Customer Reviews

Vital Signs 2006-2007: The Trends That Are Shaping Our Future (Vital Signs)

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I recently walked round the Rockefeller Center to look at all the public art and this lovely little paperback was invaluable. Without it I doubt you will find the eighty or so works of art in the book that are on walls everywhere even though the majority are on exteriors. Items like Lee Lawrie's Atlas statue or the stunning Wisdom wall-relief are well-known but how many visitors realise that when they walk across the lobby of Radio City they are treading on a carpet (replaced in 1999) designed by Ruth Reeves and full of musical instrument motifs or that the bronze statues above the entrance at 620 Fifth Avenue celebrate industries of the British Empire.

The book is divided into fourteen building sections each with a color strip on the page edge that ties in with a color map on the contents page. Each spread features a color photo of the artwork and the opposite page has a very detailed description and technical listing. The last two sections include artist's biographies and an index. I would have liked to see an aerial photo or two of the Center to appreciate just how big the twenty-two acre site is.

This book is a hands-on version of Ms Roussel's much more substantial art book on the Center (ISBN 0393060829). Both books celebrate a modern American structural icon and it is a credit to the current owners that they keep all the external artistic embellishments in excellent condition.

*If you use the book to guide you round the buildings don't forget to have a look at the lovely grillwork set into the sidewalk to protect the trees.

The title says it all: a detailed account of the history and theme of every scupture, mural, and painting in New York's Rockefeller Center. Casual visitors may find much more detail than they want or need, but anyone who works in the area or is intrigued by the art will enjoy the concise yet engaging commentary. A must-buy for professional guides.

The book is printed on high-quality stock and lavishly illustrated in full color.

The 14 th year of a "must read" series for those interested in the global ecology, technology and environment.
From ePublisher's Weekly " The most straight forward and reliable environmental, economic and social information available on the entire planet, Earth". - put together in indivdual items in a two page global summary per item.
This year has 44 items, grouped broadly into Key Indicators and Special features and into 8subgroups covering food and agricultures, energy and climate, economy, transport & communication, Health & Social, Conflict and Peace.
As Items vary from year to year - an index at the back of each volume provides complete reference to earlier volumes.

This is short but vital book for studying our planet's future. It is a collection of indicators about the state of our planet.

In one place a person can get a snapshot of a lot of what is happening.

For more books on future watch studies, people should check out my Listamania list on this subject on my profile.