The Women of Brewster Place (Penguin Contemporary American Fiction Series)

Customer Reviews:

Women of Brewster, Women of America.......2007-02-24

It was very interesting how Naylor was able to intricately weave the lives of the prototypical project women into a poignant novel that readers from all backgrounds can appreciate. We must not forget that even the underdogs of society have the most compelling stories. I love the fact that after reading this novel, I can ride by a desecrated city block or housing project and wonder about the interesting lives of its residents. How did they get there? Are they happy? And before I come off as superficial, I can also say that I do the same thing with people of other backgrounds. The important thing is that EVERYONE has a story and Gloria Naylor did an excellent job of portraying the many facets of the lives of black women living in low-income environments.

CLASSIC!.......2007-02-03

What can I say? A True timeless classic! If you liked the movie you'll Love the book.

The Women of Brewster Place is a must read.......2007-01-10

An absolute must read. This a a well written story about different types of women from different backgrounds coming together to fight a like. Proving that when people come together in unity, no matter who they are, and work together, great things can be accomplished.

My Review.......2006-11-22

The Women of Brewster Place, by Gloria Naylor, is about the life and problems of the women of Brewster Place,each of the seven stories written in a different point of view. It starts out with Mattie, the oldest character in the book, and ends with Lorraine and Theresa, 2 new residents of Brewster Place. Kiswana, one of the main characters, is some one who fights to change Brewster, herself, and the people. She also wanted to show she was a proud African American, and she would show her mother that. She stands up for Lorraine when people talk about her, she brings in arts to the community,and even changes her name. Gloria Naylor writes details and desciptions that give feeling and perspective in the book that makes the reader want to read more.

Impressed by Gloria Naylor again.......2006-02-27

The only reason I give The Women of Brewster Place 4 stars, and not 5, is because I still think Naylor's Mama Day is one of the best book I've ever read! I wasn't sure what to expect with The Women of Brewster Place as I was afraid I had too high expectations for Gloria Naylor (because of Mama Day), but I was impressed again by her beautiful prose and her rich characters. I would highly recommend reading both these books!

Gloria Naylor Reads: The Women of Brewster Place and Mama Day

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Gloria Naylor Reads: The Women of Brewster Place and Mama Day
Gloria Naylor
Manufacturer: Amer Audio Prose Library Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Sony WMFX479 Walkman

ASIN: 1556443048

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The Women of Brewster Place

Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
Similar Items:

The Women of Brewster Place (Penguin Contemporary American Fiction Series)

ASIN: 1556908431

The Women of Brewster Place: A Novel in Seven Stories

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The Women of Brewster Place: A Novel in Seven Stories

Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1568657676

Reading The Blues: The Individual and Community In Selected Poems of Langston Hughes, Gloria Naylor's Novel The Women of Brewster Place, and Bebe Moore Campbell's Novel Your Blues Ain't Like Mine

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Reading The Blues: The Individual and Community In Selected Poems of Langston Hughes, Gloria Naylor's Novel The Women of Brewster Place, and Bebe Moore Campbell's Novel Your Blues Ain't Like Mine

Manufacturer: Storming Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: 1423584376

Product Description

This is a AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH report procured by the Pentagon and made available for public release. It has been reproduced in the best form available to the Pentagon. It is not spiral-bound, but rather assembled with Velobinding in a soft, white linen cover. The Storming Media report number is A978913. The abstract provided by the Pentagon follows: Langston Hughes, Gloria Naylor, and Bebe Moore Campbell use the blues in their poetry and fiction to highlight the relationship between the individual and the community; however, African culture and American slavery influenced the development of the personal and group dynamics of the blues long before a blues literary tradition emerged. This chapter on slave songs, the precursors to today's blues, focuses on the emergence of the blues with an emphasis on the individual and community. The relationship between a single slave and the slave community influences the blues musical and literary traditions, reflecting both the individual and community. An understanding of the individual, the community, and the interaction between the two in slave songs is a prerequisite for a valid analysis of Langston Hughes's Selected Poetry of Langston Hughes, Gloria Naylor's The Women of Brewster Place, and Bebe Moore Campbell's Your Blues Ain't Like Mine.

Selected from the Women of Brewster Place (Writers Voices)

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My Thoughts on a Great Book
The book was a-ight.
THE WOMEN OF BRESTER PLACE

Selected from the Women of Brewster Place (Writers Voices)
Gloria Naylor
Manufacturer: Signal Hill Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

My Thoughts on a Great Book.......2000-04-17

I thought that this book was very intresting. Not a lot of books like this one can grab my attention and hold it but this one did. I saw the movie too. I've seen it about a billion times so when I read the book I basically knew what it was. My favorite character in the book was Lucelia she had the most problems and in my opinion she handled them very well. I know for a fact that if my husband left me,then I got an abortion,and then my only daughter died, that I wouldn't be able to cope with it. I would have to kill myself. But with a little bit of help from Mattie Michael(another great character in the book) she pulled through. My least favorite character was Sophie. She was always in everybodies business but her own. She critized everybody especially Lorraine and Theresa. I think that each characters story is connected by love and families. The authors writing style was great I understood everything. I don't only recommend this book to highschool students I recommend it to anyone who comes across it.

The book was a-ight........2000-04-17

I thought that the women in this book gave all women sort of bad name. I found it hard to stay in tune to. The one thing, the only thing which connected these women is that they are totally dependent on men. They all seem so helpless. Gloria Naylor's writing style is so un-realistic at times it makes absolutly no sense. I personally would not recommend this to other high school kids. Honestly I think they'd be bored out of their minds.

THE WOMEN OF BRESTER PLACE.......1999-12-05

THIS BOOK START OUT ALL GOOD IN TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF BREWSTER PLACE .THEN IT GOES INTO A MODE THAT IS NOT TO GOOD IN THE POPULAR DEMAND PART.THE BOOK LEAVES YOU WITH THE FEELING THAT YOU DID NOT FINISH IT EVEN THOUGH YOU DID.IN A WAY I GUESS I AM SAYING THERE IS NO REAL ENDING TO THIS BOOK.

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The Women Of Brewster Place
Gloria Naylor
Manufacturer: Sphere
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Women of Brewster Place
Gloria Naylor
Manufacturer: Viking Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NQNOKE

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Women of Brewster Place 1ST Edition
Glaoria Naylor
Manufacturer: VIKING PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SO2W2M

Gloria Naylor's "The Women of Brewster Place": A Study Guide from Gale's "Novels for Students" (Volume 04, Chapter 16)

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Gloria Naylor's "The Women of Brewster Place": A Study Guide from Gale's "Novels for Students" (Volume 04, Chapter 16)

Manufacturer: The Gale Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Gale Group | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B00006G3J6
Release Date: 2002-07-23

Book Description

Term paper due tomorrow? Need to cram for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?

Turn to "Novels for Students" to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by Thomson Gale--the world's leading source of literary criticism and analysis--this e-doc contains: plot summary; character analysis; author biography; an overview of the novel's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.

Why choose "Novels For Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: Thomson Gale--and "Novels for Students."

Download Description

Term paper due tomorrow? Need to bone up for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?

Turn to "Novels for Students" to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by the Gale Group--the world's leading source of literary criticism and analysis--this e-doc contains: plot summary; character analysis; author biography; an overview of the novel's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.

Why choose "Novels For Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: The Gale Group--and "Novels for Students."

Book Description

National bestseller from the wildly popular author of Heiress for Hire.

Haunted house tour guide Shelby Tucker gets hot and bothered when she stumbles upon sexy, naked Boston McNamara. She knows he's no ghost, though he does makes her weak in the knees.

Customer Reviews:

Somewhat Good.......2007-10-09

This book wasn't too bad, but it wasn't quite that great either. I keep giving Erin McCarthy's books a chance, but a lot of them just don't seem to blow me away. In my opinion, her book, 'The Pregnancy Test' is my favourite so far.

The main character seemed a little too shallow for me. Considering her background and upbringing it's somewhat believable. Her boy toy... well, it seemed highly unlikely that they would have attracted one another since they were complete opposites, and no, I don't really believe in the quote that opposites attract.

Give this one a try, you never know, you might like it much better than I did.

Fun Read.......2007-07-20

This was a fun read. Good for a summer beach sit-in-the-sun relaxing time. You know where it is going to go, but still fun.

A Really steamy book.......2007-06-18

This is a cute book, but the very graphic descriptions of the physical bodies of the main characters engaging in some very steamy stuff is somewhat distracting. At times I felt like i was reading one of the books with Fabio on the cover....I also wished that there was more about the ghosts. I kept waiting for it - like there was going to be some twist involving the ghosts. if you can not be distracted by the soft core porn in the book, its a cute story that is perfect for a beach read.

Snarky and Steamy!.......2007-05-22

I only purchased this book to add onto another purchase (to get that free shipping) and I was so happy to realize I'd found a treasure! This book is hilarious and very HOT at the same time. Amazing, honestly. So maybe the characters are a little iffy (hence the 4 stars) but I've got to give the author points for such a snappy writing style and gigantic sense of humor. A wonderful summer read, if you will. Hope you all enjoy it!

good book.......2007-03-07

i loved this story - especially how she meets him! i like how the town is involved in the story, but story still focuses on couple.

The Other Side of Silence: Women Tell About Their Experiences With Date Rape

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a "must read!"

The Other Side of Silence: Women Tell About Their Experiences With Date Rape

Manufacturer: Avocus Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0962767190

Customer Reviews:

a "must read!".......1998-09-04

This book is great because there are stories by real women about their experiences with date rape. There are also chapters written by professionals like a psychologist, doctor, and academics. There is even a story by a guy who thinks he committed date rape.

This book is the best I have read on the subject of date rape and should be read by all young girls in high school and/or college to think about this most prevalent form of rape in our society. It is also very important for boys to read this book to explore their (mis)conceptions about sexuality and resistance by women.

Parents, buy this book for your adolescents!

Book Description

FROM THE LEADERS OF FANTASTIC FICTION, stories that travel beyond THE SHIMMERING DOOR...

Open and enter...

Every age has known shamans and sorcerers including our own. Katharine Kerr's magical collection brings together some of the finest writers in fantasy to examine the world of spellcasters.

Contributors include:Kate Elliot * Lisa Mason Simon IngsEsther Friesner * Dennis McKiernanDiana Paxson Charles de LintLawrence Watt-Evans Nina Kiriki HoffmanGregory Feeley Mike Resnickand many others

Book Description

Afflicting nearly four million Americans, Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that commonly causes dryness of the eyes, mouth, and nose, and that can lead to complications including profound fatigue, depression, and lymphoma. While there is no cure for Sjogren's, much can be done to alleviate the suffering of patients. This extensively revised handbook offers everything you need to know to cope with this disease. The New Sjogren's Syndrome Handbook, Third Edition is a comprehensive and authoritative guide, produced by the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation and its medical advisors and edited by physician Daniel J. Wallace, a leading authority on auto-immune disorders. This expanded edition provides readers with the best medical and practical information on this disorder, bringing together the current thinking about Sjogren's in an easily readable and understandable book. The handbook illuminates the major clinical aspects of the syndrome and is loaded with practical tips and advice to assist those seeking information. Indeed, it offers a wide-ranging look at the many faces of Sjogren's, covering diagnosis, the various organ systems that can be affected, the possible psychological problems, and the many treatment options, as well as an appendix listing the resources available for patients with the disease. It is a valuable aid that patients can use while discussing their illness with their physician and an excellent resource for family members. And because Sjogren's is greatly underdiagnosed, this handbook is a particularly valuable resource for healthcare professionals. The most reliable and informative guide available, The New Sjogren's Syndrome Handbook, Third Edition is the first place for patients to look when they have questions about this little known but serious chronic disease.

Customer Reviews:

worth the price.......2007-07-23

this book is an excellent and detailed look at Sjogren's effect on all body systems. The appendix at the back that lists all the products that help you cope with dry eye, dry mouth, etc is worth the price of the book.

I recommend this to anyone who has been diagnosed with Sjogren's. Lot's of practical advice.

Not for the uneducated reader........2007-03-10

This was definitely a helpful book to me--I'm a nurse & I understood what all was being explained. But I also now suffer from Sjogren's Syndrome, ane I really had in mind a more day to day, practical application type book. It was just a lot more scientific than I expected. I would never have bought it had I look through it first.

A Must-Read for those with Sjogren's Syndrome.......2004-04-12

This is one of the best books out there on Sjogren's Syndrome. Because Sjogren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that can affect many different parts of the body, it can be very difficult to live with...however, this book goes into detail about every possible manifestation of the disease and how to cope with them. It's very comprehensive and very scientific at times, but well worth the read.

Basic Infomation.......2004-03-23

I found this book typically medically orientated. It was informative and accurate of the current treatments etc. but to be honest I am grateful I read this book after I had researched many forms of therapy.
Otherwise I would have been utterly depressed and without hope for my future. All the 'treatments' offer is symptom relief. There is no mention of improving immune status or joint repair i.e. healing. The list is endless, with the added bonus of all the drug side effects! And what about non invasive forms of pain relief like a simple heat pad? I thought the writers could have offered a lot more for sufferers.Most people flick through the tech stuff to get to the 'how to get well' section, let's be honest.
As a health care professional of traditional background, I am realising that there is a huge wealth of info from Alternative Medicine that I once dimissed like my colleagues. Holistic care is the way forward in my opinion. Oh yes, that and fish oil!!!

It really helped me understand Sjogren's..........2003-07-22

After being given a diagnosis of Sjogren's Syndrome, I really didn't know what it meant. I searched the internet, but really couldn't find any detailed information, so I hit Amazon to find a couple of books. This one was recommended by the Sjogren's Foundation, and was an excellent choice. I was able to see some detailed information, including a break down of the different symptoms. One negative note - it is very medically oriented, so you may need to read through it a few times.

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New Sjogren's Syndrome Handbook
Evelyn J Bromet
Manufacturer: Oxford University Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K6KYLO

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The New Sjogren's Syndrome Handbook
Daniel J. (EDT) Wallace
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKACOK

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The New Sjogren's Syndrome Handbook
Steven (editor); Harris, Elaine K. (editor) Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation Staff; Carsons
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PS2R6C

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More than a cookbook

Veneto: Authentic Recipes from Venice and the Italian Northeast (Italian Regional Recipes)
Julia della Croce
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Italian | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Umbria: Regional Recipes from the Heartland of Italy

The Da Fiore Cookbook: Recipes from Venice's Best Restaurant

Roma: Authentic Recipes from In and Around the Eternal City

Cooking the Roman Way: Authentic Recipes from the Home Cooks and Trattorias of Rome

The Spiaggia Cookbook: Eleganza Italiana in Cucina

ASIN: 0811823504

Book Description

Bargain Books are non-returnable.

Most everyone is familiar with the enchanting city of Venice, but the Veneto region of Italy also lays claim to rich deltas of rice, olive groves and vineyards, fertile flatlands, and one of the most dramatic mountainscapes anywhere in the world. Naturally, this would create a wealth of cherished culinary traditions. The authentic Veneto kitchen merges its ancient heritage with humble ingredients, producing one of the most fascinating cuisines in Italy. Julia della Croce shares the origins of over 60 recipes as she takes the reader on a glorious visual and culinary tour of the Veneto. Belluno's pillow-shaped pasta stuffed with beets and sprinkled with poppyseeds reveals Austrian influences, while a meal of roasted turkey topped with pomegranate sauce is a sure indicator that it's time to celebrate the fall harvest. Handy lists of charming places to stay, local festivals and cooking classes, plus evocative photos of the food and countryside will inspire anyone to plan their next vacation to the Veneto. Until then, this beloved region is as close as the kitchen.

Customer Reviews:

More than a cookbook.......2004-04-03

Although some of the recipes don't look too enticing, della Croce offers pages of great background information on the types and history of foods in the Veneto. And with the lush photography and rich quotes pulled from literature, even if you never make a recipe from this book, it makes a great gift for anyone who loves food or all things Venetian.

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New edition available

Good Primer

Sharpening Made Easy: A Primer on Sharpening Knives and Other Edged Tools
Steve Bottorff
Manufacturer: Knife World Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Do-It-Yourself | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Complete Guide to Sharpening

The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening

Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop

The Wonder of Knifemaking

ASIN: 0940362198

Customer Reviews:

New edition available.......2006-02-01

The second printing of Sharpening Made Easy (Nov. 2005) is now available with updated supplier information and a dozen or so text corrections.

Good Primer.......2004-07-01

This book will give you all the basic knowledge that you need to get your knives as sharp as they should be. If you are not sharpening strange shapes of blades, or edged tools other than knives, it will get you where you are going. There is one section discussing misc. kitchen tools (peeler, corer, etc.) that is unique to this book (although the grater was apparently overlooked). Also note that although several sharpening systems are compared, very few endorsements are made, and the author is not selling anything that I can tell.

Book Description

Beyond Stitch and Bitch collects essays exploring the emotional and spiritual experiences common to women (and men) who knit. "Women Are So Lucky Sometimes" shows the ways knitting brings women together and adds purpose to their lives. "Elizabeth Zimmerman" describes the way a single woman turned the work of her hands into a legacy for generations of others. "Stitch and Bitch" offers a lighthearted look at a Thursday-evening knitting circle and its eccentric regulars. Neither a how-to nor a collection of patterns, this wide-ranging book finds much more in knitting than might be imagined. Author Afi-Odelia Scruggs, a knitter for four decades, mines a wealth of insight from the craft's colorful yarns, flashing needles, and the feelings they inspire and draw out. Photographs are included in this collection of thoughtful writings.

Average customer rating:

Loved this book

The Dramatic Drapery Book

Of limited use

An Absolute Winner!

Modern windows with historical connotations

The Curtain Book: A Sourcebook for Distinctive Curtains, Drapes, and Shades for Your Home
Caroline Clifton-Mogg , Melanie Paine , and Fritz von der Schulenburg
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Windows | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The New Curtain Book: Master Classes with Today's Top Designers

The Encyclopedia of Window Fashions

The Ultimate Curtain Book: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating Your Own Window Treatments

Dream Windows: Historical Perspectives, Classic Designs, Contemporary Creations

The Curtain Sketchbook 2

ASIN: 0821221949

Customer Reviews:

Loved this book.......2006-08-30

I have an old Victorian House and this book has been a wonderful guide. The styles fit in my 12 foot ceiling rooms like they were meant to be. I don't think this book is for modern homes.

The Dramatic Drapery Book.......2005-12-07

When I see the words curtain, I think something that someone with average skills might be able to create. I think this book should have been called The Drapery Book because the majority of the window styles are much more elaborate than what I consider to be curtains. I am not a decorator so I might have the wrong connotations of the words, but this is what comes to my mind when I see curtains vs drapes.

Most of the styles depicted are beautiful but VERY elaborate and more focused on mansions. The majority of drapes are similar to ones you would see in very wealthy homes, i.e. Hearst Castle and some of the old railroad barons mansions in Florida. Unfortunately, the majority of the book would require some major sewing skills or a custom draperier to create.

This book has only limited info for someone on a stricter budget. Some of the treatments and information could be adapted and implemented in a less ornate setting (pg 29). There are 4 pages devoted to "Keeping it Simple". My favorite part of the book were pages 134-35 where there are illustrations for decorating and throwing fabrics over Poles.

If you are looking for more contemporary, relaxed, simpler "curtains", I would recommend a different book. If you are looking for elaborate, classic-traditional "drapes", this would be the book for you.

Of limited use.......2002-12-14

I did not find this book to be very inspirational. The only reason I gave it 2 stars instead 1 is because this book would be beneficial to some people. If you like traditional style, like the other reviewers of this book obviously do, this book is probably for you. Everyone else can find other books that give the same level of technical instructions with more range of styles and better photos. The book has a lot of sketches instead of actual photos.

An Absolute Winner!.......2002-09-16

If you love opulence you won't be disappointed! Page after page of gorgeous photos that inspire. Dozens of ideas. Suggestions for every room in your home. A decorator's delight, professional or not. Complete with a section on fabric types and how best to use them. Simple drawings instruct how to cut fabrics to achieve the look you've chosen. While the book doesn't cover sewing techniques (there are other good books to learn those, and they really don't belong in this book,) it does include patterns that are easy to follow along with 'how to' measuring instructions. This book is a 'must have' for beautiful, distinctive window treatments.

Modern windows with historical connotations.......1998-10-15

This is The book both for the historian (contains numerous period picture presentations) AND anyone needing inspiration for perfectly stunning window treatments. Nothing for a sleak purse though. This is curtains fit for a king.Could be a little heavier on how-to but gorgeous pictures. This book is a home decoraters daydream. It certainly got me dreaming!

Book Description

Noted designer has drawn upon original ancient Egyptian sources for these working stencils: full-page images of gods and pharaohs, stylized floral patterns in large and small sizes, eagles, lions, ibis, scarabs, etc. 50 full-size stencils. Color illustrations on all four covers.

Customer Reviews:

an old friend returns.......2000-06-17

Bought this book several years ago, and used it for several very successful projects. Then I loaned it to someone who moved out of state with it and several others on Egyptian art(book theives are the lowest form of life). The only one I have not replaced, and have sorely missed, is this one. Anyone interested in Egyptian motifs and designs will find it a wonderful source of clear, readily usable outlines to work from.

Book Description

It would be difficult to find, in European civilization in the last two centuries, two sisters who achieved more success across the arts and professions than Fanny and Adelaide Kemble, the subjects of Ann Blainey's engrossing twin biography. Born in 1809 to a celebrated theatrical family, Fanny was the most famous English-speaking actress of her day before she left the stage to marry the Philadelphia slaveowner Pierce Butler. Her sister Adelaide, five years her junior, ranks among the finest of English-born opera singers. Their complex and fascinating relationship is one of the major themes of this grand biography. Colorful adventures of two scions of a 19th-century English theatrical family. --Kirkus Reviews. Blainey paints vivid portraits of two determined, strong-willed women. --Booklist. Illustrated.

Customer Reviews:

SPLENDID AND SKILLED PORTRAIT OF AN ERA.......2003-06-08

Ann Blainey has done some remarkable, wonderful, and wholly original research to complete her excellent study, FANNY AND ADELAIDE. I found the book fascinating and wish I had Blainey's book in hard when I was preparing my own work on Fanny Kemble [FANNY KEMBLE'S JOURNALS AND FANNY KEMBLE'S CIVIL WARS]....I can vouch for Blainey's scholarly sensitivity and her vivid analysis: we may not agree with each other on every point, but I want to encourage those interested in this fascinating pair, those with an interest in 19th century women, and those looking for a smashing good read to buy Blainey's book!

Fanny and Adelaide.......2002-09-05

I found this book to be a disappointment. I have ready many other books about Fanny Kemble and her tremendous contributions to the Abolitionist Movement. This book was sorely lacking in information regarding her courage and determination to stand up to the Pro-slavery forces which included her husband and children.

The information about Adelaide's life was interesting. However, it seemed that Ms Blainey deliberately left out the inspiring political story of Fanny's life so as to keep the story of Adelaide's life on an even keel with Fanny's. To my mind, choosing to leave out information about Fanny so that Adelaide would not seem unexciting by comparison was a bad choice. Ms. Blainey's book would have been better had she included the truth about both sisters -- that Fanny fought against slavery at great personal sacrifice in addition to supporting herself financially as one of England's successful Shakespearean actresses while Adelaide chose to have a life primarily as a homemaker after resigning from her successful Operatic career.

Ms. Blainey also emphasized jealousies between the sisters a bit too much. One wonders if she did so to make her story more acceptable to Hollywood, hoping that her book would be made into a movie. I have read of no other jealousies between the sisters from any other source. If the jealousies had been as bad as Ms. Blainey writes I believe I would have read about it from other researchers and authors as well.

Based on exclusive access to hundreds of family letters.......2001-07-06

Ann Blainey's Fanny And Adelaide provides a biography of two sisters born in 1809 to a theatrical family in England, who became actively involved in opera and theater. The jealousies and relationships between the talented sisters and their complex friendship is based on exclusive access to hundreds of family letters.

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