5 comments about Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home: A Parent's Guide.

1. I must say that my feelings about this book are mixed. I agree that it has some incredibly helpful practical advice. However, this book has such a pessimistic view of NLD children. The social skills section was great in terms of the advice, but it seems to imply that there is no chance that A NLD child will escape her school years without being a loner, a victim, and an unhappy child.
   
   As a background, my 6 1/2 year old daughter has been receiving intervention since she was 3 1/2 (OT, speech, etc.). She doesn't have an official diagnosis of NLD, however, she has most of the characteristics. Her IQ testing revealed a 25 point difference between her verbal and non-verbal skills. The psychologist wasn't ready to give her a NLD diagnosis because her non-verbal test results were still in the high average range (but significantly lower than her verbal skills which are in the very superior range).
   
   I am sure that she uses her high verbal skills to compensate for her difficulty with non-verbal skills.
   However, I still find that the early intervention has made a tremendous difference in her life. Yes, I did worry about her social skills alot when she was younger. But, now in the middle of first grade, she is well liked by her peers and has several best friends with whom she is able to play easily and happily for long stretches without any intervention.
   
   We feel that it has helped tremendously to do alot of one on one playdates. And, the OT and speech that she has received for the past three years has improved her body awareness, fine motor skills, and pragmatic speech skills.
   
   Is she perfect, no! We still struggle with her self-help and organizational skills, and she still misses some non-verbal cues in social situations. But, we feel that her outlook is MUCH more positive than presented in the book.
   
   While it is obviously geared towards children with severe NLD symptoms, I still feel that it could have used a more positive and sensitive approach. If I had read this book several years ago - when she was struggling more - I would have been devastated - as it implies that there is little room for growth.
   
   And, three years later, our child is a happy, loving (okay disorganized!!) child. We don't doubt that there will always be new hurdles to mount, but we are confident that she will surmount any obstacles in her path.
   
   Good luck!



2. Recently our teenager was diagnosed with NLD. This book was recommended to us by a psychologist. We found the book to be extremely helpful in explaining NLD (in plain English) and helping us understand how to deal with the NLD child. The book addresses the needs of parents with either young or adolencent children with NLD. I highly recommend this book as a starting point for parents and educators in learning about NLD.



3. I find this title's subject refreshing but its approach problematic.
   
   The book doesn't address the overall issues and problems with disabled children. You need to FIRST get a handle, an overview, of how you and your disabled child will fit into the modern world. This book is too myopic, too focused, and although that's its intent, without a context to use it in, you will not succeed as much as you otherwise would.
   
   FIRST, get the Big Picture. Learn how society will SEEK TO HARM YOUR CHILD so you can take immediate action to protect your precious one. That means get an understanding of the true disabilities picture from a book such as Disabling America: The Unintended Consequences of the Government's Protection of the Handicapped and THEN you'll have a context in which to raise your child in a healthy environment.
   
   Teachers, consultants, ADA advocates, and lawyers all want their paws on your little one. Don't let them do that! Love and protect and guard your precious ones and learn the dangers of today's almost-draconian approach to children with disabilities.
   
   I know, I know, it sounds HARSH. It is! But only once you know what your little one will face in society, not from peers but from those who seek to profit from her or him, only then can you have the proper framework to raise your little one with the best chance at success possible.



4. This book has provided me with very needed insight into the issues my son has been experiencing and can't express. It explained alot of what we have been going through for years. What we thought was an attitude & disciplinary issue has actually been a learning disability.
   
   My son was diagnosed in August '07 with high functioning Asperger's & NLD. He is 11 years old. I have had so much difficulty finding support & knowledge. This book was a good start!



5. I wish I had this book when my child was younger. However, even now it is helpful in understanding more about what he struggles with and how I can help. It's nice to have a book where you don't have to read it cover to cover but rather can turn to a page to answer your current concern.

5 comments about The Fence Bible: How to plan, install, and build fences and gates to meet every home style and property need, no matter what size your yard..

1. The author (Jeff Beneke) has a nice way of explaining options in a approachable and casual manner making the project of designing/building a fence and/or gate much more fun. This book is very complete in it's review of latches, hinges, fence options for consideration along with beatiful photography and sketchs to illustrate ideas or concepts.
   Even the guys at our local fence supply company where we bought our materials were impressed with this book when I used it to reference a particular piece of hardware.



2. This book has lots and lots of pretty pictures of fences that are not explained or detailed. There is decent information about rock walls, but otherwise this book really lacks in the substance needed to build fences.



3. I couldn't disagree more with the review from "GloverEggs". I borrowed this book from my library to build my first fence, and not only did it provide ample guidance on the 6' wood fence I needed at the time, but it also inspired me to think about using fences in different ways. Beneke has a great writing style, very easy to follow, interesting ancillary information. Most home "how-to" books I have read are written solely for instructional purposes; this one is not only useful, but interesting in its own right.



4. We were looking for a good basic idea book on fence styles and types. "The Fence Bible" fit the bill. It is loaded with illustrations and "how-to" information on every kind of fence and/or barrier you can imagine. A reference any homeowner with a garden or yard would be happy to have. Highly recommended if you're starting from square one on any fence project.



5. I didn't find this book to be especially strong in any area. If you are familiar with the "Better Homes & Gardens" style of "how to" book then you know what to expect from this book. The editors provided an overview of all aspects of fence building without really setting a good foundation for building any fence. After reading this book you will be better equiped to discuss a new fence with a fencing contractor and if that's what your after, this could be your book.

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.

5 comments about The Everything Toddler Book: From Controlling Tantrums to Potty Training, Practical Advice to Get You and Your Toddler Through the Formative Years (Everything Series).

1. I found this book to be a total waste of money. Sure it has a few interesting pieces of information, but nothing I haven't heard before. This book may be useful if you have never had any experience with children. If you have been around children at all, you will find everything in this book to be pure common sense. I was looking for something with more concrete usable information.



2. This book was good for some very basic info on toddlers. I didn't like the format because it jumped from one thing to another. Most of the info seemed to be geared toward 2 years and up, and the section on feeding was boring. It was mostly about the food pyramid and RDA's. Ugh.



3. This book has been very helpful to me. I plan on using it for several more years as my daughter grows up.



4. Details on everything you need to know and don't know to ask!



5. Parents of toddlers need all the help we can get...and this book isn't helping anyone! I already own all of the "What to Expect" series, and I picked this book up hoping for new solutions to tantrums and potty training troubles for my 26 month old daughter. What a disappointment!
   
   The book has big print, goofy drawings, and bland/boring/short paragraphs full of common sense and sometimes even ridiculous advice. If you are annoyed by the useless advice your mom and mother-in-law give you, then don't even bother with this book. I flipped through it and then took it back to the store. There are no parenting answers here. Try "What to Expect, the Toddler Years" and ask your friends for tips on what works with their kids.

4 comments about New Skills for Frazzled Parents: The Instruction Manual That Should Have Come With Your Child.

1. I have read a lot of child raising books, and I think this book is very helpful as it succinctly covers most of (what I think) are the most important topics. It is 129 pages, though is fairly large print, has charts, and bulleted items, and is easy to read/ refer back to. It is written by Dr. Daniel Amen, a child psychiatrist.
   
   There are 25 chapters encompassed in this 129 page book. Thus each topic is quickly, and succinctly covered in an easy to read format. Some chapter titles are "Different Parenting Styles, Why Children Struggle, Why Parents Struggle, Clear Steps to Improve the Quality of your relationship with your Child, Managing Public Misbehavior, Reinforcing your child's Positive Behavior, etc. There are also checklists to check for different types of ADD/ADHD
   
   Some points in the book are:
   
   1. "Special Time is the Best Investment you can make with your Children"
   The book also discusses, goals for parents, and children, common traps, Family Rules which Dr. Amen suggests are posted in the house (Tell the Truth, No Arguing with Parents, Respect each other's Property, Do what Mom and Dad say the First Time, etc.)
   The book reviews the importance of (and how to be) Consistent, Time Outs, etc.
   It sounds basic, but really parenting should be basic. I think this book fairly succinctly covers the main things parents and children need to do for an effective relationship/childraising experience. If you are familiar with other childraising books, it incorporates similar ideas to "Love and Logic", "How to Talk so Kids will Listen ...", and "Parenting the Strong Willed Child", among others.
   
   I believe this book is excellent for giving a nice overview of the basics for raising children (often things we forget about, like not reminding/nagging, following through with consequences, and spending positive, quality time with our kids, so they want to be good and behave well. Some of the other books out there give more examples for what to do or say in each particular situation, though I think this books really has it all, and is easy to read.



2. What an excellent resource for parents. Practical tips that make sense. The DVD is great too.



3. This is a great book and seems to be very comprehensive in it's considerations for you to think about as you approach parenting. I think it was a good investment!



4. If you are a parent who has a difficult child, or if you're just looking to sharpen your parenting skills this book is a MUST READ. By applying Dr. Amen's steps our parenting skills have gone from frantic and out of control to peaceful and in complete control. I've recommended this book to all my friends with children, whether they have difficulties with them or not.

5 comments about Hand Tool Essentials: Refine Your Power Tool Projects with Hand Tool Techniques (Popular Woodworking).

1. If you love hand planes this Book is for you.If you love or even like hand tools you will love this book.New or old tools this volume will let you know how to use ,care for them or rebuild them.Very good pictures and clear text as well as a little bit of tool lover in the authors.Any wood worker will like this book as I did and read it cover to cover.Good work people MM



2. As a neanderthal, non-electric woodworker, I found this book to be a boon of relavent information (not that there is anything 'wrong' with power woodworking). Lot's of books I've seen are geared to collectors of hand tools, but this one is about using hand tools. It's practical, accessible information for doing real work. Anyone wishing to get their arms around hand tools (sorry, bad metaphor) should own this work.



3. Knowing that this was basically just a collection of Popular Woodworking articles, I was prepared to be underwelmed. Talk about disappointment! I HATE being wrong like this! In short, this is a truly impressive collection of information that looks more like a group of knowledgable hand tool experts put together, rather than just articles grabbed and put together in a book form.
   
   The book is laid out in a logical way, starting with a "Why Handtools" section, going into sharpening (a must for any hand tool user), then saws, chisels, and the like. The last section are a couple of projects that blend hand tools and power tools well, and that will serve any workshop well for years to come. Honestly, the beautiful tool cabinet of Christopher Schwarz's is worth the cost of the book by itself!
   
   This is a must have for, I believe, any woodworker. There's no preaching about hand tool supremacy, nor any reference to "quaint" ideas of woodworking. Instead, this book offers the modern woodwork a glimpse of the realms where hand tools still excel, and how they can be incorporated into the modern workshop. At the same time, it shows how a hand tool only shop can still produce quality work equal to that of the powered shop.



4. This is a great reference book. While I learned allot just browsing, it was most valuable when I wanted to reference a couple things and found that they were there and in sufficient detail to answer my questions. For me, there is possibly a little much on various forms of sharpening, but then that is s topic that seems to have as many ways as there are people to talk about it.
   
   I have a Stanley cabinet scraper and I became convinced that they didn't work worth a hoot. Then, reading that section, I learned I had prepared the blade wrong, changed it, and feel like I got a new tool out of the deal. Great value



5. This book is awesome. If you only get one book on using hand tools, get this one.

3 comments about Roofing with Asphalt Shingles (For Pros by Pros).

1. Good general instructions and background. I would have liked it to focus more on popular laminate (architectual) shingles, but it still provides adequate instruction to do both.



2. I hadn't done a roof in over a year so I purchased this book as a refresher to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything.
   I thought the book was a very good book that took me step by step.
   I'd highly recommend this book for people looking to get a good understanding of roofing.



3. If you have a hip roof, get some other text: This one will cause you real problems with a hip roof. If you have a simple gable roof, this book can be helpful. For all roofing tasks, this book seems geared mostly towards helping pros speed up production. It lacks the theory and specific "tricks of the trade" that a "do it yourselfer" needs.
   
   This text offers very little that pertains to hip roofs--basically, there's only a few paragraphs mentioning hip roofs and there are no diagrams nor photographs that tell you how to manage the juncture of the "hip ridges" and the "main roof ridge." Those few portions that do mention hip roofs are riddled with errors.
   
   In addition, the information pertaining to the juncture at a hip ridge of two flat roof planes will cause you severe problems--especially if you are applying "laminated" (sometimes called "architectural" or "dimensional") shingles.
   
   The author states that you should overlap shingles where two flat roof planes meet at a hip ridge in order to avoid leaks should the hip ridge caps fly off in a storm. He mentions that this can cause a severe "lump" so he then says you could overlap only one side on the other as a tradeoff which would reduce the size of the "lump" but still provide protection.
   
   Well, maybe if you use the lowest priced thinnest shingles available then an overlap of some sort might be a viable solution. However, as the quality of your chosen single improves, so does its thickness. The 3-dimensional laminated shingles are the thickest.
   
   I tried the single overlap of 4 inches as he recommended. Even that created a huge lump that the ridge caps would never accomodate properly without sagging into the recesses of the created lump. Also, the higher that lump is, the less coverage the caps can provide for the hip ridge junctures.
   
   The shingles I chose were Owens Corning. Seeing the huge lump that even a single overlap caused at a hip ridge, I phoned Owens Corning. They absolutely recommend that the shingles of a flat plane be cut off even and flush with the hip ridge. They provide the warranty and they still recommend cutting flush with the ridge because of the high lump that would otherwise be created. I phoned a friend who owns a roofing company and he recommended the same treatment.
   
   You will notice when scanning through this text, nearly all photographs depict thin 3-tabbed shingles on a gabled roof. So, if you're installing the cheapest, thinnest, 3-tab shingles on a gable style roof with maybe a valley and maybe a dormer, this book can help you discover some short cuts to speed up the job.
   
   If you have a hip roof, get some other text. If you are installing laminated "dimensional" shingles, get some other text.
   
   In any case, if you are an intelligent DIY'er, you'll do as I did and get, at least, 3 or 4 texts to combine theories.
   
   The only text I found that actually shows photographs and describes some sort of detailed information regarding the hip ridge/roof ridge juncture is: "Roof Construction and Estimating" by Daniel Benn Atcheson (yes, there are 2-n's in Benn). However, even that text only depicts plain 3-tabbed shingles.
   
   If you plan to install dimensional laminated shingles, you will be off in a world apart. I haven't found a text that gives a detailed approach to the differences between 3-tab shingle application and dimensional shingle applications.
   
   The text I'm reviewing doesn't tell you much at all about laminated dimensional shingles. You will do well by reading the package wrapper of your purchased shingles thoroughly for instructions pertaining to nailing patterns, offset requirements, and allowable distances between gaps and fasteners of adjacent courses. Owens Corning has downloadable PDF's for their products and I'd surely recommend that you read those as well if you choose OC products.
   
   So, the title of this text says it's for pros by pros. Believe it! No matter how smart you are, if you are an inexperienced do it yourselfer, don't head into a roofing project with only this text in hand. If you're a pro roofer looking to speed up the work performed by your crew on the roof--this book can help you some.

3 comments about Fire Places: A Practical Design Guide to Fireplaces and Stoves Indoors and Out.

1. Fire places seem evoke some kind of hidden memories out of our distant path when the fire at the mouth of the cave kept the tigers away. This has become so important that even apartments now seem to come with fire places.
   
   This book, as is usual with this publisher is a beautifully illustrated, beautifully printed collection of fire places that range from a simple rock lined fire pit out in the yard to fire places that are the design center of the house, wood stoves that meet the new EPA regulations, to antiques that may have come from grandmothers house.
   
   Besides the beautiful photography, this book also includes design tips, and the regulations that come from building codes. And there are discussions of more types of fire places than you could ever imagine without seeing it.
   
   I got this book because my house does not have a fire place, and it's the next major extension that I plan to add. This book answered all the questions that I had, except do I want something indoor or outside. We have a long season for entertaining outside.



2. I was excited to find this book but once it arrived I was a bit disappointed in it. It has tons of photos of a variety of fireplaces, inside and out, exaplins the different types well but I was looking for more information on unique fireplaces, ones which could be placed in the center of a room. So if you're wanting a more traditional fireplace setting, this book might be great.



3. This is a great book - beautiful pictures, but excellent information as well. Best book on fireplaces I've seen

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 Timber Framing for the Rest of Us: A Guide to Contemporary Post and Beam Construction.

1. The book is very informative and helpful. Rob Roy's writing style makes it easy to follow. Not having any experience in building,(being female, that happens) I could still understand all of it, but a little background (even building a doghouse!) might have helped in truly getting the most out of the material.



2. While this book does cover the general building process, I feel it does not go into enough detail. While talking about timbers and larger pieces of wood, the charts in the end are all for regular 2x wood. There are so many references to other works where info can be found, that the whole read felt like one large advertisement (many for the author's other publications). Needs more detailed sketches, diagrams, and important detail pictures, and less useless pictures taken from too far away to be useful.



3. This book provides information needed by DYI buillders who need the why's as well as the how's. It focuses on durability and practicality rather than elegance and tradition.



4. This is a great reference for how to put the joints together. Not as good of a reference for structural design but if you are not an engineer you should probably consult one anyway so that isn't really a minus. Easy to follow.



5. Mr Roy writes in a very understandable way. His books are both informative and entertaining. My plans for using timber framing in my next house have been finalized after reading this great book. Keep up the good work Mr. Roy.