The Aye-Aye and I: A Rescue Journey to Save One of the World's Most Intriguing Creatures from Extinction

Book Description

Here is the riveting tale of Gerald Durrell's adventures and misadventures in the enchanted forests of Madagascar, in search of the elusive Aye-aye.

Once thought to be extinct, the Aye-aye, the beast with the magic finger, still lurks, though in fast dwindling numbers, in the forests of Madagascar. Durrell's mission to help save this strange creature turns into a madcap journey in which you will meet not only the enigmatic Aye-aye, but the catlike Fosa, the Flat-tailed tortoise, the Gentle lemurs of Lac Alaotra, and the Malagasy chameleons, among others. Truly nothing escapes Durrell's sharp eye, whether he is describing the great zoma (market), the village dances, the treacherous bridges and river crossings, the strange foods and stranger music, or the vagaries of local officialdom.

As the San Francisco Chronicle noted, "It is impossible for Gerald Durrell to write anything that is less than exuberant, eccentric, and amusing." And in his account of this "rescue mission", Durrell is, quite simply, at his superb best.

Customer Reviews:

durrell continues.......2006-10-29

This book is another interesting as well as entertaining product from Gerald Durrell, drawing on his lifetime as a collector and conservator of endangered and unusual wildlife. Well worth reading - several times!

Aye-aye!.......2003-12-08

With a career spanning decades and continents, and with a gift for writing witty and articulate accounts of his animal-catching adventures in so many different times & places, it seems predictable that the originality and enthusiasm which Gerald Durrell offers should vary from story to story or from book to book. And they do; some volumes are ecstatically joyous and quite fast-paced, while a few stories drag a bit or feature rather sarcastic caricatures of certain persons. Overall, however, I find Durrell's writing some of the most amusing and informative stuff that I've encountered in the last year. Therefore I have bought a copy of every Gerald Durrell title that I've located. It's quality stuff that I intend to keep long-term and reccomend to friends. "The AyeAye and I" is no exception, and I am pleased to have a hardcover edition. Thanks, Amazon!

Durrell has gotten old and it shows.......2003-11-20

I have always admired Gerald Durrell as a writer; his zoological/ecological achievements, while very noteworthy, have not been so important to me when reading his books.
From this standpoint, 'Aye-aye and I' was a great disappointment; the sparkling humor of 'Three Tickets to Adventure' and especially 'My Family and Other Animals' has all but disappeared. The author has gotten old and bitter and it really shows throughout the book. He keeps complaining about the degrading ecological state of Madagascar, his own health and other issues, and while his environmental concerns are undoubtedly valid, it makes the book a somewhat depressing read.
Now if you have actual interest in lemurs, Madagascar or Durrell's scientific work, by all means go ahead and by this book. However, if you are looking for something entertaining, skip it and get some of his older works instead.

loquacious lemurs make good.......2002-08-24

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, being already more than sold on the value proposition presented by lemurs of all shapes and sizes. I'm convinced that the lemur is destined to become the most popular primate of the millenium, and this book should be at the top of the charts for those wishing to catch the rising tide of lemur fanatics. The San Francisco Zoo's new Lipman Family Lemur Forest exhibit presents two of only twelve Aye-ayes in the United States, and having visited it recently I now plan to return next weekend to apply the newfound in-depth Aye-aye background I've gleaned from my reading of this book. Moreover, lemurs are but the tip of the iceberg here! Rife with hilarious descriptions of Giant Jumping rats, tortoises, and grubs of all shapes and sizes, Durrell's personal tone, dry wit, and entertaining presentation kept me amused and reading until the wee hours of the morn. I'll be seeking out more of his works, and would happily recommend this to anyone with an interest in lemurs, obscure regions of the world, travel, conservation, the Aye-aye, and furry or reptilian critters, period.

Aye-ayes are wonderful!.......2001-01-09

This book was absolutely fabulous. As a college student interested in someday studying aye-ayes in the forests of Madagascar, reading this book was sheer pleasure. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested at all in lemurs, Madagascar, or simply in animal anecdotes or conservation.

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Mammals of Africa Including Madagascar
Theodor Haltenorth , and Helmut Diller
Manufacturer: Harpercollins Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0002197782

Ringtailed Lemur Biology (Developments in Primatology: Progress/ Prospects)

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Ringtailed Lemur Biology (Developments in Primatology: Progress/ Prospects)
Alison, Ed. Jolly
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Lemurs: Ecology and Adaptation (Developments in Primatology: Progress/ Prospects)

Accessories:

ASIN: 0387326693

Book Description

This volume includes up-to-date field research on the longest-studied and best known of lemur species. It contains articles by scientists from America, Europe, Japan and Madagascar, who combine their knowledge to describe an animal which is unique among primates, a lemur whose group structure resembles that of many monkeys, but whose behavior does not. Ringtailed lemurs, Lemur catta, are female dominant, prone to evict their cousins from social groups, and live at population densities ten times greater than monkeys. The volume treats ecology, behavior, and physiology to present current research on this unique primate. The papers review past research and add new dimensions of research related to nutrition, health, hormonal biology, plant ecology, behavioral ecology, and demography of Lemur catta.

Collins Field Guide to the Mammals of Africa Including Madagascar

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Collins Field Guide to the Mammals of Africa Including Madagascar
Theodor Haltenorth , and Helmut Diller
Manufacturer: Stephen Greene Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mammals | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Amazing
Fascinating fauna, beautiful photos
At last! A field guide to Malagasy mammals!
SO GREAT
Mammals of Madagascar

Mammals of Madagascar
Nick Garbutt
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300077513

Book Description

This outstanding book provides a thorough and up-to-date overview of the remarkable mammals of Madagascar`s diverse group of 117 species, over 100 of which are endemic to the island. The author offers clear information on all the Malagasy mammals, from the fascinating lemurs to the shrew-like tenrecs, and he discusses where to find and how to identify them.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2006-05-07

This book is simply a must for everyone interested in the animals of Madagascar. When people think to mammals of Madagascar immediately think to lemurs... but this wonderful book, with incredible pictures and very good texts, remind everyone that Madagascar ain't only lemurs (no problem, lemurs are also described in the book very well, species by species... amazing pictures and interesting descriptions and informations)!! the fosa, the other species of civets and mongooses, the bats, the giant jumpin rat and the other rodents, the tenrecs, the bush pig..
Wow! Big up to Nick Garbutt

Fascinating fauna, beautiful photos.......2004-04-13

Malagasy mammals are truly an interesting read. They are unusual and interesting as an example of island radiation, but also because of recently extinct megafauna, and patterns of diversity. The lack of diversity--what is not found in madagascar--is perhaps equally curious as what is found there (fossa, lemurs, etc) due to hypotheses of how the fauna populated the island and when. The beautiful photos (as in the compelling blue-eyed lemur) make this a true guide to mammals as well as beautiful coffee-table display book.

At last! A field guide to Malagasy mammals!.......2001-12-15

This book will be a valued resource to those studying mammals, those working Madagascar, or even folks visiting Madagascar to enjoy the fauna. Prior to this volume, there was **no** comprehensive guide to mammals (in particular a paucity of information available on rodents). Garbutt has done a fantastic job of providing us with practical information and clear, useful photos/drawings. If we could all be so lucky to see the creatures featured in this book. Owning the book will have to suffice for many of us, epecially given the high risk of extinction for many of Madagascar's native mammals. Well worth the investment.

SO GREAT.......2001-07-23

This book is a super-mega reference book about all the mammals of Madagascar (the ones that people have discovered, that is). It has creatures in there I have NEVER heard of. The photos are pretty good and the written information is educational. Great for beginners learning about mammals of Madagascar.

Mammals of Madagascar.......2001-06-30

This is a very comprehensive book covering not only the lemurs but also the bats and so forth. There are maps to identify what part of Madagascar to find the animal.

Behavioral Variation: Case Study of a Malagasy Lemur (The Primates)

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Behavioral Variation: Case Study of a Malagasy Lemur (The Primates)
Alison F. Richard
Manufacturer: Associated Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0838719651

A FIELD GUIDE TO THE MAMMALS OF AFRICA INCLUDING MADAGASCAR.

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A FIELD GUIDE TO THE MAMMALS OF AFRICA INCLUDING MADAGASCAR.
T. & H. Diller Haltenorth
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WPVYNA

Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros (World Biodiversity Database CD-ROM Series)

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Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros (World Biodiversity Database CD-ROM Series)
J.-J. Petter , and J.H. van der Sloot
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

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Book Description

Lemurs represent a group of highly interesting and threatened species. These beautiful and protected animals occur only on Madagascar and the Comoros, however, their unique environment is decreasing in size every year. This CD-ROM gives a complete overview of all lemurs with detailed, full-colour drawings, spectacular photography, and sounds for most of the species. Also included are an interactive identification key and distribution maps. Special attention is given to their environment and the management problems of protecting and maintaining their habitat. The entire text is hyperlinked: an illustrated glossary defines more than 250 scientific terms. The most important literature references for this group are included in this program.

Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros: The Iucn Red Data Book (The/Iucn Red Data Book)

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Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros: The Iucn Red Data Book (The/Iucn Red Data Book)
Caroline S. Harcourt , and Jane Thornback
Manufacturer: World Conservation Union
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Average customer rating:

Outstanding!

Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide
Nick Garbutt
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 030012550X

Book Description

The mammals that inhabit Madagascar are among the most extraordinary in the world. This portable guide offers a full survey and classification of all the Malagasy mammals, both endemic and introduced, including many new species only recently identified. With vivid color photographs, line illustrations, and maps, Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide is an essential volume for any tourist or biologist who visits the island—or wishes to.

The guide provides descriptions of the physical and behavioral characteristics of each species as well as information about habitat and distribution. To further aid identification, the book lists top mammal-watching sites in the rainforests, deciduous forests, and spiny forest areas. Streamlined and completely updated, this book replaces Nick Garbutt’s classic earlier work, Mammals of Madagascar, and takes its place as the definitive guide to the mammals of the world’s fourth-largest island.

Published in association with Christopher Helm/A & C Black Publishers Ltd.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding!.......2007-07-27

Ecotourists visiting Madagascar are really lucky.
After the excellent Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands: Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues, Seychelles and the Comoros, an excellent, affordable field guide to mammals in now finally available!

It's hard to know where to start praising this book, but perhaps most importantly, it really IS complete, describing all mammal species found in Madagascar.
The species accounts are incredibly detailed, not only providing extensive info on each species' appearence, behaviour, habitat & distribution, but even telling you where to go to see each one!
Of course excellent photographs (except for a few obscure rodents and bats) and very detailed range maps accompany each species as well.
Additionally, there are highly informative chapters on the various habitats found in Madagascar, on conservation issues, and finally detailed descriptions of the country's top mammal-watching sites, with lists of the most important species to be expected, access, facilities, best season to visit...
For those seriously interested, there is an incredibly long bibliography listing as well.

If I really had to make one complaint about this book, it would be that the format is a bit too large to be convenient for carrying in the field. I wish it could be smaller and thicker, but this size may have been necessary to accomodate several impressive full-page sized photographs.

Average customer rating:

Funny, Amusing, Serious look at Baseball

Stephen

A good book for new and old fans

Great Umpire Book

HILARIOUS

Umpire Strikes Back
Ron Luciano
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Strike Two

Remembrance of Swings Past

You're Out and You're Ugly, Too!: Confessions Of An Umpire With An Attitude

Planet of the Umps: A Baseball Life from Behind the Plate

Center Field on Fire: An Umpire's Life With Pine Tar Bats, Spitballs, and Corked Personalities

ASIN: 0553248464
Release Date: 1984-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Funny, Amusing, Serious look at Baseball.......2007-03-20

This is a highly amusing book by one of baseball's most colorful officials. Ron Luciano (1937-1995) made his mark as an American League umpire from 1968-1980 with his highly colorful style. Luciano was known for exaggerated gestures, for "shooting" runners out at first base, and for his spirited arguments with managers like Earl Weaver. Luciano and co-author David Fisher write with a mix of humor, hilarity, and seriousness. Readers enjoy many laughs while learning much about officiating and baseball in general. Perhaps Luciano developed his sense of humor during his long apprenticeship in the minor leagues, where years of low wages, months away from home, and high divorce rates are a way of life for umpires (and many players). Luciano left baseball in 1980, and he apparently committed suicide in 1995. Still, this is a very funny and informative book.

Stephen.......2004-07-30

I'm too young to remember Ron's umping days; so naturally I was skeptical that a book by an umpire would be that funny. But, believe me, folks, this is one of the funniest books you will ever read. His story about how he got Harmen Kilibrew picked off second made me laugh so hard I almost choked. Not only was he a funny person, but he was also a great writer and had a very clever style.

A good book for new and old fans.......2004-06-21

I'm a person who really just got into baseball so Luciano's way of telling his great experiences really pulled me in. His stories are very funny and informative on the true ways of the game.

Great Umpire Book.......2003-06-16

This is a great book about umpiring. A lot of it is irreverent, but that is Luciano -- respectful, but humorous. The book is easy to read and broken into sections that make for easy reading a couple pages at a time (ahem, for reading in the family "library"). There is a lot more here than just umpiring. You get the inside scoop on players, managers and some owners. Interesting reading that is a little off the beaten path.

HILARIOUS.......2001-11-11

THIS IS ONE OF THE FUNNIEST BOOKS I HAVE READ. MR. LUCIANO IS HILARIOUS IN HIS RETELLING OF MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH EARL WEAVER, BILLY MARTIN, AND MANY OTHERS. JUST READ THIS BOOK AND IT WILL HELP BREIGHTEN UP YOUR DAY WITH HIS WIT AND HUMOR. VERY VERY RECOMMENDED.

Average customer rating:

THE UMPIRE STRIKES BACK

Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GQYVIU

The umpire strikes back: People and politics in Pakistan

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The umpire strikes back: People and politics in Pakistan
Khalid Hasan
Manufacturer: Vanguard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

South Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006ERWHE

Average customer rating:

The Umpire Strikes Back (Turnaround 2)
David Walke
Manufacturer: Falconwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Children's | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1900899167

Book Description

The Complete Book of Wedding Toasts contains over 300 toasts for every member of the wedding party, plus appropriate poems, essays, Scripture verses, wedding history and traditions. The book contains toasts for the many occasions that lead up to the wedding ceremony itself--showers, bridal luncheons, rehearsal dinners, etc. It offers toasts to the bride and groom from their parents, siblings, and wedding attendants, and includes sample toasts that the bride and groom can use to toast each other and their families. This book will help you to compose and deliver a heartfelt, meaningful tribute that will be remembered long after the wedding is over.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant: The bridesmaid's guide to a wedding toast........2005-11-26

I was the bridesmaid in my friends wedding and this book provided me with the know how on delivering an exceptional toast worthy of my best friend's wedding.I would highly recommend this book to anyone.A must own

Waste of Money.......2003-10-14

I bought this book based upon some of the other reviews that said it was great and they couldn't have been more wrong. I needed the book on short notice so it cost me $25 and it was absolutely useless. There is nothing useful in this book at all. I ended up just winging the toast because I didn't have time to look for another book.

Very helpful.......2003-09-14

My brother got married recently and I was the best man. The thought of getting up and giving the toast at the reception was really scary to me so he got me this book to help. When I read through the book I found several that made a lot of sense so I combined a couple together and added a few things of my own. It turned out great and I know I couldn't have done it without this book.

A Maid of Honor's best friend.......2003-09-14

This is a very cool book! I was recently in my cousin's wedding and had to give a couple of speeches about the bride and groom and it really gave me a lot of good ideas. There was lots to choose from so that I sounded like I knew what I was talking about. Even my mother liked it. Well worth it.

Terrific!.......2003-09-14

This book really allowed me to enjoy my daughter's wedding. Not only was it a great help to the wedding party it was also a great help to me and my husband. We were able to give loving, appropriate toasts with a minimum of nervousness. I highly recommend it.

Diane Warner's Complete Book of Wedding Toasts: Hundreds of Ways to Say "Congratulations!" (Wedding Essentials)

Average customer rating:

This book is a fine place to start on your toast
Don't embarrass yourself with this book.
The only book you need

Diane Warner's Complete Book of Wedding Toasts: Hundreds of Ways to Say "Congratulations!" (Wedding Essentials)
Diane Warner
Manufacturer: New Page Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1564148157

Book Description

The best man brings down the house with a hilarious story.

The bridegroom recites a touching poem.

The father of the groom gives an eloquent toast to the newlyweds.

All of these can happen at your wedding with Diane Warner's Complete Guide to Wedding Toasts, which features hundreds of sample toasts anyone responsible for delivering heartwarming words at a wedding can use.

And this completely new edition includes:

Special toasts by members of the family and the wedding party

Entire chapters are devoted to special toasts, including toasts by the best man, the fathers of the bride and groom, the bride's sister, the bride for her mother and the bride and groom to each other.

Toasts with ethnic variations

A chapter has also been devoted to dozens of touching ethnic toasts, including a wedding toast inspired by an old Eskimo wedding prayer, a beautiful Scottish wedding toast and fifteen lovely, lilting Irish wedding toasts. This chapter also includes a list of each country's preferred toasting beverage.

Toasts inspired by the classics

This chapter is filled with unique toasts inspired by Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aristotle, George Eliot, and many others.

Humorous toasts

The book wouldn't be complete without a chapter filled with humorous toasts, including charming anecdotes, limericks and one-liners.

Diane Warner is the best-selling author of 22 books, including Diane Warner's Contemporary Guide to Wedding Etiquette, Complete Book of Wedding Toasts, , Complete Book of Wedding Showers, Complete Book of Baby Showers, Diane Warner's Big Book of Parties and How to Have a Big Wedding on a Small Budget, 4th Edition. Diane also writes for magazines, newspapers and Web sites. She is a popular speaker and radio and television guest. She has made over 100 national radio and television appearances and can be seen regularly on HGTV and The Discovery Channel. She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her author-husband, Jack.

Customer Reviews:

This book is a fine place to start on your toast.......2007-05-13

I disagree with the one star reviewer... This is a simple straightforward discussion with examples of toasts and ideas for toasts by all the important members of the wedding party. All the examples of toasts are brief (and let's keep it that way at the event too). There are helpful suggestions on presentation style, preparation, suitable content for toasts, and other useful items. I bought two copies...one for the couple and one for the parents. If it saves some time and helps them put together beautiful toasts, the book is easily worth the cost.

Don't embarrass yourself with this book........1999-07-25

An english degree? You've got to be kidding! This airy book is full of the obvious, the trite, and the truly embarrassing - note the section on (gasp) "clever" limericks! Many of these suggestions are not only lacking in eloquence, they are utterly inappropriate. Those that are appropriate are merely obvious. Speak from your heart, and don't waste your money on this trash!

The only book you need.......1999-04-15

From Best Man (which I am) to quick fill-in speeches, Diane offers a full array of eloquently written short and long speeches. Don't read them verbatim unless you have an english degree and everyone in the room knows it. It had to tone mine down a bit but better to have it than not.

Diane Warner's Complete Book of Wedding Toasts: Hundreds of Ways to Say Congratulations

Average customer rating:

Diane Warner's Complete Book of Wedding Toasts: Hundreds of Ways to Say Congratulations
Diane Warner
Manufacturer: Career Press,U.S.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UHKK2G

Customer Reviews:

Artistic excellence, and that's about it.......2004-12-27

At times, I have difficulty with the concept of Marvel's "Visionaries" books. When the book focuses on a writer (like Chris Claremont) or a writer/artist (like Walt Simonson or Frank Miller), it's good, as you get grade-A stories that signalled changes in direction for certain books. When the book focuses solely on an artist, however, it's not so good, as no matter how good the art is, there's no telling what you'll get in terms of story quality. Also, you only get issues with that artist's work, so incomplete stories and fragments can be quite prevalent.

Such is the case with X-MEN VISIONARIES: NEAL ADAMS, spotlighting the 1969 X-Men issues illustrated by one of the greatest comic artists of all time. One thing that you should be aware of is that, in 1969, the X-Men, currently the world's most popular super-team, was in the dumpster. The stories were not that great, the art was generally horrible, and as a result, no one would touch this series with a ten-foot pole. But then came Neal Adams to spice things up a bit, drawing issues 56-63 and 65, knocking people out with his realistic depictions of our beloved teenage mutants. Artistically, these issues are excellent, and they rightly got the attention of readers. Even with this artistic jolt, however, Roy Thomas' writing is painfully melodramatic, and no amount of good art can fix that. In addition, Adams' artistic chores began in the middle of an ongoing story, and as this book contains no non-Adams material, you won't get a complete story. Also, the recoloring of these pages is horrible, so even though Marvel trumpets Adams' work, their lack of care in reprinting it doesn't back it up.

So, this book is a great artistic experience combined with some laughable stories. You do get a few great moments in X-Men history, such as the return of Professor X and Magneto, the intros of Sauron and the Savage Land mutants, and cameos by Ka-Zar and the Living Monolith, but X-MEN VISIONARIES: NEAL ADAMS is proof that Marvel should focus on either writers or writer/artists for these books.

More color complaints.......2004-02-06

Seriously, what were they thinking when they gave the coloring job on this the green light? For those who love great artwork in comics, this short run by Neal Adams on X-Men in the late 60's is really one of the highlights. So why would Marvel treat it so poorly? One reviewer mentioned the previous print job as being worse but I disagree. This is a mess; costumes change color from page to page, some pages are flat, saturated color while others are dot printed (which looks far worse on high grade paper than on newsprint!). I also hope they give this a third, improved printing. For those of you who can't wait, the great artwork is still there, it's just buried under an inept rush-job. Personally, I would've prefered the thing in b&w.

Neal Adam's brilliant nine-issue run on 'The X-Men" 1969-70.......2003-08-01

You have to remember before issue #56 of the "X-Men" came out in 1969 that the comic book was hurtling towards oblivion (which meant it would became a reprint title for Marvel). Jim Steranko had come in and done a few wonderful issues but then we had issue #53, which we all thought was the worst drawn comic in the history of the world. The artist was some young kid off the boat from England named Barry Smith who was clearly trying to imitate Jack Kirby (what we did not know was that Smith had literally drawn the pages sitting on benches in Central Park. In what was clearly a final but big time effort to save the X-Men, Neal Adams was brought in as the artist, the pages inked by Tom Palmer, the stories written by Roy Thomas and then Dennis O'Neil. For those who had suffered through issues drawn by the competent but uninspiring Don Heck, the nine issues drawn by Adams raised the bar for what the art in a comic book could look like. Whereas Steranko was the master of style, Adams provided a realism that was just great, as he went on to show while drawing Batman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow for DC.

Collected in "X-Men: Visionaries - Neal Adams" are issues #56-63, and 65 of "X-Men," published originally in 1969-1970, and since all of them run for over $100 in proverbial near mint condition, this is a nice way of enjoying these great comic book stories. Issue #56 has the Living Pharaoh, #57 the start of an awesome Sentinel trilogy, #58 offers the first appearance of Havok, #59 has Cyclops as the last X-Man standing against the Sentinels, Issues #60-62 offers the Sauron trilogy, which gets the X-Men back to the Savage Land and a meeting with Ka-Zar, #63 is a nice Magneto story (picking up on the Steranko bit of the devil having a daughter), and #64 is admittedly a lame monster story. These were just above well above average stories with the longer storylines working to the advantage of the characters and the artwork. I did not understand the importance of using the name "Sauron" as a villain, since I was still a few years away from reading the Lord of the Rings, but it was cool to have a monster that was a flying dinosaur. The Havoc costume was pretty cool too and I still remember the way Adams introduced Magneto without his helmet in one of the great reveals of all time. There was one more original issue after the run by Adams and then the title started reprinting issues #12-45. Granted, the run by Chris Claremont and John Bryne when the X-Men were brought back as an international gang of merry mutants in 1975 is the highpoint of the series, but the issues by Adams comes in a strong second.

2nd print of tpb a minor improvement.......2003-04-02

The 2nd print is very close, but no cigar. After the computer coloring hack job of the first print, Marvel redid some of the issues, as there were originally printed 30 years ago. Unfortunately, there are still some pages, here and there, that still have this bad coloring work. On top of it, I now see some colored pages from the 80's special edition reprints making it an inconsistent mess.
Hopefully by the time Marvel releases the 3rd print, ALL of the coloring for this collection will be brought back to its former glory.

Classic tales by a classic team.......2003-03-19

Just as the Original X-Men's run was hampered by ridiculously low sales, Marvel tried to salvage the title by conscripting two greats -- Roy Thomas and Neal Adams -- to come up with some butt-kicking tales. And this they did! Adams can tell a story by himself, really, with his spectacular pencils. His sense of perspective, lighting and presence is truly phenomenal. Unfortunately, even he and Thomas couldn't prevent X-Men from lowering into the depths of reprints, despite their herculean effort.

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