5 comments about Carolyne Roehm's Winter Notebook.

1. This was the first of Ms. Roehm's seasonal notebooks that I purchased. I have since bought the other two, and am anticipating the Spring notebook due out soon. While the photos are exquisite, I feel that the book lacks content. I couldn't help wishing there was more of everything in this book - more pictures, recipes, etc. I enjoy a good "picture book" and that's most likely the reason I'm awaiting the last book to the series. I couldn't help comparing her to Martha Stewart, and I'd gladly welcome a new face in that field, but it just doesn't come close to Martha's myriad of ideas. The bottom line is: if you like to look at pretty pictures and get some inspiration for decorating your own home, then you'd probably like this book.



2. I found this third book in the series as inspirational as the others. I don't need step-by-step instruction to develop something beautiful. A little inspiration goes a long way with a naturally creative audience. For those who have time to glue flowers on boxes, I leave you Martha. From a busy professional's point of view, I'll take the Roehm way, any day.



3. WHAT A TERRIFIC BOOK! This is"la creme de la creme" and i find it very difficult when other reviewers compare her product with Martha Stewart's line!It is as if we compare Opera with Andrea Bocelli,this collection of notebooks are so refined and so classic at the same time that i rediscover them each time i need them. The winter notebook gives wonderful ideas of presents for the guests and the flower arrangments are one of a kind. The level of artistry is demonstrated in each pages and places Carolyne Roehm as one of the most elegant designer of all. I also appreciate the fact that Carolyne Roehm understands the need of elegance in the day-to-day life and that it doesn't have to be expensive. I'm a young Opera singer and in my field you receive a lot of flowers and with this book i was able to create wonderful bouquets and appreciate another form of art. I admire her flair and her sense of style, for me Carolyne Roehm is not only a designer but a real artist who search for the very best in every detail.



4. Roehm makes pretty things and to do that she relies upon items such as hellebores (a winter-blooming flower) which are quite hard for the average person to find. If her projects were less work or so dazzling that you didn't mind running all over East Overcoat to find the necessary components, then I'd be more enthusiastic about this book. As it stands, it's kind of a pricey picture book. I'd recommend Tracy Porter or Martha Stewart for a more hands-on experience.



5. Exactly the book I was looking for - great photos, good hints, clear explanations. A pleasure for the eyes!

5 comments about Welding: Principles and Applications, Fifth Edition.

1. This is book is basically a college text on welding-- and a fine one at that. It covers the theory of all the major welding processes (MIG, TIG, Stick, Flux-cored) in dazzling detail with beautiful color photos and diagrams. This includes some simple-to-understand physics of each welding process, explanations of various types of welding equipment, weld joint designs, welding positions, weave patterns, etc. If you read this book cover-to-cover, you will have a thorough grasp of all the theoritical aspects of welding. No other text even comes close to this book in these areas.
   
   The book is short on practical advice in some areas, perhaps because it is intended to be used alongside an instructor. Numerous example excercises are given for every type of weld process and weld position, but actual welder parameters are strangely missing. For example, if you want to butt weld two pieces of 1/8" steel using stick welding, then a)what is a good diameter electrode to try, b)what is a good welding current? The book doesn't really say, it's left up to the reader to experiment on his own and determine by trial and error what works best.
   
   The author probably takes this approach delibrately because he knows that the best way to become the most proficient welder is to learn by experimentation, rather than following tables in a book every time you want to weld something. But beginner welders will undoubtedly find this approach frustring at times when you just want some general guidelines on where to start on selecting electrode size, amperage, voltage, wire-feed-speed, etc.



2. Book was in very good condition. Prompt shipment. Ordered on a Friday, recieved on Monday. Very happy. Will definitley do business with this person again if such a need arises.



3. This is a college course book but it has much information about welding. Very good for a reference book. Wish I could get the workbook and answers.



4. This isn't the kind of book you give a quick read. It is more like a class text or reference book if you are welding now. I love it and have already gotten good use from it.



5. This book is a must for any welder. It is filled with info. and the price is unbeatable!

4 comments about Fluid Power with Applications (6th Edition).

1. I would like to request an instructors copy for possible use in our fluid power program at Spokane Community College.



2. Where is the new edition? It is already out but you don`t have it



3. Good book to start leaning abt fliud powe



4. I am a an engineering student with a gpa of 3.93 (73 hours). I have found this to be one of the least helpfull books I have ever used. The examples worked are at such a low complexity level, that they do almost no good for solving the problems at the end of the chapters. There are entire concepts that are missing explanation and you can only hope that you will have a good enough proffesor to explain during lecture. I do not have that luxury, mine will only go over the illustrated examples in the book.

No comments about Open Kitchens: Inspired Designs for Modern and Loft Living.

3 comments about Turning Bowls with Richard Raffan.

1. This book, and a couple others (I bought a set of 3) catapulted my turning abilities from novice to salable in a just a few projects. More importantly, as I improved, I've saved many hours and sheets of sandpaper. His explanations, photos, and diagrams combine to make lathe turning very understandable and even more fun than I expected. Even some of the techniques that gave me some trepidation I now find routine. If you have a lathe or thinking about it, this book and others by the same author (Turning Wood is the basics) are highly beneficial.



2. Great book, so great I gave mine to a friend and now have to buy it again. This book shows many cuts and techniques that turners need to understand turning bowls.
   Recommended for any personal or club library.



3. I found the DVD of Raffan to be very helpful and i found the book to be very complex. It is useful and full of alot of information but as a new turner it can be overwhelm...still i perfer the DVD with demonstrations and use the book only for sectional reference......good buy and you may want it with the DVD

5 comments about Let Go of Clutter.

1. Got a kid, then you understand the true meaning of the word pandemonium. I bought it for the wife hoping we could figure out how to clean up after "the kid" our 3 y/o son, and organize her accumilated junk(wife's a pack rat). Needless to say, she nor i read it through to the end, but the bit i read was an interesting approach. I still trip over tonka trucks & lego blocks, the insects need a treadmill and the newspaper pile is now a permanent corner structure. Maybe one day I'll finish the book....its a step in the right direction. Buy it.



2. Conquer your clutter. Stop being a slave to your stuff. Understand why it's so hard to get rid of things.

   What would your life be like if you could accomplish these three things? How much happier would you be? How much more peaceful would your life be?

   Author Harriet Schechter gives you a step-by-step solution in her book, Let Go of Clutter.

   In the first chapter, Why Letting Go is So Hard to Do, Schechter explains why we may be biologically programmed to accumulate, why the fear of regret keeps us from discarding stuff, and how society encourages us to gather more and more.

   Chapter 4, Purging Paper and Preventing Piles, is another favorite chapter. The author walks us through the method she uses with her clients to quickly sort and purge paper piles. She recommends a File Index, and shows you how to set it up for your household.

   The last part of the book looks to the future and explains how to keep your home clean once you've decluttered it.

   This book is filled with lots of fill-in-the-blank forms and step-by-step pathways to take you from clutter-filled to clutter-free.

   If your clutter is taking over and you've reached the end of your rope with no idea where to start, check out Let Go of Clutter.




3. Book arrived in a timely fashion and was in good condition.



4. Well organized. Strong on the HOW TO. I purchased an additional 10 books to give to friends and family. Easy read. Importand information for my senior clients as well. Thanks for asking.



5. The reviews for this book are so overwhelmingly positive, I figured it *must* be good. Bad assumption! I gleaned very little usable information from this book. The author uses far too much space defining terms, relating her own experiences, and trying to be cute.
   
   Even worse, as another reviewer noted, the author's tone is a bit condescending. Despite her purported years of experience as a professional organizer, she doesn't seem to have a good handle on what causes people to develop clutter problems. Her extensive use of coined words is annoying. The material is poorly organized, jumping around at times. Also, the writing drags in places; it could have used a more thorough editing. Overall, the writing and material presented is of low quality.
   
   For example, in a chapter on how to clear out sentimental clutter, the author's advice can be distilled into one largely unhelpful sentence, "Save only objects that evoke pleasant or poignant feelings; don't keep anything that makes you feel stressed or upset." Okay, that makes sense, but is that really going to do me any good? I could have used suggestions on how to mentally unhook objects from memories. Then the author goes on to introduce terms such as "clutterabilia" and "memorabiliac." (And she's just getting started! Watch out for "paperosis" and "redundabundance.") Is having a coined word going to solve anything?
   
   In dealing with the fear of getting rid of something and then regretting it, the author admonishes, "If you do find yourself grieving over the loss of something that was never alive to begin with, you need more help than I can give you, and I urge you to seek counseling." At this point, I think she has dismissed most of her readers. She continues without compassion, "Your regrets are...a poor excuse for you to keep hanging onto clutter." Tough love?
   
   Some people might find the author's tone helpful, but I was totally put off by it. I would recommend a thorough perusal of the excerpt available online before investing in this book. It should have been a giveaway to me that so many copies are available used. Maybe the sellers took the author's suggestion to only hold onto things that are useful.

2 comments about The Concrete House: Building Solid, Safe & Efficient with Insulating Concrete Forms.

1. ICFs provide cost-effective ease of construction, energy efficiency, quiet, and long-term sustainability for any location (mountain, coast, valley, flood plain, frequent tornadoes, cold and hot, arid and humid). The use of steel studs on interior walls provides strong structure and reduces thermal breaks. ICFs work for basements and multistory structures. They are insect-proof.
   
   Anything you can design and build with typical "boards and sticks" construction you can do much better with ICFs. ICFs can be used for floors, ceilings, walls and roofs or SIPs (structural insulated panels) can be used. ICFs are suitable for the tropics or high elevation snowy mountains. Want a house that will still be there after a severe tornado? Look into ICFs.
   
   How do you introduce a contractor to ICFs who has been building the same way for 25 years with the motto, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" (resistant to changing methods of construction) - give your contractor a copy of this book. Spend one 24 hour in an ICF house - feel the ambient temperature, listen to the sound, look at the natural and artificial lights, then demand high quality, sustainable ICF construction for yourself, your business, schools and church.
   
   Houses are expensive and costly to operate, regardless of climate. ICFs require good thorough thinking in advance (you're not going to move a window or door easily later on). Want sustainable cost-effective construction in and above ground? Build ICFs.



2. The Concrete House, by Pieter A. VanderWerf. It is an interesting book to read if you are considering building in this manner. It is witten from an American perspective, for the American market (I'm Australian), but as it doesn't get too technically involved, it translates quite well. This is not a "how to build" book. It is written in question and answer format, and is aimed more at those who have heard of the ICF style of building but want to know more about the features and benefits, and basic construction details of it.

4 comments about Lab Manual to accompany Electricity for Refrigeration, Heating, And Air Conditioning.

1. I love the way the author set this book up. You gradually build on what you learn and never really feel that you are being thrown in to hard. The writing is fantastic. Not to difficult in technological terms for the novice and yet levels with the seasoned veteran just right. When you complete a chapter , you are introduced to a " In the field scenario" service call. You imagine yourself at the call working out the problem in the component. You see how to step by step, use the common sense approach to troubleshooting and gain good skills in those procedures. The calls vary from simple to very complex. One thing is for very certain. You will enjoy having this book in your professional HVAC/R library.



2. This book was used in my "Fundamentals of Electricity" course in a technical college air-conditioning (AC) program. It was selected because it was the only text specifically for AC. We used the first third of the book. I'm an older student, have two years of university credits, and have seen a lot of technical and vocational training material. This book is simply awful. I have never had to struggle with a textbook so hard as with this one. Grammatical errors were abundant. The review questions were poorly written. Illustrations were occasionally mis-labeled, out of sequence or just plain wrong. Where the material raised a question, it was often left unanswered, but unasked questions were answered in excruciating detail. I had to use 4 other books to fill gaps left by this one. Most insulting was the price: $108. There are better books that cover basic electricity, some aimed at HVAC. I used Proctor & Mazur's books from ATP to fill some gaps. Additionally, ARI's "Refrigeration and Air Conditioning" has a good treatment, which is clearly written.



3. This book cost $108.00 and is full of errors. The instructor of my Intro To Control Class has contacted the publisher but to no avail. I am struggling in a course that I have always wanted to take and although my instructor is fanstastic this book gets a big fat F- from me. This book has failed and I hope that anyone who is forced to pay for this book isn't stuck paying full price. It's just not worth it!



4. Item came quicker than expected and in new packaging. It was exactly as described.

2 comments about The Ultimate Southern Living Christmas Book: Over 400 Ways to Celebrate the Season - Southern Living Style.

1. Well, it finally was released. I was so excited to see that this book was on the way and I certainly haven't been disappointed. I just love all the decorating ideas in this book - my husband grabbed it and off he went to the store to buy the stuff it recommends. Sure was beautiful when he was done. This book makes decorating elegantly so very beautiful for the holidays, and it just gives you so many nice ideas. But, the RECIPES! Yikes! Better buy those elastic waisted pants because you'll need them after these awesome dishes. You know it's bad when you want to start with the first recipe and just make everything else afterwards. That's how it is with this book. It's really that good! You won't be disappointed with this book. I just love it!



2. This is a beautiful book with lots of decorating ideas and recipes. It will inspire you to get ready for Christmas.

No comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Framing Basics Illustrated (Complete Idiot's Guide to).