1 comments about The Big Book of Farmall Tractors: The Complete Model-By-Model Encyclopedia...Plus Classic Toys, Brochures, and Collectibles.

1. Covers the farmall tractor family very well for those years most appropriate for collecting and restoring. Pictures are outstanding and a great aid to someone restoring am incomplete tractor. Just enough technical data to establish advances in capability and options to aid selection of a favorite to acquire or covet, but not enough to do any serious restoring. A very nice and easy to follow review of the great Farmall line. Absolutely fantastic pictures.

2 comments about Language of the Robe: American Indian Trade Blankets.

1. Over three hundred photos beautifully spice a history and survey of pre-World War II Indian trade blankets, revealing not only examples from the five major manufacturers, but some surprises confronting the common myth of Native blanket-making. Collectors, textile artists and Native American history enthusiasts alike receive a thorough survey of these blankets, how they became a symbol of Native history, and how they were traded and constructed. From machinery purchases and business transactions within the manufacturing industry to how tribal customers directed the Indian trade blanket designs and manufacturing process, LANGUAGE OF THE ROBE is a fascinating, unusual history.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. "...an Omaha girl was seen flitting among the tall prairie flowers, shifting her white blanket to suit her varying moods - now letting it float as she swept in ever-widening curves, or at the slightest sound, hiding her glossy head and laughing among its soft folds." ~The Omaha Tribe, Alice Fletcher
   
   Robert W. Kapoun documents the wide variety of trade blankets in this fascinating study of Native American culture. He describes the blanket as a poetic statement that is given a voice by the wearer. If you have ever wrapped a blanket around yourself for comfort or used a scarf as a fashion statement, then you begin to understand how a robe can create various moods and gives the wearer a sense of fashion.
   
   "These blankets are not merely being worn to provide warmth; they create a statement, if you will, which says, "These blankets are part of our culture." ~Robert W. Kapoun
   
   The writing in this book is especially poetic and while learning about the cultural significance of the blankets, you may also start to feel a deeper connection with nature. These blankets promote a sense of community and are used as gifts, to carry children, to display wealth and to protect from the elements.
   
   The designs on the robes make an interesting study when you see the charts for the terminology of the designs. Then this becomes art appreciation as you identify a dragonfly, a feather, clouds, lightning, turtles, teepees, rabbit ears, birds and leaves. The brightly colored blankets either have stripes or intricately woven patterns. This book identifies collectible blankets and also explores the historical significance.
   
   The way to find modern versions of these blankets here at Amazon is to apparently type in "Pendleton Woolen Mills." I tried just about everything else.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review

5 comments about Chinese Domestic Furniture in Photographs and Measured Drawings (Dover Books on Furniture).

1. This book is worth the money. I was looking for book on Chinese furniture as a resource for woodworking. This book is a Dover reprint of a limited edition by Gustav Ecke in 1944. Inside are about 160 plates most of which are black and white pictures, though some are drawings. I believe one will get a good overview from the plates. I found the text a little less informative than the plates but pictures are what I was looking for.



2. Very few books on furniture - Chinese or otherwise - do as successful a job. Not only is the history discussed and the pages well illustrated (in black and white), but timeless scholarly discourse is offered and revealing disective drawings provided. This is a must and you will see how the author has laid the foundation for more recent works on the subject since it has become vogue.



3. Good book but it would have been nice to have more detail about the joinery and construction basics of Chinese furniture.
   
   Still it's a nice one...



4. I was amazed by the furniture in this book. The drawings illustrate a level of craftsmanship that is stunning and humbling to a western wood-worker. The joinery is something to be aspired to and was inspiring to me.



5. gustav ecke/s book gives excellent photos of a wide range of chinese furniture. Some of the illustatrations of the joiney were not as clear as we would like, but nonetheless it is a commendable effort in bringing to the forefront the wonderful harmony, symmetry, and proportion of chinese furniture. I used this book as a reference to view some excellent examples of chinese furniture at the nelson atkins museum kansas city mo.The book lacked any details of tools and techiques. I am guessing that the reason for that is the author is an academic not a craftsman

2 comments about Classic Wicker Furniture.

1. I was given a copy of this book many years ago my by Mother-in-Law, who was the one that started me on my career of wicker restoration and seat weaving.

   Over the years, I have restored many chairs that were listed in this book. I used the Heywood Brothers manufacturer's catalog as a guide for repairing chairs and could visualize what the weave was to be, if some of it was missing from the chair I was working on, because of the excellent line drawings. It was also fun to see what names they assigned to each particular piece of furniture.

   Through the use of this book, I was also able to date the wicker pieces that I repaired and in so doing, was able to give my customer a bit of historical information, which they truely loved.

   My original copy is very dog-eared and worn, so I will probably buy a new copy soon! Kudos to Richard Saunders for compiling all this information and doing so much research to enable the book to be on the market.




2. This is a copy of a catalog full of wicker furniture. If that is what your looking for then by all means get a copy and enjoy all the B/W illustrations of some very finely crafted wicker.

5 comments about Collectible Wristwatches (Collectibles).

1. This is a lovely book for the price. 384 pages in a square format, each page shows a watch in color with a short caption. Other reviewers have commented that the there is very little technical information, very true but I think the book is aimed at buyers who want an introduction to collecting wristwatches. I got a copy because I'm interested in product design and as a publication designer I thought the book was nicely produced.

   Having looked through the book I am intrigued as to why nearly all of these watches are lacking in any kind of elegance. Even the expensive well known makes use dreadful typography for the numbers, have chunky looking minute and hour hands, thick cases and generally clutter the dials with unnecessary markings. I do think there are good looking watches though, page ninety-two shows a simple, elegant Patek Phillipe from the fifties and page sixty-six has a Vacheron Costantin. I'll continue to wear my neat Rotary GS 00898/03.

   Amazon has over six hundred books listed under Clocks and Watches, this inexpensive little book is a good start to your time-piece library.




2. Some of the not so complimentary reviews which I read about this book on Amazon.com do not do the book justice. I think Pannier's book is meant to show would-be watch collectors that collecting watches can be fun. It was never meant to be a comprehensive guide to any particular brand. I think Pannier chose a good selection of collectible watches. Five of the watches which I own happen to be featured in her book. Buy it, because it is a very relaxing book to read.



3. I had never realized before that all watches were made for men. Not a single watch appears in this book which was designed to be worn by women.

   (Almost?) all of the watches in the book were modern.

   I also agree with the other reviewer who indicated that information is scant to the point of non-existence. There is a brief introduction which is moderately interesting, but the rest of the book consists of a picture of one watch per page with precious little information about the watch; primarily the comments consist of comments on the watch's appearance, which I can see for myself.

   If you want a huge amount of information about watches, try Shugart. If you want a coffee table book with old and new watches, great pictures, but not much information, just an eye feast with a sense of design development over time, Judy isn't bad. If you like watches not just from the technical aspect but also as items of jewelry, Jeanenne Bell is coming out with a book in May that should satisfy.




4. Contents are low and false. Example, the book tells Vacheron Constantin is founded by Francois Constantin 1755, when it was Jean-Marc Vacheron. Charles Constatin entered the firm 1819(!).
   Lousy pics of uninteresting watches. It's now in the dustbin, where it belongs.
   Beware!!



5. A lot of the watches in this collection are fairly expensive, and I'm thinking that anyone who is collecting at this level would have no use for this book at all.

2 comments about Strength to Your Sword Arm: Selected Writings.

1. Reading Brenda Ueland's essays are like chatting with an old friend. Her description, enthusiasm, and sheer enjoyment of writing permeate every page of this charming book. Each essay is short--between 2 and 4 pages--and deals with a single topic, making it possible to skip between topics rather than read from page one. Her characters are colorful and wonderfully drawn--you will feel as if you were sitting in the park with her, listening to this marvelous woman telling tales of her amazing life!



2. A woman who lived with passion, spunk, and humor, Brenda Ueland is an inspiration to women writers, and especially to writers of memoir. Her style is unbridled and totally original; her voice bounces off the page and engages the reader. Her book of advice on writing, IF YOU WANT TO WRITE, is a classic, and I recommend it (at the top of my list) to all students in my writing workshops. STRENTH TO YOUR SWORD ARM is a fine collection of articles, essays, and newspapers columns written by Ueland. An added bonus in this book is the delightful foreward written by memoirist Susan Allen Toth. Overall, this book is a wonderful way to learn more about Brenda Ueland. Clearly, there is no one else like her. -- Cindy La Ferle, columnist and author of Writing Home. www.laferle.com

3 comments about Warman's Star Wars Field Guide: Values And Identification.

1. This book is not as complete as "Tomart's Price Guide to Worldwide Star Wars Collectibles", but it is far more useful as a pure pricing guide than Beckett's "Official Price Guide to Star Wars Memorabilia". It's small (about 4" x 5") but contains over 500 pages, including 250 color photos.
   
   The items are arranged clearly and logically into 20 categories, with brief but useful introductory paragraphs alerting you to important background about each category. A very handy pocket reference tool to carry with you when attending a trading convention, flea market, or anywhere else you're looking to buy or sell Star Wars memorabilia.



2. this is a great book i love it and its very interesting! Great information and pricing !



3. This is perhaps Mr. Wells' best Star Wars book yet. It's cleverly modeled after a the type of field guide used by bird watchers. It's very small (five inches tall, four inches wide, and a little over one inch thick), and contains a great SAMPLE of full-color images on high-quality semi-gloss paper. For example, there is at least one sample images -- and usually even more -- of each card type from the original Star Wars action figure line (Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Power of the Force, Droids, and Ewoks). There are also sample images of most of the new carded figures from the 1990s all the way up to 2004. And that's not all... There are sample images for dozens of other items, too! Vintage examples include loose figures, 12" figures, Topps trading cards, comic books, vehicles, playsets, lunchboxes, glasses, etc.. Newer items include Lego, Hallmark ornaments, and newer trading cards, comic books, etc..
   
   That said, this book is NOT, nor was it designed to be, even close to 100% comprehensive with regard to images (it just gives you a sample image or two of each type of item so you will be able to identify something when you come across it). But, it DOES include fairly comprehensive lists of most items in most genres (both vintage and new), and a pretty reasonable price guide for each item it lists (I'm not a big fan of price guides, but the prices in this book are at least as good as any other I've seen).
   
   It is not the best or most comprehensive Star Wars collectable book out there (if that's what you want, I recommend John Kellerman's Star Wars Vintage Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors). But, that book costs a lot more and you can't and wouldn't want to carry it around with you. This Star Wars Field Guide contains tons of photos and valuable information in a small, high-quality package.

5 comments about The Society.

1. I like this book. Yes, some of the characters are stereotypical... but I think that's because of the way the narrator does his narration... the writing didn't stereotype the physicians, for example, as much as the narrator switching to a snooty, erudite delivery whenever he read a doctor's lines did. The plot was good and the end caught me totally off-guard. That's always nice. Too many books out there are too predictable. There are parts that could have been more thoroughly developed, but overall, I really liked it.



2. Dr. Will Grant, an interesting character speaking out for HMO reforms gets himself involved in an exciting medical thriller with murders, scandals, and lady cops. This book held my interest and definitely gets you thinking about who can you trust in the health care industry.



3. I really have enjoyed all of Michael Palmer's books, but I'm shocked that an actual physician like Palmer would be pushing socialized medicine in a fiction novel. Quite obviously Palmer is thrilled with Great Britain and Canada's government health care and doesn't know of the massive problems for patients trying to get timely care, nor does he realize the cost to the citizens of these countries. He hasn't done his research, but like many famous authors, he's a socialist. The story is great, the premise is faulty...and let me ask Michael this...what are the waste and fraud figures for Medicare and Medicaid alone which is run by the government, not to mention the ponzi scheme of social security. This doesn't even mention how poorly the government education is in government schools these days, nor does it mention the failure of so many postal workers to be able to read well enough to properly deliver mail. If Palmer likes socialized medicine so much, let him move to the countries that offer it...quite obviously our government has proven time and again that they cannot do as well as private enterprise in anything. Constitutionally, we are to be responsible for ourselves...it is NOT THE GOVERNMENTS responsibility to take care of people if they don't take care of themselves.



4. Note: This review is based on the audio CD (11 discs, 13 hours) - which is performed by J. Charles and is highly recommended, the reading itself deserves a five star rating
   
   This murder mystery/detective story/medical thriller begins slowly as the author introduces the central character, Dr Will Grant and then provides the reader with the initial pieces of the complex puzzle that will gradually unfold. Dr. Grant is a member of the Boston chapter of the Hippocrates Society, and organization formed to combat the deleterious effect which its members believe the for-profit managed care companies have exerted on the practice of medicine. However, the pace quickly picks up as Dr. Grant's visibility and strong opinions quick bring him to the attention of rookie detective Patty Moriarty, who is investigating the high profile murders of several local managed-care CEOs.
   
   The killer, who leaves cryptic clues at each scene and claims to bear a personal grudge against the industry, soon contacts Dr. Grant anonymously and attempts to recruit him as a spokesman for his grievances. Of course, this further increases the police investigators' suspicions of the doctor, particularly Wayne Brasco, the detective who has been put in charge of the case to Patty's dismay and is attempting in every way possible to demean her efforts in the hope of having her reassigned. Both Patty and Will have personal complications which also distract them; Will is attempting to resurrect his life after a bitter divorce while maintaining a close relationship with his young twins and Patty is trying to overcome the disappointment of her father, Commander Tommy Moriarty, that she chose to follow in his footsteps by joining the state police rather than pursue a more respected professional career.
   
   Further murders occur, and eventually both Patty and Will find themselves in the crosshairs of the killer as their search for the truth uncovers many inconsistencies in the original theory of the crimes. This is a plot with great potential, and the author creates wonderful suspense as the story moves very rapidly along. There are also many interesting characters, in more cases these are villains rather than good guys - but the minor but essential performance of Augie Machelli as Will's legal defender when he is peril of losing his career was the most enjoyable for me. There are many plot twists, and while some are quite improbable until late in the story they all seem reasonable within the parameters of the storyline and the characters' motivations.
   
   Then, after perhaps approximately ninety percent of the narration has occurred, three elements caused my enjoyment to lessen considerably. First, events which had seemed merely improbable were replaced by a sequence which bordered on the totally unbelievable in order to rescue Will and Patty from the extreme danger in which they had very improbably been placed. (At this point he story changed from improbable to totally incredible.) Second, it suddenly seemed that the author was either reacting to an approaching time deadline to submit his manuscript or a self imposed limit on its length; after describing in minute detail most of the action during the crucial events of the past few days, suddenly there was a time gap of several hours and then Will and Patty miraculously appeared to confront the evildoers. And several minor threads (e.g. Wayne Brasco's fate) were left totally unaddressed. Third, and most disappointingly, in a major penultimate aside the author turned the story from a novel about individual wrongdoers within the managed- care industry and who were contrasted to Will Grant (obviously a voice for the author's feelings concerning the need for reform) into a blatant one sided political diatribe in favor of socialized medicine. Then, the final scene suddenly briefly flashed out of nowhere to stun the reader.
   
   I loved the medical insights provided by Michael Palmer at many points during the novel, and felt the detail that he provided in the context of the storyline was both informative and added to the realism. (Although, some of the violence and torture seemed a little gratuitous.) And his discussion of Augie's battles with his addiction certainly benefited from his medical knowledge as well. Thus, in summary, my rating reflects five stars for the plot and medical details less a star for the political propaganda and less half a star for the rushed and unsatisfactory ending, which caused me to round it down to three stars since after totally enjoying most of the story I felt so disappointed by the manipulative and rushed conclusion. And I emphasize again, if you get the chance, listen to the Brilliance audio version.
   
   Tucker Andersen



5. I really enjoyed this book, dispite the incredible ending and the unexplained gaps in time. My major complaint is that at the end I had to listen to a long diatribe about HMOs and support for socialized medicine. I was very surprised that a doctor would be pushing socialized medicine and so heavily in a novel.
   
   I gave the story a four and 1/2 and had to subtract 1/2 star for the anti-managed care propaganda at the end. I listened to this book and overall was done well. I do wish readers would find out the local pronounciations of places. In New England we do have many places that are spelled very differently than how they are said and I get annoyed that this is not researched. I am sure this happens in other regions of the country too. At least the reader didn't try to do a Boston accent.

3 comments about Victorian and Edwardian Fashions from "La Mode Illustree".

1. I was leery of ordering this book, because most of the books that claim to illustrate both the Victorian and Edwardian eras merely skim over the Edwardian. But I was pleasantly surprised.

   The book covers the years 1860-1914 and gives equal (or slightly superior) coverage to the Edwardian and pre-WWI years. The illustrations are large and detailed, allowing for very good views of the trimmings of the garments, and the smaller rear views of many garments are invaluable to the recreationist. Also included are period captions describing the intended uses of the garments (tea or opera, for young girls or women "of a certain age"); these are both interesting and very helpful for the self-educated costumer. The selection of dresses, coiffures, hats, parasols, coats, lingerie, nightdresses, and children's clothing is well chosen and the garments are lovely.

   My only complaint is that a few years are either entirely skipped, or skimmed over: 1866, 1872, 1875, 1878, 1883, 1893, 1899, and 1911. However, the existing material is excellent and very useful--I wholeheartedly recommend it.




2. This book is one of the most comprehensive, well-done and complete guide to both Victorian and Edwardian fashion I've ever seen. Although the illustrations are black and white, they are surprisingly well done (most costume design books don't detail hair styles, patterns, etc, but this one does.) I recommend this book as a very accurate guide to the period for researchers, costumers or fashion enthusiasts. The book, along with fantastic illustrations, includes a summary of the times and fashions and a very helpful glossary. Also it is much more than any other book I've seen--- it included SEVERAL fashions for each year and several different occasional wear layouts. If you are curious about this period, you must buy this book. I only wish they had a similar book for every period!



3. "La Mode Illustree" was to 19th-century fashion mavens what "Vogue" and "Elle" are today, with its gorgeous color and B&W line illustrations of the latest in fashions for men, women and children. Joanne Olian, former curator of the costume collection at the Museum of the City of New York, has painstakingly assembled a huge collection of the finest illustrations showing beautiful ladies' fashions from 1860 to 1912, with almost every year getting at least one page (though, as another reviewer mentions, some years unfortunately aren't examined in much detail). Every illustration is full-page and accompanied by a paragraph or two of text, generally taken directly from the original description of the item in LMI. Nobody who is at all interested in fashions of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods should be without this book!

2 comments about Quilts: The Fabric of Friendship (Schiffer Book for Designers and Collectors).

1. This is a beautiful book with wonderful pictures and text. It is "one of the best" new books on the market. The pictures show lovely old quilts--some are old patterns that a person will recognize and some a fascinating combination that will be new to most quilters. Definitely a book worth owning!



2. This book contains more photographs of antique quilts than any other book pertaining to the various quilt documentation projects, with just the right amount of text. WELL DONE in every way!