5 comments about Sailors' Valentines.

1. I just gave this as a gift to my sister, who's thinking about designing and making a sailor's valentine. She's THRILLED! What a wonderful book for the collector, crafter, or antique fancier. Beautifully done. Fondas identifies many of the shells used in these examples. A breathtaking volume that's sure to become a collector's item in its own right.



2. This is a beautiful and different book. But, be warned if you are giving it as a gift to someone. The book comes wrapped in plastic and I did not flip through the book before giving it. There is a VERY inappropriate picture of "naked people up to something" in it. Fortunately the gift recipient thought it funny as opposed to being offended.



3. A very beautiful, high-quality book. I first saw it at a kaleidoscope show and after a look at a few of the pictures, you will understand why. The photos are exquisite and it all comes in a unique presentation box. Well worth the price.



4. Very interesting, good history,and enjoyable reading. I reccomend for ages 9 on. One will want to travel to the beach and begin a hobby in shell collecting just to build a Sailors' Valentine.



5. A cleaverly package book. Nice pictures of old Valentines, however using one with a questionable picture spoils the entire book.

5 comments about Helen Kish: The Artist and Her Dolls.

1. Thrilled with this edition.. wonderful photographic record of her productions.I have used it many times already to identify a doll before a purchase and in discussion with other collectors on internet groups
   
   As a collector and admirer of the work by Artist HElen Kish, , it was enjoyable to read her personal bio..
   
   ..a must for anyone who collects Kish dolls



2. This is a wonderful book. A must for all Kish collectors. The photography is beautiful.



3. This book is very helpful especially to the new collector of Helen Kish dolls. It provides interesting historical information about the artist, as well as lots of good photos and information about the dolls themselves. I refer to the book often to help identify Kish dolls made in the past. While I am glad to own the book and think it's a good value I would have liked more information on which dolls were made in the USA and which were handpainted by Kish herself. I rate the book FOUR stars.



4. This is a well rounded book of Helen's past, previous, and current dolls. She is a talented artist and has a very human side to her too! You can see her talent and creativity improve page by page. Her struggles getting noticed by worldwide and national doll and sculpture collectors increases gradually until she is so popular that she finally gets a book about her career as an artist.
   So many of my dolls by Helen is in this book that I finally have a doll artist book that I will cherished because I can identify most on them in this book. I love the color photos of her work. I haven't read every page yet; but it seems to be accurate.
   I've also had the advantage of meeting this wonderful artist in person several times at doll events and conventions and she is as wonderful as described in the book. Helen is very down to earth and her husband and daugther are her greatest supporters.
   
   The most popular doll that has made Helen superpopular is little Riley!
   That little 7 and 1/2 inch doll has so much attitude and has taken over the hearts of many doll collectors worldwide.
   
   I also love Helen for adding many ethnic dolls to my collection and I cherished them very much. I have one of her ethnic black little boys and he is in this book on page 48 and his name is Bailey.
   
   If you are a new or old collector of Helen Kish; you will love to have this book in your collection.
   
   Enjoy, Lena



5. Love the book. It has lot's of great pictures of Helen Kish dolls (some that I have and love) and interesting info about Helen.

No comments about Scott 2007 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: C - F (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 2 Countries C-F).

4 comments about Basic Model Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby (Model Railroader Books).

1. This book has just about everything a beginner need to become familiar with the hobby of model railroading. It has everything from choosing the correct scale and gague, to how to maintain a well-tuned railroad, to the scenery of your layout. I am sure that as I grow in the hobby, this book will be used time and again as a wonderful quick reference of how to do just about everything in the hobby.



2. Good book for anyone to that is just starting on model railroading, even a the more advanced railroader would find some of the topics covered usefull



3. It is one thing to be interested in getting started on a model railroad and it is quite a different thing to actually know what to do. Anyone can take a basic train set and add some more track to it but such an unorganized approach soon leads to an unwieldy and expensive mess that will probably not be very enjoyable. This book goes a long way in remedying that problem.
   
   It just covers the basics but it covers a lot of them. That includes track, running gear, wiring, scenery, model building, foliage and much else... even photography. It covers none of these things in any depth but it does provide a starting place and allow a novice to ask intelligent questions. It is a needed resource for a beginner.



4. Covers a lot of topics, but not at all in depth. This wasn't written as a book, it is just a bunch of reprints from Model Railroader magazine.
   
   An example of something I was hoping to find: info on how to lay flex-track. It says to lay it out, cut it, nail it down. I knew that! I was looking for tips on HOW to cut it so the rail joints make properly.
   
   I really wouldn't recommend this book. You would be better off to go to a library and review back issues of Model Railroader.

5 comments about Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques.

1. This book should say that it only covers techniques from the late Victorian era through the turn of the century. Earlier techniques are not covered, otherwise it is a good book. If you are looking for dressmaking techniques prior to near the turn of the century, look elsewhere...



2. Victoria was queen from 1837-1901.
   A reprinted dressmaking book from 1905 should not have it's title changed to include the word "Victorian". It's very misleading.
   This book is for the S front pidgeon breasted style of Edwardian clothing only.
   It does not even mention bustles, hoopskirts, fitted bodices, or any of the other key elements that defined Victorian costume.

   This book does not include any patterns, but it does tell you how to alter and sew garments from existing patterns, and might be useful if you have some vintage patterns that you'd like to adjust and use.

   I am highly disappointed and I plan to return this book.




3. I make reproductions costumes for our NYS Historic Preservation Costume Department. I have been trying without success to find an authentic 1885 Norfolk Suit and knickerbockers to replicate for a boy aged 8 years old. This wonderful sewing manual had a detailed description of both. Although it was written in 1905, the sewing techniques have been the same for many, many years. This manual is my most treasured for authentic techniques of the Victorian/Edwardian era.



4. I've had it a year and the binding is unraveling. The information in this book is very useful. Some improvements to the text, illustrations and binding in the book and it would've made it a 5 star book.



5. As others have stated this book is more Edwardian period fashions and not Victorian, although one must remember that many of the same sewing techniques where used since not many people could afford to own a sewing machine. It shows how to sew even stitching by HAND which would be period correct for victorian or Edwardian sewing. Having studied and made civil war period clothing I found this book invaluable to recreate hemms, hand sewn plackards on skirts with hook and eye closures and how to finish the bottom of a boned bodice with NO lining in it. I would have been lost trying to figure all this out on my own. This book has wonderful illistrations of hand sewing and photographs from the early 1900's.

5 comments about Lucia, Lucia: A Novel.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. She's a little gullible, but I appreciated her just the same!



2. I BOUHT THIS FOR MY STEPMOTHER AND AUNT. THEY REALLY ENJOY HER BOOKS



3. Lucia Sartori is described as the most beautiful girl in Greenwich Village. But Lucia was born a generation too soon because being a feminist in 1950's New York is most unsettling to her family and suitors. Plus, her bitter aunt put a curse on her in infancy that she would die of a broken heart. Curses aside, the future looks bright for an intelligent young woman who knows what she wants and is willing to work hard to get it.
   
   We first meet Lucia when she is seventy-eight years old and living in a walk-up apartment. She invites her young neighbor, Kit Zanetti, up for tea one afternoon. An aspiring playwright, Kit is intrigued by the mementos in Lucia's apartment and wants to know more about her interesting past. Turning the clock back over fifty years, Lucia begins to tell the story of her life.
   
   This reader was captivated by Trigiani's cast of lovable and often quirky characters that populated the Sartori household. Lucia's four older brothers provided laughter and tears but it was Mama and Papa, the doting parents, who shone like jewels in this story rich with family and friends. As Lucia recounts, they may have been taught that Papa was the head of the household, but it was Mama who ran the show. From Lucia's best friend Ruth to Delmarr, her affable boss at B. Altman's Department Store, and Rosemary, the sister-in-law she never expected, I was swept into Lucia's life and completely in tune with her on every page.
   
   Her love story with fiancé Dante DeMartino and her life-long infatuation with the dashing John Talbot provide a roller coaster of emotions as Lucia confronts the life she wants for herself and sets out to claim it. Heartbreaking moments as well as those of pure joy are neatly wrapped up in the arms of this Italian family who may have lots of advice you never want to hear but are there with open arms when you need them the most.



4. I know you have a lot of loyal fans who love your work. I like your work too, but I believe you have it in you to do a lot better than you do. This book is a nice light read, pretty good popular fiction.
   
   BUT Italian Americans need a LITERATURE to document the early years, and the meter is ticking. Movies & TV have shown the world some wonderful Italian family portraits, but they are crime family portraits, they do not portray the everyday vibrancy of the many Little Italies all over the US. In another generation the knowledge will be totally lost. The Jewish immigrant experience has a deep well of wonderful fiction and LITERATURE.
   
   Please, Adriana, give us some LITERATURE. I believe you have it in you to be a Philip Roth or Bernard Malamud, but you have to do better.
   
   This is the best of your books that I've read, but, each of Lucia's brothers has the same personality. Lucia's awareness of herself, because it transcends what could be expected for 1951, has to be developed through illustration, for instance observing her mother's role and treatment in the family. The same is true of the collision with Dante's mother. More shading of experience, personality and expectation should precede the dinner. Some of the dialog is just plain sloppy, the characters use terms not in common use in 1951. The vocabulary and grammar of Lucia's father, not the content of what he says, needs tuning. Etc.
   
   Adriana, you can do it. Give the world some Italian American LITERATURE. Your books will take longer to write, but they will live forever.



5. This was my first novel by this author and I had not read a review; so I had no preconceived notions. I listened to the audio version of the book that was read by Cassandra Campbell and she does a good job with the character impersonations. It is about 8-10 hours of listening time on unabridged CD. The story has a nice pace and the clothes, food, and customs of the time are colorfully descibed.
   
   This novel takes place in the early 1950's and is centered on a close-knit Italian-American family from Greenwich Village. Lucia is the youngest and was an early feminist, well before careers and professions were normal for women. She is described as beautiful, fashionable, and is a talented seamstress, but what I found most endearing was her integrity and devotion to her friends and family. This is Lucia's life story, as told by 80-year-old Lucia to her young neighbor Kit, who is an aspiring playwright.
   
   As in any life story or family drama, there are some good times and some traumatic / emotional events. I'm not sure if it is the author's writing style or the voice actor's method, but there is always a background aura of foreboding as the story is being told. Some of the events are plainly foreshadowed, but non-the less heart wrenching. If I had to describe this book to someone, I would say it is part "Moonstruck" with the strong Italian family background, part "Titanic" with the love story and bittersweet ending, and part "Under the Tuscan Sun" where an independent woman attempts to get through her heartbreak. This is not a romance and may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy a well-written saga with a lot of emotion, I strongly recommend this book to you.

4 comments about The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths.

1. An excellant companion book to any study of mondern Nihon-to and classical Nihon-to. Detailed descriptions of swords, and great biographical material on the smiths. The son of Yoshihara Yohindo, who wrote "The Craft of the Japanese Sword", is among those interviewed. He has become a respected & licensed smith since his father's book was published in 1985.

   I own this book. One of the 1st bought when i started my studies of Nihon-to.




2. This book is going to be one of those books that will become legendary in the nihonto world. A very facinating look into todays up and coming smiths, their work, and where they see the future of the sword is going. An absolute must for the library, and an excellent resource for nihonto collectors!



3. This book interviews twenty blade smiths and also has interviews with polishers, too!
   
   The reader will be enriched by the thoughts and experiences of these craftsmen and gain a greater appreciation for their craft.
   
   This is a great reference book for anyone studying or even remotely interested in modern Nihon-to and classical Nihon-to.



4. This is an excellent book for the novice and high-end collector alike. If you own, study or are interested in the Japanese Sword, then you must add this volume to your library. This is about the lives and work of 20 top swordsmiths of Japan, their craft, methods,insights and open discussions about shinsakuto, the modern day Japanese Sword, forged only in the rigid standards of the old school smiths.

5 comments about Maxfield Parrish.

1. I, like you, want to own Daybreak--perhaps more so than any other painting. Sometimes an illustration entertains, perhaps greatly. Some evoke admiration, even gaping admiration. In the case of several Parrish paintings, admiration is merely the aftertaste of a much more powerful emotion: the craving to be in the space the artist has created, to have or to be the characters therein. A desire to truly exit this world and remain in the other. The list of works that affect me in that way starts off like this: It's A Wonderful Life, Oz, Narnia, Harry Potter's magical England, Parrish's Daybreak & Land of Make-Believe & Air Castles et al., Robert Heinlein's Glory Road, ERB's A Princess Of Mars... We read or watch or view them over and over again in an attempt to ease the longing.

   This volume satisfied that craving long enough for me to catch my breath.




2. This book has always been the "essential" Maxfield Parrish reference for me. It contains page after page of information about the artist's incredible personal and professional life. It also goes into great depth detailing the illustrator's perfected (and tedious) technique of creating illustrations. From crafting meticulous miniatures for layout to the final process of layering oil glazes onto the canvas. It's all there.
   
   I would highly recommend this book to Illustrators, art teachers, and overall art enthusiasts who want to expand their knowledge about illustration and a true master of the past. This book has been cited in other publications such as "Step by Step Graphics" for the depth analysis of his technique.
   
   My only small criticism is that I would've liked to seen more color prints within the book. A few too many black and white reproductions of the artwork. That aside, I feel this book is of tremendous value.



3. The version of this book that I own is from the second printing (1974). What a beautiful book! In some ways Parrish seems to be the dreamy counterpart to Norman Rockwell. An amazing attention to detail and lighting. To reiterate a point raised in other reviews, this book would benefit from more color plates, but that is a minor criticism. While I have not yet purchased any of the other books in print on Maxfield's work...this is a fine place to start. There is a generous sampling of landscapes, product advertisements and magazine covers. Recommended!



4. A comprehensive survey of the artist's work, it covers not just his paintings, but also his posters, advertising and magazine and book illustration and the murals. Very well illustrated and with a comprehensive text it chronicles the artist's development and his vast array of work.
   
   One of the most interesting chapters is that which explains in detail the methods Parrish employed to achieve his remarkable results. This includes his use of photography and the painstaking glazing techniques he employed.
   
   A very interesting and useful publication; it is not one that sits idly on my book shelf.



5. Note: I made some immature person angry by giving negative reviews of books written to "prove the Book of Mormon." Rather than answer my criticism, this person automatically gives my reviews negative votes. Oh, well.
   
   Your "helpful" votes are appreciated, and please remember that a short review is not necessarily a bad review if it leads you to a great book.
   
   I love "Daybreak" (see cover) with a nude figure standing above a girl sleeping in a columned pavilion. If you like this painting, then check out different reproductions (the colors vary widely and change the nature and mood of the painting. Really change it.
   
   "Twilight" is another great painting. For me, it is evocative of a great mystery. You want to step into that farm yard and explore the house and barn. No people are shown, but it gives me the feeling that ghosts live there (without being scary--in a dreamy sense).
   
   "Afterglow" is also intreguing, showing a New England church as the stars come out.
   
   The book is full of both color and black-and-white illustrations. I would love to see "Landing of the Brazen Boatman" in color. A robed figure is walking down some stairs of a strange temple while a boatman awaits.
   
   What a gift of imagination Maxfield Parrish left to the world!
   
   Highly recommended.

4 comments about Stamp Collecting for Dummies.

1. I have always thought the Dummies series of books were some of the best-written "How To" books on the market. This one lives up to that reputation.

   Mr. Sine has produced a well-written, clear guidebook for both new and experienced collectors. He manages to cover the subject without getting bogged down in the jargon of the hobby. His style and wit are welcome in a hobby whose literature can at times be very dry.

   This is a good guide to a great hobby.




2. I have always thought the Dummies series of books were some of the best-written "How To" books on the market. This one lives up to that reputation.

   Mr. Sine has produced a well-written, clear guidebook for both new and experienced collectors. He manages to cover the subject without getting bogged down in the jargon of the hobby. His style and wit are welcome in a hobby whose literature can at times be very dry.

   This is a good guide to a great hobby.




3. This volume in the 'Dummies' series is written with a humorous light touch that makes it especially attractive to the Dummy who knows he is one and doesn't need to be reminded that he is one by being frog-marched through impenetrable jargon. In addition, Richard Sine or his editor have had the foresight to break the topics he treats up into very small sections and subsections.
   
   The result is a light-hearted but content-rich introduction to the topic, one that this reviewer is only beginning to explore.
   
   I cannot imagine a more effective starting point for the would-be stamp collector or - like me - the person who needs to know before he invests time and treasure whether this is something he's going to be able to manage.



4. When you are American and want to start a collection of American stamps, this is the book for you.
   The book contains some really nice tips e.g. how to set up a reference collection. However, I would have like to see some more technical stuff e.g. on how to identify watermarks (and especially when its not straightforward). It also is a pity that the author spends a lot of time on American stamps (and I am not American :) ), askPhil and the fact that you can also start a thematic collection. In so many pages the author could and should have covered a lot more ground.
   So definitely not a book for intermediate level collectors or people interested in the world outside the USA.

No comments about Metallic Cartridge Conversions: The History of the Guns & Modern Reproductions.