5 comments about Electrical Wiring Commercial, 13E.

1. My students have also asked me to change books. It does contain some good information if you can wade through the mistakes to find it.



2. This book was perhaps intended first for vocational school students who will become electricians, but our small professional engineering firm has used it for more than a decade as a self-study professional development course for young mechanical and electrical engineers with design responsibilities for building HVAC systems. We just bought five copies of this latest edition.
   
   The twenty-one units average sixteen pages each and cover all topics needed to calculate and layout the design of a small commercial building. The book even includes a complete set of ten architectural and electrical drawings, so the reader can see what a completed electrical design looks like when ready for contractor bids. It's all here - from the branch circuits for receptacles, HVAC motors, and lighting through the panelboards, and electrical service.
   
   The book has several hundred illustrations, charts, and tables and detailed references to the National Electrical Code.
   
   The author is a licensed electrician and teacher. His coauthor is a professional engineer and professor.



3. This book is definetly for the student. If you are an experienced contractor looking to broaden your knowledge, keep shopping.



4. Very well written and organized. Supporting diagrams and pictures were very helpful



5. tHIS BOOK BASED ON 2005 NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE IS A GOOD INSTRUMENT FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINERS DEDICATED TO COMMERCIAL DESIGNS

5 comments about Home Safe Home.

1. This book had a lot of info in it. Worth the read.



2. This book was a real eye opener for me during my first read--EYE OPENER!. I went through every chapter with a fine tooth comb and to tell you the truth I was shocked. Shocked because I have been assuming, up to this point, that the products I was using, in my household, in my hair, on my skin (the stuff I grew up on, the stuff Grandma always used--oh ya during WWII maybe...) were safe. Now I know this is USUALLY NOT the case. I learned later on that most of the crap I was used to using belonged right in the trash can. That is where everything eventually ended up. The next day I decided to start from scratch. I have used this book as a continuous reference, a Bible if you will. I have also purchased a cosmetic dictionary to help me understand all of the chemical yahoo they put in body products as well. The best thing I learned to do is read labels--READ THE LABELS! Now I know that I am doing the best for myself and my family. If the FDA cannot protect me--by George I am doing something to protect myself and those around me! This book changed my life and gave me an excellent education about how toxic our homes and body products REALLY are. Now...I rather dislike the companies who make toxic cleaning products, makeup, body produts and food. My hope is that someday this world will stop supporting the bad stuff and move on to the good.



3. This book covers a wide range of topics, from building/remodeling materials to cleaners and personal products. Mine is already earmarked, underlined and highlighted, and I've purchased more as gifts for family and friends. Debra Lynn Dadd is an expert and her work is also very readable; succinct and not dry.



4. This book had so much great information I could not believe it. It is easy to find virtually any subject matter that is related. While, during and after reading this book I went through my house and eliminated many bad things that I never knew could be harmful to my family. I has really helped us change our lives in a very positive way. If you have anyone you love in your home including yourself read this book and get educated for your own safety! I leave it on the kitchen counter and refer to it often. Some times I even shock a friend or two that visits with some of the information in there and they have gone on to change the way they live as well after having some very important facts given to them. Awesome and worthy of a read and the cost. This ones a keeper :)



5. This book is a great read for someone who wants to learn about environmental issues in the home without the fear factor. It's factual and articulate, without being overwhelming or emotional in a way that makes you doubt the information.

5 comments about Monster Garage: How to Weld Damn Near Anything (Motorbooks Workshop).

1. I'm a novice to welding, but I'm a professional in the field of training materials -- I thought I might pick this book up for a quick intro on equipment to buy, how to set up my home garage with tools, perhaps. What a laugh. What this book actually is:
   
   1) A disjointed collection of photographs and useless captions. Under a picture of a race car: "This race car has a strong TIG-welded front suspension ..." and the photo is from 6 feet away.
   
   2) A bewildering list of disjointed paragraphs. A heading of "Aircraft Mig Welding" followed by two paragraphs of text, followed by a heading of "Race Car Mig Welding". I'm sure those two paragraphs just about cover aircraft welding, huh? There's a nice general topic to gloss over.
   
   3) Someone's idea of how to cash in on Monster Garage TV show marketing, without actually having to do the work of writing an actual BOOK. There are no step-by-step procedures, no introduction to the topics, or techniques. If you want a mindless collection of tables, charts, and oddball photographs, this is for you.
   
   The correct title should be: How to Make Money for the Discovery Channel Without Doing Work



2. ...it's not a very good series. The book does contain useful information about electric welding processes. However it leans too heavily towards welding for aerospace - a reflection of the author's background. Bottom line is there are better welding resources out there that support custom car building. As a Monster Garage souvenir it misses the grade with only a passing reference to the show and Jesse James.



3. This book had a lot of nice pictures but not much information. It was somewhat entertaining if you liked Monster Garage but not very helpful. I needed more specifics on how to do it since I have not welded since high school and that was a long time ago. I ended up going to the library and getting a big heavy book on the subject and that was much more helpful.



4. This book seems to be some marketing ploy aimed at skimming any $$$ they can off the Monster Garage name. One would think that with that title you would be getting some good information from Mr Jesse James or at least someone remotely related to the show.
   
   This is not the case.
   
   It appears that the publishers bought some guys book titled "Performance Race Car and Aircraft Frames By A Guy That Hates MIG Welders", threw in some pics and graphics from the Monster Garage show and tossed it on the market to rake in those Monster Garage bucks.
   
   Let's simply examine the title:
   
   Monster Garage- Nothing really remotely to do with the Monster Garage. A bit at the front end, but nothing really to do with welding done on the show.
   
   How To Weld- Actually very little in the way of constructive instruction on the actual process of welding.
   
   Damn Near Anything- Well, as long as you are talking about race car chassis or airplane frames and then there is very little even on that.
   
   The book boils down to this- You suck unless you TIG weld everything.
   
   If you are a neophyte looking for good basic instruction then this is not the book for you. If you like pictures that really have nothing to do with actually welding, hey, this might be your cup of tea.



5. With a name like "How to Weld Damn Near ANYTHING", I thought I'd be learning all the tricks needed to weld together two aluminum cans, or maybe the secret to welding a tungsten wear plate to a stainless carrier.
   
   Alas, there is none of that. Just a rehash of stuff you can find in any basic welding text without much useful added. If you want basic info, download the Miller introductory books from the web for free and you'll get much more (and better) information.

1 comments about Ultimate Outdoor Kitchens.

1. This book was enjoyable, and the offerings were very nice. I would have liked a little more detail description for planning.

5 comments about The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building Options (Chelsea Green Guides for Homeowners).

1. This book was a little bit hard to understand, especially if you are not knowledgable on the subject. I would recommend something more clear and easier to read.



2. Author Dan Chiras has produced a series of amazing books on green building, including The Natural House, The Solar House, Superbia!, and The Natural Plaster Book. His books are extremely well written, well organized, comprehensive, and extremely well illustrated. He's truly one of the best, if not the best, writer in the green building field.
   
   The New Ecological Home is no exception. In fact, I think it is one of the best books he has written. Although the cover is pretty drab, the book is a beauty inside. The book is engaging, easy to read, and full of interesting and helpful information that will assist those who want to explore the many options for building homes that are good for people, the planet, and the economy. This book should be read by all who are considering building a new home as well as those who are thinking about remodeling their homes. It is also a valuable resource for architects, builders, and students of architecture. Adding to its value, this book has a detailed resource guide that adds considerably to its value.



3. During the planning phase of building our first home, this book was very helpful. We liked the emphasis right at the start on site selection -- what to look for in everything from the overall community to aspects of the land itself and how to environmentally protect that land during construction. A comparison checklist for assessing lots is included. Even though ours will not be a "natural House" (rammed earth, straw bale, etc.) and though those types of construction are covered, there was plenty of solid information on building a more energy efficient, and less wasteful, home of wood and concrete. Also included are chapters on design, using green and non- or less toxic materials, sustainable approaches to water and waste, environmental landscaping, and enery-efficient design, heating, and cooling. As this will be a retirement home, we especially appreciated the chapter on accessiblilty and ergonomic design.



4. This book could very easily serve as a textbook for a green building course. It's not a coffee table book - the photos are small, and black and white - but very useful in supporting the text. This is a serious book about alternative building written by and about a group of people who have been creatively, responsibly, thoughtfully building for a very long time. It's a good choice for builders who want to learn more about sustainability, students who want to go into the field, or homeowners who are looking to build. It's not so much glitzy and inspirational as it is informative and useful: comprehensive from site selection and design through building options and techniques, to landscaping, it also contains a great resource guide.



5. Having been the first of it's kind I have read, this book is well-organized and readable. It seems good for the person brainstorming on what steps to take in the design of their eco-home. For more specific information to carry out the tasks, I would suggest other resources.

5 comments about Treehouses of the World.

1. I bought this book for my boyfriend (30) and he loved it. I enjoyed it just as much. The pictures are amazing and the stories that went with them were just as great. Great book to leave on the coffee table!



2. Yes, nothing quite like giving one's friends good reviews on amazon!
   isnt is nice when people with too much money can build tree-houses when so many americans must live in dumpy apartments or are homeless?
   Its nice that those who have trust funds can build tree houses, while the rest of us are worrying about even having housing, especially with illegal and legal immigration saturating the rental market and drving out legal american citizens.
   Come to think of it, how many people who build treehouses have rental properties in slum areas ? I know of one who does.



3. I have always fantasized about treehouses and this book definitely has some fantastic examples. It's a wonderful book -- I bought it because my 90 days of checking it out at the library were over. I had to own it.



4. I got this for my step father who found it very inspiring. He is now working on a tree house of his own.



5. This is a very informative book with great pictures. It actually gives specs and dimentions in case you want to build your own. But if you don't, it's a beautiful book just to look at and daydream!

3 comments about Simplify Your Space: Create Order and Reduce Stress.

1. I've read many organizing and decorating books and I loved Simplify Your Space by Marcia Ramsland. It walks you through decluttering and simplifying each area of your home in a way that gives you the biggest results in the least amount of time. You can't go wrong using Marcia's CALM method, and the decorating tips at the end of each chapter will have you living in style in no time. I also liked her stories about working with actual organizing clients. I give this book a definite thumbs up!



2. Marsha Ramsland's Simplify Your Space has Simplified my life, my work, my home, my travel, and my family frustrations! Kudos to you Marsha for practical help on life's most frustrating topic: our stuff! I hope all your other readers find the help I did so they can have the CALM life your method provides! Thanks you!
   
   Pam Farrel
   El Cajon, Ca



3. Marcia's easy-going, motivational style of writing is just what I needed to make a BIG DIFFERENCE in my home. As a retiree, I have accumulated many things over the years. Since my home is small, each inch counts. I was encouraged to SIMPLIFY THE SPACE in each room, including the garage. I love the feeling of now having a home that reflects me (not my stuff), with space to relax and entertain. Sometimes it's hard to "declutter" because we're emotionally attached to items. Marcia's CALM technique helped me to "let go" while still appreciating their value. Her diagrams and stories of clients gave me freedom to choose styles of organizing that fit me and my space. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Thanks, Marcia!

5 comments about Preston Bailey's Design for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams.

1. I love this book. The themes and pictures are great. It's more for the higher end weddings



2. This is an amazing book! While most people may not be able to re-create these parties, you can definitely get ideas from all of them. Take the ideas here and apply them to one or two tables or a small area. The pictures are wonderful and I am amazed at what is done in some of these parties. Would love to have a chance just to walk through one of these!!!!



3. What a fabulous book for inspiration to all professional florist, Event and party planners every where. As a high end Event and Party planner in Seattle, WA we use Mr. Bailey's book for reference to customers who are looking to throw an "over the top" party or event.
   
   I recommend this to all flower lovers.
   
   Magnolia Village Florist
   Seattle, WA



4. 
   I bought this book so I can find ideas for my wedding decoration, it has great and beautiful pictures, but obviously it's impossible to try to imitate Preston Bailey's ideas. I do recommend this book. You can use it afterwards for a coffee table book.



5. The photos are beautiful, but I didn't purchase it for the photos.
   I purchased it to discover the use of mechanics to construct the beautiful florals. There is some text about materials used, but very little. Disappointing.

5 comments about How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Redesign, Redecorating, & Home Staging Business: With Companion Cd-rom.

1. This book is concise and complete and has a wealth of information for starting up your staging and redesign business. Using true-life examples, Mary outlines the redesign business so new businesses can succeed and thrive and make fewer mistakes. I love the "Mary's Trade Tips" sections which are all little nuggets of great information to help a new business do well financially and professionally.
   
   This is a gotta-have book for those considering redesign and home staging!



2. How to Open a Financially Successful Redesign, Redecorating & Home Staging Business definitely stands out in the "be your own boss" genre. The never-ending wealth of information practically sets up your business for you, no matter how little you know about what you're getting into. Other how-to business start-up books tend to jump right into the thick of things, overlooking key facts that beginners might not know. Mary Larsen's book was the exact opposite--even beginning with questions about whether or not you are cut out to be an entrepreneur.
   While there was a ton of information packed in, I never felt overwhelmed with facts. Everything was broken down into easy-to-use tidbits, like questions to ask yourself and your clients, common business myths, why extras are important, naming, testimonials, and the pitfalls of freebies. The focus placed on marketing, especially e-mail and Web marketing, was especially helpful. I'm not a very tech-savvy person, so the in-depth discussion of marketing in this way was great--no "techie" language that I couldn't understand, just the basic facts. Larsen also helps out by reminding the reader that sometimes you just have to start your business and build from there--everything doesn't have to be perfect for your first client. Besides, with Larsen's book, there's no way you could fail!
   Even if you already consider yourself an expert in redesign, redecorating or home staging, Larsen's book is a necessity, even if just simply for the appendix, which provides a quick reference and worksheets that can help you grow your business from day one.



3. This book gives detailed information on how to go about starting a business doing interior design and decorating. The authors discuss the types of decorators as well as what it takes to be an entrepreneur. They dispel commonly held myths about entrepreneurship and give practical advice for the reader to determine if they have what it takes to start their own business.
   
   The authors give step by step instructions on what it takes to start your own design business such as deciding what skills you have and how to charge for services. The next sections of the book deal with the legal and financial concepts of structuring a business. The authors do a good job of explaining the intimidating ideas of business planning, finance, and operation in terms that non business savvy people can understand. Anyone considering a career in design or decoration would benefit greatly from reading this book



4. Larsen's book starts right off by defining the differences between redesign (for living) and staging (for selling) so there's no misunderstanding of what these potentially lucrative businesses are all about.
   
   The popularity of HGTV-DYI-type shows have spawned an interest in people wanting to redecorate their own homes Fortunately for anyone wishing to operate this type of business there will be more than enough work for you to do. Many home decorators get all excited about redecorating their homes but then find that once they get started (or are in the planning phase) they don't have the skills or the time to follow through.
   
   The book offers a lot of solid advice. For instance, Larsen reminds readers that it is vitally important to continuously educate themselves as trends change constantly- what's hip today will be out tomorrow.
   Mary's Trade Tips are sprinkled throughout the book making you feel like you're getting insider information. Larsen offers advice on ways to market your business including getting testimonials from current customers, giving presentations including a list of possible topics and an outline detailing how to present the topic. Details important things you need to know to stage a home for a real estate sale, offers before and after pictures showing great design work that you can easily do and gives basic design tips that offer suggestions on room elements such as color, shape, and spacing. You'll also find a list of tools you will most likely need and an appendix with more than enough resources to get you started including easily modifiable forms, sample contracts, a list of tools you will need and sample sales letters.
   
   For some reason I found myself getting kind of bored toward the end of the book but overall a good resource for anyone wishing to start this type of business. Could also be a good basic guide for anyone wanting to simply redesign or stage their own home.



5. Mary Larsen has done a thorough job explaining the actual steps it takes to launch a successful (financially successful!) business in Interior Redesign and Staging. As a Nationally Certified Trainer in this area , I look forward to adding this book to my recommended reads for students, new & experienced. Worth the time to read it!

5 comments about Books That Build Character: A Guide to Teaching Your Child Moral Values Through Stories.

1. It's important for people of all ages to be concerned about character and moral values, especially in these modern days. Themes of classic stories have not really been improved upon over the years; wisdom is timeless. I also recommend Storybook Mentors, Grown-up Wisdom From Children's Classics.



2. As another reviewer pointed out, the title and subtitle of this book may put people off. But this isn't a book that applies a preachy sort of moralism to the task of building a child's character through literature. Far from it. It's a very valuable guide to books that have, and will, stand the test of time as classics. I discovered many wonderful books through this guide and had a great time reading them to my children. The best children's literature is as satisfying on an adult level as it is for the child.

   This book is valuable not only for the lists and summaries of good books for children (grouped by age level and category) that takes up most of its pages. The first 60 pages contain five short chapters on the importance of reading for children and of selecting the sort of books that will build their character and intellect. It explains why it does matter what your child reads (not just that they read). Don't skip this reading. No matter how convinced you are of the importance of good literature for a child's development, your conviction and understanding will deepen by reading what the authors have to say in this introductory material.

   The fifth chapter has some especially useful guidelines on selecting and sharing good books. Distinguish between issues and virtues: "Having enlightened opinions is no substitute for having character". "Good books are people centered, not problem centered." Context of behavior portrayed in a book is crucial. "Character building books are not simply about good people doing good things. ... The question is not whether unethical behavior is present, but how it is presented". Look for stories that "open up new possibilities and stretch the imagination. ... be wary of stories that focus exclusively on narrow teen or preteen preoccupations, or those that offer nothing more than the therapeutic reassurance that everything is okay". "Look for books in which the main character grows". There is an education here to help you discern for yourself the quality of children's literature. There is also some good advice on how to read to your children; a good list of "do's and don't's" that make reading aloud more productive an fun. It won't be long before your kids are turning off the TV and asking you to read to them. You will have plenty of good material to draw from with this book as your guide.




3. The title of this resource sounds stuffier than it is. The authors' philosophy seems to be one of "less is more" -- making the case, in an interesting and literate foreword and five introductory chapters, that books can be useful and even important resources for trying to help your child figure out what makes life interesting. These books can help provide role models, teach empathy, and transport the reader to a different world or state of mind. The authors de-emphasize problem novels for young adults, which they feel teach self-acceptance rather than improvement and whose authors often sacrifice story for message, opting instead for the mythic, transportive style. I've read a lot of children's literature and still found a number of new and interesting titles here.

   Books are divided into genre and then age group (4-8, 8-12, 12+). There is a good science fiction/fantasy section. Other chapters include: picture books; fables and fairy tales; myths, legends and folktales; sacred texts; books for holidays and holy days; historical fiction; contemporary fiction (post WWII); and biography.

   The book list contains about 300 books and includes title, author, illustrator, publisher, year of publication and number of pages, as well as a one-page summary of the plot and brief discussion of issues or virtues covered in the selection. Also included: a list of the books, in the order they appear, sans commentary; a short chapter about the Book List; a list of twenty videos deemed worthwhile viewing; a notes section in case you want to delve deeper; and an index. The index is the weak link here. For example, on page 35, one sentence ends " ... just as most good parents, whatever their views on censorship, tend to buy their children books by A. A. Milne and Mark Twain rather than books by the Marquis de Sade." Then the Marquis de Sade is in the index (!) while useful subject terms, like 'loneliness' and 'friendship', are not. Later editions should include a thorough subject index.

   A good companion book to Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook, and a valuable resource for anyone mentoring children. The commentaries are thoughtful and well written.




4. This book is OK, but I think it is merely a rerun of William Bennett's "Book of Virtues", sans William Bennett. And maybe it's just me, but I think the most important and fascinating book to have come along in a long time, if not ever, and is not even included in this book's list, is Norman Thomas Remick's rising star, "West Point: Character Leadership Education, A Book Developed from The Readings And Writings Of Thomas Jefferson".



5. This is an excellent book. It has chapters on various aspects of reasing as well as an annotated list of recommended books. The emphasis on the role of stories in building character is so true and valuable. This is a great resource for any family.