Perfect: A Novel

Book Description

Isabelle Lee has a problem, and it's not just Ape Face, her sister, or group therapy for an eating disorder, or even that her father died and her mother is depressed and in denial. It's that Ashley, the most popular girl in school, is inviting Isabelle to join her at lunch and at sleepovers at her house, and this is presenting Isabelle with a dilemma. Pretty Ashley has moved Isabelle up the social ladder, but is it worth keeping the secret they share?

Caught in the orbit of popularity and appearances, Isabelle must navigate a world with mixed messages, false hopes, and potentially harmful turns, while coping with her own flailing family and emotions. The author brings a depth of characterization, humor, and a real adolescent's voice to this multileveled story about the desire to be perfect in an imperfect world.

Customer Reviews:

The Perfect Read!!!.......2007-09-08

I absolutely loved reading this book.Throughout the whole story you feel like you're actually there,like the story is very real.I recommend this book for teen girls and moms.I was at the bookstore one day looking for a book and when I saw perfect I knew I just had to read it!You will love it!

Unrealistic........2007-07-14

This book was very unrealistic.
It annoyed me from the very beginning. It is simple to tell that the author knows nothing about eating disorders.
An eating disorder is something someone has for life. Yes, they can control it, but by the end, this girl was suddenly "cured" of her bulimia.

Also, overused events. Average girl vs. popular girl, then becoming friends, as well as the whole "Perfect, prettiest girl in school". Dead parent. Annoying siblings, ratting on you. No creativity.

And, if anyone is curious, I do have an eating disorder.

definitely perfect!.......2007-06-04

I really loved this book! Its about a thirteen year old girl named Isabelle Lee. Her father died about two years ago, and nothing has been okay since then. She has a depressed mother who cries herself to sleep and an annoying, lonely little sister. The thing is, nobody ever talks about the problems they have. Isabelle and her family try to pretend everything's always perfect, even when it's not. Sadness about her father leads Isabelle into binging and purging. When her little sister catches her making herself throw up, her mom makes her go to an eating disorder therapy group for teen girls. isabelle is shocked to see ashley, the most popular, "perfect" girl in school there. the two become good friends and they binge and purge together. Isabelle learns that Ashley's life is far from perfect. Even though Ashley seems so "together" on the outside, she struggles with body image, family issues, and schoolwork. I won't spoil the ending for you, but let's just say that Isabelle learns a lot of things. One, she learns that just because someone looks perfect on the outside, it doesn't always mean everything's okay for that person (like Ashley.) She also learns that saying everything is "fine" is just a coverup, and it's important to talk about things and not keep feelings bottled up. The author, Natalie Friend, is an incredible writer who seems to know exactly how teens think. Her words will make you laugh, cry, and pray for Natalie's family. I recommend this book for anyone in middle or high school. It's a really fantastic book!

Ok Book, Great Message.......2007-05-24

Perfect by Natasha Friend is about the eight grader Isabelle Lee. She and her family are still recovering from the death of their beloved father. Nothing has been the same since the funeral; his pictures stripped from the walls and a mother who cries herself to sleep every night. Then there is "Group", which Isabelle attends after her sister, April (or known as Ape Face) tells on Isabelle when she is caught making herself throw up. Unhappily she goes to "Group" and is quite surprised when the most popular girl in her grade, Ashley Barnum, goes with the same problem. The two quickly become good friends as Isabelle fights her addiction and tries to make things right at home.

I think this book was ok, really gross, but ok. I never understood why people would make themselves sick like that but this book has shown me that people who believe their lives are too messed up; they turn to something that distracts them from the things that go bad in their life. I saw how addicting it was and how hard it is for people to stop, even when they know they are hurting themselves and those they love. I am happy with the ending and I think this would be a good book for teenage girls to read.

perfect is deffinitally unperfect...........2007-05-15

umm this book is horrible..this book has hints for having an eating disorder if you want your kid having problems like isabelles then get your kid this book.. but if you dont want your kid having to deal with balemia and almost getting raped then dont let our child read this bookk...

Average customer rating:

Beautifully written novel.
not sure why others aren't feeling this book...
A Good Read
A slow read, and quite boring
Nice title, cover...

The Perfect Age: A Novel
Heather Skyler
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Mothers & Children | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0393058700

Book Description

A sun-baked, beautifully observed debut for readers who loved Amy and Isabelle—a mother and daughter come of age in Las Vegas.

Helen is just fifteen, lanky and striking. She is a lifeguard at the pool at The Dunes hotel this summer—her first job, a step toward independence in a world beginning to treat her as an adult and a woman. Her mother, Kathy, watching Helen grow up, suddenly finds herself in a place equally uncertain: her children getting older, her stable marriage perhaps too stable, the slow days of summer leaving her adrift. When she meets Helen's boss, the manager at the pool, she chooses an affair that opens her to the idea of a different sort of life.

Following Helen and Kathy through three summers, this novel is an intimate picture of two sexual awakenings under one roof and their aftershocks on a family. Heather Skyler shows us that the validity of life's deepest experiences—love, betrayal, acceptance—is never compromised by age.

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully written novel........2006-07-16

This book is a very beautifully written coming of age novel. I would recommend it to every teenager as a very good perspective on growing up, having a serious boyfriend, and adultery, among other themes.

The Perfect Age ranks in the top five on my list of favourite young adult fiction. After I closed the book, I thought, "Helen isn't real. These characters aren't real." It was the first time the thought had occurred to me, and it struck me as wrong somehow. These characters were so real to me that it struck me as bizarre that they weren't actually living in Las Vegas, working at the Dunes.

I read this almost straight through. Everything was so beautiful and lyrical that I just couldn't put it down. It was unique, mostly. Amazing book, every teen should read it.

not sure why others aren't feeling this book..........2006-04-27

i thought that this book was both a beautifully written coming of age tale and also provided a very true to life picture of a house wife frustrated in her marriage where there REALLY wasn't much to complain about. i don't think that the story was too slow, i though it was paced steadily...the ending is a bit abrupt, and is in some ways unexpected. if there is one theme in this books that's recurring and paralelled in both the mother and daughter's separate lives it's sexual frustration. overall, it's an emotional and enjoyable read for both teens and adults...definitely worth your time.

A Good Read.......2005-10-26

Wow... I am really surprised that so many people gave this novel 1 or 2 stars. I found it thoroughly enjoyable... slow at times but never lacking in tension or excitment. I found Skyler's interpretation of self-discovery at any age riviting, and her writing style superb; she has a wonderful gift for description. I am greatly looking forward to her next novel.

A slow read, and quite boring.......2005-03-19

The story began very slow. Explaining the characters and how they all fit together. But NOTHING captured me into this book. I couldn't relate to any of the characters. I struggled to keep reading. The author could have summed this book up in about 100 pages or less. Conversations seemed to be too short as though they were unfinished. This book was just way too drawn out for me...and plain ol' boring.

Nice title, cover..........2005-01-11

But that's pretty much where it ends. Skyler's characters are mostly unlikeable and two-dimensional, the plot is full of improbable situations which serve only to tie up loose ends when the author has written herself into a corner. The writing, IMHO, lacks any real sense of style and swings wildly between cold, factual reporting and the flighty poetics of collegiate creative writing excercises.

Now that Skyler has gotten the proverbial "semi-autobiographical first effort" out of her system, here's hoping the next one shows more focus, character development and style, and less "look, I'm a writer" self-consciousness and not-sure-how-else-to-get-out-of-this plot construction.

Average customer rating:

Childhood and Early Sorrow
An unusual story about a healing bond

A Perfect Friend
Reynolds Price
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Literature & Fiction | Large Print | Formats | Books

Children's Books | Large Print | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0786235896

Book Description

ALA Best Book for Young Adults 2001

It has been a whole year since Ben's mother died, but he misses her so much the sadness keeps him awake at night. The only thing that helps Ben sleep is to think about elephants. Then a one-ring circus comes to town, and Ben meets a real elephant for the first time. Sala is the sole survivor of a group of four elephants poisoned by a wicked trainer. With Ben's unusual ability to understand Sala's thoughts, the two emerge from the depths of their grief and find hope for the future.

An Accelerated Reader® Title

Customer Reviews:

Childhood and Early Sorrow.......2002-06-18

In this sweet children's story, Reynolds Price tackles one of life's most difficult subjects, a youngster's loss of a parent. Ben, who is eleven, after the death of his mother is left alone with only his father and a very old dog Hilda for company. And a couple of friends. "He was the only boy in school who had a girl for his best friend, and he could usually smile at Robin's [his cousin] joking. After his mother died, though, Ben's outlook changed; and he went on feeling sad for a long time." Rather than attempt to answer the unaswerable, Mr. Price lets Ben tell his story. And a fine and moving story it is. In this marvelous little tale, Ben prays for an elephant, the animal his mother has taught him to draw. "See, there's really no question at all that elephants are better than people. They always take care of their young, they never kill anything unless they have to, and they talk to each other over miles of distance in voices so deep we can't even hear them." This lad may be onto something here in my favorite passage from the story.

The characters are all well drawn and completely believable-- from Ben's friend Dunk to his father who sometimes handles his own grief by getting drunk. Ater all, malt may do more than Milton cab to justify God's ways. . . Ben's grief for his mother and loneliness are palpable. The story, however, never becomes maudlin. Ben copes and survives; and there is not a "grief counselor" within a thousand miles.

No one writing today is better with words than Mr. Price. His evocative, concise language is both beautiful and moving. I bet children love this story. This adult certainly did.

An unusual story about a healing bond.......2001-03-12

It's been a year since Ben's mother died, but he misses her daily. His only consolation is his love for elephants, which his mother loved too - his involvement in the life of a special elephant who has been a survivor brings a bond to both which can heal in this unusual story.

Picture-Perfect Peril! (Spider-Man - 10 Titles)

Average customer rating:

Picture-Perfect Peril! (Spider-Man - 10 Titles)
Sean McKeever
Manufacturer: Spotlight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Spider-Man | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1599612127

Average customer rating:

Australian SF Reader

Overall an enjoyable anthology

Political statements seem more important than sci-fi

A great collection of SciFi and Fantasy Stories -- But....

delightful sampling
The Locus Awards: Thirty Years of the Best in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Charles N. Brown , and Jonathan Strahan
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Anthologies | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Anthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Short Stories | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction

Nebula Awards Showcase 2005 (Nebula Awards Showcase)

Nebula Awards Showcase 2006 (Nebula Awards Showcase)

The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two A: The Greatest Science Fiction Novellas of All Time Chosen by the Members of The Science Fiction Writers of America (SF Hall of Fame)

ASIN: 0060594268
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Book Description

Now, for the first time, the best of the Locus Awards for short fiction are gathered in one volume. Spanning the absolute finest in science fiction and fantasy short fiction for the last thirty years, this anthology is an indispensable guide to speculative fiction from the classic to the outrageous by the leaders of the field.

Customer Reviews:

Australian SF Reader.......2007-08-01

Another of those big fat fun science fiction anthologies. The editors try and choose a slightly different batch of stories to get some that are not published as often, in general, and seem to do a pretty good job. The intro about the start of Locus is interesting, but fairly brief.

Bears Discover Fire, Border Guards, and others can be found here. Multiple 5 star stories here, but also a couple of duds, that drag it down a bit.

Neil Gaiman with so many fans in different media and genres could probably publish a tricked out shopping list and get an award.

The Death of Doctor Island by Gene Wolfe
The Day before the Revolution by Ursula K. Le Guin
Jeffy is Five by Harlan Ellison
The Persistence of Vision by John Varley
The Way of Cross and Dragon by George R.R. Martin
Souls by Joanna Russ
Bloodchild by Octavia E. Butler
The Only Neat Thing to Do by James Tiptree Jr.
Rachel in Love by Pat Murphy
The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter by Lucius Shepard
Bears Discover Fire by Terry Bisson
Buffalo by John Kessel
Even the Queen by Connie Willis
Gone by John Crowley
Maneki Neko by Bruce Sterling
Border Guards by Gred Egan
Hell Is the Absence of God by Ted Chiang
October in the Chair by Neil Gaiman

Isolated mental adjustment.

3.5 out of 5

Political extroversion is tiring.

4 out of 5

Parents eventual terminal lack of patience with kid with the brilliant new old stuff.

5 out of 5

Communication fuller but lots weirder with fewer senses.

4.5 out of 5

Judas Star Knights.

3.5 out of 5

Nun of that Viking stuff here.

4.5 out of 5

Parasite pregnancy punishing for people.

3 out of 5

Far Traveller broken by bitty brainbiter, makes combo decision to go out in early Pink Floyd style.

5 out of 5

The life of a superintelligent chimp, the result of scientific experimentation into sign language. She is helped by some humans.

3.5 out of 5

Rape escapee dragon prisoner junkie.

3.5 out of 5

Hibernatin's a big ol' waste of time.

4 out of 5

H.G's yankeeland tour shows he is no fan of E.R.B. but pleased with the average Jack thinking about the future.

4 out of 5

Angels are uninsurable, and the Underworld lacks all the really cool torments.

3.5 out of 5

The bleeding right to live how you like, mate.

4 out of 5

Alien dishwasher's other use.

3 out of 5

Network of favors.

4 out of 5

It is about human immortals, and how they deal with people and society when living so long. One man joins back into life, and meets the best quantum soccer player going around, and loses a friend.

The discovery is made is that she is one of the earliest immortals, instrumental in posthuman travel to other planets, and knows what death is actually like, and has to work out how to relate to the new people.

Now, I can't get this story out of my head, like happens with songs sometimes, so, I am upgrading this, 5 stars, given I reread it recently and hadn't read it for quite a wihle.

And, as far as Australian goes, as far as pixel-stained technopeasant wretches, well, I'd hate to be caught paraphasing the Devil Went Down to Georgia, but, he's the best there's even been.

5 out of 5

Monthly avatar stories that most of them don't even like.

2 out of 5

Overall an enjoyable anthology.......2006-01-30

The stories in this anthology were all culled from the Locus award winners. Many of the stories are now considered classics and most all of the writers have been influential and groundbreaking in the genre.Classic stories from the 1970's by Gene Wolfe, Harlan Ellison, Ursula Le Guin, and John Varley are included. Standouts for me were Octavia Butler's Bloodchild, Pat Murphy's Rachel in Love, George R.R. Martin's Way of Cross of Dragon, and Joanna Russ's Souls. All from the 1980's by the way. I also enjoyed Neil Gaiman's October in the Chair and Ted Chiang's Hell is the Absence of God, from the 2000's. I agree with another reviewer that the stories from the 1990's were the least enjoyable, especially Maneki Neko by Bruce Sterling which was stupid. I've read other Bruce Sterling stories that I really liked and I'm sure that his other winner Talamakan had to be better than the one included. Still the stories from the 1990's include Bears Discover Fire by Terry Bisson and Even the Queen by Connie Willis which were very popular during that decade.
So, in the whole anthology I only disliked one story which is saying alot. Therefore, I highly recommend this anthology.

Political statements seem more important than sci-fi.......2005-10-06

I don't advise you to buy this collection. What we have here is one or two gems thrown in with a bunch of sub-par politically correct/feminist 'stories' which are thinly veiled propoganda and nothing more. Gene Wolfe's brilliant "The Death of Dr Island" is the highlight, but you can find that in Gene Wolfe's collections, where you won't be bludgeoned with political agendas masquerading as award winning science fiction. A truly sad spectacle, this collection, and a sign of our times.

A great collection of SciFi and Fantasy Stories -- But...........2005-03-06

This is a great collection of SciFi and Fantasy Stories -- BUT.... some of the stories written in the 1970s and 1980s have a nostalgic quality about them...

The great thing about new SciFi stories are the fact that the stories have improved leaps and bounds as each year goes by... The sensibilities of stories change, and so does the sensibilities of the science behind them. Styles of writing changes too -- think about the style of writing as the years have progressed: Isaac Asimov's writing, Philip K. Dick's writing, Orson Scott Card's writing, Tad Williams' writing, Ted Chiang's writing etc. -- all have progressed in terms of their prose and sensibility behind the stories.

Personally, I think some of the earlier stories are a bit dated. They're good... but nothing to tell your friends about.

Buy it if you're curious about which stories won the awards....

delightful sampling.......2004-07-06

This strong tome provides readers with a delightful sampling of some of the winning shorts and novellas over the last thirty years. The collection is balanced as four entries represent the 1970s; six from the 1980s; five from the 1990s; and three from the 2000s. The contributors are a who's who of the two genres (not surprising since this prestigious award is selected by a vote of Locus magazine readers) to include greats like Harlan Ellison, George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolfe and Ursula K. Le Guin, etc. Each selection is well written, but some of the tales, surprisingly especially from the 1990s, feel dated; incredibly, the seventies and eighties hold up quite well and besides a bit of nostalgia remain terrific entries. Readers, especially those of the magazine, will appreciate the eighteen selections that make up "thirty years of the best in science fiction and fantasy".

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:
Spellsinger #02: The Hour of the Gate
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Foster, Alan Dean | ( F ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Moment of the Magician

Chorus Skating

Son of Spellsinger

ASIN: 0446341819

Book Description

Provides a basic knowledge of Islamic beliefs and practices so that Christians may be better prepared to engage in dialogue with Muslims.

Book Description

Over eighty delectable recipes.

Salads can be so much more than a side dish.

Elevating salads to their rightful place as stylish, healthy, satisfying dishes, The Well-Dressed Salad offers more than eighty recipes exploring exciting textures and zingy flavors.

As well as putting a fresh spin on classic salads, such as Caesar salad, the book brings together unusual salad dishes from around the world where salads are an art form: the Mediterranean, North Africa, Asia and South America.

The chapters are organized by ingredient, from beans, lentils and grains, leaves and greens, to vegetables, fruit, noodles and rice to meat, fish and poultry. Each recipe is accompanied by:

Advice on possible variations
Serving ideas and advance preparation
Classification of each salad as an appetizer, main course or side dish
Recipes for tasty dressings and vinaigrettes
Tips on choosing and using ingredients.

Each recipe has been tested twice to guarantee a stunning success every time.

Customer Reviews:

a salad lover.......2005-11-09

I have now made my 12th recipe from this book and it is wonderful. My husband and I love to eat big salads for dinner and this is perfect for just that. It has all the great classics but much more. My favorites are the spinach salad with warm proscuitto dressing and the Middle Eastern Fattoush salad with crispy pitas. All of the salads have full on flavour and are healthy to boot! I would highly recommend this.

Average customer rating:

Salads Well Dressed

Manufacturer: Potpourri Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000CRKQQ4

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Salads Well Dressed
Irena Chalmers
Manufacturer: Potpourri Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RRANG2

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WELL DRESSED SALAD
JENNIFER JOYCE
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N6MKZY

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Well Dressed Salads
Jennifer Joyce
Manufacturer: Pavilion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Salads | Vegetables & Vegetarian | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1862056293

A tomato well dressed (A handy aid book)

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A tomato well dressed (A handy aid book)
Ruth Chier Rosen
Manufacturer: Richards Rosen Associates, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007G1R72

Book Description

The latest trend on E-Bay and at flea markets is the buying and selling of old technology―transistor radios, video games, the Betamax video recording system. While made of plastic, wires, and metal that earlier seemed to have little of the romance of the “antique,” this trend proves that these objects from the sixties, seventies, and eighties have acquired status as collectibles.
Addictively browsable, this is the essential guide to what technology from the last half of the 20th century is collectible. This is the only book to survey the trend, catalogue and depict the full range of objects, and gauge the correct price levels.
Even those who have not built a collection will be fascinated by the spirited product histories of the original Atari console, the Walkman, and the Betamax (which proves that every age has its Edsel―the product technically superior but destined to fail in the marketplace). Collectible Technology mourns all the gadgets from adolescence ever thrown away. It will start you wondering how much the brand new Ipod will be worth in a few decades…
The book includes an impressive guide to where to buy these collectibles and which websites to use.

Customer Reviews:

A good start that falls short. .......2005-07-05

Pepe Tozzo's Retro Electro sounded so cool that I preordered it sight-unseen. A good book on the topic of technostalgia is long overdue and I was eager to see what this self-described "only book to survey the trend" would contain. I now wish I had seen and browsed it beforehand. It's a neatly designed little book with some very nice pictures, but it is just falls too short of my expectations.

There are only one or two items per page in this 8.8 x 8.6, 160 page book and the layout favors large, attractive photos over descriptive text. So in the end there were not as many items as I would have liked to have seen and the descriptions are sometimes not very substantial. I am more interested in obscure facts about the design, creation, function and uniqueness of these things. There are informative and enlightening entries here, but again, more in-depth information on a greater selection of items would have been nice. Also, in a world where collector prices change faster than ink dries, any attempt to print price guides in a hardbound book form seems pointless. So the price guide feature doesn't thrill me.

There are way too many memorable electronic gadgets from our consumer past that are conspicuously absent. Missing are the giant Sylvania entertainment consoles of the 70s, Egg shaped 8-Track players, the Donut Phones, Soundburger (Mr. Disc) portable record players, quadraphonic headphones (yes, they exist) and various other classics. Heck, one could devote several pages to the dozens of groovy Panasonic portable radios and 8-track players of the 70s, but there are no "Dynamite" 8 track players or "Panapets" here... just the Toot-A-Loop is represented.

I'm not particularly excited that items from the 90s and current decade are represented. We can see these kinds of things in retail stores or Sharper Image catalogs today. So I don't see why they should have such equal billing in this book. Though there is probably a good case to leave out items from the well documented 1950s and earlier, I would rather the book included good old Philco Predictas than Sony Playstations. Sure, there are a few things from the early 90s that are interesting, and yes, a cursory mention about what things today may seem retro later might be appealing, but I didn't buy this book to see full page spreads of a 2002 IPOD or a 2004 watch. Other items that seem out of place are things like Smartphones, PDAs, Star Trek Phasers and 2003 Dalek toys. Retro Electronics? Not in my opinion.

The page layouts are attractive, the pictures are very nice and there was a strong effort made here to run the whole gambit of electronic collectables. Retro Electro may be more interesting to folks with only a light interest in this subject and it may serve as a good introduction. Also, if you like calculators there are plenty of neat ones in this book.

Ultimately, there are many cool items in this book. But for every seemingly out of place item in here there are two old standards or obscure treasures missing, which leaves me feeling I should have gotten more out it.

2 1/2 stars

A moment in time look at only some collectable devices.......2005-06-25

The book's descriptions of devices are far too short, and the prices it lists were out of date the moment the book went to print. Useless to true collectors, this book will see only limited use as a conversation starter. It'd be a nice thing to leave for guests in the bathroom.

Good book that leaves you wanting more.......2005-06-23

A wonderful look at the electronic marvels we have around the house, along with past playthings long ago left in the dust by ever advancing technologies. My only complaint is that this book barely scratches the surface of what could have / should have been included. Speaking for myself, I would have gladly paid a lot more money to get a book that gave me more to see. As it is, an hour after opening the book, you are done, wishing for more.

Average customer rating:
Rock-a-bye baby quilts (Quilts made easy)

Manufacturer: Oxmoor House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 084871282X

Average customer rating:

Cute as a button!

Rock-A-Bye Quilts (Leisure Arts #1771)
Leisure Arts
Manufacturer: Leisure Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JLL15S

Product Description

Babies and quilts -- what a wonderful combination of new life and old tradition! In this timeless collection, you'll find 6 baby quilts, 3 bumper pads, and a wall hanging, all updated with time-saving techniques.

Customer Reviews:

Cute as a button!.......2007-01-14

I liked it because I could do these without trouble and fast.

Book Description

For students and practicing professionals preparing to take licensing exams, there is perhaps no more reliable, self-help tutor than Design Process. This thorough text covers all major and many minor real-world issues of architecture and interior design. Topics include: creative design process, building components and materials, environmental issues, research, and the stages of concept development.

Customer Reviews:

I should have read this book before going in to college!.......2000-05-05

I must say this is exactly the kind of book i've been looking for, since I entered architecture school I have been trying to find literature for a good design process applied to architecture. The book covers the architectural design process from start to finish with many helpfull insights into the various stages of the complex design process involved in building. In my opinion, it is a vaery complete book, not just talking about building aspects, but client relationships, cost concerns, while at the same time realizing the diference of the academic and work reality. A must buy in my opinion.

Book Description

"Why me?" I said aloud.
There was no answer, so I carried on.
"Why not pick on a nun, or someone really spiritual?"
The answer, when it came, was dry.
"Your guess," he said, "is as good as mine."

Mia Dolan was twenty-two when she first heard a voice she could not explain. She had always considered herself to be a down-to-earth person and certainly never believed in psychic phenomena. But now that this voice had spoken to Mia, strange things began to happen: she "left" her body and walked through the house; she "saw" a plane crash in horrific detail, then witnessed the same scene on the news that evening. She thought she was going insane.

Finally, Mia discovered that she had a rare psychic gift and learned how to control and use it. Though she realized that she could not cure grief, she decided to use her gift to connect loved ones to those they had lost. This power took on a new, deeply personal dimension when, a few years later, Mia tragically foresaw the murder of her own brother and had to endure the loss of her young son.

I Know Why We’re Here is the fascinating story of an ordinary woman’s extraordinary gift--an inspirational life lived with raw honesty, humor, and compassion.

Customer Reviews:

Biography of a Psychic.......2006-02-14

The title catches your eye, but Mia Dolan's lifelong struggles against poverty, abusive men, and family losses makes an interesting memoir even if the psychic parts were omitted. It details her efforts to survive verbal and physical abuse and to make a life for herself and her children and to overcome the circumstances and poor choices that try to drag her down.
Adding another dimension to this, is the awakening of her "gift" which enables her to help others. For those skeptical of anything they cannot see for themselves, this may seem too airy-fairy. For those with open minds, it's fascinating to see the development of Mia's psychic skills.
This book was published in Britain under the title, The Gift.

PROOF OF ETERNAL LIFE.......2004-11-06

I believe the title is misdirected and should be what I have captioned this review. There was nothing I could discover of explaining why we're here. Nevertheless, this is a fine book that does reassure us of an afterlife from an author who has had more than her share of life problems and heartache. Some of it was brought about by herself, such as allowing her husband to almost kill her more than once and not leave him 'til around 15 years had passed. This is an autobiography and most interesting indeed. She talks of events that happened to her and of her realization that she could communicate with the other side of life and how she has helped others for many years now. A good read!

Un-put-downable!!.......2004-06-04

I read this in one late-night sitting. What a life!!! I was fascinated by the subject, in turns horrified by the terrible trials of the author, uplifted by her resilience and humour, moved to tears at her ability to forgive her old abuser. Her handling of the deaths of her brother and son give hope. A great book that I plan to buy for at least three friends who are either interested in the subject or struggling with grief. I highly recommend it!

An Excellent Read.......2004-05-31

I loved this book - found it very personal and convinving about psychic ability and how it feels to suddenly receive this unusual "gift." Mia Dolan's insights into why we are here and how much influence we can have are thought-provoking and offered with simplicity and no preachiness. Her final words, that "we learn through suffering" are consoling to those who always wonder why life can be so difficult. Readers will wish for a little psychic ability after reading this book.

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