3 comments about Lou Manfredini's House Smarts.

1. After we bought our first home, I bought a whole bunch of books so I could tackle various projects. There are books from Readers Digest, Home Depot and Black&Decker and others on my shelf now. They are all wonderful, but I wish I had bought this book first. You'll find a great introduction of the various parts and workings of your home, and how to best use and maintain them. This book helps you decide which project makes sense and which one to do first. Then when it comes to do the work, you may need a more detailed book specific to your project, or perhaps you decide to hire a contractor. Either way, this is a great book to start, and each time I am thinking about a project I turn to this book first.
   
   One word of caution: There is another book available from the same author ("Mr. Fixit introduces you to your home") that appears to be identical to this one, at least judging from the table of contents. So if you already own one, you may not need the other. I bought this one, since it was published more recently.



2. After just purchasing a house and finding some things that needed fixed, I went to the library to borrow some books on home repair. Most of the books concentrate on how to fix specific things like unclogging a sink or installing light fixture wiring. House Smarts gives much more broad lessons, rather than specifics. This is the first book to read, even before buying a house. I have bought the book for myself as well as two of my buddies. Lou educates the reader in a casual, funny and relatable way.



3. His books are serious, straight-forward, and offer tons of tid-bits of information, most of which wasn't over my head. Even if you aren't able to do some of the projects you want to, you will understand what is going on and get some money saving tips throughout. I have the entire series and it's well worth it, though I got all mine used, so it was only about $20 and worth it!

5 comments about Hands-on Log Homes.

1. I feel I know this book as well as anyone; I designed the book! It is a great book to glean ideas to plan, create and decorate your own log home. The photos are breath-taking. I enjoy the authors' clear but amusing style of writing, and I bet you will, too.



2. Hands-on Log Homes is our third, full-color, idea design book on the subject of log home architecture. As such, it was also my third opportunity to loop America - cameras in hand - seeking out unique log homes and meeting the people who build them. In this case, those people happened to be mostly involved owner-builders. That is, creative, resourceful people who used sweat equity to help build their dream. Similar to our second book, "The Log Home Book", there is a virtual photo-feast inside. The only difference is that the scale of these homes tends to be more moderate, and the owners themselves share their own unique and entertaining building stories along with practical bits of advice gleaned along the way.

   Along with built-from-scratch homes, there are those abodes built largely with recycled materials - old logs, old doors, old fixtures! Perfect examples of turning one man's junk into veritable treasure while often saving money along the way.

   Next comes a marvelous chapter on historic restorations. Often "rebuilt" with the help of skilled craftsman, we include these handmade originals as true examples of once upon a time, do-it-yourself ingenuity.

   While this is not a "how-to-build" book, Art wrote a final chapter that leads the reader through the practical steps and considerations of building a small log building. Of course, there is also a resource guide in back with plenty of leads for designing, building and decorating the home you plan to build, remodel or buy.

   Check it out, and let us know what you think by emailing thiede@sunvalley.net.

   Cindy Thiede




3. I'm a Japanese reader and living in Log Cabin. This book provides me with many decoration ideas. I wish to reccomend this book to my friend who are living in Log cabins.



4. This is NOT a how to book any way,shape,or form. It IS a beautiful wish book that will give ideas and inspiration for your project, but thats where the help stops. Rate it a 1 star for the how to crowd and a 4 star for the wish list/coffee table crowd.



5. Gives anyone thinking of building a good idea of what to expect. Not as detailed as I would have liked, just the same a good book.

2 comments about Ceramic Tile: Step-by-Step Projects (Smart Guide).

1. 
   I did not see a review on this book on Amazon, so I bought it used through one of the other Amazon retailers. I am so glad I did not spend much money on this book.
   
   I was very disappointed in this book. The book was almost entirely illustrations. The only pictures in this book were on the first page of each chapter and even that was a letdown. In chapter 3, there a photographs of three floor designs, one with a set-in square. Nowhere in the chapter did they tell you how to make that design, just generally info on laying out the design you want.
   
   I gave it 2 stars for the information, but feel it would have been a really good book with actual pictures of the steps. In these types of projects, pictures are much better than diagrams for me. For a great guide on laying tile that INCLUDES photos, I recommend Working with Tile by Tom and Lane Meehan. It is a Taunton's "Build Like a Pro" series.



2. Used this book for the first time doing tile work. Book looks a little old, but covers everything you need to know. The work I did came out nicely and I am very satisfied.

2 comments about Taunton's Family Home Idea Book (Idea Books).

1. Taunton Press generally publishes very useful books about home design, particularly regarding storage ideas. This book, however, seems to have been put together very quickly in order to sell copies.

   Most annoying, are pictures that are too small - there is nothing worse than squinting at a picture, or worse, being tempted to take out a magnifying glass. This is especially irksome when there is a giant blank spot of empty page right above and beside it.
   The larger pictures are lovely, but editorial decisions are questionable when so much page is left blank. For instance, some of the photos are smaller than your average photograph.

   Finally, there is something disturbing about declaring a house a "family home" based mostly, it seems, on size. These are homes which contain media rooms, arts & crafts rooms, built-in storage designed from solid wood which would break anybody's budget.
   This book definitely advocates size over practicality; there seems little hope for the family living a home that isn't the size of a football field.




2. This book is a little gold mine. The ideas depicted in these pages are very tastefully done with artfully crafted spaces, excellent photos, and a must have for anyone who is thinking of building their own home or remodeling a current residence. There is something in this lovely book for every budget.

5 comments about Basements : Your Guide to Planning and Remodeling.

1. You will save a lot of money on redoing Your basement with this
   book.



2. This book has plenty of great photos of finished basements and is a great "idea book" for someone who is trying to figure out what to do with their basement. However, it seems to be geared toward people who want to come up with a design, and then hire a contractor to implement it. I am plannning to finish my basement myself, and I found this book lacked the detailed information I will need to undertake that task. So, if you just need some ideas, and you plan to hire someone else to get the job done once you've planned it -- this book is great. If you're planning to re-do your basement yourself and need detailed information about how to do it, look elsewhere.



3. This book has great pictures and good design themes, but if you're looking for a book on how to finish a basement, this is no help. I've gotten some ideas from this book, but I still don't know where to start with the actuall construction.



4. This book covers the main points to consider in planning a basement renovation, and has lots of ideas, including good color pictures. If you need a book to tell you how to frame the walls and put up drywall, go buy one of those instead--there are a lot of those available. This book is a great guide to planning (just like the title says)!



5. This book has several pictures and is full of ideas, however, it falls short on the details. Good for someone who is hiring the work out; not doing the work themselves. The book shows styles, and fixtures that are circa mid-1990s.

No comments about Storage and Shelving Solutions: Ideas and Projects that Fit Your Budget, Space, and Lifestyle.

5 comments about Household Hints for Dummies.

1. This book is great for the kids going off to live on their own (either school, marriage or moving in with boy/girlfriend, or just leaving home) My mom just passed away so its up to me to keep the house tidy and I dont have the advisor I used to have so this book is great!!! Hints on everything from cleaning the right/easier/faster way to keeping home clutter free, getting kids to help out and even tips on little household jobs and keeping bugs away. Book has lots of hints and easy to see icons alerting u of dangers or more tips.



2. A friend gave me this book as a housewarming present and I thought she was nuts because I've had my own home for 30 years. What could I possibly learn from a book about keeping house? As it turns out, plenty! I cannot believe how many hints, ideas and shortcuts I've used from the book -- on taking care of my house, clothes, car, pets. Mine is by my bedside, so I can read a little passage on how to get wax out of carpeting or iron a shirt efficiently before I go to bed. Lest you think I'm a cleaning fanatic, I am not. My house is littered with papers and junk because I work full-time. What this book has done is show me how to use shortcuts and techniques that make keeping things under control easier and less tedious. I salute Janet Sobesky and the publishers. If the whole series is as useful as this book, I'm buying them all.



3. A friend gave me this book as a housewarming present and I thought she was nuts because I've had my own home for 30 years. What could I possibly learn from a book about keeping house? As it turns out, plenty! I cannot believe how many hints, ideas and shortcuts I've used from the book -- on taking care of my house, clothes, car, pets. Mine is by my bedside, so I can read a little passage on how to get wax out of carpeting or iron a shirt efficiently before I go to bed. Lest you think I'm a cleaning fanatic, I am not. My house is littered with papers and junk because I work full-time. What this book has done is show me how to use shortcuts and techniques that make keeping things under control easier and less tedious. I salute Janet Sobesky and the publishers. If the whole series is as useful as this book, I'm buying them all.



4. Why didn't my mother tell me all this? I believe that reading this book should be required along with every marriage license, lease and mortgage agreement. This book is a natural for a bridal shower gift, or anyone just setting up housekeeping. I'm giving it to everyone on my gift list for Christmas!



5. This book is a "wonderment." And a "wonderment" is a thing of wonder. Don't bypass this book if you are anal. Anals have super clean houses and are frequently
   nurses. They start sniffing the air for dirt as soon as you walk in. The author calls
   them "clean-o-holics." This is such a great book. It's like being at Disneyland.
   We first go to section 1 (there are six sections). Here we may be in for some disappointments. The author won't say it. But she really hypothesizes that you
   can't have (this is hard to grasp) a user-friendly house or dwelling unless you have
   a minimum of some time-management or organizational skills. Now she doesn't
   write separate books on time-management or organization, but she does give the
   bare minimum of these skills. That includes calendars and "to-do" lists. She does
   say that you can go right to the other sections to learn. But the implications are
   what I just stated. Sections two through four give us all the stuff that we need.
   The messy bathroom. The messy kitchen. And so on. This takes up a lot of room
   in the book. About 180 pages of this 350-page book. Section 4 is about "troubleshooting." The stuck door, bugs, the plunger. Section 5 is about safety.
   Burglars, bad food, accidents. Section 6 is "The Part of Tens." Basically everything
   that we didn't cover in the previous five sections. One of the points that I am trying to make is that this book is even good for the "clean-o-holic." Because they can find out how much they don't need to do. Thank you. I hope that I have helped

1 comments about John Deere 52 Backyard Landscaping Projects: Designing, Planting, and Building the Yard of Your Dreams One Weekend at a Time.

1. I have not yet sat down and completely read the book. I know I wanted it because I spent a bit of time looking thru it when I was in a Menards. Now that I have it and have looked thru it, am very happy I have it. I do recommend it to anyone who likes to do this type of thing.

5 comments about The Workbench Book: A Craftsman's Guide to Workbenches for Every Type of Woodworking.

1. Very fine expository writing for those interested in the history of and current state-of-the-art woodworking benches and accessories. Enclosed plans are a nice plus. The resource section is excellent. Well researched, well written, photography is exceptional.
   
   EIM



2. A very complete workbench guide with just enough history, lots of technical info, and with high quality pictures and drawings.



3. Informative and readable. Obviously a labor of love. I give it 5 stars even though the Tom Caspar-inspired design I've settled on didn't come from this book.



4. The Workbench Book serves as either a coffee table book or as a working guide to getting to just the right workbench built for yourself. The book is beautifully produced. The photos are beautiful and the text is wonderful.
   
   I chose the words "working guide" above carefully. The pretty pictures aside, the real value of this book to me was in being walked through just how many different ways a bench can be used. As I read it, I found myself constantly comparing my own work habits against what I was reading regarding why certain bench configurations evolved. It also made some of my own bench frustrations clearer.
   
   In the end, and as a direct result of reading this book, I've decided on a heavy open-framed (weighted, actually) bench a foot lower than what I've been using, 6' long, 30" deep, no tray, no storage, with a torsion box top and conventional (Record-type) woodworkers vise. I'll supplement with a pair of low (12" - 15") assembly tables 30" square each. That's pretty specific, but as I considered my own work and habits while reading, the formerly attractive shaker benches, euro benches, and even the intriguing Japanese beams have lost their attractiveness.
   
   This is that rare type of book that has long-term and deep implications for how you work if you read it with real intent. Highly recommended.



5. Lon Schleining's book "The Workbench" is the book of dreams. This book is more practical. The bench I completed a few months ago (after a couple of years of study) is based more on the ideas in Schleining's and more on Landis' book for procedure.
   
   I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Japanese Beams & Trestles.
   
   If you can afford it, buy both workbench books (unless there is some important particular you need, you won't need a third book). If not, pick this one if you need more how-to and Schleining's if you know how and want more design ideas.

4 comments about Primitive Living, Self-Sufficiency, and Survival Skills.

1. got this one from my sister-in-law last x-mass. i really like this book. it is well written and has all kinds of crap in it about eating bears with your hands, catching things on fire and wilderness cooking recipies including my favorite, 'ash cakes'.



2. I bought this book to learn, not to hear about how a bird flew passed the author's path in the morning. For me, there was too much of the authors feelings and jabber about the how he felt at a given moment. The word skills in the title led me to believe there are things to learn from this book. For me this book is a let down and dificult to read.



3. This book appears to be a duplicate by another publisher of Elpel's book Participating in Nature: Thomas J. Elpel's Field Guide to Primitive Living Skills, which I have reviewed. Elpel's own website does not list this title, but does list Participating in Nature.



4. This book is a good overview of primitive skills. I know how to make stone tools, (not well, but I at least know how it's done) and found the section on making stone tools extremely lacking to say the least. However, I learned a lot about subject I know nothing. If you know something about these subjects you might also find the secions lacking. It's an overview and a good book for beginers, but not for the more advanced. I was always told never to eat chokecherries because of the cyanide. The author tells you how to remove the cyanide. However, I'll let you be the one to eat the chokecherries.
   Wyatt Kaldenberg