House

When the name "Big Thicket" is mentioned to about anyone in East Texas, huge trees with dew-dripping moss and dense underbrush come to mind. But after reading Wanda Landrey's BOARDIN' IN THE THICKET, all I can think of are good country recipes and amusing homespun stories.

Boardin in The Thicket is a "must have" for anyone wanting to put the country back in cooking.

In todays fast-paced world, it's refreshing to read a book such as Wanda Landrey's "Boardin' In the Thicket". In her book, Landrey recreates the ambiance of a time when people would sit on their porches and rock and weave a tale or two.

I bought this book for three compelling reasons. First, I am a long-time Dallas Cowboys fan. Secondly, I always admired and looked up to Tom Landry as a leader and a devoted Christian gentleman. Lastly, I love to collect and use quotes. I loved reading this book for one simple reason - it exceeded all expectations for all my reasons for buying it.

I cried the day Tom Landry died, and again the day after his death when I read articles and listened to television stories about the life and times of Tom Landry. This simple, little book brought back many of those same emotions. This book is not one author's lofty opinions about a man. It is a collection of quotes, stories, and vignettes from scores of people from all walks of life who are united in their deep love and respect for a man among men, a man of unquestioned character and integrity.

You do not have to be a Dallas Cowboys fan, nor know a thing about Tom Landry, nor do you need to collect quotes to enjoy and be motivated by this book. If you are inspired by reading true accounts of moral, spiritual, and successful leaders, then this book will exceed all your expectations, too.

I had the privilege of meeting Tom Landry a few times and found him to be the most gracious person you could ever hope to know. These memories really took me back in time. The world is a poorer place without him

Famed football coach Tom Landry passed away in February 2000, leaving behind a life of accomplishment rarely equaled and never surpassed. Former Dallas Cowboys players, assistant coaches, and others close to Landry contributed to The Book Of Landry by offering fresh testimonials and remembrances of the man. Landry quotes are culled from materials published over the decades of Landry's professional and personal life. Here presented are tributes to his childhood, family, coaching philosophy, Christian faith, motivational tactics, and the Landry "Look". The Book Of Landry is "must" reading for all Landry fans.

I've just completed my first deck project, and it would not have been a success without this book. Not excessivly wordy, but to the point on every aspect of construction. Given patience, common sense, the right tools, and this book, you have everything you need to build a great deck. Other books give you some standard methods of construction, which are helpful as a reference, but this allows you to create something more than standard.

After successfully completing a bookcase I decided I'd tackle a bigger project - a 500 sq. ft. second-story multi-level cantilevered deck. It took me a long time by myself, but I did it and every single thing I needed to know was in this book. Design issues, code requirements, foundation work, hardware, and clearly illustrated instructions for each procedure. I spent about a month reading this book, walking the space, and sketching designs. I frequently referenced the book during the construction and always found solutions I needed. The guy delivering the French doors commented that my "contractor" was doing a very professional job!

As a side note, the author presents a variety of railing designs but prefers a "porch-style" railing. This was MUCH more time consuming than I expected, but is my single favorite feature of my deck.

The gallery of deck photos was good, though many of the exotic design elements could not be built with the information in this book alone. In my opinion you can't look at too many design photos while preparing your own, and I did browse a number of other books and magazines for this purpose. But for the technical details, this book was my bible.

I will be building my first deck in the near future and have purchased several "how to" books on the subject. This book is far and away superior. For starters, it has construction PHOTOS where most books have only drawings. It's so much easier grasp the techniques when looking at a photo. Also, when reading the other books, I always seemed to have many unanswered questions. This book answered them all. Don't make my mistake - buy this book first. It's the only one you'll need.

This is a unique and beautiful book because of the first-rate and informative illustrations on nearly every page. It is thoroughly enjoyable to read, and the breadth of ideas is comprehensive. This book is really intended for do-it-yourselfers and quite realistically concentrates on relatively small projects,(small one-room cabins), but goes into the process in great detail.
In addition, there is a full color photo section that shows some examples of small cabins built by individuals, or couples. While some of these cabins are not that impressive, it is informative to see what can be achieved without contracting out to professionals.

This is an excellent book. I absolutely love reading Stiles books and have purchased practically every book he has written. There are very detailed hand sketched drawings and illustrations which I have found very helpful. The illustrations are very well drawn and very well written instructions. All Stiles books are the greatest I have found for Do-it-yourself projects.

This book is wonderful. It contians all the information you could possibly need for building a cabin, whether you want a one room hut with no amenities, a two-betroom beach house with running water, electricity, and a bathroom or something in between. It covers everything I can think of and gives clear instructions for projects.
This book lives up to its title: it really is for someone who is serious about building, with more diagrams than "arty" pictures of the wilderness. However, there is a nice section of color pictures in the middle of the book to give a taste of what sort of results you can expect from your efforts.

This book was very simple and just long enough that my children did not lose interest in a drawn out tale. As usual, the characters work together to find a solution that makes everybody feel good, and it helps my children talk about their feelings and come up with solutions. I love Dragon Tales, and this book is no exception! I am very glad that I ordered it!

As a proud mother of a 2.5 year old "shrinking dragon", I really enjoyed reading this book with my daughter. She is shy and seems to relate to Cassie more than the other characters on the show. When she saw this book, I knew I would only be reading this book to her for some time to come! I truly believe it helps her with her own shyness as well. The repeating passages that she is familiar with from the show make her eyes light up. It is fun to have her read it to me because she remembers so much of what happens from page to page. A must for preschoolers!

I first read this book to my younger sister Jane. She loved it . It is a wonderful book for 3 and 4 year olds .It tells about Cassie the Dragon who signed up for the book float at the parade at the school in the sky (her school). If she does not get picked to ride on the book float or does she. You will have to read this book to find out.

The Christmas House is a wonderful, warm and healtfelt story that, although has a flavor of the movie "Its A Wonderful Life", is a unique and emotion filled exploration of the relationships
of the heart and soul at 148 Festive Lane, and the eventual magic that unfolds.

A well-written story draws you into the scenes and characters, and "The Christmas House" does just that. You become involved in the lives of Michael and Arianna and those who come to visit that special address in Lake Forest, Illinois.

As you read and feel this book, you will want such a place to exist, and the author does a convincing job of making the reader believe that it does, in the heart and mind of every person. It can be "A Wonderful Life" at "The Christmas House", and although life does indeed have many twists and turns, you'll want to walk up the peaceful snow-covered sidewalk and peer in the windows, and, as you do, you just mind find someone you know living there!

I love and recommend this book!

Robert Kramer

As a full time working mom and mother of 2 young children, it is rare that I have any time to enjoy reading a book. And if I do finally have time. . . it better be good!

The Christmas House is a wonderful book! I had not heard much about it, but once I was into the book, I couldn't put it down. It has unexpected turns and twists and a story line that was so well written. Finally a book that my whole family can read!
Thank you for adding such a classic to our library.
The Stutts Family

It made me wish it was Christmas right now! All the family coming over and visiting, all the food! (The present opening!) Ha! But this book was more than that, it had alot of heart. I sure didn't expect the ending!

Pooh Corner, Not For Kids Only: ...Any adult or child who is captivated by Winnie-the-Pooh, Eeyore, Rabbit and all of A. A. Milne's creations - as he wrote them - will find magic in a new top-quality three volume set, The Classic Pooh Treasury" performed by British actor Peter Dennis.

Dennis has pleased critics and audiences around the world with his faithful treatment of Milne's stories and poems in live theater performances.

Peter Dennis brings to charming life each endearing character in these unabridged tales for the young and young at heart. LYNNE HEFFLEY, LOS ANGELES TIMES, AUGUST 11TH, 1996

This program exemplifies the potential quality audio has for complementing text. Soothing music introduces and links the stories and verses. Subtle sounds of nature immerse the listener in Pooh's world and provide a backdrop for Peter Dennis's enchanting performance. Dennis's ability to switch characters and moods allows him to accurately portray the range of characters in the stories. These talents shine prominently in the "When We Were Very Young" poems. All ages will enjoy this marvelous performance of Milne's words. AUDIO BOOKS & AUDIOFILE - M.P.T.

The beloved, well-known characters inhabiting the "100 Aker: Wood are skilfully brought to life by talented reader Peter Dennis. His warm British tenor successfully portrays stuffed, slow-speaking Pooh Bear; busy, easily rattled Rabbit; excitable Roo; melancholic Eeyore; bouncing and optimistic Tigger; and snorting, nervous Piglet. Changes in vocal pace and timbre, as well as varying animal "accents", make this an excellent performance. Between stories, music as light as sunlight filtering through the Wood enhances the text and renders this excellent production outstanding! AUDIOFILE 1997 - J.H.B.

This is one of the frequently-quoted "classics" in the field of firearms literature (first edition was in 1971). But even a classic deserves a critical review, such as to determine its (remaining) usefulness, and its strengthes and weaknesses.

This book is not a true encyclopedia of rifles; for such a purpose, a work like John Walter's "Rifles of the World" (or, formerly, W.H.B. Smith's now outdated "Book of Rifles") would be more comprehensive. It is mainly a thorough (528 pp.) technical treatise on most of the major military (17) and civilian (56) rifle actions. Its strength lies in the very good and very thorough technical descriptions, instructions for disassembly, hints for reworking and sporterizing. Nevertheless, the book also contains a remarkable amount of historical and general information; it is therefore suitable not only for the professional and amateur gunsmith, but also for any hunter or collector who wishes to gain a more thorough understanding of his gun, and who contemplates acquiring a new one.

De Haas' language is clear and simple, not without an occasional touch of humour. The author's modesty and willingness to acknowledge some limits of knowledge in such a vast field are remarkable and greatly underline his general credibility and experience.

Small drawbacks of the book are the generally mediocre quality of illustrations (while often okay, they are sometimes dark, sometimes downright blotchy). The bibliography is limited to articles in the "American Rifleman" and "Gun Digest", and an expanded edition would be appreciated. And some commercial German rifle actions might be added.

I have the older 2nd edition of this book, and it is one of the most dog-eared volumes in my library.

Sometimes the author is not quite as technical as I might like. For example, he frequently asserts that this or that old military action "must have been" made out of high-grade steel without having done any actual analysis or even hardness testing of the material in question. But, his descriptions do convey at least as much information about the many designs covered as I would have gotten if I had the chance to disassemble and study them all myself. I don't have a hardness tester either.

The book is generally well written and fun to read.

If you're thinking about buying a modern sporting rifle, you might want to read this and compare the various designs before you lay down your money. If you enjoy sporterizing old military junkers, collecting old military classics, or just lurking around gun shows, you need this book.

If you already own one rifle and will never buy another, don't bother. Reading this would be like reading Road&Track after buying your only new car for the next ten years. If you're only going to buy one rifle and know it well, or if you collect, or especially if you are considering a conversion of an old ex-military bolt action into a sporter, you need this book. It provides an in-depth analysis of not just how rifle actions are designed, but their suitability for customization, what cartridges they can and cannot be converted to, etc. The author restocked, scoped, honed, rebarreled, or otherwise upgraded all of the common actions in the book (and many of the less common ones too). Since these upgrades are what most hunters are interested in, the book in invaluable before dropping money on changes. It is not a gunsmithing how-to, but gives the detail you will need to speak intelligently to your gunsmith and understand his/her suggestions and objections. If you are looking for a good read, you can read the history of each action, skip the assembly/disassembly and design analysis, and then read the conclusions on conversion or upgrades. Later when a greasy old war trophy follows you home from a gun show, you can eagerly lap up every detail from receiver ring to tang.

I have a lot of decorating books, and I am not a huge fan of french interior, but this book is great! It is full of photos of classy decorated rooms, the colors are so tastefull and it makes you wanna go and redecorate your place until it looks like the rooms in this book. It is worth having it and I still go back and look at it, beacause it is sooo cool.

The author of this book has a lovely way with words and weaves a spell in her book about French Style living. The experience that this American lady acquires during her lengthy stay in France is beautifully executed in her descriptions of French Decor, dining, traditions, and the lifestyle of the French in general. This book is one of the favorites in my collection.

Cheryl MacLachlan has created a series of references that help Americans to create a European style for their home. Bringing it home: France is the book home decoraters need to create the enticing style of France. Ms. MacLachlan leads us throughout the French style home, always pointing out the essence of the look in each room. She provides lists, and discusses each item, so that the French interior will shine through. She takes the reader on tours of markets and shops to visualize what to look for to assimilate the French attitude into their home decor. She is the reader's own tutor of the culture of the French home. When you take this volume into your hands, Ms. MacLachlan will teach you how to live, entertain, and even educate your children like the French. It's a lovely way to approach life! Vive la France!

A warm and wonderful volume for any hopeless Anglophile. Great gift.

Author Cheryl MacLachlan writes "...'English style' refers to the unique constellation of elements - homegrown and foreign - that the English have taken as their own". This book shows you how to create a beautiful, charming English atmosphere in your home, and in your life.

My bedtime ritual now includes sitting down with a steaming cup of tea while browsing through every page of this book. After collecting and borrowing dozens of books on this topic, I find this one to be the most comprehensive and inspiring resource for the lover of anything English.

"Like a house, Bringing It Home - England is divided into rooms"...The book's chapters cover the following topics:

(1) The Substance of the English Style: common threads that unite all English homes, walls, motifs, graphics and everything out of the ordinary

(2) The Living Room: how to arrange furniture, select fabrics, and my favorite topic: how to create the look of a traditional English drawing room

(3) The Bedroom: creating a "cozy sanctuary", creating the romantic look (I can attest to the fact that her advice in this section works beautifully!), how to create the English look in your bath, and there is even a section on creating the look in a nursery!

(4) The Dining Room: special emphasis on creating a "tailored, handsome" look. Includes information on English china, porcelain and crystal. There is even a guide to selecting tables and chairs.

(5) The Garden: No book about English style would be complete without information on creating a traditional English garden. Includes a primer on the art of flower arrangement.

)6) The Kitchen: The floors, cabines, furnishings and "cooker" are all covered in this section as well as my very favorite subject on the pleasure of "taking tea". Oh, life is grand!!!!

(7) A Resource section which includes information on all the "English-style" essentials and where to find them. Includes a reading list and travel ideas.

The information is practical and inspiring, as are the beautiful photographs. I feel this is the best book on this topic anywhere.

5 Stars. Enjoy.

Being a lover of all things English, I have several books and this is the very best of all. This book is chock full of information on how to achieve the style, what makes it "English" and the photographs are fabulous. I have never read a book of this style that had so much research that went into it. I also enjoyed several receipes that were included and the section that dealt with the meaning of words and how Americans and British differ in their usage.