Maintenance

John Forester's Effective Cycling is an excellent guide for any beginner (or advanced for that matter) cyclist who is interested in almost all aspects of riding and maintaining a bike. This book is a definite read for anyone who rides in traffic. Forester logically and clearly sets out not only the rules but the underlying foundation for effectively negotiating the often intimidating traffic.

I used to think I knew how to bicycle. Right. After reading this book (over 8 years ago) my eyes were truly opened as to how a truly competent cyclist should operate. Even fifteen years of regular cycling for transportation and fun did not teach my half what a single reading of Effective Cycling did about using my bicycle effectively as part of traffic flow. This book cuts through the preconceptions and misconceptions about bicycle riding. After understanding and practicing the techniques Forester gives in the book, your experience of riding will be totally transformed in a way you cannot imagine. You will feel confident about handling just about any situation on a bike--rotaries, making left turns on multilane divided roads, passing through major intersections--not because you are being foolhardy but because for the first time you truly understand how to negotiate them properly and more safely than you ever did in the past, using the same traffic principles that govern the behavior of all other vehicles on the road. I can't think of many traffic situations I didn't feel confident riding in in the 8 years since I read and began applying Effective Cycling to my riding. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

This book has some of the best information out there about cycle commuting. If everyone used Forester's techniques and advice, I'm sure cycling accidents and fatalities would decrease. The fact that cyclists aren't respected is because we let ourselves be intimidated by not only other motorists, but our own misunderstanding of the law. There was a day when I once hoped for a utopia where cyclists were treated with respect-but this day may never come, and now we must assert our rights as best we can. Living in American can be trying for cyclists . . . Although Forester's advice on racing can generally be scanned through (if you are serious about it), his chapter on wheel building is amazingly thorough and has helped me build up dozens of wheels. It is the best out there for beginning to intermediate wheel builders-certainly better that Jobst Brandt's book. Highly recommended.

I like provocative books, and this one offers a nice pallet. I'll spend my Y2K at home, under the covers, thank you very much! If you enjoy fiction on this subject, a book I recommend highly is Glen Kleier's suspense thriller, THE LAST DAY. It's a very original, VERY unusual look at the turn of the millennium. Probably one of the most thought provoking books I've ever read. Simply a great story for anyone looking to commemorate this event of a lifetime with something special.

Gregori's latest book has been well researched and well written. He not only quotes leading experts to prove that y2k exists, but goes on to add 11 appendices to help EVERYONE prepare for Y2K. He also puts the latest info on his website and includes a list of other links, resources and books to help prepare for the Y2K crisis.

Y2k will cause major problems, but thanks to Gregori's book, you now have a choice as to whether or not these problems will affect YOU.

Gregori's book was my first step in Y2K preparations. I like the "why not prepare just in case" approach. Julian shares historical cases where large numbers of people did not take action when they had fair warning and perished. Read it, act on it and get a copy in the hands of all those you love - JUST IN CASE it does come true. I would then recommend you follow-up on the suggestion of the book recommended on page 132.

I bought this book because Black and Decker's guide to electrical work was excellent. The plumbing version is good too, but would have benefited from more detail and basic information for beginners. This book has excellent pictures, a variety of types of projects and repairs, and generally good descriptions and instructions. I learned quite a bit from reading this book.

I am in the midst of trying to figure out how replace my old cast iron plumbing that has so many deposits in it - it reducing the water flow. This book covers what you need to do , what you should do and with great pictures of how to do it. The book covers, installing a bathroom, fixing a facuet, how measure water flow, installing water heater and much more. I am very pleased with what is in the book. I highly recommend this book. I know I will be using this book quite a bit in the next few months as I tackle various projects around the house.

I had always lived in apartments until I purchased my first home last fall. Shortly after I moved into the house, terrible leaks began to develop in the upstairs shower. The diverter no longer worked in the downstairs shower, and no pressure was getting through the shower head. I felt responsible for making the repairs and I didn't know where to start. I sure didn't want to disappoint my wife.

I looked through all the plumbing books I could find. Like other reviewers have said, the graphics in this book by far surpass the graphics in any other manual. It is obvious that Black & Decker went to great lengths and expense to create the many excellent cut-away photographs.

For my problems with the showers, the photographs showed me what I needed to do in one glance. I quickly knew what parts I needed to get. I needed a new spout dowstairs with a built in diverter. All I needed for the upstairs shower was a couple of o-rings. I also needed to purchase a pipe wrench to loosen the spout. I was able to complete the repairs in about an hour.

I am not really sure I would have had the patience to read through a less intuitive book. With the help of this book, I have the confidence to face future plumbing problems.

I've been playing for years, but never did much more than change my strings. I decided it was time to learn how to start adjusting my own guitars so I bought a few books on the subject; this is the one that I keep turning to. Very thorough instructions with helpful illustrations and photos; recommendations for a basic journeyman toolkit all the way up to what you need to start your own repair shop. Separate sections are included for Fenders and Gibsons, recommended setup tolerances etc; The interviews with the master guitar players are interesting, if a little superfluous, but their techs are also interviewed, and provide useful tips and tricks. I have only 2 nits to pick: some of the illustrations- such as the one on how to wind strings properly-could be more clear. Perhaps with arrow directions (I know this probably makes me sound like a ..., but this book is so close to a 10 that I figure I'll just mention it .) Finally, it's getting a little bit dated, having been written in the early 90's right after SRV's untimely death. Certainly the principles and methods of guitar repair and setup haven't changed since then, but a new millenium edition would be great. Overall, an excellent, book and if you're like 99% of guitarists out there who need a guide that will show you how to set up your collection with confidence, but don't need to become a luthier, this might be the only book you need to get.

I'm only a beginning guitar player but my teacher encouraged me to get this book anyway, for all the interesting/useful information it contains...even though I don't plan to be actively working on my dinky accoustic guitar anytime soon, I recently aquired a new Fender Telecaster, so i am even more grateful to have this book now. It's fascinating just to flip through and read at random...nice to get to know the physical mechanics of the guitar better even if I never plan to do any home repair work.

This is the most comprehensive book I've ever found on guitar adjustments, repairs and refinishing. If you're going to do anything more than install strings on your guitar, it's a "must-buy".

The author is specific and detailed in every process described, and he covers just about every aspect of guitar care. he has information specific to Fender and Gibson, among other brands.

He covers general maintenance issues such as installing strings, adjusting intonation, etc. that every player ought to be able to do. He also gets deep into details on major repairs, refinishing, the tools involved - you name it.

The author is very specific about materials and finishes, down to showing how to repair individual chips and cracks and what to use on nitro vs. poly finishes.

While there is more detail here than the casual user needs, I've always felt that it's better to have MORE detail then needed rather than too little information. This book guided me through a complete 12-coat refinish of a bass, plus defretting the fingerboard. The result was excellent.

I am an Information Technology student at Georgia State University and I have found this to be an extremely valuable book. It has become my bible for disaster prevention and recovery. How rare to find a book this thorough and yet this easy to understand. Clearly, the author was a writer before he ever became a PC expert. Most technical books are written by technicians who don't know how to write.

The author devotes 350 pages to a subject glossed over even in the largest, heaviest book on Windows you can find. The absolute best, most useful computer book I have ever purchased, it tells you what to do and how to do it. Equally as important, it tells you what NOT to do.

This book is very easily read and understood even for the first time computer owner as well as all old-timers. The suggestions of the writer make perfect sense and the products recommended are all excellent. If you are concerned about any type of computer disaster, this book will put your fears to rest. This book should be a MUST READ for all computer owners from the home PC to the corperate Computer Administrators.
This is the BEST information I have ever read on computers!

Apparently, a "reader" from Fort Lauderdale, Florida is yet another bitter and out-of-work IT person. This book was excellent and is a crucial reference for the average home pc user like myself. Thirteen 5-star reviews are RIGHT-ON!!!

Maybe I'm missing something but this seems like just another Qi Gong set. It's slightly "harder" than the average Qi Gong set you find in a book but it's not an Iron Gong set either.

It seems to me that you would get the same benefit from any number of Qi Gong or yoga exercises.

While I've dabbled in martial arts for many years (about 1 year Xing Yi training), I freely admit that I'm not expert. I'm just giving my honest opinion.

This is a great book to have in your collection if you practice Xing Yi Chuan. It has a wealth of information on the art and it's background, and takes you in-depth into the correct posture for San Ti stance practice, which is the best way of building power. There are also some other good exercises and stretches good for warming up, and a section on exercises to do before going to sleep at night. As a reference text for internal martial artists, I find this to be much more valuable than Sun Lu Tang's book, which is a classic, but this is of more use.

Fantastic and comprehensive. Presents material that WORKS. Clear, thorough, enjoyable and practical. A gem. Don't hesitate on this one.

I consider this book is a "must have" for anyone except perhaps auto technicians. I am a novice when it comes to car parts. I heard of or knew of (or I think I knew) terms like "Front Wheel Drive", "Rear Wheel Drive", and many other common car terms but I can't tell them when I check my car. But after only a few hours reading on this book, all these common car terms in my brain and their inner relateness begin to fall into their rightful places. THIS BOOK IS THAT GOOD.

What make this book stand out are :

1. The authur strived for clarity while not skimp on details either. The writing is in clear, concise, to the point fashion that leaves no ambiguity but contains enough details to out-content many 300+ page auto books (It must be a fashion these days. I found many such thick books wasted much of their contents on third-rate humors /jokes I found annoying while wasted rest of their contents on ambiguous, not to the point technical writing. To those authors, I will say : PLEASE, either be a stand up comedian or a technical writer, but not BOTH. If you do both, you will fail at both).

2. Detailed illustrations. Almost 50% of this book is devoted to detailed illustrations. Each page deals with a specific car part (be it crankshaft, fuel pump, timing chain, or else) - half of that page is technical writing, another half is detailed illustration. The illustration is not just for that specific part alone. It also illustrates other related parts in the same subsystem so you understand how the part works within the group that it belongs.

The book comes in 96 pages but in generous 8.5 inches x 11 inches size. That's how such detailed illustration is able to fit into half of page. Another thing I like is that the pages are made of high grade, pure-white (not tinted, or neutral colors) paper. Very few books these days are made from such good papers.

How Cars Works is refined simplicity. I work for a major Auto Parts chain and when I get new employees, the first day they read this book. Just from two hours, an average "Joe" off the street can get the feel for how a car works. This book is well illustrated to fit the text. Granted, this book does not go deep into any specifics, but gives general information on all subjects such as Engine (top and bottom end), brakes, cooling system, chassis, and much more. I would recommend this book to any new drivers as well as anyone wanting to know more about cars.

If you or someone you know needs to learn the basics about cars, you need two books: How Cars Work and Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care. Both are great gifts for new drivers. I purchase How Cars Work and Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care for my nieces and nephews when they turn 16. Being an automobile technician, I think everyone that drives cars should know a little about them. How Cars Work does a great job using drawings to show car parts and what they do. Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care uses actual photos to show parts. Auto Upkeep also explains how to buy a car and choose automobile insurance. How Cars Work includes a worksheet for review at the end of each chapter, while Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care has a CD with review activities and internet links.

Finally, There are NO books out there like this! This book offers sound advice (that a parent like me would offer!) On Your Own For The First Time is absolutely the perfect graduation gift book. A guide to starting off in the real world is a true statement here. This book contains useful information for helping those that are getting out into the world and needs a reference guid (for when mom & dad aren't always around). It contains everything from employment to moving out to getting a car to money matters and life skills. I found out things that I never knew and I've been out on my own for quite a few years more than I'd like to mention!

This book is written like the author is speaking to a young person venturing off into the world. He relates to the reader, is very to the point and offers advice that is very much needed. After reading, it is very obvious that the author has thoroughly researched the topics.

I want to tell everyone that I have found the perfect gift for graduates or anyone else starting off on their own for the first (or second time for that matter), it's a must! What a perfect Easter Basket Present as well!

I gave this book to my nephew (through the recommendation of a friend) as a graduation gift. He didn't say much when I gave it to him. I think he was disappointed I gave him a book. But he just called me to thank me and said it was the most useful book he had ever read. Thank you Jeff Bowers, thats the first time my nephew has ever called to thank me for a gift. I guess he read the chapter on etiquette.

Curtis and Libby think this book is great! It helps people start their life alone and it's not just for young people leaving school, it's for everyone starting off alone or for someone starting over. I think the author had a great idea and wrote a useful guide....thank you Jeff Bowers!

This is not a how-to-build or remodel book--instead its a why-to-build book; a collection of stories about nine different weekend-builders who decided to take the plunge and improve their own homes. You will see yourself in this book--prepare to laugh and cry, maybe at the same time.

I bought this book while window-shopping one day, and soon was delighted beyond my expectations. It is apparant that the author has stood on the rooftops of accomplishment, and slithered through the crawlspaces of despair, all while building as an amateur. Seeing what strong feelings came along with building one's own house led him to find the others: many comrades-in-arms that have discovered similar intensities while taking on their own building projects. The book, while particularly meaningful to amateurs who've attempted to do some home remodelling or additions, is lively, fresh and amusing enough to provide a rollicking good read for all. There are crisp renderings of interesting characters who really have nothing in common except a life-changing experience while "do-it-yourselfing". The stories are freshly written and move right along, and include lots of actual quotes, including the colloquial folkchat of the people that were interviewed, which made me feel like I'd really had a conversation with some of them. I don't have much building experience, but I learned about what kinds of virtues are necessary to build on your own. Patience, for one. In a way though, I appreciated this book being compiled so I could experience the chills and thrills of taking on a big project without getting any sawdust on my shoes. And who knows, I may just be inspired enough now to build that porch my wife and I have been imagining for years. I think Mr. Ehrenhaft deserves a big hand for this one. Thanks.

When your back is aching and your thumb is throbbing from that misplaced hammer blow, grab a glass of lemonade and a copy of The Builder's Secret. Settle back and allow your self a few laughs and regain the inspiration to keep you going.

Reading this book bought back to me (vividly!) my days starting out as a carpenter's helper (read: gofer), and the time I was told to go look for a wood stretcher in the carpenters tool box. This is not a book of how-to; it is a collection of stories from those who choose to build or remodel their own homes and in the process built themselves. This struck me as I was reading, and I thought about my own path in the trades. One day it hit me that I could build any thing I put my mind to and I felt such a surge of confidence that I almost danced off the edge of the roof.

Any one who reads this book will learn that there is such satisfaction in building something yourself that you will stand taller then the peak of your home.

I also applauded the way that the author balanced his stories with the struggles and accomplishments of women builders.

Good book if you want to pick up a hammer and saw and build your own house. Not very helpful if you want to subcontract out the labor. It includes discussions on where to place the lumber to smoothly frame the house, and 50 pages of how to build forms for foundations. Not quite the information that I was seeking. Read about 1/4 of the book and skimmed the rest. I'll use it as a reference during construction, then off to the library it goes.

The dedication at the beginning of this book sums it up: "For Dad, This is the answer to your question, if I wanted to be a carpenter, why did I spend four years in college?" This book is superbly written, by an extremely knowlegable man who can explain every aspect of building clearly. True, it is loaded with details, but they are put into a larger and very orderly context. In fact, I LIKE the details, since I don't want any surprises in the building process. It's a refreshing change from the glib overviews presented in so many how-to books. This book is not just for homebuilders; the chapters on plumbing, electrical, etc. far surpass the usual do-it-yourself books on these subjects, and are great for anyone comtemplating home improvements of any kind. It is a GREAT BARGAIN. If you are going to build anything larger than a doghouse, buy it! It's in a class by itself.

I am planning on spending three months this summer building my first house. After reading this book from cover to cover, I found myself with very few questions. This book combined with the code book for your local area and you are ready to plan and build your home. I highly recommend this book for anyone ready to take on the challenge of housebuilding.