5 comments about Ultimate Guide to Poker Tells: Devastate Opponents by Reading Body Language, Table Talk, Chip Moves, And Much More.

1. Not much information here that one doesn't already know. Cheesy pictures of senarios of what I guy looks like bluffing and not bluffing. Don't waste your money. Take that money and go play some no limit poker, buy Harrington's books or Phil Gordon's Little Green book. If you want the best book on POKER TELLS, hands down Caro's Book of Poker Tells is what you need.
   
   Postscript: I have to agree with J. Rubino. I expect to get blasted for only giving it a 2. In my opinion, I was being generous with a 2. Notice the people who give 5 stars. They always seem to give 5s on everything they read. Its not unusual for the author to come on here and down grade a review by an unbias reader. They know their book is being sold here. This book is sub-par. Save your money.



2. I've been playing for about a year and a half, mostly tournaments and mostly online. But I have recently played a couple of live events and also play in a regular home game. I've read several of the strategy books mentioned by the other reviewers here and thought Harrington and Gordon were both great. But I don't agree that the Ultimate Guide to Poker Tells is bad -- granted I haven't read the Caro book, but I got a lot out of this one. The whole idea of how tells occur and how to look for individual ones was new -- I'd noticed some of the things they mention, or read about it as part of other books or articles, but I thought there was a lot of good stuff gathered here. I'm giving it five stars, because for me it was definitely a shortcut to reading tells in live games. Based on the other reviews, I'm guessing that more experienced live game players may already know alot of this stuff. But I think that paying $14 was a bargain vs. the price of learning this stuff "the hard way".



3. This book isn't about strategy at all. It's about playing the players, and all the funky stuff they do. I haven't seen anything else like it (and I've read alot of poker books). It made me smile with recognition, as all the stuff I knew about how players act was on the page. A quick read and miles from the usual odds and outs!



4. I am an online player and therefore very familair with hand percentages, pot odds and basic betting strategy. However, in a live game I sometimes feel a little out of my element. This book opened my eyes to much of what I needed to pay attention too. To fully appreciate the book, you must have a pretty good knowledge of the game, but the book was helpful in that it put a lot of what happens at a live table in context. One would think some of the observations are obvious, but knowing what to look for and pay attention to truly does allow you to better trust your gut and instincts during a game. I don't even look at my cards until I have to anymore. Rather I study the table based on techniques garnered form the book. Not only do learn about the other players at the table through observation, but it helps you set up a strategy for your own behavior when its your turn. Bottom line...highly recommended for the fairly new but serious player.



5. The strategies and facts in the book are well-presented and well-written, and there are several good tidbits of information inside... But as far as being what its title suggests, well, I reckon it's good marketing. It does provide much of the information from Caro's original "Book of Tells" and expands on some of it, but as I wrote a moment ago, it doesn't have anything that someone who's been playing live (not online) poker for a year or so wouldn't know already -- other than a few bits here and there.
   
   I'd recommend this book to beginners and studious amateurs.

5 comments about Bags: A Knitter's Dozen (A Knitter's Dozen series).

1. I am 51 and have been knitting, smocking, sewing, you name it since I was a child. I can't just sit in front of the telly and not do something productive (guess it's the ADHD!) I'm eccentric in some ways and love the offbeat styles a bit. This book provided me with a lot of variety and I was able to make 5 different bags for my family and friends for Christmas (yikes, a lot of knitting between Thanksgiving and Christmas). I could have used more instructions on the pitfalls of felting cable knits. I had to make one bag twice as I felted it too long in the machine and the cables/patterns were simply washed away. When I made it the second time, I felted it for a shorted period of time and then lined the bag. Now that I've made so many of the bags in here I'm looking for more challenges.



2. In this book you recieve complete instructions for making several different types of bags. There are bags for evening, weddings, carry-alls, and backpacks. I made 4 bags for Christmas gifts and since I came back from visiting I have plans to make at least 6 more bags from this book for gifts. The instructions are mostly clear and easy to follow, however one needs to pay attention to measurements as one mistake I made on my first attempt at a backpack was I misread the length of an icord and made it 4 foot instead of 4 yards. This resulted in my having to order an additional skein of yarn to complete the project. I have yet to complete the project I got the book for as I don't have the yarn for it. It is the fulled entrelac bag that I plan to use as a knitting bag.
   One other problem I encountered is that there is not a listing of places to purchase the various miscellaneous hardware items needed to finish the bags. For instance, some of the bags require a magnetic clasp and gormets, and there is no listing of places to purchase these types of items. This book has provided me with several hours of knitting pleasure.



3. This is a great pattern book, if you love knitting handbags...this is the one. Many different styles, you will get lots of use from this book....strongly recommend.



4. This little book is power packed with ideas for purses, felted and not. I've never seen a knitting book with so many cute and stylish patterns. I will probably be making most of them.



5. The patterns in this book are nice, cute, interesting but very difficult to knit because of the many mistakes in the patterns. There is a web site you can go to for corrections but with so many on a page it made it even more difficult.

5 comments about Serenity Role Playing Game (Serenity).

1. This is a great RPG
   
   If you roleplay and like Firefly / Serenity you will love this.
   
   Can't wait for more books to come out.



2. While I haven't had a chance to play it just yet, the book itself is very informative for anybody interested or obsessed with the Firefly universe. I'm very excited to try it out.



3. This game is very well written with the entire text in the general spoken word style of "Firefly" and "Serenity". The system is different, but still pretty intuitive once you look at it. There are 2 sample crews (of course, one is that of Serenity herself) and a number of ships Alliance and privately-owned. If you're a fan of the series and even somewhat interested in RPGs, you're very likely to enjoy Serenity RPG.



4. Much like the show this game seems to be getting looked over by way to many people. I've been into RPG's for 20+ years, starting like many with Dungeons and Dragons, and I think this is easily one of the top game systems in the market.
   
   Many games are either complex to the point of aggravation or so simple as to be lackluster and rather insulting to the intelligence of the player. This system is simple, but simple in a way that makes sense. Chambers and Weis created a game that allows players to build a character as basic or as detailed as they choose to make it. The rules for how the character are streamlined so as to keep things easy to figure out, thus avoiding slowing gameplay.
   
   One of the biggest ways this is accomplished is by over complicating formulas. In this game you don't roll a die (or dice) add your skill bonus, add in your attribute modifier, add other superfluous bonuses and situational modifiers and then you know what you roll. In this game you take your attribute die and your skill die and roll those adding in only the rare outside modifier. And, rather pointedly in my opinion, the one die type not used in this game is the D20.
   
   As to the game setting, if you've seen the show then you know what you are getting into. It is a sci-fi setting with strong "wild west post civil war" tones. It's not high tech in the vein of Star Wars or Star Trek. Most guns are still ballistic. Lasers are just to expensive to produce and maintain. That said, the game is so flexible that it is easily molded to each game masters vision, even to the point of abandoning the lush setting provided. That may be the only advantage to the show not getting the proper respect it deserved at FOX. The setting is wide open to explore.
   
   As has been said by many others, if you are a fan of the show the background info in this book is worth the price. If you are a fan of RPG's, especially sci-fi games, then this is a worthwhile buy. If you are a fan of both then you are doing yourself a disservice by not buying this book.



5. I will admit that even though I have plenty of friends who are into RP and I have similar interests myself, I never got into it, I mostly bought this book because I wanted to know more about the Serenity verse.
   
   That being said, as I was reading the book I became increasingly interested and curious about playing the game. Having looked through other roleplaying books at friends houses (everything from Vampire: The Requiem to D&D) I know the rules can be daunting, confusing and overly detailed for the beginner. Reading through the Serenity Guide-book I felt inspired. I have heard from more experienced roleplayers that the system has flaws, but as a stepping-stone for the uninitiated I think this, for many, is a good place to start.

5 comments about Citadels.

1. my husband and i love this game and enjoy the fact that it is fun to play with just two people. we haven't played it with more, yet, but i'm sure that would also be fun!



2. Citadels is a very fun group game with lots of interesting dynamics. I find it best to play with a group of 4-8 people. With this many people the game's randomness is minimized and each turn's choices are significant. Most players are in competition till the end, and surprises can and do happen. Very good game.



3. This strategy card game is fun, quick to set up and doesn't have a lot of pieces or rules to keep track of. I've played with 2 players and with 5, and it was just as fun either way, which is unusual for this genre. It takes about 10-15 minutes per number of players.
   The objective is to build 8 buildings and gain the most points, which are printed on the building cards. Each turn players act as one of the characters and use the abilities: collect money for certain districts, steal from or assassinate another character, trade or draw extra cards, be the first to choose a character, destroy a character's building, etc.
   Characters are drawn secretly, and at least one is randomly excluded. Each character goes in a predestined order, and collects money or cards, may build, and can use their ability during their turn. Whoever gets the king chooses a character first for the next round, giving them an advantage. The strategies change as the game goes on, and you're always wondering what another player is going to do, if they can sabotage you, if you can foil them, and eventually who is going to call the game by building their eighth building.



4. Didn't realize when I ordered this that it was entirely a card game, so when the smallish box arrived I was somewhat concerned. Have played several times and must admit to being extremely happy with this! The game is so simple to learn, but so deep in its play that I foresee this hitting the game table many times. Every gamer should own this gem.



5. The game is awesome; all great reviews are spot on. Just wanted to add that this game comes with the "Dark City" expansion, so that you don't need to buy it separately. It says this on the box, but it's too small to see from the product photo.

5 comments about The Book of Decorative Knots.

1. This book is way to simplified - It doesn't have step-by-step pictures for knotting some difficult knots (3 pictures just won't do it for beginners like me).



2. I bought this because of the instructions for the Monkey Fist knot. I saw these little buttons on sale in Liberty's of London some years ago and they were so pretty that I've wanted to learn them ever since but didn't know what they were called.
   
   The book itself is a basic guide for decorative knots and it does require some time and patience to work out what some the diagrams represent and then what you're supposed to do as you tighten the knots. I spent a whole evening for example struggling with the eight turn bloodknot before realising that you twist it round itself as you pull it up until there is one twist for every turn in the knot. The diagrams were perfectly correct, the problem was the end user not knowing what would happen as the knot was tightened.
   
   That said, the drawings are reasonably clear although you should as with any craft study them with care, but I wouldn't have said this was a book for the complete beginner. There are no colour photographs or pictures of finished knotwork to serve as inspiration, and the diagrams are all black and white line drawings. The book however is a good size for carrying around so that you can practise the knots on the move. It's softback and serves as a good introduction though you will probably soon start looking for more detailed material.



3. This is a good book, although it doesn't have nice illustrations it has very good information.



4. Book was a lot better than the expensive one I got before. Not as many knots, but all are very detailed.



5. This book was a waste of money--for a knot newbie. The diagrams are horrible. Like another reviewer, I think I was only able to get one knot tied correctly, and I'm a bright person and usually don't have problems following instructions.
   
   Leave this book on the shelf. There are better options out there.

5 comments about Prisoner of Trebekistan: A Decade in Jeopardy!.

1. I bought this book to learn more about Jeopardy!, but I ended up enjoying Trebekistan at least as much for the emotional experience as I did for the information imparted about the show. Bob Harris also has a writing style that's funny and engaging. If you enjoy suspense, trivia, humor, or if you just have a pulse, then you'll like this book.



2. Bob Harris writes of his Jeopardy! experience in terms both comic and pensive, relating his often-panicked perceptions of being on the show with a Dave Barry-ish wit, but also ruminating on the workings of human memory and the mind's ability to relate knowledge to experience in unexpected ways. A must-read for Jeopardy! hopefuls.



3. Bob Harris was a struggling writer when, in 1997, he got on Jeopardy and won 5 times, 4 in runaways (games where the leader before Final Jeopardy cannot possibly lose if he makes an intelligent wager). Since then he's been in 3 tournaments--Season 14's Tournament of Champions, 2002's Million Dollar Masters Tournament, and 2005's Ultimate Tournament. All of this is detailed in the book, but fortunately, that's not the only thing in the book--far from it. Actually, you don't even need to have Jeopardy aspirations to be entertained, although he does have a very humorous section with studying tips (because so many people learn in boring ways, and it doesn't have to be that way, as Harris adeptly shows). Intertwined with the Jeopardy stories is what amounts to an autobiography--and yes, even if your first reaction is who cares, it's worth it. Being a Jeopardy fan helps potential readers pick up the book, but it is not necessary to enjoy it.



4. This book is supposed to be about Jeopardy--but it ends up being a TV writer trying to write jokes about his life on the game show. There are long passages that have little to do with the show and more to do with the author's self-deprecation for failing so many times. Sure, it contains some history of the show but most of the information about the show has appeared elsewhere. So to spice it up this former National Lampoon writer uses a dry sense of humor to comment on his life, his mistakes, his not reading Robinson Crusoe, etc. There must be someone who cares (since other reviewers give it high marks) but the writing style is annoying--but I wanted to scream at the author to just get to the point about the show and stop telling us unimportant things like you rarely are home at your apartment or that you wear a thrift-store jacket or that it took you eight years to pay off your college debt! He seems to complain a lot and make us want to believe that his top-flight money champion is just a poor schlub. This guy's life isn't that interesting and he uses the lengthy book (over 330 pages!) to blend his overwrought self-observations with his valid thoughts on playing the show. The book is only for Jeopardy fanatics who are willing to put up lengthy parts about the uninteresting author's life.



5. This book is a lot of fun. Bob let's you in on what it's like to be on Jeopardy and how a past champion goes about stuying for something that it seems impossible to study for.

2 comments about Immortal Fire: Field of Glory Greek, Persian and Macedonian Army List (Field Of GLory).

1. The Greek part of the Field of Glory series by Osprey. With their knowledge of the armies and the wonderful format that these come in, I highly recommend these. They are designed for 15mm to 28m miniatures and come with extras from the Elite series that Osprey publishes. Very well done and a good spend of money.



2. Field of Glory (FoG) is one of the most exciting historical wargames to come out in many years, bridging the gap between the older WRG-style games and Warhammer Ancients. Produced by Osprey Books, FoG features artwork from various Osprey titles and pictures of painted 15mm and 25mm miniatures, often in tabletop dioramas.
   
   IMMORTAL FIRE is a great addition to the FoG catalog, espceially given the recent rise in interest in the battle of Thermopylae and the campaigns of Alexander the Great, both spurred by quality motion pictures. All of the armies one would expect of this period are present: Hellenistic Greeks, Persians, Macedonians, Thracians, Scythians, Classic Indians, and other favorites. Each army has a full army list and most have simpler pre-built "starter" armies for those wanting to jump straight into action withoughspending too much money.
   
   My only complaint about this book, and the other army books, too, is the lack of historical background. Given that these books come from Osprey, I would expect a little more history, and this could be easily done without significantly increasing the size of the book. Not every historical wargamer has shelves of reference books or intimate familiarity with the period or its armies, and a little help for newer gamers would be well-advised.
   
   (The above complaint even extends into the fifth army book.)
   
   I would also like to see more pictures of full and painted armies formed into battle lines. That kind of stuff really catches a gamer's eye.

5 comments about Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual.

1. I agree with other reviewers - this is probably the one book to get if you are a serious chess player seeking to get the edge in the endgame. It's advanced, so beginners might find Pandolfini's Endgame Course a good introduction. My only gripe, shared by others it appears, is the quality of the printing. The blue sections, which illustrate the essentials, vary from clear to faint. This is obviously deficient quality and needs fixing for the next print run. It's a pity as the book is intended to be studied, immersed in and pondered on.



2. I have a short attention span and this book gets around that by cramming so much information into every page that I don't have a chance to get bored. I do get bored wading through pulp and fluff looking for something useful. You probably have one or two of those books. Who doesn't?
   
   I'm just an intermediate and I don't think this book is too hard. Jeremy Silman rated it around 1400 and up. I think that's about right.
   
   Dvoretsky has a good sense of humor and his style is, believe it or not, somewhat conversational. The examples are to-the-point and he even covers some basics. The depth is not an all-or-none thing -- you'll get at least something out of the material even if you don't see it from every angle. It's the art of writing for several levels at once.
   
   Good work!



3. This book was a gift request from my chess playing son. He loves it. He said it is so far beyond anything he expected.



4. A superb book, clear, explaining top technics to all.
   
   I recommend it hotly to any Chess player [for you or as a present, you are sure to please], after many years playing chess, for fun and alos in the past in small tournaments, I learned a lot of tricks in ending that are easy to use/remember.
   
   An reference book, very enjoyable.



5. As way of introduction, I am a former USCF master who after many years of inactivity has recently taken a renewed interest in the game and has therefore decided to become acquainted with the current chess literature...which brings us to this highly acclaimed Endgame Manual by Dvoretsky.
   You may know that Dvoretsky is a famous trainer of world class grandmasters, and has perfected a system of training by which he claims he can bring a 2200 level player to the level of grandmaster. His series of books are in many ways comparable to the famous "Think Like a Grandmaster" series by Kotov (and all are also highly recommended). So, the target audience for this book is, I would think, like all of Dvoretsky's books, the serious student who has already reached a high standard and is searching for a way to improve his game even further.
   
   So, if you buy this book, and master it, will you also become a master of the endgame? You of course will be well on your way, and that alone is a good reason to add this book to your library, but still there are 2 major problems with it. The first is unfortunate, and somebody who has mastered the endgame would not commit it. Dvoretsky attempts to formulate universally general principals of endgame play, and then ignores the counter-examples that show the exceptions to his rules. This is OK for a general endgame text, but we are training future grandmasters here remember, and the promulgation of erroneous rules is not the way to do it. So, example, consider this (wrong) Dvoretsky rule on page 152 given in the section discussing rook and pawn vs. rook endgames, with the pawn on the fourth rank, and you will understand the problem with his approach:
   
   "It is important to remember that in case of a knight pawn, cutting off the king by two files is not sufficient for a win." -- Dvoretsky
   
   To support this rule, he then gives the standard position, with the black king on e6, black rook on b8, white pawn on b4, white rook on d1, white king on b3...It is very true, the rule applies here, but move the black king to either e7 or e4, and white to play wins. The sad and ironic thing here is that on page 147 Dvoretsky berates Dlugy for missing a draw against Alburt in the USA ch, Los Angeles 1991, because his adjourned position was in fact analyzed in the classic work on rook endings by Levenfish and Smyslov, and which Dlugy had at his disposal. Well, if Dvoretsky would care to obtain a copy of the classic Levenfish and Smyslov himself, turn to page 38 in either the algebraic or descriptive notation versions of the book, he will find the positions with the king on e7 or e4, showing his rule to be wrong. And, having gotten a hold of Levenfish and Smsylov, he should read the last chapter, the conclusion, where he would find:
   
   "The reader who has accompanied us along the difficult path from the simplest of rook endings to the complicated ones involving numerous pawns may be expecting ready-made rules or formulae for the correct treatment of endgames. He will not find them. The solving of even simple rook endings depends on delicate nuances in the position, to elucidate which requires a considerable amount of analytical work" -- Levenfish and Smyslov, "Rook Endings"
   
   That is also the reason the authoritative "Secrets of Rook Endings" by Nunn is 352 pages -- it is impossible to reduce the endgame to simple rules...and leads us to the second problem with the book...402 pages is just not enough to treat the subject of the endgame in an accurate fashion. So, if you are using Dvoretsky as your only source, it would be impossible to not have serious gaps in your endgame knowledge, which I will illustrate again with a Dvoretsky rook and pawn vs. rook ending example. Dvoretsky gives a fundamental position (in his exercise 9/1, page 144) with pawn on the seventh where by an ingenious maneuver, white can win. The position is white pawn on f7, white king on e7, white rook on g1, black king on h8, black rook on c7. Normally, the black king in such positions is on h7, but on h8, a new feature is introduced, the white rook can occupy g6. The solution main line then is: 1.Kf6 Rc6+ 2.Ke5 Rc8 3.Rg6!! Kh7 4.Rc6 Ra8 5.Kf6 with Re6-e8 to follow which wins. So what's the problem? Move the black rook in the initial position from the c-file to the b or a-file, and it's a draw. Dvoretsky does not tell you this. I would think a student reading Dvoretsky's exercise very likely would form the opinion that with black king on h8 white always wins such positions because the g6 square is always available to the white rook, but that is not correct.
   
   (As an aside, in the first example, Nunn gives both the e7 and e4 king positions on page 143 of his book. Karsten Muller in his "Fundamental Chess Endings" does not give the e4 position. Muller may have used computer tablebases to check the accuracy of his work, but one cannot check an omission. Both the e4 and e7 positions must be given because the winning method is different in the two cases. In the second example, Nunn also correctly identifies with the rook on the b or a-file, the position is drawn. Muller does not give the second example.)
   
   So, yes...buy this book by all means, but realize that you will be forced eventually to supplement it with either the books by Nunn, or the maybe a combination of the old Averbakh endgame series, and of course the classic Levenfish and Smyslov, together with the computer tablebases.

5 comments about Beading on a Loom (Beadwork How-To).

1. This is not a beginner's looming book, nor is it a pattern book. It is a book that will help you understand the history of loomed beading, how to do it, and how to design your own patterns.

   I recommend this book for beaders who are experienced with looming and want to expand their horizons, because it will do that.

   I will admit tho, I think this book is worth it for the eye candy alone!




2. I ordered this book having no loom experience at all. I was not disappointed. I read it from cover to cover, went to the shop and built a simple loom and began. The illustrations and examples were great inspiration. I did not make the exact pieces from the book, but used them for the beginning of my own works.



3. `Beading on a Loom' by Don Pierce is sort of two books in one, and both suffers and gains from that fact. The book begins with something of an overview of basic seed beading techniques which, to someone like me, who did some pretty large self-designed American Indian style beading projects many years ago, is just right as a next step in teaching us how to, for example, do French woven chains, where the weave splits into two different runs of warp, to be joined at their ends with a clasp. This project also adds elements such as a medallion and fringes.
   
   Looking through the `Tools and Techniques' chapter, one's initial reaction is that the book is a good elementary introduction to beading on a loom. However, while the instruction is very good, it really picks up at an intermediate level. I strongly believe that if I had no prior experience with seed beading, I would find myself doing a lot of fumbling around trying to make sense of some of the instructions. The three leading signs of the intermediate level of the book is that it does not bother explaining such elementary terms as warp and weft; it has too few photographs or illustrations of some of the most elementary techniques such as the look of a beading needle; and it cites no sources for beading supplies.
   
   This is not to say that this is not a valuable book for a beginner. The second half of the book is a photographic gallery of beading pieces done by expert craftsmen. For someone brought up on American Indian beading techniques and designs, these pics are a revelation of what has been done by contemporary and historical artisans working in the European tradition of haute couture, elevating a simple craft to the level of high art.
   
   The problem one faces with this book, just as I encountered when I read Colette Peters' `Cakes to Dream On' is that while I know all the basics of loom beading (and cake baking), the book really doesn't give me everything I need to make the leap from craft to art. Of course, it may simply not be possible to do this in one book, but the book clearly show one how high one can aspire in working in what seems to be a really simple technique. In that vein, the book scores points with me for giving a nice little bibliography on loom beading techniques. There is nothing more frustrating than wanting more from a book, without a clue as to where to go.
   
   The fact is that the craft is a lot more complicated than what you will find in your Boy Scout merit badge pamphlet on Indian Lore! Also, one little thing which tips the scale for me between a four and five star rating is Mr. Pierce's very engaging writing style. In technical fields such as handicrafts and cooking for example, it is so nice to find someone who writes as entertainingly as he writes well about his subject.



4. Don Pierce has a great sense of humour which echoes my own, therefore I found his book both amusing and informative, while I sat and read through all of his anecdotes and simple intructions. He not only simplifies the set up of a loom but also provides instructions for making one. I also found his charts at the back of the book invaluable for the planning of my first real project. This book is a must for beginners and those more experienced.



5. I am so pleased with the projects in this book.
   Most of them are for intermediate to advanced beaders, but with a little practice, all could be achieved by beginning loomers.
   The gallery portion is incredible and gives your creative side a shot in the arm!
   A "must have".

5 comments about Crocheting School: A Complete Course.

1. This is a wonderful book. The photos are very clear, and the colors of yarn used are beautiful. Information on varied techniques is included, such as three ways to make a corner in filet, how to make a multi-level flower. The book is a pleasure to use.



2. this book is a great reference, had originally gotten the book from the library. well had to own it... its so easy to follow the instructions and the pictures are really good too.



3. I saw this book at my library and just to had to have one for myself!! It is my favorite reference book!! It doesn't miss much!



4. If you think you have seen it all as a crocheter, then buy this book! Because there are so many amazing things contained in a book that doesn't appear to be that big (138 pages). I just received it in the mail (thanks to fast and free supersaver mail!), and so I have not tried any of the techniques out. But I have not been so happy with a new book in a long time. I was trembling with excitement, looking over so many things I have never seen before! There are variations on basic stitches that were completely new to me, such as the rib stitch version of slip stitch (p 13), (Yes, I know this shouldn't be such a big deal but I just haven't ever seen that before, and I thought I had seen and done everything as a crocheter), variation of square in double crochet (p 20), Afghan Tweed Stitch (p 29) (This is a tunisian stitch that I have never seen before. It looks pretty cool), etc etc. I also thought it was extremely cool that they covered hairpin lace (4 pages of info, with variations and joining techniques), flower looms (2 pages of info, with joining techniques), and broomstick lace (2 pages worth). To top it all off, the book devotes many pages to showing different techniques for embellishing with crochet (embroidering on crochet, crocheted trims, crocheted edgings, crocheted insertions, crocheting with beads, etc.)
   
   This book is a veritable crochet explosion of technique and inspiration. I highly recommend this to 2 types of crocheters: ambitious and creative beginners and those crocheters who are more advanced in skill and think they have seen it all. If you know someone who crochets, this would make a wonderful gift.
   
   Mrs. K. Kerr



5. This is the best basic book one can buy. The companion knitting book also falls into the same category of BEST BUY!