5 comments about Serious Straw Bale: A Home Construction Guide for All Climates (Real Goods Solar Living Book.).

1. Everything you ever wanted to know about building a straw home from the ground up can be found in this manual.



2. I've been doing research for a house I'm hoping to build in 5 to 10 years, and straw bale is one of the wall systems I'm seriously considering. This book was extremely informative. I confess I often skimmed past sections dealing with cold, wet climates (I live in Arizona), but sometimes I read through them just because they were so interesting. If you're considering using this wall system for your own project, this book is a good place to start.



3. This is a great book and for anyone thinking of building in a damp climate a must have. Great information about the various ways of doing things, allowing the reader to make the best choice for their site, budget and level of skill. Covers wet weather considerations better than most other books. A good addition to your straw bale library.
   
   One warning, in this book the straw bale slab system is detailed but has since been shown to be a not so good idea so I would reccommend separate research on that subject.



4. I hope to build a natural house some day and am still in the research stage, looking at various alternatives. Straw bale is of course a serious contender. I am not a builder or a handyman; as a lay person I found this book satisfyingly detailed. "More Straw Bale Building" by Chris Magwood is another worthwhile read on the subject and balances this ones anti-Nebraska and pro-cement stucco biases somewhat. Anyway, what both books do is make it clear that building with straw bale isn't like Lego. It is serious stuff and requires a professional builder, and the money to pay them.
   
   One other thing: I really liked this book's introduction to other alternative building materials. It has given me other things to research.



5. Really good book with plenty of technical information, drawings, schemes. I would recomend that item for architects interested in this technology. It's one of few books on the market which are really "serious" about straw bale. It's not for people interested in colourful images and photos of buildings... it's not for design inspirations.

5 comments about The Complete Japanese Joinery.

1. When i bought it, i was looking for a manual to learn some basic about making japanese joinery in small amatorial woodworking projects. I'm not a carpenter, i'm just an hobbist.
   
   Every page of this book is a precious pearl of a deep knowledge, surrounded by Japanese philosophy as well.
   
   If you are patient to read very carefully and then practise, you'll find a pleasant surprise: a good job made with less tiredness and an happy mind.



2. This book is really neat--definitely worth $16. There are dozens and dozens of joints detailed but almost all of them are for framing buildings. Even so, these multitude of ideas presented can really start the creative process for furniture makers, like myself. In fact, this book provided a joint that solved a problem that I had dwelled on for months. Without this book, I never would have thought of this joint.
   
   Most of the joints described are described well. But you will need to read the material carefully because some of the joints are quite complex. A lot of the joints are described with "drafting style" drawings--a front view, side view and top view. The book could benefit from more drawings that are in perspective.
   
   The description of the use of Japanese tools is brief. In fact, if I were the publisher I'd delete "Japanese Tool Use" from the title because this book really doesn't focus much on tool use. Yeah, it's covered but there are other, more detailed texts n the topic.
   
   At times, the text is awkward. If I recall correctly, this book was translated from Japanese, which likely accounts for the awkward phrases.



3. I'm fascinated by art and lifestyle in Japan. I bought this one in the hope of getting good information about "how to"s in joining wood in a woodword project without using any metal parts (nails etc). For starters, all drawings are black and white so this may dissapoint some of you. But are very well done and the book has a very interesting introductory section about japanese woodworking tools that provide a lot of information and some less expected aspects of japanese woodworking like, for example, tradition (I expected that) and an entire philosophical system (I didn't expected that). Very interesting, a lot. However, it is quite complicated to follow drawings and I sometimes felt that a better 3D rendering of the cuts should be done in order to better understand japanese joinery techniques (which ARE very complicated). I would recommend the book in the first place as a very instructive reading (which it is) and less for actually doing something being guided by its instructional content. Anyway I'm glad I bought it because it gave me more insight into japanese traditional woodworking.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pics are black and white, but good. I've spent hours reading, and re-reading it. Good resource for carpenters who want to add something to their work or understanding. Also could be great for imaginitive furniture building.



5. This is a late review for me as I purchased this book in 2006. I have lived in Japan for about two years. prior to that I did some work in remodeling and small buildings. I had training in the technology. So when I watched Japanese woodworkers building in a new suburb in southern japan, I was suprised to see more of a timber frame construction process using round timbers. The masters of joinery at work. I thought to myself how strange?
   
   As I said two years ago I purchased this book on my quest to understand beauty and craftsmanship. I still use the phrase of the carpenters training manual to bring me to "reality" when I am involved in "More Power!", "More power tools!" It says find a place under a tree and set up your tools. When I read this I laughed heartily at myself. I had been a tool envious "Norm" follower for many years. He always has bigger and better, even when I was catching up!
   
   This is about wood. Hand tools! Craftsmanship! And the heart of the samauri wood worker. These joints have evolved and at one time were secrets of the particular trade guild, only taught to people after long apprenticeships. Look at the joints! Get the spirit of working with the wood. Learn secrets of joining.
   
   I liked this book so much that when it got lost in my piles, I bought another.
   
   Marc Adams of the Marc Adams school uses a phrase he stole from someone. "See one, do one." It's the way of wood!

5 comments about The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments: DIY Draperies, Curtains, Valances, Swags, and Shades.

1. This book is completely awesome. I don't need to purchase any other reference materials for ideas on how to do my windows. Love it, love it, love it!!!!



2. If you want to see step by step illustration, this book is NOT for you. There are nice examples of window treatment but there is no enough illustration for the parts that you really need to see how to do. Honestly it didint fill my needs, i need to check out another book



3. An inspirational book that gives good step by step instructions, complete with most standard drapery styles for all rooms in the house.



4. The photos are superb, no doubt about it. To me the pictures that sometimes went with the instructions were not enough. I felt that if there were step by step sketches or pictures to the instructions, it would have gotten an excellent rating from me. Overall, I still would give the book 5 stars.



5. I recently bought a new house with very large windows. I can't find store bought curtains, so I'm going to have to create my own designs. This book gave me several ideas that are new and unique -- things I'd never thought of. There are pages and pages of color photos to inspire you. Unfortunately, this is not a "how to" book but an idea book. Now, I have to figure out how to sew what I like!

5 comments about New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual.

1. If you like to read and do home repairs this book is for you.



2. This is an excellent book for the novice do-it-yourselfer. I was intimidated with a lot of the work needed to be done on my new home, but this book made it all seem possible. It was clear what things I could tackle myself, and what things are best left to a pro. I particularly liked the section on fasteners - it was something I didn't understand, although I thought I should!, and it gave a detailed description of what to use where, and why. I had a lot of lightbulb moments reading this book.
   
   One note - be sure to pick up the new edition, which I hear is much improved (hard to believe)-it just came out feb 05 and is not the first one amazon brings up - the new edition is actually cheaper as I write this.



3. I've had this book since 1991 and it is still the BEST in its class. I own and have read many other "do-it-yourself" manuals on home improvment and thia one is hands down the best. It's simple to read, yet each new section give lots of details and great illustrations.



4. I received the first edition of this book as a gift back in 1975 and I have been attached to it ever since. This newly updated version is an absolute blessing. Great illustrations, easy-to-read-and-follow instructions and well organized. I reach for this book any time I am about to tackle to new do-it-yourself project. This book will more than pay for itself...and save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in labor and materials costs. My only wish is that RD had included some project plans like they had in the first edition. I built a beautiful floating platform bed from the plans in that book.



5. A great book for the new homeowner. It gives you all the basics you need to know in order to make those little repairs or remodel projects that seem to pop up around the home.

5 comments about Raising Confident Boys: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers.

1. I was very disappointed with this book. The author continually tells the reader to be kind and gentle with children, and then recommends "alternatives to spanking" that are simply other types of punishments: time out, removal of privileges, and the like. She simply doesn't get it that children are human beings who behave as well as they are treated, and who will behave well when treated with love and respect. Would the author respond well if her partner tried to control her in these ways? There are many better choices - see the book titles listed at The Natural Child Project and La Leche League websites.



2. This book is a good reference guide. A good quick read.



3. The advice is broken up into topic sections which is very helpful, and then within those sections are simple, direct, one page intorductions to a problem/solution followed by one page of suggested tips. I LOVE this format and find it so very useful; more so than reading through 400 pages of bla, bla, bla and psycho-babble to get to that nugget of info that will help get to the core of the problem one is facing that day. Some of the solutions are pretty obvious and simple, some are new and enlightening. I think that any reader will be reminded of the simple tools we may have forgotten, or will discover new ideas and ways of approaching our children that will benefit all.



4. I had started some really bad habits, when my son was trying to express him self and become independant. Although I encouraged his independence and gave him as much positive feedback as i could I was going about it all wrong.
   
   Reading this book helped me to see things more from his point of veiw as a male.
   
   Boys are such senitive creatures and if you are not sensitive towards their feelings it's going to make thim feel withdrawn. I was starting to see this in our relationship and wanted to fix the problem before we grew apart.
   
   The information in this book has helped me in many ways.



5. I purchased this book after reading the great reviews. I am extremely disappointed. This book is simply a laundry list of anything that a parent/teacher could possibly do to give children better self-esteem. Each tip is dedicated two pages. It wasn't what I thought it would be and would not be easy to refer back to any particular item.

5 comments about Earthbag Building: The Tools, Tricks and Techniques (Natural Building Series).

1. Earthbag building, a method developped by Nader Khalili, is a wonderful innovation in building. It means that a building be built from materials found on site, even if those materials are too poor for rammed earth or mud brick. I've already used the techniques in this book to detail two public buildings! The trick is now to convince the structural engineer and councils...



2. This is a must book for anyone who is considering to undertake the task of building an earthbag structure. There are many tips and suggestions, the result of long practical experience, that will help the inexperienced builder to avoid many: "if I only had thought of this earlier..." moments.



3. I first checked this book out in the local library. It's a wealth of information, so I went to Amazon and bought two copies. I can recommend it highly to anyone interested in exploring this form of construction.



4. This is our "go-to" book for very practical descriptions and diagrams of process and procedure. We are planning our new house, and are incorporating elements of off-grid solar/wind power, rainfall catchment, passive ventilation, and high-mass wall construction.
   
   Nothing beats a hands-on experience, and if you can visit either the CalEarth site in California, or the Earthships site in New Mexico, you should. You get a much better understanding of the process of earthbuilding, and also of the finished product. Then, as you begin to plan to build, gather all the information you can. "Ceramic Houses" will give you great information on design principles and on philosophy; the Earthship books by Mike Reynolds give primo information on the plumbing and electrical systems, and in particular on rainfall catchment.
   
   "Earthbag Building" however, remains our mainstay. Hunter gives such good detail, and provides excellent resource lists for materials, and also lovely line diagrams that are very clear and easy to follow. And to truly make her the Queen of Bag Building, if you e-mail her a reasonable question, she answers!



5. organized, complete and very helpful! i am now building a house from earth bags and i use it much! everything it sais works!

5 comments about Building Moral Intelligence: The Seven Essential Virtues that Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing.

1. "Building Moral Intelligence" by Dr. Michele Borba is a book that every parent should read and own. In a world where there are so many negative influences on the internet, in the media, T.V. shows, magazines etc. many parents do not even realize the amount of immoral influences that our children are witnessing every single day. As parents, it is up to us to teach our children the importance of good character. We need to teach them about the seven essential virtues as Dr. Borba explains in her book!
   I realize that I'm digressing from a review, but I want to say this. Our world and our lives have changed recently, but the one thing that remains the same is that our children are the future. And as Theodore Roosevelt said "To Educate a Person in Mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society" This book will not only help you raise good kids, it will open any readers eyes and hearts, inspiring them to build their moral intelligence as well. We must teach by example...this book will help you do that! If you want your kids to do the right thing, then this book is for you!



2. Very useful prescription to put kids on. It is what's missing in America today. To those who really love their family and our country, be sure to read Building Moral Intelligence by Michele Borba, and also, West Point: Character Leadership Education.. by Norman Thomas Remick.



3. Truthfully speaking i was so desperate to change my son's attitude and behaviour towards his friends and towards life.
   I am a full time mother and i had done all i can think of to make my son understand more about life, etiquette, morality, character and how to make friends and be a friend.
   This book has brought the truth to me.
   It makes me really look at my own life first and foremost , how i deal with people, how i treat others,etc...
   My action speaks louder than my words.
   I grew up surrounded by priviledge and i take alot of things for granted. I just don't realise that my son whom i love very much is looking at me every second with open eyes and ears!!
   
   This book does not only help me change my son's character, but this book also shows me how to be a better mother, a living example for my children to follow.



4. I have a sixteen-year-old who is questioning all morals. I was finding it difficult to put into words the importance of morals. I bought this book for her to read. She isn't reading it, but I am and I'm finding it very helpful in facilitating discussions with her. At dinner time I bring up one of the seven moral virtues and ideas that the book presents. I've found that it leads to great conversations with her about character and moral behaviors. It has given me the words for concepts that can be difficult to convey in our current morally challenging times. I recommend buying this book when your children are young and referencing it often.



5. This book is a must read for every parent. We need to bring up our children to be morally responsible citizens. Each chapter shares ideas and simple acitivities on how to plant the seeds to produce people you would want to be in charge of running the world. It also reaffirms that as a parent you have the most important role in shaping your child. As a counselor, teacher and most importantly parent to three children, I have recommended this book to both family members and clients alike!

5 comments about Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter.

1. This book is absolutely stunning. I spent hours poring over the pictures. It's mostly pictures of creative, unique houses people have built, with a few stories about builders' experiences and techniques.
   It will put into perspective the amount to which we have limited ourselves when it comes to traditional housing. It shows how a house is not just shelter, but art, expression, and passion as well.
   This will inspire you!



2. this book is even better then the other books by Lloyd Kahn, and i didnt think that was possible. The photographs are outstanding, the text interesting, informative, and captures thoughts, people, homes and places of times past, present and some that look futuristic! This book is for anyone who has a passion for architecture, and culture. a great coffee table book.



3. MUST HAVE FOR ALL couchpotatoe MALES, and anyone who has dreams! This is such a fantastic book: inspiring and creative and so marvelous to see so many passionate people out their DOING THEIR THING! Get up from your desktops, ladies and gentlemen, stop the online dating circus and do something satisfying: BUILD YOUR OWN SHELTER. Lord knows I want to after pouring through every inch of every page and these great photos and life stories. Thanks, Mr. Lloyd!



4. followed by several days flipping through again and again, searching for my favorites...beautiful pictures. I could have done with more "on the road" pics and less (what I would refer to as) "normal" houses...I can see those kinds when I look out the window...but that's just a personal preference....I wish he'd take all the extra stuff he said he had and put it on a website or publish another book. I'd buy it!



5. Reading this made my son and me want to build, build, build. At the same time, the book achieves something else: the way people make their homes shows something very intimate and moving. This collection of photographs, drawings and stories shows how closely related the art of building, the art of art and the art of living are. This is one of the rare occasions where I would like to thank the authors.

5 comments about It's Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living.

1. This little book is an easy and quick read. The best feature is the checklist items at the end, which gives you a lot to think about. It is also a great way to get started on the road to "living green". It has a lot of information and it isn't complicated at all. It actually has some cute drawings and it is so user friendly that my 12 year old niece read it as well. I would definitely recommend it.



2. HElp to get my head out of the sand and make a difference in what I am doing and how I am living



3. This book is quite informational. I definitely enjoyed reading it and obtaining a few new ideas. However, for someone who has been aware of "being green" for a while, it likely won't present a lot of new information. I think it'd be a great gift for someone who is thinking of green but doesn't know where to start.



4. I like to think I'm a bit more informed than the average American in regards to the environment (I'm Canadian and moved here 4 yrs ago) but I must give kudos to this book and suggest that every household keep one on their kitchen counter or coffee table. I'd like to see a page-a-day calendar like this as well. Easy to use, realistic tips.



5. This book is a very interesting little handbook that lists various things that you can do to make your life greener. You can start out with just a couple little things and then just keep making your life greener and greener.

5 comments about House Colors.

1. This book is destined to be a classic for professionals and novices alike. Rather than another "pretty" book to ad to the shelf, it is an extensive resource that can be used for years. If you've ever chosen a paint color only to have to change it several times, this will save your sanity and money. Susan is a professional who does the work for you. The resource section in the back of the book is amazing. If you want your house to be the one other's drive by and admire, buy this book. Bravo!



2. This book will be very useful to laymen and professionals for use in selection of exterior colors and materials for new houses, remodelings, and even when the house is getting re-painted.
   
   Laymen, when re-doing their own house to whatever degree, would love the book because Ms. Hershman clearly and simply explains her points by use of examples (in beautiful photography) as well as the written word. For professionals, the book offers a collection of images and ideas that can presented to their clients so that they can understand that color is not a "paint job". Rather, exterior color is really an integrated system of materials and colors--and that system can range for the very simple to the very complex.
   
   This book would be wonderful addition to anyone's library.



3. This is the best reference I have ever seen for exterior colors. The pictures are of real houses, not staged for photography and the book gives you the paint brands and numbers of the colors used on each house. Very very helpful. I found colors to paint my home I would have never thought to consider and I am a decorator. Thank you Susan!



4. This book by Susan Hershman has been invaluable in many ways. Since we live in a Victorian City, the book is a way to show off ours and other similar cities. We use Susan's book for ideas and suggestions for our neighbors when they are improving their homes. Visually, House Colors is so stunning that it is now our number one cocktail table book. We can't imagine anyone undertaking a project involving painting without utilizing House Colors.



5. This is a lovely book with lots of information. However, I bought it to try to decide on a new color scheme for my Cape Cod home, only to find that just one Cape is shown in over 300 pages of this book. There are many beautiful houses presented, but most of them are not what I would consider your average middle-class home. I found nothing appropriate for my house, so it was a disappointment for me and I will probably return it.