Vast Emotions and Imperfect Thoughts

Amazon.com

Brazilian filmmaker and author Rubem Fonesca has written that highest of treats: a literary thriller that tickles both the cerebellum and the adrenaline gland. The unnamed hero of this novel is, like Fonesca, a filmmaker, but one who has temporarily abandoned the world of cinema in order to make television commercials for his televangelist brother. On the eve of an important meeting with a German film company, the narrator receives an unexpected visitor, a strange woman named Angélica, who apparently rang his doorbell at random in order to escape from unseen assailants. He allows her to spend the night, but when he awakes the following morning, his houseguest is gone. There is only a mysterious package and a note: "'My friend,' Angélica's tiny writing was hard to read. 'Thank you very much for saving my life.... Please take care of this package for me, hide it well, and one day I'll come back for it. Your friend Angélica.'"

It seems Angélica spoke her gratitude too soon; it isn't long before her murdered corpse is discovered, and the narrator finds himself up to his neck in nefarious plots, smuggled jewels, rare manuscripts, and underhanded schemes both political and literary in which the works of the great Russian writer Isaac Babel figure prominently. Fonesca weaves not only these intriguing strands, but also an elusive personal tragedy, more sex than you can shake a stick at, and fascinating meditations on the life and work of Babel into this complex tapestry without ever dropping a stitch. Vast Emotions and Imperfect Thoughts is a vastly entertaining and near-perfect read.

Customer Reviews:

Simply Imperfect.......2003-11-29

This was quite disappointing. I searched for quite a while trying to select a novel by a Brazilian writer in preparation for my visit to Brazil. Whenever I leave the U.S., I try to gain some familiarity with the place I'm visiting through the literature of the country. I was unsuccessful with this novel. The story begins with a woman paying a visit to the main character and leaving a bag of gems. The author moves on from there with pages of detailed information about gems (I did learn that Brazil is a major gem producing county). Then there's another storyline about the main character making a movie based on an old book of some sort but this storyline is equally boring. I took the book with me thinking that it would get better if I read it in Brazil. No such luck. After 100 pages I nearly through it from my hotel balcony. Since it was a library copy I was forced to bring it back. I found nothing creative or imaginative about this novel (I doubt that the translator did that bad of a job). After talking to a number of Brazilians, the one author that surfaced time and time again was Jorge Armando (spelling cold be wrong). I'll give him a try in a few months after the fresh memories of Brazil fade a bit. While "Vast Emotions and Imperfect Thoughts" was a disappointment, I have nothing but positive things to say about Brazil. The country is breathtaking, the people are wonderful and the food is scrumptious. I love Bahia!

Quality and unusuality = Great!.......2000-06-28

In spite of being a page-turner, this is a book of criativity and of prose art. I thank a friend of mine of telling me about this writer. Now I stopped reading useless and trashy bestsellers to read him! And, moreover, it will seem ironic, but Fonseca is a bestseller himself indeed here in Brasil, matching great critics and great public! It is considered one of his best novels, along with "August", and I really agree!

The book is about a filmmaker who gets a package of a strange girl that asks to get into his apartment, because she is being chased. The guy let her enter into his apartment and place the package there and, before she scamper, she tell him not to mess with it, she will take it later, when she's safer. But it is only the starting point of the journey of the story. The guy will be involved with a carnival organizator - Negromonte -, a bisexual girl - she is his girlfriend -, a german productor who wants him to film a movie in europe, his dreams which are only with words - he doesn't see any images - and a lot more, all with realation with each other. Don't miss it!

(I can't understand hhow your publishers don't have other amazing books of brasilian writers. You are just loosing so much pleasure!)

A very good work.......2000-02-25

This book is a great peace of literature. Some dialogues have focus on very interesting concepts, dealing with a lot of different points of view about cinema, literature and human behavior. It gives you the desire to learn more about the facts reported, such as the Isaak Bábel work. And also, the Rubem Fonseca's knowledge and the obvious research he made was more then vast and complete. I've read the portuguese version, but I bet the translation to English is as good as the original one.

Uno de los libros m[as emocionantes que he leido.......1999-07-07

Una novela de accion que va mas alla que cualquiera de las de su genero. Emocionante, angustiante y bien escrita. Una pieza de buena literatura.

This doe not compute.......1998-10-11

The story line, delivered with a straight face, is completely unbelievable. The constant name dropping gets tiresome, especially if one gets the feeling that the author knows just the name but nothing behind it. The scenes in Berlin are primitive and often wrong. The style is that of an outline of a movie script. Hopefully, nobody will ever make that movie.

Amazon.com

I Who Have Never Known Men is the first of Jacqueline Harpman's 10 novels to be translated from French. It is a chilling, surreal, speculative fiction as well as a novel of ideas. The story takes place after some unspecified great disaster--pandemic? global warming? nuclear holocaust?--and concerns a group of 40 women kept alive in an underground bunker. The women are watched over by mute, whip-toting male guards. The youngest woman in the group has no memory of life above ground and her elders conceal as much as they reveal about their predisaster lives. I Who Have Never Known Men examines the roles of context and history in making us who we are.

Book Description

A young woman is kept in a cage underground with thirty-nine other females, guarded by armed men who never speak; her crimes unremembered...if indeed there were crimes.The youngest of forty--a child with no name and no past--she survives for some purpose long forgotten in a world ravaged and wasted. In this reality where intimacy is forbidden--in the unrelenting sameness of the artificial days and nights--she knows nothing of books and time, of needs and feelings.Then everything changes...and nothing changes.A young woman who has never known men--a child who knows of no history before the bars and restraints--must now reinvent herself, piece by piece, in a place she has never been...and in the face of the most challenging and terrifying of unknowns: freedom.

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully written, but unfulfilling........2007-08-22

I'd have to read some more of the author's work to really comment authoritatively, but this book was not great. It wasn't bad... it kept my attention fairly well, and I wasn't bored by it, but it wasn't interesting or entertaining by any stretch of the imagination.

We follow a young, nameless girl and her thirty-nine companions as they live imprisoned in an underground bunker. Then a siren goes off and the guards all mysteriously run, conveniently leaving the keys in the lock. We then get to follow the forty women as they walk back and forth across the desolate wasteland, discovering other bunkers like their own, but no other civilization.

I think this book may be one of those symbolism-ridden "great literature" types of book that I never tend to understand or appreciate, but to me, it was just an uneventful trek from one cabin to another until all the women died off. I don't rate it very highly, but it's beautifully written.

Sublime Metaphor - A Classic Revisited.......2007-07-27

I first read this translation soon after it came out and kept it handy, knowing that I would want to re-read it someday. Well, 'someday' arrived this week, and I would now like to share my take on what is going on in this extended literary metaphor that has quietly gained a small but committed fandom, matching its quietly forceful approach to its subject.

[Why only four stars for a Classic?-- because the same oddities that make the book strong also provide its primary weakness: The same lack of scope and resolution that provides the book's intense focus, and emotional force, deprive it of the sort of huge impact that such a work probably deserves.]

Forty women live in an deep-underground 'bunker,' guarded by men whose only communication with them is the cracking of whips. Artificially shortened days and nights governed by automatic lights control their lives. They are given two austere meals per day and expected to cook the food themselves. They are denied privacy regarding any aspect of their existence, are forcibly touch-deprived, are not allowed to cry, and, most horribly of all, are forced to keep living even when they wish to die.

Actually, the forty women consist of thirty-nine mature women, plus one girl, known only as The Child. She remembers nothing of life before her imprisonment, and none of them understand why they are in this confinement nor do they remember what led up to it. Nor does anyone know the Child's name, least of all herself.

When, eventually, a freak chance to escape leads to their permanent emergence above ground, they embark on an extended journey which provides no substantial clues to their history, and which in the end merely substitutes another kind of imprisonment for the previous.

Not exactly a tale of hope or cheer!

Yet, somehow, the story is not depressing. In fact, it feels quite hopeful in the end, for no reason immediately apparent.

Which made me think: What is the book REALLY about?!?

At one superficial level, it seems to be a feminist tract similar in a few ways to Atwood's 'Handmaid's Tale.' There are also absurdist echoes from such authors as Kafka. And yet, the thought keeps nagging me that there is far more to this book than those superficial comparisons would suggest.

What I believe it actually is [in ADDITION to being absurdist and feminist, not as opposed to those genres] is a metaphor for the human search for meaning in an appallingly alien universe. Our cosmology, whether religious or scientific, often seems fragile and vulnerable in the face of the immense scope and incredibly varied nature of the setting we find ourselves in. We speculate a lot about the meaning of life, where we came from, where we're going, etc., etc. But in reality we have no more clue to all this than those forty female characters which Harpman describes so lovingly do to their own enigmas.

To make sure the reader gets the point, the author has deliberately withheld the kind of detail that would lend 'realism' to this not-quite-science-fiction tale. The Child who is also the book's narrator is far more erudite and eloquent than any real person in this harrowing experience, with its lack of education and experience, would be capable of being. The totally-unexplained disappearance of the guards which enables the women's 'escape' is so impossible [and so convenient] as to take on an air of fantasy. Equally unrealistic is the fact that not one of these women has any memory of how they got from their former [and 'normal'] lives to this hell-hole existence on what may or may not be 'another planet.' And the capper is that the electricity supply is magically endless and faultless, although no source or means of distribution for it is ever discovered or explained. [Just as there is no real explanation for what caused the Big Bang or how so-called Dark Energy causes the expansion of the universe continually to accelerate.]

Reviewers who have complained about lack of resolution are missing the point: There can be no resolution in a metaphor for cosmology, because we do not yet know enough about our own existence in the universe to interpret it with any kind of confidence to ourselves.

Is there a moral to this far-from-plotless tale of ennui and purposelessness? Yes, I believe there is. Someone once said that the point of travel lies in discovering that the journey is more important than the destination. Just as this book tells us that Living-- mere Living-- IS the Meaning of Life.

Good book, but left me wanting more explination.......2005-06-15

I am about 21, but don't want an account...kid's reviews seem to work great!
Pulled in by the title, I found this book to be written in a way as to draw one in. Yet, because it is written through, "The Child's" point of view, it does become, hmmm...dry? repetitive?... well, perhaps just a bit over descriptive as to all of this girl's activities once she has managed her escape. The reader vicariously lives as one of the women in the book. We are only given the information they know, we are able to gather information only as they find it. Although this may be a very appreciated and is seen as a useful tool for an author to pull you in, it left me feeling...well, a bit frustrated. Yes, I realize going through this with them pulls emotionally so that I may feel their frustration, etc... It is the terrible circle of saying, "I want to understand the book more, that I may have a better appreciation of it." Verses "This is how those women feel. They are left just as much in the dark as we the readers are." Certainly this book will stay with me: dark, sad, and full of unanswered questions. Yet when I closed the book, I wanted to be able to pull away and see the whole picture...were they on another planet? Were they kept for reproductive purposes once the world was rebuilt? Why were the guards only male? Why were the guards not allowed to speak to the woman? Why were there no other children? What was the place she found at the end? What purpose did it serve? There were many other questions as well.
Yes, these questions have been "stirred" in my mind, but I am not one who enjoys being left with them. If you enjoy figuring things out, or living vicariously through others, you will love this book, however if you are like me and would like have at least half of the story wrapped up, don't bother...there are plenty of other well-written authors.

The writing was worth 4 stars, but due to the frustration of the questions, and some of the over description, is bumped back 2.

Awesome Read! .......2005-01-21

A friend sent this book to me to read, she had gotten from one of her friends and I just have to say I was skeptical at first. I am more the type to read Jackie Collins and such so this was a nice change of pace. I started reading this book and was instantly hooked! I read it with warp speed and was left wanting more, not wanting it to end just yet. I highly reccomend this book!!! Read it, you'll be glad you did!

One of my favorite books.......2002-02-17

A sad and truly beautiful book, I Who have Never Known Men is a journey of a child who has no past, present, or future. The loneliness is palpable as she tries to find her place in the universe. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

I WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN MEN
Jacqueline Harpman
Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WQPGP6

Average customer rating:

Changed the way I veiw food!

What can I say...

The Katz Pajamas

A little disappointing...

Wonderful book, could use a little clarity in places

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods
Sandor Ellix Katz
Manufacturer: Chelsea Green Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Canning & Preserving | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Beer | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1931498237

Book Description

Bread. Cheese. Wine. Beer. Coffee. Chocolate. Most people consume fermented foods and drinks every day. For thousands of years, humans have enjoyed the distinctive flavors and nutrition resulting from the transformative power of microscopic bacteria and fungi. Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods is the first cookbook to widely explore the culinary magic of fermentation. "Fermentation has been an important journey of discovery for me," writes author Sandor Ellix Katz. "I invite you to join me along this effervescent path, well trodden for thousands of years yet largely forgotten in our time and place, bypassed by the superhighway of industrial food production." The flavors of fermentation are compelling and complex, quite literally alive. This book takes readers on a whirlwind trip through the wide world of fermentation, providing readers with basic and delicious recipes-some familiar, others exotic-that are easy to make at home. The book covers vegetable ferments such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and sour pickles; bean ferments including miso, tempeh, dosas, and idli; dairy ferments including yogurt, kefir, and basic cheesemaking (as well as vegan alternatives); sourdough bread-making; other grain fermentations from Cherokee, African, Japanese, and Russian traditions; extremely simple wine- and beer-making (as well as cider-, mead-, and champagne-making) techniques; and vinegar-making. With nearly 100 recipes, this is the most comprehensive and wide-ranging fermentation cookbook ever published.

Customer Reviews:

Changed the way I veiw food!.......2007-10-10

This book is wonderful! Sandor Ellix Katz has a great way of conveying his personal beliefs on food systems, and how we eat affects our culture. I've been making many of the fermented foods included in his book, and hope to get around to trying to make them all! My friends all think I'm food obsessed now, but I'm completely enjoying myself and keeping myself entertained with the wonderful recipes in this book.

What can I say..........2007-09-04

I love this book, my family loves the soda, my brother wants my sauerkraut and I taught some kids who to start and maintain a sourdough starter made with the yeast from the plumbs on our tree. I can't wait to make wine.

The Katz Pajamas.......2007-08-21

I love this book. Not only is it a comprehensive (and surprising) overview of how pervasive live culture is in the foods we consume, it also is a very helpful guide to making some of these things at home. The style is casual, friendly and the information comes from the writer's own deep experience. Although one reviewer accuses the writer of being "political", there is no agenda pushed here other than encouraging the reader to try making his or her own sourdough, sauerkraut, or beer. And, there is absolutely NO dirty joke on page 10, as one homophobic reviewer claims. If you are a DIY cook or baker, you need to get this book!

A little disappointing..........2007-07-20

As soon as you open this, you get problems. First of all, the man who wrote this book is a vegan, and does not include any fermentation on meat. Good luck living in the wild without a concentrated source of energy and nutrients. We run yet again into problems where much of the fermentation isn't even wild, in particular for dairy. I understand dairy isn't usually available in the wild, but the book is about wild fermentation, right? If you want to learn about fermentation of dairy or grains, you can find all the info you need for free searching on google. Soak, sprout and ferment...If you want to ferment meat, you're going to have to find another source anyways.

The attempt at appearing philosophical at the start of the book was purtty unimpressive.

Other than all of the other problems, there is a wide variety of fermentation of products, and it will suit you well if you're a vegan/vegetarian.

Wonderful book, could use a little clarity in places.......2007-07-08

This is an outstanding book! Sandor Katz has a tremendous passion for fermented foods and it shows in his writing. "Wild" in the title refers to micro-organisms that are in the air, so this book is mostly about fermenting foods you don't need to buy yeast or other starters for. Fermenting with what's in the air appeals to me.

Katz includes a nice variety of recipes for vegetable, bean, dairy, bread, porridges, beverages, and vinegars. Notably absent are recipes for fermenting meat products.

I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 because, while I love the book, in places I found myself scratching my head trying to figure out what he was saying.

Average customer rating:
Insects on Display: A Guide to Mounting and Displaying Insects
Connie Zakowski
Manufacturer: Rainbow Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Insects & Spiders | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 156825041X

Book Description

Insects On Display is a family craft how-to book and a book for crafters who like careful hand work. Described and illustrated are the steps necessary to create beautiful displays (case and dome) using real (but dead) insects and craft supplies. Even the most squeamish family members can be involved in this instructive hobby. And it's the perfect next step to help children display the specimens they captured and cared for. This book is the companion to The Insect Book: A Basic Guide to the Collection and Care of Common Insects for Young Children (ISBN 1-56825-037-1). Insects On Display will teach you how to 1] identify insect body parts (to help you follow the mounting instructions), 2] mount butterflies and moths (meaning to arrange them for presentation), 3] mount hard-shell insects (like beetles), 4] handle difficult-to-mount insects (like mantids), and 5] display specimens in cases and domes. Skills are highly illustrated, supplies and their sources are listed (including online sources), and it features a glossary, a suggested reading list and an index.

Customer Reviews:

Great Read!!!.......2004-09-26

I am a definately a layman when it comes to Art History. A friend gave me this book for Christmas, and shortly thereafter a horrible snow storm left us with nothing to do but read The Spitz Master. What a blessing it was to spend hours inside learning about Art History and looking at some phenominal illustrations. As an adult it is nice to read a book with pictures.

As a college student I was skeptical about taking an Art History class. I thought it would be a better use of time studing dead languages and postmodern interpretation of American History. Amidst my confusion an old, very old, exceptionally old, wise Art History professor tried convincing me to take his class. Unfortunately I didn't take his class in order to pursue what I thought was an education. It wasn't until engaging in the Spitz Master that I came to the realization taking dead languages and studying American history through the eyes of deconstructionalist, at that a deconstructionalist feminist was a waste of time. Thank God for Dr. Gregory Clark's book. It has changed my confused life and given me hope, and it is my hope that this book will change the lives the confused undergraduates he teaches. Thank you Greg Clark your work is an inspiration to us all, even monks in Norcia.

Especially recommended for academic Art History collections.......2003-09-15

The Spitz Master: A Parisian Book Of Hours examines a classic work of literary art, created in Paris around 1420 by a team of illuminators including one inventive soul now called "The Spitz Master". Art history professor and scholar Gregory T. Clark informatively introduces and provides a "reader friendly" examination of the history and significance of this work, while black-and-white as well as color photographs showcase pages drawn from the classic work in all their individual and collective glory. The Spitz Master is especially recommended for academic Art History collections.

Average customer rating:
The Keeper's Companion 2: Prohibition, Firearms, Tomes, & Creatures (Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying, 2395)
Adam Gauntlett , and Brian M. Sammons
Manufacturer: Chaosium
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1568821867

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Rocks, Fossils and Dinosaurs (Nature Companion Series)
David Roots , Paul Willis , and Michael K. Brett-Surman
Manufacturer: Chain Sales Marketing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fossils | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 187701902X

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Rocks, Fossils and Dinosaurs is part of a four-book series, The Nature Companions; practical guides to observing and appreciating the wonders of the natural world. This spectacular series provides readers with a thorough understanding of topics such as skywatching, birding, natural habitat gardening, and rocks and fossils. Written in clear, accessible text by acclaimed scientists and specialists in each field, each book contains a wealth of images by the world's foremost photographers and detailed, specially commissioned illustrations. Designed for enthusiasts of all ages, The Nature Companions series is a comprehensive source of reference that belongs in the personal library of all those who are curious to learn more about the world around them.

The Creature Companion (Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game)

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The Creature Companion (Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game)
Scott David Aniolowski
Manufacturer: Chaosium, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dinosaurs: A Companion to Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House Rsrch Gdes(R))

Average customer rating:

Read This Book And You Will Be Crazy For Dinosaurs!
I Love the Magic Tree House Series!
Fun, entertaining and educational.
A great book and a great idea.
An excellent book.

Dinosaurs: A Companion to Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House Rsrch Gdes(R))
Will And Ma Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0375902961
Release Date: 2000-08-08

Book Description

Who invented the word dinosaur? What was the name of the biggest dinosaur? This book includes everything you ever wanted to know about the real-life world of dinosaurs.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Read This Book And You Will Be Crazy For Dinosaurs!.......2001-05-28

This book is a good book.I learned alot about dinosaurs.This book inspired me to love and study dinosaurs.Now everybody says I'm crazy for dinosaurs!This book talks about plant eaters and meat eaters.It has pictures of dinosaur skelatons.It has lots of theries on how the dinosaurs disapeard.So read it!

I Love the Magic Tree House Series!.......2001-02-18

This is my favorite book in the whole Magic Tree House series, because they wrote about a new dinosaur called Giganotosaurus. It was even bigger than T-Rex, and if they find more fossils of Giganotosaurus, it will be the king of dinosaurs. I think it was funny when Annie pretended to be Dromiceiomimus because she looked silly with huge eyes!

Fun, entertaining and educational........2000-09-07

What a wonderful idea. Mary Pope and Will Osborne share the research that they put in to writing "Dinosaurs Before Dark" with their readers in a fun and entertaining way. My 8-year old daughter has devoured this book and "Knights and Castles : A Nonfiction Companion to the Knight at Dawn". These books are not only instructing her on the particular subject of each book, but they are also teaching her how to do research on her own. They also build vocabulary and fill her head with wonderous thoughts and questions. I highly recommend this series to every young reader and their parents.

A great book and a great idea........2000-08-20

Thank you Will and Mary Pope Osborne. My 8-year old daughter has always been a fan of the Magic Tree House books and we have always appreciated the educational value of the books. It always was apparent that you had researched the background and facts about the various situations Jack and Annie found themselves in. Sharing the research with your ardent and eager readers is a gift. My daughter devoured the Dinosaurs Research Guide with enjoyment and enthusiasm. She is moved to share her new knowledge with us all. Reading the book has inspired her to continue researching on her own. And, she also says she is looking forward to reading more Research Guides. I highly reccommend this book and any that encourages children to seek and learn on their own.

An excellent book........2000-08-20

I loved the book Dinosaurs because it tells me so much about dinosaurs and it is interesting at the same time. It was fun to read. It was written as if by Jack and Annie and I really liked the part where Annie pretended to be a "silly-sourus". I look forward to reading more Mary Pope Osborne Research Guides.

CONSTANT COMPANIONS AN EXHIBITION OF MYTHOLOGICAL ANIMALS DEMONS AND MONSTERS PHANTASMAL CREATURES AND VARIOUS ANATOMIC ASSEMBLG

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CONSTANT COMPANIONS AN EXHIBITION OF MYTHOLOGICAL ANIMALS DEMONS AND MONSTERS PHANTASMAL CREATURES AND VARIOUS ANATOMIC ASSEMBLG

Manufacturer: University of St. Thomas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HFEDSS

The Creature's Choir : a Companion to Prayers from the Ark

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The Creature's Choir : a Companion to Prayers from the Ark
Carmen Bernos De ; Godden, Rumer (translator) Gasztold
Manufacturer: Viking
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VFQCA6

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Victoria's castle
Felice Holman
Manufacturer: Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007DKGSQ

Book Description

Decorating can be foolproof, when it's done the House Beautiful way! With practical, down-to-earth guidance, and the magazine's photos as inspiration, even true beginners will find out how to get it right the first time…and every time.

Go from clueless to faultless! Home decorators who long for a contemporary loft-style apartment, chic Colonial living room, or cozy beach hut bathroom can make their dreams come true…effortlessly. With House Beautiful's straightforward, no-nonsense approach to everything from painting and wallpapering to lighting and window treatments, reviving a home is as easy as Ready, Set, Decorate! The segment “Ready!” explains the many wonderful options to choose from--colors, patterns, surface treatments, or hardware--and offers confidence-building tricks. “Set!” leads you through all the preparatory stages that spell the difference between success and failure. And “Decorate!” shows how to do the job yourself or brief a professional--and how to avoid the pitfalls, whichever route you take. Plus, there's practical guidance on quick, fun-to-do projects that add value and beauty to any home.
A Selection of the Homestyle Book Club.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful illustrations give great ideas!.......2007-08-09

This book is more for the beginner than advanced BUT it does have great ideas for every room in your home. It covers a wide variety of styles that are sure to please everyone. The book goes room by room, each covered in three sections; ready, set and decorate.

The getting "ready" section covers the different styles and materials used in decorating (i.e. fabric and window shapes in the window section) - this section clearly defines where to begin and what can be used to change it. The "set" section explains in further detail what needs to be gathered and decided before you decorate. The last section, "decorate" explains techniques used.

If you are interested in ANY of the techniques in this book, you must get additional resources for the "how to" instructions. This book is shy on that BUT it has lots of decorating tips and outlines that will really help any begining decorator.

Don't Waste Your Money.......2006-10-26

Even if you've never read a decorating book before, this book isn't one on which to waste your time and money. It's elementary (do we really need yet another explanation of the color wheel)and glib (don't even think about doing a faux finish based solely on the information in this book). I bought it used for about $2.50 and still think I overpaid.

Good ideas.......2006-06-29

This book has some good ideas to decorate. It is easy to understand. Unique plans for rooms.

The Complete Book of Paint: A Comprehensive Guide to Paint Techniques for Walls, Floors, Furniture, Fabrics, and Metalwork

Average customer rating:

Interesting and informative
Skip This One if you are a Beginner
Excellent Idea Book!
Excellent Idea Book!

The Complete Book of Paint: A Comprehensive Guide to Paint Techniques for Walls, Floors, Furniture, Fabrics, and Metalwork
David Carter , and Charles Hemming
Manufacturer: Friedman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Painting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Painting & Wallpapering | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1586637053

Book Description

“A welcome companion...The first two chapters—on space and color and on inspiration—set the stage perfectly as motivational tools....Most appealing are the brilliant, illustrative color photgraphs. Twenty projects demonstrate the range of Carter’s artisty....Enjoy this for ideas and inspiration.”—Booklist.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and informative.......2006-11-24

Carter's book gives a wide-ranging look at many aspects of decorative painting. He starts with a brief introduction, followed by a gallery covering just about every room in the house in his bold, dramatic painted treatments - the cover give just of his interior examples. Take that as an inspriation or warning, as you see fit.

Next, he gives brief descriptions of many basic techniques, including multilayered washes of color, spattering, dragging, marbling, woodgrain finishes and others. This could have been a great resource, but lacks the detail and clarity needed for a do-it-yourselfer to have much chance of success. The project section includes two samples of furniture decoration, but the large majority describe room decorations. Again, I found the directions improvable, especially because I already had reservations about the wisdom or practicality of a beginner tackling such large projects with unfamiliar materials and techniques. I really had to wonder, too, about whether I'd like to live in a room decorated in faux leopard fur by means of stamps cut from potatos.

The last sections present primers on paints, solvents, media, and surface preparation (primers included, if you'll pardon the pun). This is epsecially helpful for special problems, including metallic and masonry surfaces. In most other ways, though, other books are better for the fussy bits of technique, materials, and suggestions for approachable projects.

//wiredweird, reviewing the 1996 edition

Skip This One if you are a Beginner.......2005-12-03

I checked this book out of the library to determine if it was one I would like to add to my collection.

The first half of the book "Inspirations" showed different rooms with various faux finishes and paint, none of which were detailed. The second half of the book was divided into "Technique and Effects", "Projects" and "Directory of paints and surfaces".

"Technique and Effects" addresses the various techniques, i.e. sponging, splattering, combing, strie and others. Generally there were 1-2 small (about 2" x 4-5") close-up photos of the specific technique. The instructions for the technique followed with a few illustrations, not photographs. Some sections did not have illustrations, just text instruction of the technique (antiquing, aging wood and trompe l'oeil).

"Projects" included things like:
- Crackle-glazed headboard (basic and brief)
- Opulent hallway (some weird star-like spots that seemed more appropriate for a child's room or maybe a celestial theme)
- Faux Fur Interior (walls painted in a leopard-print using potatos)
- Theatrical Drawing Room (very amateurish looking).

There WERE several nice projects such as the:
- Empire Style Salon which used Trompe l'oeil panels (no detailed instructions)
- Townhouse Suite with Blue and white striped walls (again just brief steps)
- Silhouetted Salon - very unusual technique and kind of a stylized art painting of a figure done in a navy color
- Stone Blocked Bathroom - brief instructions but think I could follow this one without too much trouble

"Directory" discusses different type of finishes and how they are used; exterior and how to paint various objects (gutters, brick, doors); tiles/ceramic/glass and plastic. I found this section very informative, even though it did not go into a great amount of detail on each component but it was helpful information.

This book may be great for someone who already does faux-finishing, but I felt it lacked details for the beginner. I do think there are much better books out there for learning paint techniques which go into more detail. You might want to try Fresh Paint by Glenwood Sherry, Walls that Wow from Country Sampler Decorating Ideas (even though many of their techniques are not country) and Great Paint Finishes for a Gorgeous Home by Gary Lord

Excellent Idea Book!.......1999-12-15

I have been a professional faux painter for over 5 years. This is the book I turn to when a client is looking for something unusual. The photos provide endless, timeless finishes and designs. I have spent countless hours poured over Mr. Carter's book and I always find a little something in the pictures that I can turn into a 'new' look. The current 'in-style' colors may change, but that is the beauty of paint! Change the colors and you have a new look. As I always say, the best ideas usually begin as someone else's!

Excellent Idea Book!.......1999-12-15

The Complete Book of Decorative Paint Effects: 30 Creative Projects Using Ceramics, Wood, Fabric and Paper

Average customer rating:

The Complete Book of Decorative Paint Effects: 30 Creative Projects Using Ceramics, Wood, Fabric and Paper

Manufacturer: New Holland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Painting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Painting & Wallpapering | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Save serious decorating costs by using paint: it’s a breeze to revamp furniture, walls, windows, and almost any kind of accessory. Just imagine floral Victorian tiles bordering the living room fireplace; striped and spotted mugs brightening the kitchen; a folk art cabinet creating extra storage space in the bathroom; and lots more. You’ll find all the techniques for 30 enticing projects, divided by room.

Average customer rating:

The Complete Book of Home Decorating
Barbara Mayer
Manufacturer: Friedman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Style | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

jp-unknown3 | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 1586632515

Book Description

Dig into this perfect compendium of ideas, advice, and inspiration to uncover a wide range of historical and international design styles, all gorgeously illustrated with color photos. The home transformation begins with preliminary steps; from evaluating the space and coming up with a detailed floor plan to staying within a budget and setting priorities. Train your eye to recognize the elements that make a room special--scale, balance, rhythm, and harmony. Pore through suggestions on color; lighting; textiles for walls, ceilings, and furniture; and window treatments that frame outside views and let the sun shine in. Each page encourages innovative approaches for every room.

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent view of a supreme artist.......2000-10-01

The spirit of Eleonora Duse fills this excellent little book. Eva Le Gallienne, a master in her own right, clearly loves Duse, and she unapologetically deifies her. Weaving together histories, analyses, personal recollections, quotes, reviews, and theological musings, Le Gallienne creates a vivid image of the woman, and made me mourn that I could not see her myself. She even addresses that, responding to a young actor with the same complaint (with pity). But I did feel, after reading the book, that I had connected with Duse in some small way; In this, Le Gallienne is an actor on the page, guiding her audience to the character without forcing it upon them.

The message I got was that Duse was a person first. Other actors are full of life when on the stage, and switch off once the curtain falls. For Duse, theatre was an extension of her life. Her craft (so strong that she seemed to have none) and her spirit filled the stage, but no more than it filled her life.

I recommend this book to all actors- this book was written with us in mind- but also to all artists. It is one-sided, yes, but it is not meant to be an objective account. It shows some of Duse's flaws, but tone is always one of love.

Average customer rating:
The Mystic in the Theatre: Eleonora Duse
Eva Le Gallienne
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CN78M

Average customer rating:
The Mystic in the Theatre:Eleonora Duse
Eva La Gallienne
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
ASIN: B000SBWRT8

Average customer rating:
The Mystic in the Theatre
Eleonora Duse
Manufacturer: Farrar
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GRQ36W

Average customer rating:
The Mystic In The Theatre : Eleonora Duse
Eva Le Gallienne
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus & Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLMIVE

Average customer rating:
THE MYSTIC IN THE THEATRE Eleonora Duse

Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FBQRSS

Average customer rating:
The Mystic in the Theatre: Eleonora Duse
Eva La Gallienne
Manufacturer: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K0FPZK

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