An Unfinished Season: A Novel

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous writing, spot on historically but a bit sad

High Quality Boredom.

Novel W.A.S.P.s

More unbelievable than unfinished

Beautiful

An Unfinished Season: A Novel
Ward Just
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Forgetfulness

Echo House

A Dangerous Friend

The Weather in Berlin: A Novel

The Translator

ASIN: 061856828X

Book Description

Set in Eisenhower-era Chicago, An Unfinished Season brilliantly evokes a city, an epoch, and a shift in ideals through the closely observed story of nineteen-year-old Wilson Ravan. In his summer before college, Wils finds himself straddling three worlds: the working-class newsroom where he's landed a coveted job as a rookie reporter, the whirl of glittering North Shore debutante parties where he spends his nights, and the growing cold war between his parents at home. With unparalleled grace, Ward Just brings Wils's circle to radiant life. Through his finely wrought portraits of a father and son, young lovers, and newsroom dramas, Just also stirringly depicts an American poltical era.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous writing, spot on historically but a bit sad.......2007-07-10

Although An Unfinished Season cannot compare to Just's recent Forgetfulness it was still a pleasure to read for the language alone. I don't agree with the other reviewers who thought the characters were not engaging. I grew up in the 50s and each one of these characters literally reeked of the emotional suppression of that period. What was difficult for me was that none of them seemed to enjoy anything very much. And as suppressed as we were in the 50's we had a lot of damned fun. Another thing not noted by other reviewers was the HINT of some kind of taboo love/attachment between Aurora and Jack. Now that would have been quite enough to make Jack end it all especially in the 50s. Forget the Bataan Death March...his attachment to Aurora was clearly off the 50s radar. No matter what, Just can certainly dance a beautiful dance with the English language. I wish for more like Forgetfulness which is a book I simply cannot get out of my mind.

High Quality Boredom........2007-02-10

The quality of the writing here is excellent but the story and characters are very boring.
It is the quality of the writing, alone, that can get you to continue reading beyond say the first 50 pages, however there is no big pay off at the end.
No punctuation is a travesty; a time waster in an otherwise dreary read.

Novel W.A.S.P.s.......2006-07-12

Ward Just is a writer with few equals. He wrote for the Washington Post for many years, most notably as a Vietnam reporter in the seventies. Just successfully made the transition to fiction and hasn't turned back in some three decades.

An Unfinished Season is an exceedingly well crafted novel, set in Eisenhower era Chicago. The narrative is exact in the details it reveals, yet still spare enough to leave a reader guessing.

The reader is offered a rare inside glimpse of the North Shore W.A.S.P.s of Chicago, frozen in some ways like the cold midwest they inhabit. And frozen like the mysterious poor woman who appears throughout the book.

This is something of a coming of age novel, for both the main character, Wilson Ravan, and his father, Teddy Ravan. Wilson Ravan's unfinished season is the period after high school and before college - he's gotten a day job of sorts at a Chicago newspaper. It's here that he gleans the smutty stories he tells at the debutante balls he attends in the evenings. He experiences his first love and his first heartache.

Teddy Ravan's unfinished season is the end of his middle age years and possibly of his marriage - the reader never really finds out if the marriage is ending, or just settling in for the long haul to the twilight of the couple's years.

This novel is so tightly woven, it's difficult to dissect - and even after finishing it, one can't be sure of it. The reader is never completely let in, which is just as telling as what is learned. Just's prose is deeply symbolic without being corny.

This is a quiet, thoughtful book - highly recommended. A beautiful piece of work, and an affirmation of why I read fiction.

More unbelievable than unfinished.......2006-03-17

The prose of this novel is pleasurable to read at times. Ward Just effectively conjures images of the 1950's culture of affluent suburbanites in Chicago. But I couldn't really get into the characters. There are moments where we begin to get to know a character, but then Just resorts to declarations like "I was never closer to my father than at that time" (I'm paraphrasing) instead of showing us how and why two characters were close. A couple of pages of dialogue between them wasn't enough to make me feel they were close.

The dialogue rarely rings true; it feels like glossy pontifications, not something a real person would actually say. It's rather cumbersome getting through it without quotation marks, too. The other thing that undermined the believeability of this novel is that while the protagonist is only 19, his reflections and interpretations of things sound way too mature. Perhaps this can be explained away by the fact that the novel is a reminicence of a much older man, but he claims to be having all these wonderfully deep insights at the time, not as he's writing his memories. Overall, the book has nice moments, but it didn't move me. I didn't believe that much of what the main character said and thought could be authentic. I think Just is trying too hard to be ethereal but deep at the same time.

Beautiful.......2006-03-07

What it was like to be 19 in the 1950's in the Midwest...excellent book, especially for those of us who lived through the era at the same age (albeit on the East Coast). A great story, well-written, which makes you think and remember with pleasure and the occasional wince what it was like in that era to be on the cusp of manhood, and then just past it.

Customer Reviews:

Stubborn Marines............2006-08-09

Go figure.

This book is the first book in a trilogy about the Reilly triplets by Maureen Child.

"The tempting Mrs. Reilly" is about Brian Reilly. He and his brothers Aiden and Connor make a "no sex for ninety dats" bet. What Brian wasn't expecting was for his ex-wife to show back up in town after five years with a mission to seduce him because she wanted his baby.

This is a quick read and it captured my attention. I read it in just 2 days and now I am moving on to the 2nd book, "Whatever Reilly Wants".

Highly recommended!

The Three-Way Wager "Reilly" Trilogy: The Tempting Mrs. Reilly, Whatever Reilly Wants, The Last Reilly Standing (Set of 3 Romance Novels)

Average customer rating:

The Three-Way Wager "Reilly" Trilogy: The Tempting Mrs. Reilly, Whatever Reilly Wants, The Last Reilly Standing (Set of 3 Romance Novels)
Maureen Child
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000VCQOO8

Average customer rating:

The Three-Way Wager Reilly Trilogy: The Tempting Mrs. Reilly, Whatever Reilly Wants, The Last Reilly Standing (Set of 3 Romance Novels)
Maureen Child
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000SO76LO

Product Description

a wonderful,hot trilogy from the fabulous ms child....

Average customer rating:

The Tempting Mrs. Reilly (Desire)
Maureen Child
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OWSPEW

Book Description

Six agents have died hideously trying to penetrate the crime families behind a vast empire of pleasure and debauchery--
Now it's up to the Marines to break the circle.

Most people will visit Havanagas only in their dreams, for few can afford the exclusive resort planet that recreates ancient worlds and caters to every taste. Witches are burned at the stake in medieval towns while riotous hordes fill Rome's Coliseum to watch gladiators battle. Even the basest of human lusts are satiated by deadly sex acts and a thriving slave trade.

The crime bosses' control of Havanagas and its people is brutally effective. Now three Marines from Co. L's 3rd Platoon--masquerading as discharged military buddies on holiday--are going in to break the kingpins' bloody stranglehold. From bordellos and rebellious enclaves to the very pit of the Coliseum filled with deadly beasts, Corporal Pasquin and Lance Corporals Claypoole and Dean face certain death with only their wits and skills as weapons. But they're Marines, built to survive. . . .

Download Description

Six agents have died hideously trying to penetrate the crime families behind a vast empire of pleasure and debauchery --

Now it's up to the Marines to break the circle.

Most people will visit Havanagas only in their dreams, for few can afford the exclusive resort planet that recreates ancient worlds and caters to every taste. Witches are burned at the stake in medieval towns while riotous hordes fill Rome's Coliseum to watch gladiators battle. Even the basest of human lusts are satiated by deadly sex acts and a thriving slave trade.

The crime bosses' control of Havanagas and its people is brutally effective. Now three Marines from Co. L's 3rd Platoon -- masquerading as discharged military buddies on holiday -- are going in to break the kingpins' bloody stranglehold. From bordellos and rebellious enclaves to the very pit of the Coliseum filled with deadly beasts, Corporal Pasquin and Lance Corporals Claypoole and Dean face certain death with only their wits and skills as weapons. But they're Marines, built to survive....

Customer Reviews:

Vacations Gone Horribly Wrong.......2005-09-13

Even "cushy" assignments have a way of turning out harshly for the men of the 34th FIST. They can't seem to catch a break from the higher brass, their Justice Department, their politicians or even a resort world.

HANGFIRE actually consists of several plotlines, most of which will presumably be hashed out in later books.

The first plot concerns the way the normal duty rotations of the 34th out of the unit (a hardship post) seem to have come to a complete halt. The CO takes it upon himself to investigate this matter for the good of the morale of his men and no one will like the answers. The main thrust of this one is of a senior CO looking after his men. He learns the reasons but it will be left to later books to see how he handles the situation and how his men react.

The second plot concerns the alien "Skinks" first encountered in the 4th volume, BLOOD CONTACT. We see the skins gearing up for some major nastiness against humanity but this is almost entirely independent of the real story being told in this book. Again, it seems to be a matter of setting things up for stories to come. What is incredible is the amount of space dedicated to setting it up since it does nothing to advance the main plot of this book.

The third but main plotline concerns an independent assignment given to 3 marines seconded to the justice department. They are to infiltrate an exotic and expensive resort world run by the mob in order to gather evidence for the feds. Since the Justice department is calling the shots, we are guaranteed that things will be set up so as to put the 3 marines into as much hot water as possible with too little regard for the lives of the marines in question. In that respect, its pretty realistic. The marines manage, as marines do, to come through it all with physical and emotional wounds but with the mission accomplished.

All in all, this is not a bad installment. It seems a bit disjointed at times but I suspect that is less problematical for me since I am reading the series in close succession.

Something new with each book of the series.......2002-04-30

This is the sixth book of the series and it still brings something new to the 34th FIST. The storyline is much different that previous books but it still keeps you on the edge of your seat.

On the opposite, there is always previous information coming from the previous books that is good to know while reading. It puts everything in perspective. Flashback from Elnear, Wandejhar, Society 436 and Diamunde reminds you of the previous missions for the marines.

What's next?? I need to wait for number 7: Kingdom;s Swords...

Best of the Series.......2002-02-23

Hangfire is the best so far in the series. Good action, good story, and it has a good lead in for the next book. Gives a lot more development on characters who weren't mentioned much or haven't been used much in the last few books. A very good read

I love these books.......2002-01-21

Great well rounded charecters who actually CHANGE(develop) from book to book. This is a much better much then the last one and I cannot wait for the next in the saga.

Another great one!.......2001-07-05

This is one of my favorite series and I always eagerly await the next book. The authors do an excellent job of capturing the camraderie and esprit de corps that vets such as myself fondly remember. Additionally, the science of the series is logical and well thought out. The combat descriptions are intense and vivid. I also love the subtle humor: a 25th century religious leader named Bishop Ralphy Bruce Preachintent who wears a pompador wig and a sharkskin suit! If you are looking for a fun and intense book that makes you cheer for the good guys and rejoice when the bad guys get their just reward, this is it. Plus, you might gain an appreciation for those who choose to put on a military uniform. Keep 'em coming Messrs. Sherman & Cragg!

Hangfire Hill/Crossfire Country (Buckskin Double Edition)

Average customer rating:

Hangfire Hill/Crossfire Country (Buckskin Double Edition)
Roy Lebeau
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0843927011

Average customer rating:

Hangfire
John O'Donnell
Manufacturer: Bookmark's Friend Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Average customer rating:

Hangfire
Gary Trump
Manufacturer: Tag Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0962285641

Average customer rating:

Hangfire Hill (Buckskin, No 8)
Roy Lebeau
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0843922710

Hangfire Hill and Crossfire Country Buckskin Double Edition By Roy Le Beau

Average customer rating:

Hangfire Hill and Crossfire Country Buckskin Double Edition By Roy Le Beau
Roy Le Beau
Manufacturer: BMI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RJS9Q6

First to Fight; School of Fire; Steel Gauntlet; Blood Contact; Technokill; Hangfire (Starfist, 1-6)

Average customer rating:

First to Fight; School of Fire; Steel Gauntlet; Blood Contact; Technokill; Hangfire (Starfist, 1-6)
David Sherman , and Dan Cragg
Manufacturer: Del Ray
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000R822BU

Product Description

Military Science Fiction: Marines in action in the 25th Century -- with a difference: It's from the point of view of the enlisted men doing the fighting!

Average customer rating:

Starfist Hangfire 6
Dan/ Sherman, David Cragg
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVOHZO

Starfist Series: First to Fight, School of Fire, Steel Gauntlet, Blood Contact, Technokill, Hangfire, Kingdom's Sword, Kingdom's Fury, Lazarus Rising, A World of Hurt, Flashfire (Set of 11 Sci-Fi Novels)

Average customer rating:

Starfist Series: First to Fight, School of Fire, Steel Gauntlet, Blood Contact, Technokill, Hangfire, Kingdom's Sword, Kingdom's Fury, Lazarus Rising, A World of Hurt, Flashfire (Set of 11 Sci-Fi Novels)
David Sherman , and Dan Cragg
Manufacturer: Del-Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000UZHKBM

Starfist: Books 1 to 7 (Starfist, Book 1 -First to Flight; Book 2 - School of Fire; Book 3 - Steel Gauntlet; Book 4- Blood Contact; Book 5- Technokill; Book 6- Hangfire; Book 7- Kingdom's Fury)

Average customer rating:

Starfist: Books 1 to 7 (Starfist, Book 1 -First to Flight; Book 2 - School of Fire; Book 3 - Steel Gauntlet; Book 4- Blood Contact; Book 5- Technokill; Book 6- Hangfire; Book 7- Kingdom's Fury)
David Sherman and Dan Cragg
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000WB1BEQ

Product Description

It's the 25th century, but the Marines are still looking for a few good men ....

Average customer rating:

On Kingdon Business: Tranforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Stategies

On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies

Lots of applications for Christians in business

On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies

Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Evangelism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Missions & Missionary Work | Evangelism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Great Commission Companies: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions

God is at Work: Transforming People and Nations Through Business

Business for the Glory of God: The Bible's Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business

Tentmaking: Business as Missions

Anointed for Business

ASIN: 158134502X

Book Description

More than one quarter of the world’s people have little or no opportunity to hear the gospel. While few of the unreached care to investigate the claims of Christ, they are concerned about their own economic advancement. This is an opportunity for the gospel. On Kingdom Business proposes a new model for using business in missions: kingdom entrepreneurship. Kingdom entrepreneurs are “job-makers,” starting for-profit businesses of all sizes— real businesses that meet real needs. On Kingdom Business provides a conceptual foundation for kingdom entrepreneurship and explores its contemporary development using case studies of kingdom businesses and reflecting on the lessons kingdom entrepreneurs have already learned.

“Probably nowhere can you find the range of actual examples and keen insights offered by the spectrum of contributors to this landmark book. We are deeply indebted to both the contributors and the editors for so stout and comprehensive a set of documents, on so crucial and yet baffling a challenge.”
— Ralph D. Winter, President, William Carey International University

“Forthright, practical, and compelling! On Kingdom Business addresses the tough questions surrounding profit making in the name of Christ, and convincingly validates the fact that authentic ministry can indeed take place within the context of authentic business.”
— Christian Overman, Executive Director, Worldview Matters, Inc.

“Kingdom entrepreneurship has come of age as global Christian businessmen and women unite to extol the virtues of investing in God's kingdom. On Kingdom Business is definitely recommended reading for discerning Christians committed to Great Commission ministry.”
— John Vong, Research Director, Geneva Global, Inc.

“Businessmen and women are fulfilling the Great Commission by more than giving money. On Kingdom Business tells their stories and reveals the methodologies that work in today's world.”
— John H. Warton, Jr., International Director, Business Professional Network

“Business is not a necessary evil or a cover for the ‘real work’ of missions but a way to create investments, jobs, economic vitality, and a hearing for a credible gospel. It is hard work, but these pages are filled with the examples and learnings of extraordinary men and women—evangelistic entrepreneurs.”
— Fred Smith, President, The Gathering

“Today's mission context demands the mobilization of tens of thousands of businessmen and women committed to spreading the gospel through genuine business. On Kingdom Business reveals several best practice models and discusses key issues related to kingdom entrepreneurship.”
— Chuck Madinger, Missions Pastor, Southland Christian Church, Lexington, Kentucky

Customer Reviews:

On Kingdon Business: Tranforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Stategies.......2007-01-09

This is an excellent book for this interested in participating in foreign missionary work abroad either for a limited duration or a life time. This book is divided in two parts: why new strategies on doing missions must be implemented (it advocates doing so through business endeavors that are favorable to building national infrastructures) and examples of how these strategies have yielded results and those that have not. The book is a wealth of information on a paradigm shift for doing foreigh missions, a necessary read for all involved in such a calling.

On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies.......2006-01-15

This book (along with Eldred's, God Is At Work) is the owner's manual for every Christian who has ever wondered if there just might be something redemptive about work. There is no fluff, no wasted words, no mental lapses, no insider-theological-jargon in this book. Instead, this book is packed with superior Bible exposition (especially see Wayne Grudem's, "How Business in Itself Can Glorify God"), many realistic examples, historical precedence, completely actionable conclusions, and a one-stop-shop bibliography.

Every pastor who takes seriously his responsibility to "tend the flock" must become completely conversant with the content of this book... and then must go out an LEARN about the world of his parishioners-at-work. Every Christian --especially every investor and every owner-- who reads this book will be wonderfully encouraged or strongly convicted and then powerfully motivated to make money make an eternal difference.

As a devoted follower of The Christ and a successful entrepreneur with Fortune 100 clients and assignments in Asia, North America, and Western Europe, I urge you to redeem your time by buying, studying, and implementing this book. Vic Downing, Silicon Valley California.

Lots of applications for Christians in business.......2003-10-22

I found this book just by searching on the title after reading a paper that a friend in India wrote on kingdom business. I have been hungry to learn what it means for me as an entrepreneur to have a Matt 6:33 'his kingdom first' mentality in running a for profit venture. I devoured this book and found it to be one of the most helpful I've seen yet, even though a primary focus of the book is more along the lines of how to advance missions more effectively.

The first section covers eleven case studies each written by a different author involved in a kingdom business. True to the title, most of these are ventures that seek to make a positive impact in Christian missions, particular in countries with restricted access. They are mostly (but not all) small companies primarily with a local presence trying to figure out how to survive in a self-sustaining way in addition to finding ways to serve people with a meaningful impact economically and spiritually. This is in juxtaposition with larger multinational, leading edge businesses or businesses with a presence only in a western country. However, I found many lessons and examples in the case studies that can benefit a Christian business person in these other environments as well.

The second part covers 9 essays on the subject of business and ministry, kingdom companies, etc. again each written by a different author. And the third section is a review or analysis of the case studies and the lessons learned. These sections were full of thought provoking nuggets for me as well. The appendices also include a fairly comprehensive bibliography of related reading material.
I came away with a stronger conviction that in all of my endeavors, business or otherwise, I should be asking "what can I do to seek first his kingdom?". In addition to a business plan I need a kingdom plan. My background and experience in business can be instrumental directly in meaningful efforts to spread good news and help people, as opposed to being only a mechanism to help fund these efforts. I've purchased a couple of extra copies for others as their interest in kingdom business topics grows.

Average customer rating:
The Country Mothers Cookbook: A Celebration of Motherhood & Old-Fashioned Cooking
Jane W. Hopping
Manufacturer: Random House Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Pioneer Lady's Hearty Winter Cookbook:, The: A Treasury of Old-Fashioned Foods and Fond Memories

The Lazy Days of Summer Cookbook: A Celebration of Summer's Bounty

Country Mothers Cookbook: A Celebration of Motherhood and Old-Fashioned Cooking

ASIN: 0679402748

Average customer rating:
Country Mothers Cookbook: A Celebration of Motherhood and Old-Fashioned Cooking
Jane Watson Hopping
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Lazy Days of Summer Cookbook: A Celebration of Summer's Bounty

Pioneer Lady's Country Kitchen

Pioneer Lady's Hearty Winter Cookbook:, The: A Treasury of Old-Fashioned Foods and Fond Memories

The Many Blessings Cookbook: A Celebration of Harvest, Home, and Country Cooking

The Pioneer Lady's Country Christmas: A Gift of Old-Fashioned Recipes and Memories of Christmas Past

ASIN: 0394588746
Release Date: 1991-04-03

Average customer rating:
Gel Candles - Creative & Beautiful Candles to Make

Manufacturer: Lark Books,a division of Sterling Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0965191370

Average customer rating:
Gel Candles - Creative & Beautiful Candles To Make
Chris Rankin
Manufacturer: Sterling Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RIX28C

Average customer rating:

Creative & Beautiful Candles to Make

Some ideas worth considering

Creative and helpful

Some creativity, but unsafe.

This Book Is Not For Beginners!

Gel Candles: Creative & Beautiful Candles to Make
Dawn Cusick , and Chris Rankin
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Origami | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Candlemaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Gel Candles: 40 Creative Projects

Making Gel Candles Your Business

Candlemaking for Fun & Profit (For Fun & Profit)

Candlemaking: Creative designs and techniques

ASIN: 1579902162

Amazon.com

Relatively new to the candle-making kingdom, gel is a readily available, adaptable substance that can be transformed into all sorts of fascinating candle looks. By melting the jelly-like goop, adding color and perhaps fragrance, and pouring into a heatproof container with a wick, anyone can whip up one-of-a-kind candles. Dawn Cusick's Gel Candles presents a stunning selection of gel candle creations. Sometimes the containers define the style: Moroccan painted glasses, Easter candles in glass eggs, a teacup, an etched bud vase. But more often what makes the candle unique are the items embedded within: beads, wire, seashells, metal charms, marbles, tiny ceramic figures. The transparency of the gel--even when tinted--enables the treasures to shine through.

Overall, the step-by-step directions are adequate, and the author includes numerous safety precautions. Some of the embedded choices, however, appear rather questionable: silk flowers, plastic toys, and paper photocopies all appear in projects, and although the author warns to keep such items away from the wick and to extinguish the flame when it comes within one inch of the container bottom, such warnings seem insufficient, especially for beginners. And the wicks themselves are often short and unanchored, threatening more hazards if they burn too long. With these caveats in mind, Gel Candles is a worthwhile, whimsical idea-filled guide to the subject. --Amy Handy

Book Description

All you need to do to work with this medium is melt and pour. The excitement is in the embellishing: tint, scent, or imbed something surprising in the gel. Make a Christmas snow globe, wedding and birthday gifts, even glow-in-the-dark candles. Inspiring projects range from fun to funky—like a candle in a martini glass garnished with an olive—to simply beautiful (with gold angels inside).

Customer Reviews:

Creative & Beautiful Candles to Make.......2005-07-19

This book is fantastic, I really love all the information. Excellent!

Some ideas worth considering.......2003-08-05

This book does have some pics with short wicks(which the candlemaker could fix) and one or so of the crafts could be fixed differently to keep the wicks away from embeds. The rose candle on p.49 could still work in a larger container with a shorter wick. The paper used in the candles is against the glass and away from the wick. As with all crafts, the crafter can use his judgement and change around things. That said.

This book has beatiful pics and some great ideas. The marbles/stones candle is very pretty. There is a garden scene with the garden supplies(that could be bought at Wal-mart in crafts)at the bottom, a wire candle,various shell candles, candles using stated nonflamable gold leaves,a glass shard candle,a candle using springs(you make springs yourself,great for a man),broken glass shards candle,fruit/vegetables at the bottom candle,tubular gel candles(could still work with rounder tubes)with materials,there is a neat shark candle, a candle using spare screws,nuts,bolts,ect.(very nice for a man),Pics with candle jars in a jar,use of button coins,ceramics,a very nice fruit cocktail,use of sand in between gel layers(different), a metal dinosaur candle,a birthday cake candle using gel and whipped gel made with crayons and real birthday candles,christmas ornament candles,cylinder/beaker candles for science looking candles,and beer caps candle or other caps.

This book does have flaws, but has great ideas/pics too. The candlemaker can always perfect these ideas and still use this book.

Creative and helpful.......2002-12-31

I don't know what either the Michigander or the Nashbabe are talking about. Rankin goes into depth about flash point and the importance of a clip-on thermometer and the dangers of gel.

The ideas in here are solid, inspirational and very creative. I was quite impressed with all the various candles that Rankin mentioned but I must admit she sorta hints that GELS cannot be taken out of their mold (she only talks in terms of this as a plus factor that you show off the mold).

Don't know why Cusick is here; not on my copy of the book. It's Rankin only.

Some creativity, but unsafe........2001-06-26

Some of the items are very cute and creative, but as another reviewer states, you would be ill-advised to actually burn many of these candles and taking a significant risk to sell them. It's a start, but don't use this book as your definitive way to make gel candles. It's more a "crafty" type book than a true book about making candles. And "crafty" books aren't a good idea to use when you are making things that are designed to burn. Use caution.

This Book Is Not For Beginners!.......2001-05-24

Let me start by saying that if you are a beginner, please use caution if you purchase this book! In the same manner, if you are a crafter who sells your work, you would be taking a HUGH chance by producing and selling many of the designs that are detailed in this book. This author uses everything from embedded plastic beads to actual paper used to line the glass of one candle. She even suggests the use of paper, photocopies and photographs as EMBEDS, but goes on to caution that one should "be sure to place the wick well away from all paper products." How can ANY gel candle maker suggest paper as an embed to someone and then be able to sleep at night?

One has to wonder how much practice the author has in making gel candles since most of the wicks in the pictures are VERY lopsided and way off centered ( I guess she didn't heed her own words under the heading "Taming Rebellious Wicks.") In many of the candles, only a partial wick is used (about 2" or so) for, according to the author, "safety and aesthetic reasons." HA! The wicks that are pictured all the way to the bottom of the container are not even anchored, which, when dealing with gel is VERY unsafe. Firstly, an anchored wick is less likely to fall over, and secondly, a high-collared, tabbed and anchored wick will extinguish the candle BEFORE it reaches the bottom of the jar and thusly not allow the container bottom to get too heated and possibly ruin the surface it is sitting on, or worse.

It gets more ridiculous AND more dangerous. In the martini example, a REAL olive is used, in the "Sweet Dreams Scented Candle" plastic letter beads are suspended in the candle, in the "Insect-Repellent" candle, very large plastic bugs are used (I think their plastic since they look like it and on the material list "colorful, plastic or ceramic bugs" are called for) and a disgusting variation for this candle even suggests using a "large, interesting bug" ("already dead, of course") as an embed. And in the "Tubular Gel" candles, the author has poured the candle into long (possibly 12" or more) extremely narrow tubes of glass, using an unanchored, short wick, of course! There's more, embedded Christmas ornaments, silk flowers and even a wooden toothpick!

Okay, enough about the dangers of the candles in this book, now I will focus on the LACK of instructions.

Wicks. Although a whole page is devoted to this topic, the information is very vague. Sizes, available coring (or coreless alternatives), and surfaces are not covered other than to mention that zinc wicks are available and not to use paper wicks. No discussion on wick size relevant to the containers diameter, the hazards of using lead wicks (if one can still get their hands on them) and why, or the pros and cons of using a waxed or unwaxed wick. I suppose this most important component of candle making is left to chance for the beginner.

Fragrance. Discussion under this heading is left to a minimum. The author does state that fragrance can cause your candle to ignite. She does mention the words "flash point" but does not explain what this means nor does she explain to the reader what the fragrance oils should and should not contain (so as not to be readily flammable) or what is the minimum degree flash point that a fragrance can have before it is considered dangerous for gel. Additionally, the author does state that the wrong fragrance can cloud your gel or the wrong amount of fragrance can be dangerous, however, she never tells the reader what is the right amount or, at the very least, what percent (according to weight) one might consider using. Nor does she speak of the virtues of fragrance when used sensibly, or of the types that can or can't be used (i.e., perfumes, essential oils, etcetera).

Embeds. Been there!

Dyes. This section is OK, except that the author neglects to mention NOT to use embeds that may have been dyed with toxic paints.

Containers. Ok, but does not warn against containers that are too narrow or containers that are somehow damaged.

Additionally, this book lack in other areas such as: no mention of warning labels and no mention of resources and suppliers, save for The Chemistry Store in the acknowledgements.

I cannot help but to think that because of the sudden popularity in making gel candles and because of the lack of written material on the subject that this book was put out in thoughtless haste so that the author and publisher could cash in on the publics eagerness to be creative. And, because of the fact that (to the best of my knowledge) this is the first "commercially" issued book on this subject, the publisher (and writer) should have exercised foresight and assumed that many beginners would, because of a scarcity of published information on the subject, purchase this title, and as such, they should have given heavy thought to the scope of the book concerning both safety and directions.

As with all books (and to be fair), there is some favorable contents within the pages of this title. It is laid out well and has very nice photographs. And, if you are EXPERIENCED in making gel candles and know to disregard the potentially dangerous examples, it does offer some unique ideas.

Finally, to all you newcomers, safe & enjoyable gelling is possible, with the right directions; therefore, I recommend the book "How To Make & Market Gel Candles That Sell Like Wildfire" by Lynn A. Thomas. This "plain Jane" looking book is bursting with both common sense and ideas and the author also maintains a website with tons of resources.

Suggestion: purchase both books. The latter for the know-how, and the former for a bit of visual inspiration.

Amazon.com

The late-'90s fascination with China in the political and business realms is reflected in fashion as well, and Chinoiserie explores a mix of 14th- to 20th-century decorative styles based on European fantasies of "Cathay." Emphatically not historically correct, chinoiserie is a style that grew out of a mélange of travelers' tales, exaggerations, odd lots from India to Japan, and the European imagination of the exotic. This book is peopled with characters ranging from Marco Polo to Madame de Pompadour to P.T. Barnum. Profuse illustrations conjure the visions of Watteau and Boucher, pot painters in Delft and Minton, garden and kiosk designers from England to Poland, and creators of 1920s movie palaces--the style's final incarnation. Tracing the history of commerce as well as the image, chapters cover the time when intercontinental travel and trade were difficult if not impossible, the flowering of French rococo chinoiserie and its spread across 18th-century Europe. It also looks at the jardin anglo-chinois, the descendants of originally aristocratic styles in middle-class English and American homes, and finally the withering of the fantastic Cathay as more reliable information and objects arrived in the West from China in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Should you be curious about the intricately carved dragon on a theater ceiling or wallpaper peopled with "monkeys dressed as Chinamen," this smartly designed book written with verve, a love of the subject, and an insider's point of view provides a jumping-off point for further study and includes a list of places to visit. --Alex Lawrence

Book Description

The late-'90s fascination with China in the political and business realms is reflected in fashion as well, and Chinoiserie explores a mix of 14th- to 20th-century decorative styles based on European fantasies of "Cathay." Emphatically not historically correct, chinoiserie is a style that grew out of a m+lange of travelers' tales, exaggerations, odd lots from India to Japan, and the European imagination of the exotic. This book is peopled with characters ranging from Marco Polo to Madame de Pompadour to P.T. Barnum. Profuse illustrations conjure the visions of Watteau and Boucher, pot painters in Delft and Minton, garden and kiosk designers from England to Poland, and creators of 1920s movie palaces--the style's final incarnation. Tracing the history of commerce as well as the image, chapters cover the time when intercontinental travel and trade were difficult if not impossible, the flowering of French rococo chinoiserie and its spread across 18th-century Europe. It also looks at the jardin anglo-chinois, the descendants of originally aristocratic styles in middle-class English and American homes, and finally the withering of the fantastic Cathay as more reliable information and objects arrived in the West from China in the 19th and 20th centuries. Should you be curious about the intricately carved dragon on a theater ceiling or wallpaper peopled with "monkeys dressed as Chinamen," this smartly designed book written with verve, a love of the subject, and an insider's point of view provides a jumping-off point for further study and includes a list of places to visit. --Alex Lawrence

Customer Reviews:

West Meets East.......2002-03-26

The Far East has inspired Western fashion, interior design and film in recent years: think cropped jeans embellished with embroidered silk, sleeveless Mandarin collar tops, Ralph Lauren's bold mix of red and pink silk bedding, or the profusion of Asian-focused films including Seven Years in Tibet. But this trend is nothing new. Eastern imagery has appeared in Western design for centuries, never really going out of style, and peaking in popularity at various points in history. Ever since the fourteenth century when Europeans first read The Travels of Marco Polo, Westerners have romanticized China and its neighbors, and Western decorative arts have been especially affected by Eastern style. In her book Chinoiserie, Dawn Jacobson explains the phenomenon in great detail. Her focus is on furniture, accessories, interiors and architecture and she highlights the Chinoiserie craze in creations ranging from Chippendale furniture to Delftware to Grauman's Chinese Theater. The illustrations are exquisite and plentiful. Jacobson's text is scholarly-this is an art history text as well as a coffee table book-and the chapters are well organized.

Chinoiserie: The Impact of Oriental Styles on West Art and Decoration

Average customer rating:

Chinoiserie: The Impact of Oriental Styles on West Art and Decoration
Oliver Impey
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0684146797

Average customer rating:

Meissen Porcelain in Color
Hugo Morley-Fletcher
Manufacturer: Exeter Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0896730077

Product Description

History of Meissen porcelain.

Average customer rating:

Chinoiserie for the Decorative Artist
Rena Friedman
Manufacturer: Jackie Shaw Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Pottery & Ceramics | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0941284182

Cathay Invoked: Chinoiserie, a Celestial Empire in the West

Average customer rating:

Cathay Invoked: Chinoiserie, a Celestial Empire in the West

Manufacturer: California Palace of the Legion of Honor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BNYYCG

Average customer rating:

Chinoiserie
Oliver Impey
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0192114441

Average customer rating:

Chinoiserie
U.F.D.C. Conventin Staff
Manufacturer: U.F.D.C. Convention
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IGGTII

Average customer rating:

Chinoiserie: The Vision of Cathay
Hugh Honour
Manufacturer: E. P. Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B0000CL80D

Chinoiserie: Chinese Influence on European Decorative Art 17th and 18th Centuries

Average customer rating:

Chinoiserie: Chinese Influence on European Decorative Art 17th and 18th Centuries
Madeleine Jarry
Manufacturer: Vendome Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Chinoiserie: Polychrome Decoration on Staffordshire Porcelain, 1790-1850

Average customer rating:

Chinoiserie: Polychrome Decoration on Staffordshire Porcelain, 1790-1850
Howard Davis
Manufacturer: Rubicon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Pottery & Ceramics | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Ceramics | Other Media | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0948695099

Customer Reviews:

It made me clip art hyper!.......1998-04-15

I loved the huge variety of colorful images! It was great and very easy to do!!

Average customer rating:

Clip Art Crazy: Windows Edition
Chuck Green
Manufacturer: Peachpit Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OP62OY

Book Description

Between his birth in 1925 and death from a heart attack in 1980, Peter Sellers left an indelible mark on the history of comedy. Peter Sellers: A Life in Character details his extraordinary career from his first stage appearance as a babe in arms, his early days in show business and the classic radio era, to the heights of Hollywood stardom. It is packed with stories and anecdotes from those who knew and admired him, as well as interviews with Sellers himself.

Fully illustrated with a unique collection of photographs, Peter Sellers - A Life in Character is an affectionate tribute to this great man, recapturing all those wonderful characters he brought to life. Above all it is intended to do what he did best – make you laugh.

- Packed with a unique collection of photographs
- Interviews with Sellers himself, as well as those closest to him
- Sellers is a legendary for The Goon Show, Dr Strangelove, and as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther
- Recaptures the wonderful characters he brought to life

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books