5 comments about Hopi Kachina Dolls with a Key to Their Identification.

1. This book is one of the best I've seen on the subject of kachina dolls and their carvers. A great reference as well as a strong introduction to the art. Describes the differences between Hopi and Navajo styles, with high quality photos. Along with my Barton Wright, this book is invaluable as a collecting reference book. The appendix includes a big list of Hopi carvers' names and a page of translated symbols.



2. This book will be most helpful to you if you have a Hopi kachina and don't know which one it is (there are several hundred different kachinas). The book shows the different styles of masks and dress of the dolls, and also shows the differences in the little details such as mouths, eye shapes, colors the dolls are painted, feathers, and accessories that the dolls carry. The kachinas are listed with their names in English as well as Hopi, and the functions of the kachinas are given as well. The line drawings are very easy to understand, and the photographs are clear. Many of the dolls shown in this book are the older style non-action dolls (sometimes called "belly-ache dolls" because of the way their hands are positioned in front of their stomachs, as if they had belly aches), but there are some nice photos of more contemporary styled dolls too. I highly recommend this book!



3. This book is a good place to start if you are lookin into collecting katsina's



4. This is by far the best Kachina book on the market. It was written by Harold S. Colton who spent a lifetime studying the Hopi indian culture. I found this book to provide the most accurate details of the Kachina. If you are pursuing an in-depth study of the Kachina, this book is for you.



5. For the most part the depictions of the Kachinas in this book are line drawings of heads. That leaves out about 90% of what you may be interested in seeing.

5 comments about Straight Talk on Decorating from Lynette Jennings.

1. 
   I am an almost pathologically non-visual person who simply can't think outside the box when it comes to shapes, colors, or design or decorating of any kind. It didn't take me long to find that among all the home decorating and craft shows on TV, Lynette Jennings produced by far the most helpful and instructive show for brain-dead people like me.
   
   What DID take me awhile to realize, however, is WHY she is so much better than the others. She approaches each topic just as if she were an instructor in a real-life classroom, albeit with the benefit of being physically placed in beautiful homes and rooms that she can display to the viewer. As a teacher myself, I looked at her with a sort of professional eye, and realized that she was in fact a superbly talented teacher and communicator.
   
   Her book is more of the same outstanding material you get on her show, but this time organized according to various themes, such as how to use color, how to decorate in small spaces, etc. The book is gorgeously illustrated, and includes concrete ideas that can be understood by those of us who lack her instinctive talent for the subjects of decorating and design. Highly recommended!



2. I just recently started to watch Ms. Jennings on the Discovery channel. Shei sfunny, witty, and a delight. She brings real ideas for real people. Please let me know how I can purchas her merchandise? Thank you. Nancy McDougal



3. This is one of my favorite decorating books for two reasons. First, Ms. Jennings is forthright on the importance of arranging your house to suit your lifestyle and provides entertaining examples with nice, big photos. Second, her discussion of color schemes is truly outstanding in its simplicity and thoroughness (and nowhere does she ask the reader to understand tertiary colors). The only flaw, to my mind, is that she mentions regional color schemes based on the local earth, then never provides the full palettes.



4. Still don't know your colors? Get this book. Lynette Jennings does THE best job of helping the reader choose a color scheme. She walks you through an easy, step-by-step process that is so painless, you'll wonder why everyone doesn't know it. Her coverage of related topics in this book are also well done.
   
   This book is worth buying and keeping.



5. Mrs. Jennings does a fine job of helping the reader confront their fear of color/change. She's obviously got years under her belt of hearing the same explanation for 'WHITE' walls over & over that this book screams at you to..."Break Free" from white walls. About a yr prior to reading this...I had started to do so myself...what a breath of fresh air...to slowly be ridding my home..room by room from the sterile, clinical, boring background of white.
   
   Mrs. Jenning spends most of the book dealing with the color issue...& weaved in between are many decorating basics that can certainly get readers going in the right direction.
   My only annoyance with the book..sprinkled here & there...were odd comments like "the answers are within you" type jargon. This may sell books...but the fact of the matter is....fluff like this helps no one...if the answers were already 'within'...we wouldn't need the help of any books ...including Mrs. Jennings'.
   
   For the most part...I really enjoyed it...especially liked the process she went through of dispelling the 9 'myths'.
   
   She's got great taste too...as is demonstrated in her Canadian home...her US home was not quite my style...(Yikes)...but to each his own. She's a real family/friendly designer too...& that really comes across...which is so often lacking in many 'I only exist for photographs' design books that are always in circulation.
   
   Good book...good information...pictures are inspirational!

5 comments about What People Wore: 1,800 Illustrations from Ancient Times to the Early Twentieth Century.

1. This book is the culmination of research done by Mr. Gorsline. He has recreated the illustrations based upon research done primarily in the New York Library system. Many of his drawings have a reference... but that reference isn't formatted in such a way you could actually find out anything useful. For that reason it's not a particularly good choice for serious "historical" costumers. But if you're willing to accept that limitation, it is a nice reference, particularly the collected drawings of hair and head coverings.



2. The black and white illustrations are well researched, and many are reminiscent of fashion plates and other primary resources. While designers and historians should be skeptical of original illustrations because of artistic liberties and accidental changes to the shape, style, and accuracy of the garment, this book is pretty decent/trustworthy.
   
   Gorsline also gives specific dates for the illustrations, which is very helpful in researching, and puts in helpful details like accessories (corsets, gloves, hats, shoes, etc.) and hairstyles. It mentions nationality, when appropriate, as well as the style (the name of the artist, when applicable, that inspired the illustration). It shows a range of variations within a given period, demonstrates different ways to wear various garments, and provides a wonderfully diverse sampling of clothes to give any researching a great start in their exploration. As with all secondary resources, be sure to cross-reference for accuracy.



3. Very informative and exactly what I was looking for: dress for nearly two thousand years and attached pictures.



4. I brought this book for images to use for a history timeline book for an early elementary school student. The purpose was to get a general idea of how people dressed at various times in history. For that purpose, the book is very good. As an added bonus, there are some pictures that are labeled with famous people (eg. Teddy Roosevelt, Queen Elizabeth). There are also pictures related to historical events and different trades (eg. pionoeer, coal miner, etc.). Famous people are missing (eg. no George Washington -- as well as many others). Also, costumes are missing (eg. original KKK costume, but the one that most people think about with KKK is missing). There were also ones that I never thought I would see in the book (eg. Jewish Priest from the Holy Temple period). For our purposes, the book is worth the investment.



5. I really don't believe the good reviews on this book. When I received the book, I thought it couldn't be true. There are lots of pictures, actually only pictures, yes, but they're drawn in such a way that even if they were all accurate re-drawings from primary sources, you cannot figure out how the garment looked. The drawings look like a very poorly done line drawings, with nothing clear - lots of lines that give a flat picture with no details. Besides, as the book covers such a large era, it gives only few pictures for each period and the pictures given are often not very typical for that time. Even Peacock is better than this. In the back, however, is a list of sources the pictures were re-drawn from, so you could actually go and check the accuracy. I do not recommend this book to anyone unless someone who has absolutely no clue about costume history and does not care about watching at nice pictures and seeing details.

1 comments about The Restoration of Engravings, Drawings, Books, and Other Works on Paper (Getty Trust Publications: Getty Conservation Institute).

1. Surprisingly, this recognized classic has not heretofore appeared in English. This translation is the 1950 revised and expanded version of Scweidler's book in German first published in 1938. The subtitle of the title page of the 1950 edition (which is shown in facsimile) is "Past Mistakes and New Methods in the Removal of Age-related Damage to Cultural Treasures in the Graphic Arts." The editor Perkinson notes in his Introduction that Schweidler wrote, "In our field one may not create the new, but bring the old into order." In relation to this, the editor notes that Schweidler's approach to the restoration of old works on paper was that of a doctor to the cure of a patient. The author would agree as recognized by his use of German words which can be translated as "patients" (for pictures), "recuperation" (for a state after certain operations are done), and "surgery" (for the removal of certain problems). With his old-time craftsman's love of his craft, knowledge of its techniques, expertise in applying them, his connoisseur's attachment to different kinds of works on paper, and his assumption that his readers share his love and appreciation and are truly interested in learning the techniques to put old works on paper back "into order," Schweidler is the perfect teacher for this unsung, challenging, and demanding craft. He imparts a complete course from collecting old paper for restoration work through handling both old works and their restoration materials, the use of chemicals, and specialized topics such as The Chemical Treatment of Painted Rice Paper to storage for long-term preservation. Some of Schweidler's techniques are now widely-known in the field of professional preservationists and even among amateurs. Nonetheless, this work is still invaluable not only for Schweidler's meticulous guidance, but also for its editor's Introduction and many notes and the frequent useful illustrations.

1 comments about Trees (National Audubon Society First Field Guide).

1. Like the other "first guides" this book on trees is both a study guide and a field guide. The study guide explains the differences between broadleaf and needle trees, seeds and cones of trees, how a forest comes to be, why forest fires can be helpful (some cones are triggered to release seeds only in intense heat) and more. The guide is full color beautiful photos of the most likely to be found trees on the left page, and similar trees with smaller pictures on the right. The right size and content for young kids, not too much info to make it confusing, but enough to get a fire of curiosity going.

2 comments about A guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins: A Complete History and Price Guide (Official Red Books).

1. Dave Bowers has shown us all once again his superb writing skills and in-depth Numismatic knowledge with this fairly new release on what just may be the worlds most popular gold coin, the US Double Eagle. All that is missing from this superb date by date analysis of the US double eagle gold coins guidebook is up to date pricing information, which of course has seen many changes ( most to the upside) since the release of this book.
   Whether you are investing in these coins or collecting them , this is one of the guidebooks you need to study this facinating and important series of US gold coins. As a professional coin dealer and specialist in double eagles, I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in these coins. Buy the book before you buy the coins!



2. I've just started collecting Double Eagles and this book offered many interesting details and excellent photos of all Double Eagles. There is good historical background offered also.

2 comments about Baubles, Buttons and Beads: The Heritage of Bohemia.

1. A beautifully done & informative book. I've enjoyed all of Jargstorf's books & feel they are an important contribution in an area where so few substantive works are available. This holds even more true with regards to beads of Bohemian origin...If you are interested in beads in general, it's recommended; beads of bohemian & czech origin, it's essential reading.



2. To further my passion for beautiful well made vintage jewelry I looked for books to help me. Realising that the Bohemian style was an inspiration, I searched for any books suitable. This book filled every need and interest. The photos are beautiful with many full family histories and photos of the makers and the often tragic end to the Bohemian dynasties because of wars.
   I use my book constantly and have gained so much from the detailed descriptions, the families and the great variation in the Bohemian glass industry, both jewelry and other glass objects. I certainly recommend this book.

5 comments about Child of the Wolves.

1. Child of the Wolves is a very adorable story about finding your place and where you belong. Child of the Wolves is about a husky puppy Granite, who runs away after he is going to be sold away from his mother and brothers. While in the woods, Granite finds a wolf pack, and through the rest of the story, tries to find his place within the pack, going from the very bottom and moving his way upward. The story is a cute one, and is recommended for anyone who likes dog books and is most appropriate for children 8-12. However, it may appeal to some older readers as well who are looking for a quick read.



2. This book is a vey heart warming book when it comes to trying to fit in. Granite kept trying to fit in and never gave up. That's what made the story so interesting. It was scary in some parts and down right sad in others. Granite was lucky to be taken in by a member of a wolf pack that didn't care if he was a wolf or not. Granite really shows that size and breed dosn't really matter when it comes to living a life.



3. This book is about a dog that is going to be sold to a guy who likes sled dogs. But granite the dog is scared so he runs away into the woods where he is found by a pack of wolves. They feel sorry for him so they let him be with the pack. Snowdrift a white wolf. Is like his mom she teaches him to hunt and smell for game. Later in the book no one really likes granite because he is not a very good hunter. But then snowdrift is about to fall off a cliff. And granite takes her out before she can fall and die.
   
   I would give this book a 4 because it was not that great of book. I did not really like the ending because i thought that it just kind of felt like there was no ending.
   
   (...)



4. I have always loved this book. It is well-writen and serious and makes the wolves into characters without getting overly human and sentimental about them. Decently realistic in the depiction of pack life this book follows Granite, a husky pup who escapes from man and is adopted by a wolf pack. While the ending is somewhat cheesy the book as a whole is solid.



5. Child of the Wolves is an inchantingly magical book. Even though Elizabeth Hall has only wrote 3 books she has mastered the talent of writing and you can espesally see it in this book. Grainite, a Siberian Husky puppy is being sold along with his brothers and sister, but he does not want to leave his mother and his siblings so when the mysterious man that wants him takes him out of his cage, Grainite runs for the woods. He feels alone and afraid until a beautiful white wolf named Snowdrift who has just lost her litter to pochers takes him in and lets him join the pack. There he meets new friends but stioll gets rejected from many pack members who think he will just slow the pack down on a hunt because he is only a dog. This is a wonderful story about a dog that just wants to fit in and be accepted. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves animals and who loves a great adventure in the Alaskan wilderness.

2 comments about The 1912 and 1915 Gustav Stickley Craftsman Furniture Catalogs.

1. The photography is the old original work, and while it's not up to today's standards it is nice. There are prices for each piece, which is amusing, seeing a $12 price for a table.

   There are measurements for most of the pieces, which is not surprising as the furniture was sold via catalog. There are no plans, this is from a catalog to sell furniture, not plans. But, between the pictures and the measurements you can develop your own plans.

   There is also some history and text pages from Stickley's catalog/magazine.




2. The best candidates for this book are those who have purchased or are planning to purchase a Craftsman-style home; however, that should not exclude those who just want to replicate the style in their decor. Although there are many style characteristics of the Arts & Crafts era that are easily identified, this book sheds light on a wide spectrum of pieces with literal authenticity.

   While not a complete collection (items such as light switch coverplates and heating register covers are not included) these reproductions of Stickley's catalogs are the perfect foundation for those looking to purchase Craftsman-style interior accents.

   If you desire to maintain as much as possible the look of the Arts & Crafts movement in your interior design, this book should definitely be a staple in your library.

No comments about Simple & Stylish Patterns for Dolls' Hats & Shoes: For 18-Inch, 14-Inch and 8-Inch Dolls (Creative Crafters Series).