Nearer Than the Sky

Average customer rating:

Good read

Hard to read, but very well done...

Wow! This book is fantastic!

Riveting, painful, great first book club book

Brilliant Writing

Nearer Than the Sky
Tammy Greenwood
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312280513

Book Description

In those days, there were no words to describe the nature of my mother's tales. No diagnosis for her tendency toward fiction. No names for women who make accidents happen to their children, no terms for imaginary heroes. And so we listened to my mother's stories in silence and tried to believe.Indie Brown is a woman haunted by a childhood she'd rather forget. As an adult, Indie has moved far away from her parents and created a new life with her long-time companion, Peter, a sensitive and steadfast partner.But a late-night phone call from her younger sister sends her reeling back into the chaos of her troubled family.In this luminous and terrifying novel, Indie is forced to confront the nightmares of her childhood and reevaluate her relationships with her mother, her sister, and Peter.AUTHORBIO: T. Greenwood was born in Vermont. She is the author of Breathing Water and the 1999 recipient of the Sherwood Anderson Foundation Award. She lives in Ocean Beach, California, with her husband Patrick Stewart.

Customer Reviews:

Good read.......2007-02-15

"Nearer Than the Sky" was well written.
I would recommend this book.
Some of the food and eating scenes were slightly dragged out, but still it's a good book.

Hard to read, but very well done..........2006-06-29

Greenwood's prose is subtle and sensitive in this novel...I found myself completely absorbed in the story and its characters, and would highly recommend it to anyone. While this book was heart-wrenching in many places, Indie's story is at the same time quite inspirational and beautifully told.

Wow! This book is fantastic!.......2004-02-20

I am not going to give a story summary - the rest of the reviewers have done a good job at that. What I will tell you is that this book is fantastic. I could not put it down. Lately I have had a hard time focusing on reading because my books have not grabbed at me very well. Nearer Than the Sky grabbed at me. The prose is lyrical, smooth and enchanting. I did not like Greenwoods first book much, but greatly loved this one. I am going to begin Undressing the Moon tonight.

You go Tammy! Keep up the good work.

Riveting, painful, great first book club book.......2002-11-03

I recently started a book club and chose this book from my most recent personal shipment from Amazon.com I chose this book partially because it contained a reader's guide. I knew I was in "trouble" in terms of getting emotionally involved with this book within the first chapter when Indie is struck by lightening while sitting in a grocery cart (alone @ the age of 4) eating cookies in the rain while her mom goes back into the store with her ill younger sister, Lily... This made me think about how different the ramifications for such an act would be today vs. this book's setting around the 60's. The development of Munchausen by proxy was very interseting and I also learned about Baron von Munchausen for whom this syndrome was named - he was a perpetual liar who could not tell the truth no matter what. Besides the Munchausen syndrome - there was Lily and Indie's brother who was mentally retartded and Indie's responsibility for him - until he dies, we know early in the story that he dies but the facts are saved until near the end as the book flashes forward and back. There was a reference in this novel along the lines of no matter how hard you try - for women especially - there will be some trait of your mother that shows up somewhere. An impactful read especially for anyone who had a hint of a dysfunctional childhood - and who didn't?

Brilliant Writing.......2002-05-29

This is the story of Indie Brown. A young woman who has moved from the drama of her childhood life into a peaceful home in the woods with her partner Peter.

Indie's life has not been an easy one. Her mother suffered from Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. This is a disturbing mental illness that affects all of the family, especially Indie's sister Lily. Lily was her mother's shining star growing up which put her in some grave situations as a child and left her scarred to the core. Indie must return home to the very place where her nightmares began. Her mother is ill and Lily has called Indie to return. Upon arrival, Indie suspects that Lily may be following in their mother's footsteps and wreaking havoc in her own household now.

We are told about the family's plight through a series of flashbacks. It's almost eerie to read about the mother's behaviour and see it through Indie's eyes as a child.

Ms. Greenwood's writing is wonderful and lyrical. I was captivated by the quality of her style.

Indie and Lily's story will stay with me for a long time to come.

Average customer rating:
NEARER THAN THE SKY.

Manufacturer: Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0333905377

Average customer rating:
Nearer Than the Sky : A Novel
T. Greenwood
Manufacturer: St Martins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O6DF3O

Average customer rating:
Nearer Than the Sky : A Novel
T. Greenwood
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTJG9I

Average customer rating:

It's okay...

Couldn't keep me interested.......

Same thing set in a "Templar" time

A Fascinating Medieval Romance!

Great! Great! Great!
Beyond Temptation: The Templar Knights (Avon Romance)
Mary Reed Mccall
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0060593687

Book Description

From the wonderfully evocative and talented Mary Reed McCall comes the first novel of an exciting new trilogy based on the mysterious and fascinating Knights of Templar.

Sir Richard de Cantor, a highly–skilled warrior, is hampered by guilt over the ambitious, materialistic way he'd lived before he joined the Templar Brotherhood –– a lifestyle he believes led to the death of his young daughter. Lady Margaret Newcomb is a disgraced daughter of a powerful English earl and has led a quiet life of penance and atonement. Though of different backgrounds, in truth they are both lonely, battered by the world, and in desperate need of each other's love and acceptance. Their fragile relationship is soon threatened when the French Inquisition makes its way to England, and Richard is faced with charges for his position as a Templar Knight, only to have their love further tested when someone from Meg's past reappears with the power to tear the two apart.

Customer Reviews:

It's okay..........2007-04-30

I thought that this book was okay. I had to force myself to read it because it wasn't that interesting until the very end. The ending was really good but the begining kind of reuined it for me. In the begining he is married and is falling for the woman who is taking care of his wife. And so it progressed from there, but what got me is that he is married and shouldn't been doing such things when he is married. It bothered me but that isn't the only thing that ruined it for me it was just the whole thing. It totally ticked me off when they could finally be together and here a twist of fate happens and it ticks me off. But whatever. I have only read it once and wont read it again. I should have borrowed it from a friend or from the library before buying it. It was a waste of my money.

Couldn't keep me interested..............2007-03-29

I've never read anything by this author, so I'm not sure if it's just the book, or the author that I took such a dislike to. I'm the kind of person who once I open a book, I need to finish it. Most of the time it takes me 1-2 days. This one however took me over a week. It was boring. It had little to hold my interest. The characters were blah, the plot even more so.

The other reviews told of the entire plot so I'm not going to go into that, but I will share my opinion of the characters. Margaret's whishy washy "Should I, Shouldn't I" continued throughout the whole book and half way through it got very annoying. Sir Richard was a little more interesting, but again it was the "Should I, Shouldnt I" kind of thing. That is not bad if the book has other redeeming qualities, but to me, it didn't. There was no passion or intensity, and no chemistry between the two characters. A good book has you cheering for the hero/heroine and keeps you on the edge of you seat, just waiting till they finally get together. But I was happier that I had actually finished the book, than I was when they finally got together.

I judge the worth of a book by how it draws me in and keeps me there and when reading became a chore, I knew it deserved only one star. A few others liked the book, so I won't tell you not to read it, but to me, it was not worth the time. Hope this helps a little!

Same thing set in a "Templar" time.......2006-11-01

Well. Nothing very interesting was presented. There was not enough background information to really set the story. So, while it was the classic formula romance, it lacked interest for me.

A Fascinating Medieval Romance!.......2006-06-24

I found the story BEYOND TEMPTATION to be a thoroughly fascinating and absorbing medieval romance. The story begins on Friday, Oct. 13, 1307 ~ the day King Philip the Fair, of France, ordered the immediate arrest and imprisonment of all men belonging to the Holy Order of the Templar Knights. Following the King's edict, a vile inquisition began that used terrible forms torture to force innocent men to make false confessions of heresy, or die with their righteous denial. Of the thousands of Templars Knights in France at that time, only very few were able to escape the country unharmed...

Frantically forging through a rain soaked forest in France, four desperate horsemen dressed in garb emblazoned with the scarlet cross of the elite Templars Knights are being hunted like animals by the king's men; they stop momentarily to rest and discuss how they will make their way the last few miles to the coast and a chance to board a ship headed for the relative safety of England. The knights agree their best chance to evade capture is to split up and cautiously make their way to Hawksley Manor, Sir Richard de Cantor's home in England; and hopefully a refuge from the dreadful ordeal they were being forced to endure.

When Sir Richard de Cantor arrives home he sadly finds his wife is in very fragile health; and is still suffering from the mental illness that had assailed her before his departure five years earlier. However, he also finds a lovely though unfamiliar woman has taken over the management of his home; someone who has a distinct dislike for Templar Knights and who seems to be annoyed that the Lord of the Manor has returned home unannounced. Meeting Lady Margaret Newcomb causes Richard to feel the stark ache of desire and an unwelcome longing for a women's touch and affections that challenge his most sacred vows.

Lady Margaret Newcomb, youngest daughter of the Earl of Welton, was sent to Hawksley Manor to serve as a nurse companion to her ailing Cousin Eleanor because her father felt the lowly position would teach his daughter obedience and remorse for her past licentious behavior. Meg, although devoted to Eleanor, is willing to perform any menial servant's task so she can stay at the Manor; rather then be forced to return to the life of pain and anguish she was made to suffer when her father sent her to the nunnery. When Meg meets Richard she can't believe how attracted she is to the strong handsome knight with the mesmerizing green eyes, but she knows she must deny her feelings.

Talented author, Mary Reed McCall weaves a powerfully enthralling and heartfelt romantic story around true historical events. She gives her readers an intensely emotional story of the hero, Richard; a tortured soul and a brave and honorable knight who not only must defend himself and the holy order he truly believes in, against a corrupt investigation by the French Inquisition, but who is also forced to return home to confront the heartrending tragedy that caused him to join the Templars in the first place. The author unveils an equally poignant story of our heroine Meg, a gentle caring woman with a strong spirit and a passionate loving nature; whose only sin was to fall in love with a young man below her station, thereby thwarting her father's demand she make an advantageous marriage to a wealthy nobleman.

Ms. McCall skillfully writes a convincing and compelling adventure with many surprising plots twists and turns that keep the reader captivated; as she brings these two emotionally scarred people together, against seemingly unbeatable odds ~ to give them a second chance at a love to last a lifetime.

This was an extremely satisfying story and I heartily look forward to her next book in the series: SINFUL PLEASURES.

Great! Great! Great!.......2006-03-21

The plot was described above. I really enjoyed this book, loved the h/h and their chemistry, the secondary characters, and the incredible tension near the end of the book. I literally bit my nails until I didn't have anymore. I encourage anyone to try this book. I have no idea how any romance lover could dislike it. This is part of a series and I plan on ordering the first book and purchasing the rest.

Average customer rating:

Beyond Temptation : The Templar Knights

Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739454331

Beyond Temptation : The Templar Knights (Avon Romance)

Average customer rating:

Beyond Temptation : The Templar Knights (Avon Romance)
Mary Reed McCall
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OF4S04

Customer Reviews:

this whole series rocks - buy this series!.......2007-01-13

If you are in to hard core science fiction, you need this series. rockin!

Average customer rating:

Best of the Series
A dazzling and absorbing adventure.
Great book with very suprising ending. Great physics too!

FURIOUS GULF (Galactic Center, No 5)
Gregory Benford
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553572547
Release Date: 1995-07-01

Customer Reviews:

Best of the Series.......2005-09-10

This is the fifth novel of Benford's "Galactic Center" series - the others are "In the Ocean of Night" (1977), "Across the Sea of Suns" (1984), "Great Sky River" (1987), "Tides of Light" (1989), and "Sailing Bright Eternity" (1995). The novels are grouped in two's - the first two concerning Nigel Walmsley and the relatively near future, the middle two Killeen Bishop and the far future in the galactic center, where humans are scavengers, and the last two Killeen's son Toby, and the conclusion of the series at the true center of the galaxy.

"Furious Gulf", the fifth novel, is both the shortest of the series and the one I found most compelling. Benford's flowery language can get away from him at times, making the other novels seem longer than need be. But it was also the real climax of the series - the Bishop clan heads straight to the central black hole, and there are exciting new creatures, artificial structures, and astrophysical marvels all over the place. The mechanical intelligences have been busy at the galactic center, and others have been at work there too. But the novel also works the best because here Benford's favored "loner" character makes sense for a teenager who's having problems with his father: the "furious gulf" of the title is in part the one between generations, a central piece of the mystery that makes organic life, and humans in particular, special in the universe. Toby also maintains a wonderfully portrayed friendship with the myriapodia creature who accompanies them. His internal development from boyhood is one of the novel's (and series') strengths.

Another "furious gulf" is that between the mechanical and organic intelligences, exhibited throughout the series but most explored toward the end. It's not clear where Benford finds such a sharp distinction coming from; it seems at first from a dualist philosophy like that espoused in Penrose's "Emperor's New Mind": a robot can never think like a person. But there are deliberate or self-induced defects in the mechanical designs that seem to be at the root. The robot/mechanical minds lack laughter - they wonder what purpose it serves. They see life very differently: their minds can be eternal, even as their bodies are frequently discarded and replaced with new upgraded models. In contrast, organic life starts anew with each generation; minds are constantly renewed and also constantly faced with their own extinction - is that the root of the difference? And yet there are the "higher powers" who seem to have overcome these differences, though Benford has little discussion on how that could happen.

There are other gaps - most notably the thirty millenia between the first two novels and the last four, a period described with fascinating nostalgia in the later books, but with no direct narrative. Sometimes the physics seems stretched a bit - in "Furious Gulf" one wonders how the "esty" can possibly sustain life with its chaotic rearrangements. But the breadth of Benford's scientifically plausible imagination in these novels is amazing in itself; read these novels to gain a perspective on life in the universe and what a sufficiently advanced civilization might do with a galaxy such as our own.

A dazzling and absorbing adventure........2000-02-28

Yes, the science involved here is impressive. The reason it is my favorite of the six books in the Galactic Center series, however, is a larger compliment. Simply put, it is the writing. Benford is a master of vivid descriptions that completely immerse the reader in the story. When you read this book, you will feel that you were actually a passenger on the ship headed into the unknown. Beautifully written, poetic at times, and totally absorbing, this one brings out Benford's talents to their fullest.

Great book with very suprising ending. Great physics too!.......1995-07-21

Benford has managed to put together a story that reaches from the present into the far, far future and uniting both. By exposing the desperation that future human beings will suffer and endure to continue their survival, Benford makes the future understandable to us today. Indeed, he makes clear the powers and mysteries of nature, that human beings will certainly be required to utilize if we are to care and survive in our universe.

Average customer rating:

Furious Gulf
Introduction By James Gunn, Illustrated Vincent Di Fate, Coloured Frontispiece, Salmon Rust Moire Silk Endpapers, Gregory Benford SIGNED By Author
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000JD9YF0

Average customer rating:

Furious Gulf
Gregory Benford
Manufacturer: Victor Gollancz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M64UTY

Average customer rating:

Furious Gulf
Gregory / Gunn, James [intro], Illustrated by Di Fate, Vincent Benford
Manufacturer: The Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000NZQTIO

Average customer rating:

Abismo Frenetico / Furious Gulf
Gregory Benford
Manufacturer: Ediciones B
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

The Galactic Center Saga - In the Ocean of Night, Across the Sea of Suns, Great Sky River, Tides of Light, Furious Gulf and Sailing Bright Eternity (set of 6 books)

Average customer rating:

The Galactic Center Saga - In the Ocean of Night, Across the Sea of Suns, Great Sky River, Tides of Light, Furious Gulf and Sailing Bright Eternity (set of 6 books)
Gregory Benford
Manufacturer: Dial / Timescape / Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SMFP6Y

Product Description

The complete series (6 books), published by various publishers between 1976 and 1995.

Average customer rating:

Everything is wrong

It's got some good recipes.

I am a great cook now!

Creative Chinese Oven Cooking
Hsueh-Hsia Chen , and Wei-Chuan Publishing
Manufacturer: Wei-Chuan Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Fish: Chinese Style Made Easy

ASIN: 0941676781

Book Description

Here is a new, exciting cooking method for preparing Chinese cuisine! The technique offers authentic palate pleasing tastes, seductive aromas and delightful presentations, while providing the benefits of cleaner cooking, less oily foods and easier cleanups. The author, who teaches at the university in Taiwan, has spent many years researching and developing the invaluable techniques offered exclusively here. Sure to be a best seller, this book contains 56 bilingual recipes (English/Chinese), with a picture for each finished recipe.

Customer Reviews:

Everything is wrong.......2007-04-19

I finally realized that what they mean by "oven" in this book is actually something like a desktop toaster oven used popularly in Japan and China where space is limited. So all the cooking time is way too long for real American ovens. Recipes are not good either, at least for those things I tried. I strictly followed the recipes, but the cooked dishes were not tasty. Some ingredients are hard to get in US too. This is one of the worst Wei Chuan cookbooks. Don't recommend it at all.

It's got some good recipes........2005-11-15

I love the Wei Chuan series and own many of their books, this book is a nice addition to my collection I would've given it more stars if there were more recipes. It's a small collection which includes a lot of chicken, beef and shell fish recipes. It only has one lamb recipe and some vegetable dishes. I was looking for a more comprehensive cookbook.

I am a great cook now!.......2003-05-02

I¡¦ve tried several recipes now and am very pleased with the ease of cooking and the great flavors produced. In addition, I¡¦ve cooked two dishes (Royal Beef Short Ribs, Taiwanese Simmered Pork), for a group of friends on my birthday. Both dishes were easy to prepare and more importantly, my guests were unanimous in how great the dishes tasted and were amazed at my cooking skills!! This is a great book to keep.

Book Description

No American western hero or showman has ever matched the worldwide fame of William Frederick Cody (1846-1917), known as Buffalo Bill. This American icon was not only a showman but also a bonafide hero of the Old West. Despite the throng of collectors of western memorabilia, there has been a void of resources on the great volume and variety of Buffalo Bill memorabilia available. Finally, this long overdue book is just what collectors have needed. It chronicles Cody's life and his show business career of 44 years. Displaying a staggering amount of collectibles from this entertainment dynasty, its focus is on materials that can still be obtained by collectors today. Over 600 fascinating color photos of advertising pieces, toys, buttons, books, dime novels, and much more are separated into 14 categories and placed in chronological order. For the first time, collectors will be able to see at least one Buffalo Bill Wild West program for each of the 34 seasons. 1998 values. AUTHORBIO: Jim Wojtowicz started collecting at the age of seven - coins, stamps, baseball cards, non-sport cards, soda bottle caps, toy soldiers, cowboys, Indians, and comic books were his boyhood pursuits. After an intermission for marriage and starting a family, he continued on with Western items and antique toys, particularly Buffalo Bill collectibles for 18 years. REVIEW: Little information had been published on Buffalo Bill collectibles and memorabilia until the publication of this book. Besides all the photographs of collectibles, the book gives a very detailed historical account of Buffalo Bill's life.

Customer Reviews:

A Super Guide to Buffalo Bill Collectibles.......2001-11-01

This 1998 272 page volume features more than 600 large, great, sharp, mostly color photos of every type of Buffalo Bill collectible, along with values. There's plenty of text to inform the reader. Major topics include Wild West Show Programs, Route Books, Lithographs, Books, Letterheads, Dime Novels, Tobacco, Tickets, Toys, Pinbacks, Postcards, and much more. It's like visiting a Buffalo Bill Museum. Very informative and a joy to read.

Book Description

"...more than 25 projects--either lacing fabric to canvas or sandwiching canvas between two pieces of fabric. Excellent instructions augmented by clear illustrations, graphics, and photographs."--Booklist. "Each project has step-by-step instructions, charts, and DMC and Anchor thread keys. This unique book is highly recommended for public library collections."--Library Journal. "Whether you're looking to create keepsakes for yourself or for a friend, you're sure to cherish the creative ideas offered by Evershed."--Country Victorian.

Customer Reviews:

Very innovative cross stitch projects.......2007-03-29

Great projects in 3D. Very innovative and easy to understand directions.

Excellent.......2005-09-09

This book is a "must have" for your stitchery library. If you want to try something new, these 3-D houses are adorable! I plan on using ALL of the patterns. It has inspired me to design a few of my own. I am going to design a Christmas village for my Christmas tree this year and use metallic threads.

Customer Reviews:

Split personality, sparse info.......2003-11-25

This book has a split personality, the first half gives some ideas to consider in kitchen design, the second half shows some kitchens of cooking enthusiasts, cookbook authors, and caterers.

The first half concentrates on rejecting the standard "kitchen triangle" and using "zones" instead. Zones being areas dedicated for "hot" "cold" "dry" and "wet", but the commentary rambles -- lacking concrete examples of how to do this well.
Donald Silvers "The Complete Guide to Kitchen Design With Cooking In Mind" was more inspiring than this (but also lacking in details) regarding, dropping the triangle in favor of areas dedicated to specific jobs, as in a professional chef's kitchen. The first section then continues on with some basic ideas regarding kitchen design, but the author also refers to the book "The Smart Kitchen" by David Goldbeck. A book which is much much more thorough in covering many of the same subjects. Take the author's implicit advice and read that one instead.

The second half shows pictures of various kitchens belonging to cooking enthusiasts, cookbook authors and caterers giving a sparse newspaper like commentary on them. There are a few good ideas from this section, but its probably more inspiring visually for examples of "some clutter is OK" to counter the often seen immaculate model kitchens in advertising, or for those who have a huge kitchen space to fill up (7ft x 11ft kitchens need not apply).

For those who don't have $100,000 for a kitchen remodel.......2002-05-07

I was very confused trying to find a good kitchen book. They all seemed to be useful only if you had $100,000 to spend and want your kitchen to be in style for a year.

Somewhere I had read a wonderful review "Kitchens For Cooks" by Deborah Krasner. I purchase it and found it to be exceptionally helpful.

She takes you by the hand and forces you to think about-

Here are your choices of countertops, which one do you want...
Here are your choices of sinks...
Floors...
How do you deal with garbage?...
Ovens, rangetops, etc.

It provides you with a checklist of what you want. I had the kitchen cabinet maker put in pull out steps so visiting children could help too.

The choices can be overwhelming. This book allows you to make the decision before hand. Not in the showroom. Read this book with a pad of Post-Its nearby.

Take a Calm, Centering Breath.......2001-09-16

Except that I know how important and challenging kitchen design can be, I would be tempted to say, "relax and chill out." Even so, I'm not sure this book is worth all the anger. Planning a kitchen takes all kinds of insight, delivered at all levels of complexity. Some people are actually beginners or in other ways insecure; others passionate about being "green." They, too, deserve books that serve their needs. When my wife and I recently remodeled our kitchen, we used this book, among several others, to inform and inspire us. Taken collectively, they allowed us to achieve a kitchen that we think, after six months of use, is pretty much exactly what we wanted. Kitchen for Cooks more than held its own with these other volumes, filled in gaps in the others and left us grateful for buying it. We have no complaints. (Just don't get us started on the plumber.)

Where's the Beef?.......2000-10-11

Deborah Krasner's book contains many good ideas relating to kitchen design, but it falls short on detail. Of the book's 151 pages, only 64 are instructional, in that they deal with the issues at hand and educate the reader. The next 64 are filled with photos and descriptions of real-world kitchens, some of which are useful, and others which appear to be included simply for show.

Of particular annoyance to me are the lack of floor plans for the photo kitchens, making it very difficult---in some cases impossible---to understand a kitchen's layout from the array of photos. We should care more for the sizes and layout of the kitchen, not the custom pottery being displayed and described. Many of the photos simply show pretty displays: this is decorating, not design!

What's worse, Krasner litters the instructional section with random floor plan sketches, none of which is labeled or cited in the text---they appear to be simple art pieces to fill space. Virtually all the drawings of appliances and kitchen layouts in this section are foolishly oversized, again in an apparent attempt to fill more space than needed to convey their information.

The typography is annoyingly oversized, using what appears to be 12- or 14-point type, with broad leading and word space. Were the type set in a smaller size---and the unnecessary graphics deleted--- the instructional section would probably shrink by 20%. Such a size reduction would more readily telegraph the text's lack of useful detail.

As for Krasner's Green suggestions, they are not overly preachy, though it is too easy to skip a grain of information among a paragraph of Green chaff. I would prefer that all the Green suggestions be grouped into a small section of their own. After all, a two-page outline can express all the mechanical design considerations for a Green kitchen. Three pages on composting are, quite frankly, 2.9 too many. As an example, the author spends about 150 words disparaging trash compactors and wasteful food packaging, and in so doing she never advises the reader about these appliances, their suggested locations, and their installation considerations.

For the most part, the book is not outdated, despite its 1994 publication date, though some of the photo kitchens are. The price guidelines Krasner quotes are almost certainly suspect, especially given the changing trends in kitchen materials and preferences.

Krasner also includes a seven-page supplier directory, stretched from about four pages of text by many unnecessary photos. To be fair to the author, the World Wide Web was virtually unborn in 1994; today, there is little need to list more than a collection of manufacturer addresses and URLs in a book.

I estimate that this 150-page book could be effectively reduced to perhaps 110 pages by reducing wasted space; it's ironic that Krasner's waste of paper in this book undermines her Green ideals.

The book has no index.

Kitchen solutions: yes and no.......2000-08-12

The author's preface gives you the most concise description of this book: it is a "how-to-think-about" book. It is design book. It is meant for people who really cook in their kitchens and would like the kitchen to support--not hinder--their cooking efforts. This book is not for microwave cooks or folks who want a "show-off" kitchen. The author asks many questions about current kitchen design standards. She also offers many possible solutions to the questions she poses.

There are a number of things which make this book valuable: 1) most home-builders, architects and even many kitchen designers are not real cooks hence their designs do not usually work well for cooks; the author is a cook and that perspective influences the whole book. 2) The author considers the kitchen not only as a gathering place but as a place in which it is very likely that there will be more than 1 person working (2 cooks, children helping mom and/or dad, guests, etc.). 3) The author realizes the need for kitchen to fit to their users. 4) The author tries to shed light on making the kitchen flexible.

Some of the many kitchen standards the author questions (and offers solutions for) are: the kitchen triangle, single counter height, countertops made of one product (e.g. all laminate or all solid surface), traffic flow, realistic appliance usage, cabinet types and many others.

I do not necessarily agree with her WET/DRY/COLD/HOT solution to the kitchen triangle but it was a useful tool in thinking about kitchen design.

Probably the most useful aspect of the book is that it made me really think about how we use the kitchen and how it could support our work and fun in it. Also extremely useful was the look at a number of real kitchens used by real cooks (chefs, cookbook authors, etc.). The photos, though they were not coffee table book quality, were very helpful in seeing actual examples of some of the suggested solutions.

The text is as boring as a high school textbook, but this book is not meant to be a novel. The are a some hokey "green" suggestions, but some are at least a little valuable in making one think about environmental issues. Unfortunately, the author glosses over the most important environmental solution: a well-designed kitchen is one that is not wasteful. It will not waste appliances (e.g. having unused appliances or having appliances that are too large or powerful for what you need or vice versa). It will not waste electricity in ineffective lighting; task lighting is energy efficient. Unused extravances are a waste of building supplies. Etc.

As to the reviewer's comment that this book is a "green" tract, I disagree. I am not "green" by any stretch of the imagination; I simply believe in sensible, realistic care for the environment we live in. The book does not spend that much time on "green" issues: most of the text and illustrations are about DESIGN issues. As I mentioned above, there are some hokey green suggestions, but they are really pretty much in one chapter. You can probably just skip most of the environmental stuff.

It's not a perfect book, but it is worth the price if you are a cook who needs a better kitchen. On you own, it is not likely that you will have thought about everything that the author has.

I found it a very useful book in coming up with the design of my new kitchen.

Average customer rating:
Kitchens for Cooks: Planning Your Perfect Kitchen
Deborah Krasner
Manufacturer: Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIXHT4

Book Description

This book collects the strikingly designed flyers and handbills that promote the effervescent nightlife of Barcelona. Announcing events at clubs such as Nitsa, the Moog, Sporting Club, Octopussy, the Picasso and the Dot, these colorful flyers record the recent surge of activity of an enthusiastic group of DJ's, promoters, and club-goers. From the cultural revitalization following Barcelona's post-Olympic hangover to the infusion of trends and styles from neighboring European countries, these flyers reflect the dynamic changes in computer-drive music and design. This attractive, small-format book presents an exhaustive collection of over 500 flyers by 30 different designers, and includes several essays that describe the interesting evolution of this local subculture.

Customer Reviews:

Great Idea Booster.......2000-05-09

Wonderful book to get graphic design ideas. Not many words, but lots of visual fluff. This is one of the better club flyers books out there.

good portable eyecandy.......2000-03-20

This is a nice little volume to have lying around if you're a designer... not sure how informative it would be to someone looking for more than page after page of eyecandy - There is a minimum of text, apart from an intro essay and "designer/date/client/printing.method/size" and in a book such as this, i find that to be a good thing. overall: portable (printed on heavyish paper with a no-frills cover that doesn't ask for much care), packed, fun, and at this price, DEFINITELY worth it.

NB: that picture up there isn't of the cover. look at the dimensions listed instead.

Book Description

This reference volume is intended for both the casual and the most avid blues fan. It is divided into five separately introduced sections and covers 50 artists with names like Muddy, Gatemouth and Hound Dog who helped shape 20th-century American music. Beginning with the pioneering Mississippi Delta bluesmen, the book then follows the spread of the genre to the city, in the section on the Chicago Blues School. The third segment covers the Texas blues tradition; the fourth, the great blueswomen; and the fifth, the genre's development outside its main schools. The styles covered range from Virginia-Piedmont to Bentonia and from barrelhouse to boogie-woogie. The main text is augmented by substantial discographies and a lengthy bibliography.

Customer Reviews:

Important reference for casual listener & serious collector........2000-05-04

Blues Singers provides short biographies of fifty blues singers of the early 20th century, providing a reference volume for casual listeners and avid fans alike. Each concludes with a discography of major recordings, and each provides the basics of each singer's contributions to the blues style.

Blues Singers sings for the blues.......1999-12-27

This is an authoritative reveiw, informative and with an excellent discography and bibliography. It is a great entry point for anyone who wants to know more about the blues and a great reference to the best recordings. It is well written and easy to read. I recommend it highly.

Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Legendary Artists of the Early 20th Century

Average customer rating:

Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Legendary Artists of the Early 20th Century
David L. Dicaire
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MUD5NM

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