5 comments about Your Backyard Herb Garden: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting and More.

1. Great resource book. Covers all of the basics in clear, simple instructions.



2. This is a great book for a beginning herb gardener. The first half of the book is a general overview of gardening techniques, designs, and uses for herbs. The second half gives specific information on growing and using many herbs. This has been extraordinarily helpful to me as background and reference for me.
   
   However, it is pretty basic and only covers the most commonly used herbs, so I'm not sure that advanced herb gardeners would get much out of this.



3. I adore this book! Wow! It has all the things I wanted!
   - it's organic
   - it very thorougly covers many herbs in different formats, so you know everything from what bugs they attract or repel, how tall they grow, and what zone they can be grown in
   - common uses for them: I discovered many herbs I thought were inedible plants that are indeed herbs
   - easy to use tables
   
   I wasn't too hip on all the cosmetic and craft uses - I'd rather eat them, but they're short and may come in handy. I know the rest of the book sure will!



4. This is a relatively small book at about 150 pages, but it manages to pack in a lot of information very concisely. It's beautifully illustrated with color photographs and drawings.
   
   The first 2/3 of the book includes general herb gardening background and use of herbs tips: how to choose plants, pick the location, general design principles, planting instructions (including some nice tips on extending the growing season), propagation, harvesting, drying, pests and diseases, etc.
   
   It also includes suggestions for common culinary uses, such as salads, herbal vinegars, flavored oils, teas, jellies, honeys, and breads. These are not an extensive set of recipes, but more like master recipes with some suggestions for how you can mix them up with variations.
   
   The book also includes suggestions and recipes for health and beauty products (again, not an extensive collection). This section includes potpourri, sachets, bouquets, dried arrangements and insect repellents.
   
   The last 1/3 of the book has individual pages on about 50 different herbs. These individual pages tell you a description, how to grow, harvesting instructions, suggested uses, tips, cultivars, and also includes a quick key on the level of care required (using a 4 glove rating system), if it attracts beneficial insects, whether or not it is ornamental, whether or not it can be grown in a container, how much yield you can expect to get and how easy it is to grow.
   
   The back of the book contains a few pages of resources for laboratories, vendors, herb associations and other books or literary resources.
   
   There are lots of charts and sidebars and overall I found this book to be very useful and easy to access. It doesn't have the level of information needed to make this anything other than a quick reference book though.



5. A very useful book for the home gardener. A quick guide for growing, harvesting and using herbs.

5 comments about Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening.

1. I have been a gardener for several years, and have enjoyed reading this book and using some of the suggestions.



2. This is a well put together volume of information. Companion planting is the way to go for better yields, and natural insect control.



3. So much information in this little book. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone with a garden!



4. This is a very informational book. I bought two, gave one to my 73 year old mother who just planted her first successful garden!



5. This book has been great with helping to plant my garden using natural methods of pesticides. This is done by planting plants that repel insects and diseases next to each other. It is a very good way to keep from using chemical pesticides, and to get optimal yields of vegetables and fruits. I highly recomend it for the orgainic gardener or the beginning gardener. It is an exellant guide for all.

5 comments about How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits: (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) (How to Grow More Vegetables: (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains,).

1. The people who are disappointed with this book are the ones who bought it without understanding what it was. This book isn't a "gardening for the soul" book of fluff, nor is it a typical "how to get bigger tomatoes" text.
   
   What this book is is a compendium of information on growing as much food as possible for real, live people to eat.
   Yes, it delves into the science and discusses the big, scary numbers involved. For you 'visual types' who find yourselves having to use your fingers to complete a single digit multiplication problem, don't bother. If you want purpler plumbs or redder radishes, look elsewhere.
   
   Assuming your IQ is above 100 and you're looking for a book to tech you some of the skills required to feed your family under all circumstances, I can hardly think of a better book than this one. It is exactly what it says.
   
   If I had to put my family on a fertile island and give them one book on gardening, it would unquestionably be this one.



2. I am fairly new to vegetable gardening and had no clue how much to plant for my wife and I in a Fall/Winter Garden. The book contains many charts and diagrams, which show how many square feet of space to alot for each vegetable. I currently use a hybrid method with 4x4 square foot gardening instead of the large rectangles as suggested in the book since my garden is in my backyard and I do like to have some lawn. A square foot is a square foot, so it really doesn't matter shape/size. There is also some good general gardening advice in the first few chapters. It is a good reference book for the library.



3. I found this book a bore to read at best. It is full of omissions and confusing charts that don't explain what they are showing. I also found it constantly trying to convince you of this political dogma and to join the society that supports this. There are much better books on intensive planting that actually explain a syetem to do it that this.



4. while the idea of growing more vegetables is a noble (and highly marketable) title, the actual book didn't have much information that i didn't already read in 'square foot gardening' or 'four-season harvest'. a key difference is that an artificial soil mix isn't used, but rather using organic methods to improve existing soil - is that a new concept? while both books do a comparison of intensive methods, Jeavons recommends a hexagonal inter-planting pattern (similar to the spacing in chicken wire) to plant intensively, vs. the square foot method of rigidly planting only one kind of vegetable in each square. Jeavons also advocates the use companion plants whereever possible to increase yields and reduce pests. however, the sections devoted to double-digging and composting seem to make up a disproportionately large section of the book, and relatively little is said about what exactly increases yields except for treating the soil well (e.g., use good compost, raised beds, add organic matter, etc). for anyone interested in organic gardening, there isn't a lot of unique information in this book that couldn't be found on a good website.



5. In my honest opinion, this is the best how to garden book out there. Probably not for beginners, but for those who want more. It debunks the normal vegetable spacing on the seed packets, so you can get more that you can imagine......

5 comments about 2-at-a-Time Socks: Revealed Inside. . . The Secret of Knitting Two at Once on One Circular Needle Works for any Sock Pattern!.

1. I found the directions in this book incomplete, and, while the color photos are really beautiful, they don't show the step-by-step as much as I needed it to. I had to do outside research to understand the technique she's showing us here. Once I figured that out, I had to figure out how to keep my various strands of yarn from becoming intertwined (which I don't see addressed in this book), especially when you flip the work.
   
   I learned a thing or two from this book, but, I think this book is best suited to experienced sock knitters who know a thing or two about the magic loop method. A beginner will probably not be able to 'read between the lines' in the directions without research from other sources. When I spend my hard-earned money on a book, I don't expect to have to do additional homework to understand what the author is trying to say.



2. I'm just learning to knit socks. Since I can't use the dp needles, the 2 circular needle method and teh 1 circular needle method are a blessing for me. The pictures are very good and helpful.



3. This is a pretty good book for intermediate knitters who want to get in with the magic loop crowd. Morgan-Oakes spends a good 17 pages explaining the magic loop technique. Her instructions aren't overly illuminating (it took me a few solid hours to understand precisely what she was saying each step of the way), but they aren't horrid either. A few more pictures would have helped, but I got by alright.
   
   The patterns, on the other hand, are disappointing. I found 4 out of the 17 patterns worth making. The rest are quite boring, dowdy, and "crafty" looking. I think Morgan-Oakes was trying to offer a variety of patterns (one for the fashionista, one for baby, one for the rugged hiker etc.), but in doing so, she loses any kind of continuity. If your tastes in socks are wide and all encompassing then you will enjoy the patterns in this book. If you are a discriminating knitter, like me, then you will be disappointed and, perhaps, even a little horrified at the "Ragg Hiker" socks, which are nothing if not a throwback to the 90's.
   
   Initially, I was attracted to the book by the socks on the cover (the color, the texture--it just works), but the pattern is actually for a child's foot. That was a bummer. But either way, with Morgan-Oake's book, I achieved what I set out to do--knit two socks on one circular needle. The technique is indispensible for anyone who is a periodic sock or sweater knitter. It gets rid of the second sock/sleeve syndrome nicely.
   
   Final verdict: get it at the library.



4. I have been wanting to get this book for a while (unfortunately paid more for it at a chain store) and it has lived up to my expectations. I have started a pair and the directions are very clear. The first trial pair are very step-by-step with clear pictures. Then at the beginning of every pattern in the book there are very clear lists of what stitches are used so you know ahead of time what you are getting into. I love the way she layed out each pattern subdividing each 'part' of the sock ie: "knitting the leg", "working the heel", "turning the heel", etc. It is a great book for beginners, but don't let that 'put off' experienced sock knitters as there are a lot of really nice patterns in this book for both types of knitters. There are basic 'Ragg-type', to colorwork, to fancy cables and lace. I started with "Berry Season". It's a short ankle sock with an easy 4 row stitch. I have made a pair of socks (one) on circs (one sock on one circ---couldn't bare to hold 4 DPN's--I'm a crocheter at heart) but this is my first attempt at two on one and while it is a tiny bit tricky at first, once you get past the first couple of rows it is easy (get rid of your starting tail as soon as you know you are going to make the pair as it gets in the way). There is a good glossary in the back with the assumption that you know how to basically knit. And there are good pattern stitch keys and a really nice sizing chart. The book is on a wire spine so it lies flat when open--a nice plus. Thanks Ms Morgan-Oakes for a really nice book.



5. I LOVE IT! This book first of all lays FLAT because it is spiral bound. I have knit socks with double point needles and tried 2 circular needle sock knitting but this is hands down the best way! I suggest you make sure to buy at least a 40" circular needle and the best one would be the bamboo ones because the tubing is VERY soft & bendable. This book is great, easy to follow, and has some really nice patterns. I would suggest that you be a fairly good knitter and if you have knitted socks it would be a very big plus!

5 comments about The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession.

1. When I ran across this title at Barnes and Noble, I assumed it was a Mark Kurlansky type treatment of the subject, erudite and educational, but not really my cup of tea. Boy was I wrong! I had googled miracle fruit since I had done some research on the subject, and I found that there was a chapter in this book on that subject. I went right out and bought a copy, read the chapter. I had no idea of the real story behind miracle fruit (which, by the way, is experiencing skyrocketing prices thanks to this book). I read the rest of the book. Adam has a quirky sense of humor which translates very well in writing. Anyone that is interested in ethnobotany, fruit, plants or just a great summer read on the beach should buy the book. Let's hope Mr. Gollner is working on his next book.



2. A missed opportunity. A really interesting topic wasted, in my
   opinion, by poor writing and a clumsy approach to the subject.
   Well, I will give him a pass. It's his first book and he probably
   couldn't contain his enthusiasm for the subject. But I found this
   book very tedious to read.



3. Journalist Gollner finds endless summer in his travels around the world seeking strange and luscious fruit at the very peak of quality. Alas for the rest of us, the best is always local, but Gollner shares his experiences so vividly it's almost like being there. Almost.
   
   Check out his description of the miracle fruit, which turns sour flavors sweet, and has, incidentally, done wonders for the sales of this little berry:
   
   "Where at first I could barely lick the puckeringly tart African lemon without wincing, now I'm gulping it down, licking up the juice on my chin. Even the bits on my teeth are ecstatically sweet, like liquefied filaments of pure joy. My head is swimming. Neurons never-before activated are firing up my central cortex. I greedily eat up the whole lemon, detecting hints of crystallized grapes and berries. While it isn't exactly 12345 Center of the Sun Avenue, it's definitely psychedelic."
   
   The charm of Gollner's debut isn't just his sensuous, hip and funny writing style, or the infectious enthusiasm that will have readers longing to race off to Borneo for a soccer-ball sized tarap, which tastes like a "fully constructed dessert," or a mangosteen or a chempedak or, Borneo's most notorious fruit, the durian, a custardy delicacy with a smell so noxious a Manhattan tasting party emptied the building.
   
   No, there's more. Gollner ferrets out the real fruit hunters, those who have dedicated their lives to fruits. These are an odd and varied bunch, from seriously fanatical scientists and growers to those who believe a pure fruit diet will lead to Nirvana, super wealthy hobbyists who indulge their passion by smuggling, and schemers who inject apples with grape flavor to produce grapples. The fruit world is apparently rife with talented nuts.
   
   Gollner gets behind the politics of fruit - the buzz around miracle fruit's potential in the sweetener market and the sudden FDA ban that brought it all to naught; the reasons, from destructive pests to protectionism, that many fruits are banned from our borders, and the origin of the banana republic.
   
   He delves into the marketing and shipping and consequent dearth of quality in our supermarket fruit; he explores health-giving properties and legends; he introduces varieties we never could even imagine like the lady fruit, which grows only in the Seychelles, has oversized parts which look like human genitalia and takes 7 years to produce a mature fruit.
   
   He explores the world of fruit crime, from smuggling to money laundering, and the role of humans in producing the finest fruits. Fruit biology, history, even fruit intelligence, weaves through this entertaining, informative, even riveting narrative. Readers will look forward to tagging along on Gollner's next adventure.



4. I've been growing tropical fruit for over ten years and have read many books on the subject. When I ran across the Fruit Hunters from a NYTimes article I knew I just had to read this book. I'm glad I did. Its well worth reading this book for not only the knowledge but the entertainment value. The Author throws out many factoids and interesting stories in this book. Not only are the fruits interesting but the people who grow and pursue the fruits are fascinating. I highly recommend this book. The tagline "A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and OBSESSION" is perfect for this. Get it.



5. I found this book not only informative but the prose was exquisite and made a big subject readable and enjoyable and hungry for fruit.

5 comments about Second Nature: A Gardener's Education.

1. I picked up this book when I didn't have my own dirt to get my hands into, and I was hoping to garden vicariously through Pollan's essays.
   
   There are a lot of lessons to be found. For instance, the chapter on roses explains how human intervention and selective breeding brought about a huge difference between the technicolor tear-dropped buds we see for sale at the grocery store and the rounder and simpler flowers that Shakespeare and his contemporaries wrote about.
   
   Throughout the book Pollan makes the case for uniting culture and nature in the garden rather than pitting them against each other as Thoreau (the naturist) did in his writings or suburban landscaping (very culture-centered) implies today. It is an interesting argument worth considering, but by the fourth part when I found it repeated for the umpteenth time without anything new to add I quit reading the book.



2. Pollans description of what is a green thumb and the sysiphean art of mowing reminded me how therapeutic gardening can be and why it cures depression. Thank you Michael for making me look at my roses in a totally different way. You will love this book if you tend to think in pictures and love the art and hard work of gardening.



3. I loved this book. It is written in the spirit of earth that author obviously is in love with. The book is divided into four seasons: spring summer,fall and winter. Each of the seasons has it's own unique characteristic that follows ancient tradition of preparing soil, sowing,cultivating, weeding, harvesting and winter nothingness.
   However if reader looks for practical advises, he or she will not find it here. It is a wonderfull read for all the nature lovers.



4. Michael Pollan's writing is full of metaphors. This book about nature as a human construct was enjoyable to read. I found some parts frustrating because I like the romantic idea of nature even if it is just a human construct. But overall I would recommend this book for a quick read.



5. That's not entirely fair, but...this is a book of essays, not a natural history or gardening book. It is about Pollan's perceptions of nature and landscape, through the gateway of his garden. He does only enough research to flesh out his musings with historical fact and literary reference - and he is very selective. He leans heavily on Thoreau, and neglects wider scholarship. His essays bog down in pedantic and turgid language (he abuses at least one 5-syllable word per essay). The writing is much like Bill Bryson's, about whom, I'm also kinda lukewarm. I didn't love it, although there are good bits - the story of his first rose plantings was interesting, and inspired me to drop a few snobby old roses in the sod.

5 comments about Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home.

1. "Easy Green Living" is an absolutely wonderful book that shows you how to live green. I have learned so much from this book and have recommended it to family and friends. Everyone should use this as a guide. It's packed with very important information. Renee is very knowledgeable and tells it like it is.



2. Greening your life seems to be a process. It's not something that you can do in one day. It's taken me a few years to slowly get rid of the things that weren't good for me, especially cleansers, beauty products, and food. Not only will using green products help you and your body, but they can help the earth as well!
   This woman really did her homework. She not only stated where she received the abundance of information she wrote about, but she gave tons of resources as well!!
   Even if you don't want to give up your everyday products, like: fabric softener, oven cleaner, and makeup, you don't have to!! There are many more natural and healthy substitutes you can use, by buying better products, or making them yourself!!
   Greening your life is not as hard as you would think!
   Recommended!



3. I have a few green living books, and this one is by far the best (and makes some other popular green guides look like trendy, puff pieces).
   
   It's informative, well set out and very practical. Everything you need to know to go green is in this book!
   
   An excellent investment.



4. This is the most comprehensive, easy to use, guide for eco-friendly living that I have seen in years. I strongly recommend that you consider purchasing this book and using it as a handy reference for everything from personal care products to paint to household items. I have purchased several of these from Amazon after reading it cover to cover from the local library and I will be giving them as Christmas gifts this year. The book will quite simply change your life for the better.



5. EASY GREEN LIVING arrived before expected and brand new as promised. I loved it, it was a real blessing for me and my family as we try to green our lives. Thanks

5 comments about The Garden Primer: Second Edition.

1. This work is very helpful; it is very imaginatively written and assists even those with long experience and a lot of knowledge. The author's enthusiasm for her subject matter could not be any more obvious.



2. I have long been a fan of the first edition and was pleased to hear the author on the radio recently. The second edition is newly updated and includes many details for organic gardeners which I enjoy. It is comprehensive in nature and well organized. It is the definitive garden book. You just can't do better.



3. Garden Primer is a superior gardener's bible for the novice or master gardener. Barbara has out done herself in revising the Gardener's Bible with this comprehensive guide.



4. This is the best gardening book I've come across so far. It covers so much, from houseplants to composting, and has a section on just about any vegetable you can think about growing. And it's in depth! I will keep this book around for years!



5. This book is excellent! It has great, detailed information and is well organized. It's a great addition to my books on gardening. I wish I'd bought it sooner!

5 comments about From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine.

1. This book tells you everything about growing grapes and producing fine wine. It even deals with the choice of grape-varieties suited for your climate. It is almost perfect. I think many Europeans will read this book, and it would have been perfect if it included the Meditteranean countries in the tables of climate-zones and selection of suitable varieties. It is very difficult to find this (about Europe) on the internet. But a great and very useful book.



2. We wanted a resource for the wine process from growth to the glass.
   Everything you need is in here.



3. This is indespensible for home winemakers. Period.
   
   If you are a person engaged in wine studies, this is an essential first look into serious technical winemaking aspects. Before delving into more serious technical manuals such as "Understanding Wine Technology" and "The Science of Wines from Grape to Glass".
   
   Pros: wonderfully written in laymans terms
   Cons: drawings sometimes difficult to distinguish



4. I gave this to my father and he was so excited because it focused a lot on building a good trellis with good illustrations and also good for prunning.
   These are two things that lack in other books that i have bought him (and that I am starting to be interested in, too).
   Of course the book covers all aspects of the grape and wine making process, but the trellising and prunning in more detail was very welcome.
   Recommended on all aspects.



5. When we were planning our vineyard we needed all the help we could get. From Vines To Wines was one book kept by the bedside for constant reference during the planning and planting stage. (The other book was "Vineyard Simple." The illustrated guide to pruning is exceptionally well done. Now that we've made it through year 1, I find myself going back to the book time and again. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in planting a vineyard. Craig Justice, Webmaster of Winemaker's Journal and Founder, Blue Merle Vineyard & Winery

5 comments about Bonsai (101 Essential Tips).

1. This was a good book for getting ideas and then going to the web for more research. A great introduction. I thought it could have been a little more detailed so I gave it a 4. Worth it for those doing bonsai with little and no experience.



2. I expected more info on techniques, however for the begginer it is OK start. Some good pictures to show how to trim, prune etc your beloved bonsai baby.



3. I just bought my first bonsai tree,This book is so helpful.The shipping was very fast.It is packed full of information and lovely pictures.It has great tips for your tree and great ideals.It also gave me information on others bonsai trees i will be trying next..



4. This was a good beginner book for my husband when we bought our first bonsai, although we wish there was more descriptions on trimming it and how much water to give it. We think we have some sort of ficus bonsai, but couldn't find it in the book, so we're hoping what we are doing will keep it alive! Good tips on most aspects of keeping them thriving.



5. This book is small and really just a good overview of what Bonsai's are like. This is sort of a starter guide, explaining the ins and outs of Bonsai. If you're just beginning raising the trees, this is a good book to add to your collection. If you, however, already have a knowledge base about raising and caring for Bonsai, you can move along to a more comprehensive book.