Cover Books

Captain Macwhirr has a lack of imagination that both imperils the crew and may provide their salvation. He sails his ship the Nan-Shan directly into a typhoon because he is unable to envision weather worse than he has seen in the past. Macwhirr must find a way to hold his ship and crew together to weather the storm.

This book is so compelling because of the actions of the colorful and intelligent characters who swirl around Macwhirr. While critical of the captain when becalmed, they hold firmly to his unchanging, stolid figure when things look hopeless. In an uncertain situation, people will follow certainty -- even if its source is dubious. I think this nugget of truth and the reflections of it we see in real-life lend this novel its power. Macwhirr is certainty itself, more from mindlessness than steadfastness, and others follow.

Beyond the fascinating story and character-study is Conrad's stunning writing. He says so much with so little without the hard edges of Hemingway's prose. Conrad uses adjectives, but with a diamond cutter's precision.

Joseph Conrad was a master of language. In a brief but classic book, you will experience the incredible power of a typhoon while on a steamer as if you were there. Especially real is the scene in the chart room after the initial damage. It is very dark, and Captain MacWhirr lights matches to see his surroundings. Conrad's concise descriptions make you feel even the flame of the match as it burns down. If only this book were longer! I would have loved to know more about Captain MacWhirr's adventures. I HIGHLY recommend this book, as well as Conrad's "Heart of Darkness."

Taking maximum advantage from his long years at sea, and from his innate insight into the human soul, Conrad tells an outright and direct story about a huge typhoon in the midst of the Yellow Sea. But the book is not so much about the storm in itself, but about the human character and how it reacts to disaster.

Captain MacWhirr is famous for being an efficient, calm, dull and silent man, someone you would trust but not like. He seems to be rather unbrilliant, though, never understanding why people talk so much. The other characters are also interesting, especially Jukes, the "young Turk", vivid and dynamic; Solomon the head engineer, another wise man from the sea, and the disgusting and repugnant "second officer", the type of coward you don't want to be with in this kind of drama.

Human character, then, is revealed by limit-situations much more than at any other time, as war literature fans know, and this tale will leave you wondering how YOU would react if you had to make decisions in the midst of a horrible, and wonderfully depicted, typhoon.

This novel is unforgettable. Conrad creates a sense of terror regarding the forces of nature that will stand up to any special effects that Hollywood can produce. The scene describing the panic below deck of the Chinese workers is one of the most powerful in literature. Not to be missed.

Great narration on the audio book captures the British and Scottish dialects, but it's so smooth that it's easy to be lulled into dreamland. I had to go back to the excerpts on Amazon and replay parts of the tape to catch the true impact of Conrad's words.

Captain Mac Whirr, a short, fat, dull but dependable seaman, commands the Nan-Shan for a Siamese merchant firm. He writes twelve letter a year to his uncaring wife and has two children who barely know him. During typhoon season in the China Sea Jukes the first mate tells the Captain to change course to avoid the looming storm, but Mac Whirr will think of nothing but forging straight ahead. The Captain and Jukes as well as Solomon Rout the chief engineer (Long Sol, Old Sol or father Rout to his shipmates and Solomon Sez to his wife who quotes pearls of wisdom from his letters to anyone who'll listen) and the Bosun are at the center of the crisis that follows.

During a storm like no other the actions of everyman are almost predetermined by their biases, intrenched beliefs and in some cases ability to react. In six short chapters Conrad develops a great story of how different men behave in a fight for survival.

The tale of the last leg is told in pieces from letters home. The Captain's letter is barely read by his wife who has no idea what happened. Solomon's is sentimental and cherished by his beloved. Jukes reveals the most. Unsurprisingly we find that Captain Mac Whirr wasn't so dumb after all.

It would probably be better read than listened to and deserves at least four stars for the classic it is.

This book compiles all known games played by Alexander Alekhine over his career. It includes many (MANY) games from Simultaneous displays, as Alekhine did so many of these exhibitions all over the world, throughout his career. It also includes every 'serious' tournament game, and all of Alekhine's match games, along with many consultation and blindfold games. This is not a biography, although there are light biographical sketches periodically, and also information on his travels between each new destination.

As with every McFarland Chess book I own, the physical quality is quite high -- hardcover, very well bound.

There is a lot to like -- I'd consider it the only book on Alekhine's games anyone would need, but for two slight drawbacks:

First, not every serious game is annotated. This is not a really serious problem, because the games which are not annotated are generally annotated elsewhere. For example, none of the Alekhine/ Capablanca match games are annotated, despite the fact that Alekhine annotated most of his wins and some of the draws for his best games collection. It's hard to fathom why they were not included here. This makes it less all inclusive than it would otherwise be.

Second, all the annotations are Alekhine's. This is a minor issue, since his notes are generally accurate and good. Still, notes by other players would be nice, especially in the way it was done in Forster's epic biography of Amos Burn (in my opinion, the book by which all other Chess biographies should be measured). Forster commonly included notes by several players of the day within individual games, and he often added his own notes, or annotated a game fully himself where no other notes were available.

Another slight demerit to this book are a regrettable number of typos. I have not noticed any in the prose of the book, but I have noticed a few in the game notes, just going from a random sample of games.

That said, this is a great work. I wish it had been more of a true biography/ games collection, but that would have made the book absolutely huge, and a truly monumental work, as Alekhine lived, as the saying goes, in 'interesting times'.

This is a wonderful book in any Chess lover's collection, and is a true desert island book.

Alekhine was not just World Champion, he was important for the development of Chess itself. He thought in terms of what it meant to unbalance the position. Alekhine took this concept and forced it into his games. Whether he was on the hunt with his own attack, or desperately defending he relished positions in which he could take some advantage he had and use it to the maximum. That he greatly favored being the attacker is obvious. This book is the most complete collection of his games in existence and will reward your study many times over. Not for the beginner, it is very expensive but worth every penny

This book is truly a marvelous book to have in my library. I have been collecting chess books since 1969 and despite having almost 500 chess books not much comes close. This book most clearly resembles the excellent two volume book on Rubinstein by John Donalson and Nicolay Minev. As big as a phone book this book does not easily fit on all bookshelves. The only caveat is that there could have been more anotated games. One example is that all the games from NY 1924 should have been annotated as Alekhine himself annotated all the games from the tournment and all of his games from that tournment should have been annnotated.

This book is excellent! It is expensive but worth every penny! It would have been nice if it included some rare photos but this is very minor. Even if you own other works of Alekhine's this is still a good book to have because of it's completeness. The publisher has other chess books of this quality on chess masters such as Capablanca, Marshall, Steinitz and Reshevsky.

This book is everything Amazon's desription says. And it's a very solid hard-cover job, with excellent layout and printing. Some interesting biography bits prefacing each chapter were new even to a die-hard Alekhinbe fan like me.
Finally a book that does him justice. One could only wish that *all* the games were annotated, à la "Chess Stars" series (I have all four Tal volumes), but it's really hard to complain about a fine book like this.

This book will make laugh, it will make you cry and it will definitely get you thinking about how fragile life really is and how a life can instantly change.

It contains good information on many issues and obstacles the author has faced and how he has overcome many of them.

The book really says "DON'T GIVE UP"!

What a wonderful story about a wonderful person. His story "Another fine Mess you've gotten us into" is very close to me as I know Bob on a personal basis. We all knew that Bob never let his handicap stop him from being involved and enjoying life. Most of us including my self knew something about his life and accomplishments but until he put his great story in print we then knew the rest of the story.
I learned more about my friend Bob from this wonderful story. The book very much reflects his positive personality, hardships, love of life and his many accomplishments. Bob served his community as a member of our Association guiding the development of many major projects. I recommend this book to not only one suffering from life changing disabilities but to any one to be inspired to be positive. A great Story by a great guy.

"Fine Mess" is informative, funny, and inspiring. Part I details the
author's thoughts and feelings right after his accident and will be a "yes,
I can relate" for paralyzed readers. And after laughing through the
"messes," his positive attitude should inspire those who think they can't.
There are also stories of hospital fiascos that teach a valuable lesson for
all about how vital it is to know your own body. And with an Addendum of
available equipment and technology, this book would be a great handbook for
vets returning from Iraq. A great read and a great resource

Although the author deals with the extremely difficult condition of being a quadriplegic, something most of us can never imagine, his view of his own situation and life in general is thoroughly inspirational. The book shows you up close the intimate and often harsh realities of his life via what he calls adventures, and they are, but always in a warm, conversational and funny way. The best compliment for the author is when one thinks of him as a regular guy like the rest of us, and you realize that indeed that's what he is. Simply awesome!

Life with a quadriplegic can be an adventure in and of itself. "Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Us Into: The Life and Adventures of a Quad". Filled with anecdotes relating to his disability, Robert Prondzinski hopes to use his stories to move and inspire readers who may be struck down with the disability or have relatives who are facing it. Saying that life does not have to end with it, "Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Us Into" is charming and entertaining as well as motivating.

I dont think I would be priviliged enough to be in the same room as this superhero. No need for reviews as the others did a pretty good job. After you read this, you will never trust the government again.

He deserves 10 stars.

Note that this review is 4 years after publication... four years of silence.

A book that tears the mask off the fraudulent "War on Drugs". It exposes the growth of the war from two (highly mutually destructive) agencies in 1971 (Customs and DEA) to 55 and counting. It describes very extensive, high-volume CIA involvement in smuggling itself to obtain unaccountable funding.

It documents the cost of the fraudulent war. In dollars misspent, in innocent lives lost through raids gone amok and witnesses silenced, in the credibility of government agencies and the news media, and in the harm resulting from the 5-fold increase (his figures) in drug usage during the time $1 trillion has been wasted in the fight.

Recommend finding this book used or in a library, or reading Levine's chapter in "Into the Buzzsaw" by Kristina Borjesson.

The first sign of corruption in a society ... is that the end justifies the means. ~Georges Beranos, "Why Freedom?" (1955)

When you finish going through this book, you will gain a new perspective on the drugs war, and some of the root causes of the drugs problem in United States.

"Look Mike, our country has many diverse interests and you're one man in one little corner of the world. There are a lot of people a lot smarter than you and I involved in this business who might know a few things we don't. So just because an action might seem right doesn't mean it is; and even if it's the right thing to do, sometimes it's not the healthiest."

...

He was silent for a long moment. "Mike, don't ever forget a peanut butter sandwich."
"You're kidding."
"No, I'm not. I'm telling you this because I like you."

...

"Bario was one of the best and most committed undercover agents in DEA; he had done some of the agency's highest-level deep cover work. He was also a friend of mine. A year earlier he had been arrested for smuggling heroin from his post of duty in Mexico. While in jail in a Texas border town awaiting a removal hearing, he took a bite of a peanut butter sandwich and went into convulsions, and then a deep coma. He died a month later. He wife was told by the prison warden that strychnine had been found in his blood. The official autopsy report listed the cause of death as asphyxiation -- he choked on a peanut butter sandwich.
Many of Bario's fellow agents were aware that he was involved in cases that overlapped CIA interests. The rumor was that he "knew too much" about the CIA smuggling drugs into the United States to support its own interests and that he was killed by either members of DEA's Internal Security (who was in reality CIA) or by the CIA itself. I had always been one of those who had placed little credence in the rumor. Who could really believe that a branch of the U.S. government would assassinate its own people for any reason?"

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Mike Levine is a good writer. Add that to the fact that he was one of the best undercover agents in American history and you've got the equation for a great book. I had to stop myself a number of times to remember that this is NON-Fiction. The bumbling and deception that goes on at the higher levels of our Criminal Justice system would be laughable had this been a work of fiction. There is just too much detail here for it NOT to be true. This book, coupled with Levine's other book "Deep Cover" show you how the people in power manipulate the media to show the public the reality they want them to see. In light of the Iraq war "intelligence" misinformation, we can see that nothing has changed. In fact, the stakes have gotten higher.

I rank this book with "Dark Alliance" and "C.I.A.: Cocaine In America" as the most telling indictment of America's pseudo-war on drugs. Unlike most suthors who pontificate solutions from ivory towers and exhort stratagem with quill pens, Mr. Levine, not unlike Mr. VesBucci, for that matter, advises from hard-fought experience.

Great collection. If you're looking for inspiration in the use of color, type, layout, photography, or even illustration, you'll find it in these album covers. The designers of these covers really had a unique luxury, which was having a relatively large and fixed-size canvas, in which only a small amount of information needed to be conveyed, and they used it to great effect. The covers range in mood from cool to jubilant, but are always bold.

As a web designer, I see seeds of ideas for navigation, page layout and colorways.

My only complaint was the small size of the book - but I see from other reviews that there are similar full-size collections as well.

would it have been so hard to include an index of artists and album titles, maybe even catalog numbers?

If you don't have the large two-volume Blue Note cover books settle for this compact version. Admittedly the reduced size does not quite have the impact of the originals (the two books were just a bit smaller than LP covers featured inside) but I don't think it lessens the impact of these great designs

Most of the work is by Reid Miles and over fifteen years he created about five hundred LP covers, frequently using the gutsy black and white photos of musicians taken by Francis Wolf. There are two stunning books of his work: The Blue Note Years: The Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff and Blue Note: Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff (they are actually different books). Many of these great photos have a black background because they were taken in the windowless studio of Blue Note's main recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder.

Considering that plenty of these cover designs are well over forty years old they still look fresh and dynamic. I think it is because they are really quite simple, a great photo, straightforward typography and perhaps Reid Miles secret: the clever use of space. Flick through the pages and cover after cover have empty areas, these helped to create the Blue Note look. Most LP covers were usually designed to avoid empty space, "fill that hole with the track titles" was no doubt a common cry in record company marketing departments.

This compact paperback is a lovely reminder of some wonderful work by a designer who created so much from so little.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

This compact book gives examples of some of the greatest album covers, to some of the finest albums, and now cds, issued by the label. It also makes a great guide for albums to check out, to see if they are still in print; which many of them are. Even for the out of print ones, it provides a nice collection for information purposes, and is reasonably priced. I look forward to finding and buying volume 2.

Blue Note Records not only released Classic Albums but also had Classic Album Covers that covered so much more.the Book displays the many images&stylings.if you get a chance watch the special on Blue Note Records which goes into full depth about the Music,Artists,Owners of the Label&those Classic album covers. enjoy.

I purchased both of Susan Allen's Crocheted Christmas Cover books and was truly pleased with them. I enjoy many types of crafts, but especially crochet, so when I started working on her patterns, and saw how quickly they made up it was a real treat! I especially enjoy the gasps of pleasure and awe that I receive from family and friends when I show off my finished ornaments. They're such a treasure and a great way to make a few extra dollars during the holidays. They can also be an easy but special gift for your 'long list' of friends and co-workers. I can't wait to start my batch for Christmas 2001. Thanks Susan!

From the minute I received Susan Allen's 1st book of crochet patterns to cover ordinary Christmas balls with a crocheted cover in metallic thread, I couldn't wait to get started. Not only was I fascinated with "the look" of the metallic crocheted thread, but her clever way to cover the Christmas balls made the task go lightning quick. The patterns are easy to follow and the color photos are so glittery and festive.

I had tried other ornament cover patterns before, but they were cumbersome once you had to insert the ornament. But those days are over since these patterns use a very innovative way to cover ornaments. There are a variety of patterns to follow in this book, so you can have fun creating different color combinations. I gave some of my crocheted ornaments to a friend wrapped up in a Christmas basket this year and she said she didn't have the heart to put them away after the holidays because of their beauty!

If you love to crochet as I do, you will find this book to be a valuable addition to your collection of patterns.

I have bought both of susans books. They are wonderful !!! The instructions are very easy to follow. They make up beautifully. I also bought her yarn. This makes them sparkle so bright. My family and friends were delighted with the ones I made for them. I can't say enough about these books. If she writes more I will be first in line to buy them. Thanks susan for such great books. Keep them coming!!! Pam P.

Susan's books are wonderful for the beginner as well as the experienced crocheter. The directions are clear and easy to understand. Her designs are beautiful and include a full color photo for each pattern. These books are a must-have for any crocheter!

Great book with beautiful results. I saw a great idea online and tried it with some of these patterns. Make them without the ball inside, starch them (VERY heavily, don't dilute the starch), insert a deflated balloon, inflate inside ornament, let dry completely, pop and remove balloon. You now have a lace only ornament.

This is my first book on starting a virtual assistant business, and I bought it at the recommendation of other reviewers. Very good book so far; haven't read it all, but I would recommend it for your first book on this subject.

I wanted to start my own virtual assistance business but didn't know where to start. This book was the best investment I could have made. It is an easy read and walks you through step-by-step with ease. While reading the book, it boosted my confidence level by adding quotes from other virtual assistants who have successful businesses. Have a highlighter in your hand because there is some excellent advice from start to finish. After reading this book, I was able to finish my website, came up with a great name and tagline, and have the confidence to move forward with my business. If you are looking to start a business, this book is for you!!

As a new virtual assistant, one could easily be overwhelmed when trying to find information about the VA business on the 'web. Entrepreneurial Freedom presents all of the must-have information a new VA needs, and does so in a frank and factual manner. I love WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) information, and this book is jam-packed with just that. It's down-to-earth info that every VA needs, and you will race through the book absorbing all of the terrific information you've been seeking. It's ALL here, in one place, and it answers your questions honestly and completely. There are quotes from twenty successful virtual assistants sprinkled throughout the book, and this information drives home the fact that this is truly an industry that takes hard work, but that can be very rewarding.

Entrepreneurial Freedom, published in 2006 by former IVAA President Jeannine Clontz and Lauren Hidden of The Hidden Helper LLC, is a great book for anyone interested in beginning a virtual assisting career or growing their VA practice.

This guide is small in size but packed with information. Clontz and Hidden begin with a self evaluation section to help readers decide if they have what it takes to be a virtual assistant and small business owner. The guide also goes into detail on business planning, branding, marketing, growing your business and more.

Entrepreneurial Freedom contains an entire chapter on finding, and more importantly, keeping clients. The book discusses tough issues like how to say no to a potential client and how to fire a client.

Of particular interest is the chapter on Ethics. Clontz, an IVAA EthicsCheck(tm) Virtual Assistant, outlines her 3 standard questions for helping anyone make an ethical decision in any situation.

This book contains references and lists pointing you to trusted resources for almost any need for your VA business. While it's small in size (only 166 pages including index), Entrepreneurial Freedom is a trusted resource for any new or established Virtual Assistant's bookshelf.

I've been a virtual assistant for a while but when I learned of this book I purchased it. Wow, was I glad I did. The information in here is invaluable. In fact, I've had to repurchase the book a couple of times because I keep giving it away. (I think I've purchased three copies so far.) I HIGHLY recommend this book to any new or veteran VA or small business owner. The book gives you so much information. Lauren and Jeannine really did their homework here. Some books are borrowers, this one is a definite purchase. You'll refer back to this book often. They also offer an workbook to go with it -- great purchase as well. [...].

Finally, a book I can recommend whole-heartedly to my clients!
If you're in the job market, or planning to be, consider this book as a small but necessary investment for success.

Many books are geared to lower-level, introductory jobs. Kaplan has examples from lawyers, doctors and more.

Kaplan manages to be upbeat and readable without raising unrealistic expectations. Functional resume? Great idea but most employers won't like it. Everyone should review the results-oriented examples in Chapter 1.

Kaplan offers tips for informational interviews, including sample letters to request meetings with strangers. If you're not familiar with the concept, start reading now!

And she's got tips I've never seen anywhere else:
How to answer an advertisement for employment
How to open a letter when you don't know the gender of the recipient ("Kelly" or "Leslie") -- and what to do if you
don't have the name.
How to salvage a shaky interview...
and a whole lot more.

This book will be of most help to experienced professionals and managers who are changing jobs but
not making major career shifts. You'll have to be more
creative if you're changing careers altogether -- and in
those cases, you really need to rely on your network.

If you know a mid-career job searcher, this book would make an
excellent recommendation or gift. Newbies out of school would do well to follow the examples, but they may need some help to translate experience to fit the models.

Go for it!

Robbie Kaplan's latest publication, How to Say It In Your Job Search is really three comprehensive guides rolled into one fabulous book. As always, her suggestions about resume preparation are the best in the business. Robbie is equally versed in what to say in cover letters and interviews. As a bonus, she has woven information about using electronics and the Internet into each section, which replaces the need for an e-job search book too. Her style is dynamic, up to date and reader friendly. How to Say It In Your Job Search is the only self-help book job seekers need to conduct a successful job search.

"How to Say It in Your Job Search" gets right to the best approach for letters and interviews. Every job search book has
similar information. Except this one. What I liked best are the
examples of real letters used in the job search. The choice of words is so critical. The author also covers the right words for
job interviews and resumes.

If you're looking for practical solutions to using the right words in a difficult job search, this book has it.

Ms. Kaplan's book is a comprehensive and informative guide that all job seekers, or those looking to improve their resume and interviewing skills, should use. As a newcomer to the working world, I found it difficult to relate to the advice others had provided. Without a lot experience of fine-tuning my resume, I had trouble with how I wanted to describe the skills I have to contribute to a company.

Ms. Kaplan has provided detailed examples of resumes and cover letters, including all levels of experience and job types, that are clear and concise and get the reader on the road to success. Ms. Kaplan's check lists outline the dos and don'ts of the job hunt and make it easy to chart your progress. I found her check lists and her suggestions for words and phrases to use in resumes extremely helpful.

Ms. Kaplan covers it all- from the resume, to writing cover letters (both job specific and unsolicited letters) to interviewing. She includes chapters on responding to job searches via the Internet- a skill we all need!

Not only have I relied on this book, but my family members have used it too!

Since my company eliminated my position eighteen months ago, I have revised my resumes and cover letters numerous times. I have read almost every job search/career guide that is available on the market today without satisfaction.

In all of the books I have read regarding resumes and cover letters, this book truly outlines the exact phrases that should be used to successfully market yourself with your resume and cover letter. This all-in-one guide includes tips about how to have a successful interview, as well as following-up afterwards. It even has advice about resignation letters.

I have been searching for a book that shows career specific examples of resumes, cover letters, that would also provide keyword phrases. This is the one!

Thank you Pat from NJ who reviewed the "Resumes Quick & Easy 6.0" software package and noted that this book was better than any software application.

This is an awesome and easy to read book. I took A&P I & II with the author Herlihy as my professor. At the end of the semester, I sold the book back to the bookstore. Who new that after I graduated and decided I wanted to go back to nursing school, I would be looking to re-buy the book online!

I was required to get this textbook for the anatomy and physiology class that I am taking. It is a GREAT book. It is easy enough to understand which will allow me to use it when I beging to teach HS Bio. It also comes with a CD-rom which allows you to color and name the different parts of different systems. I highly recommend this book!

This book is really easy to reed and to follow. It goes in depth but the pictures and the way that the vocabulary is explained makes it fun, interesting and easy to comprehend. It is the best Anatomy and Physiology book that I have read so far.

This is a great textbook - a fun, readable format for a topic that could very easily be really dry. Other texts I have used in continuing my nursing studies have paled in comparison to this one, which I used in my first course, A&P. Nothing can live up to this. Good job!

It's a good book, it's just a tad basic. Meaning it was written in mind for students just out of high school, adult learning and where English is a second language. The main topics are covered for A&P, but it distinctly lacks detail. What I mean by that is, it does a good job covering anatomy (the pictures are really nice), but the physiology aspects of the human body is not covered very well. For example, Kreb's cycle in Herlihy's book is a one sentence mention. It's not even discussed. The book just doesn't compare to Elaine Marieb's Human Anatomy & Physiology edition. I own both textbooks and found myself going back to Marieb's. Marieb's text is over 1000 pages where Herlihy's is less than 500 pages. Our instructor (a Dr.), didn't once pull out this book, but he did use Marieb's as a reference. If you plan on just passing A&P use this book, but if you plan to understand the human body and ace your A&P use Marieb's.

The Lama Li Travel Journal must be one of the most unique blank journals I have found. I bought the larger 7x9 size and cannot believe how lightweight it is. It is covered in a heavy crinkled paper with a flap secured by an elastic band; the paper seems sturdy but not enough to withstand heavy abuse or the elements. The signatures (sections) are sewn together and allow the book to lie nearly flat when open. Inside are over a hundred sheets of slightly textured paper that has a soft almost fabric-like feel.

I was excited when the package containing it arrived. But to my disappointment I can't use it in the capacity I had intended, as a journal. The problem is that the paper cannot handle fountain pens or roller balls. I put a dot in the lower back corner of the page and it bled through to the backside and expanded to nearly twice the size. Ball pens or pencils are not option for me when it comes to journalling. Both lack the smooth and nearly effortless flow of a fountain pen. So keep that mind if you manage to find one of these journals.

I bought this journal for myself just prior to an extended journey overseas. I love it! The size is perfect, easy to take everywhere, and the handmade paper is very interesting/beautiful. It is not smooth (as stated in the description), but irregularly textured like cloth with fine inclusions of wood. (Not irregular enough to make writing difficult, however.) The binding is well designed; flexible, not rigid, for easier writing. There is a small pocket along the inside edge of the wrap-around cover that holds stamps very neatly. The elastic band over the whole book helps keep it together, a definite plus.

I collect blank journals and this one is one of the most wonderful, unique ones that I have found. The texture on the paper is absolutely beautiful. My teenage daughters were crazy about it. Now what to find that is worthy of using this exquisite journal for!

You'll love the handmade feel of this travel journal. Every time you handle it you always know it's hand-made from the paper to the finished journal.

The texture is great. Each page is unique because of the process used to make it. There is actual 'texture' to the page which makes it fun to write in.

And, of course, it closes for protection with the elastic band. Great product and well worth it's price...just make sure to use it and stop admiring it's beauty and uniqueness!

When I first started looking for a journal, I was utterly lost. I didn't know what I wanted or what I was willing to pay for. The choices are seemingly infinite, and it's hard to know until you begin to work with a journal whether or not it will stand the test of time and meet your needs. This journal is wonderful. It's bound so that, when opened, it lies relatively flat, making it easy to write in. The hand made paper has character, with no two pieces exactly alike, yet the writing surface is generally smooth enough to sketch on. These journals are literally so beautiful that I was almost afraid to write in them for fear of messing them up, but don't let that stop you! I have this journal as well as the leather-bound Lama Li. I like this one because of its price and extra pages, but the leather journal seems more durable and more classically styled. Both are worth the money.