Book Description
The final book in her series about the men who established Rome of the Emperors, The October Horse features Gaius Julius Caesar at the height of his stupendous career. When he becomes embroiled in a civil war between Egypt's King Ptolemy and Queen Cleopatra, he finds himself torn between the fascinations of a remarkable woman and his duty as a Roman. Though he must leave Cleopatra, she remains a force in his life as a lover and as the mother of his only son, who can never inherit Caesar's Roman mantle, and therefore cannot solve his father's greatest dilemma -- who will be Caesar's Roman heir?
A hero to all of Rome except to those among his colleagues who see his dictatorial powers as threats to the democratic system they prize so highly, Caesar is determined not to be worshiped as a god or crowned king. Swearing to bring him down, Caesar's enemies masquerade as friends and loyal supporters while they plot to destroy him. Caesar must die, they decide, for only when he is dead will Rome return to her old republican self.
Packed with battles, intrigue, love affairs, and murders, The October Horse hurtles toward the assassination, and onto the dangerous consequences of that act -- in which the very fate of Rome is at stake.
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"In her new book about the men who were instrumental in establishing the Rome of the Emperors, Colleen McCullough tells the story of a famous love affair and a man whose sheer ability could lead to only one end -- assassination. As The October Horse begins, Gaius Julius Caesar is at the height of his stupendous career. When he becomes embroiled in a civil war between Egypt's King Ptolemy and Queen Cleopatra, he finds himself torn between the fascinations of a remarkable woman and his duty as a Roman. Though he must leave Cleopatra, she remains a force in his life as a lover and as the mother of his only son, who can never inherit Caesar's Roman mantle, and therefore cannot solve his father's greatest dilemma -- who will be Caesar's Roman heir? A hero to all of Rome except to those among his colleagues who see his dictatorial powers as threats to the democratic system they prize so highly, Caesar is determined not to be worshiped as a god or crowned king, but his unique situation conspires to make it seem otherwise. Swearing to bring him down, Caesar's enemies masquerade as friends and loyal supporters while they plot to destroy him. Among them are his cousin and Master of the Horse, Mark Antony, feral and avaricious, priapic and impulsive; Gaius Trebonius, the nobody, who owes him everything; Gaius Cassius, eaten by jealousy; and the two Brutuses, his cousin Decimus, and Marcus, the son of his mistress Servilia, sad victim of his mother and of his uncle Cato, whose daughter he marries. All are in Caesar's debt, all have been raised to high positions, all are outraged by Caesar's autocracy. Caesar must die, they decide, for only when he is dead will Rome return to her old ways, her old republican self.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting and Absorbing .......2007-07-22
The October Horse is an interesting and absorbing book. I found myself engrossed in this well-crafted story. My only complaint is I expected to find a bit more of Cleopatra in the book. This novel made me even more curious about ancient Rome and get my hands on as many books related to the subject as possible.
how to decide a favorite?.......2007-07-06
This is the last book of the Masters of Rome series, and maybe the best, but it is so hard to decide. They are all exceptional and I strongly advise reading them from the first through to the last. I was lucky enough to have all of them on hand before beginning and went right through all 6 of them. What a treat!
But this last is probably my favorite for the way it brings Julius Caesar to life, from the most important and productive stages of his life, through the tragedy of his assasination and wrapping up the events immediately following the assasination: Antony and Cleopatra and the rise of Octavian/Augustus. I wanted the history to continue, but as Ms. McCullough writes in her author's notes, she had to stop somewhere or she would keep on forever!
I followed up this series by reading the recent biography by Adrian Goldsworthy called "Caesar". Another great book for anyone interested in a strict historical biography. Reading "Caesar", I was constantly amazed at the historical accuracy of Ms. McCullough's stories. She stayed with the truth while fleshing out the characters and bringing them to life. Mr. Goldsworthy makes positive mention of the Masters of Rome series in his epilogue, high praise indeed from an expert, scholarly historian of Ancient Rome. I found it a great treat to have read this series before tackling the long, dry biography. The memory of McCullough's wonderful books brought the real history to life!
Great Finish To An Outstanding Series.......2007-04-25
I'm a huge Julius Caesar fan, and have been ever since I first discovered him when I was in the seventh grade. The man was a true superstar. One of the most brilliant figures in history. Not only one of the greatest military leaders who ever lived, but also a consummate politician, gifted public speaker, and one of the greatest writers of latin prose ever. He excelled at everything he did. McCullough does an excellent job of portraying Caesar, and the other prominent players from the period of the decaying Roman Republic, in a way that makes their personalities and actions real and understandable. And they are all here: Cicero, Cato, Brutus, Cassius, Octavian, Labienus, Mark Antony, Cleopatra and all the rest. Caesar, however, is the star.
The writing is very good and McCullough's command of the actual history of the period is impeccable. She provides maps to help illustrate events. She has even sketched busts of the main characters which are, as far as possible, true to existing portraiture. She even explains her reasons for choices she makes in situations where the record is ambiguous or unclear. Her characters ring true. It's fiction because she invents conversations and conjures up personal incidents, but it is thoroughly researched and McCullough has full command of the factual material she is covering.
Sometimes, the writing is almost too real. As I approached Caesar's assassination, I knew perfectly well what was coming. Despite that knowledge, however, I found the hair on the back of my neck standing up straight as that brutal and tragic scene unfolded.
THE OCTOBER HORSE is the sixth and, regrettably, final book in McCullough's series about the life of Caesar and the collapse of the Roman Republic. The series is a long one, but it's well worth reading in it's entirety. It relates real events of genuinely epic proportions, and it is superbly done. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone. It is at least as entertaining as any fiction you'll ever read. Ten stars if I could give them.
Very good book.......2007-03-09
This is a very readable account of a period in history which has not been well doncumented in literature [other than glamorous and untrue accounts of Cleopatra]. It is well written with just the right amount of dramatic action involved in what could have been a dusty history. It is a good value at the price and a book that one will read again and again.
Historical fiction that reads as if history is happening.......2006-12-10
In the culminating novel of her series depicting the collapse of the Roman Republic, Colleen McCullough details the events from the end of the war between Gaius Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great, through Caesar's defeating all other opposition, to his own assassination in Rome in 45 BC, to the battles of Philippi that ended the first phase of the civil wars and set the stage for the rise of Augustus and the Empire. "A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene" as Shakespeare said in a different context...
As with its predecessors starting with "The First Man in Rome", McCullough's novel is exquisitely detailed, little pieces of everyday Roman life falling into place with the larger scenes to move the plot forward; likewise, the action happens so convincingly that the reader can believe it is happening as it is being read- so that even though we all know Caesar died on that fateful Ides of March in 45 BC, the narration can keep us hoping something will change, something will intervene.
If this tale and its predecessors have a fault, it is that Caesar doesn't have one. It's clear, starting three volumes back with "Fortune's Favorites" that McCullough is an unabashed Caesar-fancier, and the books from that point on are definitely biased in his direction. While Cato, Caesar's perpetual adversary, has a reputation for incorruptibility but is portrayed as narrow, inflexible, small-minded and unyielding, many of the same charges could be laid at Caesar's door - except that he is the hero of the story, so what are faults in Cato's case are strengths or virtues for Caesar. Which doesn't make the story any less fun to read. Caesar was one of the seminal political figures of his age as well as one of the great military minds, and anything that brings him into a closer perspective is worth reading.
Book Description
Patricia Rushford kicks off a thrilling new crime series set in the cozy coastal hamlet of Sunset Cove, Oregon. Featuring determined police officer Angel Delaney, the first episode is sure to have armchair sleuths turning the pages as fast as they can to discover whodunit? When a police shootout results in the death of a 12-year-old boy, Officer Angel Delaney is blamed, convicted, and condemned by the media and the Sunset Cove community before the case even goes to trial. Angel will have her day in court, but before she has the chance to defend herself, the situation spirals out of control. Key evidence is missing, evidence that could have verified her claim of firing only one shot in self-defense. In short order, the body count rises, and suddenly Angel is a suspect in more than one murder investigation. Heartsick about the young boy's death, and questioning her judgment as a police officer, Angel joins forces with Detective Callen Riley to fight the mounting charges against her.
Customer Reviews:
Angel of justice.......2006-06-28
Angel Delaney has just moved back to her home town after working in Florida for a few years. After leaving behind her nightmares in Florida Angel gets a job as a deputy with Sunset Cove police. Her father couldn't be prouder as he works there himself. Angel was out on duty with her partner Eric about to go on a coffee break when it happened. The pharmacy was held up at gun point and Angel and Eric are called in. Angel sees a boy she recognises as trouble at the scene. She chases him into the old cannery. There Billy pulls a gun on her and Angel has to make a life changing decision. Fearing that her life was in danger Angel uses deadly force on twelve year old Billy. Her life turns upside down from there. Angel feels guilty although all the other officers tell her that they would have done the same thing in her situation. Angel is told that Billy was shot three times. Only Angel is sure that she only fired at Billy once and she almost hadn't even done that. For one minute she hesitated and almost chose Billy over herself. Then to make things even worse Angel finds out that the gun Billy had was a toy and not the real thing. Angel is then forced to take a leave of absence from work. As the new Organ State Police Detective begins to work with the local police department things speed up in their chaos. Angel's apartment is broken into and ransacked. Then her father has a heart attack. To top it all off her lawyer wants her to plead guilty in court instead of taking the time to prove her innocence. People are upset with the course of action the local police are taking and are stirring up publicity calling her a racist pig. Now Angel is taking things into her own hands to solve the confusing mystery of who is trying to get to her and who else shot Billy before it is too late.
Deadly Aim.......2005-10-08
While responding to a robbery call, Police Officer Angel Delaney reacts by shooting a young boy when he aims his gun on her. Her world immediately starts spinning out of control as the incident quickly draws the attention of the media. Even more devastating for Angel is finding out later the gun the boy had pointed at her was in actuality a toy gun.
With the media portraying her in the most unflattering light, Angel starts looking for answers. Investigating the incident is Police Detective Callen Riley. With important evidence from the shooting scene gone missing and facts not adding up, Callen believes there might be more to what happened than meets the eye. Together Angel and Callen team up to solve this mystery.
Deadly Aim by Patricia Rushford was a great start to a promising series. Angel's role as a female officer made the book especially enjoyable for me. The twists and turns throughout the book kept it interesting and suspenseful. This book is definitely a recommended mystery novel.
Timely and Terrific.......2004-07-07
Deadly Aim is timely in that it deals with a problem many police officers face--use of deadly force. Rushford, shows how the shooting, in which Angel Delaney is involved, affects Angel herself as well as the community and the family of the victim.
Terrific in that Deadly Aim is one of the best mysteries I've read in a long time. The characters have so much depth and the story seemed so realistic. I loved it and couldn't put it down.
Suspense is not watered down at all..........2004-02-07
Although Angel is an unlikely name for a cop, Angel Delaney was a good one. Police work appeared to be her calling, until she was one of the officers on scene when a gang breaks into a pharmacy. In a confrontation with one youth, the choice seems to be shoot or be shot. Despite this, she almost does not fire, and when she does, it's not to kill, yet it does.
Angel is sure she fired once, but there are three wounds, one fatal. Suddenly, she is under investigation, which is SOP, but being accused of racism is not. Angel finds herself the target of vengeance and possibly of the real killer. Her world becomes one full of questions; not only the whys of the case, but of faith and forgiveness. She must confront her past in order to have peace with her future, if the killer will let her have one, that is.
*** Deadly Aim confronts readers with hard hitting issues that war inside most people's souls. Christians are forgiven, but even for us, it's hard to forgive when it involves someone you love, or yourself. She also addresses how the dead haunt the living, though not as ghosts. The story's message is not preachy, but it is there, and not watered down either. ***
Amanda Killgore
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Deadly Aims
Ron L. Gerard
Manufacturer: PaperJacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Classics | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | History & Criticism | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0770104487 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Wind Speaker, published by Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA) on August 1, 1998. The length of the article is 476 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Author aims to educate about deadly disease (The journey home, by Darlene Meeds).
Author: Pamela Green
Publication:
Wind Speaker (Newsletter)
Date: August 1, 1998
Publisher: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
Volume: 16
Issue: 4
Page: 23
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on January 30, 2007. The length of the article is 648 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Colon cancer screening kits being mailed out; CancerCare project aims to reduce the deadly toll.(City)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 30, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: b2
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc. on July 1, 2003. The length of the article is 947 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Dead aim still deadly. (Targeting).
Author: Peter Spang Goodrich
Publication:
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2003
Publisher: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
Volume: 59
Issue: 4
Page: 18(2)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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- Covered in goo, without ever gelling.
- Great Concept, Poor Execution
- Mediocre star with flashes of whimsy
- Fun Concept Overall
- Could have been much better
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Shadows Bend: A Novel of the Fantastic and Unspeakable
David Barbour , and
Richard Raleigh
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0441014410 |
Book Description
On a dark, stormy night, master of the macabre H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, creator of the legendary Conan the Barbarian, face the ancient god Cthulhu, the most dangerous force in the cosmos. And only they can stop him.
Customer Reviews:
Covered in goo, without ever gelling........2007-08-24
I picked up this book in keen anticipation. I'm a huge HLP and Smith fan (somewhat less of an REH fan, but no bother...) and thought, "What a great idea!" Well, it's still a great idea, but this particular book just didn't do it justice. For those interested in Yog-Sothothery (HPL himself never liked the term "Cthulhu Mythos")there are a number of matters which can be nitpicked. However, the book's most serious flaws are its depictions of the characters. Both are written as buffoons, who could never possibly have been friends, let alone world-savers. To the authors: try this again! The idea is great, but please show the humanity of your heroes as vividly as you have their peculiarities.
Great Concept, Poor Execution.......2007-07-05
I grabbed this book off the shelf thinking "What a great idea". I still love the idea, which increases the disappointment with the book. The characterizations are flat, with the portrayal of Clark Ashton Smith being the strongest. And that seems at odds with the rather quiet life he lived compared to his portrayal as a "know all the right moves" seducer of women. While REH and his father were not close and his father could be a self-serving man. The father appears to have stepped out of the House of Usher. This is his regular portrayal, not the dream, which would be understandable.
HPL and REH seemed to be a Crosby/Hope road team but with much more pettiness, cynicism, and bitterness. Hey, these guys are the heroes... we're supposed to like them. Glory is a role for extending disagreements and conversations for artificial tension and then gradually develops as a deaux ex machina (in a very contrived sense which "spins" the climax into a minor event).
I expected chills and tight writing. This is supposed to be about demons claiming the world as their own and ending our world/existence. I Love The Idea! What happened? Where is the danger? Would demons/otherworld beings need a car or disguise themselves as a car? Can you really sucker punch a "devil"? I don't want to be harsh, but it was an idea of such promise... and failed to deliver.
If you're still with me... I'm glad I read it. I would have kept wondering how the story worked. If the idea grabs you, you may want to read it to satisfy your own curiosity... or you may just want to (re)read the fantastic original stories of HPL, REH, and CAS.
Mediocre star with flashes of whimsy.......2006-12-22
I purchased Shadows Bend during a period when I was re-discovering the joys of pulp fiction. I knew both Robert E. Howard and HP Lovecraft were eccentric; therefore, the premise of the epistlary friends teaming up to battle the cephlapod god Cthulhu sounded intriguing. Unfortunately, the story didn't meet any of my expectations. It was entertaining to see HP Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard portrayed as an ersatz Laurel and Hardy team but that odd couple theme doesn't gel. It made the story comfortably normal and, in my experience, that's the antithesis of the Cthulhu stories. They generally portray a universe supremely indifferent to the foibles of humanity; a concept which fuels the existential terror enjoyed in Lovecraft's stories. Instead, Shadows Bend was good-natured. That's normally not a bad thing in a novel but it seems misplaced in a story with supremely evil monsters like shoggoths and Cthulhu. Not bad, but definitely not great.
Fun Concept Overall.......2006-03-17
There's plenty of negative press on this book already, so whatever minor gripes I've got have been thoroughly covered (inconsistencies, Red Sonja, typos, et cetera).
Chiefly speaking, the point of this book seems to be an exploration of a "what if" scenario that tugs at the brains of most Howard and Lovecraft fans. It's imaginative fiction, and shouldn't be taken as a historical or biographical work. As a result, if you're out to enjoy this book as fiction, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. If you're looking for a nitpicker's Nirvana, go dig in the biography stacks. This one's labeled fantasy for a reason.
Detractors will think what they like; there's no sense in my wasting time trying to convert them. What I will say is that I had great fun with the book and don't regret the purchase. Give it a shot and be your own judge.
Could have been much better.......2005-04-11
Here is a novel which has a great idea and is simply poorly executed. It deals with H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, who after writing to each other for a long time, finally meet in person. The reason for this is an ancient artifact, which comes into Lovecraft's possession - an artifact that holds the key in preventing the ancient god Cthulhu from entering our world and destroying it. They set out on a journey which leads them to meet with a hooker, who will play a vital role in their quest. They are followed by a black car with two mysterious men, who it seems are the servants of Cthulhu. Very boring at times with too much useless dialogue, this novel never really scares and the only interesting chapter is the next to last. I give it three stars for a great idea, which unfortunately was poorly executed.
Book Description
You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the benefits of kosher food. In fact, of the millions of people who buy kosher products, only 8 0o so for religious reasons. In Kosher for Everybody, the ultimate guide to the ever growing world of kosher foods and services, you’ll find detailed information on
- The meaning of kosher and how to interpret the symbols used to identify kosher products
- Kosher meats and poultry
- Cooking kosher, including more than fifty tasty, easy-to-prepare recipes, from appetizers and soups to main courses and desserts
- How to buy and prepare food that is healthy and kosher
- Kosher wines
- Buying Kosher products by mail
- Kosher foods for vegetarians and those who suffer from lactose intolerance or an allergy to milk products
- Where to find kosher hotels, resorts, camps, restaurants, supermarkets, and caterers in the United States, Canada, and worldwide
- Traveling kosher, including kosher cruises, kosher tours, and travel agents
- Kosher cooking classes
- Online resources for the kosher consumer
- And much more
Download Description
You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the benefits of kosher food. In fact, of the millions of people who buy kosher products, only 8% do so for religious reasons. In Kosher for Everybody, the ultimate guide to the ever growing world of kosher foods and services, you’ll find detailed information on
- The meaning of kosher and how to interpret the symbols used to identify kosher products
- Kosher meats and poultry
- Cooking kosher, including more than fifty tasty, easy-to-prepare recipes, from appetizers and soups to main courses and desserts
- How to buy and prepare food that is healthy and kosher
- Kosher wines
- Buying Kosher products by mail
- Kosher foods for vegetarians and those who suffer from lactose intolerance or an allergy to milk products
- Where to find kosher hotels, resorts, camps, restaurants, supermarkets, and caterers in the United States, Canada, and worldwide
- Traveling kosher, including kosher cruises, kosher tours, and travel agents
- Kosher cooking classes
- Online resources for the kosher consumer
- And much more
Amazon.com
Christmas Is Cookies , from the Everyday Cookbook series by Time-Life Books, is more than its title suggests. It is actually a collection of over a hundred favorite American desserts including pies, puddings, cakes and candies as well as cookies. The recipes are straightforward and easy to follow. Unfortunately, there is no pepper in the German Pfeffernusse or Swedish Paperkakor, but most recipes are nice, middle-of the-road versions of familiar sweets. This book, with its perky design, is a good gift for a someone starting a shelf of basic cookbooks or for a teenager just starting to bake.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Reference for Radko and Polonaise.......2001-02-12
As a collector of Radko, Polonaise, and Hallmark; I praise this books comprehensive price guides on these ornaments. It also covers Stienbeck Nutcrackers, Santa's Crystal Valley/Figi, Byres' Choice Carolers, Lynn West, Boyds' Collection Ltd., AnnaLee Dolls, June McKenna, Figi, Old World Christmas, Margaret Furlong Designs, Lynn West Collections, and Lynn Haney Santas. An excellent reference book for pre-1998 pricing.
Customer Reviews:
LOVE this easy to follow Pattern Book!.......2003-12-01
I love this book and have made two sweaters from it already. I plan to make them ALL. The patterns are super easy to follow and are in simple "line-per-line" terms, instead of the usual "knit until measures so-many-inches". No worries about getting the sides to measure perfectly. The patterns are all very easy. Most being stockinette stitches with ribs. I found that I could easily substitute other brands of yarn when I couldn't find the Rowan yarns in my local shop. Most call for cotton or cotton blends, which I also loved! Your toddlers will love these handknits. Sizes are accurate and go up to T4.
Amazon.com
Finally, finally, a practical home-decorating book for the reader who is not a millionaire! Rather than call in a professional design consultant to tell you which walls "must go" and throwing out everything you own in favor of new and expensive designer fabrics, furniture, and fixtures, Ward starts with what you already have and makes dramatic transformations by arrangement, use of color, and a few inexpensive additions of objects or materials. Her idea is to use what you already have and like, and operate on a budget you can afford to make your home more satisfying and aesthetically pleasing to you without being a slave to passing trends, fads, and radical transformations that end up making you feel like a stranger in your own home.
Among the many tips and guidelines, Ward starts with the top 10 decorating mistakes that professionals all know about, but that anyone can recognize and fix. She covers diagnosing problems that jar the eyes, offers suggestions on items to banish and others to borrow from elsewhere in the home to create more visual appeal, talks about how to shop for furniture that will work with what you already own, offers tips for new homeowners and people just starting out to make older furniture work in new spaces, and covers the kinds of dramatic improvements possible through the use of the right artwork, accessories, and lighting. This is a great gift book for newlyweds, new homeowners, or anyone interested in creative, lively home decorating without breaking the bank. --Mark A. Hetts
Book Description
At last, a decorating book that teaches anyone how to achieve the look they want, using the space they have, the things they like and the budget they can afford. In fact, Lauri Ward demonstrates how to make dramatic changes to any home without spending a penny! In her unique book, Lauri Ward identifies the ten most common decorating mistakes and illustrates how they can be corrected without hiring a professional decorator. Using real before-and-after examples, complete with photographs and drawings, Use What You Have Decorating shows what most people do wrong--and how errors can be remedied in short order, easily and economically. Different from any other interior design book, Use What You Have Decorating provides the principles and techniques necessary not only to create an instant transformation but also to make the right choices and purchases in the future. And unlike most decorating books, this one remains timeless because it doesn't depend on current fads or fashions. It allows anyone to have the most inviting home based on the best taste--their own. Use What You Have Decorating works with any style of furniture, from traditional to contemporary; with any size room or home, from studio to estate; with any budget, at any stage of life and regardless of style or taste of each individual.
Customer Reviews:
I love this book!.......2007-08-26
I am a professional interior designer and I found this book great because it provides great information in a easy to read format. I read more than half the book in one evening. Some people have stated that even though they love the book they wished it was in color. I love the book in black and white because the emphasis really is on the placement and not so much the color. I find that when items are related in color it is easy for the eye to make the "connection" and ignore the real placement of the items. When the pictures are in black and white, it forces the eye to look at where and how the items are placed. This is a great book and I would recommend it to the novice, lay person, or professional designer/decorator looking to add an additional service that they can offer their clients. I give it two thumbs up!
Use What You Have.......2007-05-29
This is a good book for people who have no experience or formal training with decorating. I found the top 10 tips for avoiding design disaster to be helpful and easy to understand. The pictures in the book are very outdated, but made me feel like I might have a fighting chance with my own space.
One of my favorite decorating books..........2007-04-26
...and yet I only give it 4 stars. Why? Because first of all, there is very little advice that applies beyond the living room, and that's a formal living area - not the family gathering and watching TV area. I would love to see a book of hers that will address other areas in the house.
Beyond that though, I love this book. I'm a down to earth person, always looking for a quick and cheap way to re-do things. This book taught me decorating principles that were easy to put into practice. I like the before and after pics, explanations and the occassional room layouts. After studying this book a few times, it took me less than an hour to re-arrange my living room. It's so much more inviting and comfortable now, that I don't want to leave it! As for color vs. black and white photos, of course I'd prefer color. But I can live with it, because the content is so helpful. I have the older version too that has a middle insert of color photos as well.
This book will be helpful if you already have a house of furniture or maybe suffer from TMS syndrome (too much stuff) and if you enjoy being creative with what you have. If not, then this book will probably frustrate you.
Good, But Not Great........2007-03-06
The pros: it has before and after shots showing different living rooms and how to arrange the furniture and pictures on the walls to make the room flow. it is an easy read and doesn't get boring half way through. The suggestions are easy to implement into your home. in the book, each room shows what has been re-arranged, taken out, bought, and borrowed from other rooms in the home.
The cons: all the pictures are black and white, a few color pics would have been helpful for color ideas. it needs more pictures of the rooms instead of just one or two. as newlyweds we came from an apartment into our four bedroom home and we don't have the furniture to "borrow" from other rooms to complete the look. one of the reasons i bought this book is to learn how to decorate with what we have without having to buy a lot of new things. this book is good if you have an established home with more furniture.
Best do-it-yourself decorating book.......2007-02-21
This book is the most down-to-earth realistic book I have seen for the DIY person. The most important things individuals need to know, design principles are all included. The layout of the book with before and after picures and sidebars that list what is wrong and then what has been changed I consider to be priceless. Each chapter is easy to read. This book will always be at hand in my home.
Thank you Lauri Ward for giving me the encouragement and know-how to get my home looking its best.
Sylvia B.
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New York New York: The Prints and Drawings of Martin Lewis and Armin Landeck
Robert, Jr. Henning
Manufacturer: Santa Barbara Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 089951054X |
Customer Reviews:
The Star Of the Ice Show........2006-07-12
You might think that Scott Hamilton led a charmed life in the world of ice skating. Not so, he had many setbacks; but his determination to show the world that he is somebody and his talent (plus hard work) let him enjoy comebacks and show his mettle. Overcoming many personal obstacles, he proved that no one could surpass him on the ice.
He was grateful to his adopted family and was able to provide vacations in Hawaii and fishing in Alaska. Always on the road as his continued search for excellence kept him striving to improve his skills, using Denver as his home base, he was actually a 'Star on Ice,' an Olympic champion, and a friend to his competitors.
A few years ago, he put on a spectacular show (out on video) with his skater friends, along with my favorite singer providing the music. Not Buble, the other Michael! After the 1994 Olympics, I had become sated with too much t.v. coverage of figure skating but a dear friend, Eva Ezell, loved Scott and all the elaborate outfits the girl skaters came up with. Scott was honest in his presentations with no deceit; he was authentic. He was true blue and God saved him from an illness few would have endured. Some of us can rise above the pain. It takes a special person, and he truly is one.
What a guy!!! :-).......2006-05-28
I loved reading this book. I am a big ice-skating fan and have watched it since I was a kid.
The book starts off in chapter one talking about his cancer discovery already. You start to get a feel for who he is based on the way he handled the news of his illness etc. Then he talks about his childhood and the sacrifices his mom made to drive him for miles to get to competitions. He goes on to talk about his actuall career (and this is the reason for losing a star - because he talks too much about his routines and the types of jumps and the scores. Enough already, just let us learn about him). He even includes a chapter about Sergei Grinkov (one of my other favourite skaters who died tragically and unexpectedly on the ice) which is nice and moving.
Scott has a real upbeat personality and a very positive attitude which will take him a long way. He is a great guy and a brilliant skater and I enjoyed reading about him and his career (just not all the endless jumps). I recommend this to all skating fans and cancer patients looking for a bit of inspiration. It's really good.
All the previous reviews have a point!.......2005-09-22
I found myself reading the previous reviews, and agreeing with all of them. Even the negative ones. At the same time, I enjoyed this book. Maybe because he speaks so candidly and with such sincere affection for many of my favorites (especially Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov).
He does "dish" dirt at times, in a way that made me cringe. If I were, for example, Dorothy Hamill, I would not be happy with this book. That said, he crosses that line in only a couple of cases. I have no problem with him sharing stories of other people's bad behavior in a professional or a public setting. It is only the truly private unflattering incidents (in hotel rooms, for example) that I think should have been kept to himself - especially as they were not incidents that needed to be told as part of the story. Skaters are only professionals when they are working. Their private behavior in their private lives is not our business unless THEY choose to share it. Scott DID cross that line, but only a very few times, IMO. I got the sense once or twice that Scott was trying to apologize for his own behavior, but in the process, he ended up revealing too much detail about someone else's private life (which was unfair to them).
That said, by and large, this is a highly enjoyable book with interesting anticdotes. It is certainly honest and Scott obviously made no effort to whitewash his own behavior. I respect that. I wouldn't want a young kid reading it, but it's not written for young kids. I thought it was clear enough that the bad behavior didn't really work for him in the end, and I don't think that sends the wrong message. "Yes, I did this, and it was really stupid" is an honest and positive way to deal with questionable behavior, and that is, for the most part, what Scott does.
For a skating fan, particularly a fan of Stars on Ice or of Scott, this will be a highly enjoyable book. If you can't stand Scott as a performer, think about skipping it. As a biography, it is also interesting and very personally revealing. But, if you aren't big on biographies as a genre and you aren't a big skating fan or a big Scott fan, then this book isn't for you (and I'm not sure why anyone in that boat would ever think that it was! LOL!)
There are times that it reads a bit like a gossip rag, which is why I didn't give it five stars. But, it is a very enjoyable and entertaining book that gives you an eye-opening and not always flattering look at the world of skating as Scott experienced it. It is also as honest an autobiography (including the unflattering sides of the subject) as I've ever read. A fact that I, personally, appreciate. Too often we put stars up on pedestals, and I enjoy anything they are willing to do to force us to see them as human beings.
The message really is that you don't have to be superman to achieve great things. And you don't have to be a saint to overcome hardships and achieve greatness. And even the best in the world face seemingly insurmountable problems from time to time. Those are all positive messages from a man who is often refered to as the "God of Figure Skating".
Fantastic Book!!.......2002-03-06
Excellent Book for any fans of Scott's a well writen story about his life. Few pictures of himself and friends and family. Recommed to any one that likes to read. Ages around 12 and up.
A Great Read.......2001-07-28
This book tells the story of a man who showed the world that anything can be done with faith. I had a hard time putting this book down. I highly recommed this book for anyone.
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