2 comments about The Simple Home: A Faith-filled Guide to Simplicity, Peace And Joy in Your Home (Spirit of Simple Living) (Spirit of Simple Living).

1. In THE SIMPLE HOME, QVC's design expert Sharon Hanby-Robie wants to help Christians rethink their homes as spiritual sanctuaries. "Imagine how different life would be if we let the Creator of the universe not only rule our lives but our homes as well." In this faith-driven approach to home decorating and organization, she offers practical tips and personal anecdotes to get readers started.
   
   I hadn't thought of crafting a mission statement for my home, but Hanby-Robie says this is the first step toward simplicity. What is your home's purpose? Do you work from home? Is it a place for you to retreat? How do other members of your family see the purpose of your home? She peppers her chapters with anecdotes from her own homemaking, quotes about homes from famous people and scripture verses. Chapters end with a short plan of action and a prayer. One of my favorites: "Lord, give me wisdom to clear away those things that distract me from what is important to my life. Help me to rid myself of confusion so that I can enjoy the creative use of my home."
   
   There's a nice mix of practical tips ("The key to creating a beautiful wall of art is to choose similar sizes, styles, or shapes") with plenty of room for sentiment and emotion ("Hanging children's art is an amazing way to instill confidence and a sense of value in a child."). Some tips are simple and inexpensive (using paint to update a room) while others are more complicated and expensive (removing walls, installing new flooring).
   
   Some readers may find her a little gushy; for example, of one client couple she says: "I have watched their two sons grow from adorable little boys to strong, amazing men." The spiritual emphasis is strong. Musing over color choices is a chance to ruminate on scriptures in Revelation that describe colors in heaven. There is a specific section for readers who want to create a sanctuary space for spiritual quiet time. The section on hospitality, however, was disappointingly thin. Two chapters on color choices probably could have been combined, and some ideas are repeated in different chapters.
   
   But I appreciated her willingness to let us in on her own decorating mistakes, including one that resulted in a neon orange-papered powder room. She also urges contentment even when we are unhappy with the home we have. I also enjoyed her reminders about the importance of some rooms for family, such as the "flop and chat" potential of the master bedroom. (My teenagers loved to do this!)
   
   In addition to decorating, Hanby-Robie addresses organization ("maintain a family calendar") and clutter elimination (one chapter is titled, "Attics and Garages and Basements, Oh My!). I picked up a new tip on eliminating odor in a damp basement --- she recommends trying an activated charcoal filter. Another idea I appreciated was an easy way to manage coupons. Most of the ideas are tried and true...and practical.
   
   One of the amazing discoveries we'll make as we simplify and de-clutter is how much stuff we have, Hanby-Robie notes. "Too often, rather than look for a small, specific item it seems easier to buy another one." I have a feeling if I ever got my office organized, I'd be amazed at how many pens I have! Yet I can never find one when I need it.
   
   Her ideas about making the most of what we have ("rearrange your furniture") and remembering more elusive things, such as the scents and sounds of our homes, were particularly compelling. What do you smell when you walk in your front door? Most importantly, there is plenty of scope for your creativity. "There's so much you can accomplish just by putting your mind to the task and letting your imagination run wild." In these pages, readers will appreciate finding new ideas to make their home a spiritual haven.
   
   --- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby



2. This is a great book to read but not exactly what I was looking for. If you want something that is very specific, this is not for you. Very general ideas to use your own creativity.

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!!

5 comments about The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart.

1. I loved EVERY single word of this book. It seems like this should be taught on schools instead of some of the things they teach. I felt very in tune with Jan and her philosphies, as I have done this kind of parenting intuitively already. It is nice to see (read) that somebody else has had the same experience and/ or that there is another way besides letting "baby cry it out" or bombard the kids with toys, when all they really want and need is being part of the family.
   This book is an easy read and very hard to put down. I have read it while nursing and was always "sad" when my daughter was done and I had to put the book down. A must have!!



2. I'm a firm believer in attachment parenting and gentle discipline. My children have been breastfed and coslept as babies. However, I believe some of Jan's views on mainstream parenting are a bit too offensive. To say that a child who attends public school is more likely to end up in prison or a breastfed baby that is weaned by his mother may end up as an alcoholic 20 years later is ridiculous. Even her views as cribs as "lonely cages" is too extreme for my taste, and I have co-slept with my children.
   
   I did learn a few things from this book so I hesitate to not recommend it, but I have found more helpful books out there that don't make me feel like I'm a bad parent for not following it exactly. Kids, Parents and Power Struggles by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka and Playful Parenting are my all time favorites.



3. "The Natural Child" is a collection of articles written by Hunt for various publications from 1988 to 2001. Each is very short (2-5 short pages). She refers regularly to the writings of three authors who have inspired her greatly. Because of this style, many of Hunt's statements become repetitious. Some people like this style because it drives home important points, but I found it quite tiresome.
   
   This book is meant to promote natural parenting (also called attachment or empathic parenting). The basic philosophy is to treat children with the same respect that you would use for adults. It is usually associated with no spanking, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping, positive birthing experience, minimal separation, extended spacing of children, etc.
   
   Hunt sets the tone of her book in the first article. She states that "getting it" about children is on a scale of zero or one. Parents either "get it" about children or they don't. In her explanation of "getting it" she implies that anyone who agrees with her beliefs 100% "gets it" and anyone who disagrees even a little doesn't. If you "get it" you are a good parent and a good person. If you don't, you are destined to completely ruin not only your own child, but also all future generations.
   
   When I was pregnant, I read many different books on parenting styles. I have come across this book now that my daughter is 15 months old. If this book had been the only attachment parenting book I had read, I would not have used this style. "The Natural Child" offers no practical advice, no wiggle room, and it is very unforgiving. Instead, I was lucky enough to read the Sears Library version of attachment parenting, which outlined the ideals and encouraged parents to tweak what didn't seem right to them. I am now using my own version of attachment parenting that is working extremely well for my family, but that Hunt would greatly disapprove of.
   
   A few pros: Hunt is passionate about children and truly wants what's best for them. It is an easy read. Hunt's views, though extreme and perhaps oversimplified, do lend themselves to a feel-good, world peace, flowers and smiles, happily-ever-after result--and it's nice to fantasize that such a result may be possible someday.
   
   A few complaints: Hunt talks about babies and then children but she leaves out the toddler stage, when children aren't crying for what they need, but also can't understand lengthy explanations. In her discussion about education she mentions only traditional public school and home-school. A mention of Montessori school would have been perfect, as it is very much in line with her ideas. The book is not at all scientific in that she offers very few facts to back up her opinions, she makes sweeping generalizations, she offers few specific examples, and she gives no fact-based comparison of the long-term outcome of her style versus any other style.
   
   "The Natural Child" is a feel-good, easy read for those who agree fully and completely with Hunt's ideas. For those who more-or-less agree with her, it is likely a fine book, although the reader may occasionally feel attacked. For those who mostly disagree, it is likely offensive. Hunt not only puts forward her own ideas, but she regularly puts down the ideas (and even the people) of the opposition.



4. This book changed my life, my daughter's life, and my husband's life - all for the better. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
   
   Having grown up in an authoritarian family and having seen and felt the results of that kind of parenting, when I had my daughter I knew that I needed to find another way to parent. I just didn't have the slightest idea which way that was. I wasn't particularly impressed with the options I read about in many other parenting books. They implied that there are only three choices: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. Permissive seemed like neglect and authoritative seemed like "authoritarian lite" - I didn't find either of these inspiring. I thought that I could do better for my daughter.
   
   When I read Jan Hunt's book, I felt like my eyes had been opened for the first time. The short essays in her book helped me to see children differently. Instead of seeing them as being born "broken" and needing to be "fixed" through remedial parenting, I began to see them as whole people, deserving of respect and kindness, who are doing the best they can with the resources they have. This book helped me to see through a child's eyes - to understand that they have good reasons to behave as they do and to see how they perceive their parents' treatment of them. By the end of the book, I was convinced of the wisdom of applying the Golden Rule to children: of "doing unto them as you would have them do unto you."
   
   This book started my journey toward becoming the nurturing, empowering parent that I want to be and has been providing a guiding light along the path. It is by no means a comprehensive "how-to-parent" manual, nor does it attempt to reduce parenting to a simple formula. But it did provide me with a positive, joyful, fulfilling vision of parenting that has stayed with me and grown as I have read and learned hands-on about being a parent. I am eternally grateful to Jan Hunt - and I suspect that when my daughter is grown, she will be as well.



5. New parents, even old parents, everywhere, should read this book. Jan Hunt is at the forefront of one of the most important things a parent should know nowadays - that products and companies everywhere have chemicals that all of us should be without. That gentler, more positive discipline, is the way to go. This book is so very wise, as is she. Check out her website [..] for much more.. and get this book and keep it at your side!

5 comments about The Easy Guide to Solar Electric Part II, Installation Manual.

1. I found this book at the public library in my search for a good guide to solar electric systems. I found a small amount of the information useful but, most was a waste of my time. The writer does not explain ideas in a very coherent manner. He uses a great deal of book space attempting to be funny and expressing his political views. If you are interested in a good solar electric book this is not it. I am still looking.



2. Pieper has a lot of practical knowledge but some things he writes are plain wrong. On page 17 he writes: "The frequency of the sine wave is measured as Hz per second" (should be cycles per second which is Hz). On page 18 he says: "the sine wave [is] 220 volts between two peaks" (should be 311 v; 220 is the RMS voltage). On page 23 he says: "amp hours [are] also refered to as amps per hour or amp/hours" (not true). In page 27 he writes: "At some point, the resistance gets so high that it creates heat inside the conductor" (there is always resistance and heat, the problem is the temperature rises too high). He also is convinced the minerals in petroleum jelly help conductivity on the battery terminals (pp. 123&159) and says "search current" when he means "surge current" (pp. 120&125). Whole pages are such confusing technical nonsense that it is impossible to to give a short account. He self published - he should have had a technically competent person help him with theory and a good how-to book editor help with the practical stuff. I'm sure he is a very competent electrician and there is some good practical information in the book, but it is nowhere near as advertised.



3. This book is great. It covers the bases and gives the information one needs. It's a core book for this subject.



4. For me, this book was terribly bad; not worth the buy. It might appeal to a different crowd.



5. Having just recently moved into a solar house I've been trying to broaden my education on solar electricity. Both of Mr. Pieper's books, part one and two have been very educational for me. Very easy to read and understand without previous technical knowledge!

5 comments about How to Make Cowboy Horse Gear.

1. Very good book for old style horse gear, gives a good history of rawhide braiding



2. I purchased this with the interest of making miniature western horse tack, specifically braided pieces, and it gives instructions on how to do all the basic braiding (6-12 string around a core), and several knots used in braided tack (ring, turk's head, pineapple, cowboy, gaucho, etc.). If you are new to braiding, you may want to refer to other sources as well for help (I also purchased Woolery's book), because there is a bit of a learning curve to this, but I did use this book's instructions to make my first pineapple knot. It also shows how to construct a hackamore, including tying of the mecate and hackamore and fiador knots.
   
   There is a section on making saddles, but it's a rather brief overview and isn't of much use if you are actually planning on making a saddle (even a miniature one).
   
   Overall, it's a great reference book for your library on western braided tack, and I'd definitely recommend it.



3. I had this book as a kid and it is as informative as I remembered it. Reccomend especially for those who want to make their own braided tack - or to see how braided tack is made



4. for the more experienced leather worker to make some very fine horse gear.
   includes a lot of examples.



5. If it can be made of braided leather and/or rawhide, this book will tell you how to pull it off. It won't make you amazing right off the bat- the only thing it won't do is implant years' worth of muscle memory into your fingers- but it'll certainly give you a push in the right direction.

1 comments about The Backyard Foundry (Workshop Practice Series, No. 25) (Workshop Practice Series, No. 25).

1. The cover of the book is a little misleading since it was written for hobbyists in miniature railroading. It goes beyond that.

   The book was written originally for hobbyists in Great Britain, by some of the comments on availability of supplies and names of sources for supplies. The universality of the content makes this issue mute when you get into the depth of each chapter.

   Examples given for making cores and for moulding with "Green" sand are bountifull. As an Engineer with formal classes in casting I was impressed with the information provided. Some of the information was great review for those classes taken so long ago. Addiitional technical information on how and why things are done bolstered my confidence this process can be done by the individual hobbyist.

   In my case I am turning a hobby into a retirement business, so the value of this small book will have long lasting value. I expect to be wearing this book out by frequent referencing.

2 comments about Digital Fundamentals with VHDL.

1. Very easy to read and a good introduction to digital logic circuits. Too many books on VHDL try to teach the hardware design language assuming the reader knows how each of the logic circuits are modelled or the books skimp over timing issues. This book takes the time to show you how logic circuits operate, how timing works and then gives you the VHDL scripts to model the circuit. Though not particularly advanced with the projects that are presented in the book, I do like the emphasis on timing and troubleshooting circuits. Definately not a reference for the intermediate or advanced digital designer, but a good book to get you started thinking about how VHDL relates design process. The book loses a star for its overly simplistic coverage of CMOS and DSP technology. Get another book for that.



2. this is one of the terible book that i ever have in my life. This book i would say it is belong to digital terminology rather.

5 comments about Masonry: Beyond the Light.

1. A Wiccan for sixteen years! A Mormon! A Mason for nine years! What's next? Major league baseball? I found this title absent of credibility. Maybe he's placed a spell on readers. Anyway, how can we expect truth from someone who could have opened the door of any church and entered anytime to explore options. Even while practicing witchcraft, etc? But, he's abandoned the Mormans and witches. Is the Prophecy Center next? And, The Prophecy Center sponsoring his Google video? The same organization who advertises and supports Assist 247 which lowered the director's cholesterol level in thirty days from well over a thousand to a little over one hundred? You paying attention medical researchers?
   
   Plus, anyone can locate a passage in the Bible to suit his/her purpose. The Great Book is not for the picking, but for those who should follow it. Schnoebelen lacks credibility and his book is only good for lighting barbecue pits...



2. ad hominem (abusive): instead of attacking an assertion, the argument attacks the person who made the assertion.
   
   Though it unlikely Bill remembers me from our short conversation at the Salt Lake City conferance back in the late 1980s, I remember his Christian character during that time as humble, direct, and unashamed of the good news of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Now, I see that his faith in Christ has persisted for more years in Christianity than in any of his other attempts to find truth. He has finally found one infinately superior to all those of the past! I rejoice with Bill and all others who prefer to live naked before the whole lighted counsel of the Living God, in contrast to the vast multitude of abusers and snakes who perfer to hide in the shadows out of shame for their sins and corruption.
   
   I will shout this right out! I would rather be associated with someone who attempts to overcome the adversary by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of his testimony, and the loving not his life unto the death. There is always a price to pay for coming out of darkness. Since Bill has lived this long after rejecting darkness, no doubt he has suffered much. Praise HaShem for protecting Bill's life all these years since he began to trust in Christ. You who contemplate the risks of fear of death for leaving the works of darkness, should let it sink in deeply that if the uncreated Lord God of the Universe protects William Schnoebelen, then there is solid hope that if you forsake this cestpool of darkness, the uncreated Lord God of the Universe is well able to protect you also. Think about it.



3. Book came in excellent shape. Arrived a lot earlier than expected. Book is VERY informative. Goes to show that not everything is as it appears to be.



4. First of all I was a Senior Warden in a Masonic Lodge, Worthy Patron of an OES chapter, and 32d Scottish Rite mason. I also worked on confering degrees (both the blue lodge and scottish rite) and had many associates who where grand lodge officers or 33rd scottish right masons. I definately knew what was and was not happening. I left the lodge almost 10 years ago for my own reasons(you can find my story on the net, just google 'easttom freemasony'). So I have NO reason to lie for masons.
   
   This book is so egregiously wrong as to make it a work of pure fiction:
   1. There is no Palladium masonry...there is no 90+ degree. The scottish rite awards a 33rd, but that is as high a degree as one can get (not to mention any mason will tell you that the master mason degree is the pinacle of masonry, the rest is just auxillary bodies). Bill's claims on this are pure fabrication.
   
   2. There is NOTHING even hinting of satanism in masonry. In fact I have never met a mason (and I have met hundreds) who would not openly eject any mason who even hinted at satanic connections.
   
   3. No masonry is not christian per se...it is NOT a church or religion. Guess what: the army is not 'christian' either, does that mean a christian cannot join it? Masonry is a fraternity that espouses certain moral teachings. That is it...no more no less.
   
   4. There is ABSOLUTELY no masonic control of any government or political processes. Most the time the guys cannot even agree on what food to serve at the next lodge function. These guys are ABSOLUTELY NOT controlling the government or the economy....to be 100% honest if they had been I would never have left!
   
   
   Just google Bill, he makes more outrageous claims every year. He as supposedly been a catholic, mormon, wiccan, satanist (hint the wiccans and satanists don't like each other), mason, member of the illuminati, etc. etc. More recently he went of on tangents about UFO's and now is espousing his credentials as an anti terrorism expert. the guy is frankly insane. Pure and simple.
   
   Again I have NO reason to lie for masonry. I have not been in for 10 years. I have my own disagreements with the lodge...but the truth is the truth, and a lie is a lie...and this book is full of lies.



5. How many books do you buy and read and buy and read, just to find that one book which will make a profound change? Well this is that book, believe me. (Even if you are not that interested in Masonry, because this book is about much, much more than Masonry).
   So, why is it good?
   It is well written. It is easy to read. It is interesting. (So interesting, it reads like a novel). It is relevant. It is thought provoking. It will cause you to look at things differently. It will make you a better person. What more do you want in a book? My copy is doing the rounds. But as soon as I get it back, I am going to read it again. Again.

5 comments about Manual of Traditional Wood Carving.

1. This is one of those rare books written a long time ago (early 1900s) when craftsmen and artists actually made their livings working with their hands (after serving apprenticships under masters). Their art went on to be perfected during a time when such hand-craftsmanship was valued and rewarded albeit simply and honestly. The treasure trove of techniques and historical information in this book is the kind that I typically find only in old books like this one. 'Very applicable to todays professional or recreational woodworker/carver and to those simply interested in historical carved styles evident in todays antiques.



2. If a person could only have one book on woodcarving, this would be THE book. It was written back in 1911, so some of the material is out of date. For example, the section on how to sharpen tools is dated. Some of the "tone" of this large (568 page)book is in the style of stuff written at that time. It can be a bit preachy and it can get a bit philosophical at times. For example it talks about how learning to carve wood makes you a better person. But these points are so minor, when you consider the entire book, that they cannot even be considered as flaws. There is no other book which even tries to cover just about all types of woodcarving. It covers:tools, history, and styles. It provides an almost unlimited (1146 to be exact), and certainly unparalleled set of photos and line drawings of different types of carvings throughout history. He even has a chapter on how to set up training programs for woodcarving for various groups of people.
   Mr. Hasluck does provide some "how to" information. He provides a set of recommended gauges, clamps, sharpening equipment, bench designs, etc. He tells you about and even illustrates the various steps of carving (setting in, grounding, modeling and finishing). He is the only author I have come across who explains why he recommended every tool that he recommends. This is absolutely enlightening!!! It is interesting that his recommended set of tools is much different from the modern authors on this subject (eg Chris Pye, Nora Hall, etc). After researching this topic, I have come to the conclusion that Hasluck selected his set to be most appropriate to highly detailed relief carving, which is the type of carving that he spends the most time on.
   I would bet that if someone wanted to start learning how to carve, and they bought only this book, they would be very disappointed. If you are looking for a "how to" book, which gives you a preselected sequence of five projects, from easy to medium, and tells you which tool to use to make each cut in each project, then this is NOT the book for you. There are other books that do this much better. Go to the website for Chris Pye and check out his books on introductory carving, and check out the videotapes of Nora Hall on her website. These will give you much more of the very specific "how to" information on a sequence of specific graded projects.
   Every really good carver that I know has used this book extensively. Most of the good carvers that I have talked to are mostly self taught. All speak "lovingly" about Hasluck's book. It is the greatest source of carving information and suggestions and illustrations you can find in one place. One of its "drawbacks" is that it is so encyclopedic, that one could not read it from cover to cover. This is more of a reference book that a carver refers to VERY often during his/her development.
   Hasluck's coverage of Chip Carving is an example of how encyclopedic he is. Other authors on this subject only cover one of the many ways that it can be done. He covers many of them in great detail, and he doesn't denigrate any of them. I would buy this book only for the set of chip carving designs that it includes. The rest of the book would be "gravy" to me.
   This book is to woodcarving what the Roman Coliseum is to sports arenas. It is a classic. I doubt it will ever be surpassed.
   Hasluck's book is really for the person who has taken control of his own education in woodworking, and who wants to become VERY good. It is far too much for the casual person who wants to make one or two carvings with inexpensive tools. Of course, if you like to have impressive books on your coffee table, this would be a good one!!!!!
   I am in awe of Paul N. Hasluck, the author of this wonderful book. Having the goal of writing a book of this scope and depth would be like having the goal of climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen. It would not be for the faint of heart. Virtually all serious modern books on woodcarving refer to this 1911 book. It is incomparable, and it is a real bargain. In my humble opinion, you'll get far more out of this book, which will probably cost you less than $20, than you will from a course on woodcarving that will cost you $1000.
   BUY THE BOOK. You'll be glad you did.



3. This book is somewhat outdated. Don't purhcase it if you are planning to learn wood carving from it.
   It is however an interesting reading and will provide some usefull information.



4. maybe in the 1700's it was a good book, but now it s not. i read about half of it, put it where it belongs, in the trash. save your money, go on line, alot better info on the web,for free. tim



5. This book is full of information, with a catch. It is like a hundred years old! and has never been updated. To sharpen chisels, it recommends a three foot diameter grinding wheel set in the ground. good for traditionalists.

3 comments about Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1950s (Schiffer Book for Collectors and Designers,).

1. This book begins with an interesting overview of the beginnings of the home-sewing pattern industry, and has many interesting tidbits on that alone. But the real treat is page upon page of reproductions of the fronts of pattern envelopes from the fifties, most in color, and all beautiful. Hundreds of ideas for clothing for today.



2. This is a *wonderful* reference for anyone interested in vintage fashion or vintage patterns. Wade Laboissonniere tells the history with page upon page of breathtaking photographs of patterns from the past. Each page truly is more delightful than the last. I will be ordering Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s immediately and can only hope that Mr. Laboissonniere is working on the 1960s and 1970s.



3. What a magic book! From the history of commercial patterns to the fantastic quality of the colour photography, the original pattern envelopes just came alive.The wonderful glossy paper quality of the book just enhanced it all.