5 comments about The Official U.S. Mint 50 State Quarters 1999-2008 (P and d Album).

1. My kids, ages 7 and 10, love these. You can easily see the front and back of each quarter. My youngest had to be shown the proper way to remove and insert the plastic coverings. She slightly tore one page, which can easily happen without care.



2. My wife bought this album for me a few years ago and got me hooked on collecting the State Quarters. This album is very sturdy and insertion of the coins is a simple matter of sliding the plastic cover out, inserting the coin and sliding the cover back. Another nice thing is that you can view the coins from both sides. I have had the other types of albums where the holes are too small and I've had to work hard to press the coins in or the holes are a bit too large and the coins keep falling out. This album beats them all hands down. The other nice thing is that it has 100 places labelled in order so that you can display each state quarter in its D and P mint marks. It's higher priced, but you definitely get a superior product that will last for years.



3. I ordered this album based on the ability to display quarters from both mints and to show both sides of the quarters. The first album was received with a cracked interior spine and evidence of rough handling at the origin - not in transit. Amazon courteously and quickly shipped a replacement but it also arrived with evidence of rough handling, including a sliced edge. I returned the second album for a refund and bought a replacement product at a local coin store where I could inspect the item before purchasing. I appreciate Amazon's service but am disappointed that damaged goods were shipped both times.



4. The presentation of these books is nice, but it is very difficult to put the quarters into their slots. Many pages have rips in them because of this. We have 12 of these albums; one each for our grandchildren, neices and nephews.



5. I LIKED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. THE HOLES WERE SNUG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE QUARTERS FIRMLY. YOU DO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THE PAGES WILL TEAR.

4 comments about Backroads of New England: Your Guide To New England's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures (Pictorial Discovery Guide).

1. When fall comes in New England, the trees turn into a splendid mass of reds, oranges and yellows that temporarily distract us from the coming winter. At the same time, the first fresh snowfalls have a special beauty that New Englanders love as well. But the first blush of spring causes a special joy to burst out from our hearts. In the lazy days of summer, we love to watch the wind blow the grasses and trees from languid poses.
   
   At any one of those times, I find myself thinking how much fun it would be to see some new sights in the context of those favorite New England conditions. In the forty years I've lived in New England, I've found many of my favorite locations purely by accident. The back roads are always the best. But I don't have the time to randomly drive all the back roads to find the best ones.
   
   That's where Backroads of New England comes in. Kim Knox Beckius has found 30 delightful drives over back road that mix scenery, history, culture and just plain fun. I have taken about half of the drives in the book, so I can swear by those. I am looking forward to doing the rest now that I know where to go.
   
   How can I tell I would like the others? First, Ms. Beckius provides helpful essays about where to begin, what to see, and what to stop and do along the way. She even includes some suggestions for hiking to beautiful waterfalls. Second, William H. Johnson's gorgeous photographs colorfully illuminate the main sights for each drive. Whether you love covered bridges, snow-capped peaks, delightful streams, pounding surf, or mysterious vistas, you can page through the book to find the places that speak mostly fervently to your soul.
   
   The book is also organized by state. So if you are planning to go just to Maine and arrive by air in Portland, you can simply focus on the Maine trips and those in New Hampshire and northeast Massachusetts that are not too far away. If you live in New York, and want to drive for no more than two hours, you can focus on that radius in western Connecticut and Massachusetts.
   
   I have been looking at travel guides for New England for many years. I've never seen a finer one for back roads adventures.
   
   Give it a try!



2. Kim Knox Beckius, a well-known New England travel writer, has teamed up with New Hampshire photographer, William Johnson, to create a pictorial guide to 30 scenic drives throughout the region.
   
   You get five scenic drives each from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Rhode Island offers up another four, and Maine weighs in with a larger six. The drives cover the best of New England, from mountains to the ocean, and from the lakes to the beaches. And a whole bunch more.
   
   Kim doesn't spend a lot of time on directions. They tend to be brief and on the side of the pages - enough to get you around but not much more. Kim focuses her travel writing skills on making sure you experience in words the sights, sounds, and smells of each region. The beautifully produced photography greatly enhances this experience.
   
   While I love this book if you're looking for one crammed with detailed directions and a step-by-step tour of attractions this isn't it.
   
   This is a book to keep near you throughout the long winter... to browse whenever you want to remember a drive already taken... or one waiting for you in the spring.



3. My wife and I just came back from vacation in New England. Aside from the Delorme maps, this book was the most important item we took with us. We went on several of the scenic drives described in the book, and they were all absolutely beautiful! The directions were perfect, even if they don't tell you the distances involved. The photographs in the book are worth the price alone, but it's even better when you come across the places pictured in the book and find out they're just as gorgeous as the author said they would be. If you're going to New England, you need this book.



4. This was obviously a carefully researched, well-written book, with great photos. But I was disappointed that there was so little focus on maps. Rather than showing a detailed maps of a recommended route, the author chose to write a verbal description of a recommended route. That's sufficient if you wish to follow the author's route exactly. But if you would rather create your own route with some guidance from the book, it's virtually impossible.

5 comments about Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook: What Every Shooter Needs to Know.

1. The Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook: What Every Shooter Needs to Know keeps with its title. Well, somewhat. The book is a very detailed SOURCEBOOK. Do not buy this book to find out what you can do to accessorize your rifle. This book goes into detail about the origins of the AR-15/M16 beginning with the early years and including some photos and text on early models and models that did not make it. The book talks about some of the larger companies that make the AR-15/M16, and has pictures of most of the variants by company. It is a worthwhile read if you desire to learn about the history of the rifle, but is by no means what every reader needs to know.



2. The Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook: What Every Shooter Needs to Know keeps with its title. Well, somewhat. The book is a very detailed SOURCEBOOK. Do not buy this book to find out what you can do to accessorize your rifle. This book goes into detail about the origins of the AR-15/M16 beginning with the early years and including some photos and text on early models and models that did not make it. The book talks about some of the larger companies that make the AR-15/M16, and has pictures of most of the variants by company. It is a worthwhile read if you desire to learn about the history of the rifle, but is by no means what every reader needs to know.



3. I enjoyed and found the information useful. If your new to the AR15, this is
   a great way to get up to speed on the subject. The author knows his subject
   and communicates it well. There's a lot more that could have been covered
   but for that, one is well advised to visit www.ar15.com
   You'll find answers there to questions you probably haven't even thought of.



4. I was new to the AR-15 pattern rifle. This book was informative and still a great read. Provides a full history of the design with info about competing rifles. It could use some updating to cover newer accessories.



5. Nice history and overview of the rifles development, but weak on assembly instruction, maintenance, cleaning etc. A nice historical reference book really.

5 comments about Vox Compact Spanish and English Dictionary.

1. It is quite complete with all the verb forms, comjugations and tenses that we learned in High School. But, because of the varying dialects, there were a few words I could not find. Living in the Southwest, the Mexican influence over the Spanish is marked. For instance the word 'estraner' or 'te estrano', for "I Miss You" is not in this dictionary which made it a disappointment for me.



2. Although many people use this dictionary for their classes, I have noticed that they do no spend enough time to update the dictionary. There are many current words that are not in, like blog. However, the most unappeling thing is that their books as poorly make. They one section of the dictionary in one font, and oter sections in another, it looke like they just put pieces together.
   
   I would not recomend it. The paper quality is not the best it rips quite easily too. Not impressed at all.



3. This is the best Spanish-English dictionary I have found. I have purchased several for my ESL classes.



4. The Vox Compact Spanish-English Dictionary is good, and weighs one pound 12 ounces. The Oxford Spanish Desk Dictionary is better and weighs two pounds. Neither fits in your pocket. I suggest buying either a pocket dictionary for traveling (light), or buying the Oxford dictionary for studying or traveling not so light. There's no reason to buy the Vox dictionary, except maybe price. Also, the Oxford Spanish Dictionary is mis-titled, it should be the Oxford Spanish-Engish Dictionary. It's equally for English speaking learning Spanish or Spanish speakers learning English.



5. I bought this dictionary for my daughter for school. She loves the extras in it, like the phrases and additional notes. She said that makes it even better than she expected. Great choice for high school Spanish class.

5 comments about The Magic of Crazy Quilting: A Complete Resource for Embellished Quilting.

1. Good comprehensive book on crazy quilting -- from basic construction of crazy quilt blocks to stitch diagrams and materials suggestions. Also includes drawings of how stitches would be used in crazy quilt blocks.



2. In my opinion this is the BEST book out on making Crazy Quilts. I have four others but this is my favorite. You'll love it.



3. I prefe the books by Judith Montano. This was well written and illustrated. It was for the beginner, ideas were limited.



4. Just received this book and it exceeds my expectations. Made my selection due to the reviews of this book and thanks to all for the comments because this is a great choice. I wanted a book that gives basic instruction on making crazy quilts plus some of the more frequently used stitches,and thats just what I got. Author gives 20 pages to show different stitches and their various possiblities on a project. Inspiring photos, and suggestions for applications of crazy quilt method. This has been a find for me, doubt anyone will be disappointed with this books and all it has to offer. enjoy.



5. The best part(s) of this book are the stitching techniques demonstrated right along with the sample quilt(s). You're able to see how the stitching will look as the quilt comes together. Beautifully done with excellent diagrams and photos. The historical information is also very good. A great book to have for your quilting repetoire.

5 comments about The Pilot's Wife (Oprah's Book Club).

1. This book was sooo predictable
   Obvsiously Jack had some mysterious secret...take a guess at what that was--duh.
   Kathryn and Robert...predictable
   It took more than half the book for the pase to pick up



2. I really liked this book. It was an enjoyable read for me. Easy to get into and easy to read.



3. While this was a no-brainer, entertaining read while flying cross-country, when I got to the end I thought, "Am I missing some pages?" So, I went to a bookstore to look at another copy and discovered that I had, in fact, read the entire book. It was a very strange and abrupt ending. I'm curious if anyone else felt that way.



4. If you want to know the story, just read the back of the book. It was too heavy on the emotions and slow-moving. Too many side dishes and not enough meat for me.



5. I didn't hate this book, but I certainly didn't enjoy it, either. It starts off with a geniune tragedy, and then keeps widening the tragedy with small doses of revelation. There is a bit of mystery, but you can see the big reveal coming some way off.
   
   In the end you wind up with several emotionally damaged, tragic women, a male antagonist that is completely reprobate, and another male that casually uses women for his own agenda.
   
   I predict this book will end up as a made-for-TV movie on the Lifetime "Men are Evil" cable channel.

5 comments about Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease.

1. I am so glad to have gotten this book because it changed my life! My mother has survived both a heart attack and a stroke leaving her in my care. I have had chest pains and went to the doctor for him to tell me that I was following in her footsteps. Since using this book both my mother and I as well as my daughter have been using the diet and exercise plans and meditate and do Yoga and we have never felt better. It is simple and easy to follow if you have a strong desire to care for yourself and your health. Meat=Bad SatFats=Bad and Oils=Bad.....simply don't buy them anymore and it won't be such a tough problem to get them OUT of your life. This book should be placed in every school in America to teach our children how to take care of themselves so that they do not end up with arteries as clogged as our generations have due to not being informed of what the right foods are to eat and what foods to stay away from when WE were young. We used to eat a lot of meat without even knowing what it was doing to us inside. Now we eat veggies and fruit and don't miss the meat at all. And the real plus is my daughter is learning how to pick the right foods from a young age to protect her health while she grows up. I went to the doctor in January to discover ALL signs of heart disease have been reversed! I plan to live over 100 years of age and now this may just become a reality for me! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!



2. I purchased this after starting a copy a Dr. friend loaned me. Really liked the orignal book's content and found very helpful. This copy however is half the origional's size,vary hard to read,and I felt compermised what I belived I was ordering.



3. I wish I had followed this book when I had my first heart attack in 1989. It's good, well-written, easy to understand. Highly recommend it.



4. Yikes! What is about Dr. Ornish that makes reviewers run on so? I've never read such long vehement, screeds, pro and con. We bought this book to help us lower a slightly elevated "bad" cholesterol and tryglyceride problem in the family, and it has done that. IMHO, recipes contain a little too soy for post-menopausal women, but an informed reader need not work in a vacuum. Use common sense and modify the diet as needed. Add cold water fish, for example. Expect a good outcome even if you adopt only 80% of Ornish's menu.



5. This is a great book. Everything everyone should know to add extra years to their life. Very well written and a book that we can all understand.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II.

1. I think that this book was a very good and fun book to read. Anyone who enjoys hearing about different teens telling their own stories would greatly enjoy this book. While I was reading it, there were times when i felt like laughing and other times when I felt like crying too. The things that teenagers go through are so hard and alot of adults do not understand this, that is why this book is so helpful. It is a very good book to read and I would recommend it to anyone, espically teens.



2. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul 2 is a great book for teens because it is something we can relate to. It is filled with short anecdotes written by teenagers or once-teenagers about their adolescent experiences. It is inspirational and teaches us about who we are, about people, and about life in general. I recommend this book for all teenagers.



3. This is a great book for every teenager. Every teen goes througha tough time at least once in their life and this book can really help. It has stories on things from teenage romance to suicide. This is a great book for everyone from teenagers to adults.



4. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul ll is a great book written by teenagers and some adults about life. It teaches us about life and how to deal with it. It shows us that no matter where you came form, what you look like, or how you act, almost all teenagers are the same. This book is an inspiration to everyone.
   This book influences me because it inspires me to become a better person. Before I read this book I thought, "Oh this book is just some boo full of made-up stories", but as I continued to read into it more, I thought" Wow this is a really great book". This book tells you that all teens go through the same stuff. It shows you that your not alone, and with faith and courage you can overcome most obstacles. This book is filled amazing stories of love depression, and hope. I encourage everyone to read this book.



5. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul Volume 2 is an inspirational and enlightening book. Being a teenager myself I can relate to a lot of the stories told in this bestseller. The first time I read this book I was younger and didn't understand what the authors in the book were saying, but when I revisited it this year I actually understood it and connected more to the stories. This book has inspired me to write about my personal experiences and really look back at the good, bad, or in between as a way to learn from my mistakes. Instead of breaking down I decided to write. This book has taught me and helped me through some rough times. This book is great and I recommend it to anyone. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul is not just for teenagers, I have even read some stories with my friends and family. This book has been a real joy and inspiration on all aspects of my life. Thanks Chicken Soul and I hope all readers out there will get a chance to read this delightful, motivating, and wonderful book.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul.

1. Although I read almost every single publication of Chicken Soup, I must say this is definitely my favourite, especially that we are expecting our third child.

   Before reading this book, I must admit I was not sure if we did the right thing to concieve a third child but now I know more than missing to cherish every moment of our pregnancy.

   This book has moved every kind of feelings in us from happiness to excitement, to sadness at some times and made me thankful for this beautiful gift from God.

   This is a must for every expectant parent.




2. this book was exactly what i needed to help me love the feeling of being pregnate. during my second pregnancy i wasn't feeling all that hot until my hubby came home with the book. i read this book three times already, even my four year old loves the stories. i cried and laughed and cried some more...read this book if you're looking for something to cheer you up while you're feeling down! An excellent book--I promise!!!!



3. If you're an expectant mother you will appreciate the stories in this book. They are touching and funny and strike a universal chord that make you realize you're not alone. Five stars! Debbie Farmer, parenting author of 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat'



4. I really hate to give any "Chicken Soup" book less than a 5 star because I am a huge fan.
   
   I was slightly disappointed in the content of this book. I really was hoping and expecting that it would have more stories about giving birth. It says on the cover that the 101 stories inspire and warm the hearts of soon-to-be-mothers but I felt like the subjects were too general.
   
   For example, the contents are 1. We're Pregnant, 2. Nine Months and Counting, 3 Expectant Fathers, 4. Challenges along the Way, 5. Special Delivery 6. Small Miracle 7. Memorable moments, 8. On Motherhood, 9. Expectant Wisdom.
   
   I didn't find many birth stories - in fact, I don't think there was even one.
   
   However, in spite of my need for positive birth stories, I still love the stories that they put in the book.
   
   Sheri Menelli, childbirth educator, doula, speaker and author of "[...]"



5. I was looking for a book like this, one that doesn't go by month to month of what I should expect physically, medically. It's a book that gives you some perspective from personnal short stories. I brought it to read during my "baby moon" and it just made me feel whole-especially mentally. Too bad there isn't a more recent version but, I would buy this as a gift-especially for a first time mother.

2 comments about Bud Hastin's Avon Collector's Encyclopedia: Avon and California Perfume Company Products-1886 to Present.

1. I BOUGHT THIS BOOK HOPING TO IDENTIFY ALOT OF OLDER AVON I HAD FOUND..THE BOOK IS GREAT..GOOD DESCRIPTION OF OLDER AVON PRODUCTS AND EASY TO USE ..THANKS



2. Both specialty collector libraries catering to neo-pro collectors and general-interest public libraries will find AVON COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA: AVON AND CALIFORNIA PERFUME COMPANY PRODUCTS 1886 TO PRESENT an invaluable acquisition, appearing in its 18th updated edition to provide the latest prices and details. Here are thousands of products, paired with the latest prices, black and white and color photos throughout, making for an invaluable at-a-glance reference.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch