Customer Reviews

Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Of course this is a stunning collection of photographs. However, this edition as opposed to the large format edition is bound, literally, to disappoint. The binding method has lead to a large slice of each photograph being obsured. In some instances that means that it is not much use having included the photographs at all. The larger "full size" edition does not suffer from the same problem. I bought this book through Amazon but if I had seen it in a bookstore I would not have bought it because of the fact that the binding lets down the whole concept.

I was to young to take an interest in girls when Playboy started publishing. By the late 50s, I had an avid interest in Playboy but prudence required caution. Miscellaneous copies were a teenager's access to the centerfolds. I followed Playboy through the 60s and early 70s and always checked the centerfold first. Older, married with children I stopped following each issue and in time, lost track of Playboy's centerfolds. However, the Playboy centerfold is always part of my life. Depending on the centerfold, I am in High School, Viet Nam or a number of other places. They provide an instant mnemonic that recalls a flood of memories. Most men have the same reaction, the difference being when they started and ended checking out the centerfold.
The Playboy Centerfold has always been a "looker"! Even the one you consider a poor choice is a knockout by any reasonable standard. What is "looker" a in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond has changed. This book is a history of beauty and sexuality from the 1953 to 2007. Over fifty years of centerfolds allows you to follow the changes in hair, makeup and physical appearance. In addition, you can see how the definition of allowable nudity changed during this time. While Playboy was always on the leading edge, they never got to far ahead of public decency. That fact means that Playboy moved with America's majority on nudity.
This is a well-done book. Every centerfold from Marylyn Monroe in the 1953 unnumbered issue to December 2007 is present. This is the centerfolds, without the staples or folds. The introduction and other observations are nice and do not distract in any way. What you are buying is a photo of over 600 of the best-looking women, naked and a history of America's concept of beauty.

Playboy has been publishing since 1953, its centerfolds reflecting the standards of beauty throughout the decades. This book gathers every centerfold (over 600 of them!) and is an interesting way to take a visual "tour". As you go thorough the book you'll see hairstyles, fashions, make-up, and body types change. You can see when women go from shapely to buff, from coiffed to gelled, from natural hair to ultra-manicured "down there". You'll also see the first African American playmate, the first set of twins or triplets and more. Its especially interesting for those who are looking for a certain style of woman; maybe you prefer 1950s over 1980s?

If you collect the actual centerfolds from magazines,this is a great cheatsheet to help you with your collecting. It is also a great way to collect autographs is you are one of those fans that pursues that. You'll never have to guess which issue Jenny McCarthy, Pamela Anderson, or Marilyn Monroe appeared in.

Finally, it is a perfect size and price for gift-giving.

Just received this & i dont know what the other reviewer was talking about there is only one women per page in the early era. It is well worth the price the other edition for $200.00 is out of my price range but this one for $30.00 is well worth it. As i thought when you get close to the newest centerfolds of 2007 the pubic hair is gone which i find boring i prefer the women as nature intended with all or some hair intact. Hefner should go retro & demand that the women of today keep some of there pubic hair & shaven is sooo boring but thats my bone to pick with current women anyway this is worth buying.

I've loved pinups & more importantly, PLAYBOY forever, so needless to say - this book was a MUST have for me! It's the positively most PERFECT size (A bit longer than your average book, but about the same width) for carrying around @ conventions for autographs or whatever else you may have in mind for it. I cannot wait to take it to my first Glamourcon next year! It'll be no hassle to fill w/autographs as it's rather light to tote around - much easier than 100 bulky magazines.

It's an amazing quality, just as you would expect from our beloved Playboy, & although the first sets of 50's centerfolds are about half a page, it's worth every penny! I picked up my copy for $30, but would've easily dropped $60 - it's perfect! Buy it! You will not have a SINGLE regret except that ya haven't bought it prior to this second!

I got this book as a birthday gift. It is absolutely smashing. It chronicles the Playmates from 1950's onward. The color photography is marvelous as is the class and beauty of women photographed. Beautiful poses in lingerie, fully nude, indoors and outdoors are seen in this chronicle. Playboy has always featured women who are FEMININE, classy, beautiful, energetic, and not afraid to demonstrate their female sexuality. This book represents women as a beautiful art form. The classic, and wonderful, woman is celebrated repeatedly in this book. This book is outstandingly beautiful. This book would be an excellent gift for any woman's husband, boyfriend, fiancee or adult son. SUPER!!!!

If you've been a fan or even casual reader/veiwer of Playboy over the years, you'll really enjoy this book. The book is nicely put together in a narrow hard cover that features the playmate centerfolds as they were presented in the magazine each month from 1953 through 2007 (without the staples in the middle of the image). I would not have purchased this book had it not been released by Chronicle Books - in the much less expensive compact and updated version with 2007 Playmates, not featured in the first version in a larger format at $200.00 or more. Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds is a playmate pictorial archive that is both enjoyable to look at and interesting to consider as you see how iconic beauty (according to Playboy) has changed over the years.

Previous playboy books really didn't give you the breadth and scope of playboy. I am referring to the explosion of playboy books that came out around the 50th anniversary. Playboy itself has been straightforward and easy to follow. Only a simple book like this one could correctly compliment the feeling I have for playboy. It's not a cut and paste of playboys archives by what an editor thinks you might like to see it is the archive itself. It is simple; a book of naked women. About 700 of them. Don't over complicate--enjoy.

The Ultimate Book of Boobs. Wow! 600 or so lovely ladies displaying their hidden treasures. Every possible shape, size and color. Book is well worth it. Hi quality photos and paper. Compact size. Weighs a ton. Hard to resist once it's in your home.

For the price, you get a good value to flip through every Playboy centerfold. It's interesting to see the way soft core has changed throughout the years. Over the years Playboy has had a struggle with revealing nipples and pubic hair which I find hilarious. I think overall Playboy has been pretty odd about morality and sexuality. But, the women are beautiful. That's all that matters.

Complaints: The pages are very narrow. You have to really force the book open to see some of the models. The dust cover shows scratches, smudges very well. The biggest complaint would be the stink. The book smells awful. It was made in Hong Kong so that might give me an idea why it smells so bad.