Gravity: A Novel of Medical Suspense

Amazon.com

Tess Gerritsen used to be a doctor, so it comes as no great surprise that the medical aspects of her latest thriller are absolutely convincing--even if most of the action happens in a place where few doctors have ever practiced--outer space.

Dr. Emma Watson and five other hand-picked astronauts are about to take part in the trip of a lifetime--studying living creatures in space. But an alien life form, found in the deepest crevices of the ocean floor, is accidentally brought aboard the shuttle Atlantis. This mutated alien life form makes the creatures in Aliens look like backyard pets.

Soon the crew are suffering severe stomach pains, violent convulsions, and eyes so bloodshot that a gallon of Murine wouldn't help. Gerritsen brilliantly describes the difficulties of treating sick people inside a space module, and how the lack of gravity affects the process of taking blood and inserting a nasal tube. Dr. Watson does her best, but her colleagues die off one by one and the people at NASA don't want to risk bringing the platform back to earth. Only Emma's husband, a doctor/astronaut himself, refuses to give up on her. As we read along, eyes popping out of our heads, all that's missing is one of those bland NASA voices saying, "Houston, we have a problem--we're being attacked by tiny little creatures that are part human, part frog, and part mouse."

Other examples of Gerritsen's controlled medical horrors: Bloodstream, Harvest, and Life Support. --Dick Adler

Book Description

A young NASA doctor must combat a lethal microbe that is multiplying in the deadliest of environments -- space -- in this acclaimed blockbuster of medical suspense from Tess Gerritsen, bestselling author of Harvest, Life Support, and Bloodstream.

Gravity

Dr. Emma Watson has been training for the adventure of a lifetime: to study living beings in space. But her mission aboard the International Space Station turns into a nightmare beyond imagining when a culture of single-celled organisms begins to regenerate out of control -- and infects the space station crew with agonizing and deadly results. Emma struggles to contain the outbreak while back on Earth her estranged husband, Jack McCallum, works frantically with NASA to bring her home. But there will be no rescue. The contagion now threatens Earth's population, and the astronauts are stranded in orbit, quarantined aboard the station -- where they are dying one by one...

Customer Reviews:

Good and creepy.......2007-09-28

This one pulled me in and kept me awake late into the night with its vivid descriptions of a creepy biohazard aboard the space shuttle and International Space Station. The book also has one of the best descriptions of a space launch this side of Michener's Space and Wolfe's The Right Stuff. The combination made this book a 5-star winner. Highly recommended.

I gravitated towards this book.......2007-07-08

I am a reader of sci-fi and horror books. I love action, adventure and humans battling creatures. I didn't pick up this book for the "medical suspense," I picked it up for the "Alien" vibe I got from the synopsis. And I am pleased to inform you that if you're more like me then you will not be disappointed with Gravity.
The book is said to be a mix of "Apollo 13" and "ER", but I'd say it's more like a cross between "Outbreak" and "Alien". It's basically about this mysterious virus that unleashes itself among 10 astronauts aboard the International Space Station. How did it get aboard the ship? Is this an experiment? bioterrorism? a mistake? The virus is extremely deadly, and extremely unheard of so nobody will allow the Astronauts to come home. The astronaut's loved ones will fight for their return not knowing that this virus could wipe out mankind if it falls into the wrong hands.
The book is very well written, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes sci-fi and action-adventure thrillers as well as the medical novels.

My only minor complaint is the latest paperback cover art with the body under the white sheet...umm they're in outer space!

One time, I read a Tess Gerritsen book...and nothing happened.......2007-05-23

Tess Gerritsen's novels were always second- or third-tier for me, something I'd get around to eventually after reading everything of priority on my list. At last, however, I was forced into my lower tiers for a school assignment, and so I picked a comfortable spot in Starbucks and dove into GRAVITY.

A mind-numbing experience in boredom ensued. The book opened with a bang, something I prefer in my fiction, so I thought all was gravy. And then the second chapter busted straight out of the gate, and I thought I'd died and gone to fiction lover's heaven. But something curious happened next: The second chapter was a hoax. Never happened, at least, not in the way it first appeared. I immediately docked Gerritsen points for false conflict. Hoping she wouldn't repeat this error, I kept reading.

But it proved to be more of the same. The first chapter that came on like gangbusters? Never referenced again until late in the book, when the action really did start heating up. But by that time I was too disengaged from the story because of all the hurry-up-and-waiting Gerritsen had put me through. And that's GRAVITY in a nutshell: False conflict after false conflict intermingled with melodramatic love scenes. It all made me feel like something was happening, when in truth the story had stalled like Apollo 13 on the launch pad during a hurricane.

It's not that Gerritsen is necessarily a bad writer; on the contrary, she had plenty of extremely vivid visuals throughout, some thrilling and scary moments, and a steady narrative hand that showed promise as a suspense author. But she too often telegraphed the surprises and undercut the suspense with boo scares. I might give Gerritsen another chance, but not anytime soon. If you want real suspense, read INTENSITY by Dean Koontz instead.

Not her best work.......2007-03-11

I'm a huge Tess Gerritsen fan and this is probably the first one that didn't put me over the top. I was fascinated by the space station information, but certainly there was some dramatic license taken. Especially the "rescue" seemed implausible. While the medical backdrop is usually what I like best about Ms Gerritsen's books, this one was, pardon the pun, a little out of this world.

quite believable and well written sci-fi.........2007-02-09

This is one of the best and well written sci-fi thrillers I have read. Good thing about this is its almost believable. Though the esoteric nature of the subject makes the story more believable I have to accept that its a well written story with a well thought out plot. Great work from Gerristen. To give an idea how much I liked it, I took the public transport instead of my car to work for few days so that I can read the book during commute :)

-Santhosh.

Book Description

From one of the world’s best-selling and most entertaining mystery writers comes a beguiling new novel starring the beloved Inspector Flynn.

Boston police inspector Francis Xavier Flynn is in for a tough day. He has hardly gotten a wink of sleep, due to a marathon bout of detective work. His daughter, Jenny, drags him to a cemetery, where her best friend is nailed to a tree by his ear. Unfortunately, the boy refuses to reveal who did it or why. Next, Flynn hears that his incompetent sidekick, Grover, has convinced the police chief to fire him—again. And then Flynn finds out that a local cop has developed a tendency to pursue and arrest the wrong people—based only on the color of their skin. Dealing with the infuriating, befuddled, and intolerant Boston police force is enough to keep him more than busy, but someone even more powerful than the chief of police wants Flynn to forget everything else and concentrate on discovering who is threatening a certain Harvard professor.

With startling wit, deft characterization, and insightful social commentary, Flynn’s World is a masterpiece of mystery and a complete joy to read.

Customer Reviews:

A Fine Flynn Finish.......2007-04-13

While I understand where some others believe this to be a wee pedantic, I believe this comprises only a small part of the book. On the whole the book is highly believable, the skewering of intellectualized misbehavior spot-on, and the humanizing of and, one might say, redemption of "Grover" is worth the price tag alone. Unless you are fond of dry police procedurals, you have to take some of these fictional detectives with a grain of salt to enjoy them -- sure, Flynn's world is idealized, else he wouldn't be Flynn!

I find this book to be the perhaps the most enjoyable of all the Mcdonald books I've read so far, and highly recommend it. You've got to read it, if you're a fan of Flynn.

nice revisit, tin the end too preachy & simplistic.......2005-04-22

Interesting to see Flynn back after all these years.. definately a more seasoned MacDonald, but not his best. I would think Wise Saws to finish off the time compendeum novels might be better, but last i checked that was onoy available in e-book, for a high price. This novel brought back favorite characters, but ended up being a bit too didactic (preachy). Buck passes Flynn was my fave, along with the original Flynn, and then of cause the intro to Flynn in Confess Fletch. Flynn's Inn being the most contrived..and hardly worth the print in my estimation.. no.. if you want more Macdonald.. i actually think he was at his best in his early days.. find some of the earlier prints, than this.. Safekeeping.. M.E. Love among the Mashed Potatoes..

Supurb style--sappy story.......2005-03-15

This book was my first experience with the intrepid Inspector Flynn, who poses as a (sort of) police officer while acting as a secret agent for an unnamed international do-gooder organization. While I enjoyed reading the book, I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

If you are a fan of hard-boiled crime fiction, then this book ain't your cup o' hooch. It is not so much a mystery as a comedic political/social commentary that's been gussied up as a whodunnit.

The all-knowing and all-too-perfect Flynn must solve three different mysteries: (1) who nailed the ear of his daughter's beau to a cemetery tree (with the stoic boyfriend still attached); (2) who is threatening an old-school Harvard Professor; and (3) why is a wunderkind cop arresting only minorities? Ultimately, the answer to each of the mysteries is underwhelming and hardly seems worth the effort. The racist cop subplot feels particularly forced and out of place. It's almost like McDonald was trying to pad his word count in order to keep this from being a novella rather than a novel.

The real star of the book is the witty dialog. It takes some getting used to at first--the characters prefer to converse in olde-timey, Victorian-style dialog. I've never been to Boston, but I don't think that they talk like that. But once you fall into step with the rhythms of the speech, however, the book (much like the Fletch books) seems to glide along at a witty and amusing pace.

If you enjoy clever banter and witty insights (and who doesn't?), then you might want to give this book an afternoon of your time. If you're looking for a good story (and who isn't), then this book won't cut the proverbial mustard.

More a Political Tract Than a Mystery.......2004-07-23

Unfortunately, this book is basically a political tract and not any kind of mystery. Even worse, the politics presented just reinforce my belief in how miserable this world is due to PC. To add insult to injury, the mysteries Flynn is trying to solve are trivial (essentially there for McDonald to wrap his politics around) and Flynn's wry attitude are taken to such an extreme that they go right past "two-dimensional" and into "one-dimensional" (i.e., the characterization are worse than flat). I suppose if you're a die-hard Flynn fan, you'll want to read this. But otherwise, I'd suggest staying far away: it's just too depressing to read.

Funny, well written, but uncomfortable aftertaste.......2003-09-12

Francis Flynn, Boston's only police Inspector anticipates another ordinary day--setting a judge straight on a police frame, getting fired by the police Captain, and involving himself with his family. He's surprised when his daughter rousts him to rescue her boyfriend--whose ear has been nailed to a tree. The boyfriend refuses to tell who nailed him and quits the wrestling team leaving Flynn with a mystery. A second mystery soon comes foward. A Harvard professor, once a star but now out of style, has been receiving death threats. Flynn is directed to look into it by his spy-boss.

Along with hapless sidekick Grover (call me Richard), Flynn learns that Harvard has gone downhill, descending into internal dissension and value-free studies. The aging professor's old-fashioned beliefs that certain ideas are better, that certain (well educated) people make better leaders, and that professors have a mission to teach are considered elitist and outdated. Especially by one assistant professor who openly mocks the aging don while letting his own children grow up in a value free and hazardous environment. Flynn's large family, by contrast, is composed of well behaved and nearly perfect children.

Gregory Mcdonald's writing frequently left me laughing out loud. Flynn's wry comments and sly digs are appealing and certainly anyone would like to have Flynn's perfect family rather than the horrible life of the assistant professor (whose wife, unsurprisingly, is a child psychologist). Still, I think Mcdonald carried his message farther than the story allowed. Age-tested concepts and ideas may be fine, but then again, infant sacrifice, female mutilation, and witch-burning are age-tested ideas that survived for generations. Age and survival cannot be the test of an idea. Since Flynn is naturally perfect, he could certainly be our Platonic philosopher-king but, unfortunately, Flynn is fiction.

Mcdonald tried to tone down his message a little by introducing a neo-nazi cop--apparently intent on showing that Flynn (and Mcdonald) are not the elitist white males that the young professor would make them. Perhaps Flynn's contempt for 'Grover' is also intended to demonstrate a general contempt for the less educated, regardless of race. I found, however, that Flynn's treatment of his assistant was cruel and undeserved as Grover had his eyes opened by spending time with the professor and developing a real humanity--something that Flynn doesn't seem to share.

It's hard not to enjoy a Gregory Mcdonald book. His writing is very strong and compelling. His wit sparkles. It's hard to put FLYNN'S WORLD down--I read it in a single sitting despite the lateness of the hour. But it left an uncomfortable aftertaste.

Average customer rating:
The War of the Crystals: The Heir of the King
T.G. Smith
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1420841270

Book Description

Ajor is threatened. Imps mounted on Lenkinars are daring to strike the cities of Orallia. King Rythor sends his most trusted men to investigate, only hoping they are not too late. But alas, the greatest threat to men and all the peoples of Gretarria might not be from without, but within. The sages, sworn guardians of the crystals, express concern. Alenjahar, the archsage, grows weary of the shadow spreading silently over the world, not knowing if he has the power to stop it. But amidst the growing turmoils and danger, the greatest quest has begun.

Amazon.com

Done it once? Ready for another? How do you make the decision to have a second child, and what will that choice mean for your family? In And Baby Makes Four: Welcoming a Second Child into the Family, author and mother Hilory Wagner provides funny, friendly, helpful advice for parents considering--or already on their way to--having more than one child. Though small in stature, this book covers a lot of territory. Wagner raises the appropriate questions: Have I had enough time with my eldest? Won't a newborn shatter my firstborn's world as he knows it? When will he understand why I decided to have another? She also acknowledges the ambivalence many parents feel, even when the second pregnancy is planned. Other subjects include planning a sibling strategy; understanding rivalry issues; the father's role; lifting your child; bed rest with a toddler in the house; adopting a sibling; establishing a family birth plan (you can't just run off to the hospital when there's another child to consider); and managing two or more kids while sustaining your marriage. Wagner has clearly done her homework, offering numerous references to appropriate books and Web sites, and her suggestions for the best books for new siblings are well worth the cost of admission. --Ericka Lutz

Book Description

Welcoming a Second Child into the Family

The joy and love that your first child has brought into your life is immeasurable, and now you're ready for another baby. You've been through pregnancy and childbirth before, but this time you have added responsibilities toward a little person who hasn't had that experience. And Baby Makes Four is written specifically to inform and support each member of the family as they meet the challenges that come with welcoming another child. Drawing on personal experience as well as advice from experts pediatricians, psychiatrists, obstetricians, midwives, parents and childbirth educators author Hilory Wagner provides a one-of-a-kind reference to guide parents through the many changes affecting their growing family

Practical guidelines for dealing with the physical and emotional differences in pregnancies.

An indispensable source for preparing your child for a new baby.
Fail-safe tactics for getting through the toughest times of pregnancy.
Special activities to share with your child during the last few weeks of pregnancy.
Tips for helping every member of the family assume their new role in the larger family.
A mini-survival guide for understanding and defusing sibling jealousy and rivalry.
A list of the best books for new siblings.
AND MUCH MORE!

Customer Reviews:

A little dated.......2007-04-01

Honestly, this book could use a face-lift. It's a little dated, a little old. It gives some good advice, but perhaps could use a more interesting way to present it. And it didn't help me too much with the decision of if we should committ to the second child. I suppose nothing can do that but us....

Review.......2006-07-27

Some good advice...most especially for tips on making the transition more fun for your older child.

Note, the content is almost identical to "Twice Blessed".

Great book!.......2005-09-21

I bought when we were thinking about baby #2 and I must say it was useful for me. Sure, it won't give you any miracle recipe to a peaceful family life but it will guide your reflection about what are the possible pitfalls and what you can do to avoid them. I'm glad I read it before conceiving our next child.

Don't Bother - Phone a Friend Instead.......2004-11-06

The advice in this book is the same thing you'll hear from talking with a few friends or in any other baby book out there. There is NOTHING in this book you probably haven't heard before. Added to that, it's very negative - makes it sound like every older sibling will turn into a total terror when the baby comes. Very demoralizing. The author's attempts at humor fall flat. I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the advice isn't bad, just nothing new.

Real-world advice with a sense of humor.......2003-07-11

Like a worldly best friend who tells you what to really expect, I felt that this book spared the sugar-coating and got right to the tips and tactics of managing a pregnancy/new baby with an older child in the house. But not without a sense of humor! The flow seemed more like a collection of concise, useful magazine articles ý spacing of kids, Sibling Prep 101, ways to involve your first child get ready for new arrival, building a birth plan, the first days at home with two ý than a textbook I would be studying for weeks. And being pregnant, with a toddler in the house, I appreciated that conversational flow. I found it a quick, fun read, and a great gift.

Average customer rating:

Nichole Routher's Fruit Cookbook

Buy this, you can read the reviews later!

Fruit for breakfast lunch and dinner

Absolutely superb, a must for your kitchen!

A must-have to add to your collection!

Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook
Nicole Routhier
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Fruits | Cooking by Ingredient | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Cooking Under Wraps/Recipes and Step-By-Step Techniques: The Art of Wrapping Hors D'Oeuvres, Main Courese, and Desserts

The Best of Nicole Routhier

366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains

ASIN: 1563055651

Book Description

At last it's here, a definitive cookbook starring fruit from one of America's most popular food writers, Nicole Routhier. Author of The Foods of Vietnam--awarded the Cookbook of the Year in 1990 from both the James Beard Awards and the IACP--Ms. Routhier has had a love affair with fruit since growing up in the tropics, and now she combines her passion for fruit with her culinary gifts to create 400 recipes of fruit magic. Borrowing from cuisines around the world, reinventing traditions, and adding a twist to classic pairings, Nicole Routhier presents dishes with fruits for every course. In each case her use of fruit--sweet or tart--adds an unexpected depth of flavor; a cleaner, fresher taste; and a festive, sensuous appeal. There are fruit and fruit-influenced starters: Steamed Shrimp with Roasted Pepper and Apple Dip and Fruity Bruschetta. Soups: Mexican Lime Soup, Cream of Fennel and Pear Soup. Salads: Sicilian Orange Salad, Tropical Lobster Salad. Entrees: Pepper Steak with Plum Ketchup, Braised Cranberry Pork Chops, Lemon Chicken. And of course, desserts: Sour Cherry Pie, Blackberry-Lime Parfaits, Best Raspberry Brownies. In addition, there are beverages, preserves, and chutneys; plus how to buy and store fresh fruits; boxes on exotic fruits; and suggestions for substituting one fruit for another or dried, frozen, or canned fruits for fresh.

Customer Reviews:

Nichole Routher's Fruit Cookbook.......2007-01-03

I have found many interesting recipies in this book. Mango Chutney is a real hit.

Buy this, you can read the reviews later!.......2006-10-14

This 1996 book has more tasty, easy to moderate to make recipes than many newer cookbooks.

Nicole Routhier writes as she would talk to you if she were by your side, with plenty of VERY helpful hints, not found in many recipe books. (To use very ripe or slightly over ripe fruit in muffins..) Yes, there's a difference, and a great improvement of a good cookbook over a recipe book...it "fleshes out" the recipes with hints and common sense that appply to more than just the recipe at hand, and that knowledge, or that technique, becomes part of a good cook's "bag of tricks", that sets him/her apart, with food that REALLY tastes fresh and great.

First things first...the Index is wonderful! It's easy to find recipes by name or by ingredient, unlike many other cookbooks. If I've a fresh fruit, it's easy to find a corresponding recipe, and make substitutions pretty easily, as needed.

As a Floridian, I was happy to see a Cherimoya custard, with substitutions already in place for using mango or pear. Thoughtful. Even a soft shell crab recipe with citrus vinaigrette, although flour, salt and pepper are all I use.

The book progresses from Appetizers to Soups, Pastas and Grains, Seafood, Wine and Foods, Poultry, Meats, Side dishes, Breads, Breakfasts, Smoothies and Spirits, Sorbet and Ice Creams, to Desserts.
What's nice is that many recipes "perk up" the main item with a well chosen fruit, rather than having the fruits constantly as the "central characters".

She has a good sense of balancing wines with fish, meats and of course the fruits, and has generally sound recommendations. While she avoids serving reds with fish, on the basis of tannins, I have personally used lighter red wines with fish that have "stronger" sauces or ingredients, and have had no complaints...If ion doubt, ask you local lwine merchant for recommendations, and don't be trapped by old fashioned red=meat, white=fish. Now for spicier Thai style, she prefers beer, and so do I...I've yet to find a wine that balances as well as some select beers. Milder Asian foods go well with some Zins and other, try a Cab with a spicier Asian dish, and mayble it'll be right for you!

I like to do a "Fennel test" on a cookbook, and this passes, having 4 recipes for this often neglected sumer-fall favorite. With 14 mango recipes, this does not disappoint! So much for what may be "exotic" for some appetites or supermarkets, there are plenty of recipes with tomatoes, strawberries, lemon, various berries, apples, grapes, etc.

There's great ideas for thirst quenchers, from all around the world, using coconut water, pomegranate, , fresh grapes, rum, and in various shakes and smoothies.

This is a book useful to diets from meat eaters to vegans, there are plenty of recipes for both.

Fruit for breakfast lunch and dinner.......2004-06-02

With nearly 500 pages of sweet and savory international recipes, with shopping and storing advice, descriptions of more exotic fruits, numerous tips for taste combinations, and a chart showing months of availability and peak seasons, this is a valuable volume for any fruit lover.

Author of the award-winning "The Foods of Vietnam," Routhier organizes this imaginative book by course. Starters include Raspberry-glazed Chicken Wings and Tex Mex Mussels with pineapple, tomato, cilantro salsa. The soups will interest more adventurous cooks (Mexican Lime; Clam Chowder made with pineapple juice and coconut milk). First course and main dish salads include Smoked Trout and Pear, two kinds of carrot salad, Scallops with Cantaloupe and Cucumber.

The Pasta & Grains chapter features Couscous with Dried Fruit and a kugel with apples and raisins. For sides try Baked Acorn Squash with Peach Butter, or Braised Red Cabbage with apples and raspberry vinegar.

For main courses there are Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Peaches or Grilled Chicken with Nectarine-Tomato Salsa, Orange-Glazed Flank Steaks or Braised Cranberry Pork Chops. There are desserts, of course, Raspberry Rhubarb Pie; Peach Cobbler, Three-Fruit Terrine with Banana Sauce.

Routhier also includes chapters of drinks and smoothies: (Raspberry Cooler, Strawberry Iced Tea), sorbets and ice creams, breakfasts (Sausage and Orange Marmalade Omelets, Cranberry Apple Corncakes, toast spreads like raspberry butter and blueberry-walnut spread) breads (Blueberry Banana Muffins, Strawberry Lemon Bread) and pantry items (Cherry Jam, Spiced Apricot Chutney, Fresh Plum Sauce, Blueberry Vinegar).

This is a comprehensive, informative guide to using fruits the year round and should be a must for any cook's well-stocked bookshelf.

Absolutely superb, a must for your kitchen!.......2004-03-20

A friend of mine was buying this particular book for another friend as a Christmas gift. He was asking my advice, since I do far more around the kitchen than he; was it a good enough book for a fellow kitchen-dweller? Well, after a brief examination and a flip-through, I gave him the okay and snuck off to buy a copy for myself! What an incredible book!

For those of you who are visually inclined, the bad news is, there are no pictures in this book. However, that is greatly outweighed by the sheer amount of recipes, tips, and useful information. There are notes about fruits (obviously) and many more about non-fruit foods (not quite so obvious). For example, in the meats section, there is a great tip on cooking and preparing pork products.

The recipes range from original and well-found, to the similar and familiar, to the exotic and delightful, and of course the stand-by fruit recipes that are so essential (i.e. jams, jellies, spreads, and the like).

If you are a kitchen-dweller, too, or know someone who loves to cook, with or without fruit, this is a must-have. Oh, let's be serious, this book is a must-have for any kitchen. Make no mistake, this book is loaded with facts and incredible recipes, some that will do in a pinch for quick dinners, some that can assist in preparing that Sunday feast. A superior buy and a necessary addition to any kitchen library!

A must-have to add to your collection!.......1999-09-09

Many new and unusual ways on preparing fruit, from the common to the exotic. Dishes range from savory to sweet, main dish to desert. The format is easy to read and work from.

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous!

Beautiful stories, gorgeous photos

Contemporary American Doll Artists and Their Dolls
Kathryn Witt
Manufacturer: Collector Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Dolls | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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The Art of the Dollmaker

ASIN: 1574323792

Book Description

This book is the first by Collector Books to focus not only on dolls, but on the artists who created them. The book highlights 25 contemporary doll designers and their dolls, including Sue Sizemore (Kacinda), Anna Puchalski (limited edition Cocoa), Monica Reo (Alissa), Karen Williams Smith (The Promise), Kim Jelley (Blue Ice Faerie), Mary Ellen Frank (Lizzie and Oleanna), Marilyn Radzat (The Golden Faerie), and many more. Artist profiles are provided, which share the stories behind the creation of the dolls and the source of inspiration for the artists. Sections include healing and spirituality, history and heritage, storybook creatures and characters, Christmastide, needle arts, and more. Almost 200 beautiful color photographs make the book shine. 2004 values. REVIEW: This book is a companion to the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 9th Edition, but can also stand alone as a handy reference guide to take along on your glass searches. Thousands of patterns, from Absentee Dragon to Zip Zip, are included, with all available colors and values listed.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous!.......2006-09-14

Kathy Witt knows dolls! Her pedigree in the world of writing about dolls and their artists speaks for itself. This book is a wonderful example of how an interest that might seem narrow can be broadened for the masses. I enjoy dolls, but I've never been a collector. However, I've always enjoyed READING about dolls and their histories, and who designs them. Previously, I paid more attention to antique dolls, but CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN DOLL ARTISTS AND THEIR DOLLS opened a window on what's going on in the doll world today. This book is a beautiful addition to any doll lovers' collection! Excellent job, Ms. Witt.

Beautiful stories, gorgeous photos.......2005-06-06

I felt like I really knew the 25 doll artists in this book after reading their profiles. I enjoyed learning how Jamie Williamson began making polymer clay dolls, where Monica Reo gets her inspiration and why Anna Puchaliski favors making dolls that are a bit on the "dark side." The September 11 chapter was beautifully and sensitively written. Be prepared to shed some tears when reading the profiles on Karen Williams Smith and Kim Jelley in this chapter. This book is a must have for any doll lover.

Average customer rating:
The Card Connection (131 Quick & Easy Handmade Cards for all Occasions!)

Manufacturer: Hot Off The Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1562318365

Product Description

Easy-to-make Cards for: Birthdays, Friendship, Romance, Weddings, Babies, Celebrations, Just for the fun of it!

Average customer rating:

Love it!!

Easy Cards for All Occasions
Jacquelyn Shenise
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Seasonal | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1402723741

Book Description

With these wonderfully simple instructions, creative techniques, enlightening photos, and patterns to copy, any beginner can successfully make dazzling handmade cards. The starting point here is fun-and-easy rubber stamping that you can then combine with other media, such as watercolor or collage. Send the Rose Garden with its bright foam rose in a cheerful garden for a birthday, get-well wishes, or just to say hello. A silly snowman full of cheer—and complete with hat and scarf—graces a holiday greeting. Celebrate Easter with a deluxe Stained Glass Window card. Each greeting is fun to craft and to receive.

Customer Reviews:

Love it!!.......2006-06-20

I got this book and it's been used over and over ever since!! It's a great book for beginners and experienced card makers. The techniques are easy to learn for beginners and there are great ideas and beautiful projects for the experienced card maker. There are over 40 projects that can be made as instructed or, as the author suggests, modified to create your own version of the cards. I really like the section in the back on how to add a unique greeting to the inside of the card. I have been complimented many times on cards I made using this book. Definitely worth getting.

Book Description

Days by the beach mean relaxation and a chance to swim and sunbathe. It's a laid-back, existence, far from the pressures of modern living. Although life is more casual in the luxury beach houses of this lavishly illustrated volume, it's still very sophisticated. These select ocean-side living spaces show that you really can have it all. A sumptuous array of interiors and exteriors will inspire you to create an idyllic beach retreat, or give your own waterfront abode an overhaul. Of course, this book is also for daydreamers content just to imagine their own castle by the sands…

Book Description

Few ballet dancers have held the world’s attention like Rudolf Nureyev. Naturally talented and technically brilliant, Nureyev had a charisma that knocked the dancing world on its heels. This stunning book is a very personal glimpse of a unique artist through the eyes of a fellow dancer and friend.

Linda Maybarduk was a first soloist with the National Ballet of Canada, one of Nureyev’s favorite companies. She tells the story of her colleague, her mentor, and her dear friend from his late start as a ballet dancer, through his escape to the West and meteoric rise to fame, to the sad ending of his career, when his body, but never his spirit, was defeated by age and illness.

Complete with a glossary of ballet terms, a useful reading list, and index, this is a book for both those who dance, and those who wish they did.

Customer Reviews:

A fine biographical sketch for young readers........2000-02-14

This memoir of Rudolf Nureyev provides a memoir of the fine dancer who defected to the West from the Soviet Union during the Cold War. A fine biographical sketch reveals his dancing career and life for students in the middle school level on up. END

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