David CrowCritiques

Best intro textbook I've read in a long time.

Pretty much what it says it is. A pretty mediocre (but selective) introduction to semiotics which can feel a bit too reductionist at times. Though it is accessible, I found that the lack of textual information actually worked against the book sometimes, prompting me to have to google a lot of terms and context. The last two chapters touch on some interesting concepts and, in addition to the fundamental information it gives about Saussure and Peirce, are what really redeem this book imo. Unless you want to learn a little more about the application of semiotic ideas to the visual arts, there are definitely better introductory books to semiotics and semiotic theory.

(Read on Bloomsbury Applied Visual Arts)

Loved this book! So well written. Cliche, but I laughed, I cried... I can't imagine having had such an upbringing. The author showed his strength and perseverance throughout. Highly, highly recommend - especially if there's someone you need to forgive. Even yourself.

Growing up with an abusive father and a mentally ill mother, David's family takes the prize for being dysfunctional. Overcoming dyslexia, limited vision and hearing, he completes a college degree and succeeds in a career. He finally forgives both his parents and puts his past to rest.

Wow, first off I applaud the author for sharing his story. It is not easy to put yourself out there for the whole world to see and judge. Yet, this is one of the most real memoir type books I have read in a long while. In the beginning of the book, I was just a casual acquaintance but by the end, I had become a fan of Mr. Crow.

Experiencing what Mr. Crow went through, it would be easy for many people to give into this same life style as an adult. If abuse is all you know, it kind of becomes a part of your DNA. So, here is how I became a fan of Mr. Crow. Let's be honest; his childhood was horrible. Yet, he and his siblings dug themselves out of the hole to become successful people with good families of their own.

There was a saying that I really liked. It was from a man who lived in Mr. Crow's home from childhood. After hearing Mr. Crow's story, the man said to Mr. Crow "You can't change your childhood, but you can let it go."

Warning as this book does feature abuse. Not just physical but psychological abuse as well.

A book on the iconography and practice of Medicine Buddha.

Semiotics—the study of signs and sign systems—has become part of the curriculum of most art schools, and this accessible, visually outstanding introduction strikes the perfect balance between theory and practice. By examining text and image in advertising, as well as “high art” versus “popular culture,” it reveals the difference between signs (such as a word or picture) and signifiers (the concept or object to which it refers).