The Dragon King's Palace: A Novel (Sano Ichiro Novels)

Book Description

On a whim of the shogun's mother, a procession has left the sweltering heat of Edo, bound for the cooler climate of Mount Fuji. Among her traveling companions are Reiko, the beautiful wife of Sano Ichiro, the shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People; Reiko's friend Midori, nine months pregnant; and Lady Yanagisawa, the deranged wife of the shogun's powerful second-in-command. None of them look forward to the trip. But their troubles have only begun when their procession is stopped suddenly on a deserted road. The entire retinue is viciously slaughtered and the four women are bound and taken away, imprisoned by a mysterious kidnapper.Sano now finds himself faced with the most important case of his career. The shogun demands quick action, and under the threat of death, Sano is forced to work with his bitter enemies-Chamberlain Yanagisawa and Police Commissioner Hoshina. The delivery of a ransom note only complicates matters-forcing both Sano and Reiko to take desperate measures.

Customer Reviews:

Pleasing mystery to read.......2007-02-15

This mystery series focuses on a golden era of Japan when foreigners were expelled from the country. Besides samurais, noblewomen, castle servants, middle-class merchants, and even a shogun, there is an evil cult. You get a real sense of place with such a diverse cross section of the citizens of Edo. The best part of the book is exploring the town. The characters, some of whom are based on real historical figures, come to life. The most fascinating character is Yanagisawa with his wife and the shogun as follow-ups. It's interesting when a writer can make her side characters seem almost like real people. Most mystery series rely on stock archtypes for side characters. I found this book to be extremely well-written for a mystery. No sloppy grammatical errors that distract you from the story! Rowland has a great grasp of vocabulary so you won't be embarrassed about being seen with a "beach" book. If you loved reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden as a kid, this is an adult mystery that won't disappoint you.

My favorite book so far in the series.......2006-07-27

By now Sano Ichiro is on his 8th story. He's still the main detective in late 1600s feudal Japan for the incompetent Shogun. He's still battling his homosexual foe Chamberlain Yanagisawa. I was worried that this book would fall into a rut, given the previous books. However, I was actually very pleasantly surprised and to me this is the best book in the series so far.

First, I had found the previous interactions between Sano and wife Reiko to be either stilted or moralistic. In this one, they completely separated the female characters - the Shogun's mother, Reiko, Midori (very pregnant) and Lady Yanagisawa into kidnapped desolation. This allowed these four characters to each shine and become unique without the usual "ah the poor women of Japan, they are so beat on" diatribe.

On the other side, we have Sano who is now siding with Yanagisawa and his lover Hoshina to track down the hostages. This is a pretty standard literary device - they have to work together to fight the greater evil - but it really did make for some interesting situations and interactions.

More than that, though, we finally saw some interesting character growth and change, which had been missing from most previous books. The Shogun took action. His mom gained some strength. Lady Yanagisawa faced some fears. Hirata took a stand for his love. In the past, their plot-driven vacillations drove me crazy. Finally in this one, people were acting like real three dimensional humans with motivations.

There were still a few moments that bothered me. The intro sequence has a husband who kills his wife for adultery. This would be expected. Then he commits suicide for having to kill his wife. Why? That would be like a sniper who shoots an enemy, then kills himself for shooting the enemy. He did what he was supposed to do.

Reiko is told by Lady Keisho-in that they're all going to Mount Fuji - and she responds that "the Shogun may need my help". This was *very* presumptuous of her - and not quite supported by any previous book. Certainly she helped her husband but it was a very under-cover subtle thing, not something where Sano went to the Shogun and said "My wife found this clue for me ..."

Reiko is certainly trained in how to use a sword - but she's a mom now, and if she exercises, it's an occasional thing. Still, when they are attacked by a well trained militia - one that takes out professional soldiers and bodyguards - she manages to hold off 13 of them on her own. Even if we argue "they wanted to take her alive" it still doesn't make much sense.

We were spared a lot of the "life back then sucked, was smelly and mouldy" story from previous books, but there were still moments. When the four women are stuck in a falling-down, roof leaking, bat dung filled room with awful food and a single pot to pee / etc. in, Reiko muses to herself "So this is how poor people live ..." I don't think so! People denied her 'mansion life' do not necessarily wallow in filth. Poor people can have great pride in their homes and in cleanliness.

There was also an amusing continuity problem where on page 78 the Shogun had 100 concubines, but by page 196 he had 200 concubines. I guess they multiply like rabbits!

The ending was extremely uncomfortable. Rowland likes to do that. I can't say more without giving it away, but Rowland deliberately enjoys pushing the envelope of what we feel "comfortable" with main characters doing. I find it very hard to believe that these characters run into all of these bizarre situations repeatedly.

I do have a general comment that having "insane characters who can do anything at any time" like Lady Yanagisawa and Lord Niu are like having built in deux ex machina. You have an issue? Poof, insane person does something plot related and moves bits along. I would much rather have that toned back.

Still, in general this is much more coherent than previous books, the characters show growth and insight, and having the characters separated gave each group its chance to shine and distinguish itself. As always, I love the environment and descriptive storytelling. I am very eager to read the next book now, moreso than I'd looked forward to releases of previous books in this series.

A sameness?.......2005-07-05

Not too far into the story, there is a certain sameness to the book like her others. This feeling might change as I read more.
Marsha Luzzi

A Sweeping Visit To Medieval Japan.......2005-05-20

Welcome to the later days of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Portuguese had come and gone, samurai now used guns in battle, and gradually the strength and vitality of the times was ebbing away. Sano Ichiro, the Shogun's Most Honorable Investigator spends as much time dealing with the devious political maneuvering of opponents like Chamberlain Yanagisawa and Police Commissioner Hoshina - all trying to influence the decisions of a weak and effeminate Shogun whose main virtue is his love for his mother.

Their attendance commanded, Sano's wife Reiko, her friend Midori, and Lady Yanagisawa must accompany the Shogun's mother on a pilgrimage to Mount Fuji. Almost at the mountain their entourage is attacked, the ladies kidnapped, and the rest left dead. A little while later a note is posted on the gates of Edo - if the Shogun fails to execute Hoshina, the Honorable Lady Keisho-in will be killed. Sano and Yanagisawa become unwilling allies, one trying to save his wife, and the other his lover.

Sano's detective skills are severely tried as he races to save the lives of the women, hampered as much by a frantic Shogun as he is by the lack of facts. Far away from Edo, Reiko's wits and bravery are tested to their maximum as she and her friends face a man driven mad by his own grief and guilt. No matter how this drama ends, it will have far reaching consequences for the survivors.

Laura Joh Rowland combines her natural storytelling ability with a fine eye for the details of medieval Japan. The city of Edo, the hallways of the palace, and the homes of the players all seem to leap to life and the reader learns Japanese sociology and history while being entertained by a story that has as many twists and turns as Japanese bureaucracy does. All of the Sano Ichiro stories have a serious side, but the Dragon King's Palace touches on the pivotal issues that drove Japan into crisis. We see the samurai world changing before our eyes, and Rowland pulls very few punches.

I recommend the entire series, but The Dragon King's Palace is one of the best, a tightly woven story of suspense and mystery.

An Entertaining Departure from Formula, But With A Trade-Off.......2005-05-18

Dragon King's Palace marks something of a break from formula in Rowland's Sano Ichiro novels, in that it's a faster-paced kidnapping drama rather than the typical Ichiro murder mystery. As such it's a more cinematic story - along the lines of an action-adventure film - and a more vigorous page-turner. This makes for an entertaining read, but with something of a downside: It lacks the complexity of some of Rowland's previous Ichiro books, particularly the immediately preceding volume, "Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria" which represents perhaps Rowland's most in-depth plotting. You're essentially trading some depth and richness in storytelling for a more compelling pace.

Three particular details stand out in this volume, one positive and two negative: Dragon King marks the first time that Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi takes some decisive (albeit minor,) independent action. It's such a departure that it's out of character, but any sign of rationality from that character is a definite plus.

His otherwise senile indecisiveness and malleability, however, borders on lunacy - and that element, also developing in a more malevolent way here in the character of Lady Yanagasawa, is the literary equivalent of a short-circuit. Anyone who's suffered through any given French art film - where at least one protagonist must either already be or become insane as a matter of course - knows the groan-inducing betrayal created by the "insane character" cop-out. It's too convenient for the writer and too arbitrary for the intellect of the reader, therefore must be used carefully or not at all. It doesn't get too bad in Dragon King, but the emergence of the phenomenon in the Lady Yanagasawa character and to a degree within the Shogun's mother Keisho-in, is worrisome for those who plan on reading future Ichiro novels.

Another criticism lies in a missed opportunity. At one point Ichiro is faced with a genuine moral choice, that rarity of rarities that was once the backbone of great romantic fiction. We've all heard the phrase "show, don't tell" in context of character development. A moral dilemma is the only means by which the true underlying character of a protagonist (or antagonist) can be demonstrated in a lasting way - a point of spectacular confusion in writer Orson Scott Card's recent (May 03, 2005) unintentionally-comedic editorial diatribe against the Star Trek series. (Despite its cheap television production values, Star Trek turned the classic morality play into a weekly art form, and its writers did it by demonstrating timeless issues - like honesty, integrity, volition, reason, liberty and human rights, in the actions of the principle characters.)

Sano is called to honor a pre-existing promise to enemies with whom he has a tenuous truce - but rather than demonstrating his integrity without hesitation, thereby enriching the strength of the character and presenting an opportunity for a dramatic new direction in the series, Sano instead dithers in moral indecision, balks, then only begrudgingly agrees to stick to his word. The opportunity is blown, the scene falls flat, and Sano is left as a pedestrian everyman clouded in an ethical fog. Aaargh.

If you can overlook those negatives, Dragon King is a rousing adventure story with castle strongholds, damsels in distress, races against time, backstabbing treachery, and admirable strength in its convincing exposition of the villain's motives. What it lacks in richness of atmosphere and plot detail that was so effective in the previous "Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria," is compensated for by its addictive foray into thriller territory

SAT 9 Dragon King's Palace Is (Literacy 2000)

Average customer rating:

SAT 9 Dragon King's Palace Is (Literacy 2000)
Clare Scott-Mitchell
Manufacturer: Rigby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0790115255

4 Titles in Sano Ichiro Series - Shinju - The Way of the Traitor - Samurai's Wife - Dragon King's Palace

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4 Titles in Sano Ichiro Series - Shinju - The Way of the Traitor - Samurai's Wife - Dragon King's Palace
Laura Joh Rowland
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Product Description

4 massmarket paperback Titles in Sano Ichiro series (not in sequence) - Shinju - The Way of the Traitor - Samurai's Wife - Dragon King's Palace

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The Dragon King's Palace
Laura Joh Rowland
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTLMDQ

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The Dragon King's Palace
Laura Joh Rowland
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000OH0W8O

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Dragon King's Palace
Laura Joh Rowland
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTLP24

Amazon.com

The world of Xanth is a jumbo pun fest, a confabulation of convivial confections, where cottages are made of cheese, and bees are excellent spellers. Almost everyone in Xanth--whether centaur, ogre, human, or unicorn--has a magical ability, and uses it to wreak complicated and amusing mayhem. Quests to restore order are the order of the day. This hardcover volume contains the complete texts of books four, five, and six in the Xanth series--Centaur Aisle, in which the future monarch of Xanth, 16-year-old Dor, has to negotiate with nonmagical Mundania; Ogre, Ogre, which tells the romantic story of an Eye Queue-enhanced ogre and a lovely nymph; and Night Mare, in which Imbri, a former night mare, must help stave off the invasion of Xanth by Nextwave barbarians. The first novel in this series, A Spell for Chameleon, appeared in 1977. Piers Anthony is an exceedingly popular author, and the humorous and long-lived Xanth series is why. --Blaise Selby

Customer Reviews:

Would recommend for any one.......2002-03-20

Piers Anthony certainly has a way with words, and uses many of them in this "triology ran wild".

I would recommend this series to anyone from age 12 to 112. These books are wonderfully entertaining and amusing. Real page turners. When I was younger, I would read one in a sitting. I have recently introduced my 14 yr old step daughter to them, and she loves them.

The Contining Xanath Saga.......2001-01-09

This book is great! It is the first book I've read by Piers Anthony, and I plan to read many more. The first book,"Centure Aisle", introduces you to Dor the "young" magician, Smash the young Ogre, Princess Irene, who can grow plants imedietly on her command, Grundy the golem, he can talk to anything living. Their adventures take them all over Xanth and beyond. I was so into this book that I could not put it down for weekend,I have a tendency to read slow. Thanks to this book I look forward to reading instead of dreading it. The Charcters are colorful and well portrayed, I've recomended it to many and they love it and are hurrying to the book store to get more of the Xanth novels. Enjoy reading this as it will take you far into the reaches of Xanth and you will not want to come back to the real world.

Magickal Musings and Enchanted Wanderings.......2000-10-17

The Xanth series is a collection of Tongue-in-Cheek adventurous wanderings through a world where word-play is reality and reality is like a Dream World, from-which you cannot awake--yet, the stories are fantasy episodes comparable to the other great works of the genre, by your favorite Fantasy Writers...only, with a comedic twist and a perfectly placed punch-line (which, in his world, would probably be a running of the gauntlet, with burly men throwing wild swings at your head) now and then! Piers Anthony is a master of word usage and placement--just look at his other titles, even the book names he comes up with make you curious to see what's inside the artistic covers of his stories. "A Spell for Chameleon" is the place to embark upon the tour through Anthony's strange and exciting universe-- but, when the tour of Xanth is over, go visit the world of "The Blue Adept." Piers Anthony is a wonderful writer and one of the men who helped me survive High School. After reading some intense Terry Brooks, I'd kick-back with some Xanth novels and relax a little. I very-much recommend the "THE APPRENTICE ADEPT" series, which is unlike anything you have probably read, before.... You will thoroughly enjoy Stile's adventures and his attempts to live in Two Worlds, simultaneously.

Xanth in General.......2000-08-25

I only enjoyed this book becaiuse my earlier copies of these three books were torn to sherds, and these had been more or less, some of my favorites in the series. The first half of the series is excellent,it droops after that. The first book(which isn't included in this collection)is by far the best. Although the stories and details make the books fun, most readers will find the stories dragged down by the literally hundreds of puns piled in them. If not for this, these books would be even more popular. If you're looking for good fantasy and can stomach the horrible puns, this is a great book series.

Tickle my toes........2000-08-14

From the first time my best friend handed me Piers Anthony's "A Spell for Chameleon," I've been stuck in the land of Xanth quite happily. The characters are just so interesting, and reading through these is never more of a burden than eating candy or popcorn. They are completly delightful, and the stories don't wane, each is uniguely magnificent in it's own respect. I'm on book seven now, and haven't felt any mileage yet. Oh and by the way,...I'm not a baby! -I turn 21 this month!- It's not just for children; just those who like to like to randomly smile in solitude.

Book Description

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER AND PHENOMENAL WEIGHT-LOSS PLAN THAT'S CHANGING THE WAY AMERICA DIETS JUST GOT BETTER!

The Fat Flush Journal and Shopping Guide is an inspiring companion to help readers along the path to weight loss and healthy eating. This six-week journal:

Tracks meals, supplements, and exercise Helps people through stressful and celebratory times of the program by writing Includes daily motivational messages Has weekly reflection pages for recording progress, weight, and future goals

Following the journal is a shopping list section to help readers shop effectively for fat-flushing foods. With all-in-one checklists with foods for all three phases of the program, this companion to The Fat Flush Plan makes losing weight and keeping healthy easier than ever before.

Customer Reviews:

A Handy Tool.......2007-07-13

This is a journal in which you write your thoughts for the day; what you ate; what exercises you did, etc. From the beginning, I wasn't interested in the shopping guide. To me, that isn't the important part of the book. I've been using this journal since January 2007. I get about 6 weeks in one book. I'm on my fourth. I find this to be a healthy tool. Every day I record what I have eaten; my exercise routine; any problems with my health; my thoughts on how I did for the day. I end my journaling on a positive note. I always find something good that I did for the day, even if I totally screwed up. There is always something positive that you can find. The journal helps me to focus on those positives. Each day starts with a positive quote from a well-known person for motivation. Then there's a weekly journal page for you to record your measurements and your thoughts on how you did for the week. Helps you to plan goals and rewards. The price for this book is really low. I've taken a look at a couple of other journals (Stong Women has one), and they are around $15. So, this is a bargain. I give it four stars because I didn't need the shopping guide, and would have liked to have used them for journal pages instead. I would recommed purchasing this book to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

The Fat Flush Journal and Shopping Guide.......2006-03-22

Nothing great about this book. Follows the same patterns as many others I have read. Simple common sence guidelines but nothing amazing or new to the readers.

mostly blank pages.......2006-03-01

Be aware that "journal" means lots of blank pages. Not much of a bargain for all that space. Could just as well have been a pamphlet!

Journal part OK, Shopping Guide is a joke.......2005-09-10

The journal content is good, but the book is a typically-bound softcover which does not lend well to journaling (spiral-bound books which lay open flat or fold back are much better). The biggest disappointment was the Shopping Guide section which, according to the front of the book, "features shopping lists for fat-flushing foods". They are merely bulleted lists of foods used in each phase of the plan, grouped by category (vegetables, proteins, etc.) It would have been more helpful to have actual shopping lists by week, based on the plan menus.

Great guidance.......2005-07-20

This book is a wonderful companion to the Fat Flush Plan. It helps organize every meal and snack, allowing you to follow the Fat Flush Plan more easily.

The Fat Flush Journal and Shopping Guide

Average customer rating:

The Fat Flush Journal and Shopping Guide
Ann Louise Gittleman
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Gittleman, Ann Louise | Authors, A-Z | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OFMUSG

Average customer rating:

Brilliant cook book

Can't go wrong with this one

From the mouth of a friend

A standard for everyone's kitchen

Very ordinate

Delia's Complete Illustrated Cookery Course
Delia Smith
Manufacturer: BBC Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
English, Scottish & Welsh | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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How to Cook

Delia Smith's Winter Collection: 140 Recipes for Winter

Delia Smith's Summer Collection: 140 Recipes for Summer

Delia Smith's Christmas: 130 Recipes for Christmas

Delia's Vegetarian Collection

ASIN: 0563214546

Book Description

An illustrated version of Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course, this book offers instructions that are clear, comprehensive, and pretty near infallible. The text is accompanied by a wide range of illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant cook book.......2007-01-02

This book is fool-proof. Everything I have tried from this book has always turned out well. It is such a relief to know that if you follow the instructions things will be fine! I have made the mincemeat and mince pies twice now for christmas and everyone loves them! I also made the rich cake in lieu of my usual christmas cake recipe. It was divine.

Can't go wrong with this one.......2005-04-21

Delia is as much a household name in Britain as Julia Child is in the U.S. These recipes will very much dispense with any myths about British food being tasteless and mainly boiled. Delia always graced my mother's cookbook shelf, and now years on I have my own greasy dog-eared copy that has become my kitchen bible. If you want an amazing desert that is simple to make, striking in presentation, and delicious to eat DO TRY the profiteroles recipe, and Pavlova Meringue.

Her instructions for making a proper roast dinner with crisp roast potatoes and yorkshire pudding are also flawless (although I like to do my puds in muffin tins instead:))
Leek and potato soup, italian baked fish, risotto, potatoes lyonaisse, marinated mushrooms... I could go on and on. Each recipe simple to follow, basic ingredients, european flair with minimum of fuss and delicious results.
Long live Delia!

From the mouth of a friend.......2004-02-11

I received this book as a gift when living in the UK back in the 90's and it has proven to be one of my favorite and most trusted. Delia's narration is what makes this very special, for example when she describes that her family comes from a long line of turkey farmers and then proceeds to share with us how to make the perfect bird utilizing varrying oven tempatures and foil pouch. The book reads like a novel and feels like it is notes from a friend's call on sharing a recipe. Very personal. The easy bernaise sauce is really easy and this combined with freshly grilled steak & asparagus has become our staple for entertaining. This book is not for someone who just wants a technical cook book, this book has personality and will become your friend.

A standard for everyone's kitchen.......2003-01-07

If a Brit has only one cookbook, it's likely to be this one. The recipes are all straightforward, and well within the range of the beginner. They are guaranteed to work, and her chatty style is engaging and reassuring. Having recently moved to the States, I'm looking forward to seeing how American "basic cookbooks" match up!

Very ordinate.......2002-12-14

This book is not what I expected. In my view, a great cookbook is one that manages to distinct itself from the crowd. None of this is evident here. This book is too wordy, not easy to follow or to search for receipts, basic cooking methods are not covered - just the more sophisticated cooking combinations with multiple ingredients, there are not enough pictures of the ready receipts or how to prepare them (don't be fooled by illustrated - this book is thin on images) and the receipts are rarely inspiring.

What is nice about this book is the fluent english of the author that makes a good reading - but if you're looking for a good cookbook - look elsewhere.

Average customer rating:

Nice place to start, but need more

I expected more

Great information

Not all-encompassing, but a good starter

a good place to start

Aquarium Owner's Guide: The Complete Illustrated Guide To The Home Aquarium
Gina Sandford
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fish & Aquariums | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books
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The Simple Guide to Fresh Water Aquariums (Simple Guide to...)

Complete Aquarium

Guppies, Mollies, and Platys (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

ASIN: 0789446146

Book Description

This comprehensive guide is packed with vibrant, full color pictures and essential information on creating, stocking, and maintaining a home aquarium. It enables enthusiasts, from novice to longtime owners, to make informed choices about types of fish, water, and aquarium environments.

Customer Reviews:

Nice place to start, but need more.......2005-05-05

This book has a nice layout, nice pictures and good summary on fishes it carries. Unfortunately, tries to cover both fresh and salt water and has very entries of either. The tank equipment and setup guides do not go into any real detail and major things such as live rock are left out entirely for marine setups. This might be good to start interest, but don't try to setup a tank with this alone, or you may leave the hobby for good after frustrating problems and losses occur.

I expected more.......2003-09-02

I thought that this book would have more about different types of fish and who they really get along best with. Its an ok book for newbies but I would go to the library first and check it out before buying.

Great information.......2003-06-08

This book has a lot of good details for all stages of aquarium life. It covers various subjects well. it's only "downfall" is that some of the sections could elabroate more. But of the 3 books we have, I use this one 9 out of 10 times.

Not all-encompassing, but a good starter.......2002-08-03

For those just getting started with keeping fish, this is an excellent guide. The design plans for different aquariums is especially nice, and the list of fish that would be good for a starting fishkeeper is an excellent guide to go by. The pictures in this book are gorgeous and the guide to diseases has excellent examples, which is extremely useful when diagnosing your own fish. All in all, a good starter reference, but for more in-depth coverage, an atlas by Dr. Axelrod would be a good addition to your library.

a good place to start.......2002-02-25

I bought this book when I was first setting up my aquarium. I looked at the aquarium guides offered on Amazon.com, and bought three at once: this book, along with "Dr. Axelrod's Mini-Atlas of Freshwater Aquarium Fishes" and "The Complete Aquarium" by Peter W. Scott.

My favorite thing about this book is that the author provides quite a bit of useful information for the fishes covered in the book. For example, I didn't expect my dwarf gouramies to start breeding right away, but they did, and this book warned me that the male gets overprotective of the bubblenest and that the female needs a place to hide out and recover from spawning.

My one complaint: because the book covers freshwater, brackish, and marine fish, there are lots of omissions. I wish the book covered clown loaches...I am sure that marine aquarists would find similar oversights, but for a general reference it is quite useful.

This is a great place to start, and if I had to limit myself to just one book, this is the one that I would recommend.

Book Description

"The style you want--at the price you want to pay!" From 1930 to 1942, such advertising slogans drew cash-strapped Depression consumers to the Chase Brass & Copper Co.'s attractive array of lamps and lighting fixtures. Heralded as "brilliant in style and authentic in design," the Chase line presented a new concept in brightening the American home, as designed by modern industrial pioneers, including Lurelle Guild, Walter Von Nessen, the Gerths, and Harry Laylon. Chromium, brass, and copper fixtures appear in hundreds of current, catalog, and historic photographs (many in color), vintage advertising, a complete cross-reference listing, price guide, and index. Admirers of twentieth-century decorative arts will enjoy this in-depth look at "lights that give lasting satisfaction."

Customer Reviews:

Collector's Paradise!.......2001-07-24

This is an exciting book for collecters who are familiar with the wide range of Chase products as well as those just being introduced to these beautiful lamps! My mother began to collect when no one recognized these pieces for their style and beauty - monetary considerations aside. This book juxtaposes the actual lamps with pages from the original Chase catalogs. The design detail and the artist's sketches are a wonderful benefit to designers. A great companion volume to Chase Complete! A real joy to read and study.

Average customer rating:

Help! He Won't Give Back My Book!

EXCELLENT ADDITION TO YOUR BIRD LIBRARY

Great Book cheaply made

Not well organized

Full of information

The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats (Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
Sally Roth
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways to Create a Haven for Your Favorite Birds (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book)

Projects for the Birder's Garden: Over 100 Easy Things That You can Make to Turn Your Yard and Garden into a Bird-Friendly Haven

The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens

Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds to Your Backyard: Watch Your Garden Come Alive With Beauty on the Wing (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book)

National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)

ASIN: 0875969186

Book Description

Bird watching is America's second most popular hobby after gardening. According to a recent survey, approximately 63 million Americans report that they watch and feed birds at home. With its beautiful four-color layout, The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible is the ideal guide for beginning to intermediate bird watchers. And author Sally Roth's reassuring and friendly voice make this book a standout among the many more academic-style bird books currently on the market. Each colorful section is arranged alphabetically and addresses birds from each region of the country-even explaining the different food requirements for birds in different regions. Roth helps readers cut the costs of their favorite activity with economical tips throughout, from buying less expensive seed like cracked corn to using food leftovers as winter treats. Readers will delight in the color photos of the most popular feeder birds and will enjoy projects for making feeders, food mixtures, and 'food crafts,' such as birdseed wreaths.

Customer Reviews:

Help! He Won't Give Back My Book!.......2006-08-15

I barely got to look at the thing!

I made the mistake of allowing my young nephew to glance through it a few days ago. The next thing I know he takes it home with him and won't bring it back to me. (Well, he 'would' because he's that kind of guy... but I think I am going to allow him to keep it.)

Apparently this book had the remarkable effect of sparking in him a sudden interest in the hobby of attracting and feeding birds.

Actually, all summer long we have been visited at our little place in the country by birds of all sorts and we have been feeding them everyday so they wouldn't get bored and go away, but my nephew didn't have any interest in them... that is, not until I let him look at this book.

As I said, I did not really get to look at this book, but let's base my 5 star review on the enthusiasm it sparked in him. He says it is a great book because the information within is very interesting and very in-depth. He also loves the plentiful beautiful pictures which helps keep him attracted all the more to the subject matter.

I am very pleased that a child growing up in today's sterile electronically-obsessed society can still find something very natural and positive to invest his time and interest in. Aren't you?

EXCELLENT ADDITION TO YOUR BIRD LIBRARY.......2006-06-29

This one is just filled with excellent ideas. After years of birding you would think there would be no new ideas...wrong! I picked up quite a lot from this book. It is well organized, easy to use and easy to read and understand. I am glad I received it as a gift and recommend you get a copy if this is where your interests are. Overall, recommend this one highly.

Great Book cheaply made.......2005-12-18

The information contained in the book is great, one of the best bird books I own. To bad the publisher went the cheap way and produced a book using the hot glue binding process as opposed to a stitched binding. My copy has fallen apart!

Not well organized.......2005-12-07

I found this book to be very confusing. It is organized alphabetically... which makes no sense. There is no way to know what you need to know until you know what you need to know. It should be called the Bird book encyclopedia. A much much better book is the Audobon Backyard Birdwatcher. This book is not very colorful or engaging. I returned it.

Full of information.......2005-09-14

This book has answered so many questions for me. Reading this book is like talking with a friend who knows everything about birds and wants me to know it all too! The way it is set up alphabetically makes for an easy search and the pictures and diagrams are excellent. I will now have a more organized yard and happier birds.

Book Description

Part of the Against The Clock Series! Already popular in corporate training environments!

All books in this series are built with the same pedagogical structure, designed to be used separately or in sets.
Project-based instruction lets users learn the basics of the software programs while they complete real-world projects.
All books are two-color & spiral bound for easy use and reference while working at the computer. All titles work for software across hardware platforms—both Mac and Windows.

With a focus on newly evolving and proven techniques for ensuring accurate and timely output from digital layout files, File Preparation and Preflight, 2/E begins with an exploration of workflow - the tasks and processes required to prepare, package and deliver efficient digital content to their graphic arts service providers. From the start, the authors focus on the specific roles that various people play in the process - from the designer, to the mechanical artist, to the customer service representative, imaging experts, and output specialists. Each chapter is aimed at providing real-world examples of output challenges, and the solutions that ensure proper output. Considering the number of pages that fail to output properly, and their impact on the cost and timeliness of the project, File Preparation and Preflight, 2/E will prove an invaluable aid for the design team, production house, or graphic arts service provider.

Ellenn Behoriam is the President and founder of Against The Clock, which has its roots in on-site training in many of the nation's leading publishing, design, prepress and printing companies. Today, Ellenn and her staff, along with dozens of professional writers, educators, illustrators, and artists collaborate via a worldwide network to develop, illustrate, test, and publish courses for the Prentice Hall Against The Clock library. The group is dedicated to delivering the most helpful and well thought out series available for the graphic arts industry.

Customer Reviews:

Preflight and File Preparation.......2005-03-18

I highly recommend this book. It is the best book I have ever read on the subject. Other books did not provide enough information. They were too technical and related to people wanting to go into printing rather than graphic designers. This one is excellent and will make your printing assingments better and faster then ever.

Customer Reviews:

the open road an african walking.......2003-02-04

The open road is a captivating recollection of one man's growth and experiences that come with his journey to and settling in th united states.Ababio tells of his past in a manner with which any audience can identify: almost everyone can understand the awkwardness of not fitting in, and the isolation that this creates. The reader can share the emotions of th author, yet the barriers that Ababio is forced to break are unique to those new to America. Though only immigrants and international students or visitors might fully identify with Ababio's specific experiences, his book is one that can educate us all.Some may doubt the recism within a race can exist, others might not recognize tha trials that one must go through to truly grasp the best qualities about America,and many may not be aware of how getting to know different cultures can enrich their own lives.Ababio uses The open Road to open the eyes of these readers to the truth of these matters and more.This book is almost addictive,as the reader is drwn into the tale like a conversation with an old friend. I recommend The open Road to anyone who wants to enjoy the story of one man's extremely interesting,entertaining,and educational transition into manhood and American society.

Sad.......2002-09-04

Though the book is a well written account of an African immigrant's experience, I was dismayed to find that the author bought into a lot of the stereotypes of African Americans and Africans. Check out Morehouse and Howard universities!! Had it not been for the efforts of African Americans, African immigrants would not be able to enjoy the opportunites that the author has.
signed
An African immigrant

the open road an african walking.......2002-06-25

The open road is a very interesting book to people of all ages.The book is very educative and very encouraging mostly to those people who have worked hard and have reached a point of giving up.For those ones who have not read it, should get a copy and read it.A highly recommended read.

the open road an african walking.......2002-04-18

I was blown away, an incredible gift to share with the rest of mankind

the open road an african walking.......2002-03-15

Thought provoking piece of art, yet powerfully conveyed.
a must for anyone trying to understand an african and actions by the same.

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