The Story of Zahra: A Novel

Average customer rating:

review by alyssa shultz 3/26/07

A Book That Fails to Live Up to Its Story

Captivating

Unbearable story without any sense

This is an Amazing Book!

The Story of Zahra: A Novel
Hanan Al-Shaykh
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0385472064
Release Date: 1996-12-15

Book Description

With more than 21,000 copies in print of Women Of Sand And Myrrh, and more than 15,000 copies of The Story Of Zahra, Hanan al-Shaykh is the best known and most admired woman writer of the Arab world. The paperback publication of Zahra will bring this passionate and courageous novel to a much larger group of readers. Its haunting story of a young Lebanese woman who attempts to stem the violence in Beirut by initiating a sexual liaison with a sniper has "lifted the corner of a dark curtain" (Sunday Telegraph ) from a world that fascinates us all.

Customer Reviews:

review by alyssa shultz 3/26/07.......2007-03-26

The Story of Zahra is about a girl who has never matured into a woman, despite her years and experience. Trapped in her inability to conquer the world within her, Zahra lives as a victim, perpetuating her own dilemma, attracting the disrespect that she holds for herself. She was never given the tools to empower her identity in her own social construct, always searching to understand the mess complicating her situation. Zahra has a resistant spirit that is grossly contaminated by an obedient attitude towards anyone who wishes to use her or degrade her emotionally. Never has she been instructed or taught by observation the ways of carrying ones self in this world to aspire to something better. Zahra has an extreme faith in her own failure and lacks any aspirations, wallowing in defeat daily simply because she exists. The cultural setting for The Story of Zahra makes it difficult for me to appreciate the book for all it is worth. This is because it perpetuates dominating stereotypes that have been delivered through social learning and Westernized media in the United States, leading its citizens to believe they are more evolved than "savage" people in foreign lands such as the lands this story takes place in. Zahra's story is universal despite our not having a war at home, social entrapment is a curse that so many face in every different society. Free will is governed by circumstance that demands compromise, diverting us from our intentions. The seriousness of this opposition to our motivations ranges from person to person along with the affect it has on ones autonomy and opportunity. Also one's ability to overcome these constraints against personal liberty powerfully navigates his or her range of options. Zahra is obviously broken. Almost everyone she comes in contact with in the novel is broken as well, but they are at least adjusted to their incapacities. Zahra is a strong fighter on the inside; she does not succumb to an adaptation for happiness. She does not force herself to find some sort of a false contentment with things that fully displease her, she holds disdain for them. Her struggle remains to be her perceived inability to grow as a female and create her own situations. Her life's purpose becomes by default a reason for other people to feel superior, giving everyone who comes into contact with her a false sense of power. She lives and breathes dehumanization, becoming an object or a tool with no matter. The deconstructive chaos that is war relieved her for a short while from her silent struggle, until it became a new world of pain. She is a masochist, and just as she talks of taking on pain like a sponge, she activates it in her own doings by letting everyone walk all over her.

A Book That Fails to Live Up to Its Story.......2006-11-25

The Story of Zahra is a book that could have been great but ends up being a mishmash of cliches and stereotypes.

The character Zahra does seem to have some sort of psychological disorder because she lets herself be used (sexually or otherwise) by everyone around her and seems to have a lack of will to live. She is a very pale shadow of the main characters of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar and Siri Hustvedts's The Blindfold. Her desperate need to be "loved" ends up becoming sickening to the reader.

There are glimpses of the Lebanese conflict as well as the Arab system of "proper" marriages but much of that is swept under the self-pitying monlogues of Zahra. The author is also not able to give the characters any dimension, instead they are very flat.

The ending of the novel is quite shocking and powerful, however a lack of empathy with the main character makes it less so.

Captivating.......2006-03-17

One of the best books I've read in the past few years. I couldn't put it down. Captivating story, beautifully written.

Unbearable story without any sense.......2005-12-04

Any novel or work of fiction is reflection of a culture and presents values of that culture, but the story in this book does not represent any culture neither lebanese nor any other.

The novel is about a girl who cannot live with her parents and to get away from them she leaves for her uncle who lives in Africa. Unexpectedly her uncle takes different kind of interest in her and to get rid of that she marries another person but that does not work either and she gets divorce from him and comes to Beirut.
There the story takes another turn, in the neighborhood where she lives is an isolated semi demolished building block which is known as a refuge place of a sniper, to confirm this she dares to go there and finds him and falls in love with him, their repeated love encounters make her pregnant and it becomes impossible for her to abort the child as she had already aborted childs in her womb a couple of times and when she breaks this news to the sniper he tells her that they will marry but instead he kills her.

How any girl on the face of earth will ever go to an unknown terrorist in the middle of war to seed herself with him. I dont understand why some arab countries have banned this book, this has only aroused the curiosity among readers about the story but it was useless.

This is an Amazing Book! .......2005-10-27

I found this book, The Story of Zahra, amazing. I never even figured out what the end would be until I reached it. Then I had to ask, how could I be so dumb! I read this book in a matter of hours and was totally engrossed in the story. It really highlights the psychological life of a Muslim woman in Lebanon and how her behavior affects others. I disagree with the reviewer who believes that Zahra has a "psychological disorder." I think that she is a normal woman forced by convention and an oppressive life into behaviors she would never engage in if she was permitted more freedom and an ounce of respect. Zahra is never a person with self-determination but owned and controlled by others. She is eventually treated as a mere comodity.

Book Description

Gregor Grant was to have been the Laird of Glen Dhui. But defeat at the hands of the English had cost him the home that had been with his family for generations. Bitter and betrayed, the Highlander vowed never to return . . .

. . . until a lady pleads for his help.

Margaret Mackintosh cannot believe that the wild and scowling warrior in the tavern is the man she seeks. This is Gregor Grant, the proud laird her people have been whispering longingly for? But the new lady of Glen Dhui has no choice. Forced into a betrothal to a duke determined to unite their lands, Meg needs a champion. And who better than Gregor Grant, the clan's rightful leader? So the fiery lass makes him an offer he'd be a fool to refuse…and the sweetness of her kisses awakens a desire Gregor had thought long buried. Will Meg be able to resist its heat, or the raging power of his love?

Customer Reviews:

3.5 stars.......2006-06-09

This was a nice book and I liked the writing style. I liked the secondary story about Alison and Malcolm but thought the author could have explored it a little bit further. Both Meg and Gregor were refreshing in that they were not as bitter and angry as many heros and heroines.

This is an AUTHOR to Watch!!!.......2003-11-13

Following the success of her previous medieval trilogy, Ms. Bennett has crafted another fine historical romance novel that takes place in the Scottish Highlands of 1728 with a feisty, strong and independent heroine who is saved by, and saves the hero. Granted, a well-used plot vehicle but one that comes to life under the masterful wordsmith, Sara Bennett.

At the request of her father, General Mackintosh, Lady Margaret (Meg) set out on a mission to find Captain Gregor Grant, the man who would have been Laird of Glen Dhui, had he not obediently followed his Jacobite father and lost his inheritance in the uprising of 1715. General Mackintosh, Meg's father, had befriended the young Gregor years before and through a set of circumstances, both had saved each other's lives. Now, the General was looking for Gregor to save his daughter from a marriage contract he had arranged to a Duke whom he had recently learned might be a murderer.

Lady Margaret's (Meg) first impression of the glorious man she had imagined the boy artist, Gregor Grant had become, was disillusionment when she discovered him, in a tavern - drunk, wounded, and smelling the worse for wear after fighting a duel over a married woman. Conversely, in Gregors inebriated state, this fiery haired Scottish lass with the brightest, bluest eyes he'd ever seen, though dressed in men's trews, looked like an angel.

Meg's father, knowing Gregor to be an honorable lad, was hoping that the years had not changed him, and asked that Gregor marry his daughter in an attempt to prevent the Duke of Abercauldy from marrying her. Gregor, who was already very much attracted to Meg, agreed, but only if she approved it as well. Both are very much in love with one another but their individual histories made them each afraid to admit it to one another.

The supporting characters of Michael Bain (Gregor's man) and Alison, as long lost lovers were a special treat and a well-crafted and enjoyable couple. The pace was adequate and the lead duo was a delight. All in all, this is another satisfying historical romance from an author who is fast making her mark and gaining fans in this genre.

Enjoyable Highland Romance.......2003-11-12

Gregor Grant is a pushover when it comes to women in distress. But his most recent experience blew up in his face (not to mention the wound to his arm) and he's reluctant to stick his neck out for a woman again. What an unfortunate moment for Meg Mackintosh to march into his life looking for his help! He is not at all what Meg expected. First of all, he's drunk, second of all he is much more hardened and fierce (and of course handsome!) than the sensitive boy she had understood him to be. His family lost their lands twelve years ago after backing the Stuarts' claim to the English throne in the failed 1715 Rebellion. Gregor never thought to see his home again and has spent the past twelve years a soldier in the English army and trying to forget that he is, or at least should be, the laird of Glen Dhui. Which is precisely why Meg has sought him, but what, exactly does this fiery redhead want from him?

Margaret Mackintosh is the daughter of an English general who bought Glen Dhui after it was confiscated from the Grants. He met the eighteen-year-old Gregor when he was imprisoned after the rebellion, took a liking to the lad and lobbied for his freedom, for which Gregor is grateful. He has now been deceived into betrothing Meg to their neighbor the Duke of Abercauldy a man, he later learns, suspected of murdering his first wife. Knowing that he is too old to fight off Abercauldy, he sends Meg to bring back Gregor Grant who he thinks is the only man who can save them all. Just how Meg does not know, but she'll do anything for her father, and if he thinks Grant can help them, so be it.

But what he has in mind will change their lives forever. Is Gregor willing to resume his rightful place as laird - even if it means marrying the brave and fiery Meg? And will Meg agree to marry the golden haired, fierce warrior Gregor? And is there more to it than a marriage for their mutual benefit?

I loved Gregor's character and Meg's as well. He's sweet, strong, warm and honorable and she's strong, competent, pragmatic and passionate. An enjoyable romance even if the Abercauldy aspect of the story was a bit weak.

Hunky Hero.......2003-10-11

Once again I have been unable to put down a Sara Bennett book. Her hunky Scottish hero with a wry sense of humour, Gregor Grant, is well-matched by the flame-haired, spirited Lady Margaret (Meg) Mackintosh.

More light-hearted than her medieval stories, Beloved Highlander has obviously given Sara much delight in the telling, and that delight is echoed by the reader of this wonderful tale of two strong characters who are determined to fight for the love they have discovered. Gregor has lost his lands and his title but not his honour. Meg has had to contend with suitors seeing only her father's wealth and property and not her goodness of heart and spirit. Although their pasts create obstacles to their love, these wonderful characters take the reader on a passionate journey which ends in a humorous solution to their problems and a joyous start to their lives together.

Great Scottish romance.......2003-10-09

This is a great Scottish romance from Sara Bennett. After her Medieval trilogy I didn't think she could get any better, but this has a lighter note to it that I very much enjoyed. Gregor and Meg were wonderful characters and the story flowed very nicely. A bit of humour, too, which I enjoyed.
I'll be looking out for the next one you can be sure of that!

Average customer rating:

Beloved Highlander

Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 073943750X

Average customer rating:

Beloved Highlander
Sarah Bennett
Manufacturer: Avon Historical Romance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RDPGGS

Customer Reviews:

Tidying up old business and going where no brain has gone........2005-01-11

Of the five books that have been written in the Brain & Brawn series by Anne McCaffrey and various co-authors, my favorite was "The Ship Who Won," the direct prequel to this title. So when I saw that co-author Jody-Lynn Nye had penned a solo follow-up, I naturally bought it. One critic says of it on the back cover that "Anne McCaffrey should be proud," and I'm sure she is.

Carialle, for those unfamiliar with the series, is a "brain"--a human being born so badly malformed that her only hope for survival was to be encased permanently in an artificial environment and trained to become the guiding force of a space station or (in her case) a spaceship--a Central Worlds explorer-craft whose mission is to "seek out new life and new civilizations," as Star Trek had it. After lengthy training, she chose a "brawn" (a normal person who could act as her arms and legs)--Keff, a romantic and amateur linguist with a weakness for holographic adventure games like Myths and Legends--and they set out on what will be a 25-year partnership. In the previous book, they discovered the planet Ozran, where two lost colonies--one human, one of the amphibioid Cridi--co-existed and shared a Cridi technology known as "Core" which permitted feats that would seem magical to nontechnological races. Now they have been assigned to carry a Cridi delegation home to their world of origin and invite the mother culture to become members of CW. What they didn't realize before they left Ozran was that the Cridi homeworld is close--literally painfully so--to a region of space where Carialle once suffered a catastrophic mishap which nearly destroyed her then ship-body, and was (or thinks she was) boarded and stripped by beings she was never able to identify. Upon re-entering that region, she suffers flashbacks which lead Inspector-General Maxwell-Corey to conclude that she is insane and should be removed not only from the mission but from service entirely. But Cari's not giving up without a fight, and neither is Keff. When the CW ship sent to relieve her is attacked by a pirate craft, they realize that Carialle's memories were accurate, and take off in pursuit of the pirates. Cridi friends old and new join their quest, which leads eventually to the discovery of yet another sapient race, the griffin-like Thelerie, and to Carialle's vindication when the pirate ringleader is captured.

What I liked best about this book were the Cridi and the Thelerie, two delightfully original and well-realized alien species. The Cridi, tiny but lionhearted creatures that resemble common Earth frogs, speak in both vocal and sign languages and have been struggling for 50 years to get their space program back on track, unaware that the reason for their zero success rate is that the pirates, lurking in the outer regions of their system, destroy every ship they launch. The Thelerie, who live in the neighboring solar system, are the innocent tools of the pirates (or Melange, as they call themselves), recruited for their unfailing ability to tell where they are in relation to their homeworld (and doubtless for the kind of innate grasp of piloting skill that would come naturally to a flying people); they also change sexes according to need, like the people in Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Left Hand of Darkness." Keff and Cari's skillful and compassionate campaign to demonstrate their error to them, help them make friends with the Cridi and vindicate themselves by helping in the defeat of the Melange show clearly how well these partners have learned their lessons and how smoothly they work together. This is a quick-moving tale of first contact and space-opera adventure that should appeal to all lovers of sf.

Clears up some mysteries, but a little lacking.......2002-01-01

I read this book because I wanted to finish the some of the story left open in "The Ship Who Won" (TSWW) written by Anne McCaffery and co-written by Jody Lynn Nye. This is the first story that I have read which was solely written by Jody Lynn Nye and I'm not sure that I would come back for more.

It is nice to have some of the final pieces to the puzzle of what happened to Carialle as she drifted through space in TSWW but it was a little thin in plot. Carialle and Keff take the "globe-frogs" from TSWW back to their home world and end up going on a new mission. . . meeting another alien race and uncovering a band of pirates in the process. I felt this story could have been told with the same level of depth in a book half as long as this.

Jody doesn't seem to have the flow of thought that Anne has either. The story would deal with one issue and then abruptly switch to another issue making me wonder why some passages were included at all. I had a hard time getting into it at first too because it seems to have started out a bit slowly. The ending to the story was a little predictable too and left me a little unsatisfied. Additionally, through-out the book I got the feeling that Jody was trying too hard to be a good writer. She seemed to make up some words and had trouble with wording, making concepts harder to understand. I never felt like I got a clear picture of what the Thelerie species looks like either.

It is worth the read through though if you want to complete the story from "The Ship Who Won" but it probably won't rate as one of the best books you've ever read.

Up to McCaffrey's Standards? Nyet!.......1998-12-12

Perhaps one reason why McCaffrey afficianados consider "The Ship Errant" to be different from the usual "The Ship Who..." series, is that McCaffrey didn't write it. At least, she isn't given authorship credit although the book cover prominently displays the information that this is the sequel to a McCaffrey/Nye work ("The Ship Who Won"?)

Jody Lynn Nye, the only author credited here, seems to have a hard time making a storyline actually come to life. Although she is fully capable of writing a consumate stinker even WITH McCaffrey's help, this time she managed to groan out a solo novel which doesn't have quite enough originality to qualify as an extreme. This one is a confirmed denizen of "The Mediochre Middle".

Give the lady credit where due, tho. She has flights of whimsy which delight the reader ... this particular reader was even overheard chuckling a few times. Her description of frogs as Dungeons & Dragons-type adventurers was charming, and she tromped heavy-footed (if not quite heavy-handed) thru The Land of Puns. Some of us enjoy the trip more than others.

Her description of the budding love affair between Tall Eyebrows and Big Eyes is as almost as fun as her over-cooked naming convention: a frogish politician named Big Voice? Really!

Overdone, underplotted, characterizations which are nearly as deep as a frying pan, this is definately not destined to become a Fantasy Classic. But it's a good bedside reader, if only because it's so put-down-able.

It may not be Chicken Soup for the Soul, but perhaps Cotton Candy for the Mind.

Good read, but a little thin in spots..........1998-02-20

Good story line and plotting, but a bit thin in spots. Could have fleshed it out a little more. I think McCeffrey writes better by herself. If you like the other ship stories you'll like this one, but it doesn't have the depth of other McCaffrey yarns.

Average customer rating:

The Ship Errant: 12 Copy Prepak
Jody Lynn Nye
Manufacturer: Baen Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

War & Peace | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0671854801

Average customer rating:

Entertaining but inaccurate

Not very good..

Problems and Inaccuracies

Good guide, but a little inconsistent

Good guide, but a little inconsistent

The Everything World's Religions Book: Discover the Beliefs, Traditions, and Cultures of Ancient and Modern Religions (Everything Series)
Robert Pollock
Manufacturer: Adams Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580626483

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining but inaccurate.......2004-05-14

I thought the writing was relatively entertaining and the book was a smooth read, except for the parts where I got hung up on inaccuracies. I started out giving Mr. Pollack the benefit of the doubt, since he was trying to survey so many different religions, I understood that there wouldn't be a lot of depth. He often describes what takes place at a ritual without giving us a clue why anything occurs. A few actually useful pictures would have been helpful, particulary since his description of a yin/yang symbol is incorrect. He clearly didn't do deep research in an number of areas -- his section on "Sorcery" is from the HeroQuest gaming system. Judging from his description of Wicca (in which he doesn't mention Gerald Gardner!), he seems to take one subgroup's rituals and attributes them to an entire belief system. If you read this one, do it with a grain of salt.

Not very good.........2004-02-05

I always hate doing this to an author but I almost didn't finish this book due to it's dryness. Avoide this outline.

Problems and Inaccuracies.......2004-01-20

I know a great deal about the history of religions and I was hoping this book would help supplement my knowledge about certain religion's beliefs. Unfortunately, this book has so many errors in its descriptions of the histories of religions that I have already studied that I could not trust the information that it had about religions I haven't studied.
For a few clear examples, his classification of Methodism, the third largest branch of Christianity in the World, as "alternative sects of Christianity" is erroneous in light of the fact that Amish and Baptist, both of which are smaller, are listed as major branches. Not to mention that few practitioners of Christianity would classify Mormonism or Christian Science as major sects of Christianity but would not consider Presbyterianism as a sect of Christianity!
Information-wise: The history provided about Methodism is completely inaccurate since Methodism was founded in England and has absolutely no roots whatsoever in Ireland and I don't even believe the founder, John Wesley is mentioned at all! He clearly and directly confuses the Baptist church with the much older and separate group the AnaBaptist while discussing the history. The Baptists may have a similar name to the Anabaptist but they were two different groups founded at different times.
Belief-wise: His description of the beliefs of Confucianism and Taoism have blatant errors as well. For several religions he spends so much time discussing the history of the religion that he almost completely glosses over the actual beliefs of the religion. I ended up sending the book back and picking up "A Brief Guide to Beliefs" by Linda Edwards and I would advise the serious seeker to take a look at that book before picking up this one.
I was not impressed at all.

Good guide, but a little inconsistent.......2003-02-11

This is a good guide to the world religions. All the topics seem to be covered, and it's a good introduction. It concentrates on all the major religions, and also delves into the smaller know religions and different sects of the major religion. I can honestly say I know more after reading this book

One thing I found annoying was the lack of consistency with the reporting of each religion. It would have been helpful if Pollack told the same information for each religion. He should start of with history, then the amount of worshipers, then where are they located, then what type of gods do they believe in, and so on. He tends to leave out a lot of information, whether due to his lack of information, or do to oversight. There are numerous examples, such as he explains that Buddhism overlaps with Hinduism. But how, where, and why? He doesn't explain, or his explanation was unclear. He writes a chapter about Jainism, but I never figured out if the Jains had a God or not. He doesn't give an approximation to the number of religious devotees to many religions, so I don't how major the religion is or not.

Despite these flaws, it's still a very good book for the curious.

Good guide, but a little inconsistent.......2003-02-08

Despite these flaws, it's still a very good book for the curious.

Average customer rating:

Collecting Crackle Glass: With Values

Repetitious and Barely Useable Book!

Excellent Pictorial and Historical Guide for the Collector

Collecting Crackle Glass: With Values (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
Judy H. Alford
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Viking Glass 1944-1970

ASIN: 0764302175

Book Description

This vibrantly colored and radiantly textured glass is captured in over 400 color photographs which show the history of yesteryear's spectacular crackle glass in detail. Collecting Crackle Glass is a book filled with valued information for collectors, dealers, and glassware lovers alike. The "manufacturer's identification" and "most collectible" guidelines make it easy to collect the most desirable pieces, and a there is value range for each piece of crackle glass photographed. Now you can have detailed information about the styles, shapes, colors, and crackling procedures needed to be able to pick up an unidentified piece of crackle glass and name its maker, know the approximate date of creation, and the fair market value. If you are a dealer, collector, or glassware lover, Collecting Crackle Glass is a book you will value and refer to time and time again.

Customer Reviews:

Collecting Crackle Glass: With Values.......2005-09-20

This book arrived in very good condition. It has all the information I was interested in because I have a collection that I will be selling at the neighborhood antique shop. The discriptions will help me to document the origions and fairly price each piece.

Patricia Vodika

Repetitious and Barely Useable Book!.......2003-05-06

For someone who supposedly collects crackle glass, this book's author has enough repeats of the same items to make you dizzy!!! Sometimes the same item is pictured twice on the same page for the same category. One Fry lidded pitcher is found NINE times, a green decanter is found THIRTEEN times, an amberina decanter SIX times, an unidentified decanter SEVEN times!!! On page 30, she says, "These Five Collectible Areas Increase the Value of Crackle Glass: Numbers 1-4 Characteristics will increase value....Number 5 Characteristic will increase value...." BUT I never found those five areas!!!!!!!!
For anyone who wants to have any hope of identifying or pricing a variety of crackle glass, this IS NOT THE BOOK for you!!! On the only positive note, the values the author DOES give seem to be fair and accurate.

Excellent Pictorial and Historical Guide for the Collector.......1999-10-06

This is an outstanding book. This books provides so much information as well as hundreds of vibrant photographs. The author shares so much educatinal history on companies that made crackle glass. The photographs are outstanding. She also provides valuable assesment data to help the collector determine the value of their own piece. I do think the author under estimates the values of some pieces. Many rare pieces are greatly underated in value, however, I highly recommend this book the both the advance, and beginner collector. A splendid job in putting this book together!! Definately 5 stars!

Customer Reviews:

EEWWW!!!.......2006-12-11

Do NOT waste your money on this book! It is so weird.......it is REALLY outdated. I mean, it was published in 1997 for Pete's Sake! Styles have changed. Seriously though, who ties back their curtains with a jumprope??? (no offense if you do)

So.....Don't waste your money! The tips are REALLY REALLY REALLY outdated!

BYE!!!

My Review.......2006-01-28

I love this book. It has so many good ideas for how to get and keep your room organized.

eh..........2005-08-05

Its OKAY, but American girl can be a little more creative than this. I found nothing that was intresting enough to go in my room.
I suggest you find a different american girl book.

Groom Your Room.......2004-02-28

I think that this book has some great ideas, but American girl could of been more creative.C'mon, now I know just about every tip from this book. The tips are common, widespread. They oviously listened to a bunch of three year olds.

Not as good as the others.......2003-12-09

This book is all right for younger kids, but room for you, another american girl book, is much better. This book doesn't give you alot of different ideas for different personalities, just boring things that you already know, are too young for you,or you don't really like. if you want tons of different ideas on how to re-do your room, i don't recommend this book. When redoing your room, you'd probably want tons of ideas to choose from, but they only do a few ideas (4 at most) for every object you want to redo, but at least half of them aren't good ideas. if you are a really yound kid, this book would be alright, but for older kids, like 9, or 10, don't get this book cause it is not only boring, but kid-ish.

Book Description

In the South, both climate and landscape evoke colors of profound intensity--in hazy blue mountains, electric green meadows, and fiery orange sunsets. It's no wonder that Southern interiors reflect the beauty of this natural outdoor palette. Now, in the newest Southern Accents book, anyone can learn to mix and match colors to create an indoor masterpiece. Highlighted with over 200 vibrant photographs, the book culls the best suggestions from interior designers whose work has been featured in the magazine, complete with swatches from their favorite rooms. Whether working with cool blues, warm yellows, or festive reds, carefully orchestrated colors can speak volumes about you, and SOUTHERN ACCENTS ON COLOR will serve as a source of inspiration and the means for looking at color with a new eye.

Customer Reviews:

Good Coffee Table book.......2007-02-23

I thought the pictures were nice & some of the information was enlightening...but for the most part this is strictly a coffee table book.
I don't think that the book is totally useless as some have stated...but I also don't think it's the best either...
Living in the Midwest...I bougth the book out of interest to better understand the Southern mentality on design... It did offer some insights...but not to the extent I'd hoped.
I don't regret getting the book...but I got it for a good price...I wouldn't pay full price for it...but would appreciate it as a gift.

beautiful photos.......2003-10-08

This book is wonderful with lots of beautiful photographs. There are colors that I never thought of using in my home, but this book has shown me that I can be adventurous and have splashes of pink or orange or brown, but still have a room look classic and elegant.

Limited in scope.......2003-09-02

Sadly, this book was a disappointment. The rooms are overdone and overwhelmingly done in dated traditional style. I wouldn't mind some classic traditional decorating, but it looks as if nothing but traditional style has ever made it south of the mason-dixon line! Sorry I bought this one.

SOUTHERN ACCENTS RULES.......2003-06-29

This is the fourth in the series of books written by the editors of Southern Accents Magazine. It is a truly marvelous resource guide for design professionals as well as "civilians" looking for ideas. Organized by color, the book showcases some of the finest rooms in the country, decorated by the best decorators working today. The text is both authoritative and fun to read, and the pictures allow us into some of the finest rooms in this country. There is nothing staid nor stodgy about this book. It underscores the absolute correctness that this magazine has developed under it's current Editorial team. While many rooms are tradtional in tone, there is a freshness and true sense of what contemporary decor is all about. While so many other magazines and books try to push "edgy" or "experimental" ideas, Southern Accents and it's books perfectly reflect the way people live now. As an industry professional, I read every magazine and buy every book on decorating that I can get. This latest book from Sothern Accents is as good as anything on the market. It is filled with ideas that everyone can implement into their own houses. A truly wonderful book that has a feeling of what a joy can be found in brilliantly decorated houses. The photography is flawless. This should be a must read for anyone who cares about decorating. And everyone should. Once again, the Southern Accents team delivers great beauty that is fresh and fun.

Enlightening.......2003-06-03

Everyone that owns a home should read this book. Absolutely beautiful photographs are combined with a wealth of knowledge. This author shows you how to mix colors, light and interior design to define the mood and character of a home. Very delightful, informative text that is easy to comprehend and enjoyable to read.

Southern Accents Magazine July August 2003 Confident Color

Average customer rating:

Southern Accents Magazine July August 2003 Confident Color
Southern Accents
Manufacturer: Bill Carey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S5X0YA

Southern Accents Magazine May June 2001 Alive with Color

Average customer rating:

Southern Accents Magazine May June 2001 Alive with Color
Southern Accents
Manufacturer: Bill Carey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S5Y10M

Book Description

Access to digital typography has given more people the tools to develop alternative forms of visual language and thousands of digital fonts now exist with new ideas and directories being developed constantly. Type 1 brings together the best digital typefaces from around the world, providing an invaluable and unique visual resource for typographers and graphic designers.
The book is divided into sections based on typographic styles: Modular, Line, Graphic, Bitmapped, Dirty, Text, Stencil, and Calligraphic. Brief descriptions of each typeface include information on the inspiration behind the design, along with the name of the designer and a contact address. Accompanying the book is a CD containing eight free fonts (one to represent each section of the book) specially commissioned from selected typeface designers. Contributing typeface designers and foundries include Club21, T26, eboy, Alexander Gelman, [+ism], Tim Fletcher, Swifty, Jeremy Tankard, Alias, The Fonts Bureau, Agfa Monotype, Extra, Thirstype, Beaufonts, Ben Drury, Hideki Inaba, Optimo, Buro Destruct, and Fontshop International.

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