1 comments about Planning, Estimating, and Control of Chemical Construction Projects (Cost Engineering).

1. I am about 50% through the book, and it has provided me with a good baseline approach to small & large projects. I have worked in process engineering, manufacturing, and process automation/control, but I have never professionally executed a chemical construction project. The book has everything you need to formalize a project execution methodology, including estimating rules-of-thumb and expected outcomes of each phase in the project. The only problem that I've seen is the author's repeated incorrect usage of the word "insure" -- in most cases, Pablo should have used "ensure". OK, so I'm picky..

5 comments about Peaceful Parents, Peaceful Kids: Practical Ways to Create a Calm and Happy Home.

1. This book stands out among the many of the books I have read on parenting. It is exceptionally well-written, insightful, and sensitive to the needs of parents. I give it my highest recommendation.



2. Peaceful Parents, Peaceful Kids is one of the "number of points" self-help books that are so popular these days. The opening message that peace in the family begins with peace in the parent clearly moves us in the right direction.Author Naomi Drew has already had a hit along the lines with Learning the Skills of Peacemaking, also aiming Public schools. We can't just place the blame on television, school, other kids, or lack of time, not if we want to actually address the problem. Drew's some of her imagined resolutions are a little too elaborate, she uses concrete, realistic examples. It's important to aim high when you're planning a successful family. Even if you only manage half the book's aims, you'll be much better off. The author breaks the big job of bringing peace to the family down to seventeen points. Parental actions should be guided by love, compassion, fairness, respect, and integrity and nurture these attributes in children. Indeed! Peace is at every doorstep!



3. When I received my copy of the book from Amazon.com, I began applying Naomi Drew's principles to my 3 1/2 year old daughter. She had been having tantrums and talking back. After only two days of following the advice of this book, my daughter's behavior began to change. She actually started using "I messages" and stating her own feelings. My house is more peaceful and I have become more consistent and happy with my children. Excellent, excellent, excellent book for all moms who want to have a more peaceful home!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!



4. An avid reader, I couldn't manage to plough through the "peaceful household" Zen-like initial portion of the book. Accordingly, I abandoned the book mid-read...an almost unheard of phenomenon for me.
   
   I was hoping, not for advice on deep breathing exercises, but for tangible parenting advice that I could readily employ. And please stop summarizing for me what I just read.
   
   Give this one a pass.



5. This book really makes you stop and think about the type of parent you want to be for your children and your spouse. I found after reading just one chapter and implementing the techniques the results among everyone in the family was wonderful. We are all working on our respect and making time for one on one time among everyone in the family.

5 comments about The Good House Book: A Common-Sense Guide to Alternative Homebuilding Solar * Straw Bale * Cob * Adobe * Earth Plaster * & More (A Natural Home Book).

1. Very comprehensive book which expertly and clearly details the differences between natural/sustainable methods and ideas versus conventional methods. The book makes an incredible cases for natural building and the philosophy of sustainability. After reading this book its hard to understand why you wouldn't want to build a house this way. On a personal note, this book has been inspirational to me as an undergrad student trying to get into an architecture school and train to be a sustainable architect. Also I'm coming from a traditional carpentry background and know that the things Clarke Snell is writing about are right on the money.



2. Superlative well-balanced, insightful, entertaining, stimulative text, superlative graphics/layout with an abundant and marvelous and beautiful and very effective array of color photographs, superlative resource section, superlative physical book quality including stay-open binding.
   If you're thinking of building a house or if you're interested in alternative housing possibilities (solar, etc.) or if you're interested in the topic of housing in general or if you'd like an ideal coffee table book, you will probably find this book a delightful fulfillment.
   (Thank you, Amazon, including reviewers, for helping me to discover this book.)



3. Isn't it nice to dream of being able to build your own home...especially an environmentally "friendly" one!? I am learning so much about houses in general from this book, let alone alternative building. It is well written and has beautiful photography. My husband & I may never get to build our own home (or we may!) but we can sure enjoy the dream in more vivid detail because of this book. I think it should be required reading for politicians, city planners & the like!



4. This is a great book to introduce the topic of building strawbale, cob etc. homes. The wonderful point about it is that it details the pros and cons of each building style and lets you compare each method carefully so that you are able to next select a more detailed book about a particular style.
   It has beautiful colour photos and lots of information. Highly recommended.



5. I swear Clarke Snell wrote this book for me - or at least for people like me!! - non construction folks, but handy with a hammer. You won't be able to build your house with only this book, but he presents a very user-friendly introduction to all the requisite concepts, then offers a wonderful reference section for more great info. A very realistic approach, and a very approachable writing style. Other green writers I've found to have a more textbook cadence, but Clarke Snell sounds as if he'd jump right in and help you. Thanks!!

1 comments about The Science of Electronics: Digital (Science of Electronics Series).

1. I like building circuits and playing with electronics. It is one thing to build a circuit board from scratch and solder all the pieces into place and quite another to understand WHY it works.
   
   I therefore recommend this book if you want to know WHY.
   
   
   I found it concise, easy to understand, and well presented. A very organized book which starts from first principles and introduces diodes, then BJT and FET and then Diff amps which is a natural segue into op amps and active filters.
   
   Plenty of worked examples and exercises to test your knowledge.
   
   Highschool math prerequisite.
   
   A very practical introductory book the hobbyist such as myself can understand and appreciate.
   
   Expensive which is why I gave it 4 stars.

5 comments about The Ultimate Curtain Book: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating Your Own Window Treatments.

1. I bought four books in my quest to learn to properly sew curtains and drapes. I have been sewing since girlhood, but simple curtains and throw pillows are the farthest I've gotten into home decorating sewing. (I'm a grandma now).
   
   This book only got 2 stars because of the lack of photos, not of finished window treatments, but of projects in the making. I find the illustrations not too good and in most cases too difficult to follow. Guess what? That leaves a person having to figure it out on her own - guess I could have done that without the book!
   
   In fairness to the author, this book did have something the others did not. This book has fairly extensive sections on fabrics, types, colors, usages, care, colors. Also, the back has yardage calculator charts which no other book has. Unfortunately, I would not buy this book just for that.
   
   I think if this book were to be published with photos instead of difficult to follow illustrations, it would be a must-have for my sewing library. As it is, I cannot recommend it.



2. Nothing "ultimate" about this book. Gives a few general suggestions and directions, but does not offer anything different or unusual. Pictures and ideas are limited and not worth the cost of the book. You're better off with an Architectural Digest magazine if you're looking for ideas.



3. I've ordered 6 books, and this was the BEST of the lot! (published by Reader's Digest) Yes, it's a 1994 copyright, but the looks & styles haven't changed that much in 13-years. There are over 200 photos that lend to a myriad of ideas for each room of your home. Each chapter (there are 5 in this 192-page hardcover book) outlines what one needs to consider when deciding on a style/look for windows. I found the book VERY THOROUGH: advice on considerations for window shapes/sizes, room-by-room inspirational ideas, actual step-by-step instructions for creating each style (with sketches) for all levels of sewing ability, how to measure one's windows, photos & descriptions of all types of fabric, trims, & shades and the why/when/purpose of using them; sewing techniques & fabric care, etc.; I could go on and on! There are so many wonderful window treatments, that I wish I had more windows now! I'm certainly not disappointed with this book -- in fact I'm absolutely THRILLED. Had I received this book first, I wouldn't have ordered the other 5!



4. I wanted to make curtains in our home
   and this book gave me step by step directions
   that I could understand. It also give
   me a variety of window treatments that
   I could use



5. This book was a bit of a surprise but I love it. It progresses from inspiration, through appropriate fabrics to how to info. The instructions are clear and concise, it includes not only drapes with the different types of headings, but also pelmets, cornices and blinds. Everything you need to know to make your own window coverings with a professional finish is included here. It also makes an attractive coffee table book !

1 comments about Site Design and Construction Detailing, 3rd Edition.

1. In this day of AutoCAD libraries and "canned" construction details from vendors, it is rare that a book of hand drafted construction details exists. If the reader can get past the nostalgia of the draftsmanship, and understand the communication that is taking place - black and white photos matched with actual construction documentation - then one should begin to understand the educational component. The idea is being able to have what an AutoCAD library doesnt, a matched pair of construction details with a photo of the constructed landscape element. Some early career professionals and, particularly, students may benefit from having a three dimentional representation of landscape elements. It helps to be able to see the finished product and a detail of the guts - you simply have better comprehension of what goes into construction and how the components come together.
   
   As for criticism of this piece, understand that most of the landscape features look dated - railroad tie retaining walls out of the 70's, glass block fountains from the 80's, heavy timber playgrounds that no municipality would ever build due to liability - theyre all in here! But do not let this deter you, one should still consider this for his or her professional library, because, after all, material requirements, connections and structural considerations dont chage with aesthetic style - the landscape still has to function and standards still have to be met.

5 comments about The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body, and Design.

1. It is an easy reading and houmorous book. It deals with many aspects of sitting and seats, including aesthetics, style, ergonomics and as a status symbol. I beleive the knowledge presented in this book represents decades of dedicated reseach on this subject by the author. It also enlightens one to realize that a seat is one part of the story and the way one sits is the other part: To ensure the well being of a sitting human organism we have to address both parts. In summary, it is a pleasure to read this book.



2. How many of us are aware of the furniture we use in our everyday lives? These are things we feel, touch and see everyday. Yet they are always in the back of our subconcious, we never really notice them, or realise how these pieces of furniture affect us physically, as well as psychologically.
   "The Chair" makes us look at the ordinary chair as something beyond a piece of furniture and as a symbol of wealth, status, honor, culture and comfort. In its own way, it shapes our everyday life and things related to it.
   The author traces the origins of the chair through human history and how it changed and evolved through the ages. Going deep into the issue of chair design, the author tears commonly held views about comfort into shreds and illustrates how these "comfortable" chairs actually harm the human body. After taking a good look at ergonomics, Cranz talks about the body's conciousness and how it is related to the sitting posture. With the help of somatics and the Alexander technique, she says we can improve the ways in which we sit and improve our comfort.
   What captured my attention the most was the manner in which this opens up the mind to different psychological and physical effects that a commonplace object like the chair can have on human beings and how we can improve our daily lives by thinking about these issues.



3. Galen Cranz on "The Chair"
   Reviewed by Rani Lueder, CPE
   
   This book is about seating and sitting. Having once spent my vacation scouring Europe's museums for the earliest representation of a chair (earliest I could find was 1570), I looked forward to opening its covers.
   
   Dr. Cranz teaches Environmental Design at the UC Berkeley Architecture Dept. Not surprisingly, she cuts a wide swath on seating, spanning history, sociology, industrial design, architecture, ergonomics, and holistic body/mind approaches - particularly the Alexander technique.
   
   Parts of her book are engrossing. In particular, her historical perspective of how chair design has evolved historically [if it is accurate] may be unmatched. Her discussion of the holistic aspects of posture is also interesting.
   
   That said, this book is NOT noteworthy for its review of the ergonomics research on sitting postures and seating. Much of it is plain hogwash.
   
   Throughout the book she refers to us as "ergonomicists" [should be "ergonomists"] and claims the discipline is derived from the Greek "ergon" and "omics" [should be "nomos" (laws)].
   
   It is sometimes painful to read her sweeping generalizations. Dr. Cranz writes that ergonomic researchers "have concluded that the workstation should be an indication of the worker's status" (p. 55) . . . and "status differences have to be maintained, ergonomicists say" (p. 56), citing as evidence two office planning guides written by and for architects that fail to mention ergonomics or ergonomists anywhere in the books.
   
   She misrepresents research, as when she castigates Dr. Etienne Grandjean's "poor reasoning" in Fitting the Task to the Man, writing "Amazingly, Grandjean starts with the slump as a goal" (p. 108). Drs. Grandjean et al's research actually documented computer users' self-selected postures. These researchers reported that rather than sitting upright, the computer users they observed tended to recline somewhat.
   
   She cites findings from a small laboratory study by Drs. Bendix et al. (12 subjects for 2 hours in 3 back support conditions) as proof that lumbar supports on chair backrests are unequivocally unnecessary (p. 109) - but not the many studies that contradict. Minor assertions are meticulously cited, but questionable conclusions often are not sourced.
   
   If you are looking for a thorough analysis of seated posture, this is not the book for you. It provides a unique and multidisciplinary perspective on the context of seating, but - please - take her review of the ergonomics research on sitting postures and seating design with a heavy dose of salt.
   
   Rani Lueder, CPE has consulted in occupational and product design ergonomics for over 25 years. Her activities on seating include co-organizing the Second International Conference on Sitting Posture, held in Tokyo. Her second edited book "Hard Facts" is about sitting postures and seating (Taylor & Francis). She served on the seating subcommittee for the American National Standard ANSI BSR/HFES 100. She consulted in the research and design of over 350 lines of seating. Her newest edited book is "Ergonomics for Children: Designing products & places for toddlers to teens" (2007, Taylor & Francis).



4. This book is a really impressive interdisciplinary work, and was useful in helping me buy the "perfect" chair. (Actually one of the author's most interesting points is that a perfect posture does not exist, since movement is inherent in human bodies.) It would have been nice if the production was a little better with more sophisticated photos and colour, but the content is all there. Except that I feel the author should have made much more reference to the mind-body disciplines and meditation. For example, a key concept in meditation is that one should sit with one's back straight because the energy moves up the spine better that way. I was hoping to read something about how that relates to work and sitting in front of a workstation, as well as read about how sitting affects breathing. But other than that, a great book.



5. Purchase it believing there would be a history of the chair and its development through the ages.
   Very little on the history. The main body of the book deals with ergonomics and future design with very ametuer
   drawings.

No comments about Relief Carving Wood Spirits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Releasing Faces in Wood (Woodcarving Illustrated Books).

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cleaning (Complete Idiot's Guide to).

1. I was looking forward to reading Mary Findley and Linda Formichelli's "Complete Idiot's Guide to Cleaning" in the hopes that it might provide some cleaning solutions that didn't require either serious scrubbing or harsh, toxic chemicals--things that don't go well with my tendonitis and allergies.
   
   That, of course, is a tall order, and one that I didn't really expect the book to fulfill. However, it succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Mary Findley is a huge proponent of safe, non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning solutions using, when possible, everyday easy-to-find supplies. Of course, I figured there'd be a price for this. After all, why would people make and buy expensive, harsh, dangerous chemicals if things you could make out of vinegar, water, and a couple of other everyday ingredients could do as good a job?
   
   That's where the real shock came in. There's one all-purpose solution Mary recommends that involves water with a bit of vinegar and all-natural dish soap that knocks my socks off. Our stovetop was in pretty sad shape and I was sure it was going to take a ton of scrubbing to get it clean. I sprayed this stuff on, let it sit, then wiped it off with a terrycloth towel. And the gunk came right off with it.
   
   Other solutions have been equally effective. The product she recommends to clean pet messes out of carpets left me unable to tell where my cat had thrown up on our *white* carpet, and again, it's all-natural, safe, and doesn't involve scrubbing. My kitchen sink has never gleamed so well, and now that the water deposits have been cleaned out of our showerhead the water pressure is noticeably better and more even. I don't have to obsess over whether or not any tiny bits of cleanser might have sprayed or dripped somewhere that the cats could get to.
   
   My only issue with the products she recommends is that I had trouble finding a few of them. While many are everyday things such as baking soda, white vinegar, all-natural dish soap, and so on, some are more specialized--such as a 20% hydrogen peroxide solution. Unfortunately that one product is involved in her one recommendation for mildew, which (living in a humid region) I have a particular interest in.
   
   While many of the products she recommends can be purchased all at once from her own online store, she's good about recommending other sources and I never once felt as though I was being advertised to (and I can be fairly picky about such things). It does cost a bit at first (you are, after all, replacing nearly every cleaning supply in your house, most likely), but most of these materials are much cheaper to replace or last much longer than store-bought chemicals, making them cheaper in the long run.
   
   The scope of this book is formidable. Whether you need to clean blinds or curtains, siding or gutters, your bathtub, carpets, hardwood, wood furniture, kitchen counters, or whatever, you'll probably find it in here. There are a few corner-case exceptions (she covers nearly every type of house siding other than our old asbestos siding, for instance), but not many. She deals with scheduling cleaning tasks and emergency quick-cleaning techniques for when company suddenly decides to show up. Even she can't make the huge list of tasks that comes with house ownership seem anything but daunting, however.
   
   This is an extremely handy little book. I've been so pleased with the results, and our house is cleaner than ever. I had high hopes (one might say unrealistic hopes) for what I might find inside, and it exceeded even those. The text is witty and humorous, clear and easy-to-understand. In short, I give this book an unreserved thumbs-up.



2. I thought the book was splendid and would recommend it to anyone from housecleaning professionals to stay-at-home moms. Mary's expert insight into the world of cleaning is incredible and throughly helpful in any and all cleaning situations. She deals with everything from pet problems to stains to dust and dirt and that just scratches the surface. If youre looking for environmentally helpful tips then this is also definitely the book for you. Mary has a great love for nature and it comes out in her advice. She leans much towards using environmetally friendly products which to me is a huge plus. One way or another find a way to get this book into your hands. It will make your cleaning much simpler and stress free!



3. Housecleaning professionals and stay-at-home moms alike will benefit from the great tips in this book. Even Mother Earth will thank you!



4. I am an idiot when it comes to cleaning, and this book it very unhelpful. It is actually written for people who know how to clean, the whole book is just giving cleaning tips to help people get better at cleaning.
   
   The title is very misleading, should be renamed to something like "useful cleaning tips by a cleaning expert".



5. I found this book to be very interesting. It has many great tips on cleaning and keeping your home neat and healthy. There are lots of recipes for having a green household. I would recommend it.

2 comments about How to Paint Just About Anything (Better Homes & Gardens).

1. The main reason I like this book is because in the back it has a chart for whichever kind of surface you'd like to paint. The chart will tell you how to prepare the surface and which kind of paint would be best to go on that particular surface. If I want to go paint my walkway, the chart will tell me exactly what needs to be done so that it will last.



2. The book gives you a lot of good ideas but they don't seem to be anything different than what the BHG website offers. My opinion, check with the website first before buying the book. If you don't find it in the website than I recommend it.