5 comments about First Off The Tee.

1. Interesting angle. Using the sport and game
   of golf as the foundation to add insights and discuss the Presidents who played it. Author Van Natta Jr. brought forth an original avenue to bring a topic that is commonly written about (presidents) to light. Golf, the ever-increasing mainstream sport to the American public, is no longer stereotyped (falsely) that it's an elitist sport to play. In "First Off The Tee," there are many interesting facts about the habits of some of the commanders-in-chiefs that hit the greens.

   Bill Clinton took so many mulligan's the author called
   them "Billigans." He scored himself in the low 80s, similar to his idol JFK, but he literally took over 200 swings. Clinton played loosely with the rules, at times bending them to conform to his ends. Can the phenomena of how a person plays golf be taken and applied to political and administrative behaviour? Psycho-social analysis? Perhaps a dissertation has started somewhere regarding this.

   One President drank booze while golfing during prohibition. He also gambled on a every game.

   John F. Kennedy was an avid golpher, and fairly decent one at that,
   getting scores in the low 80s. But he did keep the fact that he
   played the game secret from the public.

   Gerald Ford played amateur tourneys and pinged the
   bystanders in the crowd from time to time.

   The author played with the likes of Clinton and George W.
   Bush. G. W. Bush could play through 18 holes in an hour

   and a half, while Clinton took six hours. (He liked
   to talk a lot more.)

   In the past, Presidents didnt' want to be
   photographed on the greens. Today it's acceptable, and
   perhaps even expected.

   14 mini-biographies highlighting the lighter side of the Execs as men and the sport of golf. Very interesting.




2. I'm a classic golf widow who happened to pick this book up in the bookstore for my husband. He loved it. But, to my surprise, I loved it, too. I wound up learning a lot more about presidents, and what makes them tick, than I ever expected. It's a breezy, fun read, full of quirky surprises and amusing anecdotes. Rather than bore you with too much golf lingo, the book actually brings the game and the presidents to life without tumbling into cliches. I highly recommend it.



3. Author Van Natta, a New York Times correspondent and 100+ golfer, believes (like most golf-lovers everywhere) that you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about someone by watching him/her play golf. He takes it one step further, however, finding golf particularly revealing of a President's personality and values. "Nearly every person in a president's privileged life says yes...Only the golf course says no."

   Accumulating fascinating anecdotes from his research into the golf games of the Presidents, and combining these with his own experience as a reporter, which includes more than two years spent covering President Clinton, he shows how a President's golf game reflects the inner man. Fourteen of the last seventeen Presidents were golfers to one degree or another, and no reader, whether a golfer or not, will be disappointed in the unique insights and revealing anecdotes the author gives us of Presidents at leisure. What makes this book different from so many others, is that Van Natta is a real writer, carefully choosing his quotations (including on-course remarks), narrating anecdotes so that they have real climaxes, and emphasizing details that are so telling that no reader will fail to see parallels between the man's golf and his Presidential administration.

   Though JFK is adjudged the best player of the fourteen, with an "effortless swing," few citizens knew how addicted he was to the game, something he kept secret because, after Eisenhower's administration, golf was considered a political liability. (Ike left cleat marks in the floor leading from the Oval Office to the practice green outside his window.) Ike, JFK, FDR (who was a passionate golfer until he was stricken with polio at age 39), and Gerald Ford are considered the purists of the game, and none of them were ever caught lying about a score, using mulligans (extra shots off the tee), or tossing the ball out of the woods. Not surprisingly, Bill Clinton is considered among the White House's "most polished and prolific golf cheats." As one observer noted, "You don't have to subpoena Whitewater documents. Just watch him on the golf course." He elevated the mulligan to such a new level that it was referred to as a "billigan." Nixon, LBJ, and Warren G. Harding, were also considered cheats.

   With a final section devoted to the Bushes, father and son, Van Natta closes his analysis of Presidential golf games with particular panache, since the Bushes so often play together. The book is pure delight, providing a unique take on Presidents, who, on the golf course, face the same challenges as the rest of us, with some of them responding more gracefully to the challenges than others. Mary Whipple




4. I don't golf. Never did. Never will. I think golf is borrrring.... but, I bought this book for a guy who loves golfing. Absolutely loves it. He claims to be good at it. Well, he loved the book. He was laughing when he told me about how much he enjoyed it. I think he really appreciated getting the book, especially getting it from someone who doesn't know a thing about golf! I recommend this as a gift for anyone who golfs. Especially someone who would enjoy the history of the presidential golfers.



5. I bought this book for my father-in-law but I enjoyed reading it when I visited him. Good for any golfer that likes to read, or for someone who enjoys presidential history. Most of the anecdotes have no quoted source, so who knows if they've been embellished, but that doesn't spoil the book.

2 comments about Midnighter, Vol. 1: Killing Machine.

1. The go back and kill Hitler story.
   
   Or, an excuse for Ennis' brand of black humour and much head demolishing. The Mignighter is captured by a man who has found a loophole in the Door teleport process, and wants him to go back in time and get rid of the Fuhrer earlier in his career, or the implanted bomb in his chest will be detonated.
   
   When sent back, he runs into some enhanced Time Police that further complicates things, as does his boredom with the Authority sitting around and not doing much - criticism of DC for screwing this title up perhaps?



2. Yeah, I get that it's fun to cut loose and take liberties with the whole super-hero genre, and that many writers (and readers) enjoy exploring the idea of what these guys would really be like if they were as violent as they are made out to be. I enjoyed the "Authority" books for a while (and then got bored) but I checked out this solo Midnighter/Batman parody out, just to see what they'd done with the character.
   
   I was disappointed to find that this was just an excuse to indulge in a hyperviolent, gratuitously graphic, yucko headbashing bloodfest... Like a DC Vertigo book, but more explicit. The plotline didn't seem particularly mature or interesting; just an excuse to wallow in violence.
   
   Others might disagree, but I didn't think this was worth reading.

5 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia Of American Dinnerware: Identification and Values (Collector's Encyclopedia of American Dinnerware).

1. The title of this book implies that it is an all-encompassing American dinnerware reference work. However, it is sadly lacking in both breadth and depth. Any collector would be well advised to look elsewhere. This work is so superficial that it is virtually useless.



2. Other than the photos, there isn't much here. It's very amateurish. Whole categories are missing -- there is barely a mention of "Fiesta" at all. Makes you think the publisher had an arrangement so as not to infringe on sales of their Fiesta books. There is no mention of Metlox. Also, while there is a price guide, it only lists the specific pieces that are shown in the photos, not all the pieces in the line. This is a major shortcoming. There should be some mention of pieces not shown. The book is also poorly organized, with ads from old magazines interspersed with original writing. It reminds me of an 8th grade book report. Spend your money elsewhere.



3. While the book was somewhat helpful with listing the various companies, it was very short in pattern names, examples and pricing.



4. A wonderful beautifully done book.This is a great book for looking up patterns. There are plenty of color photos which show great detail. I plan on buying the previous and subsequent volumns of this book.



5. I really love this book. I've used it many times to find the names of patterns I have from years of estate sales to sell on e-Bay. Great work.

3 comments about The Sparkling Story of Coca-Cola: An Entertaining History Including Collectibles, Coke Lore, and Calendar Girls.

1. I recieved this wonderful book as a Christmas gift. What an enjoyable read! Full of enjoyable tidbits that every Cokeaholic would love to know. From the history of Soda Fountain beginnings to the pop culture icon Coca-Cola has become. The Sparkling Story of Coca-Cola covers it all. A visual feast of historic photographs and illustrations accompany the well written text.



2. The Sparkling Story of Coca-Cola will delight all those who would like to know the origins of the world's favorite soft drink and see many delightful early examples of advertising and promotional materials. One of my favorite museums with a commercial focus is the Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta. I was prepared to be disappointed with this book, assuming that it would have less material that I found at the museum. Instead, I found The Sparking Story of Coca-Cola to be much more detailed, easier to follow and with higher quality graphics than in the museum.

   The people who will be disappointed in this book are those who want to follow Coca-Cola's progress in detail from 1935 on. The book is a little sketchy for the last 68 years, but wonderfully detailed before that.

   The historical side of the book captures the development of carbonated soft drinks in drug stores from medicinal mineral waters and then connects how the formula for Coca-Cola emerged. Anyone who has wanted to understand about the cocaine and caffeine in the original formula will probably have their thirst for knowledge slaked. There also plenty of educated guesses about what the rest of the ingredients are now.

   The book goes on to explain the transition into distributing the syrup around the country, bottling and supermarket distribution. I found all of these explanations to be thorough, without being dense, and interesting without trying to be cute.

   The illustrations are what really made the book for me. In Coca-Cola's earliest days, the company was a pioneer in mass advertising. Although a fountain glass of Coca-Cola only cost five cents, that was a lot of money when the product first came out. With a sure instinct, the advertising portrayed attractive, healthy upper class young women with the product. These images appeared on trays, calendars and hand-outs. The quality of the reproductions is very fine. You can then see how these illustrations gravitated towards women celebrities and eventually towards ordinary looking young women. During times of trouble, boys were included.

   I also enjoyed the discussions of how Coca-Cola handled the challenges of sugar shortages and the Depression while maintaining its quality image and integrity.
   While many books about a product like Coca-Cola would ignore all competitors, this one has some material on the early soft drink makers like Hires for root beer and Schweppes. There's also some material on the challenge of Pepsi-Cola beginning in the 1930s. These references enriched the book for me.

   Those who are looking for an explanation of the Roberto Goizueta era at Coca-Cola will find little information, except for a discussion of the introduction of the failed new Coke. Bottling development and international expansion similarly lack much information beyond the initiation of both activities.

   So, as you can see, this is more than a coffee table book . . . and less than a complete history. It's just right for those who want to know more about one of their favorite beverages and enjoy the nostalgia of seeing interesting memorabilia from an earlier time.

   After you finish this book, think about other symbols that you relate to that once had a slightly "fast" image. Is that same image involved now? Is the change good or bad from your perspective?

   When you are in Atlanta, all those who enjoyed this book will probably also enjoy the museum there . . . especially tasting the flavors of Coca-Cola products from around the world.




3. This product arrived promptly and in brand-new condition as ordered. It was very nice and I'm sure my aunt-in-law will love it for Christmas.

5 comments about Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements & Antiques.

1. It's hard to find info on old farm machinery. I especially liked the close-up illustrations of wooden windmills



2. Once again, Charles Wendel shows that he is the undisputed master author of obscure antique farm implements and tractors.Wendel shows old sales brochure engravings of everything from hog oilers to corn shellers and hay loft pulleys. From feed grinders to hay tedders, and EVERYTHING in between.A MUST READ if you want a guide to antique farm implements from the 1800's through the 1950's.



3. I bought this book as a gift for my father, who collects antique farm tools and tractors, has done his own restorations, and goes to antique shows all the time. I have no higher praise than this: when he settles in for the night, he gets in his favorite chair and opens that book. He may read it for hours, or browse a few pages, but it's his favorite reading material.



4. C. H. Wendel's Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements & Antiques is a first-rate work. The illustrations are exceptional, and the scope impressive. Wendel documents the machinery of manufacturing giants and the lesser-known manufacturers from the middle nineteenth century to the middle twentieth century. If you need to identify a machine or manufacturer Wendel's book ought to be your first source.



5. This is a great read for anyone interested in old farm equipment. The only problem was that I recognized too many of the pieces from my childhood and started realizing how old I am.

No comments about Fishing Collectibles: Identification & Price Guide.

5 comments about Modern Book Collecting.

1. Robert A. Wilson is something of a legend in the book world. His experience can be useful to the beginner. If you buy no other book on the subject than this you could do much worse.



2. The copyright date on this book is 1980. That's right, over twenty years old and the title says modern. The book is sorely in the need of an update. I was disappointed in lack of recent infomation dealing with the internet. It is a good source on basic book info, however. I would recommend looking elsewhere for anyone interested in this subject.



3. From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly:
   Wilson's guide combines discussions of the basics of book collecting with helpful appendices.



4. Good reference book for book collecting. I read it as often as I can.

   Good book to have if you collect or sell books




5. The information in the book is a little aged, but it is still applicable and useful. This book will remain in my reference collection.

No comments about Masterpieces of Art Nouveau Furniture:The Majorelle Catalogue, Ca..

2 comments about Switchblades Of Italy.

1. The serious collector as well as the curious automatic knife buyer will find this author's work to be extensive on the subject of Italian Automatic Knives. With 128 pages, including high resolution photography of "tang stamps," this title covers topics ranging from the evolution of the automatic knife in Italian production to the ignoble standing this type of cutlery has been labeled with by the media over the years. Detailed information on specific manufacturers and the history of these companies give the reader specific information that is not easily found elsewhere, proving this book to be an invaluable source of information for the collector seeking to authenticate rare Italian Stilettos. A must for the knife collector or dealer.



2. This is great book, full scale color pictures. great historical information of vintage switchblades knives from italy.
   highly recommended.

1 comments about Silver Masters of Mexico, Hector Aguilar and the Taller Borda: Hector Aguilar and the Taller Borda.

1. This book is well done. But, it is not a Morrill and Berk book on an overview of Mexican Silver and Taxco. It is more narrow in scope that its title would suggest concentrating in depth on Hector Aguilar and making him much more a personna than Morill and Berk do in their book, where he is dwarfed by Spratling. The photos in this book are of homes and people. The photos there are of silver of the Taller are good but do not again expect the detail to the Morrill and Berk book. This is a supplement and to lovers of Aguilar and those who wish to know more about the man and his life both personal and professional.