House

i was given this book over 15 years ago. it has become my "bible" for basic skills. we refer to this book at least once a week for advice and instruction - and always manage to find what we're looking for! it does more than touch on subjects! you get in-depth instructions with pictures to guide you through such things as building a foundation and canning your own garden goods. my copy is well-worn from much use! i treasure this book and all the things i've learned from it. for those out there who wish to live more self-sufficiently, you must have this book.

Back-to-Basics is a book filled with the old-fashioned way to do things. Its about living simple, and not always easy way. It shows you how to do things the self-reliant, independent way, the way our grandparents, and great-grandparents did. Everything doesnt have to come in a packaged, processed way. We forget these things. This book is sectioned into six parts. It deals with shelter, land, energy, and alot more. It gives basic, or more detailed, and picture, information for each instruction. It also gives sources and resourse for further, more indepth reading. Its a book to help you break out of cycle, if you want. Or just read it for fun. You never know when you may need it!

When I was growing up, my brothers and sisters and I would sit and read this book and look at the awesome pictures. We learned some good things by just looking at the vegetables and fruits. Godd stuff, all of it. Asan adult, this is best used as a gateway to understanding the "back to basics" "grassroots" movement. It has a list of other books to read at the end of each section that go further in depth. I still like to look at the pictures :)

More so than any other single tool, jig, fixture, or accessory in your shop, this book helps you solve problems and get the job done. Starting with the basics of selecting and using routers and bits, you'll believe by the time you're halfway through this book that the router can do every job all your other tools do. By the time you finish the book, you'll understand how to do it all for yourself. The reason is simple: a router is simply a powerfully driven bit that be be guided with great precision. Bill Hylton taps into its potential by exploring the various ways to hold and guide it, performing jobs normally associated with other tools, as well as the exciting and mundane traditional routing jobs. Whether you're a beginner or expert with a router or woodworking, this book has something of value for everyone. It is well illustrated with photos and line drawings, bringing life to Bill's clear and easy to read writing style.

I am an absolute beginner having just bought my router and table this week. I knew I could make nice edges on wood projects but I never new of all the other great effects I could do with the router until I read this book. It covers all the basics, as well as some advanced techniques, and has all the necessary jig designs a beginning woodworker needs to become very effective with the router in a short amount of time. I would call this the "Routers Bible" and recommend it 110%. If you only get one book on routers, then it better be this one.

This is among the best woodworking books I have ever owned. It has very complete instructions for every router operation imaginable and lots of jigs/fixture and table plans to make this a one-stop source for all router info. Also found it very readable - I have to admit I read woodworking books and manuals like others read fiction - this one is well organized and well written. Don't buy any other router manual until you have looked at this one.

I rated this book as a "5" based on the happy memories I had of it as a child. I read it during "free-read" time in 1st grade. Then I lost track of it. But I always remembered Gloria the fairy dog and the little girl who could kiss her elbow. I remembered the story as ending very sadly - with Gloria turning herself to a statue because of something Felicity did. That image - of someone being so deeply disappointed that she literally "turned to stone" haunted me for years. Recently, I found a copy of the book and reread it. To my surprise, there's a *happy* ending where everything is tied up neatly, and Gloria is not trapped as a golden dog statue forever. What a change, how different.... I actually like the way I *remembered* the ending better. But still, this is a wonderful book, Gloria is still one of my favorite characters (I remember wishing I had a tiny dog who could talk, just like Gloria). It's a good fantasy book, not tough reading, but not insultingly easy (or I would guess upon my adult rereading) for a reasonably adept beginning reader.

What can I say about this book? One of my child hood favorites! It has been forever since I've read it, and seemed to have lost mine a long time ago. My story is much like the lady who is just below me. A story read long ago and far away, and so much better than the drivel today! Thankfully, like The Hobbit, I never forgot the title. It made a real impression on me. One of the best parts is Gloria the little dog figurine turning into ... well, just read and you will find out. There was something about kissing elbows, and the villan's name was Belinda. I need to desperately reread it to refresh my memory, however. But this was one of the stories that stuck out most to me when I was a kid. Hardy Boys are good, but a good faerie story is always excellent. One of my chief desires is to be a published fantasy author. This is one of my inspirations. I fell in love with the characters, while at the same time desiring to create characters of mine own. This process is now in development, as I write my own (adult . . . no sex, just aimed at adult) fantasy trilogy.

For the High Schoolers, read Alfred G. Graebner Memorial High School Handbook of Rules and Regulations by Ellen Conford

We liked this book because it was a fairy tale. It was cool because it was about a dog that talks and did 367 tricks! It was about a girl that has a dog that acts like her mother. The girl is lonely because she doesn't have her parents. A cat tells her that she has special powers and that she is half fairy and half mortal. The little girl finds out that if she chooses to a mortal her parents will return from the Island of Exile. This book was sad, but had a really, really, really good ending!!! There is a secret surprise at the end! We would recommend that all of our friends read this book! We wish that there was a part 2, 3, 4, and 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book is a decent resource for a person furnishing their first or second home, but it's not a good manual for creating your second home. The photograph angles capture walls, windows, and furnishings, but fail to show the quality of the living space. There are very few exterior photographs and many of them appear to be from the 3/4 angle. There are no floor plans or building details. If you're looking for interior decorating ideas, this is a decent reference. If you're looking for creative planning ideas for building your first or second home, you'll want a more comprehensive reference.

A bit of a travelogue, a bit of a real estate guide, and a lot of decorating and home design inspiration, this idea-filled book has my husband and me excited about the subject of second homes. We are hoping to buy or build our own second home in the next few years, and this book is helping us decide what we really want and where we really want to spend our free time. In the meantime, though, the book itself is like a little getaway. I pick it up, sit back in my favorite chair in the den, and get absolutely lost in all the photos of real homes around the country. Typical of Better Homes and Gardens, the homes are inspiring yet realistic, stylish but not pretentious. The homes are warm and inviting, and the book is absolutely lovable. I don't know when I've been so thrilled with a new book. Take me away, Second Home!

I looked at this book at a bookstore several times before I finally ordered it from amazon. I am not in the market for a second home, but I am looking for great ideas for the well-designed, charming, smaller cottage we hope to build. We are so dissatisfied with all the plans builders are showing us and need alternatives. This book is full of wonderful small and midsized homes that have charm and character. We have decided that we want a "vacation type" house wherever we end up building. To us, that means something cozy and warm and functional with lots of windows and a casual, welcoming feeling,whoch is what we are finding on page after page in this Second Home book. I think they should have named this book Great Little Houses No Matter Where You Live.

A very useful reference, even for those (like me) just starting to understand different styles of homes. My only gripes: more photos, color photos, and more specific information on the photos would be more useful.

As a first time buyer of a vintage home I disapointedly rambled the internet look for a definitive guide to identifying the style of my home. Finally I lucked upon the Field Guide to American Houses and using its detailed guidance and illustrations I quickly solved the mystery. This book is well organized and very clear in describing the key identifying features of American homes. The numerous illustrations and photographs allow the reader to visualize the single or multiple influences used in the construction of a vintage home. A must for those interested in walking tours of homes.

If you are an old-house fan, this book is the equivalent of a college education. Here are some reasons this book is both entertaining and useful:

It starts with chapters on basic structure: shapes of houses, style of construction, ornamentation, etc. There are simple, remarkably clear drawings accompanying all this that will serve to give you a kind of 'vocabulary' to interpret houses when you run across something new (for example, a dozen different types of dormers - what are they all called?). (These involve almost entirely external elements, for detailed interiors you will need another book.)

Lots of delicious historical background about how history and technological advances changed housing. For example, the authors divide folk housing into "pre" and "post-railroad" because not until railroads made building materials nationally accessible did a national set of housing styles develop.

Following this, there are a series of chapters describing different styles (i.e., Victorian, Tudor, etc.), starting with the characteristic details, when and where the style is found, etc. The McAlisters do a particularly good job on regional variations; there are some remarkable maps showing the prevelance of different styles in different states.

The graphics are fantastic and plentiful. The simple stylzed drawings of building elements (rooflines, doorways, windows, etc.) clearly distinguish one detail from another, while the photographs make you want to pop into the car and drive all over to see the real houses themselves.

One note: there is a table, starting around p. 55, that will make the book much easier to use as a 'field guide' (i.e., driving around looking at houses the way birders look at birds). This chart helps you use key identifying features to determine the most likely style of the house. For example, my house has a steeply pitched roof and multliple gables, so it's probably a Tudor. From there you can go to the proper chapter. Without this chart you'll have to search the whole book.

"Hidden Treasures" is a friend for anyone whose pulse has ever reacted to the sight of a grand piece of antique furniture. For those who have ever become breathless or teary-eyed over fruniture, it should be required reading. The most appreciated surprise of "Hidden Treasures" is how generous the Kenos are with their knowledge -- reading this book is almost like being enrolled in an advanced course in American furniture complete with field trips and historic background. There's even a textbook like glossary for quick reference to terms.

The world of the Keno brothers is one of extreme privilege and yet, as we travel from their modest and nurturing childhood to the decisive playgrounds of the wealthy -- Sotheby's, Christie's, and the Winter Antiques Show -- we feel welcome, if not at home. That is, perhaps, the most endearing charm of these identical gentlemen -- they are seemly unaffected by their palacial world -- driven primarily by their passion for historic masterpieces of American furniture and a childlike enthusiasm for the hunt. The honesty and power of their passion ignites every page of their book as it does everyday of their lives. And, it is so infectious that many will be inspired to begin plotting their first five, six, seven, or eight-figure purchase of Americana.

My only slight disappointment was with some of the writing. The masterful talent of Thatcher Freund, author of "Objects of Desire" could have been put to good use on this project. I only wish he would have been part of the team. Then, the book would have been perfect -- an American Masterpiece.

How many of us can say that we knew at age 12 what we wanted to be and then accomplished our goal? Leigh and Leslie Keno can. This treasure of a book is as much a story of their journey from a small upstate New York town and country antique shows to the glamour of New York City and Sotheby's, as it is about "masterpieces in American furniture.". The twins - already celebrities from PBS' Antiques Roadshow - have penned a fascinating book that will appeal to antiques experts and those, like myself who have only a passing knowledge of the subject. In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I am originally from the village next to the Keno's home town and that their father - mentioned frequently in the book - was my highschool art teacher. It was an added pleasure reading of their references to their family and New York's Mohawk Valley. It is clear that Leigh and Leslie have never lost that boyish enthusiasm they developed hunting for hidden treasures in the farmland that surrounded their home. That enthusiasm permeates the book. I cannot close this review without commenting on the beauty of the book itself. From its attractively designed slipcover, to its high quality paper stock and rich photography this book is a pleasure to display as well as read.

I've enjoyed the Antiques Roadshow for a number of years, and have been intrigued by the various people who are specialists in the different fields of antiques. How did they learn their subjects? What education did they pursue? Those were a few of the questions that were of interest to me. The twins, Leslie and Leigh Keno are an attractive addition to the Roadshow. I especially like the fact that they are always polite and kind to the people who bring in the antique items for evaluation. The Keno brothers never appear to be condescending to the visitors, and their enthusiasm about the antiques is catchy.

Well, HIDDEN TREASURES was a pleasure to read. In this autobiographic form, Leigh and Leslie tell about growing up in New York and how they became interested in learning about objects that they found around the old family farm and how that interest turned into a love of American antiques. They also relate some interesting stories about their experiences in discovering, and being involved in the identification of some rare and unique pieces of furniture. They both write well, and I found the book to be very entertaining.

You don't have to be an antiques expert to enjoy this book.

I am not a Feng Shui Expert, nor did I have any interest in Feng Shui. However, I was at a party over the weekend and noticed this book on the hostesses coffee table and the title intrigued me. I picked it up and began leafing through it. I did not realize that I had spent over an hour off in the corner to myself going through this book until my wife came to retrieve me.

I went out the next morning and bought a copy of the book for myself.

I had always thought Feng Shui was a complex subject and very difficult to understand. I never gave it my credence as I was under the impression that I would have to hire some bohemian woman to come into my home wearing fluffy skirts and spraying incents to get my home into balance. I was mistaken. Just from looking at the back cover of the book and seeing a picture of the Author, I realized my impressions were mistaken.

I found this book very easy to follow, written in simple terms to explain things that were out of my expertise. I enjoyed walking around my home after reading the sections and looking hard at the placement and balance of my home and thinking of ways to improve upon what I already had. I appreciated the author's perspective that I could use what I already had and enhance, altar or decrease as opposed to completely redoing.

Another plus I found with this book was the author's web page and a link to speak/e-mail directly with a professional on the subject for additional questions I had.

I will now keep this book "Back to Balance" on my coffee table for future parties at my home.

- Howard

This easy-to-read non-fiction is hard to put down. Ms. Fretwell takes a subject that is fascinating to me and puts it into a perspective that I can use in my own life, and in my work as a Realtor. There is such truth and insight into her work. In a very few words she is able to convey large and confusing concepts about feng shui and personality types that come together and have great meaning. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to make improvements in their quality of life.

I have lived my life by the Feng Shui practices for many years and frequently pick up new books to explore other avenues of my fascinating art.

I found Back to Balance on Amazon and was impressed by what I saw on the web page and ordered the book. I was throughly impressed with the author's interpretation and descriptions throughout the book and feel that the author has a very good sense of Feng Shui and can explain it to the layperson in simple to understand terms.

I found this book to be right on the mark.

Thank You,

Jenny

After years without picking up a novel by Dickens (memories of starchy classes at school), I decided to plunge into "Bleak House", a novel that had been sitting on my bookshelf for about ten years, waiting to be read. Although I found it heavy going at first, mainly because the style is so unfamiliar to modern readers, after about ten pages I was swept up and carried off, unable to put the hefty tome down until I had finished it. This book is a definite classic. The sheer scope of the tale, the wit of the satire (which could still be applied to many legal proceedings today) and the believable characters gripped me up until the magnificent conclusion. One particularly striking thing is the "cinematic" aspect of certain chapters as they switch between different angles, building up to a pitch that leaves the reader breathless. I can't recommend "Bleak House" too highly. And I won't wait so long before reading more Dickens novels.

This is the second book by Dickens I have read so far, but it will not be the last. "Bleak House" is long, tightly plotted, wonderfully descriptive, and full of memorable characters. Dickens has written a vast story centered on the Jarndyce inheritance, and masterly manages the switches between third person omniscient narrator and first person limited narrator. His main character Esther never quite convinces me of her all-around goodness, but the novel is so well-written that I just took Esther as she was described and ran along with the story. In this book a poor boy (Jo) will be literally chased from places of refuge and thus provide Dickens with one of his most powerful ways to indict a system that was particularly cruel to children. Mr. Skimpole, pretending not to be interested in money; Mr. Jarndyce, generous and good; Richard, stupid and blind; the memorable Dedlocks, and My Lady Dedlock's secret being uncovered by the sinister Mr. Tulkinghorn; Mrs. Jellyby and her telescopic philanthropy; the Ironmaster described in Chapter 28, presenting quite a different view of industralization than that shown by Dickens in his next work, "Hard Times." Here is a veritable cosmos of people, neighbors, friends, enemies, lovers, rivals, sinners, and saints, and Dickens proves himself a true master at describing their lives and the environment they dwell in. There are landmark chapters: Chapter One must be the best description of a dismal city under attack by dismal weather and tightly tied by perfectly dismal laws, where the Lord Chancellor sits eternally in Lincoln's Inn Hall. Chapter 32 has one of the eeriest scenes ever written, with suspicious smoke, greasy and reeking, as a prelude to a grisly discovery. Chapter 47 is when Jo cannot "move along" anymore. This Norton Critical is perhaps the best edition of "Bleak House" so far: the footnotes help a lot, and the two Introductions are key to understanding the Law system at the time the action takes place, plus Dickens' interest in this particular topic. To round everything off, read also the criticism of our contemporaries, as well as that of Dickens' time. "Bleak House" is a long, complex novel that opens a window for us to another world. It is never boring and, appearances to the contrary, is not bleak. Enjoy.

Umm, I thought the book was too short! I fell in love with the book within the first ten words, and like all love affairs, this one ended too quickly. For those who thought Bleak House was dull, boring, lengthy, and wordy, may I suggest a television reality show?

I wouldn't be without this book raising a toddler. It follows in Baby Bargains' tradition of giving the best and most detailed advice I've seen on the key purchases that we need to make (i.e. booster seats, potty seats). These guys have exhaustive knowledge of manufacturers and standards, and allow me to shop armed with knowledge.

I don't love this book quite as much as Baby Bargains, mainly because there are not as many big purchasing decisions to make. Also, I found the booster seat discussion a bit confusing, but still much better than anything else out there.

I'll buy any book these guys write that is relevant to my life!

Denise & Alan have out done themselves again. I benefitted as much from this as their Baby Bargains book. It has a wealth of information to get you through the toddler years at a great savings. They were right on target with the reviews on Booster Seats. This book by far stands out above other books that rate products. It is laid out in a easy to read format & offers practical well researched information. I will recommend this to all the parents for whom I purchased Baby Bargains. Carry this with you when you shop & you can't go wrong.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this book in addition to "Baby Bargains." With a 3-year-old and a brand new baby, I truly appreciate the objective and honest "FIELD studies" that thoroughly explain options to the variety of decisions that must be made. These 2 books are full of sensible product comparisons related to price, safety, ease of use, and necessity. Additionally, practical tips of all kinds are included to help a very busy parent with a toddler make good choices concerning "wants" and "needs"--(such as choosing toys, vacations, clothes, and classes). Along with these 2 invaluable books, I keep "The Pocket Parent" a fabulous quick-read guide of the very same shape that fits perfectly in the glove compartment. This A-Z compendium is written just for parents with 2's, 3's, 4's, and 5's whom (as you already know if you have one) often don't wish to cooperate on money saving shopping sprees. I found so many great tips that work on the spot for such challenging behaviors as the oh so annoying "Gimmes", Whining, Fighting, Interrupting, Bad Words, "I Hate You's", and Tantrums in public that can drive you close to your wits' end. In addition, all 3 books are loaded with compassion and humor, probably because the authors are parents that have personally "been there" too. My husband and I highly recommend these 3 outstanding books to help moms and dads make wise decisions while remaining somewhat sane in the process!

"In the Stone Circle" is more of a mystery than a horror story, with a touch of historical facts. The story is thought provoking, but not very deep. A Ouija board could have been an interesting addition in finding out who was trying to contact Cristyn. There are plenty of witty, sarcastic lines in this book, but younger readers may not understand them. Elizabeth Cody Kimmel accurately portrayed teenagers under stress, without making them seem ditzy. At times, Cristyn seemed a bit too mature for a fourteen-year old, but was a perfect match to Miranda, who was a very childish fourteen-year old. Near the end of the book, it got a little confusing - that's my major complaint. Now for nitpicking: Crystin is the most common/semi-correct way of spelling Christine in Welsh - not Cristyn. But, Crystin might be the "modern" version. This is a good book to read on a rainy day. I recommend.

Cristyn has traveled to Wales to spend the summer with her dad while he does research for a book about Owain Glyndwr. Not only does she loose her summer to a country that she has never seen before, she also has to share the house with Erica Dunham and her two children Miranda and Dennis. It's worse than Christyn thought though because Miranda is moody and Dennis is a pain. Then spooky things start to happen in the house and Christyn feels as though she is being watched. Then she discovers the secret of the cellar.

This book was inspired by a trip to Wales by the author. It is an amazing book that brings the beauty of Wales to life - even though it is somewhat soggy as the author has it raining just about every day. Cristyn didn't want to go to Wales at all, but she became curious when her father told her that her mother was from Wales. That curiosity grows when she discovers the secret of the cellar and who has been haunting her.

This is a brillaintly written novel that flowed from page to page, keeping you firmly locked up in the sotry along the way. Miranda is probably one of the most annoying people I have ever come across in a book, but as the story unfolds you learn why she is the way she is (and her story is pretty sad). I read this in one sitting because I didn't want to put the book down, and I spent a very enjoyable afternoon lost in it's pages.

I read other ghost stories like Time for Andrew and Wait Til Helen Comes, but In the Stone Circle just sucked me in. Since I am a history nut, I was fascinated by the Welsh history. The ghost was equally fascinating. I would highly recommend this book to others.