The She-Ra Collector's Inventory: An Unofficial Illustrated Guide to All Princess of Power Toys and

This 57 page paperback edition of She-ra toys is well worth the pricey tag that comes along with it-at first i was disappointed with the amount of pages for a $30dollar bookBUT almost every single page is colored-and there are excellent pictures of every She-ra MOTU character including crystal castle and the extra outfits and comic books.

Each of the characters has a page dedicated to themin colorand a SMALL description of each; including what makes them more valuable and variations between year releases. Then there is a box to the right of the picture with a average price for a NIP (new in package), complete (with accessories etc), and loose (the figurine without all clothes/swords/etc). At the end of the book is one page dedicated to the Horde characters (minus Cat-ra & Entrapta who each had their own page). There are not prices for the Horde characters.

Some of the action figures are missing their accesories in the pictures but overall they are completea couple of them shown are NIP as well.

DePino also provides a concise introduction worthy of a standing ovation. I loved this guide and read it from front to back. I would recommened the book to She-ra collectors as well as Children/Teens of the 80s who had anything to do with these charactersa nice item to have and read.

The She-Ra Collector's Inventory is a very nice guide to the Princess of Power toy line. It has a great introduction that gives a history of the Princess of Power (POP) series as well as the Masters of the Universe (MOTU) series. It helps to show how important the POP line was, even though it had quite a short run.

The price guide is excellent; it gives full information for each action figure/accessory/playset, including alternates and variations. Values are given for "Mint in Package", "Complete", and "Loose" conditions. Information is also given on some prototypes that were never released.

Some of the pictures are not the best quality, but they provide what they are meant to provide. Overall, this book is an excellent buy for any She-Ra collector!

Buy The She-Ra Collector's Inventory: An Unofficial Illustrated Guide to All Princess of Power Toys and Now

What an awesome book! Hillary DePiano has compiled an unbelievably thorough inventory of all the Princess of Power toys and related accessories that were released in conjunction with the She-Ra cartoon. "The She-Ra Collector's Inventory" features an introduction that summarizes the creation of the He-Man and She-Ra toy lines and cartoons. There is a page devoted to every She-Ra action figure that was ever released. In addition to photos of each action figure, DePiano also gives a brief description of each character and the special features of each toy (mobility, accessories, collector's pricing guide, etc.). There are also photos and descriptions of She-Ra playsets, books, fashion accessories, and other Princess of Power merchandise.

This is an amazing book for anyone who is a serious She-Ra fan. I was a huge fan of the She-Ra cartoon when I was a child and I owned many of the different action figures and toys that are featured in this book. Sadly, most of those toys were lost or thrown out a long time ago, but now I can pick up this book and fondly remember all the fun my sister and I had playing with our She-Ra and Glimmer action figures and the Crystal Castle and Crystal Falls playsets. Those are some of the best memories of my childhood, and now they're all available in this fabulous little book!

Some people have complained that this book is too pricey. I think die-hard She-Ra fans will gladly shell out the money for a book as awesome as this! The only disappointment I had is that the book is almost more like a pamphlet because the cover is so flimsy. Maybe DePiano will consider releasing a hardcover edition that includes info on all the She-Ra DVDs that are in the process of being released.

If you loved She-Ra as a child, you really need to buy this book. It's the next best thing to owning every single She-Ra action figure that ever existed...and how many people actually have all that stuff?! NONE! Buy this book...you'll be so glad you did!

Read Best Reviews of The She-Ra Collector's Inventory: An Unofficial Illustrated Guide to All Princess of Power Toys and Here

Excellent buy for any type of She-Ra collector!!!!!

The first comprehensive guide I have ever seen on the entire toy line. Pictures for all figures/playsets and accessories. Excellent listing for each figure of complete contents including the comic. Pictures of entire clothing line and even the covers of comics enclosed with the figures.

Descriptions of the figures and accessories help lend insight to the collection for the newer collector, and help for identification for the more experienced collector.

I have been a She-Ra fan since the toys first came out and would highly recommend this book for everyone who is a fan of the series.

Want The She-Ra Collector's Inventory: An Unofficial Illustrated Guide to All Princess of Power Toys and Discount?

"The She-Ra Collector's Inventory" is a nicely done book on the various items that Mattel produced toy-wise for the She-Ra, Princess of Power line. All pictures are in color, although some seem a bit fuzzy. All items are listed, along with accessories that came with them. The author includes price guides for all the items as well. This is a great little book for those starting to collect She-Ra figures or for those who just want to remember some of their favorite toys. I recommend buying this book. It is definetely worth it!

Save 10% Off

Read More >>

The Conscious Bride: Women Unveil Their True Feelings about Getting Hitched (Women Talk About)

While these 6 inch thick bridal magazines have ideas on wedding gowns, honeymoon locales, and bridesmaid dresses, this book is wonderful for the emotional changes that will take place as you prepare for your wedding. For me the single most valuable aspect of this book is that it is *validating*that I'm not the only one who has experienced lows during this "happiest" time in my life. Through the use of other brides' experiences and quotes, this book validates the losses (e.g., place of Dad in your life), the fear of changes (loss of name, loss of single independence), the disappointments (the ring, the proposal, the absence of deceased loved ones), and generally the feeling of being overwhelmed by the giant Wedding Creature that seems to overtake your life. I didn't really get "advice" per se out of this bookmostly just the feeling that I'm not alone and weird if I experience a negative emotion as a I plan and anticipate my wedding. I don't really need adviceI just wanted to hear I wasn't alone.

As other reviewers have pointed out, the author does talk about losing one's "maidenhead" and the author does have a tendency to relate things to mythology. While another reviewer had a problem with the maidenhead sectionI really didn't. For example, the author relates part of "maidenhead" to the loss (or potential loss) of one's maiden name. I'm an older (31) professional (Ph.D.) bride, and I've struggled with the loss of my maiden name and my identity (and whether I want to lose my name at all). The author even indicates that older brides may have bigger problem giving up a name that they've had, identified with, and used professionally for so long. She also discussed the loss of life as a single woman, which is a huge deal the longer you are one.

In short: I personally don't believe that this book is limited to younger brides. I've got my own house and live in a different time zone from my parents, but I am still experiencing some of these issues discussed in the book. But all you've got are two different opinions from two different Amazon reviewers that you don't know from sticks on the ground.

The use of mythology didn't do much for me, but perhaps others might relate to it as a way of making one of the author's points more clear.

Did I relate to absolutely *everything* in the book? Of course notbut could I expect to? (For example, my mom has been wonderful and very unpushyso the parts dealing with pushy moms aren't really my deal). Overall, I highly recommend this book. And look: Given all the ridiculous amounts of money brides spend on those big fat bridal magazines that have all the same advertisements in themjust put down one of them, get this book, and see if it does anything for you.

This book is essential for every bride to be and for anyone who has been a bride. I found this book 3 years after I was married...I only wish it was available around the time of my wedding! It would have helped me so much! Reading it now, it helped me to realize that the crazy feelings I was having were ok and even normal.

Some of the things I could do without in the book: the frequent references to mythology and the way the author seemed to imply that in some ways you would become different after the wedding...(I am almost tempted to encourage brides to read this book well after their wedding for that reason).

A great self-help bridal book to help deal with the roller coaster of feelings, emotions, and changing states of mind of the bride.

Buy The Conscious Bride: Women Unveil Their True Feelings about Getting Hitched (Women Talk About) Now

I was married recently at age 31 and while I was planning the wedding I was disappointed that so much planning time goes into the dress, and resgistry, and flowers, and, and, and... I enjoyed it but felt something was "missing". Luckily 3 weeks before our big day my girlfriend gave me this wonderful book. It refocused me on what matters. I read it practically cover to cover in one sitting. It describes all the EMOTIONAL adjustments you make -and aren't really given an outlet for in the frenzy of wedding planning. I feel like I appreciated my wedding day so much more because I read this book.

A great engagement (or post-wedding) gift to yourself and your fiance, or to a friend who is getting married. My now-husband found it very interesting too in order to better understand what was going on in my head.

Read Best Reviews of The Conscious Bride: Women Unveil Their True Feelings about Getting Hitched (Women Talk About) Here

I LOVE THIS BOOK! I got married in October 2003. I recommend this book to any bride with self-awareness/insight and an interest in going through the insane wedding planning process with integrity and as much wholeness as one can muster. The BEST things I got out of The Conscious Bride were these:

1)Validation and guidence for my often not so pretty/complicated feelings that were coming up before the wedding about myself/my finacee/my parents -all of it!

2) a model for how to have a meaningful rather than just a materialistic bridal shower (In the end, I chose both!)

3) a guide for how to conduct myself on the day itself.

Because I studied the chapters "Has everyone gone Mad?" and "The Wedding Day" I was clear that -of course --things go wrong. So when they did, I laughed! I was totally serene on my wedding day and I attribute a lot of it to the inner work I did before hand that The Conscious Bride encouraged, unlike any other book I found (Except: On the Way to the Wedding by Linda S. Leonard). This book helped shatter the illusion of perfection that sets up paralysis and inevitable dissapointment.

It encourages brides to embrace their own humanity and the humanity of everyone around them and thereby create the space for truely having a great, whole day. I drank up every chapter and was deeply grateful The Conscious Bride was given to me because I found it hard to find that psychologically aware, sane, realistic, humane message in many other places.

P.S. One confusing thing is that the Book is By Sheryl Nissinen but the Amazon page calls her Sheryl Paul.

Want The Conscious Bride: Women Unveil Their True Feelings about Getting Hitched (Women Talk About) Discount?

This book was kinda strange. I was put off by the language which seemed to me to have very feminist undertones, and yet seemed to perpetuate gender inequality. E.g. it talked about women 'giving everything up' when they get married, but men gaining. I wouldn't reccommend it.

Save 28% Off

Read More >>

The Anarchy of Empire in the Making of U.S. Culture (Convergences: Inventories of the Present)

In THE ANARCHY OF EMPIRE IN THE MAKING OF US CULTURE Ms. Kaplan has put together a number of illuminating readings of selected American texts as a way to explore the beginnings of empire, its expression in the U.S. in the mid to late 19th century. Her sources range from women's magazine's such as Harper's, works by Twain and W.E.B. du Bois, through "Birth of a Nation" to Welle's "Citizen Kane." She shows how the boundaries of empire were drawn, and how no one was were untouched by its discourse whether they recognized its contours or not.

She begins with a discussion of Mark Twain's first real assignment as a newspaperman: writing "letters" from Hawaii that were published in a San Francisco newspaper intended to promote the island to mainland businessmen and settlers. These letters and his observations later formed the basis of his first lectures and thus served as the springboard to his later career as a novelist. Twain, she notes, in his personal letters to friends and family is drawn to and repelled by the exotic, anxious to witness the rites of the dying Hawaiian people before they pass from history, and at the same time scandalized by their cultural practices, such as their lascivious dancing. Known generally now as an anti-colonialist because of an article he wrote during the Spanish American War(s), she demonstrates how he, knowingly, and with no little anxiety, early on recognized he was implicated in the colonial project. On the sea voyage to Hawaii, for instance, he comes down with a bad cold, and mordantly writes to a friend that the illness he bears may kill off a few more thousand more Hawaiians. Kaplan maintains that Twain's exposure to empire in the color line in Hawaii and the exploitation of that people, (a quite different experience from how he experienced the color line in Missouri), laid the foundation for his later perspective and production of "Huckleberry Finn" some twenty years later.

Other key readings include the first full-length films produced during the "Spanish-American War Mania" when documentary footage of U.S. soldiers was mixed with some staged battles and scripted domestic scenes drew huge audiences to the movies. She suggests that the public happily participated in the jingoistic pursuit of empire through these films, and that these productions laid the groundwork for not just the war movie genre, but the full-length film. Prior to these movies, shorts were the order of the day. She notes these films influenced the structure and visual imagery of "The Birth of a Nation" in 1915, which, if you haven't seen it recently, presents African Americans as the lords of misrule in the American South. Encapsulated in all these cultural productions are the portrayals of non-white men as stupid, power-crazed savages who in their grab at power, attempt to deflower the flower of the white womanhood, while non-white women are seen as exotic and erotically destabilizing. The Birth of a Nation casts the Klan as heroic figures who must preserve civilization through lynching, terror and mayhem. The Rough Riders were seen as masculine white heroes who swept away the decadent vestiges of a cruel empire, freeing Filipinos and Cubans who as non-whites and subjugated peoples could not understand or appreciate the boon of freedom that had been conferred upon them.

Orson Welle's "Citizen Kane," the fictionalized life of Henry Luce, is also examined as critique of the circuits of imperial power. She notes that it is one of the few films that even touches on the Spanish American War as a subject, but that this war was central to Luce's creation of his own media empire. Making the point that the yellow press grew to prominence during this era, repeating the story that Hearst started the war in Cuba to sell newspapers, she shows how the media supported the drive toward empire, and in their cultural productions assigned roles to citizens.

Her larger point is that empire is not a one way street, but rather is complex circuit through which the dreams of the imperial power are modified and altered through contact with the Other. Through her examination of W.E. DuBois, she summarizes his view that WWI was not centered in a dispute between European powers but that it grew out of Africa. By decentering the standard narrative, he rewrites the conflict as the history as growing out of the contact of Europe with Africa. This chapter nicely resonates with her introduction She relates through a Supreme Court decision how Puerto Rico was both a possession, and not a possession, holding it through law at arm's length -a place in which it still resides, in a limbo as both dependent and quasi-independent. A similar judgment was made during the 1830s by the Supreme Court when they ruled that the Cherokee was not a nation in the strict sense, but a dependent population so that they could be uprooted and sent forth on the Trail of Tears. (See the book "1831" Year of Eclipse" by Louis Masur for the history behind that similarly ambiguous decision.

This is a thoughtful book to which full justice cannot be given in a short review. Her location of the Spanish American War as a key node in America's consolidation of its colonial aspirations is important and convincingly done. As a chapter in history, the Spanish American War(s) has always been dismissed as a minor episode, portrayed as the U.S. trying on the role of the colonizer during the colonial era's last gasp, an activity for which as a democracy it was ill suited. What Kaplan shows is that it was a rehearsal for a different kind of imperialism, the stimulation of the American middle-class through narratives of power as presented through the media, and the later colonization of the world through the globalization construct put forth under the rubric of democracy and free trade.

Save 17% Off

Read More >>

Easy Hikes Close to Home: Seattle

I just checked this little guide out from the library and I had to order my own copy! I have small children and finding local hikes that aren't too difficult, long, or dangerous is especially hard, but this little book that is small enough to fit in the glove compartment of my car, is perfect. The author details the trails, the history, the attractions, and other relevant information to make this a truely useful guide. Though it doesn't include every good small hike in the area, it does a decent job representing a very good collection, many that I didn't know existed, and I've lived in the area my entire life! I would love to see additional volumes but until then, I plan on keeping my copy in the car to have handy in case of a break in the rain.

Read More >>