Average customer rating:
- Who Is Responsible for the "Stab in the Back" Lie?
- The origins of World War II
- Incredible Story Telling!
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Gossip from the Forest
Keneally
Manufacturer: Hodder & Stoughton General Division
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
ASIN: 0340333812 |
Customer Reviews:
Who Is Responsible for the "Stab in the Back" Lie?.......2006-10-08
In 1945, when the Second World War ended with the surrender of Germany and Japan, everyone remembered how the First World War Armistice was signed by a group of low-level politicians and functionaries, so the top German and Japanese commanders were made to sign the instruments of surrender, so that their military leaders couldn't claim that they "weren't really defeated but were betrayed", as was the case by the Germans in 1918. After the Armistice was signed, Field Marshal Hindenburg who was the nominal commander-in-chief claimed that Germany had been "stabbed in the back" and that its retreating, but undefeated army was forced to capitulate for no reason other than betrayal by disloyal elements in the home front.
This fine book deals with members of the German Armistice delegation and how they confronted the unbearably painful responsibility of agreeing in the name of the German Reich to the practical disarming of Germany, including the destruction of its Navy and Air Force and weakening of its economic base.
As interesting as the book is, reading it raises a lot of unanswered questions, for example,
exactly how was it that it came to be that such an undistinguished group of men were chosen for this job. Delegation Chief Matthias Erzberger was an important politician, but as a member of the liberal wing of the Catholic Zentrum (Center) party, he was not involved in the actual decision making of war policy. The other men were basically unknown to the public. There are two possible answers: (1) the book states that outgoing liberal Chancellor Prince Max von Baden wanted the delegation led by a politician who supported the Reichstag's 1917 peace declaration which called for reasonable
peace terms. The Allies had stated that they didn't want to deal with
the "militarists" and "autocrats" who had been running Germany during the War, thus Prince Max felt that keeping the well-known military figures out of the delegation might encourage the Allies to give better terms.
(2) On the other hand, it could be argued that the military figures ruling Germany (Hindenburg, Ludendorff and the rest of the reactionary Prussian military aristocracy that had the real power) were already looking for a way out of having to take responsibility for the disaster they had brought on Germany, and so, using the excuse of the danger of a "Red" revolution, they jettisoned the Kaiser, who was a liability, and installed a Social Democratic goverment, led by incoming Chancellor Friedrich Ebert (whose Socialists they despised) and thrust upon them the onus of signing the Armistice,
and by leaving important military figures out of the delegation, they left the door open for the "stab-in-the-back" myth.
Another problem that I have with the book is that author doesn't give any reference to the sources he used, so the reader can't tell what personal observations and quotes are stated in the text are real and which are "extrapolations" of the author.
Yet another problem I have is that although the author does put us inside he "head" of delegation Chief Erzberger, we are told very little about the other members of the delegation, for example, how is that a "lowly" Captain (Vanselow) is chosed to represent the Germany Navy (at least the Army did send someone of the rank of General (von Winterfeld), but couldn't the Navy at least find an Admiral, even an unknown one?) and why they specifically were chosen.
At the end of the book, we are told how Erzberger came to be assassinated, something that he feared ever since the Armistice, but I would have like to have know if the stain of being a "November Criminal"
stuck to the others as well and what happened to them. The author does mention in passing that Erzberger's murderers were finally apprehended
and convicted after World War II, but I also would have liked to find out who they were and what their sentences were.
Finally, I detected an error in the book near the end where it states that Erzberger felt a sense of relief when he heard that Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau was assassinated, since Rathenau was a Jew, leading Erzberger to think that the right-wing extremists were now after Jews and not "the November Criminals". The only problem is that Rathenau was assassinated a year AFTER Erzberger.
In spite of these drawbacks, I still recommend the book, even though the question of whether it was the German's military's machinations that really led to the delegation's composition or Prince Max's sincere belief in the possibility of Allied leniency is not resolved by reading the book.
A final note- I recall seeing a film version of this book many years ago, and I think it would be worthwhile to re-release it as a DVD.
The origins of World War II.......2001-01-21
Four years of the most terrible conflict in history came to an end in an isolated railway car. In a time when propaganda had learned to cudgel reason and "weapons of mass destruction" were first truly introduced, weakened French and British armies were told they were victorious. In truth, it was a sea blockade with it's attendant hunger and fatigue that had ended the battles. No matter, propaganda had done its job well. The Western Allies had convinced themselves that Germans were evil incarnate for starting the war and that the time for vengeance had come.
Even before the rise of Hitler, the Germans felt they'd somehow been betrayed. Unable to face a victorious enemy they considered inferior, German aristocrats delved into their Civil Service to find four men to face the wrathful victors to bring about a peace. Thomas Keneally has searched into the histories of these four, so poorly equipped to face such immense anger, resurrecting them to become the central figures in a drama of foregone conclusions.
Thomas Keneally has an unmatched talent for bringing the "small people" into literary prominence. Given the list of his works, you'll seek in vain for depictions of the like of Henry VIII, Elizabeth Tudor or the Sun King. Keneally won't waste his talent or your time on such artificial entities as hereditary monarchs or esteemed statesmen. Yet all of his characters, particularly in this book, are placed in positions of world-shaking importance. Mighty events hinge on the actions of these otherwise "common characters". More, he draws them with a vividness any medieval bard would envy. He has no axes to grind, but shows us how important it is for us to understand that history doesn't move at the whim of those who consider themselves important. "For want of a nail . . . " is the key concept behind nearly all of his writing.
If ever there was a man to envy, it's Tom Keneally. He has an ability to get inside the minds of his characters, presenting them to us with unchallenged validity that most writers cannot equal. But if you're not a writer trying to emulate this talent, you may pick up this book fully confident that you have encountered a writer of special strengths. There is no aspect of this book that warrants criticism, with but one possible exception. When this book was recommended to a friend, she came back with the complaint that "it isn't fair to write about real people. How would you feel if one of these people was your uncle?" Keneally's very next book, A RIVER TOWN, was based on the life of his own grandfather. Would you have the courage?
Incredible Story Telling!.......1999-11-30
As a historical based novel, this is great story telling. Keneally's writing style is taut, which helps this book maintain a consistent tension from page 1 till the end. I found it easy to paint pictures in my head of the various scenes he set with his words: the cold, the damp, the dark, the despair, the futility, and especially the feeling of limbo as they crossed no man's land between the lines. This is a much better book than Schindler's Ark - if you liked that you'll love Gossip...
Average customer rating:
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Gossip from the Forest Hpb
Thomas Keneally
Manufacturer: Hodder & Stoughton General Division
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
ASIN: 0340354747 |
Book Description
Kevin Matchstick was a lonely, disaffected everyman until events beyond his control conspired to prod him into becoming the hero he never wanted to be. Accompanied by a mysterious wizard and a crew of loyal friends, the reluctant hero must discover the courage to accept his true power and defeat the dark powers that threaten reality itself.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
At its heart, Mage is an Arthurian quest. When Kevin Matchstick has a chance encounter with an old man, things start going very strange for him. He is pursued by scary creatures called Grackleflints, and worse, must try and protect others from them.
These are not the only monsters he must face, but he does have help. A woman with a baseball bat of power, and the ghost of a lawyer.
My book! Mine! You can't have it!.......2007-05-07
People complain about the art not being as good as in the original comic books. People complain about it being in one big book instead of three chapters. People complain. I didn't listen. I loved it! I love the story and the art and it is a classic. Everyone I give it to loves it. You should read it!
A fine illustration of how to do sequential story-telling --- and a great story as well.......2007-01-13
Matt Wagner produced this series back in the 80's and I've seen few stories that really capture the many aspects of sequential story-telling like "Mage" volume 1 does. I could go into the aspects of the plot, but the description that comes with it does it justice. What you should be prepared for is a writer (and artist) at the top of his game, producing a classic.
While Watchmen, V for Vendetta and other contempories of the time get so much publicity and acclaim (and rightfully so), This book stands shoulder to shoulder with each of them. Perhaps not so much for any perceived subtext, but rather for the way it beautifully ensnares the reader within it's pages.
I hadn't read the book in over fifteen years and when I spotted it on Amazon, I jumped at the chance to reclaim a piece of my youth. While some of it's personal significance to me may have faded, my appreciation for the technical aspects of the craft put into it have done nothing but grow.
A great read all around.
One of the best.......2006-09-08
Ask any comic book geek to make a top ten list of the greatest comics of all time. You'll get the inevitable "Dark Knight Returns", "Watchmen", "Maus", "Sandman", but somewhere in there, Matt Wagner's Mage will make an appearance. From its somewhat clumsy beginnings to its amazing conclusion, Mage is a loveable shaggy dog of a story that has earned its place in the pantheon of great tales.
Kevin Matchstick was an ordinary man who wanted nothing more than to mind his own business. During a stroll one night (under the influence?) Kevin stumbles upon a rather eccentric homeless man, and they engage in a brief philosophical debate over happiness. The man hints that Kevin's life may be destined for something greater, and then he disappears, leaving Kevin flustered and confused. Soon after, Kevin finds himself breaking up a mugging. The assailant is a mystical creature in disguise: a grackleflint. Kevin dispatches of him and calls for help from the police. When he returns home, the homeless man is there waiting for him. He introduces himself as Mirth, and becomes a bit of a spirit guide for Kevin the reluctant hero. Kevin finds himself in the middle of a great war. Under the guidance of their father the Umbra Sprite, the five grackleflint brothers are hunting down the Fisher King, the being who represents the force of light in the universe. It's up to Kevin to stop them from reaching their goal. He's joined in battle by Edsel, a young lady wielding a mystical baseball bat, and Sean, a ghost of a recently departed public defender.
The Umbra Sprite throws everything he can at Kevin: ogres, dragons, and demonic armies of little RedCaps. Ultimately, Kevin must infiltrate the Umbra Sprite's lair at the Styx Casino and bring it down to finish the war. As he approaches his final destination, Kevin's friends disappear one by one, until he is left to face the challenge alone with the knowledge that he is the reincarnation of Arthur Pendragon, legendary king of England.
Matt Wagner makes deft use of mythology and Gods in his retelling of the eternal story of the Pendragon. It's amazing to see the correlations he draws in our modern society. While the first few chapters tend to labor under the weight of the massive epic to come, once Wagner gets up to speed, it's a sight to behold, a gauntlet laid down for future generations of storytellers. The second installment of this epic, Mage: The Hero Defined was finished ten years after the completion of The Hero Discovered. Fans anxiously hope that the conclusion, Mage: The Hero Denied, doesn't take another ten years.
The Color Has Been Re-Colored.......2005-11-24
Collector's will want to seek out any of the earlier graphic novel collections of Mage because for this new edition the original airbrush coloring has been taken out and replaced by new digital coloring. This is too bad because a big part of the appeal of the original Mage comics was the unique airbrush coloring by Matt Wagner. If you want to see Mage in it's original form, seek out the earlier collected volumes.
Book Description
No Good Deed Goes UnpunishedNO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED
Romance novelist, harried mom, and sometimes sleuth, E.J. Pugh has a habit of being in the wrong place at the right time. This time she's on hand to pull a suicidal teenager from a freezing Texas river. The distraught young girl, Brenna, has good reasons for wanting to end it all, since she comes from the worst horror of a family since Charles Manson's. And a good Samaritan act has propped E.J. into the middle of the dysfunctional mess.
Then comes the news that makes E.J.'s blood run-cold: the girl's mother has been murdered, and Brenna stands accused of the crime, E.J. feels certain the frightened teen is innocent, and the determined crime solver is making it her business to save a troubled child's life one more time. . .even at the risk of losing her own.
Customer Reviews:
Got bored, couldn't finish it.......2001-07-23
I read the first fifty pages, got really bored, skipped ahead and read the last twenty pages, and found nothing compelling me to go back and read the middle. I guess some people like the "realism" of the harried mom schitck, but I felt the lead character was pumped up with self-importance: she was sure she was the only person who could save this precious child from the horrors of her birth family. Maybe you'll like it, but I didn't.
Praise from a non-mystery person.......2001-03-24
I don't like mystery, never really have. I was always brought up in the world of Science Fiction/Science fact. And I loved this book. It really is not what I expectd a mystery to be, but it has made me rethink my reading habits. This is a drama- a story with fully developed characters and a story that I was cheering, sighing, yelling out loud for. I responded to this book the way men stereotypically respnd to football. It really was engaging, and has led me to pick up another one of her books which is just as good. The writing is intelligent and engaging and I completely feel for each of these characters, even the overshadowed husband. The dynamics between characters are great. I definately reccomend this work.
Excellent book--I'm glad E.J. Pugh is back.......1998-07-29
In this book, our friend Eleanor Janine Pugh (E.J.) is back. She saves the life of a young girl who tries to commit suicide by drowning and is off into another adventure. The rescue of this girl intoduces Brenna to E.J. and involves her in the girls life. Her history is very sad and her life is aobut to become very complicated by the return of her mother, who left her years before in the custody of her grandmother, a woman who doesn't know much about raising a girl in this day and age. When the mother is killed, the girl becomes a suspect in the murder and E.J. helps to solve the murder and help Brenna work out a plan for her future. The people in this book are so real and the mystery very gripping. I enjoyed it very much. May this series continue on for a long time.
Another fantastic one!.......1998-02-23
I was eagerly awaiting this book. When I received it in the mail, I went home and started reading and didn't stop until I finished it. This is one of the best series I have read in a while. The characters seem so real, you almost consider them family! Definitely highly recommended.
A good mystery with a surprise ending.......1998-02-08
According to Chinese philosophy, when you save a person's life, you are responsible for that individual forever. Romance novelist E.J. Pugh did not fully grasp that Asiatic credo until she spots teenager Brenna McGraw jumping off of a bridge. E.J. follows her into the water with a dive of her own.. After rescuing the sixteen year old, E. J. feels responsible for Brenna, who has suffered a tragic life.
When Brenna's mother Lori is released from prison after serving nine years, she plans to take her daughter with her to Houston. Brenna rejects that option because she refuses to live under the same roof as her step-father, who is responsible for the death of her baby brother. A week before they are to go to Houston, Brenna and her grandmother find Lori dead, a gun shot wound to her head. Her grandmother accuses Lori of murder, leaving it up to E.J. to prove otherwise before Brenna is arrested for matricide.
THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL is a first class puzzler because it is very difficult to decide who the perpetrator is in spite of the fact that once Susan Rogers Cooper reveals the identity of the killer, in hindsight, it is obvious. That ability and her brilliant characterizations which immediately hook the audience make Ms. Cooper one of the better mystery writers on the market today.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
It's love at first bite! Until now, vegans and lactose-intolerants have missed out on perfect rich, creamy ice cream, and have been left with bland, too-healthy-tasting alternatives. Who knew it was possible to create a satisfying ice cream-like dessert without the milk and cream? Jeff Rogers and his vice cream to the rescue! VICE CREAM offers more than 70 scrumptious recipes for all the vegans out there who've been missing scoop after scoop of mouthwatering ice cream. For the first time, you can make truly creamy and delectable ice creams using purely vegan ingredients—the milks come from nuts, the sweeteners are maple syrup and dates, and the flavors are just amazing. Recipes include favorites like chocolate, vanilla, chocolate chip, mocha, and peanut butter, as well as fresh fruit flavors like blueberry, raspberry, lemon, and strawberry, and many more. After your first spoonful, you'll be astonished at just how tasty and rich this healthy alternative to the heaviness of "real" ice cream can be. With vice cream in the freezer, you'll never yearn for milk-based ice cream again.
Customer Reviews:
Not a review, but a comment.......2007-07-12
I'm currently staring at an intensely-delicious-looking picture of the Vegan Blueberry Vice Cream in an article written about this book from a copy of Healthy Times magazine. I had to know more about it.
I came here and found the book and customer reviews. I must say that I'm glad someone took the time to create a frozen dessert that I can eat with my dairy allergies that doesn't taste like chalk after 3 bites (rice cream), or disrupt my thyroid (soy cream). One can only eat so much sorbet trying to achieve dessert satisfaction!
I plan on ordering this book today, as well as laying in a supply of cashews.
Ooooh my...........2007-05-30
This is the best ice cream I have ever had, bar none. The cashew milk makes for such a rich, creamy base that every recipe has been delicious. Plus, the recipes are straightforward enough to encourage a little experimentation. I will never buy Soy Delicious or Ben & Jerry's again!!!
No nutritional info?.......2007-04-13
I just received the book and tried the chocolate vice cream recipe and it was amazing. Definitely the best I ever had. The commercial chocolate ice creams in the store are very bland compared to this recipe. It's a great recipe that non-vegans would love. My only issue with the book is that it doesn't provide any nutritional data, so it takes some work to calculate an appropriate serving size. The base of most recipes consists of 1-2 cups of raw cashews, 1 cup of maple syrup and a cup of water. The chocolate was great, but by my calculations it had TWICE AS MANY CALORIES AS BEN AND JERRY'S AND 25% MORE FAT. Maybe that was the reason the nutritional info wasn't included.
Delicious! Easy! Healthy!.......2007-02-16
As vegan/raw foodists we have given up ice cream. Soy-based products purchased in the store are an acceptable substitute, or at least they were until we bought this book. Have tried the peanut butter - yummy, but clearly the rest will be delicious as well. Never realized what you could make a creamy frozen treat out of until I saw this book. Vegans and non-vegans alike will love these recipes.
Good for ideas..........2007-02-14
The use of raw cashew milk in almost every recipe seems limiting. However, I've subsitiuted with other milks such as soy and almond.
Book Description
From two noted experts-the first in-depth book on teaching your bird to talk
Teaching a bird to talk isn't as difficult as it may seem. In this easy-to-follow guide, avian experts Diane Grindol and Tom Roudybush reveal how you can communicate with your parrot far beyond "hello" and, in turn, understand what your bird is trying to communicate to you.
Teaching Your Bird to Talk compiles an impressive amount of background, training, and research regarding bird vocalizations, walking you step by step through the behavioral mechanics of training parrots to talk (as well as starlings, mynahs, and other birds). Whether you want your bird to mimic words, talk on cue, or have some understanding of what you are saying, this guide shows you the type of training you need to do with your bird. The book also takes a close look at the work of Dr. Irene Pepperberg-the world's foremost authority in the field of parrot intelligence and trainer of Alex the African Grey Parrot.
- Identifies which species of bird are likely to talk and which aren't
- Explores field research on regional languages and dialects of parrots in the wild
- Features true stories from owners of talking birds
- Explains how to handle problems with vocal parrots, such as screaming and using inappropriate language
- Offers tips on feeding and housing birds, and finding an avian veterinarian
Download Description
From two noted experts, the first in-depth book on teaching a bird to talk. Teaching a bird to talk isnt as difficult as it may seem. This easy-to-follow book walks the reader step by step through the behavioral mechanics of teaching a bird to talk, covering the species likely to talk, the anatomical reasons a bird can talk, and the way a parrot picks up language. It explores field research showing that parrots have regional languages and dialects in the wild and also takes a close look at the work of Dr. Irene Pepperberg, an undisputed authority and well-known researcher in the field of parrot intelligence, who was interviewed extensively for this book.
Customer Reviews:
Teaching Your Bird to Talk review.......2007-07-28
I am not quite finished with this book yet, but I am very pleased with the information and how it is presented in this book. I have read several other books on Parrots and this is by far the best one. There is more information than just teaching your bird to talk.
I highly recomment this book to anyone who owns a parrot with the potential to talk!
My parrot started to talk !.......2006-11-17
I waited more than six months after I bought this book to try the techniques inside it before I wrote my review. Although I was using some methods mentioned inside the book but this book encouraged me to keep using them and also adds some amazing methods and ideas that were very helpful, useful and easy to imply. Simply, my old African Grey Parrot started to talk, and that was my fist experience in such thing and I really feel grateful to this book and to the efforts inside it. I am giving four stars since I feel some information are ideas need proves rather than facts. However, aiming to make your African talk, buy this book and be patient.
Very good........2006-11-05
A wonderful reference and book guide for teaching a Quaker Parrot to talk.
Teaching Your Bird to Talk.......2006-02-27
When I bought this book I thought I was buying a book that would help me teach my parrot to talk. Although I do know that there are no guarantees about which bird will talk and what method works, I wanted tips and advice on how to help my parrot learn.
This books gives no such information. It covers why parrots talk, which parrots talk and lots of stories about talking parrots, but no real information on teaching my bird to talk. The only chapter I liked was the one about the Model/Rival-method, which is a detailed chapter on teaching a parrot to talk with cognition, understanding the words it uses. However, the bird must alredy be talking for this method to work.
What I wanted was an answer to these questions: Do constant, out of context, repetitions work? Does plaing a casette work? Would it help to have talking sessions? Does my tone of voice matter? How can I get my bird to talk more clearly? How can I get my bird to talk in front of strangers?
This book has good basic information for the beginner in bird care or ownership as well as advanced information........2005-08-14
Two authors have teamed up to write this book titled Teaching Your Bird to Talk. The two of them have plenty of experience with birds.
The first chapter is a "must read" for someone just thinking about bringing a bird into the family. All to often, the idea of having a pet that can talk to you, overshadows the time and commitment required to look after this pet.
To help us understand a little about talking, they give information about how and why birds make sounds. Birds that make sounds all year round instead of just at breeding times may be possible good talkers.
If a talking bird is what you are looking for, the chapter Who Talks and Who Doesn't will be of interest to you. It is also expained that not every bird in the talking list will talk, but they have the potential to talk. The birds that talk clearly are identified as well as the birds that simply do not talk. Although parrots are the most common talking birds, there is also a list of non-parrot birds that are known for talking ability.
The chapter Parrots Jump Into The Conversation contains input from several people who wrote in about conversations with their pet birds and is a lot of fun to read.
The Model/Rival Training Technique chapter explains how this method of training is used and this is the way that Alex, the famous African Grey Parrot belonging to Dr. Pepperberg was trained.
Of course, the whole book is not just about teaching your bird to talk. There is wonderful advice on general pet bird care, solving problems, playing games with your bird, and what to do if your bird turns out to be a non talker.
This book has good basic information for the beginner in bird care or ownership as well as advanced information for those who have experience with birds.
Product Description
EXCELLENT handbook and guide to training your own bird to talk and love ever minute of it!
Average customer rating:
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Patsy Doll Family Encyclopedia, Vol. 2
Patricia N. Schoonmaker , and
Virginia Ann Heyerdahl
Manufacturer: Hobby House Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Dolls
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
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| Books
Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
| Applique
| Baskets
| Beadwork
| Book Making & Binding
| Candlemaking
| Crafts for Children
| Crocheting
| Cross-Stitch
| Decorating
| Dollhouses
| Dough
| Dried Flowers
| Dye
| Embroidery
| Fashion
| Flower Arranging
| Framing
| Fun with Paper & Wood, Stones & Knives
| General
| Glass & Glassware
| Jewelry
| Knitting
| Lace & Tatting
| Lapidary
| Leathercrafts
| Metal Work
| Miniatures
| Mobiles
| Model Trains
| Models
| Needlecrafts
| Needlepoint
| Needlework
| Origami
| Painting
| Papercrafts
| Patchwork
| Potpourri
| Pottery & Ceramics
| Printmaking
| Puppets & Puppetry
| Quilts & Quilting
| Radio Operation
| Reference
| Ribbons
| Rubber Stamping
| Rugs
| Scrapbooking
| Seasonal
| Sewing
| Soap Making
| Spinning
| Stenciling
| Stuffed Animals
| Textile Arts
| Toymaking
| Weaving
| Wood Toys
| Woodworking
| Wreathmaking
Antiques & Collectibles
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
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Military
| Encyclopedias
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General
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
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Manufacturing
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
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History of Technology
| Technology
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ASIN: 0875885063 |
Book Description
See a multitude of Patsy and her doll companions in this all-new volume to the popular Patsy Doll Family Encyclopedia. These classic dolls are eagerly sought by collectors and students of 1920s-1940s childhood play and this is a necessity for identifying the classic composition Effanbee Patsy and her family of dolls. Features the Patsy Babykin, Babyette, Tinyette, Patsy Ruth, Wee Patsy, Patricia and others produced from 1932 through 1937. 426 photos, 117 in color! 176 pages.
Book Description
From preparatory drawings and modeling to the many finishes that make completed carvings glow, here’s how you go about creating the actual project. Learn the differences between soft and hard woods, how to deal with defects such as splitting and knots, and discover how grain, hardness, texture and durability figure into your work. Photos guide you along the way.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing else like it!.......2006-06-06
Very comprehensive set about carving tools equipment etc.
Both books together really gives you all you will need to know to get started and going the rest of your life...
Chris Pye is very thorough in his writing with high attention to detail, as can be witnessed in his other books also.
MUST HAVE PART 2.......2004-03-16
THIS BOOK IS A TRUUE MUST HAVE. I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CARVING PART OF WOODWORKING. BEING THIS MY SECOND BOOK I TRULY KNEW WHAT TO GO AFTER, WHAT I WANTED AND HOW TO GET THE BEST OF IT. WILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS READ AND VOLUME ONE ALSO BEOFRE TRYING ANYBODY ELSE'S BOOKS.
Book Description
Get the right results with classic chisels, gouges and power tools. Photo-enhanced coverage clarifies how tools function, how to make, fit, and remove handles, and how to correct carving-tool faults. Also learn the secrets of cutting success —how to sharpen squarely and straight, and on corners.
Customer Reviews:
Basic woodcarving reference manual.......2007-02-15
This ought to be within reach if you love to carve in wood. Plenty of illustrations and easy to understand text. Having this book would keep you from having to own a lot of other related material. It covers it all, especially with vol.2.
Nothing else like it!.......2006-06-06
Very comprehensive set about carving tools equipment etc.
Both books tohether really gives you all you will need to know to get started and going the rest of your life...
Chris Pye is very thorough in his writing with high attention to detail, as can be witnessed in his other books also.
woodcarving: tools, material & equipment vol.1.......2004-05-28
i have both of chris pye's books, and i belong to his web page. his books are well written and illustrated, and are well worth the money. not only do you have the advantage of his writtings, but he is one of the few pros that you can send an email to and get a response. pro woodcarvers can be snobs. whether you are an experienced carver or a beginner his books are great and he is always very helpful.
MUST HAVE.......2004-03-16
THIS BOOK IS A TRUUE MUST HAVE. I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CARVING PART OF WOODWORKING. BEING THIS MY FIRST BOOK I TRULY KNEW WHAT TO GO AFTER, WHAT I WANTED AND HOW TO GET THE BEST OF IT. WILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS READ BEFORE VENTURING.
Useful and enjoyable.......2004-03-01
This book (including both Volumes 1 and 2) is an excellent reference on chisels, mallets, sharpening, shop set-up, clamps, wood, and all the other wonderful paraphernalia wood carvers love. The chapters dealing with the black art of sharpening are especially useful, even to the experienced carver.
Written in a clear and charming style, the book has many illustrations and color photographs. This should be a basic text in a carver's reference library.
Keep in mind that these volumes do not contain actual carving instruction. (Pye has written several good books on relief carving, letter carving, turning,etc.) Also, Pye writes from a British carver's perspective and I wonder whether all the tools he presents are available in North America.
Book Description
Nearly 700 photographs and line drawings accompany informative text, exploring types, purchase, and care of woodcarving tools. Details sharpening methods and equipment; accessory tools; abrading; carpentry; electric tools, and much more. Modify tools to suit individual needs, and what holding devices to use. "...the Cadillac of books on woodcarving....It is more than just a craft-tool, project-oriented whittler's guide....Pye is a man who knows woodcarving...."--Arts & Activities. 362 pages, 8 color illus., 690 b/w illus., 8 1/4 x 10 7/8.
Customer Reviews:
Not what I expected.......2000-12-29
This book is an encyclopedia. I just wanted to know what to buy as a first tool and find out what kind of wood to start with. Wow! There is a lot more to whittlin' than I expected. I need a basic primer for now. I will keep this book as a master reference for the future. The sizing chart is way cool.
Woodcarving Tools, Materials & Equipment is Outstanding!.......2000-09-15
Chris is an English carver with a vast knowledge of tools and carving history. This not your typical wood carving book with remedial carving instructions and patterns for spirits and gnomes. In fact there are "no" patterns in this book.
The book has a very thorough description of every carving tool imaginable and a discussion of how many of them are made commercially and explains how others can be made at home. He also tells you how to modify existing tools--reshaping, grinding, and bending. He included a very good explanation on how to anneal, harden, and temper your own carving tools.
I first opened this book, early one evening, intending to read for an hour or so; I finally set it down at 2:00am. In one session, I learned more than enough to justify the cost.
Wow, excellent book on carving tools!.......1999-02-25
This is not a book on carving, it is a book about the tools and etc. The sections on selecting and sharpening tools are spot on. Mr. Pye writes very well; this is a good read.
Highly recommended
Average customer rating:
- Mover's Dream
- An excellent way to minimize error and organize thinking.
|
Decorators Fact File
Anoop Parikh
Manufacturer: Soma Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
Reference
| How-to & Home Improvements
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Decorating
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Professional Reference
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1579590411 |
Amazon.com
"I used to note down ideas on the first piece of paper I came across and foolishly imagined that I could memorize colors. But I soon got tired of walking around with pockets full of scrap paper, crumpled-up pieces of fabric, and dog-eared paint chips." With those sentiments in mind, design writer Anoop Parikh created the Decorator's Fact File, a home decorating guide that functions as part book and part organizer. With a hard plastic cover, a metal binding for easy opening, and color-coded pages, it gives detailed advice on outlining your decorating strategy, choosing materials and equipment, picking a style, using space, renovating, selecting colors, lighting, and a lot more. Throughout the book there are spaces for checklists and notes as well as graph paper to sketch room plans. In addition, there's a zip-up plastic pocket in the back for storing paint swatches and fabric samples. The one drawback is the fold-over outer jacket, which protects the book but gets in the way when trying to thumb through it. (Sure enough, though, there are directions along the margin on how to cut it off.) With the Decorator's Fact File, Parikh has created an unusual, stylish, and ingenious guide to home decorating. --Andy Boynton
Book Description
A decorator's organizer for the person who is actually going to get the work done - from the first wave of enthusiasm to the finished job. This book features a host of fresh, contemporary projects with step-by-step color photographs for making curtains, staining floors, stamping patterns on walls, and more. Checklists help the reader draw up a work plan and budget, while graph paper is provided to sketch out room plans. Take this book with you anywhere! A clear plastic cover keeps it clean, while a wire binding lets it lie flat. The pages are color-coded and cross-referenced, and a zipped pouch in the back keeps fabric samples and paint chips handy. From inspiration to execution, it is a totally indispensable aid to creating a fresh look in your home.
Customer Reviews:
Mover's Dream.......2004-05-19
If you are moving or redecorating this book is wonderful. It helps you lay out all your rooms, by giving you pointers. However, if you are looking for decorating ideas this is not the book to use. This is more about getting your ideas down on paper then bringing them to life.
If you are moving this is a must have book. Checklists and planning tools galore. I have used it to move from apartment to apartment, but when I moved into my house it became my moving bible. I highly recommend it.
An excellent way to minimize error and organize thinking........2000-06-02
As is typical of this author, I found this book a source of inspiration. It served as a provider of several reminders before plunging into purchases or expensive remodelling, if that is an option for you. She mentions taking into consideration room size of the home or apartment, structural layout, the need to eliminate where possible, permanent vs. temporary living and the solutions for your consideration. I thought the idea about taking fabric samples and pictures of items you liked from magazines and putting them into this file sensible, as well as recording dimensions of the suitable space for a particular piece of furniture. It's difficult to keep everything in memory, and very well might save lots of aggravation. In short, it is an organizer for the unorganized! Well worth the money, even if you feel using a notepad would be fine. You can incorporate your thinking with the ideas and reminders given in this book, quite useful.
Book Description
Superheroes is a collection of awe-inspiring original artwork created by husband and wife team Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell. Along with using a classic sense of style to create and master sensuous full color oil paintings, Boris Vallejo is best known as the visual creator of Conan the Barbarian. Combining strength with sensuality and infusing the human form with incredible power and motion, fantasy artist Julie Bell continues to use her metal flesh trademark to produce dramatic works of art. This collection overflows with superhuman characters captured in the act of saving the world, destroying evil protagonists and battling dark beasts. Featuring fantastic figures such as Spiderman, Captain America, and the X-Men, these paintings represent the best of Boris and Julie.
Customer Reviews:
dems r sum peerty pictures.......2003-06-30
90% of Julie's work is stunning. 60% of Boris's work is stunning. By far, Julie is the better artist. Turn to any page and if there is a beautiful picture on it, chances are Julie did it. If the picture looks odd like the person's face or body being deformed, chances are Boris did it. They both have their share of throw away paintings. Some of them are down right terrible. But when they get it right it really is a feast for the eyes. One downfall for this book is the information on the comic characters. Why does it say Storm has gray skin? Like time I checked she was African American and they don't have gray skin. There are a ton of mistakes on the characters but it doesn't really matter since the paintings are why you're buying the book.
Beautiful Art, Bad Text...........2003-03-11
Superheroes (Titled "Titans" in it's hardcover printing) mainly covers the art Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell produced for the Marvel Masterworks trasing card series in the mid-80's, with a few covers and misc. art thrown in for good measure. While it's nice to see the art at a larger size, the limited variety of poses gets old after a while. Boris and Julie use each other as models, so most of the faces look alike; The ones that don't look like them are based on bodybuilders, so the female characters have a very hard look to them, facially speaking. The colors are gorgeous, though. The real problem with the book is the text, by Nigel Suckling, who manages to live up to the first syllable of his last name. The book is riddled with spelling errors (Ogum, instead of Ogun), characters have the wrong names attatched to their paintings (Mariko and Yukio's names are transposed, as well as Yukio being called by the wrong name). The text passages show that Suckling didn't bother to get more than a passing familiarity with the comic characters; He describes Spider-Man as being bumbling...? His passages about Boris & Julie's views on time-travel & Geography are hilariously bad.
Superheroes is a nice book for fans of Boris & Julie; I would have liked more information on their techniques, and their opinions of the pieces, though. Anything to save me from Suckling's turgid prose....
Liked Julie, not so struck on Boris.......2001-10-24
The artwork, featured on a very popular series of Marvel trading cards, is powerful and brings a certain amount of realism to our favourite comic book heroes. The problem is, some heroes benefit from a more realistic look, while stylised characters such as the Hulk, tend to look a bit silly in such glorified detail. I tended to prefer Julie's style, more in proportion and more recognisable. The text describes Boris and Julie's relationship and their approach to their art, no doubt of interest to the budding artist but a bit dull for the average reader. However, all in all a powerful and exciting set of super hero artworks.
Product Description
Superheroes is the complete collection of paintings of the Marvel Comic heroes by Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell, together with special appearances by other comic characters.
Average customer rating:
- Delightful Coming of Age Saga
- When we were human
- Pieces from Life's Crazy Quilt
|
Pieces from Life's Crazy Quilt (American Lives)
Marvin V. Arnett
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
African-American & Black
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Special Groups
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Midwest
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0803210647 |
Book Description
Part memoir and part urban social history, Pieces from Life’s Crazy Quilt is an African American woman’s personal account of her life during a racially turbulent period in a northern American city. Raised in a black neighborhood in urban Detroit, Marvin V. Arnett begins her book with her birth during the Great Depression, and ends with the infamous Detroit race riot of 1943. Arnett’s close observations and attention to the details of her neighborhood and the complex adult relationships around her make this an understated yet powerful story of witness.
Like the idiosyncratic pieces of a crazy quilt, each chapter functions alone but takes on particular resonance when considered with the whole. Choreographed as one-act plays, each chapter invites the reader into the life of the Sprague family and their neighbors during the years after the Ford Motor Company closed their Detroit plants. Arnett tells the story of her childhood with subversive allusions to the Victorian-era coming-of-age stories she consumed while growing up and the moral lessons she absorbed in such readings but could not reconcile with her own experience.
Customer Reviews:
Delightful Coming of Age Saga.......2003-05-27
Marvin V. Arnett has spun a delightful coming of age saga that starts in 1928 when there wasn't much to be delighted about in the United States. The Great Depression was about to strike, World War II was on its way, there were family tragedies and riots would hit the nation's large cities. In addition, the church sanctioned certain segments of the population making them pariahs. Marvin Sprague's family, although poor with her father working as a cook at a downtown Detroit hotel, managed to share what they did have with neighbors who were less fortunate in spite of the church's disapproval. Her father gave leftover food and her mother, with her magic sewing machine, turned out clothes for children who had only rags.
In what was, indeed, a time of segregation, poverty and grimness, throughout the story Arnett's wonderful sense of humor lightens the heavy burden. She tells of the time when she was ten and had read all the children's books in the library. The librarian took pity on her and gave her a restricted adult card. Marvin promptly checked out a steamy adult book causing her father to roar and her to blame the librarian. He chastised the librarian and from that point on Marvin's visits to the library were not as pleasant as they had been; she stopped her regular visits until she was old enough to visit the main branch by herself.
The book gives a social history of a time period that many Americans know little about. It has the personal touch that brings the Depression and the Detroit Riot of 1943 alive with characters the reader can readily relate to and empathize with. While each chapter could certainly stand alone, Arnett ties the whole together in a wonderful story that can be enjoyed by everyone.
Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
When we were human.......2003-05-16
There once was a time when the elemental Afro American family consisted not only of father/mother/offspring, but also included grandparents, the church and the neighborhood. This was a time when it was common place for three or sometimes four generations to live together in one home. The love, care and warmth of the family did not end when one walked out of one's house to go to work, school or play. Back then,"the hood", was in fact a true "neighborhood". "Pieces From Life's Crazy Quilt" recalls the golden days of Afro American social existence and life in Detroit during the 1930s - 1940s. What the author, Marvin Arnett has done is create a literal time machine that transports us back to those times in a very descriptive and emotional manner. This work is a intimate and insighful look into the life and influences of a child growing up admist colorful, warm and sometimes ominus character arrays. That Arnett includes stories and lessons from the bright and the dark side of her experiences speaks volumes for her knack at providing and maintaining balance in her descriptions of characters and environments. This is a work that will remind Arnett's peers that there once was a time where the neighbor hood was a nuturing and loving place. The younger reader who is looking for a better way of life and a better way of living it will be transfixed to discover what used to be and what may be possible to recreate. They need to know that there really USED to be a time when the black community in Detroit had empathy and mutual respect as foundations for behavior instead of the current impersonal co-existence. I look for this work to one day be transformed into a movie or musical play. The imagery is powerful. Kudows to the author for inventing a work that is entertaining, educational and most of all, practical. "Pieces from Life's Crazy Quilt" is a detailed and imagery loaded work that is also a warm, honest and some times dark snap shot of yesterday. ...and if we relly take to heart the lessons that Arnett teaches us, it can also serve as a potential road map for finding our way back home.
Pieces from Life's Crazy Quilt.......2003-05-10
This journey to the Detroit of the 1930s and 40s also takes the reader on a ride through the first years of a young African American girl's life--her relationships with family, church, and community, her growth toward an understanding of her own potential. Marvin Arnett's story is bright with both humor and poignancy as she clearly draws her characters and their struggles in a pre-Civil Rights American city. Her voice is clear and plain-spoken, and she creates an intimacy for the reader with person and place that will stay in the mind indefinitely.
Read this book for its history, but read it also for its humanity. Marvin Arnett believes in humankind. The book is a testament to that hope.
Books:
- Grand Street 73: Delusions (Grand Street)
- Great Sky Woman: A Novel
- Helen Halsey, Or, the Swamp State of Conelachita: A Tale of the Borders (Selected Fiction of William Gilmore Simms, Arkansas Edition) (Simms Series)
- Highwire Moon
- Hombre Rebelde, El - 393 -
- Hyssop
- I Remember Heaven: Beyond the Death Experience
- In Search of Klingsor: The International Bestselling Novel
- It Shall Be of Jasper and Coral: And, Love-Across-A-Hundred-Lives : Two Novels (CARAF Books: Caribbean & African Literature Translated from French)
- Kissing The Beehive
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