Book Description
The halcyon days of Los Angeles in the '50s are the seductive setting for this mesmerizing novel, chosen by the Los Angeles Times as one of the Best Books of the year. After her mother's death, young Jorie grows up with her two older brothers and a mostly absent physician-father. While her brothers become increasingly wild, Jorie becomes the central force holding the family together. And as they discover more of their father's entangled secret life, Jorie embarks on her own relationships that threaten their strange-but-stable world.
Customer Reviews:
So real it seems like non-fiction.......2007-09-09
I swear, I had to check several times to make sure this book was fiction. It is so well written, it feels like an autobiography.
Jorie is little more than a toddler (and her two brothers not much older) when their mother dies of polio-related causes. This is the 1950's, and their father is a doctor (and by the looks of it a successful doctor) who stands by helplessly as the mother of his children dies.
This happens in the first few pages of the story, and life doesn't get much better for these kids through the story. There is financial stability in their lives, but that is all. Their father rears them intellectually, but he disdains any emotion. And they only know him through the few stories he chooses to tell.
The novel is spun in such a way that you can't help but zoom along through it, wondering what will become of these poor scraps. It is a glimpse of what growing up without affection could be like, but it is not hopeless. In fact, just the opposite, Jorie is always full of hope. You cheer for her and her brothers as they grow.
I really enjoyed this story, though I found it completely heartbreaking.
(*)>
Marvelous!.......2004-08-13
A well written, fast paced and fascinating book. One of the best reads I've found in a long time. The writing style reminded me of Dani Shapiro's (especially Slow Motion): very descriptive, highly intense and totally unflinching.
An excellent read.......2003-12-30
I hope Anitra Sheen will write a sequel to this moving book. This is one of the best books I have ever read.
Heartbreaking Reality.......2002-08-16
This was a book I finished in one day. Very Good! It is a coming of age sort of novel narrated by a young girl, Jorie. Jorie and her two brothers lost their mother when they were very young and raised by their father, a doctor. This was back in the 1950's when life was different, people saw things differently. The father neglected them terribly and they basically raised themselves.
These three children struggle with themselves and trying to understand their father. It is a sad story yet it is one of survival and how one can truly survive unthinkable things in their life.
HOW NOT TO RAISE CHILDREN..........2002-05-16
Not that the parents depicted in this story are bad people -- this is not a story of abuse, but rather a story of parental ineptitude. The amazing thing about it -- and this is amazing when it occurs in 'real life' as well -- is the resilience of the children involved, how they wind up reaching down within themselves to draw upon their common sense and inner strength in order to carry on.
The story is set in the early to mid 1950s in Los Angeles -- a simpler, more naive time, when the air was still clean enough not to send the residents into coughing fits. The MacKinnon family is made up of three children -- the narrator, Jorie, has two older brothers -- and a set of parents that apparently haven't a clue about raising children. I suppose we should give the mother the benefit of the doubt -- she dies of polio very early in the book, and she was evidently the glue that held everything together. With her gone, the father is about as hapless as they come. He's not stupid -- he's a respected doctor with several Hollywood luminaries among his patients -- but his ideas about letting his children learn from their mistakes and finding their own way, instead of offering them guidance, leads to one disaster after another.
More than a lack of guidance, it is Dr. MacKinnon's inability to express love to his children that hurts them the most, although Jorie seems to be the only one to admit it. There were times I felt that he completely lacked the ability to grasp the concept of love -- he repeatedly calls it an 'overused' word. His ideas of gender roles -- typical of the 50s, and, sadly, still in evidence today -- are stifling as well. He dumps every single household chore onto Jorie's shoulders -- 'women's work' he calls it, beneath the dignity of the 'men' of the house.
The author has chosen the perfect narrator in Jorie -- her outlook and views are the most stable of the household. As she watches her family disintegrate around her, she makes some very valid, poignant observations -- and she becomes more and more determined that there will be love in her life, that she will take the reins and be her own guide. Her determination and courage are inspiring -- and the voice given her by Ms. Sheen in a compelling and authentic one, never leeving me with the feeling that an adult was telling the story through the mouth of a child.
Customer Reviews:
A true gem.......2007-02-16
This book has been sitting on my shelf for a couple years now. The stars must have been in alignment last night (Valentine's Day), because I had the precious time to read it, and really enjoyed it! I am a fan of Anne Stuart, but have to say that while she's known for her very "Bad Boys," I was surprised that while our lead, Jamey Rafferty, a real Chicago gangster, was very intense, he was very honorable. I loved him. Stuart based this novel on actual events. Here's a quick history:
On February 14, 1929, four unidentified men, members of Al Capone's gang, two being dressed as Chicago police officers, stormed into a North Side Street garage and ordered seven members (Rafferty, the story's hero, being one) of the North Side Gang against a wall which they apparently did willingly, believing their captors were real (and comparatively harmless) police. All seven men were then shot and killed with a Thompson submachine gun. Witnesses saw the uniforms and assumed that everything was under control. It was total chaos.
Stuart brought the feeling of the 1920's to the present day. This all actually happened in Chicago and Stuart has written this story as if all 7 members have been returning for 48 hours every year on Valentine's Day to get the chance to redeem themselves by falling in love and in turn staying mortal. Which brings us to our heroine, Helen Emerson; she's a state prosecutor and the only daughter of a very large Irish-Catholic family of cops. Helen's been targeted by a sadistic killer from Rafferty's past and he's determined to protect her. It was a great set of circumstances, a great set of characters. This book really was worth hunting for; unfortunately I don't believe it's currently in print. But if you can find it, it's a true gem.
Delightful Romance.......2005-03-02
Although this is a short novel, it is a cute story. Somehow the men who died in the St. Valentine's Massacre have been given a second chance. Every year on the anniversary they returned for 48 hours. All have found a soulmate and started new lives except for Jamey Rafferty.
Jamey has come back every year for 64 years but he has not found a woman to love him. this year when he comes back the last of the men Billy Moretti is in trouble. His wife comes to Jamey and begs him to help Billy. Although he has other plans for his 48 hours he has to help his friend. After finding out the name of the ADA who is on Billy's case, he hunts her up.
Helen Emerson is an associate District Attorney in the DA's office. Friday the 13th has always been a bad day for her, and she almost decides to call in sick. Before she can do anything Jamey arrives at her door at 6 o'clock in the morning. Pleading Billy's case and getting her help are not to hard for a slick operator like Jamey. Finding her too attractive and virginal as well as one of a family of cops is hard on him. He knows he only has a short time and he intends to leave her just like he found her.
But Cupid and the last of the old gang change his mind. Ricky Dragos aka Willie Morris is set on killing her. He blames her for his wife's death.
This is a wonderful fantasy and full of charm. The love story is warm and Jamey is still a slick charming rascal. I enjoyed the book very much.
Bad Boy, Bad Boy, What You Gonna Do?.......2002-08-22
No one, but no one, writes bad boy, amoral heroes as well as Anne Stuart. As someone said about the hero of one of Anne Stuart's historicals, you might be mad enough to marry him, but you wouldn't let him around the children.
In this novel James Sheridan Rafferty, who died in the Saint Valentine's Day massacre, found himself found himself, as he did every 13th and 14th day of February once more in Chicago with 48 hours to pack in a whole year of living. Helen Emerson is an entirely too mundane prosecutor who finds herself opening her door to Rafferty at 7 am one morning. He's there to try to talk her into giving Billy Moretti one more chance on probation.
It's not just Rafferty who came back. All of the men who were killed in the massacre found themselves back in the city on February 13, 1938 and once a year since. Over the years, as each one has met and come to care for a woman they discovered that they could escape the cycle and live and die a natural life. Now it's down to Rafferty, although there's a couple more like Billy Moretti who he was trying to spring that morning of Friday, February the 13th, still alive and kicking. And some of the men who died in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre deserved killing more than others.
Rafferty realizes in those 48 hours that someone is trying to kill Helen Emerson and, more importantly, that maybe she is his ticket back to reality if they can both stay alive.
Fast, fun and breezy, Anne Stuart has cooked up a great little Valentine Day's gift here to please the most demanding taste.
A Romantic Valentine Treat.......2002-01-06
By turns funny, exciting, wistful, romantic and erotic! This story concerns the star-crossed love between a modern female prosecutor and a handsome gangster killed in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1920's Chicago and doomed to live only on Feb. 13 and 14th--until he finds true love. Throw in a psychotic villain from the hero's era, the confusion of life in modern-day Chicago, another at-risk couple, and the urgency of the hero's 48-hour time limit, and you have a well-written romantic treat.
Amazon.com
Even if Masamune Shirow is more widely known for creating Ghost in the Shell, it is for his magnum opus Appleseed that he became known as a master comics storyteller. And it's easy to see why. The fiction world that Appleseed takes place in--a near-future, post-WWIII utopia--is exquisitely crafted and detailed. Into this new utopia come Deunan Knute, a nomad street-smart soldier, and her cyborg partner, Briareos. This book moves at a leisurely pace as we are introduced to the characters and their new home on the island of Olympus. But once the stage is set and the pieces are in place, an action scene erupts that carries through the rest of the book. From here the central thematic conflict of the series is established: the human race's two options of (1) pursuing their every desire, thereby dragging their whole world into destruction, or (2) changing their very nature to preserve the present sterile utopia forever. This is essential reading for anyone interested in science fiction.
Book Description
Masamune Shirow`s acclaimed cyberpunk epic about ESWAT operative Deunan and her robot lover Briareos continue their work to stabilize the uneasy worldwide peace they fought so hard to establish in this fourth collection. Beautiful art and a complex and fully realized future world make this among the best of the manga titles available in the United States.
Customer Reviews:
Can it get any more confusing?.......2004-07-07
Deunan Knute and Briareos find themselves in a war between the many political factions of Olympus. The artwork, like the plot, can become very confusing, as battle after battle is fought in the streets. Just how MANY sides are fighting each other is hard to tell, as we have humans, bioroids and even machines. Who will win the city becomes a side-issue, as all the factions end up just trying to survive and keep the city in one piece.
And this is only volume number two!
Welcome to the golden cage..........2004-03-28
World War Three is over. Nuclear weapons were not used, but just about everything else was. Old nations have died out and new powers have replaced them. A nomad soldier, Deunan Knute, and her cyborg partner, Briareos, have been taken from the ruins, out of the wastes, to utopia. A utopia called Olympus, the central city of the new Earth.
Yet, even utopia has power struggles. Will mankind be changed and became something better IF nonhuman or embrace total peace at the cost of his spirit? Or will it all be destroyed again by uncontrolled emotions such as hate and greed?
Or will mankind be able to find a way, a path that combines it all? Shirow is the best artist to help us ask the question and maybe the only one who can help us answer it.
A great collection.......2003-05-08
Masamune Shirow's works are THE standard by which all sci-fi/cyberpunk mangas are written, and Appleseed is no exception. This first book is filled with action, amazing technical designs, and great characters, all of which is rounded off by a nice dose of humour (which is sadly lacking from books three and four). A highly recommended purchase.
Very Good.......2000-07-14
One of Masamune Shirow's best works. If you like manga, you'll like this.
Great.......2000-06-06
I love this book and the rest of the series. It is actionpacked but not like a [poor] Rocky or some other movie with noplot. This has all the quallitys for a great book. The drawings are great the plot is good, thats all you need and the charecters are fantastic.
I recomend this book to anyone.
Average customer rating:
|
Promethean Challenge/Appleseed Book One (Appleseed)
Masamune Shirow
Manufacturer: Eclipse Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Shirow, Masamune
| By Creator
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1560600047 |
Average customer rating:
|
Appleseed Book 1: The Promethean Challenge (Appleseed)
Shirow Masamune
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Authors, A-Z
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Fantasy
| Gaming
| Large Print
| Media
| Science Fiction
| Writing
General
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Dark Horse
| Publishers
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Shirow, Masamune
| By Creator
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Appleseed Book 3: The Scales of Prometheus (Appleseed)
-
Appleseed ID
ASIN: 1593076916 |
Book Description
World War III is over, and nomad soldier Duenan Knute and her cyborg partner Briareos struggle to survive in the abandoned cities and demilitarized zones of the post-war wasteland, the "Badside." Matters appear on the upswing, however, when they are found and brought to Olympus, an urban utopia and centerpiece for the reconstruction of civilization. Duenan and Bri join the Olympus' police, a force that seems hardly necessary in such a paradise. But, like in most pretty pictures, perfection is an illusion, and Olympus' peaceful facade hides a dark secret, a violent struggle between human and cyborg that could once again plunge the world into war... and genocide.
Average customer rating:
- This is great material.
- Appleseed is a far-future cyberpunk, adventure.
|
Appleseed: The Promethean Challenge/Book One
Masamune Shirow
Manufacturer: Eclipse Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Shirow, Masamune
| By Creator
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1560600039 |
Customer Reviews:
This is great material........1998-09-17
Although this title's artwork is a bit less intricate than Masamune Shirow's latest material, this is still great, classic manga in his unmistakable and beautiful style. He always manages to write great stories, despite whatever mediocre "super hero fantasy" comes out all the time in the comics world; also, his watercolored and airbrushed covers are very beautiful {as well as his girls}. Appleseed's story concerns a totally sterilized society in which all is perfect... but can humanity survive in such an environment? This futuristic society is the Utopia mankind has always sought, but can humanity "live" in a world where everything is provided for you, and where the difference between androids and people is becoming more and more blurred? Humanity's rebellion begins...
Appleseed is a far-future cyberpunk, adventure........1998-05-01
Appleseed is one of the best manga series out there today. With its hard-core action, placed in a future of chaos and technological shock. Deunnan Knute and her cyborg lover, Briarios, are placed in a new utopiac world. But, they soon come to realize that there are incredible secrets and corruptions hidden in their midst. A great book for all manga fans! Masamune Shirow delivers the best, again.
Book Description
Christians are fighting a spiritual war against an enemy whose power most don't understand. Can a demon dwell in a Christian? Possess him? With scholarly wisdom and pastoral urgency, Dr. Unger challenges apathy and misunderstanding with concrete biblical answers. Facts, not sensationalism.
Customer Reviews:
The Unpardonable Sin: Harmful to your eternal health!.......2004-12-25
Mr Unger has commited the unpardonable sin in this book! In the chapter that discusses the Charismatic movement he call the gifts of the spirit "Mediumistic Gifts", Stating that, Based on An entrenced confidence in cessationism, that the gifts of the spirit are no longer available today, that anyone who claims to have them are using demonic power! By attributing the opperation of the Holy Spirit to Satan he, like the pharasees before him have commited blasphemy of the Holy Spirit(Mark 3:22-30,Matt 12:22-32).Also Jesus said that if we ask for the Holy Spirit God would give us the Holy Spirit, not a demon as he claims in his stories( Luke 11:9-13 see also 14-26) According to Jesus it is impossible to ask our Father for the Holy Spirit and instead get a demon!The book of Romans says let God be true and every man a Liar! I myself have recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit and I speak in tongues,just as the apostles did and even thanked God that they did.Reality Trumps Theology,especially if that reality is based in God's word.If you are going to cast out demons you had better be filled with the Holy Spirit because as someone who has done it I can say that demons are not impressed with systematic theology, they respond to the power and the athority of the name of Jesus. To attemt ministry to the demonized without the power of the spirit (tongues, prophecy, signs and wonders, healing et al) is like bringing a knife to a gunfight! I've seen Similarly missled people try to cast the Holy Spirit out of people thinking that He was a demon all because of bad theology. Cessationism is a false doctrine and it has caused much damage to the bodty of Christ. As for Mr Unger, in his current residence he understands fully the consequences of his words and teaching. His place is in hell. His is a textbook case of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Don't follow his example.This book is harmful to your eternal health.
I was hoping for better than this.......2003-09-26
I do not really know what to think of this book. After reading Mr. Unger's first book Biblical Demonology I was looking forward to seeing how his understanding of demonology had matured and changed. This book reflects Unger's growing understanding that demonic influence is not just an issue for missionaries in pagan lands, but also a concern for pastors who minister in western culture as well.
Unger was not entirely able to abandon his thesis that Christianizing influence of western civilization has hindered or prevented demonization in the west (pg. 99). Perhaps so, but with the degradation of our society since Mr. Unger's death, the rise of the New Paganism, the collapse of any concept of right or wrong, and the acceptance of the occult, pornography and sexual depravity, any insular protection the west has enjoyed seems to be vanishing.
Unlike his first book, What Demons Can Do to Saints is filled with anecdotal accounts of demonization. This is both a strength and weakness. Certainly, if application is going to be made these accounts help us understand what demonization is, how people succumb to it and what one needs to do to overcome it. There are, however, some glaring weaknesses. It has been years since I have heard a evangelical author states that speaking in tongues is demonic. Not only once, but repeatedly Unger warns the reader that the charismatic movement is inspired by, and controlled by demons. Granted, when he wrote this book, the charismatic movement was young and mistakes and excesses were made. Certainly, the claim by charismatics that one must be baptized in the Holy Spirit (i.e., speaking in tongues) in order to be saved cannot be supported by Scripture; but giving anecdotal evidence that people who seek deeper spiritual experiences by seeking the gift of tongues are opening themselves to demonization is ludicrous.
Are you ready for one more weird idea? One has to give Unger credit for dealing with a very difficult theological problem, but I do not know what to think of his answer. He seems to be stating that man was created to oppose and defeat Satan: to accomplish it (isolating sin and sinners) He (God) created man upon the earth. This planet was selected to be man's abode, evidently because sin began here in connection with the fall of Satan and the angels.
One can only conclude that if it was not for Satan's disobedience and the entrance of sin, that man would not have been created. Despite come glaring weaknesses, Dr. Unger is to be commended for writing this book and it is worth the read, especially helpful was the last chapter, Deliverance from Demon Power.
This ain't the one.......2002-01-05
If you want an outstanding book on spiritual warefare? This is not what you want. What you want is "Divine Energy: The Orthodox Path to Christian Victory" by Jon E. Braun. As a matter of fact read both books and deside for yourself.
By far, the best book for disbelievers of spiritual warfare........1998-12-15
In 1952, respected theologian and writer, Merrill F. Unger set out to write a book on Biblical principals set forth in the Bible concerning the spiritual realm. Through his research, Unger concluded that no Christians, no matter now secure or weak, could be inhabited by a demon. After publishing this book -- Biblical Demonology -- Unger recieved hundreds of phone calls, letters and pleas from missionaries to change his stance on demonic influence among believers. For the next several years, Unger descided to find the truth on his own. He talked with missionaries about their hair-raising experiences with demons on the mission field; he spoke with pastors who came to terms with spiritual warfare when faced with tough counselees; and he wen't back to the Bible. What he found was that the Bible nowhere says that believers cannot be 'possesed' by demons. After 12 years of research and personal counseling in his own office, Unger wrote the book "What Demons can do to Saints." Since it's writting in 1977, this book has influenced the theologies of many pastors and deliverance counselors. This book may have started Neil Andersons rise to fame, too. What Unger started through this book would probubly amaze him today -- if he were still alive. This is a must-read for all Christians!
Customer Reviews:
Best of St. Louis Cuisine.......2000-05-26
I love this cookbook! I first stumbled upon it while looking for a St. Louis-y gift for some German friends of mine who love to cook. It has since become my favorite cookbook. Whenever I want to prepare a special dinner, all I need to do is look through it. I'm not a terribly experienced cook, but I have never had a dish not turn out from any of these recipes. It also gives a little bit of St. Louis culture, without innundating the reader. AND, I appreciate the added benefit of knowing proceeds go to the Junior League of St. Louis. This fluke purchase of mine has become a favorite in my kitchen and a favorite gift to give.
Book Description
This new work form Jon A. Maguire provides an in-depth examination of personal flight clothing and equipment used by United States Army Air Force flyers in World War II. Included are: flight helmets, oxygen masks, goggles, clothing, boots, gloves, flak armor, paper items and emergency equipment such as parachutes and "Mae Wests." In addition to U.S. issue items, the book also covers R.A.F. gear used by American airmen. The original items are presented in full color photographs, including detail shots and labels. Also included are hundreds of World War II era photographs showing the items in use, as they were worn. Portions of actual USAAF instructional manuals are provided as well. This book is a valuable reference to historians, collectors, and modelers. It is also a source of memories and reflection for the many USAAF veterans. Jon Maguire has been collecting and researching the uniforms and flight gear of the USAAF for more than twenty years. He is also the author of Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens: Uniforms, Wings & Insignia of USAAF Airmen in World War II, and American Flight Jackets, Airmen & Aircraft: A History of U.S. Flyers' Jackets from World War I to Desert Storm (with John Conway). Both books are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd. Jon lives in Oklahoma City, OK., over 600 b/w and color photos, 8 1/2" x 11"
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-05-08
This is a great book. It contains many high-quality photographs, and provides a good overview of the many types and variations of gear the AAF used. An excellent value.
Alladins cave for flight gear buffs........2005-09-02
A great collectors guide. Plenty of clear pictures giving a good coverage of WW2 aviation items. Additional text isn't extensive or going into much detail. No stich counting as such on A-2 jackets, that kind of information must be found in other books like "Hell bent for leather" or other flight gear books. The wonderfull photo's are the strong point of this book and personaly I was waiting for such a book for a long time.
An invaluable reference of WWII aerial warfare........1998-12-28
There are at least a couple of books devoted to the subject of WWII combat flight gear. Taking nothing away from the others, Gear Up! is a superb reference. Every page is crammed with excellent quality photographs, both period and recent, most in full color depicting the authentic gear in use and on display. The depth of coverage obviously reflects the author's enthusiasm for the subject: sixty pages on head gear alone--from helmets to sunglasses, fortyfive pages on jackets and trousers, chapters on gloves, footwear, paper items, flak armor, ground crew gear...very little is overlooked.
This is a pictorial history. The text is limited and is not intended to be an exhaustive treatise on the innumerable variations of individual items of gear. But, anyone with an interest in WWII aerial warfare will not be disappointed with this fine reference.
Amazon.com
With a bit of simple preparation, an ordinary piece of muslin becomes a canvas for the intriguing art of flower pounding. Taped to the muslin and whacked with a hammer, nearly any type of flower or leaf surrenders its pigment, leaving behind a ghostly image resembling watercolor painting. By outlining these delicate images with permanent marker and stitching over them, Ann Frischkorn and Amy Sandrin turn them into lovely quilts. Some specifically resemble the flowers from which they came: roses, alstroemeria, irises, morning glories, and many other blossoms arranged in a central panel, ringed by a quilted--and sometimes pieced--border. In others the flowers have been pounded through stencils, to lend their translucent hues to shapes of fish, coffee cups, even a skateboarder designed and pounded by Sandrin's son (yes, kids will love this noisy, rewarding activity).
Once they've explained fabric preparation and the specifics of the technique itself, the authors present a gallery of 40 of their quilts, accompanied by commentary about what inspired each design and some of the flowers appearing in it. The project section offers another seven designs, with brief directions about creating them. The actual quilting and piecing instructions are quite cursory; though the designs are relatively basic, at least a nodding acquaintance with quilting methods is presumed. As for the actual pounding, the authors recommend experimenting with various types of flowers, remarking that the color of the bloom is not necessarily the color after pounding and that even flowers from the same plant picked on different days may result in different shades. But a bit more information about what general color ranges they tend to expect would have been helpful. The "flower index" at book's end--composed of 57 color photos representing a selection of flowers used throughout the quilts--seems like an ideal place to have indicated something about this. Still, this is an interesting and different approach to fabric adornment and might be nice on wearables too, although the authors don't mention whether the flower-pounded fabric will stand up to washing. Further experimentation ought to resolve this issue as well. --Amy Handy
Book Description
8 1/2 x 11 159 color and 2 black-and-white illustrations US Distribution only crafts Imagine preserving a rose from a wedding bouquet or a prom corsage in a quilt! Flower Pounding demonstrates easy ways to transfer pigment from flowers directly onto specially treated muslin. This remarkable guide features nine step-by-step projects and a gallery of 40 fabulous quilts that will provide hours of creativity for the entire family. Readers will also discover dozens of helpful hints, tested tips, and a photo glossary of 57 different flowers. Display treasured mementos or a summer garden's bounty for years to come. With Flower Pounding, the possibilities are endless!
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful and artistic results from your garden!.......2001-06-19
You may be wondering what in the world "Flower Pounding" is. Put simply, it is the process of transferring plant pigments to specially treated fabric via pounding with a hammer to create floral imagery reminiscent of water color painting. When I read through the book I was amazed at the beautiful projects within and wanted one for my very own.
The book has a wonderful alphabetic index of common garden flowers in the back and all of the gallery photographs list the flowers used in the projects for reference which I found to be very helpful. Along with detailed visual instructions for every step of the process from fabric treatment through pounding to completion with outlining, there are numerous photographs in the book of scenes created by the authors, Ann Frischkorn and Amy Sandrin. They have also included instructions for nine projects complete with quilting how-tos and templates to get you started. And, lest you think that this a project limited to the spring flower season, there are examples using fall flowers as well as poinsettias.
The authors glibly suggest that once you try flower pounding, you will never look at flowers the same. I must say that they are right in this assessment. Just the other day, I was at Costco and I eyeballed the fresh flower bouquets as I walked by. But, I was not thinking how pretty they were, no, I was wondering how they would look pounded!
Try it and see if you don't start thinking the same way!
I'm having a lot of summer fun with this.....KATE.......2001-06-15
A friend introduced me to Flower Pounding. We are having a great time with this. The authors give a lot of great tips on their website. They also state that your Flower Pounding works of art are dry-cleanable. This is great news! We have also tried color copying our poundings to transfer paper and having them ironed onto t-shirts. It worked great. Now they truly are washable. I don't see why you couldn't iron them onto a quilt block too. The possibilities are endless with this technique. Thanks to Amy and Ann for making my summer and my quilting a lot more interesting.
Excellent project for kids and adults alike!!!.......2001-06-09
I'm addicted to flower pounding. My kids love it, too...the only thing that gets washed after my kids do an art project is the kids
. I've worked with alum tons before and if you're concerned that it's going to rot the fabric, just rinse it out. No big deal. This is a wonderful, wonderful book and I highly recommend it. Such a wonderful break from all the "same old, same old" that's already out there. You won't be disappointed with flower pounding.
Flower Pounding Surprise.......2001-06-01
I thought Flower Pounding the oddest title, until I saw it. It's a must buy book. It's beatuiful with easy-to-understand instructions and a dash of humor. I love quilts and gardens and this showed me a great new way to enjoy both. I'm doing a project this summer and hope to use it for a youth group activity next year.
Flower Pounding is as addictive as it is beautiful!.......2001-06-01
I was fortunate to take a flower pounding class with Amy. It was such a delight to have the author demonstrate just how easy and beautiful this process is. By the end of class I had made my own gorgeous print. Everyone was delighted by the beautiful results and had a blast making their work of art. You will never again look at flowers the same way! (Irises are my favorite...so far.) In fact, you'll be itching to pound every petal you can get your hands on. When I got home that day my husband and 6 year old son asked to try their hands at it. I'm embarassed to admit it, but their prints were even prettier than mine. My son especially loved this project and can't wait to get more flowers. Kudos to Amy and Ann for creating a sensational new way to make breathtaking quilts the whole family can be involved in. (And for those of you wanting to take a class like I did, check out patchworktwins.com for their class listing.)
Book Description
In Classic Georgian Style Henrietta Spencer-Churchill explores the Age of Elegance, a heritage which is strongly evident in her own classic style. She tours a variety of Georgian houses and estates throughout the British isles to give a fascinating overview of the period (1700-1830).
Looking first at the styles and fashions of the time, we are given a real sense of Jane Austen's England-- the refined elegance of the furniture, the classic lines of the architecture and the rolling slopes of Capability Brown's landscapes. Next comes a detailed look at Georgian exterior elements-- the architecture in its setting, including town and country buildings, cottages and grand estates, courtyards and lodges, follies and outbuildings. Moving indoors, we examine the rooms and decor in fine detail, from hallway to living room, staircase to bedroom, with all the furniture, moldings, finishes and textiles that made the era unique.
A final, invaluable section in this complete source of Georgian style provides a palette of paint colors and short biographies and style guides of the influential architects, cabinetmakers and craftsmen of the period, such as Robert Adam and George Hepplewhite.
Illustrated throughout with specially commissioned color photographs and original architectural drawings and plans, Classic Georgian Style is an essential resource for details of the period. Lade Henrietta Spencer-Churchill's own decorating sense informs her authoritative discussion of the style to allow an understanding of the spirit of period decoration and its place in today's interiors. This is a beautiful guide for decorators, collectors and those who cherish the refined tastes of Georgian England.
Customer Reviews:
very good book.......2004-06-25
i just got the book - havent read much of it yet. there are a lot of good photos, some of them, however, are just different angles of the same room. it seems that by reading the book a great deal of information will be learnt about georgian homes. my direct interest here was to learn about lighting and there isnt anything to direct me here. i think its a good book for the price.
Stylish, and jaw-droppingly jealous making........2000-12-13
Georgian Style, think of those beautiful curved terraced houses in Bath in their soft-buttery colours. It was an age of clean lines and classical influence.
It would be unfair to say that, being the daughter of the 11th Duke of Malborough, it is natural that Henrietta Spencer-Churchill should have all the advantages to publish a book like this. Not only would she have been bought up in beauty such as this at Blenheim and probably a host of other stately-home-ish settings - but no doubt she has the connections to get this published.
Spencer-Churchill's book certainly rises well above the ordinary. It is beautifully illustrated, her points are simply put and they are generally very clear. She has chosen to illustrate 130 years of interior, exterior and architectural design - from 1700 to 1830 - broadly the Georgian era . With a time frame this broad this book can certainly not qualify as a deeply academic study of the transition of the design. However she illustrates the broad designs trends and how they flowed into one another. She also picks some of the main names of the period (Robert Adam, Capability Brown and so on) and puts them into historical perspective.
The styles and their advent are explained, but also much about how design was influenced from the Chinese influence to the invention of wallpaper. Even the type, and use of colours and the range of colours available gets a mention.
As an interior designer herself, Spencer-Churchill no doubt has a feel for this sort of thing. I was a little disappointed because I felt with a few areas such as window treatments, she often failed to explain if these were original designs of hers based on previous drapes, or 'a georgian style' she had dreamt up. I would have liked to have seen more of Ackermann's period prints for instance - as they showed quite breath-taking interior detail of the latter part of Georgian age.
Occassionally too I found myself grating my teeth as she illustrated a 'Georgian' ideal, but failed to point out at what period in the 130 year time span she was talking about it would have been relevant. But I am being really picky about that.
Overall I found this an absolutely breath-taking book. It at once made me sick with jealousy that I didn't have one of these beautiful homes. I found her style easy to read, informative and if nothing else the illustrations are so beautiful I would keep it simply to look at them.
This is a great book for fans of the Regency period, Heyer or Patrick O'Brian type of books. It is also lovely if you just like beautiful things.
Book Description
"A beautifully written and immensely readable chronicle of Russia under the last four tsars...a splendid achievement"
-The Economist
Exactly 175 years ago, on the Senate Square in St. Petersburg, a failed uprising ignited a process that would, one red October, finally sweep the autocracy away. The Shadow of the Winter Palace recounts an extraordinary century of Russian history, a politically tempestuous time that was also a Golden Age of intellectual and artistic achievement-the century of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, of Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky. A master stylist and a distinguished historian, Edward Crankshaw limns dazzling portraits of the czars, the revolutionaries, and a host of other unforgettable characters-and provides a riveting, sweeping history "jam-packed with information about the past and implications for the present" (The Atlantic Monthly).
"Crankshaw is a superbly literate historian...His greatest forte is a sympathetic yet never mawkish insight into the psyche of the men on whom rested the burden of ruling the vast empire. His portrait of Nicholas I is a masterpiece."
-New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
ONCE OVER VERY LIGHTLY.......2007-07-25
Crankshaw's "The Shadow of the Winter Palace" is a very readable survey of attempts to modernize Russia in the 19th century against the stubborn gravitational pull of autocracy. Russia needed democracy built up from below, if only to bring new, able men into government and broaden the consultative base of Tsarist rule. One Emperor after the other let crucial opportunities slip until at last the pressure to reform became ungovernable. Though always fun to read, Crankshaw is relentlessly superficial and adopts a smarmy, jokey tone completely at odds with the material. One looks in vain for the gritty details of Alexander II's great reforms, particularly how serfs were emancipated, and the new men who came forward during that period are never profiled adequately.
Continuation school.......2007-02-18
It is a measure of Edward Crankshaw's originality that a book subtitled "Russia's Drift to Revolution 1825-1917" ends several years short of 1917. As he puts it, the dynasty was finished. All the hoopla and rigmarole about Kadets, arrivals at Finland Stations and harangues to the workers were an encore. The play had ended.
No historian writing in English about pre-Communist Russia can evade the question, what if? Crankshaw's answer is, Communism was the continuation of tsarism under other management. The labor camps were not invented in the 1920s, the Russification of the non-Slav minorities was not Marxist, the failure of agriculture had already been accomplished, the secret police had already organized and created all the tools they ever would.
He does not speculate in the other direction. It may be that the Mongol conquest had ruined Russia before the Russians ever got a crack at doing it. I tend to think so, following what I take to be one thread of the argument of James Billington in "The Icon and the Axe." However that may be, and it is certainly arguable, Crankshaw starts with the first Russian government, in which the boyars chose to hand over power to an autocrat.
It might have been different, but once started down that road, Crankshaw sees no real opportunity to change course. A change in outlook occurred, however, about 1825. Until that time, revolt had been frequent, but always from the lower depths. Under the stimulus of the Enlightenment, the educated classes began to doubt the divinity of tsardom.
(By educated classes, Crankshaw means solely the secular part, who were, at least in principle, open to western ideas. He has next to nothing to say about the church, which is a bit odd considering that Orthodoxy was part of the arrogation by the throne of autocratic power. In effect, in the 1820s, the educated classes were all army officers.)
The Decembrist revolt may or may not have ruined one opening for a tsar to give up some part of autocratic power. Crankshaw is not quite clear; he seems to think that Alexander I was a solipsist who would have turned into an unvarying autocrat anyway.
For half a century after 1825, there was no terror or organized subversion. This period is the most interesting in "The Shadow of the Winter Palace," as Crankshaw traces the creeping modernism that infected a growing new class. In 1825, there had been only serfs and nobles. By 1870 there were workers, university students, newspapermen, most of the modern types except perhaps accountants. It seems doubtful anybody in Russia ever had a clue about where the national account stood.
Crankshaw saves his worst disdain for Nicholas II and Alexandra. Alexandra, oversexed and under brained, was the worst sort of mate for Nicholas, although Crankshaw judges him unfit to govern in every sense. Alexandra added the ingredients that changed a sordid story into a sordid, bizarre story.
There's a great deal to chew over in this fat tome. A few remarks deserve to be singled out.
"The workings of the autocracy ensured that the people subjected to it over the ages could not exist without it."
"The very name by which they were to be known, the intelligentsia, had no counterpart in any other land." (But I would add, a similar situation -- without the name for it -- existed in China and, perhaps to a degree, is Islamic countries; and to lesser degree in most of Latin America.)
"It was only by virtue of her mastery of Poland that Russia could feel European."
"The direct threat to the autocracy came not from the convinced revolutionaries (of Alexander II's time) on the one hand or from the increasingly hard-driven peasantry on the other. It came from the disorientated, disenfranchised, politically superfluous members of the new bourgeoisie, the men whose talents should have been enlisted for the business of government but who were cast out and as it were disowned."
Still timely; still lively.......2003-12-08
A witty and wide-ranging study of Russia's drift to revolution from the 1825 Decembrist uprising to the final downfall in WWI. Mr. Crankshaw has drawn in the cultural influences on the Russian intelligentsia through those years -- Dostoyevsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mendeleyev -- and their influence and despair. (Mr. Crankshaw notes Mendeleyev's removal from his university professorship by the Minister of Education, a political hack, and the scientist's subsequent rescue by the Finance Minister, Witte). More and more intellectuals turn to revolutionary plotting or simple apathy while Russia's economy and military struggle to catch up to Europe and ultimately fail.
You'll find vivid personal portraits all through the story -- the Tsars, of course, Nicholas I, Alexander II and III -- but also some figures struggling heroically against the ultimate failure: Gen. Totleben at the siege of Sevastopol in 1854; Gen. Loris-Melikov attempting to reform the doomed tsardom of Alexander II in 1880; prime ministers Witte and Stolypin in their time working against the clock to industrialize a sullen and balky nation. And the revolutionaries: the Decembrists; the young students-turned-assassin stalking Alexander II; intellectual rebels like Herzen and Chernyshevsky.
All this puts an 80-year perspective on the events leading to the 1905 revolution and the ultimate, completed downfall in 1917. His bibliographic comments on other sources -- including Robert Massie's Nicholas and Alexandra -- are well worth reading as well: sharp, wide-ranging and with the same depth of perspective. Well worth reading in light of the present-day Russia's attempts to find its way.
Superb!.......2002-04-02
This is an outstanding choice for anyone who wants to learn more about and understand the forces involved in Russia's autocratic Tsarist political system from 1825 to the Revolution of 1917.
The author masterfully blends history, political thought, biography, (and a dry sense of humor at times!) to a monumental task in examining the changes in Russia in the last 100 or so years prior to the Soviet era. (he covers some significant events in the reign of Alexander I) We see how Russia's expansion to Central Asia; the impact of the Crimean War; the economic modernizing problems resulting from serfdom; and the war with Japan in the early 20th Century shaped and influenced the thinking in the country.
Crankshaw is able to clearly deliniate the trends, and the significant events and people which made those trends possible. All in an easy to read and interesting style.
A fascinating and highly informative read!
Magisterial.......2002-01-25
Since the previous reviews have already established an able outline of the work's content I will only say that Crankshaw's masterpiece is a magnificent work of history and cuts to the heart of Russia under the Tsars, the Politburo and today's government.
As always, Crankshaw's prose is lucid, elegant and highly readable.
Average customer rating:
- My Daughter Loves This Book
- Fantastic!!
- Amazing!!
|
Ice Palace
Deborah Blumenthal
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Non-religious
| Holidays & Festivals
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Country Life
| Where We Live
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Winter Sports
| Sports
| Sports & Activities
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Picture Books
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Chocolate-Covered-Cookie Tantrum
ASIN: 0618159606 |
Book Description
Every year a glittering palace made from blocks of ice rises several stories above the wintry landscape of Saranac Lake, New York. The workers who build the palace, which is the centerpiece of the annual winter carnival, come from the village and from a nearby prison, Camp Gabriels. Inspired by this real-life event and told in the voice of a young girl who lives nearby, the account of the preparation and creation of the palace and of the festive days that follow gains special poignancy from the fact that the narrator's uncle is among the prisoners on the construction crew. Ted Rand's vibrant watercolors join Deborah Blumenthal's sensitively written text in a unique tribute to a century-old tradition and the community spirit that warms winter's iciest days. Author's note.
Customer Reviews:
My Daughter Loves This Book.......2004-02-03
My daughter got this book as a birthday present from a family friend, and it has quickly become a favorite of hers, and mine. The story is touching and well-told, and the author tells it in a way that is appropriate for young children but also interesting for adults. The illustrations are also beautiful and really draws you into the story.
Fantastic!!.......2004-01-14
What a fantastic story! I bought this book at the recommendation of a friend, and loved it from the first page. The way the author takes a story that is interesting from an adult's perspective and makes it enjoyable for young children as well is great - it's hard to find books for my children that my husband and I find fascinating too. The story is great - it's about the men in prison up in Lake Saranac, New York, who build a palace made out of huge ice blocks each winter.
There are so many interesting and touching elements to this story, which are all accentuated by the beautiful illustrations. It makes me want to visit the real ice palace!
Amazing!!.......2003-10-31
I try to read to my children as much as possible. The Ice Palace was one of the best books I have read in a long time. My children and I were both equally captivated. The story is sweet and compasionate and I would highly recommend it.
Average customer rating:
|
Manor Houses of the Isle of Wight
C. W. R. Winter
Manufacturer: Dovecote Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Specific Styles
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Guidebooks
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Great Britain
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0946159297 |
Product Description
Three complete love stories.
Average customer rating:
|
The Palace of the Snow Queen: Winter Travels in Lapland
Barbara Sjoholm
Manufacturer: Shoemaker & Hoard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Scandinavian
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Travel
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Denmark
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Guidebooks
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1593761597 |
Book Description
In November of 2001, fueled by the aftermath of 9/11 and the break-up of a relationship, writer Barbara Sjoholm left the United States to spend a polar winter in Lapland. Sjoholm was interested in exploring her childhood fantasy of Lapland based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, "The Snow Queen," and decided to research the budding phenomenon of winter tourism. The Palace of the Snow Queen is the result of Sjoholm’s travels in Lapland, starting with her visit to Kiruna, Sweden, to observe the construction of the Ice Hotel. Over the next three years, she spent each winter in the North, meeting ice artists and snow architects, reindeer herders, and Sami writers and activists.
Throughout The Palace of the Snow Queen, Sjoholm provides a deeply moving look at the people of Kiruna and the Sami’s struggle to maintain their grazing lands and migration routes in the face of tourism, while focusing on the various political and ideological changes occurring within this icy region. Ultimately, Sjoholm contemplates the tensions between contemporary tourism and traditional culture, and delivers a powerful travel narrative of this comparatively little-known region of Europe.
Average customer rating:
- An Excellent History of Hollywood
|
The Hollywood I Knew: A Memoir: 1916-1988 (Filmmakers Series)
Coleman Herbert
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Biographies
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
| Actors & Actresses
| Directors
General
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0810841207 |
Book Description
Not only a historical record of several important and dynamic periods in Hollywood, Herbert Coleman's autobiography reveals new information about Hitchcock and other legendary movie notables including Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Steve McQueen, Billy Wilder, and Alan Ladd. He also discusses for the first time his long working relationship with Alfred Hitchcock, providing fresh insights into the making of Rear Window, The Trouble with Harry, Vertigo, North By Northwest and others. For film students and film buffs, people interested in Hollywood, and Hitchcock fans.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent History of Hollywood.......2003-03-19
Coleman's autobiography provides an excellent look at the evolution of Hollywood from someone who worked their way up from a driver to a Producer/Director/Writer. Coleman vividly describes the first film he ever saw as a child, projected on a sheet in a field in West Virginia. At that young age, he decided that he wanted to work in the film industry. He began as a driver and gradually worked his way up to script supervisor, assistant director, and producer. He spent many years with Hitchcock and the stories of working on films such as Rear Window, Vertigo, and To Catch a Thief are priceless. His stories regarding his work with people like Gary Cooper, Alan Ladd, William Wyler, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and others, as well as his 30 year plus association with Paramount Pictures is a story any lover of film will want to read.
Books:
- Thirty-three Swoons: A Novel
- This Too Can Be Yours
- Three Lives and Tender Buttons (Signet Classics)
- Tijuana Straits: A Novel
- Trailerpark
- Vernon God Little: A 21st Century Comedy in the Presence of Death (Man Booker Prize)
- Windward Heights
- Women of Sand and Myrrh: A Novel
- A Circle of Angels Workbook: Designed for the Little People of the World, Waiting to Join and Share in the Light (The Little Angel Book Series)
- A Day Late and a Dollar Short
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Black Powder War
- A Hunger Like No Other
- Thinking About Biology: An Introductory Biology Laboratory Manual
- Theory of Transport Properties of Semiconductor Nanostructures
- What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in
- 2006 International Building Code - Softcover Version: Softcover Version
- Working Dogs: Tales from Animal Planet's K-9 to 5 World
- The Alchemy of MirrorMask
- The Old Way of Seeing: How Architecture Lost Its Magic - And How to Get It Back
- When Heaven Weeps: Newly Repackaged Novel from The Martyr's Song Series
Some Things That Stay
Shadow Baby (Today Show Book Club #14)
Family History: A Novel
Roseflower Creek
Rainlight
