5 comments about The Southern Cottage: From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Florida Keys.

1. Susan Sully's "The Southern Cottage" is a beautifully written book, illustrated with stunning photographs of eighteen charming cottages. In the spirit of full disclosure, my home is featured in the book (four pages of text and eight photos). I had never met Susan before she visited me last year. An officer of our local Preservation Society recommended my home, a mid-nineteenth century "story-and-a-jump" cottage rehabilitated to historic preservation standards, to her.
   
   Susan's photos show my house as it is. All of the furniture and other items in her pictures are mine, ones that I use daily. Sometimes I sit in my parlor with Susan's book open on my lap, and think, "what a wonderful testimony to the love and care we've shown to this historic old house."
   
   In addition to capturing the spirit of my house in photographs, Susan has written several pages describing the house (it belonged to my grandparents), our family history (including colonial settlers, sea captains, and shipwrecks), and life today on a barrier island.
   
   So far I have read only a few other sections (each cottage has its own chapter), but if the book captures the spirit of every house as faithfully as mine (and I have every reason to believe it does) this is a book worthy of any bookshelf.



2. Ever since I purchased a turn of the century farmhouse I have been a bit obsessed w/ reading about the history and culture of the south. I enjoyed this book and the photos but most of all I love reading about the people who choose to live a simple life:)There is something magical about this way of life. I feel so lucky to experience living in a historic home and I enjoyed reading the reviewer's home featured in the book! OMG!!!! It is an honor! CONGRATS!!!! I googled and made trips to the local museum in my area and found my farmhouse written about in a history book and it is thrilling beyond words! Hope someday the author chooses to write "The Southern Farmhouse" Hint!:)



3. This was an absolute page turner for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful pictures and descriptive dialog. The photos were amazing and were varied with many interior, exterior and garden shots. The only dissapointment was coming to the end!



4. Very nice book. I liked it so much I sent an additional copy to a friend in Georgia.



5. I'm always interested in how the wealthy spend their money. These "Cottages" are really something! Most people might enjoy thumbing through this book free at a library or on a friends coffee table.

2 comments about The Owner-Built Log House: Living in Harmony With Your Environment.

1. A great book! From the guy that started the whole log building
   industry 30 years ago and continues to teach it worldwide. The main point here that Mr. Mackie
   illustrates is that you can do it yourself and that what you get is so much more than just a house.It's a lifestyle!Just the kind of message people need these days when everything is so high tech. Wood is good for the soul!! Keep up the good work Allan!



2. A classic from the a master log builder. Lots and lots of color pictures and great easy to read diagrams. For those who really want to build there own log cabin themselves. Deals mostly with hand scribed round log construction. A+

4 comments about Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods (Mcgraw-Hill Series in Civil Engineering).

1. This book had so many errors, the entire class including the instructor were confused. It is very sad to see a textbook in its fifth or sixth edition with so many mistakes. Many of the questions at the end of the chapter are so poorly written, that there was no solution. Clearly, the authors had a goal and a message to convey, but because there was no attention to detail, the message was muddy at best. I remain disenchanted with the general quality of textbooks, but this is one of the worst examples of a textbook I have ever seen. Come on America, educate!



2. The second chapter is the nuts and bolts of financing equipment. The numbers are commonly wrong. There are WAY to many mistakes. This is a textbook for a heavy equipment class. It's the third week of the semester (Fresno State) and we're dying...



3. We speak English & use the Metric System in the rest of the World.
   
   When will American publishers discover this ?
   
   
   This book requires me to convert every single worked example to the units used by the rest of the world.
   
   I suggest that they publish the worked examples on a CD with book using the units that he rest of the world use !!!



4. This book was alright. Some illustrations, decent descriptions. Some of the problems were too in depth. It would be alright for some just starting out in construction or someone who just wants to learn a little about it.

5 comments about Construction Funding: The Process of Real Estate Development, Appraisal, and Finance.

1. The third edition of Construction Funding by Nathan S. Collier et al is a remarkable demonstration of insight and expertise. Collier and colleagues provide an exceptionally lucid description and analysis of the process of real estate development that is accessible to non-experts while being authoritative at the same time. In addition to being an excellent text for students and others interested in careers in real estate development, this book serves as essential background for all those whose responsibilities include any part of the development process.



2. Very interesting  book; very easy to read.
   As a small real estate investor I found it very helpful in understanding many of the ins and outs of real estate and financing, especially on the scale i would like to grow to.



3. I read construction funding, prematurely perhaps, as one of my first ever real estate books - and I loved it! The book takes the reader through several once-real-life scenarios and explains the construction process step by step. I think that both ambitious beginners and more seasoned loan officers and developers would benefit from reading this book.



4. the right book, at the right time, in the right place... dubai



5. This isnt a book for someone who wants to dabble in real estate investment. This is a book for big time investors (or people who want to be big time.) It is great if you're looking at large projects like apartment complexes, and it's well written.

No comments about Treehouse Living: 50 Innovative Designs.

5 comments about Modern High-Security Locks: How To Open Them.

1. After one has learned the basics of lockpicking... how a lock is made and what are the basic tools for lockpicking... (from Steve Hampton's _Secrets of Lock Picking) one soon finds out that not every lock pops open in 30 seconds or less. Now it is time to progress to the next level of lockpicking. In this book the rea-der will learn some new tools such as a road runner rim tension wrench and a monkey twisted-wedge diamond pick. Then it's on to tackle multiple row pin tumbler locks, key disc tumbler locks, even electronic key locks.

   To master all of the locks mentioned in this book will take tons of practice but Hampton will show the way. However this book is only the sophomore level. There is more to learn.




2. a very comprehensive book that covers most of the high security locks that is out there in the market!
   
   it is not for amateur lockpickers like myself though, it is more for the experienced lock picker who wants to move on to the next level of difficulty.
   
   you can still learn a great deal from this book even if u know nuts about lock picking. the author explains in detail how to pick each high security lock that he has come across.
   
   even though i cant pick them, the way that he describes it will give anyone a little bit more motivation.
   
   good paragraphing and easy to read.



3. A great book if you are interested in lockpicking, but is not intended for someone just starting to learn this craft. If you have already mastered the basics, this is a must follow-up. If this is your first time in picking locks, you should start with something more easy to follow (the easyer lock described in this book is the ABUS padlock, the toughest are some high security bank locks : almost unpickable, even for an expert).



4. Most of the locks in the book are older and/or not very common. There is some good ideas for making tools though.



5. This book is a good one. The language is very straight-forward, with a slightly humorous slant. Tons of very detailed diagrams, help in visualising and understanding each different mechanism.

3 comments about Turn a Bowl with Ernie Conover: Getting Terrific Results the First Time Around.

1. FINALLY! A BOOK THAT REALLY EXPLAINS BOWL TURNING

   For anyone seeking puidance on bowl turning, this is the book for you. The problem for most wookworkers is that we work along. We need the advantage of a master craftsman and good teacher to set us on the right path. In that respect, this book is a treasure. It will start anyone off soundly, so that they wil be able to take advantage of the excitement that comes from creating something of value out of a piece of wood. The color photographs are clear, sharp and upclose guides that go along with a well written text so that even a beginner can get it right the first time.




2. Ernie Conover is a well known figure in the world of woodworking. It is a good book, but I was disappointed in the quality of the material that he chose to use as his examples. Wood with bark running through it, or discolored can be exceptional, but these pieces are simply diseased wood that is not attractive. To sign pieces that are less than stellar is a head knocker. Their are other books where the author has chosen to use some exceptional woods, that nature has invaded, and left a mark of beauty. Bowls with exotic colors running through them, and a natural bark edge, but these are not examples of that.
   It is just my opinion, because I know that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so I should be open minded.
   The plus side of the book is that it shares with you some wood turning techniques that are exceptional. A lot can be learned here, so I do overall highly recommend the book. I just have a hard time getting past the attractiveness of the examples used.



3. I am wanting to get into wood turning and while at the used bookstore last week I found and bought a copy of this book. After spending the weekend looking over it, my buying a lathe and making woodchips is quickly approaching.

   About the only thing I really knew about turning wood was what I saw Norm do on TNYW and from reading a few magazine articles. That ain't a lot of information. Mr. Conover does a fantastic job at presenting all the main aspects for making a bowl and even I, a lowly guy who has not even bought a lathe yet, feel like I can do this stuff and do a decent job of it.

   This is a terrific book and the information in it is going to be put to very good use.

2 comments about Billy Baldwin Decorates.

1. Billy Baldwin Decorates is more than a how-to decorating book, although it is a very good one. Baldwin mingled with the wealthy and famous, yet while he name drops, he does it in a matter of fact way rather than a "I'm so cool I can name drop" way. He talks about and shows the work he did for Cole Porter, for instance. Yet despite the name dropping, he was also realistic about mixing luxury and practical living. If you like white walls, spare furniture, and "great rooms", this book is not for you. If you want to decorate a room to be comfortable yet stylish, then it is. Baldwin shows photos of rooms he designed. While some seem period 1960's, and were, others hold up very well. Baldwin also championed using small space effectively. He was very adept at dividing rooms into zones, even small ones, and uses his own one room apartment in Manhattan as an example. Rather than the less-is-more of recent small space design, Baldwin was adept at making rooms so comfortable that the small size didn't matter. He also wasn't ashamed of using inexpensive materials if he felt they seved the purpose well. In many ways, this book, while dated at times, has more to recommend it than recent books on the subject.



2. See my review for the 1972 edition with Forward by Cleveland Amory. This book is a Must-Have for everyone interested in residential design.

3 comments about Audel Questions and Answers for Electrician's Examinations.

1. This book is very informative on a wide variety of subjects in the Electrical Trade.It has helped me in the preparation of numerous exams and interviews.The drawings are well detailed.



2. I am currently in school to advance my knowledge in the electrical field and this book has been an asset.



3. Perfect for journeyman test prep, and excellent for multi-craft exams. A companion to the NEC and Tom Henry books.

2 comments about The Farmhouse Book.

1. I love books about design of all types and from all over the world. This one, however, details such old and rudimentary buildings that it's just not "stylish" enough for me. I like to imagine myself living in these places and I wouldn't want to live in any of these. No offense to the author. It just wasn't a book for me.



2. I love this book, the photos and stories within are charming. It demonstrates how the North American farmhouse came to be. There is a fictionalized account of a day in the life of a farmhouse of the late 1860s, when the pace of progress was fast; it may seem almost idyllic, even enviable. The follows a heavily illustrated section on how farmhouses took shape, how they developed, how they operated, and what it is like to live in them. This section leads to how people can adapt to living in farmhouses today, in hopes that some of the character of these buildings will remain unchanged and their redundant parts (turned into workrooms, studios, bathrooms, and so on) will retain their proportions and history. If you're looking for information about the historic architecture of farmhouses, this is the book.