1 comments about Textiles for Residential & Commercial Interiors.

1. There is oodles of info in it, however, it is the absolute driest book I've ever had to read. I actually love the majority of my textbooks. As a design student, I expect a book to have nice color photos, beautiful layout and an organization that is more appealing. This book needs help! How about a graphic design professional to work the layout and photos, maybe pay a little extra for some color pages (it looks like it was printed on a copy machine as is) and maybe someone to edit the copy so it is more palatable and less tiring. When I know I need to catch some zzzzz's, I just open this book and try to read a few paragraphs.

1 comments about The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Kitchens: Design, Plan & Install a Dream Kitchen (Black & Decker Complete Guide).

1. Our house is now about twenty-five years old and we've recently begun overhauling and replacing a lot of stuff. Painting is easy, and laying tile isn't too difficult to learn, but tackling bathrooms and kitchens is notoriously difficult. This volume in the "Black & Decker" series is pretty good, walking you through all the pats of the kitchen -- cabinets, countertops, fixtures, appliances, floors, lighting, etc -- identifying the options for each, and showing you how to calculate costs. And, for that matter, helping you decide which parts you can probably do yourself and which you really want to call on a professional for. (Personally, I'm not about to take on electrical or plumbing systems!) There are a huge number of detailed color photos, especially for key operations like leveling tile, floating a floor, and installing under-cabinet lighting (something my wife really wants). They'll also show you which specialized tools you really need to use. An excellent book in an above-average series.

5 comments about The Ultimate Guide to Pool Maintenance, Third Edition.

1. The book was very well written and an excellent resource for someone who needs to understand how the different aspects of a pool or spa work. Certain readers may find some of the information too detailed. However, this reader being a new pool owner and an engineer greatly appreciated the comprehensive explanations that were provided.
   The text includes a plethora of information pertaining to pools, spas, and the support equipment. It provided a basic explanation of construction, repair, replacement, and maintenance of the structure and equipment. There are many pictures and detailed diagrams. In addition, there are numerous quick tips throughout, which are presented in bold fonts and segregated from the main body of the text. Although the information that was provided was thorough, the explanations do not require a doctorate to understand. This reader would recommend the book to any new or existing pool owner with even a slight amount of mechanical understanding.



2. Cover all items, and for an engineer and new pool owner like me it covers things I'll probably never need but are interesting to know. It is a heavy read and appears to be for pool builders in places.



3. I found the book to be very helpful for a person with technical background and for the average homeowner. It is very easy to understand and useful. I highly recommend this book for the pool technician as well as the homeowner who wants to know if his pool service company is not ripping him off.



4. This was shipped quickly and promptly. Only problem it reads more like a text book. So take you time reading this.



5. This is really the only spa and pool maintenance reference many people will need. It gives just the right amount of detail without boring the reader with the mundane. I work at a hotel and this is my first spa and pool to maintain. It has made my life far easier.

2 comments about Tuscany Style: Landscapes, Terraces & Houses, Interiors, Details (Icons).

1. This is basically a pictorial of the ins and outs of italian lifestyle. I find the rich colors and sense of simplicity coming through the photos to be what I needed for the project I am working on. Lots of small details in these photos make the overall very well worth the search for this book.



2. I just purchased this book thinking that it was something that it turned out not to be.
   
   I was looking for a book that had the pictures of "Tuscany Style" (It does), but also a book that would come with some sort of instructional descriptions to possibly achieve something similar.
   
   This book is STRICTLY Pictures!
   
   The only places where words are used, are at the begining of the book (Introduction) and near the end of the "Chapters" where the photos are given "Titles" like artwork.
   
   I am not going to give the book 5 stars, as I wish the book description included this information.
   
   I am not going to rank it lower than 4 stars, because it basically covers what the title says "Tuscany Style." To achieve the extra star, required that something extra... Helpful Wording.

5 comments about 400 Wood Boxes: The Fine Art of Containment & Concealment (500 Series).

1. 
   I have always been fascinated by boxes.An avid puzzle enthusiast,I am always on the lookout for what I call puzzle boxes.These are boxes that have a secret method required to open.They are designed with hidden panels,magnets,bars,bearings,and everything imaginable that keeps them from being opened until the "Puzzle" is figured out.Unfortunately, there are no boxes of this sort in the book;though there are many that could be adapted to include a locking device or mechanism.Design wise these boxes are beautiful artistic objects and a joy to behold.It would be an even greater thrill to be able to pick them up and open them.
   All the other reviews are very good and warn that what you get with this book is a picture of the box ,its overall dimensions ,color,some info on the material;but no construction methods.Not that there is any suggestion that construction methods or details are provided,one might think they are.In other words;what you see is what you get.
   Anyone who designs and makes interesting boxes should find this book a real gem,and a storehouse of design ideas.
   To someone who is interested in buying boxes like these,but not really interested in making them,you might have some success in contacting the artists.In addition to that,I attend a lot of Art and Craft Shows and without fail there are always a few artists who are selling wooden boxes similar to these.Common are inlaids,stacking,burls,sectionals,jewellery,chess,games,and at times I come across "puzzle boxes".



2. Very nice book, lots of great looking boxes. Great for new ideas (woodworker) or if you are looking for something special. Only downfall, is most do not offer a picture of the inside of box.



3. Great collection to make you think and to inspire you to "build out of the box".



4. If you, like I, can make whatever you see, this is the book for you. It is approx 400 pages of photos. All of which are fantastic boxes (works of art). This book is a must for when you don't know what to make next. It oozes originality. One of the boxes was my inspiration for new kitchen cabinets!



5. This is a wonderful book. I bought a couple of how-to books awhile back and was disappointed that those books didn't offer more inspiration photographs. This book fits satisfies that need exceptionally well. Just page and after page of beautiful woodwork.
   
   When I first got the book, I started reading it page-by-page. It took at least an hour to get through the first half. All of the boxes are wonderful to look at and contemplate.
   
   There is no style depicted. It covers everything from the small trinket holder, to jewelry boxes to turned boxes to the "Well, I guess someone would like that".
   
   All of the photos are in color and are captioned with the artist's name, dimensions of the object and types of wood used to create it. An index is in the back of the book that provides the city and state of each artist.
   
   There is absolutely no discussion of technique.
   
   Time to head back to the shop...I've got a couple of board feet of absolutely stunning bastogne walnut that needs my attention.

1 comments about International Mechanical Code 2003 (International Mechanical Code).

1. this is the code alot of towns are using they dont want to change to the 2006 book

5 comments about Toilet Training-The Brazelton Way.

1. i bought this book because i love brazelton's other best sellers; but i feel that it isn't as strong as his other writings. too much of it is focused on infant and very early toddler details; the digestive system, etc. there isn't enough substantial information for me to really have insight and make good decisions about helping my child toilet learn.



2. The part of this book that was most helpful was the list of 7 signs Brazelton says are the key to successful toileting. I had a late little guy...works at his own pace. This book, and specifically the list helped me to calm down and watch for ALL 7 signs before guiding my little guy to what he was ready for. My copy is totally worn thin from passing it around to friends. It helped me take myself out of the process and put it firmly where it belongs...on my kiddo!



3. When I bought this book, intially I had an open mind about toilet training methods, but after reading this book I am sceptical about the child centred technique. The reasons outlined in the book have a circular logic which makes no sense to me. Also, some of the suggestions seemed just silly to me - for instance, the advice to change an active baby's dirty nappy in the bath while she pulls herself up and down!
   
   Dr Brazelton outlines the reasons for changing to a child centred technique in the 60's - to prevent the high occurrence of failure from rigid early training schedules which involved punishment and shame. A much more rigorous study than the one which Dr Brazelton describes would have looked at age of training and use of punishment INDEPENDENTLY, and then drawn conclusions on what was causing the high failure rate. As the study was conducted it is impossible to conclude which of the two factors - early age or punishment- was more harmful.
   
   Dr Brazelton gives a list of signs of readiness and then assumes that NO child will have these signs before the age of 2. I feel that this is greatly underestimating our children, and also patronising to other cultures around the world (who don't live in "our mainstream hygienic culture") who train their children at a much younger age.
   
   I feel this book could be very confusing to parents as they endlessly wait for their child to exhibit ALL of the signs of readiness and NONE of the signs of not being ready. But some of the signs that a child is NOT ready could be due to waiting TOO long; for example,
   1. A child sits on the toilet and then pees soon after standing up: This could also be to due the child having made a longstanding habit of peeing standing up which is possible in a diaper;
   2. The child is not uncomfortable in a dirty diaper: This could also be because the child has been in diapers for so long, he has been conditioned to accept walking around with faeces smeared on his bottom!
   Dr Brazelton strongly emphasizes that toilet training should be up to a child and that it is his achievement. Of course! No one else is in control of his muscles! Why then is this only possible after a certain age? In the book, he desribes how he pre-empts toilet training questions at the 12 and 18 month checkups and strongly advises parents not to start until after age 2. This to me smacks of interference well beyond what is appropriate between patient and doctor. No wonder parents are confused - they are told to ignore knowledge of their own child.
   
   As a final note, I'm a bit tired of the hackneyed advice "Don't worry, your child won't be in diapers at college" that seems so prevalent from toilet training experts. More to the point is, "Will your child still be in diapers when he goes to SCHOOL?", which seems like a possibility if you endlessly wait for all the signs of readiness. Perhaps then your child could attend Dr Brazelton's Toilet school for untrained 4-6 year olds.



4. Mother's don't always have time to read...so I found this book to be a perfect book for my needs. It is a nice small book with the signs to look for, the false signs that many parents feel are 'signs', what parents do wrong most of the time, what they can do that is correct. the child's perspective on toliet training, etc...and it's 100% in line with my child development back ground...all the information fits well with most parenting styles...atachment parenting all the way to a more structured household. If you have a child that is gearing up to accomplish the big potty, I highly recommend this book before you get started. :)



5. This was a quick and easy read. It gave me a new perspective on potty training - basically to chill out, give the control/choice back to my toddler, and allow him to feel pride for his accomplishments (rather than making it about pleasing Mom/Dad).
   
   I really appreciate this perspective and potty training is going so much better for us now that I've read this. I highly recommend for both parents and grandparents.

5 comments about Prefabulous: The House of Your Dreams Delivered Fresh from the Factory.

1. This is a terrific book that I use in my daily business as a REALTOR who is specializing in affordable, green, prefab solutions for my clients.Prefabulous: The House of Your Dreams Delivered Fresh from the Factory



2. Fairly good. But thought maybe it would have had something included about the Dome houses also.



3. Lots of good pictures, but VERY LITTLE indepth and/or technical info about processes and products. Not for someone interested in really learning much about factory fabrication, except "look what we can do".



4. Usually, I find books like this very disappointing. I actually checked this one out of the library to make sure it was worth the money before I bought it. All I can say is YES, it's worth purchasing, and I cannot wait to receive my copy.
   
   This book is a really good introduction to prefab housing options and building materials, with photos spanning the basic models to very VERY high-end examples of the houses that can be built using this approach. (I have to agree with the reviewer who said that, if you want a really in-depth look at the technical side of the process, this is not the best choice for you.) "Prefabulous" manages to make a potentially-daunting subject accessible to readers without being overly light and fluffy or using that condescending tone that so many of these types of books have. Likewise, it's been very handy to show this book to family members and neighbors who are interested in prefab housing as an idea, but don't know anything (yet!) about the nuts and bolts of the process. This book has been really eye-opening for them because of its beautiful photos and well-written, clear, concise text.
   
   All this being said, I should probably explain that I have a Masters Degree in Urban/City Planning from an "Ivy-league" university. Even with my academic and professional training, I found this book to be very informative and fully anticipate that it will be a fine addition to my personal library.



5. In the author's 3/22/07 post in her blog above, she states, "In today's world I believe we are all concerned about preserving our resources and saving energy - prefab construction is an excellent option towards both of those ends." Her book, however, presents huge prefab houses as examples of this perspective. Of the 25 houses in the book, 12 are in the 5000 - 12,000+ sq. ft. range. No matter what construction method is used, excessive materials and space waste natural resources and energy.
   
   Given that the author's previous book was Modular Mansions, it's not surprising that she recommends such wasteful houses. It is highly unfortunate, however, that Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House, chose to write the forward for this book. She said, "Prefab is definitely an idea whose time has come, and this is the book that tells us how to make it happen". Did she even look at the book before writing that recommendation? It is a total contradiction from her own books and apparent philosophy towards building houses that minimize resource use.

5 comments about Can't Fail Color Schemes (Can't Fail).

1. This book is an excellent resource for people who enjoy colors but are afraid to decorate their homes with color. Can't Fail Color Schemes is a great tool for amateur decorators, homeowners who don't want to make mistakes painting their homes and professional decorators who are looking for an update in their traditional color palets. This volume is easy to use, is chocked full of wonderful illustrative room settings and a "must-have" for anyone looking to transform their house into their home.



2. This book isn't what we expected. It was like a color chart you can pick up at the paint shop. It did not tell us what colors go well together, However there were pictures of rooms and they explained what were in the pictures. We were still confused about what to choose for our home. Eventually we looked at the nice pictures and ended up getting a paint chart at the paint shop and doing it the old way!



3. Clothes may not make the man, but color sure makes the room, doesn't it?
   If you respond intensely to color, as I do, but have no idea what turns you on or turns you off, this book is the handy guide you want (even the way it's bound, in a spiral, like every cookbook should be but isn't).
   Amy Wax's book is indispensable for anyone choosing colors in decorating or, especially, as we used it for, to guide you through a major renovation. After all, you spend thousands to redo a room, so why not spring for 13 bucks (now at Amazon) to guide you through the crucial decisions on color? After all, isn't that what everyone comments on?



4. I love this book it is a great help for color coordination both inside the house and outside. It it is worth every penny I payed for it. I would highly recommend it to anyone, both amateur and professional decorators. It really helped me out, I can't say enough good things about it but to say I think is a great book.



5. I Love this book. If you have trouble putting just the right colors together, this book will show you how subtle changes in shades within a color can make a difference, as well as how to put together whole color schemes. If you know what you like, but don't know how to "get there" this book will give you lots of ideas to experiment with before you even paint your first coat of color. It also made me think about combinations I wouldn't have put together on my own. I definitely recommend this book.

5 comments about The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries.

1. 
   The author Mark Lehner has written or contributed to a number of historical books, several of them on Egyptian history and this I think is the best of them all. The pyramids were one of the seven wonders of the world and still are one of the world's wonders, although far removed from the glorious sight that they must have been in ancient times.
   
   It is probably true to say that more has been written about the pyramids than any other man made structure on earth and that includes the Great Wall of China and our own Stonehenge. Much of what has been written about the pyramids has been conjecture and to put it kindly stretching the truth to make a good story. The author himself is no stranger to putting forward theories of his own regarding the pyramids and it is up to the reader's how much credence they place in these and other theories. What we do know is that the pyramids were built to precise measurements, so accurate in fact that even today with all the modern building equipment at our disposal we would struggle to emulate the ancient builders. They were also aligned in a particular direction and calculations of where exactly the stars appeared in the Egyptian night sky at the time of their construction, could suggest that at least one of their uses was astronomical
   
   This book quite rightly concentrates on the main Egyptian pyramids and the sphinx and covers all the latest data formulated by today's archaeologists and scientists. This includes how the pyramids were thought to have been built, a Herculean task in itself. Also there are exciting computer generated images of the inside of the pyramids, in fact just about every question you could ask is answered for you in this superb book, even down to a guide for visiting the pyramids themselves.



2. A well written and well documented information on the pyramids. It does not cover ALL of the pyramids in Egypt, but does cover many less-visited ones also. A great reference work and printed on glossy paper that holds small details in photographs well. Many black & white photos along with some color photos.
   Has well thought out diagrams of each pyramid and cutaways of important areas along with surrounding temple plans.
   A MUST for your reference library!



3. I think this is a very fine book. Mark Lehner is an excellent Egyptologist and is well renown in his field. The book explains a lot about how the pyramids were built and debunking some old myths.
   
   Excellent!



4. Good value for the money. A quality product with good text and very good color values on the photos and graphics. A nice addition to my ref. collection.



5. This book is everything it is advertised to be. Gives so much information and was delivered in just 4 days.