Buying-the

I think Jan Foulke is the leading authority on doll collecting. This is a great book for beginners. It gives great advice on what to look for in a quality doll. The dolls condition can be just as important as its rarity etc... This book is not thick, but has great tips and advice. I would recommended any book by Jan Foulke. She also sells dolls on Ebay.

There are more in-depth books on buying and selling at auctions and online auctions that readers will want to consult. This briefs you on gemstones at auction. The publisher, Gemstone Press, has comprehensive guides on diamonds, pearls, etc. that are more in-depth as well. Convenient to have it all in one book, but keep in mind these limitations.
Excellent color photo section, helpful drawings, great charts. Probably a good starting title for this area, but I'd want to read more books before venturing into buying and selling gems at auction.

The author has gone on worldwide bicycle tours and used a bike exclusively for 4 1/2 years for transportation. He tells you how to prepare for every possible scenario on the road and in the city, bike maintenance, styles, safety, etc. He has experienced all the pitfalls and shares with you all the solutions. The only thing that's not perfect is that it was written in 1983, so it's not as up-to-date as it could be. But otherwise EXCELLENT!

An introduction to menswear by the famed mens clothing designer. While it is obvious Mr. Flusser has a preference for the English Saile Row ideal, the sartorial knowledge dispensed from the book can be applied universally. Please bear in mind the book is about good taste & classical style, as oppose to fashion victimship.

My Mini was in horrible shape and had been sitting around unused for 3 years. When my welding equipment finally arrived my father decided to get this book to help us with our restoration. In my case the front end of my car had been smashed by a previous owner and getting the original shape back would be almost impossible with my bodyworking skills. The book shows how to do this although I would really prefer more close up pics of EXACTLY how the front can be cut off carefully in order to preserve it. Sometimes you can buy a used Mini and chop off the front for less than it would cost to buy repair panels. This is especially true in countries far away from the UK where it is much easier and cost effective to buy brand new Rover replacement panels.

The photography is all in black and white and if you're familiar with Porters books this shouldn't come as a surprise. This might be a little dissapointing as these days there are websites where people post full colour, detailed pictures of their restoration projects. I may be mistaken but I believe this book was written in the 80s.

One dissapointment to me was the fact that there was no information on completely replacing the floorboards. The paint and upholstery scheme charts only go up to 1969 which was unfortunate since my car is a 1975 model Mini 1000.

It is not a book on metalworking but it would be nice to have sections on how to build floorboards from scratch. The Mini floorboards are not very complicated compared to newer cars and I believe this is something that a lot of hobbyists can do.

It would be good to have Porters bodyworking book, or the Richard Finch book on welding to aid you in your restoration if you're going to do it yourself. For engine repairs the two Haynes books on Minis would be good. If you're going to do any performance modifications then David Vizard's book on A-series engines is a must-have.

In conclusion I would recommend this book to beginners who want to restore their Minis but they should also get the relevant service manuals, bodywork and welding books. Experienced Mini enthusiasts might be dissapointed. 10 years ago, I thought the Porter book on VW Beetle restoration was excellent but when I read it now, after years of reading magazines, watching friends cars being restored and looking at websites, I don't have the same enthusiasm I had for his book as I did earlier but I still think his writing is good and very relevant as a guide to restoration efforts for beginners and even people with experience.

I've been riding since High School, back in the 60's. Layed two bikes down, one my fault, one a little ole ladies fault. I read about Buz and the 3 advisors and laughed. This book had to have been written by a Safety Instructor. Along with the laughs, along with the bad advise, there were plenty of great tips for new riders and riders that have been on the road for quite a while. It was a great review, it was a great story, and I'd love to say more, but, it has gotten me in the mood to ride. See ya on the open road Buz! Just remember to give a wave as you go by.

Having just checked this book from the library... Perhaps no more a gamble than buying country property, which is lessened by this informative, practical, ecology-friendly, non-preachy, how-to book about the process of moving to the country. I imagine there are places in Hopland, CA that try to sell you this information for quite a bit more. Skillman is straight forward as he describes everything about the process from what to expect from country economies, societies, real estate brokers, financing, etc. He provides extremely helpful advice on how and if to build septic tanks, angle of sun and slope, how to build overhangs and face your home to maximize sun in winter and minimize in summer, getting electricy and water, etc. He gives well-founded cautions on pitfalls of moving to the country. I felt like I was in dialogue with a caring uncle who was expert via experience on the subject. I could almost see Skillman measuring the water pressure or driving up gravelled roads to see where easements lay. One small satisfying book, Skillman covers everything I had to read several books to find out.

"The New Complete Coffee Book" is an excellent coffee table book on coffee. It tells you most of what you need to know, and is impressively presented in a way which would look good on any coffee table.
Nonetheless, this book could, I feel, have done with a few more basic bits of information. I would have enjoyed a section on how to make basic coffee (ie latte, cappucino, machiato) - even if these are considered 'simple' coffee making skills. Also, a bit more information on the different aspects of different coffee region produce would have been good. Furthermore, there is a section on savoury coffee meals (lamb with coffee rub, anyone?) which can at best be described as superflous.
On the whole, though, the book is pretty damn good, and certainly worthy of purchase. I am very happy with it.

Performing for California wines the service that Hugh Johnson's and Oz Clarke's pocket guides do for the wines of the world, this guide has become an institution. The current volume lists more than 800 wineries, with detailed information and tasting notes on the wines of each

The best use for a book like this is as a home entertainment center troubleshooting resource. Either that, or as a booster for a young child at the dinner table.