House

I am Balinese and live in Ubud, about 10 minutes walk from where Colin McPhee stayed, when he came to Bali in 1931. My aunt worked for him.

He heard a record of gamelan music in New York and couldn't wait to get to Bali to listen to the real thing.

He stayed in Bali for almost 8 years and set about documenting gamelan music. Much of his research was carried out in a village near Ubud where my Villas are. There are still old people in the village who remember him.

His book is beautifully written and tells stories of his adventures and life in the village and his encounters with the local Balinese. It's not necessary to understand technical music matters to enjoy this book - it is totally accessible.

Highly recommended.

It's a very interesting book in regards to what I have actually read. It seems to have accounts on Balinese culture. I found it enjoyable and interesting to read because it not only talks about Balinese culture but about the conflict and clashes within the village like the little dancer named Sampih and his dance teacher Nyoman Kaler.

Colin McPhee conveys many interesting things like when bad luck happened in his home in Sayan and how they had to do a purification ceremony in regards to dispel the demons, witches and evil spirits. His wanderings in Bali to record music and study their music like the rare gamelan angklung and gamelan selonding from Tenganan who were the Bali Aga. Colin McPhee was drawn to the scintallinating sounds and metallic shimmer from the gamelan. At times there are humours accounts of what goes on between him and his friends that happen in the village or when they are touring around Bali. I found it enjoyable because, he seemed to have fitted in well with the Balinese people without too much problems compared with other writers before them spoke of barbarity and the animal like behaviour of the Balinese at certain functions. He writes with passion about what goes on and how things have changed with the colonial rule of the Dutch. The loss of autonomy by the Rajas who were reduced to poverty at times and how their obessions with cockfighting led to their ruin. Yet in times of despair and hardship they are always humble to him.

Overall the book contains a few photographs of his friends and colleagues. I found it wonderful and intriguing and as well as captiviting at times which he covers so many topics like the temple functions like Galungan, Wayang Kulit (Shadow Plays), the music club etc... This book you will grow to love like the book written by Miguel Corrovabias "Island of Bali".

Ever since I visited Bali in 1997, I've been hooked on anything Bali--gamelan music, the wayang puppets, the masks, the smell of kretek ( I don't smoke) and incense, frangipani flowers,... even the sputtering sound of motorcycles! I got my hands on all the National Geographic issues on Bali I could lay my hands on in second-hand bookshops .

When I found this book, I was almost certain I wasn't going to be disappointed. I was right. Consider, for instance, the blurb at the back of the book: "The graveryard, moreover, was a natural meeeting-place for witches and sorcerers, for every village had its suspects, owneres of books of spells that enabled the reader to change himself into a leyak--a ball of fire, a giant rat, or even a riderless motor cycle that travelled backwards. In this magic state sorcerers were indeed dangerous; they could send a man out of his wits or bring him to a lingering death."

Written by a musician, it doesn't fare so badly as a literary read. It captures the magic, mysticism, and soul of a place. A Bali experience is a sensory overload. Colin McPhee happily immersed himself in it and did a very impressive job.

Experience David Whyte because David Whyte understands. That's what makes him reach me. Until I read "The House of Belonging," I never really thought about the concept. And, oh what a journey he has begun for me. I am looking back over 60 years of life and learning where I lived that was a "house of belonging" and where I lived that was not. Having lived in 30+ places, the journey is most interesting.

David encouraged me to look at the concept of belonging and showed me the importance of feeling a sense of belonging where I am in my life. I learned, like David, that a home can give you a sense of belonging even if you are the only person in it. That was a glorious revelation for someone single for 25 years.

My journey through the book bubbled forth poems, memories, aha moments, self-understandings and explorations. Wow! I am reading any David Whyte books I can get my hands on and I have read six so far.

I invite you to discover David Whyte if you have not yet read his books or heard him on his tapes and to keep on discovering him as he keeps on discovering himself.

David Whyte is one of the most inspirational poetry writers of the last decade! I purchased all of his poetry books and cant seem to get enough! They truly reach into ones soul and gets at your very depths! I could only hope another one comes out this year.

David Whyte paints poetic images of wild rivers and migrating geese, as metaphors for the human experiance. I come back to these poems again and again, and each time I come away refreshed.

A well worn copy is always near by.

This is what started it all, my infatuation with Ms. Jensen's books. I bought this 384 paged book at a used book store, not expecting much from it. I automatically assumed that it was another piece of "fluffy" summer reading. What I got instead ws a fantastic horror novel, filled with really creapy images! This was one of those rare books that actually had me too freaked-out to turn to the next page!
The story centers around two sisters, Jodi and Amy, whos mother sends them to live with her ex-husband for the summer. The two sisters arrive at the airport with mixed feelings about meeting their dad whom they've never seen before. Little did they know that they would be spending their summer with a traveling carnival! Yes, their father decided to join a carnival.
At first, the carnival seemed friendly. A place filled with interesting charactors and fun rides. Especially the House of Mirrors, the sideshow attraction that holds more than what you see on the surface.

Then the first body is found, crumpled into an unrecognizable mass of blood and bones. Then the truth behind the House of Mirrors is untangled. A truth filled with grotesque clowns and an evil magician who wants more than to hear children scream in his House of Illusions where nothing is as it seems...
This book was almost impossible to put down! It had me staying up late into the night, too scared to turn the page and too glued to stop. What I like most about this book is that it doesn't have a huge "Stephen King ending" where everything is put into a final statement. This book makes you think. This was refreshing. The only problem I had with the book was some of the diologue. Some of it was very unrealistic and melodramatic. I couldn't picture real human beings using the same phrases that some of the charactors used. But oh-well, this can be forgiven. The rest of the book was great!
On the surface, this book might seem a little cheesy, but if you keep reading, you'll find that it's a fast pace horror novel filled with killer clowns, gruesome murders and some very creepy moments!

This book was one of the best horror books I've ever read. I couldn't stop reading it and I am reading it for the second time!!

Traveling carnival, kids of worker show up unexpectantly,
mysterious clowns, curiosity, secrets, and
THE HOUSE OF ILLUSIONS (let us not forget that!).
Strange, very strange happenings in this house of mirrors
with it's disappearing staircase.
Can the kids solve the mystery? Or are they just in danger
of their lives? They are very afraid and SO WAS I!
I owned and loaned two books with this title,
although they are usually very hard to find.
I want to read it for the 4th time,
but each copy I loaned out, I never got back.
It must have been passed on and on.

This book explains all the little nuances about buying a house. I read the whole thing and parts of it more than once before I bought my first house. It is well organized so that you can read just certain chapters if you need specific information right away. I actually sold my copy online after my house closed. Later, I ended up buying a copy as a gift for a friend. I recommend this book to all my friends who are thinking about buying a house.

I used the Nolo Press tenants' rights book in the past to (successfully) sue my deposit-greedy/law-breaking landlords. I just used this book to buy my first home in the competitive Bay Area (yes, it's still highly competitive even in these "tough times"). Nolo's book is accurate and insightful, written in a voice that's accessible and, at times, fun and tongue-in-cheek. The organization of information, as usual, is right on. And the links and helpful sidebars are fantastic! Don't waste your money on other books. I swear this one is the only book you'll need.

This book was recommended to us by a friend who bought a home in California. Since then, we've bought it for other friends and family. Nolo Press publishes excellent books, and this is no exception. If you only read one book on buying a home (in California), this should be it.

I know the author's first novel and that's why I started to read this - her second.
As I had expected, I've already been attracted by the story though I'm yet only half way. I especially like the description of a father and a very young daughter relationship at the beginning which easily reminds us of our own similar happy childhood with our father. Elegant, refined still very serious is my first impression of this novel. Besides, the English of this novel is not so hard for non-English speakers like me.
I can't wait to see what will be happening to this family. I'll go on reading as fast as I can. "I'll be back" here when I'm finished with it.

A Japanese reader in Japan!!

Margaret McMullan has invested emotion and authenticity in her story - a story of a family's connection to its past; guarded secrets, religious convictions, resentment and finally understanding. We hear ancestors speaking to their descendants throughout the story, revealing the joys and disappointments of life that ultimately become the inheritance of a mother and daughter.

"In My Mother's House" takes the reader on a journey that begins at the family's rich and abundant ancestral home in Vienna at the start of World War II. Along the way, the family's memories of escape and survival, separation and confluence are illuminated for the reader.

The richness of a life left behind in Austria is contrasted sharply with the less meaningful, modern-day life of a daughter who is determined to learn of her mother's past so as to make sense of the present.

McMullan's historical fiction is compelling as it draws upon the darkest days of the Holocaust, lost religious traditions and the smells and sounds of Vienna in the 1930s - a time and place lost forever.

I am a voracious reader always on the lookout for a good new (to me) author. Margaret McMullan is that. This latest novel of hers is a haunting, evocative story of a mother and daughter (told from alternating viewpoints, a tactic that works very well here) seeking connectedness after a lifetime of polite estrangement. As the story unfolds, we see why Jenny has become who she is as a mother. Her story unfolds from 1930's Austria to current day America. Ms McMullan's descriptions of 1930's Austria as war encroaches on an unsuspecting people, are so vivid that you can smell the air and hear the music. And by the end of the book, you will come to care about Jenny and Elizabeth greatly and come to understand a lot about love, loss, and especially, hope.

An easy, colorful read with beautiful color photos of Kahn's world. Any chapter can be read individually or as part of the whole. Her explorations into the world of design and aesthetics are methodical but by no means boring. This is not your mother's decorating book.

For a lively trip from Central Park West, to Harlem, to Connecticut take this book for a ride.

What Jenette Kahn has written here is much more that a retelling of a life (although it is that); rather, it is a marvelous evocation of the refining of a very particular, resourceful, and uniquely demanding taste. What Kahn shows us is her artistic (and artful) obsessions--with space, with self-expression, and with visual delight.

Reading In Your Space felt partly like looking at oneself in the mirror in great lighting (the "recognition factor" of one's own design-maven ambitions) and partly like having someone throw open the doors of (to?) an entirely new world that you always suspected lay just beyond the threshold of what you were able to imagine for yourself, by yourself. And the best part? She not only gently suggests how you might think about designing the spaces you inhabit, but tells you where to go to find what you want, how to make the connections you need, how deal with recalcitrant sources...and then how to rethink it all if need be ("You can always repaint!") and let the spirit of the place--and the prized possessions it it--tell you how and what it wants to be.

In Your Space chronicles a personal journey of education--learning to see (and to trust the seeing) and learning to understand what a space can be coaxed to say about its creator and to evoke for those lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a very personal vision. It does so with an execution that is equal to Kahn's own standards: her witty, brisk-but-intimate writing somehow manages not to leave anything out, and the photographs are so luscious they make you want to lick the page.

This book solidly places the creative inspiration of collectors on par with that of designers and artists. Any reader, by following the path that Kahn has set for herself, gets permission to embark on their own path of discovery and exploration, and with the benefit of the copious lessons the author has learned along the way! Clearly, thoroughly and in a enlightened way, acquiring things of beauty and originality is made accessible to beginners and made fun for the jaded....both will be preparing for the thrill of the hunt!!!

I gave this book as a housewarming to my boyfriend, just after he moved in to his first house. It communicated all my hopes for his life in this house, and served as an expression of faith in the future of our relationship. I have since joined him in this home, and the book resides on the mantle. It provides a touchstone for us when we become distracted by various and sundry stresses.

This is a perfect gift to give someone moving into a new home, or first home. It is beautifully illustrated on every page. The end papers are also decorated in a lovely, floral design. The blessings are simple and aptly stated.

It is a timeless gift to give a friend or yourself and your family

Chicken soup, that is, with a lot of nuts and bolts thrown in for extra fiber!! All though this is, more of a what happens to you in the process book, than it's a "how to do it" book? It should be the second book following "Build it with Bales II," that you should read. Even if written from the female perspective? It will give anyone invaluable insight regardless of your gender, to build your dream home (right). Without needlessly killing yourself or your spouse (or kids) in the process. Her centering herself in spirit and connection to the earth pulls her through, as it will you. After buying and reading this book, you can move on to the other coffee table books on the topic.

I'll admit bias, I was there in the early stages to help Carolyn get her dream up, and out of the desert dirt. I am "Spuds" (Chapter 9). Until I read further into the process, I couldn't believe she would have had more difficult times? After working hand and glove, sweat and toil with this absolute dynamo of a woman? I can tell you she writes it as it happened and her writting, reads just like she speaks.. honest, straight forward, focused, sincere and connected to her purpose. By keeping focused on the goal, she surmounts obsticles that most of us would cave into. But not her. Due to her indominatable connection to spirit, she, rejects "no" for an answer. It didn't take me long to learn that aspect of her persona first hand.

In the previous reviews, short shrift was given to the envolvement of community and personal commitment in the process.
Carolyn, would be the first to step forward with a long list of names. The point being, Staw Bale, by it's nature is a event that "makes" community happen, and long lasting friends.

Of all the books written of the topic, this one alone stands as the testimate from the beginning of the dream to the; blood, sweat, tears, fears, and toil it takes... It's just not that easy. If you think it is? Read this. And, if you take her path, you'll eventually feel the same gratification, and relief that is "almost" done....

I'll sum up her book in one word.. backbone! She's got it. If she can get it done, so can you. If you doubt it? Start reading.

This is a great book of building dreams and manifesting your own destiny. As I read I was brought out into the hot sun, crying, sweating and blistering along with the builder. It has never ceased to amaze me what human beings can bring about if they really put their mind to it. Carolyn Roberts is truly a warrior of life and creates a reality we can all live with. Keeping life simple allows one to focus on realizing one's dreams. And Carolyn's dream is one of giving. Giving back to Mother Earth and giving us a good example of how simple, healthy, loving life can be.

If you are interested in building a house, especially one of straw, this is a must read. It prepares you for the pitfalls and the joys of accomplishing challenges you never thought you could.

This truly is a great read whether you're building a house of straw, wood, recycled soda bottles, old tires or anything else. Although I wouldn't consider this a how-to-manual, it really does provide the reader with a great deal of information you wouldn't usually get your hands on unless you paid a building contractor or consultant. This is a fantastic story of a very brave woman who bucks the system and builds a house on her terms, her way, and largely by herself. You experience the highs and lows, mania, confusion and every other human emotion as she devotes her very being to the birth of her house. Overall, I found this to be an amazing story, written by someone with an inner strength and conviction few of us seem to possess in this day in age. Very inspiring and a must read to anyone crazy enough to embark on a similar journey.

Even though it is quite a small book, it's one that is highly recommended. Some of the items are obvious, while others are helpful and make you think about your surroundings or for just utilizing cheap alternatives to professional tools that might not be in your bag of tricks. For example, the author says to use a cut out of a clear 2liter bottle for a plug remover to hold the pins & springs, while seeing what is going on through the clear plastic. Neat idea and not obvious to all.

I'm just a novice at picking, but learning quite rapidly. There are exercises to improve your skills.

The only thing bad I can say about the book is the first chapter. Long winded, but basically states the following: 1) picking what you aren't supposed to is illegal and will get you into trouble, 2) don't be egotistical and show off to your friends thinking you can pick anything, and 3) practice practice practice, that's the only way you'll be proficient in lock bypassing & picking.

This book ought to be the third level for someone who is interested in learning how to pick locks though it contains
information which may be useful to anyone. From this book one can learn how to develop and use a number of common items to unlock locks of a variety of sorts whether the lock be on a car or a house. Though I am not a locksmith, I have been practicing lockpicking for some time because somebody always forgets the keys. Conkel's book contains a number of ideas which will open locks easily which had never occurred to me.

Let's face it. Sometimes you dont have an entire van full of specialized locksmithing tools handy. But that doesn't change the fact that you need to get in right now. That's where "How To Open Locks With Improvised Tools" comes in to your rescue.

This small book is jam packed with knowledge conveyed in plain English. From making your own tools our of readily available items to picking or bypassing the most stubborn locks, Conkel's book has it all... right down to the last detail.

There are plenty of books and videos out there that tell you how to open or bypass locks with specialized tools. Anybody can do that. But the true experts can not only use their specialized tools well and with great precision, but they also can accomplish the same task without them.

That's what separates this book from all of it's peers. The others are merely bloated instruction manuals for the use of lockpicks, whereas "How To Open Locks With Improvised Tools" is the bible of an entire trade... neatly condensed into little more than 125 pages.

Very highly recommend.

A wrenching, realistic coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the Cezar Chavez farm workers strike, this book is so well done I could smell the grape fields! A rousing mystery,
moving love story, and gripping personal struggle kept me reading all night.
An unusual book.

This coming of age and mystery story transforms us to the San Joaquin Valley in California during the grape strike. I found it very interesting and a captivating read.

In his quest to hunt down his sister's suspected killer, college student Coy Lee Tuttle is compelled to come to terms with his beliefs, his friends, his family, and his world -- the volatile world of farmers, migrant workers and union organizers in 1960's California. Bonnie Hearn has written a page-turner that stays focused on the mystery while evoking images and memories of such things as the draft, protests, union organizing rallies, Dylan, and a period when our country itself was coming of age. Huelga House is a well-written, moving and compelling find.