurry up and ADD THIS TO YOUR CART!

A Bag Full of Tricks
This book is a must have for the general reader and the serious collector of comic art. The excellent content is beautifully reproduced and the over all book design is superb. Craig Yoe just keeps topping himself!

A Wonderful, Wonderful Book
Felix the Cat has been around now for nearly a hundred years. You don't last that long without changing to fit the audience. The earliest Felix animated cartoons were shown in movie theaters and intended for adults. My generation remembers the Felix TV cartoons that were clearly aimed at kids. The Felix the Cat comic books, however, appear to have been created for people on LSD. Except, since LSD hadn't been developed yet, perhaps they were created for the kids who would later grow up and invent LSD. (I'll bet Timothy Leary read Felix comics. Can you prove that he didn't?)

No, I'm not condoning drug use. In fact, psychedelics are completely unnecessary when you read these stories. They are wild flights of fantasy that leap off the page and worm their way directly into the subconscious mind; they are dreams on paper. Flying carpets, walking fish, talking vegetables - anything can happen in these stories and always does. And Felix is right there in the thick of the action, enjoying the ride, whether it's a visit to Candy Land or the moon. "Fantastic" in the truest sense.

Editor Craig Yoe and Felix honcho Don Oriolo have collected these vintage comic books and presented them in a gorgeous volume that belongs on every coffee table and bookshelf. The comic pages are reproduced as is, not doctored, re-colored and "improved" like in so many inferior collections. This is as close as you can get to reading the original vintage comic books. As usual with Yoe Books, it's beautifully designed and printed, with full-color endpapers, sturdy binding (unlike the flimsy comic books) and a very cool cover. Reminiscent of the Beatles so-called "White Album," the cover is white with the title printed in a clear varnish. When you're as famous as Felix, you don't need a name to let people know who you are.

In addition to the comic books from the `40s and `50s, the book contains 30-some pages of introductory material and rare, vintage artwork, nicely rounding out the package.

Yoe has set the standard for books of this ilk. Anyone else attempting to collect and reprint comics has to match this quality just to get in the game. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Exciting adventure series.
From time to time since 1970, various paperback publishers have tried to rival the Mack Bolan phenomenon with other men's adventure series.Signet published several over the course of the years.Although their attempts were different and, as a whole, very good, none of their series lasted much more than a dozen or so books. The Specialist is a very good try from the 80s.A soldier of fortune, Jack Sullivan, is hired to track a former African dictator who is relaxing in France. Not the typical Bolan clone.

a talent for revenge
The book was a grate book and kept me in suspense for the whole book.ifyou can find the sequal to this book please let me know. ... Read more

Product Description
This book deals with one of the most urgent, damaging, and complex issues affecting young lives and contemporary society in general—the escalating high school dropout rate. Though against the wishes of teachers and school administrators, young people’s decision to leave school is usually made under circumstances that provide little time or space for discussion. This book provides a disturbing account of how students’ voices are over-ridden—lost in the imposition of curriculum and the rush to impose testing, accountability, and management regimes on schools. Dropping Out, Drifting Off, Being Excluded reveals the complex stories that surround identity formation in young lives and the "interactive trouble" as young people struggle to be heard within inhospitable schools and an equally unhelpful education system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Odd, unpredictable, interesting
While not Shirley's best work, Three Ring Psychus has the manic energy and unpredictable flow similar to late 70's/early 80's sci-fi mavericks like Mick Farren.
Foreshadowing Shirley's interest in gestalt consciousness, cosmic adjustments, and social upheaval, Three Ring Psychus is a great science-fiction adventure and stands well next to his early work like Transmaniacon and City Come a Walkin.

Early work shows some promise, but...
This early Shirley work (possibly his first novel?) is amateurish and immature, with some hints here and there of the talent that later produced some of the best cyberpunk and horror fiction around.Not to get too farinto it, early on the earth loses it's gravitational field, and many peopleare killed or starve to death while floating around loose.The rest go onto create some sort of utopia, though not really an ideal one.The bookgets rather preachy in a naive socialistic sort of way, and barely escapesbeing laughable in its romanticism.I can't recommend buying it unless youjust have to fill out your collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Nearly twenty years ago, the legendary Night Visions series was conceived by Dark Harvest Press as a showcase for the outstanding short fiction being produced today by the best of the established authors and the most talented of the new writers in the fields of horror and dark fantasy.

Now, from the grave, Night Visions returns with original novellas by Jack Ketchum and John Shirley, and five new stories by David B. Silva...

A nightmare creature, buried by children, returns to claim them as adults.

A woman's flat tire turns into a memorable stretch of bad luck as she becomes a passenger in a car bound for Hell.

A man spends his life trying to forget the misdeeds of his past.

A small group of teenagers must overcome an ancient evil.

Experience the return of terror in Night Visions 10, edited by World Fantasy award-winner Richard Chizmar. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more