Changes at Fairacre

Book Description

While Fairacre's new commuter life-style causes a sharp decline in enrollment at Miss Read's school, Miss Read focuses her attention on the ill health of her old friend, Dolly Clare.

Customer Reviews:

a sweet read.......2007-01-30

When I can pick up a book and instantly be removed from the real world to a world of sweeter times I know I will read the book more than once!

I love Fairacre.......2006-04-01

I love all of the Miss Read books; they are witty, and filled with infectious, gentle humor, and periodically, a nice verbal dart to burst a pompous bubble. Much as I love the Fairacre and Thrush Green series, it is always difficult when a beloved character, like Dolly Clare, dies. Once you are drawn into Miss Read's universe, you never want to leave. It's such a warm, comforting, soothing place; you feel as though you know every character and their quirks after just a few books. So you feel as though Miss Clare is a much loved old friend. It's difficult not to admire and love her; the British Empire must have been built on the sturdy backs and common sense, and faith of millions of men and women like Miss Clare. She never makes a big splash in the way of the world, but she influenced, and was loved by all of her pupils and neighbors. She had rare common sense, and humor, allied to a keen intelligence, and she had courage. These books are a journey into a lost world. When I was a child, there were still neighborhoods and people like Miss Clare, and her friends. Those have all but vanished, but you can revisit them over again, in Miss Read's lovely books. Prepare to shed a few tears, or a lot of tears, over the passing of gentle Dolly Clare, but rejoice with Miss Read that Dolly has left her the cottage and it's contents, and secured her future. I have every book in the Fairacre and Thrush Green series, and I find myself rereading them every year, or every other year. No matter how many times you have read them, you can't escape their gentle spell, and kinder worlds. Despite the fact that Dora Saint sometimes switches facts in the same or subsequent books, you just smile, because it's something we all do, from time to time. For instance, in one of the first books, the Coggs twins are already in Miss Clare's class, but at the end of the book, Mrs. Coggs appears to be just registering them for school! The sex of Tibby the cat goes from female to male, and back again, without any explanation. One can assume that Tibby dies and is replaced by another Tibby, but not within the span of pages! That is the only fault I find with these books, other than the fact that there are only so many of them. Any time is right for a Fairacre fix, so sit down with a cup of tea, your very own Tibby, and prepare to be enchanted. Don't say I didn't warn you. If you enjoy Miss Read, then you have probably also discovered D.E. Stevenson and Jan Karon, who also write about small towns and villages, and recurring characters. If you haven't discovered those ladies, yet, let me suggest that you do. You are in for a treat.

Average customer rating:

Changes at Fairacre
Miss Read (Dora Saint)
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NASSQA

Average customer rating:

Changes at Fairacre
Dora writing as Miss Read Saint
Manufacturer: Penguin Putnam~trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ1RN6

Amazon.com

Setting: The Scottish Highlands, 1159
Sensuality: 7

A curse haunts Marcus Kincardine's clan and to break it, he must find and wed the Truelove Bride--a woman with silver hair, lavender eyes, and the skills of a warrior. Lady Avalon d'Farouche was raised by mad Scotsman Hanoch Kincardine and groomed to be the bride of the legend. The methods Hanoch used to train the orphaned girl as a warrior were violent and Avalon swore she'd have no part in the breaking of the curse. But when Marcus kidnaps the beautiful Avalon, her oath to refuse the fulfillment of the legend is threatened by the powerful attraction she feels for her handsome husband. And Marcus discovers his captive stirs a passion he's never known. But even if Marcus can convince Avalon to wed him, will he be able to save her from the evil presence that stalks her? And if they wed, will the ghosts that walk the glen finally find peace? --Lois Faye Dyer

Book Description

The curse will last one hundred full years....

A notoriously fierce soldier, Marcus Kincardine wears his clan's tartan as a symbol of his heritage--and a reminder of the curse that haunts his kin. To rid them of this evil, the legend says, Marcus must wed a fabled warrior maiden with hair like an angel's halo, eyes the color of the rarest heather, and an extraordinary gift that makes her more formidable than any army. But first he must win the most desperate battle of his life...the one for her mind, her body, and her heart.

Lady Avalon d'Farouche can't deny she bears the telltale marks of the Kincardine legend, nor can she disown the strange, mystical intuition that allows her to see things others cannot. Yet Avalon believes she alone holds the key to her destiny--a future in which no man will own her. So when Marcus Kincardine seizes her for his own purposes, she never expects him to ignite a fiery passion within her. Still, she refuses to sacrifice her soul and fulfill the legend by surrendering to desire. But how long can she deny him...and how long will he let her?

Customer Reviews:

A Romance To Love!.......2006-10-17

A curse haunts the clan Kincardine and the Marcus Kincardine must find and wed his truelove in order to break the curse that has been holding his clan hostage for 100 years if not more. But even though he knows that his betrothed Lady Avalon d'Farouche is the woman for him...she is a strong minded lass who does not believe in the curse and refuses to marry Marcus...despite the fact that she is attracted to him in ways she never thought possible. Is there a way for her to give in and follow her heart without selling her soul to a story she doesn't believe in. Marcus will do what he must to break the curse and find a happy ending for his clan. The fact that Avalon speaks to his heart is a bonus and makes him work the much harder to bring her wild heart and spirit to heel without breaking that which he has come to treasure. But will Avalon allow herself to love the one man who represents all the things that have been hurtful in her life?

I loved this story. It is full of love and emotion and Ms. Abe will capture your attention with her well crafted characters and storylines. This historical romance will win your heart and have you looking for her other titles. Ms. Abe is an author I have added to my "must read" list.

Great Author!.......2006-08-22

Shana Abe is fast becoming one of my "must" authors! In fact, there is no doubt that I shall be reading more of her books in the future!

It was wonderful to see hero's feelings and longings. In most books, the hero's thoughts and desires are not described in-depth. We OFTEN see the heroine being the one vulnerable. But this book introduces a different kind of heroine, one who is gutsy, able to defend herself, smart, and so REAL. She stood by her ideals and her conflict was so well-drawn that I felt her confusion! What surprises me is that the hero was equally well-drawn as the heroine! Usually we get lop-sided characters--one overshadowing the other. But in this, both had their demons (literally)--and not stupid ones either and both felt the same conflicting feelings for one another.

I could almost feel the tension and anticipation between the two! Read this book and I guarantee you will be sucked into their world!

Very Good.......2005-09-06

Okay...First of all this book IS very good. I think the problem for some might be the pace. This read is very similar in pace to Nora Roberts "Irish Trilogy." While reading, you know that's it's a very good book, but wish for a little more..."Pizzazz!" I definitely related to both characters. The heroine was resistant but had valid reasons. And I found the hero to be very... nice. And that's just it; they're both very "nice." The romance is "Sweet," not "Hot." The intrigue is more "Drama" than "Suspense." Which, as we all know, is really just preference, because this book is not flawed, it's very well written. I do wish that I hadn't spent my time on this one, only because I prefer more suspense, and "singe your finger's on the pages" intimacy. Like Sue Ellen Welfonder or Gaelen Foley. I hope this is helpful, happy reading.

Silly, mediocre romance.........2004-08-03

Abe's "Truelove Bride" shows that she is not quite ready for primetime yet. The "warrior maiden" heroine Avalon is overly whiny, and much too stubborn to be likable. She resists the idea of the curse a bit too much, and her desire to join a convent is not belivable for a minute. Marcus is more interesting, but comes across a bit too two-dimensional, as he is the stock "trouble hero/hunk". The villian is also underdeveloped, as we never learn her true motivations as Abe seems too afraid in get into her head.

Silly.......2004-01-29

Avalon's resistance throughout became repetitious, boring, tiresom, and SILLY. Marcus was the only worthwhile element in this story. This was a very adolescent level story.

Book Description

On the sixteen colonized worlds, mankind had changed, evolved into something that was slightly more than human....and slightly less. Men of War on the Dorsai worlds, men of Faith on the Friendly Worlds of Harmony and Association, men of Science, the Exotics of Kultis and Mara, and the Splinter cultures which had produced even stranger new talents.Those who knew said it was the Dorsai who supplied soldiers to the sixteen worlds. The Friendlies supplied cannon fodder, common soldiers who could be relied on to obey orders at all times.But even cannon fodder can sometimes produce genius. Jamethon Black is a true soldier, and a true man of faith. Now he must face a deadly enemy--an enemy whose defeat will forever separate Black from the only woman he has ever loved.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-07

This book is a little different, in that the superman depicted is in this case a supervillain. With his basic supermanipulationcharisma abilities he isn't throwing cars around, but can cause some really bad military conflicts.

Set in the 23rd century, that are quite a few colonised worlds and a few different cultural/political groupings for him to cause havoc on as the Dorsai and others try to stop him.

ok read.......2006-03-27

This was an ok read. I liked it and it went pretty fast, but I was left feeling like I missed something. The character was somehow flat. But I would recommend it as an OK sci fi book.

One of my all time favorite sci fi novels!.......2006-03-19

I first read this book over 20 years ago, and I read a lot of science fiction, but this is one of the few that truly stands out!

It is one of the very few I've saved to reread over and over again, and I gain different insights each time, at various points in my life. It is absolutely worth reading!

It is the story of anguish and desire for vengence so consuming that the main character sets out to commit genocide against an entire planet, to erase their line from the universe forever!

He has the power to do it too, because he learns while most people are swept along by destiny, powerless to do much about the events in their lives, he finds that he is one of the very few who has the power to control destiny, and shape it to his will.

The only thing that stands in his way is one lone soldier, Jonathan Black, a man of true faith. A man whose faith is so strong, that even if his beliefs were completely proven false, and even if he learned he had been betrayed by all his leaders, and even if his faith was completely abandoned by every other human being, he alone would still believe, and hold true to his faith.

OK for Early Teens.......2005-09-22

Bottom line, OK for early teens but not something a more experienced SF reader would like. This is my first Gordon Dickson novel. I selected it after a review of Dickson's works in a SF anthology and the fact that it had the Hugo Award honor. I pick the book up at a used book store (great place to buy books) and I am glad I did not pay full price. I am a long time reader of SF, being in my 50s, and I was very disappointed: the book was a bit pretentious in plot and writing style. The main character was given capabilities that were not demonstrated convincingly. Other supporting characters such as the Exotics could have been better explored. The first part of the book was not very interesting, but I was traveling and had no other book to read so I struggled to the end. The later part of the book picked up a bit and in final analyses it was an OK book for early teens (13-14 year olds). The separation of the human race was an interesting plot concept, but not very well executed. The Asimov FOUNDATION series is a much better SF collection.

Getting better.......2003-06-05

The third (in theory) of the Childe Cycle books, this is the first one that feels like the series is heading anywhere, with more of the main concepts (the Splinter Cultures, the Final Encyclopedia) explained in more detail and finally a sense of direction starts to emerge. This book concerns Tam Olyn, a Newsman who has an unfortunate experience with the Friendly culture (the ultra-religious people . . . though not for nothing, it would be nice for once to see a fanatical religion that isn't directly based on Christianity, it's becoming a bit of a cliche now and it would be nice to show a little bit of imagination) and basically vows to bring their entire culture down . . . not all of his manipulations make perfect sense to me frankly (a common thing with Dickson, either I'm missing the man's logic or it's just not well thought out) but it's the thought that counts and it's fun watching his plan almost come to fruition. Tam Olyn is one of the more interesting characters to come down the pipeline but he's not as much fun as the guy from Tactics of Mistake (no sense of humor and a little too full of himself . . . Paul Formain might have been boring but at least he wasn't arrogant) but he almost makes up for it with sheer intensity and his unswerving focus provides a good amount of drive to the novel. Sometimes the supporting characters are more interesting than he is though (ie Jamethon Black, although Lisa Kant and Eileen continue the trend of having female characters who, er, don't do anything) and the few Dorsai that show up clearly steal the show, making it obvious when Dickson's loyalities lie . . . what makes this book work isn't really the main plot so much as the deeper glimpse into this future history Dickson has going, while he does steal slightly from Asimov ("ontogenetics" = psychohistory last I checked) the idea of humanity splitting into the distinct groups (and then eventually rejoining) plus the stuff like the Final Encyclopedia are all great concepts and I look forward to seeing more of them in the future books (one thing does bother me, why is no one ever mentions the Scientists, be a shame to leave them out) . . . this novel is entertaining in its own right but on it's own it's merely average . . . when placed in context with the rest of the books in the Cycle, it gains a little more importance. Dickson can't write anything totally unreadable and this is clearly more interesting than the earlier books but it's not exactly a masterpiece . . . it has enough to make you keep reading and it goes by quickly. You won't feel you wasted your time but you may not feel any desire to go back and read it again either.

Book Description

Of all the horrors human beings perpetrate, genocide stands near the top of the list. Its toll is staggering: well over 100 million dead worldwide. Why Did They Kill? is one of the first anthropological attempts to analyze the origins of genocide. In it, Alexander Hinton focuses on the devastation that took place in Cambodia from April 1975 to January 1979 under the Khmer Rouge in order to explore why mass murder happens and what motivates perpetrators to kill. Basing his analysis on years of investigative work in Cambodia, Hinton finds parallels between the Khmer Rouge and the Nazi regimes. Policies in Cambodia resulted in the deaths of over 1.7 million of that country's 8 million inhabitants--almost a quarter of the population--who perished from starvation, overwork, illness, malnutrition, and execution. Hinton considers this violence in light of a number of dynamics, including the ways in which difference is manufactured, how identity and meaning are constructed, and how emotionally resonant forms of cultural knowledge are incorporated into genocidal ideologies.

Customer Reviews:

An absolute must-read for scholars and lay people alike .......2005-05-07

Why Did They Kill?: Cambodia In The Shadow Of Genocide by Alexander Laban Hinton (Associate professor of Anthropology, Rutgers University, Newark) explores the cultural and political underpinnings of one the most heinous holocausts of the twentieth century, perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia from April 1975 to January 1979. Approximately twenty percent of Cambodia's population died due to starvation, malnutrition, disease, and outright execution due to the drastic policies the Khmer Rouge implemented trying to transform the nation into a purely agrarian state. The Khmer Rouge regime was unusual among genocidal states in that, though it did target muslim, Chinese, and Vietnamese citizens, much of the killing was ethnic Khmer exterminating ethnic Khmer, a perplexing feature that sets it apart from many ethnicity or religion-based genocide situations. Indeed, the Khmer purged so many of its own cadres that its destructive ways weakened itself and contributed to its downfall when Vietnam invaded. Why Did They Kill? strives to answer its title question drawing upon the author's extensive anthropological study and expertise, and includes numerous interviews and testimonies, as well as insights into human psychology and sociology. Why Did They Kill? postulates that societies can be "primed" for genocide when saturated by certain features such as severe class distinctions, the absence of an international response, moral restructuring, socioeconomic uphevals and more, and then "activated" into mass killing by various triggers, especially idealogues who spread a climate of fear to induce violence. Chilling yet meticulous in its search for answers, "Why Did They Kill?" is an absolute must-read for scholars and lay people alike striving to understand genocide in Cambodia as well as the horrific underpinnings and workings of so-called "idealogical genocide" in general.

Obedience -- last refuge of killer, observer, victim.......2005-01-05

Alexander Hinton obviously put heart and soul into this work. Our intellectual side never ceases trying to understand the beast that lies deep within every human.

The chapter entitled "Manufacturing Difference" touched me most. Today we invent sterile legalistic terms like "person under control" [PUC] and "enemy combatant" [EC] to replace "prisoner" to avert our consciences from the denials of due process. Labels are just as important to us as they are to "evil doers," it appears. The self-imposed and external pressures that influenced the behavior of Khmer Rouge interrogators are described in some depth, and help explain our own recent failures and abuses.

The chapter "Power, Patronage, and Suspicion" is rich with fascinating examples from post Khmer Rouge Cambodia. Upon reflection, we see the same instinct to curry the patronage of powerful political figures is alive and well in today's America. Once again, we start off studying what we assume is a more primitive society only to end up shining a light upon our own human failings. Somehow our own faults are held deeply submerged, probably because of the same instinctive self-defense tools which the "perpetrators" employ when asked, "Why did you kill?"

The leaders of genocide always appear to me to be simple power seekers who have an instinctive sense of the tools of human control. Strange how the "godless" Khmer Rouge and the Taliban "student seekers of God" were so alike. I cannot stare into the vacant eyes of one without thinking of the other. The common perpetrator hides within each of us under the label "cowardice." As David Chandler explained so well in his own masterful work on S-21, when men attach themselves to a bureaucracy they place themselves in a "state of agency" which allows them to do evil for self-interest and self-preservation while evading their own conscience in the process. One who finds himself obedient and "moveable" in terms of his principles is a prime candidate to find in himself the perpetrator of shameful acts.

Along the path of this penetrating study, Alexander Hinton has done a wonderful job annotating the twisted Khmer Rouge terminology which still never fails to send a chill down my spine.

I read "Why did they kill?" trying to use it as a mirror to see if I could recognize my own face. As I feared, some shadows were all too familiar.

Essential reading.......2004-11-08

Deep and deeply disturbing study of genocide and of Cambodia. This book is essential reading - easily the most insightful work on the motivations of people which give rise to genocide and a mine of information on the origins, history and consequences of the period. A superbly researched and well-written study. Anybody interested in what happened in these years in Cambodia, as well as anybody interested in what motivates societies and the individuals that constitute those societies to act as they do should read this book - but be aware that the book may also be a mirror.

Average customer rating:

Why Did They Kill Charley?
Carter Travis Young
Manufacturer: Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden City NY, First Edition stated 1958
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CNMKF

Why Did They Kill Charley? (A Tower Book)

Average customer rating:

Why Did They Kill Charley? (A Tower Book)

Manufacturer: Doubleday & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000EBC3CS

Why Did They Kill: Cambodia in the Shadow of Genocide.

Average customer rating:

Why Did They Kill: Cambodia in the Shadow of Genocide.
ALEXANDER LABAN: HINTON
Manufacturer: Univeristy of California Pre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UD3HES

Average customer rating:

Why Did They Kill?
John Bartlow Martin
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000TZ71OY

Average customer rating:

A mediocre novel about a horrifying murder

Why did they kill?
John Bartlow Martin
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007EP22A

Customer Reviews:

A mediocre novel about a horrifying murder.......2006-02-16

The back cover of John Bartlow Martin's 1953 novel advertises a "chilling portrait of a psychopathic boy and the delinquent society which nurtured him--a masterly study of the loneliness, the yearning and the secret violence of today's rebellious youth." This novel may have been a shocker during its time of release in the fifties, but it may not seem so shocking today compared to all the depraved homocides that have occurred in the years since "Why Did They Kill" was written. What was shocking about this story at the time was that it was written about a middle class killer, a young man who was raised in a loving family, a good community, had a decent education, and had every opportunity that was available to the white middle class at the time. Despite all this, 18 year old William Roderick Morey chose to brutally murder 34 year old Pauline Campbell, a young nurse at St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, in cold blood, merely for the thrill of it. The book was originally published as a series in the Saturday Evening Post. Even more amazing is that this murderer has been out of prison for many years, still addicted to the same alcohol that fueled his murderous tendencies so early in life. The 18 years he spent in a federal prison did not rehabilitate him, only cultivating a much more dangerous psychopath who learned to enjoy the freedom and priveleges of living in a world that was taken away from a talented young nurse in the prime of her life.

Average customer rating:

The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book

An impressive compendium of delicious and "kitchen cook friendly" recipes for people and their animal companions

Disappointed

Tje Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book

The truth about Kymythy's kitichen

The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book
Kymythy Schultze
Manufacturer: Hay House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Healthy | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Natural Foods | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats

Raw Dog Food: Make It Easy for You and Your Dog

Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats

Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones

ASIN: 1401903517

Book Description

Since Kymythy Schultze's book NATURAL NUTRITION FOR DOGS AND CATS: The Ultimate Diet was published, she's been busily traveling around the world giving seminars and helping animal lovers enhance the well-being of their furry friends. And over and over, she has heard people say, "I should eat as well as my animals do!" Well, Kymythy wholeheartedly agrees!

In this book, Kymythy bridges the gap between "pet food" and "people food." After all, as a pet lover, you probably share your heart, your home, and often your ice cream cone with your pets. But are the foods you share doing more harm than good to your pet's health—and your own? The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book will show you how to make easy recipes that you and your animal companions can enjoy together! Not only is this a delicious recipe book, but it's an invaluable health and nutrition guide as well.

Customer Reviews:

The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book.......2007-10-10

This book is very informative and well written.
The recipes are inviting and well accepted by my family.
Glad I found this.

An impressive compendium of delicious and "kitchen cook friendly" recipes for people and their animal companions.......2005-12-11

The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book is an impressive compendium of delicious and "kitchen cook friendly" recipes for people and their animal companions. After the opening chapter "In the Kitchen and at the Market", Kymythy Schultze organizes and lays out her recipes into chapters devoted to Beverages; Dressings, Dips, Sauces, and Salsas; Fruit; Meat and Fish; Nuts and Seeds; Soups; and Vegetables. Beautifully illustrated with color photography throughout, the recipes range from the simple "Melon Mania" to the more complex "Great Pumpkin Soup". Of special note are the two appendices: "Shopping List" and "Resources". The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book is especially and enthusiastically recommended to those who like to prepare delicious meals for themselves, their friends and their families, that their animal companions would also find of interest and nutritional value.

Disappointed.......2005-12-05

I have never written a review, but this time I feel compelled. I purchased this book because I have an interest in nutrition and raw foods for myself and my companion animals. I eagerly awaited this book after having read "Natural Nutrition for dogs and cats" the authors more successful writing. This one I was ready to ship back, except with postage I would have lost most of what I paid. Save your money and put it towards a good raw foods book for humans. If you remember to hold the chocolate, onions, raisins and grapes, you can give your pets what you eat providing your diet is a good one. The recipes aren't anything new. There are some nice photos of people and thier pets though. SAVE YOUR MONEY or check the site, I'll be selling mine.

Tje Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book.......2005-10-12

Good recipes. I think it is a good idea to incorporate these into your lifestyle

The truth about Kymythy's kitichen.......2005-07-29

In the interest of full disclosure, I must first say that I am a personal friend of the author, Kymythy Shultze. I have enjoyed many fine meals at her table, some of which are represented in this book. Out of Kymythy's kitchen comes, not only good food but also the love and warmth she feels for her family and friends. And what better way to show your love then to treat your family to great tasting food that is also good for them. If your family happens to include, as mine does, a furry friend or two, they will get to enjoy tasty, nutritious treats along with you. Each of these easy-to-make recipes are accompanied with nutritional information so as you enjoy good, healthy food you will also learn why feeding your body well will make you a happier, healthier person. If you have wanted to eat better, this is a good place to start. Most of the recipes have only a few ingredients and NO COOKING. If you are already familiar with the natural foods section of your local grocery store, this book will add some new favorites to your repertoire. Just remember when you're enjoying Ceviche de Harley or Almond Fudge Logs (my two favorites) to share a little with the loyal pet in your family.

Book Description

Something happens when playing with, or even simply looking at, an admired toy. Magic occurs. Long before Cabbage Patch dolls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Tickle Me Elmo, America was mass-producing simple, remarkable toys that usually sold for less than a dollar. The Wonder of American Toys reflects not only the toys of perhaps the most formative era of American history, but what they meant to the children who played with them, and to the society that produce them. From the Jazz Age, the gangster era, the Depression, World War II and the onset of the Atomic Age - it's all compellingly presented here, a glorious primer of life in America as it was lived not so long ago. FEATURING:

Nearly 600 full-color photographs of over 800 toys and games.

Captions and brief commentaries provide a fascinating read.

Customer Reviews:

DAZZLING SAMPLING OF TOYS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE.......2005-08-08

Attempting to put out a comprehensive collector's guide to toys has always seemed to me to be an exercise in futility. Still, that doesn't stop many companies from trying to do just that, resulting in a telephone book-sized tome with tiny print to match for the literally thousands of listings inside. This of course means very little room for pictures. Thankfully in Charles Dee Sharp's book "The Wonder of American Toys" there is no pretense of trying to put out a comprehensive guide. Rather that we have is a celebration of toys from the golden age of the 1920's through the 1950's and an eclectic collection of toys accompanied by brilliant, full-color photography. While Sharp does give a price range on all of the toys contained in this 336 page hardcover, it isn't meant to display the rarest or most collectible toys. Rather this is a sampling of the types and styles of toys produced during this era, regardless of value. The price ranges go from under $100 in price up to thousands of dollars.

The book is sectioned in chapters on types of toys such as Farm Toys, City Toys, Planes, Trains, Musical toys, Character toys, and more. There's tin toys, cast-iron toys, wooden toys and paper toys. Nearly color photographs display every toy covered in the book. Women may be upset that dolls and girl toys in general get a bit short-changed. There are some things such as a Mickey Mouse washing machine and tea set from the 1930's and character toys like Little Orphan Annie, but the book mainly concentrates on boy toys. It's filled with classic vehicle toys made by companies like Buddy L, Tootsie, Wyandotte, and Marx. There's Coca Cola Delivery trucks, buses, cabs, coupes, and everything in between. There's even all manner of ships and boats including powerboats featuring the legendary speed boat racer Gar Wood.

Collectors will especially enjoy the section on character toys of early film, radio and animation like Charlie McCarthy, Popeye, Felix the Cat and Betty Boop. Westerns are well represented with a myriad of toy guns including the ubiquitous Red Ryder rifle. Sharp hits just about every are he can including Circus toys, sports, war toys, and construction toys like Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys. My only complaint is that the section on space and futuristic toys is pretty sparse. Admittedly those are a favorite of mine and given how highly collectible these items are I would have liked to have seen a bit more. Even if you are maybe too young to remember these toys (like me) you'll still enjoy thumbing through the pages and seeing the things that your parents or grand parents played with when they were children. This is a beautiful book!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

A full-color photographic showcase of vintage American toys.......2003-02-11

The Wonder Of American Toys 1920-1950 by dedicated toy collector and expert Charles Dee Sharp is a beautifully illustrated, full-color photographic showcase of vintage American toys. From toy cars and airplanes; to Popeye figures and Buck Rogers paraphernalia; to science sets and baseball games; each individual toy is featured with an illustration and a very brief caption. An extraordinary range of objects of childhood memories, The Wonder Of American Toys 1920-1950 is a nostalgic and enthusiastically recommendation for toy collectors and 20th Century American Popular Culture reference collections.

Product Description

Fabulous idea books that are theme specific and loaded with ideas and tips for making great projects. Five book set includes titles, matting, journaling, borders and accents. 80 pages eachù400 pages total! Bright white heavy stock paper. Set size 7.5" x 8.5" x 1 7/8".

Customer Reviews:

Great Pick.......2006-04-14

After purchasing this collection from a LSS I realized how much I enjoyed these books! They help beginner with all the elements on a page. There is a seperate book for each one. The chapters are short and they give you ideas on each chapter of the books. They even show some of the bigger techniques in the book and give you step by step instructions. Awesome ideas for any scrapper. I consider myself an advaced scrapper and there were things I have never thought of. It also does not discouraged the beginers. I applaud Creating Keepsakes for a well rounded idea book!!

Book Description

In recent years, Sydney has undergone a breathtaking expansion that has transformed it into one of the most prosperous and diverse cities in the world. The natural beauty of Sydney's large bay, often considered the most beautiful in the world, is the spectacular backdrop for a city with a population drawn from over 100 different countries. Nowhere is this richness and diversity reflected more than in the range of dining experiences the city offers. This handy little guide, easy to use and attractively designed with excellent recipes and color photographs interspersed throughout, gives tourists a glimpse inside several of Sydney's most fashionable restaurants, bars, and cafés.

Book Description

European comic authors produced a steady stream of comic material throughout the twentieth century, but gained the world's notice in 1975 when the French magazine Métal Hurlant was founded and a new generation of artists and writers began producing translations of the new comics into other languages, including English, and were inspired to innovation.

This is a reference work, arranged by artist or writer, to European comics from the last quarter of the twentieth century that have been translated from any European language into English. It contains a variety of material, from the innocent imperialism of Hergé's Tintin to the sadistic murder for hire in Bernet's Torpedo. Albums by a single creator or artist-and-writer team of European origin are the focus; comics in periodicals and anthologies with multiple contributors are excluded. Each entry provides a brief biography, an annotated bibliography of his or her translated works, a plot abstract and various notes about the original comic, other appearances, and reviews.

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