Denial: A Lew Fonesca Mystery (Lew Fonesca)

Book Description

Lew Fonesca is a man who does things for people. He makes small problems go away and tries to keep the larger ones from landing his clients in jail. He finds deadbeats, errant spouses, and generally keeps the populace of Sarasota on the up and up.

Now Lew is faced with one case that will try his patience...and another that may break his heart.

The first involves an elderly woman who swears she's witnessed a murder in her old age home despite the fact that everyone she tells her story to: her family, the hospital staff, and finally the cops all tell her that it just couldn't have happened.

The other has Lew trying to find out the identity of a hit and run driver who killed a 14 year old boy. This task dredges up old memories and a lot of pain, for Lew fled Chicago years ago, after a drunk driver killed his beloved wife.

As Lew begins to dig deeper into both cases he finds that they are tied together in ways he can't hope to untangle.

And when someone tries to run him down, Lew knows that he's getting close to some nasty home truths and he is going to have get the answers if he is to survive.

Customer Reviews:

A page turner.......2006-06-23

Lew Fonesca is a widower from Chicago, recently transplanted to Sarasota, FL. He is working as a process server, but somehow seems to get involved in some investigations. This time an elderly nursing home resident is convinced she witnessed a murder. In another case, a 14 year old boy is the victim of a hit-and-run accident. The case of the hit-and-run is close to home since Lew's wife was victim of a fatal hit-and-run that remains unsolved. Anyone familiar with the Sarasota area will appreciate some of the local references. Hopefully, you will have read the three previous books in this series, although Kaminsky's books will stand alone.

Lightweight mystery is a fine read.......2005-08-12

Lew Fonesca, rendered a widower in Chicago four years ago when a hit-and-run driver killed his wife, has relocated to Sarasotsa, Florida. Formerly an investigator in Chicago, Fonesca tries to lead a low key life as a process server. Mired in depression and grief, he lives and works out of a low-rent office. For a depressed guy lost in himself, Lew seems to be the social hit of the town. He knows just about everyone, so it seems. This of course leads to him being called upon to help people.

In this novel, on the same day, an elderly woman in a nursing home calls Lew because she thinks she saw a resident being murdered. No one, of course, believes her. But Lew will investigate, just as a favor. Minutes after receiving this call, Lew is summoned to the office of one of his process serving clients. A senior partner introduces him to a woman whose son was recently run down by - are you ready - a hit-and-run driver.

When not talking to his neighborly therapist about his depression and grief, Lew is sort of hanging out with an assortment of other women in town. All acquaintances at best; no lovers for the grieving Lew.

So Lew is on the case helping to determine if indeed a resident of the assisted living facility has been murdered . . . and tracking down the hit-and-run driver who keeps calling Lew with tearful apologies when he isn't trying to run Lew down with his car.

It all works out in the end. With the help of a gunslinging refugee from what seems like 19th Century Montana, a little assistance from a friendly police officer and other odd and wonderful coincidences, Lew tracks down all the killers and solves all the mysteries.

Not exactly edge-of-your-seat reading. The plot is a bit too filled with happy coincidences that allow Lew to plod on. The characters are thin and sure do know their platitudes and cliches. Oh yes, Lew also helps a troubled young black boy out as well.

Overall, a lightweight mystery, fun to read. Sized right for a long flight, a rainy afternoon or a sunny day at the beach.

Jerry

"Closure would close nothing, just open new doors.".......2005-06-12

Reclusive Lew Fonesca needs closure, but he is in "Denial," which is the name of Stuart Kaminsky's new murder mystery. Lew was devastated when, four years earlier, his beloved wife Catherine was run down and killed by a hit and run driver who was never apprehended. Overcome with grief, Lew abruptly left Chicago and moved to a dumpy apartment in Sarasota, Florida. He now ekes out a bare bones living as a process server, subsists on fast food, showers in the Y, and watches old movies on video.

Like Greta Garbo, Lew claims to want to be left alone, yet somehow he has accumulated a host of friends and acquaintances who care about him. These include eighty-year-old Ann Horowitz, Lew's therapist, Sally, a caseworker with whom he has kept company for three years, and seventy-four year old Ames McKinney, a gun-toting six-foot-four enforcer who gives Fonseca much needed muscle when he inevitably gets into trouble.

Lew was an investigator in Chicago, and he hasn't lost his touch. In "Denial," he takes on two new clients. One is an elderly woman named Dorothy Cgnozic, who swears that she witnessed a murder in Seaside Assisted Living, a facility for senior citizens. The Seaside staff scornfully dismisses Dorothy's allegations, so she hires Lew to prove that "she is not a demented old woman." Lew's other client is Nancy Root, a divorced actress whose fourteen-year-old son, Kyle, was killed by a hit-and-run driver. Lew takes on the second case reluctantly, because it reminds him too much of the tragedy that robbed him of his wife. When Lew looks into Nancy's eyes, he sees a heartrending grief that mirrors his own.

Kaminsky has a laid back, dryly humorous, bare bones style of writing. Lew is a deliciously sarcastic narrator. When Fonesca shakes hands with a strong and formidable woman, he states, "She had a grip that could crack walnuts." The cast of characters includes the quirkiest bunch of individuals that you are likely to meet in any murder mystery. There is even an alligator named Jerry Lee, who is the unofficial mascot of one of the residents in the Seaside Assisted Living facility.

"Denial" is more whimsical than realistic. The two murder mysteries in the book are not exactly classic whodunits, nor are the solutions to the crimes particularly logical. However, the plot is engrossing enough, and Lew proves to be a dogged and skilled investigator. The novel is most noteworthy, however, not for the mystery elements, but for the insightful way that Kaminsky portrays the walking wounded. The criminals in this book are ordinary individuals who are hurting, so they lash out at others, making self-destructive choices that ultimately lead to their downfall. In Lew's case, however, there is hope. With the help of his wise therapist, Lew has begun to take his first tentative steps towards escaping the prison that he has so laboriously built around himself. "Denial" is a poignant novel that will entertain Lew Fonesca fans and may even gain some new readers for the talented Stuart Kaminsky.

Psychological progress.......2005-06-07

At the conclusion of this book, we realize that there is more to come.
Like other reviewers, I recommend that readers not familiar with this series start from book one and read chronologically. The constant thread throughout the Fonesca series is his psychological trip through the healing process in the wake of his wife's death. First, he reaches a milestone where he is able to speak her name. Now, at the end of _Denial_, he finally realizes that he has to find his wife's killer.

As a Southwest Florida resident who considers Sarasota a second home, I always enjoy the settings in the Fonesca books. Here, we end up in the Asolo Theater, among other interesting spots.

The story itself is right on par with the previous books: Two mysteries that keep you guessing until the end. Lew Fonesca is the quintessential anti-hero--a guy you can root for.

Quite a satisfying effort from the prolific Kaminsky..........2005-05-31

This new release is the fourth novel in the "Lew Fonesca" series, and it holds up to the quality of its predecessors. I suggest that mystery fans read the four in order, starting with Vengeance, then Retribution, and third, Midnight Pass. Fonesca is a Florida-based process server and finder of missing people. He is struggling to cope with the tragic loss of his wife, and subsequent loss of interest in life itself. Slowly, through the four novels, which cover about two years of his life, Lew acquires a new family of friends and a host of interesting acquaintences. In "Denial" he tracks the unknown driver who ran down a 14-year-old boy, and solves a puzzling murder in an assisted living facility. He makes progress in his not-yet-intimate relationship with a social worker, and starts a "Big Brother" relationship with a needy teenage boy. Finally, there is a nice surprise at the end, when Lew makes a decision which might make the next book in the series the best yet. Highly recommended for fans of Robert B. Parker and Lawrence Block, or mysteries in general.

Amazon.com

"His body flew into hers, his face into hers, a glimpse of an unbearably elongated eye rushing directly into hers. It felt as if she had been hit by a wave of frigid moisture, so shocking to her system that it nearly knocked her out, and at the same moment she could hear him shriek in agony--from within her body, the awful noise filling her, seeming to swell her brain and resound in the chambers of her heart, devastating her with shared pain."

A woman is horrified by visits from her dead father. Her cold psychopath of a husband thinks she's being ridiculous. Another husband and wife are getting messages from their long-lost daughter who died as an infant. The two couples consult a medium named Oona--a serious, moody teenager with Pre-Raphaelite hair. Sensing that their fates are intertwined, Oona introduces them and insists on conducting their séances together. Fog Heart is a dark, disturbing ghost story, one in which the living characters' inner torments and relationships with each other are more crucial than the supernatural events. The pacing is a little uneven, but Thomas Tessier--called "horror fiction's best kept secret" by the Washington Post--more than makes up for it with literary craftsmanship. The characters are richly evoked, the dialogue smooth and convincing, and the descriptions elegant, even musical.

Book Description

Two couples, both skeptical and desperate, are drawn together by a medium named Oona, a fragile, beautiful young woman who knows things that no other living person should know. Is her gift real, or is it the sign of a consuming madness? Can she lead them all to important truths, or will they be trapped in the tightening web of terror and death?Fog Heart was named one of the best books of the year by Publishers Weekly, and awarded the International Horror Guild's honors for Best Novel.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable...but.......2005-11-17

So I was definitely expecting a really scary ghost story, but instead got a mystery/thriller with supernatural elements. I read the book in pretty much one long sitting, and was very much engrossed, but have some questions/reservations. Why make Oliver so unlikeable? I really wanted to like this guy from page one, but he got more and more bizarre and unrealistic as the novel wore on. What happened to Carrie? I would have thought she'd contact Oona after Munich. Why make both husbands philanderers? I think Charley's character could have been great if he wasn't cheating on Jan, and REALLY stayed with her from beginning to end. It also would have added more weight to the ending...

There were some creepy moments (Carrie in her new client's apt by herself was great) and a number of really interesting ideas, but I think the Marthe/Oliver/Becky angle was too far "out there", plus not enough creepy moments for me to not give this more than three stars. HOWEVER, I'll definitely check out more of Mr. Tessier's books, as this one showed lots of promise!!!

Psycho.......2005-11-08

Though not particularly scary in a Stephen King sort of way, Fog Heart is an intriguingly different sort of mystery. Populated by a cast of psychologically crippled, twisted couples who are initially unknown to one another, the plot revolves around their coming together via their work with an exceedingly strange young medium, Oona. Is she gifted, or is she crazy? How does she know about her clients' deepest secrets? Are the visions that haunt these people real, or fragments of their own damaged personalities? Can Oona help them? Can any of them help Oona, who is tormented by a secret of her own?
Fog Heart is ultimately about the nature of love, truth, reality, relationships, life, and death. It raises some intriguing questions, most of which don't have simple answers.

Tessier in top form.......2001-08-16

When Carrie Spence starts having visions of her dead father, she and her husband Oliver consult a young psychic named Oona Muir. Through Oona, they meet Charley and Jan O'Donnell, another couple who believes they are receiving messages from their infant daughter who died tragically in a fire. This eclectic mix of personalities generates disturbing results, as dark crimes from both the past and present are unearthed through Oona's traumatic seances. The truths revealed test the parties involved, driving them to madness, despair, and death.

A book which promptly landed on many reviewers' short list for best novel of 1998, Fogheart is first rate work from a major talent. Tessier casts a dark spell through his gripping narrative--his characters live and breathe, the dialogue shines, and the atmosphere of dread he creates will unnerve even the most jaded reader. Fogheart proves that horror is alive and well, demonstrating that a familiar premise can gain new life in the hands of a capable writer. If Tessier remains "horror fiction's best kept secret" after this one, there is simply no justice.

...Far from a great read..........2000-12-07

This book falls far short of its potential. Although I found that I was never emotionally invested in any of the characters, that wasn't my main problem with this book.

I found it lacking in suspense and not scary at all. (Is it categorized as a horror novel because some people were killed?) The only "scary" moments were the ones where Carrie had her encounters...I had to turn off all the lights in my house and read by flashlight to conjure up the tiniest bit of fear.

In addition, the story completely fizzled at the end. Everything seemed far too rushed and hurried. The Roz/Oliver confrontation was just plain unbelievable. Am I to believe that Oliver wasn't the seasoned veteran he seemed to be? All of a sudden, he's a bumbling idiot? And I didn't buy Oona's fate either. It seemed like an easy out for the author.

All in all, the story just disappeared...

Cold comfort.......2000-11-21

Oona, a strange, ethereal, suicidal young medium, brings together two married couples. Charley and Jan are haunted by guilt over the death of their infant daughter; Carrie is haunted by visions of her dead father and a murderous, faceless man, while her husband Oliver, blandly guiltless though hideously culpable, is haunted only by the thought that Oona may know more about him than he would like. And Oona, too, has a guilt and a ghost of her own, perhaps the deepest and most awful of them all. Three harrowing psychic episodes, steadily increasing in horrific revelation, entwine all these separate hauntings and bring them to a head. Perhaps, as Oona says, "ghosts are a kind of redemption"; if so, they exact a terrible price. Or perhaps, as Charley bitterly imagines, the "afterlife" is as aimless, chaotic and incomprehensible as life on earth. Which would you prefer? Characteristically, Tessier gives no pat explanations and no easy answers. The ending leaves the two relatively innocent characters alive but devastated by what they have witnessed (supernatural in one case, earthly but hardly natural in the other); however, although nothing is guaranteed, the novel is saved from utter blackness by the tentative reassurances which Oona gives to both survivors. Fog Heart is a superb, complex, bleak modern ghost story, written in Tessier's usual cool, clear style: anything but foggy and without a single wasted word. The characters are beautifully drawn, the set-piece psychic sessions utterly riveting, the visions of Carrie and Charlie described, like Oliver's murderous violence, briefly but with a poet's power.

Average customer rating:

FOG HEART
Thomas Tessier
Manufacturer: St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P0XJWG

Average customer rating:

Fog Heart
Thomas Tessier
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTDTHI

Average customer rating:

FOG HEART
Thomas Tessier
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P0ZGJU

Book Description

It's as easy as waving bye-bye!

Babies have a lot to say, even before they can actually speak familiar bedtime words like "sleepy" and "quiet." Baby Signs are simple gestures that allow babies and toddlers to communicate what they see, what they need, and even how they feel. Research has shown that Baby Signs decrease frustration and tantrums and help your baby talk sooner.

When to begin: When your child starts to wave bye-bye.

How to do it: Show your baby the sign and point to the picture. Always say the word as you make the sign.

Improvise: Make up your own signs -- your baby probably will too!

Customer Reviews:

Great For Older babies.......2007-08-07

These are not real sign language, but they are fun and babies do learn these signs and communicate them. And they love the pictures and love watching you copy the motions in the pictures.

Love it! .......2007-07-16

My daughter loves this book. We read it every night, and she knows all of the signs. She started signing at 9 months, and at 11 1/2 months old she knows a dozen signs thanks to these books!!

Disappointed Again.......2007-05-08

I bought this for my two year old. He has aproxia of speech so we are teaching him sign language. I thought it was simple enough to keep his attention but the signs are not correct. I do not want to teach him the wrong signs because he may never be able to communicate like most of us do. I was disappointed to say the least. This was the second book I bought from this line :(

Baby Signs books are great.......2006-11-14

Every night we would read and practice our signs. By the time she was one year old, she could sign the signs from this book. Ok, her signs were not perfect but I knew what she was talking about. Learning signs has really helped with her communicating with us. I am so glad she learned the signs. Now, at 2 years old, she talks and uses the signs to help us understand.

Nice book.......2006-05-14

Two pages are dedicated to each word. The first page is a picture of the item and the word spelled out. The second page is a child signing the word.

The words:

moon, stars, sleepy, bath, toothbrush, quiet, book, blanket, love, light

Average customer rating:

My Baby Signs Book; Bedtime
Linda Acredolo , and Susan Goodwyn
Manufacturer: Discovery Toys
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
ASIN: B000OGJH2W

Average customer rating:

Cheeses of the World

all about cheeses with great color photos

Cheeses Of The World: A Season by Season Guide To Buying, Storing and Serving
Arnaud Sperat-Czar
Manufacturer: Hachette Illustrated UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cheese & Dairy | Cooking by Ingredient | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Agricultural Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best

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The Cheese Plate

Cheese Primer

ASIN: 184430115X

Customer Reviews:

Cheeses of the World.......2006-02-24

I really love this book, it has all the information that I was wanting and much more. Great photo's and loads of info on all the cheeses of the world.

all about cheeses with great color photos.......2004-10-29

Numerous cheeses are dealt with according to the season when they are made, with mention of why the particular season is the right time. The four major sections contain general material and information on the specific cheeses of the season. Color photographs of varying sizes from double-page and full-page to smaller complement the entertaining and informative text. The photographs of particular cheeses are not only appealing, but also make for a useful illustrated buying guide. Back matter includes a section on "1,200 cheeses from around the world" where the countless cheeses are grouped by family--e. g., The Chaource family, The Parmesan family. The majority of the cheeses are French, with cheeses from other European countries included also. Barthelemy is a cheese supplier who also has a hand in the ripening of cheeses. Sperat-Czar is editor-in-chief of the magazine "L'Amateur de Fromage." The photos are taken by photographers with backgrounds in high-quality, glossy general-interest and gastronomic magazines. "Cheeses of the World" is a work of an encyclopedic range with a focus on the enjoyment of cheese and background such as the making of cheese which can add to this enjoyment. Anyone from the long-time cheese lover to novice will learn something from it and consult it regularly as a guide in exploring the world of cheeses.

Cheeses Of The World: A Season by Season Guide To Buying, Storing and Serving

Average customer rating:

Cheeses Of The World: A Season by Season Guide To Buying, Storing and Serving
Arnaud Sperat-Czar; Foreword-Roland Barthelemy; Photographer-Daniel Czap; Photographer-Jacques Guillard
Manufacturer: Hachette Illustrated UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MC38BE

Book Description

Pet owners will enjoy this attractively priced, four-color series of books that are filled with useful information in an attractive design.The Essential Guides have all of the information that the new or experienced pet owner needs for a successful relationship with his or her pet. Packed with interesting sidebars, the books discuss bringing your new pet home; the optimal way to feed your pet; and how to properly groom your pet. Also included are comprehensive chapters on health care and how to train your pet like an expert; as well as a special chapter filled with fun facts about your specific pet.The many fun and descriptive photos in the Essential Guides are taken by a professional photographer, and each book contains perforated fact cards with lots of helpful pet care tips for your convenience.

Customer Reviews:

Well illustrated.......2007-03-18

The illustrations in this book we excellent however I thought it would have been a bit more in depth as far as the information content goes. Very similar to other Sibe books I have.

I love this book.......2000-07-29

It tells you everything you need to know about siberian huskies,from training to to husky health,to grooming.A must-have for new husky owners.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful inspiring book with beautiful illustrations.

WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!!!!!!!!1

Where are your treasures?

Timeless Treasures: The Charm and Romance of Treasured Memories
Emilie Barnes , and Anne Christian Buchanan
Manufacturer: Harvest House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Gifts | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1565074289

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful inspiring book with beautiful illustrations........1998-05-28

The pictures and content are wonderful. The book takes you back to simpler more sentimental times.

WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!!!!!!!!1.......1998-02-24

I am sure that we all have wonderful memories from our childhood. After reading this book, I started thinking about all the wonderful memories that I also had from childhood. I also started keeping a memory journal, so that I could pass it down to my children. I feel that it is very important to let them know that I have many special memories from my childhood, and it has helped to understand why I want to make memories for them. I think that if we want to help change the world we have to start with our own children. I LOVE the way Emilie shared her memories through the book, and what she is doing to make special memories for her grandchildren.

Where are your treasures?.......1996-09-27

If you have come to the point in your life to do some reflection then your heart will relate to this book from cover to cover! Life has many things to offer, but few of these things are lasting.In Timeless Treasures, Emilie Barnes, reminds us to value things as they remind you of the people you love and/or are related to. Where your treasures lie truly tells us much about ourselves. This book will delight the heart and soul of every person who has come to know that true happiness and contentment in this life to be found in the memories of times shared with others. This is a book to ponder again and again. This book is one for the coffee table. It may just cause you to reorganize the things you use to decorate your house so that it becomes a true home for your heart.Emilie has touched my heart yet again!

Average customer rating:

Great book!

Advanced garden design reading

A lot of help.

A must for design start

Landscaping Your Home: Creative Ideas from America's Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides)

Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Creating Beds and Borders: Creative Ideas from America's Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides)

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Taunton's Front Yard Idea Book : How to Create a Welcoming Entry and Expand Your Outdoor Living Space (Idea Books)

Exploring Garden Style: Creative Ideas from America's Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides) (Fine Gardening Design Guides)

Designing with Plants: Creative Ideas from America's Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides) (Fine Gardening Design Guides)

ASIN: 1561584711
Release Date: 2001-01-15

Book Description

In Landscaping Your Home, some of the best designers in the field show how to do a complete makeover of front, back, and side yards. The book is packed with fresh ideas for entrances, foundation plantings, and pathways, and explains how to use landscaping to better situate a house, thereby increasing its property value. Lavish illustrations make this practical approach to landscaping easy to follow.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2007-01-10

I am loving this book! It has so many helpful instructions on landscaping your home. Plus the beautiful pictures are great. It's a book that truly lives up to the Taunton tradition of excellent gardening material.

Advanced garden design reading.......2006-08-13

A cut above the typical home-center landscape book. Not another do-it-yourself guide but a collection of design considerations and approaches by multiple garden/landscape designers. Excellent for those interested in learning more about various principles of garden design.

A lot of help........2001-12-29

Great for helping you to relize the importance of a layout.
Planing ahead is something I didn't usually do.

A must for design start.......2001-03-27

What a great rescource for someone trying to make those needed changes. Just getting started is aleays the most difficult of any task. This book assists in getting anyone well on their way.

Book Description

Hans Dieter Schaal worked on almost all important opera houses including those in Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Vienna, and Zurich. These projects served as vehicles for his extraordinarily expressive artistic powers, which he used to captivate the public.

Average customer rating:

I love this book!

Lighting Design & Installation
Creative Publishing international , and The editors of Creative Publishing international
Manufacturer: Creative Publishing international
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Carpentry | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Do-It-Yourself | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Electrical | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1589230957

Book Description

-Comprehensive guide to using natural and artificial light in the home and landscape.

Customer Reviews:

I love this book! .......2007-07-04

This book is loaded with great pictures for ideas AND even shows you how easy it is to install all types of lighting from the inside of your house to the outside. I refer back to it often and feel that its a must have for any design library.

Average customer rating:

Fascinating house, authentic book
Blah...

La Maison de Verre
Dominique Vellay
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 050051304X

Book Description

A stunning combination of personal reminiscence and spectacular photographs of this influential modernist masterpiece.

The most celebrated work of French architect and designer Pierre Chareau, the Maison de Verre is revered by experts, acclaimed as an inspiration by many, but until now only glimpsed by a very few.

In 1928, Chareau was commissioned to build this private residence in an eighteenth-century Paris courtyard. Dominique Vellay, the granddaughter of his original client, tells here for the first time the story of this extraordinarily inventive house, an embodiment of modern building principles and methods. Its metal framework, glass-brick curtain walls, and sliding partitions and panels have made a remarkable impression on architects and designers worldwide.

François Halard's photographs pay homage to the house and its unique architectural features: the interior, bathed in daylight gently diffused by the glass walls; perforated zinc screens that rotate or slide silently on curved rails; exposed steel beams; balconies with paneled bookshelves; open-stepped staircases that permit light to penetrate; and—not least—the house's furniture, created by the architect for his clients, and covered with fabrics by eminent contemporary artists and designers. 80+ illustrations in color and duotone.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating house, authentic book.......2007-10-12

I just received the book and had no time to read the text. The NY Times article in the summer covered the history of the house up until its current restoration. The photographs look a little as if they were from the "modern" era. Perfect perspective correction, focus on the details, rendering the home's atmosphere remarkably well. I especially like the color balance of the images. I disagree with the previous reviewer about the pictures. I can not imagine any different way to introduce this spectacular building. The black and white Polaroids (?) are a bit distracting. They may serve as spacers.

The "modern" is an important stage of the Western culture and deserves our attention.

Akos Szilvasi (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

Blah..........2007-06-15

This book simultaneously (and half-heartedly) documents the owner, the architect, and the building. The text is boring, the pictures are less than spectacular, and there is an extremely limited set of drawings placed in the back of the book as an after thought.
Overall I am extremely dissapointed with my purchase, and if you are an architect or student of architecture chances are you will be too.

Average customer rating:

Very limited use
The Importance of Lighting

The Art of Lighting: An International Profile of Home Lighting
Randall Whitehead
Manufacturer: Rockport Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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

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ASIN: 1564967077

Book Description

The lighting industry is seeing a revolution in fixtures and design methods. Because it influences every visual element we perceive, lighting is now recognized as an integral part of overall design. Unfortunately, too much lighting design is still being installed by those who have had little training in lighting techniques. This book, the successful sequel to Residential Lighting, was created to help generate inspiration and ideas to help the reader head in the right direction before they begin remodeling or construction. This is a sourcebook for designers and homeowners, but it is also a tool hopefully able to inspire good lighting design by illustrating the best lighting design in the business.

Customer Reviews:

Very limited use.......2000-05-24

If you have a huge space to light, enjoy a certain modern style and have huge amounts of cash you'll love this book. If you have your own sense of style, a small house or apartment and a limited budget, forget it.

The Importance of Lighting.......2000-04-01

Unfortunately, lighting is one of the last things people consider when planning their home. This publication should go a long way to change that. If you are one of the many people who walk into a dark room and flip on a light switch without giving it much thought, you may want to take a look at this book. If you are planning on building a home, or remodeling an existing structure, this book is an invaluable source of inspiration. With nearly 200 pages of beautiful photos, The Art of Lighting shows what can be accomplished through the use of lights and shadows. Many of the homes featured are high-end custom designs with professionally installed systems. The interiors become spectacular when lit to their best advantage. The Art of Lighting is not a nuts-and-bolts book about lighting. You will not find wiring diagrams or correlated color temperature charts. There are better books that cover those topics (most notably, "Planning & Designing Lighting" by Edward Effron). If, however, if you are looking for decorating ideas, or enjoy well photographed elegant interiors, don't overlook this one.

Fourth International Conference On Solid State Lighting (Proceedings of S P I E)

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Fourth International Conference On Solid State Lighting (Proceedings of S P I E)

Manufacturer: SPIE-International Society for Optical Engine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0819454680

International Design Yearbook, 1995: Furniture, Lighting, Tableware, Textiles and Products (The International Design Yearbook)

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International Design Yearbook, 1995: Furniture, Lighting, Tableware, Textiles and Products (The International Design Yearbook)
Books Nippan
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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

Professional Reference | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1856690598

Average customer rating:

International Lighting Design
Jeremy Myerson
Manufacturer: Laurence King Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KZ4CCC

Average customer rating:

International Lighting Design
V. Lorenzo Porcelli , Donna Green , and International Design Magazine
Manufacturer: Rockport Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0935603492

Average customer rating:

International Lighting Design
Jeremy Myerson
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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

Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Lighting | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1856690865

Lighting fittings performance and design, (International series of monographs in electrical engineering, v. 1)

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Lighting fittings performance and design, (International series of monographs in electrical engineering, v. 1)
Arthur Robert Bean
Manufacturer: Pergamon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Applied | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0080125948

Book Description

Every lithograph, etching, screenprint by Abstract Expressionist master. 383 colorplates, 141 duotones, 2 volumes, slipcased.

Customer Reviews:

Best of the best.......1999-11-29

If you own or are contemplating owning graphic work by Sam Francis, you must buy this book. The reproductions are beautiful, the descriptions accurate and detailed. Very few monographs accomplish the elegance of layout and thoroughness of these volumes. Thank you Ms Lembark and Ms Fine for a job expertly done. I can only hope you are working on a volume covering the last four years of his work.

The Prints of Sam Francis: A Catalogue Raisonne, 1960-1990

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The Prints of Sam Francis: A Catalogue Raisonne, 1960-1990
Sam] Lembark, Connie W. [Francis
Manufacturer: Hudson Hills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Amazon.com

Margaret McCord makes brilliant use of telling details drawn from the vivid recollections of Makanya (1873-1954) to create a rich tapestry of black South African life as it uneasily adapted to (and sometimes adopted) white European ways during the years of colonization and the establishment of apartheid. Makanya declined the offer of a singing career in England to return home, choosing hard work and poverty among her own people. She offers perceptive descriptions of complex individual and social relationships that work by an accumulation of particulars to damningly indict injustice.

Book Description

Winner of the Johannesburg Sunday Times Alan Paton Prize for Nonfiction

Discover a people's enduring power through the inspiring life of a fascinating woman.

Critical acclaim for The Calling of Katie Makanya

"A very marvelous and precious document. . . . It is a magnificent story superbly told. The combination of Katie's extraordinary life and McCord's immense talent as a storyteller is overwhelming. I found it compulsive reading and deeply moving." —Athol Fugard.

"I fell in love with the Delaney sisters, enjoying both the book and the play. It is good to know their sister in Africa also has her say, that Katie's life, too, can be shared." —Nikki Giovanni.

"To know the story of Katie Makanya is to feel the pain and promise of life for blacks in South Africa for generations." —Detroit Free Press.

"Emotionally compelling, resonantly detailed, and of extraordinary cultural significance." —Kirkus Reviews.

Customer Reviews:

A truly wonderful novel.......1999-09-01

I thought this novel would be a bit boring, but it turned out to be a fascinating read and a wonderful glimpse into a woman's life in a time and place most Americans would never think about. I whole-heartedly recommend this book.

A compelling story--I couldn't put it down!.......1997-12-03

I started this book at the beginning of a long drive home from New Jersey after Thanksgiving. Seven hours later, I was amazed to see that we had arrived home. The time flew by as McCord drew me more and more deeply into Katie's life. I highly recommend this wonderful book!

A Single Woman's Journey; a New Birth for South Africa.......1997-05-06

The Calling of Katie Mankaya has a profoundly personal history for me. Ms. McCord, during the past twenty of the 40 years of her work's history, had read selections of her work in progress to a group of writer friends, of which both my parents were part. My mother would bring me to these "writer's meetings" where I would sit, silent, rapt, listening to voices and words and worlds fantastic and strange and tragic and joyous. Ms McCord's work is the most vivd of my memories; her words would spill across the evening's fabric, her syntax gripping, her accent hypnotising, her diction flawless. I've been waiting for this book for a long time. Much has come to pass since. South Africa is free. The writers have grown distant. My mother is gone. And, at last, the Calling of Katie Mankaya has found it's voice, it's manifestation, gathering awards and praise with effortless ease. The Calling of Katie Mankaya has fallen into place like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle, a nexus of parts, completing the matrix that enmeshed it, or perhaps gathering that in which it radiated. Ms McCord's published work is a fifth of her orginial manuscript. Perhaps some of Ms McCord's selections of Katie's life's fragments are too personal, too esoteric for an epic, historical novel, but then again, perhaps it is this intimacy of Katie's life that makes Katie herself all the more real. It is a human story, rather than a sweeping Michenerian saga. It is towards the end of the book where Ms McCord refuses to hold back, and well, frankly, emotionally milks the moment for all it's worth. And it is this ending, as an elderly Katie looks back on her life, her loves, her losses, her regrets and triumphs, her tragedies and joys, it is here when the reader is offered a sort of mirror, in which they are allowed to view their own lives, of what was, of what is, and what could be; life in perspective, with Katie's story a frame of reference, an offering all the poignant knowing Katie's story to be true. The Calling of Katie Mankaya is an important work, especially now with a new South Africa arising from the ashes of division and hatred. But it is also an important work with regards to the timeless pathos of the human spirit, of the dying art of a mother's love, and the rarified grace of human dignity. It is an homage towards nobility on a level of everyday existence; ordinary life made anything but ordinary - rather, extraordinary. It is also an important book for that 10 year old boy who was captivated by the words that unfurled across those forgotten rooms, spilled across endless unpublished pages, who has seen the foundation on which many a personal dream were build on at last find it's place in this unyielding world we ponder through, like a book. Sorry you missed it, Mom. You would have loved it.

The Calling of Katie Makanya: A Memoir of South Africa

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The Calling of Katie Makanya: A Memoir of South Africa
Margaret McCord
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLUQXQ

Average customer rating:

The Calling of Katie Makanya A Memoir of South Africa
McCord Margaret
Manufacturer: John Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UD1DA8

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