5 comments about Build Your Dream Home for Less.

1. I bought a few books on home construction. This one is the absolute worst in my opinion. The one I like because it is full of information for a novice is Robert Irwin's "Tips & Traps When Building Your Home". As for this "Dream..." is not a nightmare either, just a few dollars waisted. I did not find any usefull information and after a while I just dumped it in the garbage.



2. While this book has some useful tips for dealing with subcontractors, the book is outdated. There are other books available that will be of better value.



3. We are planning to general contract our own home, and I found this book to be a good resource. I'm a woman and have generally left "trade" stuff to my husband, but as he is working FT and I'm not, I'll be largely managing the project and I wanted to do a lot of homework. Woodson seems very knowledgeable and shares the information in an easy to follow format. He also explains many trade terms (certain types of joints, wiring etc.) that other books assume you already know - nice for us non-handy folks. One thing that this book could use is an update to include newer construction items such as insulated concrete forms, geo-thermal energy systems, and radiant floor heating. Also beware that Woodson, like all the other authors I've read on this subject, has his opinions on certain things (like you don't need air conditioning in Maine - it doesn't get hot often, but boy does it get humid and AC is really helpful). Take the opinions with a big grain of salt and read other books/articles to cross check things that you aren't sure about...however this book was a good foundation. Would recommend.



4. The book is very good it provided me with the information that I needed and even more.



5. I DID FIND THE BOOK TO BE HELPFUL AND IT GOT ME STARTED IN CONSTRUCTING MY OWN HOUSE. I DID FIND ANOTHER BOOK CALLED "EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ABOUT BUILDING THE CUSTOM HOME, HOW TO BE YOUR OWN CONTRACTOR" BY JOHN FOLDS AND ROY HOOPES THE PUBLISHER IS TAYLOR PUBLISHING CO. THAT BOOK
   WAS A GREAT COMPANINON TO THIS BOOK. BOTH TOGETHER WAS VERY HELPFUL.
   
   WHAT REALLY COULD HELP HOMEOWNERS BEST IS HOW TO COST ESTIMATE AND A PROCESS FOR GETTING AND COMPARING BIDS FOR EACH DISCIPLINE, AND A WAY TO RECORD IT EASILY.

No comments about Miller's Collectibles Price Guide 2009 (Miller's Collectables Price Guide).

5 comments about Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes.

1. This book is not only beautifully photographed and informative, it is also a great trip down memory lane. Gives great ideas for decorating in Cottage Style!



2. Although I had contributed photos for this book, I had no idea it would be so comprehensive in scope. The basics of collecting, such as buying, displaying, storing and using your treasures are addressed. There are sections for collecting for every room in the house. There is even a sweet section about cottage collectibles for the nursery. And there are sections about a lot of different styles of cottage collecting: romantic, shabby, beachy, country, woodsy.
   On top of all that, this is without a doubt the most beautiful book about collectibles that I have ever come across. This is definitely a Preserve Cottage favorite. Great job!



3. Delights the eye with hundreds of gorgeous photos! Dianne's book is a well-organized and comprehensive guide to collecting, decorating and appreciating cottage collectibles. Beautiful and informative!



4. From the smooth feel of Zweig's creation to the scrapbook-like presentation, from the gorgeous layout to the collectibles themselves, from her grandmother's Catskill roots to the cottage living of today, this book wins my heart. A collector's treasure, the book will smile from my shelf forever. I look forward to C. Dianne Zweig's next book as I am enchanted with her writing style. Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes



5. This is a beautiful and informative book you will truly enjoy . Diane has showcased many hot cottage collectibles and art for the cottage home. This book is filled with beautiful pictures of some of the best cottage collectibles and art for the cottage style. I am thrilled to be one of the artists in this beautiful book. You can see where to find many of the items in this book as she has listed the websites for you. If you are a cottage enthusiast ,decorator,collector,treasure hunter, lover of all things vintage or love to be inspired with cottage art then you will love this beautiful book. My website is www.shabbycottagedesigns.com

5 comments about Everyday Fashions of the Fifties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs (Dover Books on Fashion).

1. Whenever I take this book out, people fight over a peek into its glossy pages. It covers everything in fashion from the fifties, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict fashions, from dresses to shoes, hats and gloves to maternity wear; the women's hairstyles, makeup, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric, color, and price. There are some pictures of teenage, male, and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful.



2. I was born in early 1953 so many of the fashions still mean something to me. I have to admit that I'm still drawn to the femininity of the period but I have my dreams and you have yours and we'll leave it at that. This is a good book for the money. Not too detailed, the reproductions can get a little bit fuzzy and there is no color; but this what you get for $15 these days. If you like what you see here, there are other resources to persue. It's a pretty good starting point.



3. I truly enjoyed reading the old advertising copy while looking at the old ads. Some of the fashions I remember my grandmother and mother wearing. Lots of fun reading.



4. This is a primary source book that tells the prices and materials, which are very helpful to a costume designer. I also enjoy the book Fifties Forever, which is similar except it's color photos of actual vintage stuff (the color does help, but the Sears catalogue is still great without it).



5. I thouroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was packed from start to finish with pictures. The book gives an excellent overview of what the average woman was wearing in the 1950's, unlike many similar books which focus on important designers.
   While it is very light on text I still feel that it is a must for anyone interested in this period.

5 comments about Knives 2008 (Knives).

1. I have collected the Knives annual books since 2003, after attending my first "Custom knife show" in Denver Co. I went home and started to make and buy equipment to forge my own knives. Now 5 years have passed, I'm making knives, I know personally some of the very people who display their knives in the pages of these books, and especially for the 2008 edition, I have one of MY knives in the book! Page 121! I totally agree with D. Haines, a custom forged knife will out perform any store-bought, factory stamped out knife. There are lots of books and magazines that show all the "factory made" "cookie-cutter" mas-produced knives available,, but where do you find the "one of a kind", custom hand made knives, and in COLOR?? Knives annual, thats where! ---Jon



2. We get this book every year and it has never been a bad choice! Full of information and photos



3. This continues to keep the custom knifemaker or enthusiast up to date on what other makers are producing. It is also the only (and very good) catalog of makers. I have all editions since 1980 when it was first published, and find it invaluable as a reference.



4. Great as always! I make custom carry knives as a hobby as well and this annual series of books has always been a great inspiration to me. In reference to the review written by Charlie, I would take him with a grain of salt, just look at his other reviews. A typical self proclaimed know it all but most likely just full of hot air. Any hand made knife loving built following the old time trusted ways of knife making will out perform any "off the shelve" knife hands down. Don't believe me just put Charlie's K-bar in a vice and bend it past 90 degrees watching it snap like a twig, which by the way is the one of the first test of a knife maker. The greatest compliment I ever received was from a man who received one of my Damascus knives as a gift and later told me he had "skun" 25 hogs without having to re-sharpen the knife. Yes many of the knives in this book would be too beautiful to carry, but many of them are just plain high performance steel that I would be proud to carry on my side. To sum it up, I own well over 50 knife making books and videos and would rate my Knives Annuals some of most important I own. In my humble opinion I think that any knife lover would love this book as well.



5. I loved this as I do all the other knives editions. I make knives as a hobby and always have one of these books close at hand for ideas. I must say i disagree with the last reviewer giving it two stars, if you wanted everyday work knives there are numerous companies out there that would be willing to send you a catalogue, if that is what you are into. I feel this edition may be superior to previous editions. In the past some photo's were simply pasted in from professional photographers, now most of the knives have a plain white background, some with multiple views. If you want to know what the professional knifemakers have been up to in the last year or two, this is a great resorce. Enjoy.

No comments about Tiffany Style: 170 Years of Design.

5 comments about Americana the Beautiful: Mid-century Culture in Kodachrome.

1. There is nothing like great images and insight to bring back a long ago era. This book does a great job at setting the stage! Buy it and enjoy!



2. l have always been fascinated by the 1950s, it was like no other era in history,The American dream, good old fashion values, and families.It was portrayed as an era of blissful harmony and peacful existence for all. When l came across this book by charles phoenix, l was delighted, you cannot be amazed by this book of ordinary people, capturing their lives, on film in excellent quality. The fact that these pictures still remain, in wonderful quality taken by amateur photographers is truefully historical. If you never lived through the 1950s, and l didnt, because lm 35 years old, and your only glimpse of this era is in the movies, then this book is a real gem. His other book, californialand, is equally great book, which he showes more of these great photos of ordinary people living in the 50s. Great historical books.



3. Americana the Beautiful is a trip down memory lane; especially for us Baby Boomers.
   
   These old shapshots are great! What a wonderful trip we took every summer when we visited my mother's family in South Carolina. Remember those luggage racks on station wagons? I remember being on the New Jersey Turnpike one time and luggage thtat was tied to the roof blew off. Dad had to pull our station wagon to the side of the road and pick up a suitcase full of diapers for my younest brother!
   
   I have fond memories of the Dairy Queen and the Good Humor mah. The smell was sweet mixed with raw exhaust fumes! What great times those were!



4. Another selection of snaps rescued by Charles Phoenix just before they might have ended up in the local landfill. In the same format as his excellent 'Southern Californialand' (ISBN 1883318424) and so much better than the earlier 'God Bless Americana' book. The two hundred amateur slides feature a rich seam of everyday life full of white middle class detail (which of course does raise the question: didn't colored folk take photos back then or perhaps they never junk them).
   
   Overall I thought the photo selection was fascinating and grouping them in themes worked well. The last few pages have some intriguing architectural and transport slides like the 1964 flying saucer style State Capitol Bank in Oklahoma City or the late fifties General Motors Aerotrain pulling into a station. On page thirty-six onward there are several pages of people at home showing all kinds of domestic activity, food on tables, kitchens, watching home movies or just enjoying company. It's interesting looking at these photos because they are so unlike anything taken by professionals though sometimes the composition, lighting and color does lift them out of the mundane.
   
   Like 'Southern Californialand' the editorial format works well with photos one to a page, allowing for a deep caption or several slides butted together. My only criticism is that sometimes out of focus images are too large, for example the soft-focus Jefferson Drive-in on page ninety-seven would have worked better much smaller or even rejected. Also captions frequently describe in words what the reader can obviously see in the picture but fortunately many of them also have plenty of historical background detail about things in the photos.
   
   Charles Phoenix has hit on a successful publishing genre and there surely will be more titles to come but until the next one you can follow the latest finds on his website.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



5. Charles Phoenix has done it again! We've loved each of his books, and the last few we've bought almost as soon as he released them. This one has even more of Charles' trademark old, but crisp, bright and clear, color Kodakchrome slides, all taken by amateur photographers like you and me (or our parents and grandparents!), from all across America, and all with brief, nondistracting, colorful, very witty and informative commentary. It's a perfect gift for a "Fourth of July" Party. You'll laugh as well as be a little saddened by this colorful, visual reminder of our treasured, more innocent and playful past. Cheers and thanks once again to Charles Phoenix. And if you get a chance, check out his website and go see one of his hilarious live shows or tours.

5 comments about Victorian Fashions Coloring Book (History of Fashion).

1. I loved the idea of a "Victorian" coloring book. The detail was terrific. It was a gift to a childhood friend who I used to sit and color with.



2. I just purchased these Dover COloring Books for my mother and she loves them. The detail is out of this world and the variety of colors you can use are only limited by your inagination. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!



3. This book contains 45 fashion illustrations from 1837 to 1877. Lots of ladies' evening wear, walking costumes, 10 outfits for children and even some dogs are included among many other.
   
   Some of the illustrations are really well done and detailed. However, many of them feels little bit too quickly drawn. Almost every fashion outfit has also some backround - like seashore, garden or room. I agree with the reviewer who thought this book would be better without. Many of these backrounds are really hastily made and actually make whole illustration to look quite chaotic.
   
   However, if you are into this period and you like coloring, I guess you would enjoy this book. It offers nice acitivity for hours.



4. My wife can hardly lay her coloring books down. She has this one on Victoreian fashions and several others, and I am sure she will be ordering more when these are completed.



5. This book is a great treat to anyone interested in Victorian fasion. Or fashion at all, for that matter. I loved coloring it and just imagining life in Victorian times, what with the whalebone corsets and all that! Couple drawbacks: 1)There are a number of pictures with a lot of black already in them. For example, men wearing black suits are already blacked out for you. If you don't mind that, ignore this drawback! 2)Each picture has some background, some more than others. Some of the backgrounds are so complex, the fasion seems almost secondary, which to me is a definite no-no since I bought the book for the fashions, not the landscape! Other than that, this is a fantastic coloring book, with hours of relaxing fun for the coloring and/or fashion enthusiast in your life.

5 comments about The Art of Doubles: Winning Tennis Strategies.

1. Definitely a book to get at whatever level you are at. Lots of good strategies and explanations of shots, placements and tactics.



2. I love this book for the advanced player. Well written, thoughtful and informative. I tried to get my partner (wife) to read it, but she's not the "thinker" type so I had to introduce her to the principles via drills and playing.



3. I've only had this book a few days and have only made it through half so far, but I can already see how this will help improve my doubles game. Growing up, I never really received much instruction on the strategies needed for playing doubles, but this book definitely helps to close that gap. Not only does the author explain how to play smarter doubles tennis, they also explain different strategies that can be used by a doubles tandom. There are also helpful illustrations to show what the author is talking about. I can't wait to get back out on the court and put the information to good use.
   
   For potential buyers, I would like to add that I feel this book has great information even if you are just looking for ways to improve your own doubles play, but to really get the full benefit of this book, I think it's best to share with a doubles partner. Some of the tactics are complicated and wouldn't be successful unless both members of the team were familiar with how to execute them.
   
   One negative review that I saw complained that this book wasn't written for beginners and I totally agree. If you aren't already somewhat familiar with the lingo and tactics of the doubles game, this book isn't for you.



4. Where in the world has this book been all my tennis life? A must-read book for the doubles player seeking to improve his/her game. Every chapter is valuable, every tip should be committed to memory and practiced on the court. Our whole team has ordered and is reading this book to improve our court positioning and strategy skills. And, it is not boring. Instead it is actually riveting. Some parts I had to read 2 or 3 times, just to make sure I fully understood the concept. Not because the writing was poor, but rather because the strategy was so eye opening and new to me that I wanted to make sure "I got it." I highlighted this book like a textbook and plan on rereading it many, many times.
   
   Not for the beginning player, though. Must be at least at the intermediate level.



5. You get a feeling right away that this book isn't going to waste your time. There is real content on every page. I play on a mixed doubles USTA league but I found much of this to be things I didn't know, hadn't figured out and didn't hear from my partners. I particularly liked the way the author mixed psychological tips with court positioning and shot selection. The one reservation I have is that there is a lot here to remember. Still, there are good chapter summaries so once you get the gist of what she's saying you can go to the bullet points to refresh your memory.

No comments about Jane's Guns Recognition Guide 5e (Jane's Guns Recognition Guide).