The Early Stories: 1953-1975

Book Description

“He is a religious writer; he is a comic realist; he knows what everything feels like, how everything works. He is putting together a body of work which in substantial intelligent creation will eventually be seen as second to none in our time.”
—William H. Pritchard, The Hudson Review, reviewing Museums and Women (1972)

A harvest and not a winnowing, The Early Stories preserves almost all of the short fiction John Updike published between 1954 and 1975.

The stories are arranged in eight sections, of which the first, “Olinger Stories,” already appeared as a paperback in 1964; in its introduction, Updike described Olinger, Pennsylvania, as “a square mile of middle-class homes physically distinguished by a bend in the central avenue that compels some side streets to deviate from the grid pattern.” These eleven tales, whose heroes age from ten to over thirty but remain at heart Olinger boys, are followed by groupings titled “Out in the World,” “Married Life,” and “Family Life,” tracing a common American trajectory. Family life is disrupted by the advent of “The Two Iseults,” a bifurcation originating in another small town, Tarbox, Massachusetts, where the Puritan heritage co-exists with post-Christian morals. “Tarbox Tales” are followed by “Far Out,” a group of more or less experimental fictions on the edge of domestic space, and “The Single Life,” whose protagonists are unmarried and unmoored.

Of these one hundred three stories, eighty first appeared in The New Yorker, and the other twenty-three in journals from the enduring Atlantic Monthly and Harper’s to the defunct Big Table and Transatlantic Review. All show Mr. Updike’s wit and verbal felicity, his reverence for ordinary life, and his love of the transient world.

Customer Reviews:

The Magnificent Skill Of John Updike.......2007-09-27

It would have been all but impossible for most of us to have gathered even the majority of these stories together to read, spread out as they were through anthologies that spanned multiple decades, and that makes it all the more satisfying to linger over these gems from the mind of a man I really think is in the top five American writers of the twentieth-century. There are no bad stories collected here and more than a dozen I'd dub as deserving literary immortality for their capacity to represent the pulsebeat of an era for generations yet to come. A richly-composed, well-chosen anthology that is a great gift for John Updike to give his readers, and a true monument to his dedication to the short story art form. This book will help define the legacy of a man of letters, imagination, and spirit. Early Stories is simply a great read.

An essential collection, and in a class by itself.......2006-12-20

Many of these stories were originally published in short story collections (The Same Door, Museums and Women, Problems) that are long out of print and difficult to find. That alone makes this worth owning. Then there is the fact that this represents the collected work of an indisputedly talented and influential writer coming strong out of the gate and finding his voice, at a remarkably young age, before settling into a career and a life.

It is fascinating to observe this evolution and growth, as it happens over two decades, as he moves from, say, "Friends from Philadelphia", which is literal and straightforward, to the Barthelmesque (I don't if that's a word, but it should be) "Problems", which is self-reverential and self-mocking, yet also darkly funny, hinting as it does at the way life has affected the artist and his work. There is the longer "Pigeon Feathers", the (very) short "Eclipse", and the effortlessly brilliant "How to Love America and Leave It at the Same Time". Not to mention the Maple stories (which I'd already read in their collected form in Too Far To Go), the classic "A&P", and about, oh, 80 or 90 others, not all of them gems, or even successes, but fascinating and worth reading nonetheless. Add to this the fact that you can observe, through Updike's writing, the country moving from Mid-Century domesticity to Sixties' upheaval and Seventies' rudderlessness and confusion, and you have a truly indispensable collection.

There is also the added bonus of Updike's introduction, in which he reveals his life at the time (married and a father early in his twenties), who escaped to an office to write during the day so he could support his family by selling these stories to the New Yorker. An unexpected, and unexpectedly normal, glimpse of the author and his workings, it's an insight which gives me a new appreciation for these stories and how and why they came to be.

Lastly, don't be daunted by the heft and bulk of this tome, and don't be afraid to pick and choose which stories you read, and in what order...they have a way of staying with you long after you're done reading them.

Great Collection.......2005-05-24

I had never read anything by John Updike before I bought this collection, and I've enjoyed every story in it. I found his characters to be extrememly human and his stories thought-provoking.

Sex, Godiva chocolate, and Updike's Early Stories.......2004-11-05

This is the single greatest collection of short stories ever assembled. Period. Let me know if you find one better than this.

Everyday brilliance.......2004-03-13

I never much liked Updike's short stories until I started writing short stories myself. Many of the complaints people have with Updike are legitimate. He is usually light on plot. There is virtually no physical action--no fistfights, no murders, no sobbing confessions. But that, to me, is part of Updike's genius.

He always takes the difficult road. He doesn't simply have a husband cheat on his wife; instead, he has the husband worry that he will cheat on his wife, and then he considers the implications. I disagree with critics who accuse Updike of being unemotional. His stories are tangles of pure emotion.

My favorite story in the collection is "Packed Dirt, Churchgoing, A Dying Cat, A Traded Car." It's set up as a series of essays that eventually carry the reader into a story about the author's dying father. It feels like a compilation of random events until you get ot the last line, and then you realize that everything is connected, everything has a purpose. It may be the most beautiful ending I've ever read. (The second most beautiful ending is in "The Happiest I've Been.")

Updike is not for everyone. If you like simple, straightforward stories, read Tobias Wolff (he is amazing in a totally different way). But if you're interested in a world vivid with details--a world with no easy questions, let alone answers--try Updike.

One caveat: read slowly--the magic is more in the words than the paragraphs.

Average customer rating:
Early Stories, The: 1953-1975
John Updike
Manufacturer: Hamish Hamilton Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPW7H0

Book Description

Stephanie Lowe decides Maine schooner captain and pirate descendent Ivan Rasmussen deserves to be called Ivan the Terrible. The house she just bought from him is falling apart and possibly haunted. He complains about her fish-eye stew and burnt chocolate chip cookies. He makes fun of her hair after she's had to comb it while using a toaster as a mirror. And on top of all that, he has the nerve to be charming, handsome and overboard in love with her. This is one pirate captain who is determined to acquire the treasure of a lifetime.

Performed by C.J. Critt

Customer Reviews:

Really cute and catchy romance!.......2005-09-11

It's a quick read. The audiobook narrator, CJ Critt, does a wonderful job of distinguishing all of the characters. I highly recommend this book!

Love Overboard.......2005-08-28

A short and sweet story,but excellent reading.We couldn't stop listening until it was finished.We enjoyed it immensly.
Bill and Mary
from Queensland AUSTRALIA.

A CAPTIVATING VOICE PERFORMANCE.......2005-02-04

Janet Evanovich, best known for her immensely popular Stephanie Plum series, has taken home a mantel full of awards for her fast paced mysteries - everything from the Silver Dagger to the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association's Dilys Award (this honor twice).

In 1989 Ms. Evanovich tried her hand at another genre - romance, and penned "Ivan Takes A Wife." That story has been recently released under the title "Love Overboard," and is charmingly read by voice performer C. J. Critt.

For those who like a light hearted look at romance, this is an entertaining way to spend 5 hours. Stephanie Lowe finds herself doing business with a Maine schooner captain, Ivan Rasmussen, the descendent of pirates. In Stephanie's mind, Ivan doesn't deserve to be called captain but more appropriately Ivan The Terrible, and surely a pirate himself because the house she just bought from him is near tumble down and perhaps even occupied by ghosts.

Ivan has a tendency to complain about what Stephanie considers to be either inconsequential or unavoidable, but he is very attractive, can be charming, and is madly in love with her.

What to do? Listen and see.

- Gail Cooke

Book Description

As a very special extension of our acclaimed and bestselling Step into Reading titles, Star Wars Jedi Readers feature vivid artwork and text that is carefully designed to help children learn to read. This Step 3 Jedi Reader focuses on the famous bounty hunter Jango Fett and a mysterious female bounty hunter he hires. Young fans will also meet Boba Fett in this exciting Star Wars: Episode II adventure!

Customer Reviews:

do you like bounty hunters?.......2007-02-06

"Jango Fett: Bounty Hunter" is a good read for those with an interest in the bounty hunters. The story begins between Episodes I and II, when Count Dooku hires Django to assassinate Senator Amidala. The plot quickly runs into "Attack of the Clones," finishing with the death of Zam Wesell. That written, it would be misleading to believe that this is merely an abbreviated retelling of a movie. This book features significant character development between Jango and his son, Boba. Furthermore, the reader witnesses many events that are mentioned or assumed to have taken place in the film. Eric Arnold's writing is perfect for most third graders. "Jango Fett" is set-up as a first chapter book. Valerie Reckert's illustrations are awful. Most images feature movie scenes that are superimposed with original artwork. The problem isn't the approach, it's the amateurish execution. That written, the intended audience would probably take no such issue. Illustrations aside, "Jango Fett: Bounty Hunter" is a high interest book for the young reader.

This book preaches ruthless murder and terrorism!.......2005-03-08

The hero of the story is Jango, who calls himself a bounty hunter before the admiring eyes of his son, Boba. In reality, however, Jango is no more than a ruthless hired assassin whose only motivation is money. Moreover, by subcontracting an explosives expert to assassinate a Senator, Jango becomes the intellectual author of a terrorist attack. And then he murders his attractive young assistant in cold blood when she is captured and begins to talk! No, I'm sorry, this book has no place on our children's bookshelves.

Jedi Bounty (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 10)

Average customer rating:

Jedi Bounty (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 10)
Kevin J. Anderson
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Young Jedi Knights | Series | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Accessories:

Star Wars: Rebellion

ASIN: 1572972971

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Jango Fett: Bounty Hunter (Jedi Readers, Step 3)

Average customer rating:

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Jango Fett: Bounty Hunter (Jedi Readers, Step 3)

Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0679814647

Product Description

Color illustrated. Grades 2-3.

Average customer rating:

Fun, but predictable, but so are most Star Wars stories

Star Wars: Night Lily: A Lover's Tale
Barbara Hambly
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000NOIWB2

Customer Reviews:

Fun, but predictable, but so are most Star Wars stories.......1999-06-30

Do you remember the Star Wars Cantina?

Nightlily: the Lover's Tale by Barbara Hambly audiobook is about an Imperial tax official on our familiar backwater planet who is running a few scams on his own in order to make some pocket change and keep his skills honed. I don't think he was especially honest.

I think that part the appeal is the same as reading a novel set in your home town or a town so many people are familiar with either by personal experience or by association. We all remember Mos Eisley on Tatooine and Obi Wan's comment from the first several times we watched Star Wars. Its easy to integrate the visuals of the town and the cantina and I had no trouble imagining seeing it from the other side of the room and knowing what the band was thinking and going through* and witnessing the famous events from a second, or in some cases third, point of view.

This recording is dramatized and incorporates the music and sound effects from the movie, further adding to the effect.

*See "We Don't Do Weddings: The Band's Tale" by Kathy Tyers to witness this same moment from the Band's point of view. This is fun!

Average customer rating:
Jedi Bounty [Jedi Bounty]
Kevin J.; Moesta, Rebecca Anderson
Manufacturer: Boulevard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000LNWEGE

Book Description

Your Source of Inner Guidance and Spiritual Transformation Access the Power of Your Higher Self presents simple techniques that can help you develop a close, working relationship with Spirit - and experience the joy, peace and empowerment that are your spiritual birthright.

When you are in tune with your Higher Self, you become more loving and sensitive to others' needs. You fulfill your life's purpose and express your greatest creativity.

Learn ten dynamic steps to spiritual awakening that will help you realize your full potential.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best practical hand books on Spirituality.......2006-10-27

This book is extremely helpful to those who are on they're own path to the truth about exhistance. I have had more help utilizing and experiencing both devine energies and my own energies with the help of this little book than I have from any other book in my esoteric and occult library. If you need to know answers of self-awareness; self-exspansion, self protection (From others and the self), an increase consciousness, than you should pick up this book and learn to commune with the higher self.
It's a cheap, pocket-sized powerhouse of affirmations that are effective and practical in life. Learning about the truth of what we are is truly rewarding. This author also has an educated back round on spiritually and religion such as: Judaism, Christianity, and Eastern religions (Check out her as an author along with her husband Mark Prophet). Great Book. "The violet flame: To heal body, Mind & soul." is a good companion book to this book and I would recomend it as well.

I enjoyed this little book thoroughly.......2005-04-01

I think one of the best things in life is feeling that you have a sense of purpose, of who you are, of what is really worthwhile. This book has discusses your spiritual and physical existence and how we are really spiritual beings with a Higher Self and that that is our identity. It examines your spiritual anatomy, using a diagram called, The Chart of the Presence. It looks at where we've come from and where we're going...what we are supposed to be doing here on earth. I found the book to be practical as well as contain transcendent thoughts and anecdtotes. It's so easy to read! Oh, and it contains precise mantras (in English!) too. Most of all, i felt connected to God and so much closer. If you havent read it yet, it's likely to fill in gaps for you as it did for me. Reccommended.

Prophet makes a esoteric subject practical.......2000-08-19

This was my first book reading the Higher Self when I put it 2 years ago. Over the course of the last 2 years I read many many new age and spiritual books discussing opening and awakening to your Higher Self...but no one wrote it as well and as simplistic as Prophet. Prophet excells when she is not talking about alchemy or lost years of Jesus, but more when she is talking about angels, abundance, and higher self. For whatever reason those are her strong points. Possibly because she does not channel the entities in these areas as much as in the previous, I dont know. I dont care either. The layout of this book is fantastic and Im quite surprised that the sales count for this book is so low. For everyone who wants to know how to access your higher self, your God-Self, this is the book to use. Prophet gives detailed meditations and mantras that work immediately upon the use of them. They are powerful, they are direct, and they are not meant for you to spend a life-time acheiving. If you dont believe me, buy the book!

Average customer rating:

It WILL Look like the picture!!

Easy Cooking for Today, Volume II
Pol Martin
Manufacturer: Joshua Morris Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

Easy Cooking for Today

Pol Martin's Supreme Cuisine

ASIN: 292084556X

Customer Reviews:

It WILL Look like the picture!!.......1998-07-08

This is without a doubt my favorite cookbook. I can't understand why it is out of print. Nothing is left up to interpretation.Great layout! Easy to follow explicit directions, impressive, unusual recipes, and best of all, a clear color picture of every completed dish. It's easy - but it doesn't taste easy. You'll use this cookbook.

Average customer rating:

Easy Cooking for Today Volume II
Pol Martin
Manufacturer: Joshua Morris Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RA3G18

Average customer rating:

Easy Cooking for Today Volume II
Pol Martin
Manufacturer: Brimar Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OFLKDM

Average customer rating:

Easy Cooking for Today Volume II
Pol Martin
Manufacturer: Montreal, Canada Brimar Publishing 1990.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LTRAEE

Average customer rating:

Stained Glass Windows & Doors, 2nd book...

Stained Glass Windows And Doors: Antique Gems for Today's Homes
Douglas Congdon-Martin
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Glass & Glassware | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Antique Stained Glass Windows For The Home

Old Stained Glass for the Home: A Guide for Collectors and Designers (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

390 Traditional Stained Glass Designs (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

Treasury of Traditional Stained Glass Designs (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

ASIN: 0764322761

Book Description

Around the turn of the 20th century it became fashionable for homes to include decorative panels of stained glass in their windows and doors. They ranged from small eyelid windows or transoms over a doorway to massive walls of double-hung windows. In any size they introduced a warm glow of color to the interiors and an artistic tflare to the architecture. Today stained glass is being rediscovered. Antique windows and doors are sought after by collectors and decorators, and contemporary glass artists are reviving the craft. This book demonstrates the wide range of glass that is available in the market. For the artisan it gives a context to their work and provides them with ideas and techniques to expand their repertoire. Over 500 color pictures show the artistry and craftsmanship of antique windows and doors from England, Europe and the United States, and make this an invaluable resource for designers, architects, home restorers and collectors alike. Dimensions and information about the historical context and the artists who produced the glass are provided, along with current prices.

Customer Reviews:

Stained Glass Windows & Doors, 2nd book..........2006-03-15

The 1st book was incredible! I loved it..the windows were exciting and different...and I couldn't stop picking it up and looking at more windows and designs.....The second book, for me, doesn't have such incredible window designs...a bit more ordinary..however, what I do like is that it's laid out a bit more in order..and a lot more informative history on the stained glass...Prices are really irrelevant..as they'll be outdated in a few years...There's such a great need for books on stained glass...and these certainly are of help. A book on just American Stained Glass windows would be appropriate..and then one specializing on Victorian styles, A&C styles, and then regional styles...along with how they were used in the homes..and maybe a collection with period pictures...etc..there's lots more that needs to be printed!

Art Decoscapes: The Art of Displaying Yesterday Today

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Art decoscapes by Graham Abraham

Art Decoscapes: The Art of Displaying Yesterday Today
Graham Abraham , and Michael Wallace
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Art Deco | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Glass & Glassware | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0764326775

Customer Reviews:

Art decoscapes by Graham Abraham.......2007-05-27

Highly recommended for the Art Deco enthusiast.
No matter if you are a long time aficionado of Art Deco and 20th Century design or a novice collector, this book is a must for you. Hundreds of individual deco pieces grouped by manufacturer, material, color, or function; fully described, plus a guide to value for each item. Stunning full color photographs.
Abraham provides the reader with invaluable, professional suggestions for display. Leads you to an understanding of how you will be able to arrange and group items from your own collection to their maximum visual advantage.

Average customer rating:

my favorite book on antiques
Express your own eclectic style decorating with antiques

Antiques For Today's Interiors
Genevieve Weaver , and Helen Chislett
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Furniture | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Michael S. Smith: Elements of Style

ASIN: 1855857065

Book Description

Even the most modern home can become the perfect setting for antiques! Take a new look at ways to use furniture, decorative items, and artwork from bygone times to visually stunning effect. Often made of beautiful materials rarely used nowadays, they'll add texture and focus to any room. Make an exciting interior with the most unlikely mix of pieces, blend styles with confidence, and base design schemes around a single, special artifact. Includes insiders' tips on purchasing.

Customer Reviews:

my favorite book on antiques.......2002-06-11

Most antique books will tell you the book value of antiques and how to discern the real thing from a forgery. This book is different. It is written by Genevieve Weaver, who is antique dealer with her own shop. She has formed her own philosophy which focuses mostly on the aestetic of antiques, instead of collecting for book value. She suggests buying for decorative value and practicality, having antiques around the house that you can use. Antiquing, as she will tell you, is a form of investment, because antiques, as long as they are in good condition, have positive resale value.
After Genevive has covered her personal philosophy, she teaches her readers about decorative techniques such as focal points and overscaling. Then gives hints about how to decorate various "problem" spaces, such as hallways and landings.
Lastly in this book, you are shown finished homes which are furnished with antiques, and different ways to go about collecting them. The entire book is wonderfully put together, with full-page, full-color pictures and poetically written text.

Express your own eclectic style decorating with antiques.......2000-10-28

Having decided to furnish my house as if an adult lives there, I developed an interest in antiques. This book contains wonderful useful information about decorating with antiques. It even discusses how to use antiques in a modern decor. This is not a book for the collector/investor going after bargains and valuable pieces. It is for someone who will bring antiques into the home to enjoy! The photographs are stunning. They were the selling point, but text is just as good. The author discusses such topics as texture and pattern, mixing styles, anchor pieces, working with color, etc. The author also makes the case for decorating with antiques and provides information about buying from dealers. Easy and fun to read - full of useful practical information. I'm now hooked on antiques and buying with confidence.

Williamsburg Reproductions: Interior Designs for Today's Living

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Williamsburg Reproductions: Interior Designs for Today's Living

Manufacturer: Colonial Williamsburg
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FJOE7Q

Antiques for Today's Interiors : Guinevere Antiques

Average customer rating:

Antiques for Today's Interiors : Guinevere Antiques
Genevieve & Helen Chislett Weaver
Manufacturer: Collins & Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LU8XO4

Average customer rating:

Interesting and inspiring

Informative and helpful

Not so natural

A Great Place to Start!

Excellent practical easy to follow recipes.

The Natural Beauty & Bath Book: Nature's Luxurious Recipes for Body & Skin Care
Casey Kellar
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Skin Care | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Chemical | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair: Natural and Healthy Personal Care for Every Body

Natural Beauty at Home, : More Than 250 Easy to Use Recipes for Body,Bath, and Hair (Revised Edition)

The Good Earth: Bath, Beauty and Health Book

Natural Beauty Recipe Book: How to Make Your Own Organic Cosmetics and Beauty Products

Secrets of the Spas: Pamper and Vitalize Yourself at Home (Life's Little Luxuries)

ASIN: 1887374485

Book Description

“Makes recipes for body and skincare seem as simple as a Betty Crocker cake mix...Seventy recipes for beauty and bath products that can be made from items found at the market or health-food store to create aromatherapy oils, perfumes, bath salts, body lotions, facial scrubs, even your own shampoo. The color photographs make the end products look like uptown indulgences—and perfect gifts.”—Spa.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and inspiring.......2004-07-06

I thought this book was interesting to flip through and inspired a lot of other ideas. It can be good for a reference book too. It talks about (though not in depth) herbs, flowers, and oils, and butters among other ingredients. It does mention a few places to buy these things. Basic supplies are discussed and there are beautiful pictures on just about every page. The book is very well laid out. There is a short chapter on aromatherapy and designing your own fragrances. The recipes are easy and are a good jumping off point for other ideas. This book, because of the gorgeous pictures and size, could also be a coffee table type book.
As for the use of lye, as the Arizona reader mentioned, there are recipes that use it in the book. To make soap you MUST use lye. Your end product DOES NOT contain any lye. This particular reader is very misinformed about soapmaking. Please don't let that review discourage you from buying this book.

Informative and helpful.......2001-11-06

I found this book to be informative, helpful and very well written. I would like to respond to another review which warns others to stay away from the recipes in this book that use lye. I am a certified aromatherapist, and have been making natural body care for over 5 years with a specialty in handmade soap which I sell in my Business Aromagregory Bath & Botanicals. (aromagregory.com) Soap cannot be made without lye. It is not possible. I simply think that others must know what they are talking about before issueing warnings to others. In my opinion, the author of this book new their business.

Not so natural.......2001-10-22

This is a great book on many recipes, very informative on herbs and flowers used for making natural recipes. However the author reccomends using a product like lye, and lye is a very dangerous product. It can eat through the skin.

I'm dissapointed that the author never mentioned this in her book, she also never mentions to use protective gear when handling lye. I don't understand that and I'm very dissapointed that she did such a poor job informing people about it.

Also she doesn't really mention where to get some of those products, so that was another dissapointment. However if you do get this book, avoid making the products that say to use lye.

Lye is very dangerous and very toxic, a better book to get would be, Home Safe Home by Debra Lynn Dadd. Home Safe Home talks about toxics, one of them is lye, there is a special section on beauty and hygiene and the author actually gives references and resources. Home Safe Home, would be a book that would be worth buying.

A Great Place to Start!.......2000-11-13

What a wonderful collection of information and instruction! Everything is covered, from containers to herbs, types of oils to shelf life. This is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in bathing and natural cosmetics.

Excellent practical easy to follow recipes........1999-05-08

A superb reference for those who love to pamper themeselves or those they love. Recipes using actual easy to find ingredients makes the process fun and with a gratifying result that you can use or give as gift.

Natural Beauty and Bath Book: Nature's Luxurious Recipes for Body and Skin Care

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Natural Beauty and Bath Book: Nature's Luxurious Recipes for Body and Skin Care
Casey Kellar
Manufacturer: MAIN STREET
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OJX0X6

The Natural Beauty & Bath Book: Nature's Luxurious Recipes for Body and Skin Care

Average customer rating:

The Natural Beauty & Bath Book: Nature's Luxurious Recipes for Body and Skin Care
Casey Kellar
Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0788196995

Book Description

The kitchen is the true heart of the home, and homeowners are spending a lot of time and money to make their old kitchens less utilitarian and more creative, a place where people can congregate as well as cook and enjoy good food. And, the bathroom today is also getting more attention than ever from homeowners, as they realize its value as a personal retreat and resale enhancer. Taunton's New Kitchen and Bath Idea Book Collection includes both their New Kitchen Idea Book and New Bathroom Idea Book. Both of these wonderful idea books are brimming with visual inspiration. One beautiful photo after another will inspire readers with creative ways to solve problems and enhance the quality of each space. In addition, this collection offers lots of practical information and a wide array of design ideas that will appeal to every budget and taste.

Customer Reviews:

Great source of inspiration!.......2007-08-02

My husband and I are turning our uninspired 1968 tract home into a 2 story Mediterranean. We bought the Kitchen & Bath collection to help us in the design phase. These are not "do it yourself" books. Instead, they help you focus on how to design a kitchen or bath that will work for you. They discuss types of flooring, counters, cabinets, lighting, and how to design a space that "works" for your lifestyle and that "flows" well within your floorplan. We have lots of other books with lots of pretty pictures of designer kitchens & baths but these books were the most useful when we finally sat down with our architect. Without them, we would have never thought to include a lot of the little touches that helped to maximize our kitchen space for the way we cook (canning, cake decorating, candy making, entertaining) or how to make the best use of our bathroom space (extra storage and accessibility) since I have a disability. You might think that your architect would help you with all these things but don't count on it. The clearer your ideas are and the better you are able to articulate those ideas to your architect, the better your design is going to fit your lifestyle and the happier you will be when the project is finished.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Horn Book Magazine, published by Horn Book, Inc. on September 1, 2002. The length of the article is 493 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: * Leonard S. Marcus Ways of Telling: Conversations on the Art of the Picture Book.(Book Review)(Young Adult Review)(Brief Article)
Author: Joanna Rudge Long
Publication: The Horn Book Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2002
Publisher: Horn Book, Inc.
Volume: 78 Issue: 5 Page: 597(3)

Article Type: Book Review, Young Adult Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have For Gunner's Fans.......2007-02-13

It was a complete but not very detailed overview of Guns N' Roses. It was a good introduction to the band but if you're a hardcore Gunner's fan it just wont satisfy your craving. It mentioned some of the band's antics but I'm sure they get up to a lot more mischief and mayhen than what was written. It was mostly about Axl. Good picy's but only in black and white.

Great GNR book.......2001-11-22

Excellent book, very nice pictures too, fun to read. One of the best about Guns n' Roses. If you're a fan, don't hesitate!

a fun read.......1999-12-15

this book is good for fans who don't know much about the band trying to pick up information on them. Since i didn't tune into the band until 5 years or so after their last tour i found it very helpful. it is pretty good and interesting reading if you are really that interested in the band.

Complete and a must have, but left a sour taste.......1999-11-16

Although I found "Over the Top: The True Story of Guns N Roses" the most complete history, and probably most insightful that I have ever read, I had some problems with the book that left a sour taste in my mouth by the end. First off, somewhere in the middle of the book, Putterford is discussing the declining "style" of the concerts during the Illusions tour, he refers to W. Axl Rose as pulling a Donny & Marie by singing a duet with "female singer, Shannon Hoon" on Don't Cry. His complete disregard for who Hoon really is astounded me and made me be suspicious of his credibility. Also, I cannot stand it when music journalists criticize the Illusion albums. Most fans know that Appetite was the defining album for GN'R, no one disputes that, but journalists rarely give credit where credit is due. The Illusion albums showed a band that no longer lived off of Sunset Strip, I don't think anyone expected them to sing about drugs and alcohol forever, they're in the thirties. In my opinion, the Illusion albums were musically better than Appetite could ever be. Also Putterford's book seems to give a lot of new information, but all it really does is take all the rumors and press releases over the last decade and link them together. He criticizes the band for being in it for the money, but then you have to wonder....what's his purpose in writing this book?

The damned truth is hard to swallow, great book..........1999-09-02

Its really unconfortable for a fan to read this book, it tells you everything you don't want to know as a GNR worshiper. It's the damned truth, all the prima dona stuff from Axl, and his personal feelings, make you see Axl as a human being, and lower him from his demi-god state. Its a great book, I recomend it to GNR fans who CARE ABOUT THE TRUTH...

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