5 comments about Clean House Clean Planet.

1. I like this book a lot. I have used some of the recipes, but vinegar and plain baking soda alone are my preferred cleaning ingredients. It's very motivating and a great rescource for various 'green' cleaning needs
   However, her website, no longer exists. The 818 telephone number has also been disconnected. I wanted to check out some of her products. Does any one know where I can find her company?



2. I've read just about all of the "natural cleaning" books out nowadays, and I feel this one is still the best. Not only are these recipes safe, but they WORK. From one who hates cleaning and tries to avoid it as much as possible, I actually have found myself enjoying working with peppermint-scented bathroom cleaners, just as an example.
   
   Oh, and finding the various bottles needed isn't all that hard using the internet. :)



3. I love this little book. I have tried several of the recipes for cleaners and find that they work very well. It is unfortunate that the author can't be reached. She made a point of stating in the book that she was available ..had special bottles for the products etc. But , as it has been several years since the book was written, she seems to have dropped out of sight. I have been able to find adequate containers...and have begun to switch to using mostly these products for cleaning. I purchased a few basic essential oils...the price for them was quite reasonable..and Dr Bronners soaps are wonderful. It is pleasure to clean with products that don't make you gasp for breath...and knowing that I am doing something to help save the earth is a really good thing.



4. While the writer has great ideas of cleaning products that are harmful to use in the house and what they have in them, she uses old concepts that my grandmother used 50 years ago. This book is not really all that useful in my opinion when just basic baking soda and white vinegar have been a cleaning substance for many years. This book is not original at all.



5. Clean Your House for Pennies a Day THE SAFE NON-TOXIC WAY
   
   From the back of the book:
   
   Save Your Health, Your Money, Your Planet
   
   How many times have you said you're killing yourself trying to keep your house clean? You might have been joking, but you're closer to the truth than you think if you're using expensive commercial cleansers. Karen Logan, an environmentalist with years of experience developing and selling her own line of eco-friendly cleaning products, reveals the secret of using simple, ordinary ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, soap, lemon juice, and salt to make safe, inexpensive cleaners.
   
   For instance, did you know:
   * Olive oil is not only good as a salad dressing but also as a furniture polish
   * Plain club soda works great as a window cleaner
   * You can make your copper-bottomed pots sparkle with just lemon juice and salt
   * And ordinary liquid soap and water will clean up those ants marching through your kitchen?
   
   Happy, healthy cleaning!

5 comments about Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living.

1. It's amazing all the products you can clean with that are already in your kitchen and, more importantly, not toxic.



2. This is a great book. I got it not really thinking I would use it as much as I have. I use it for body creams, cleansers and moisturizers AND I use if for household cleaning, furniture polish, sachets, and more. And her explanations of how different ingredients work is also very helpful. I now buy very few commercial cleaners (Bon Ami, Ecover laundry detergent) mostly because I can't find washing soda anywhere locally.



3. This book is filled with natural and non-toxic cleaning products, personal care products and more. I have made a number of cleaning potions from Better Basics and am loving the way my house smells when I clean it! Meaning...instead of the old days using harsh chemicals, my home smells like almost nothing--just clean!
   
   I was going to post a review for Annie Bond's Home Enlightenment: Practical, Earth-Friendly Advice for Creating a Nurturing, Healthy, and Toxin-Free Home and Lifestyle, but noticed it is no longer in print. Too bad, because it was good. However, if you want similar information, check out Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your PlanetBoth of these books deal with the next steps to take once your home is non-toxic, including ways to make your home your sanctuary.



4. This is an absolutely great book for anyone interested in "greening" their home. Their recommendations are great for the enviornment, for your health, home and save you money!



5. This book is full of practical recipes for almost anything you need, and safe for the environment as well. I use it like a recipe book, whenever I need to mix a cleaner or make a product, I look up the thing that I need, and the variations of it, and make it with the basic supplies that I bought. I am really enjoying it, and feel like I'm making a small difference for the environment, and a big difference for detoxifying my home.

5 comments about Before I Go: Letters to Our Children About What Really Matters.

1. Peter Kreeft is an outstanding philosophy professor at Boston College who has written over 40 books, most of which are excellent. Professor Kreeft is similar to G K Chesterton and C S Lewis in that he is a Christian philosopher who writes very clear and profound books that are full of wisdom.
   
   BEFORE I GO consists 162 life lessons that Kreeft has learned, and each lesson is covered in 1 to 3 pages. Lesson 6, "The Most Important Person" is a hierarchy of what a person's priorities in life should be, with God first, one's spouse second, one's children third and so on. Lesson 9 is a succinct description of "What is a Good Person?"
   
   Lesson 48 has a funny litmus test on how to tell if a book is a great book; funny because it rings true. And Lesson 51 has a poignant lesson learned too late from the poet Thomas Carlyle. Kreeft's advice on how to keep marriages intact in Lesson 87 is short, sweet and dead-on-target.
   
   "Before I Go" is short - it took only about 3 hours to read - and full of wisdom. This is indeed a great book in that it gives cogent guidance on the good, the beautiful and the true. Were Socrates to read this book, he would realize that he had finally found that wise man that Socrates sought in ancient Greece but never found. This is Kreeft's 2nd best book - exceeded only by his outstanding HANDBOOK OF CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS - and I give it my highest recommendation.



2. Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for Reader Views (12/07)
   
   Having sat with several people as they draw close to the end of their life, I have noticed that many find themselves frustrated by the short time they have to say the final, important things to their loved ones. Peter Kreeft has taken a preemptive strike at that moment for his family by writing this short, readably warm book, "Before I Go: Letters to Our Children about What Really Matters." Kreeft states that this book is simply a "word-insurance policy. It is a way of speaking even after you are dead" (4). And he has written it for his grown children against the day that he may no longer be able to say what he deems are the important things, before he goes.
   
   The short chapters are normally succinct, lasting anywhere from three sentences to three pages, but the depth of insight vastly surpasses the amount if ink and paper. For example, in one short chapter, he poignantly reveals the two categories into which people generally fall, "There are only two kinds of people: sinners, who think they're saints, and saints, who know they're sinners. There are only fools, who think they're wise, and the wise, who know they're fools" (51). It becomes clear as one reads further into this book that the writer is skilled at writing and at writing in a memorable fashion. I found myself struggling to put the book aside, because each chapter enticed me to jump to the next.
   
   Kreeft teaches philosophy at Boston College, which shines through in several chapters, particularly in the superb craftsmanship with which he is able to hone an idea down to its primary point, like the following; "Worship God, love people, and respect stuff" (54). He is also a loyal Roman Catholic, and that similarly comes through clear and without apology all over this book. Neither of these facts detracts from the book, but is the reservoir from which he is able to dish out his nourishing and healthful comments.
   
   The realism with which Kreeft sees the world, and with which he writes, is a two edged sword. Because of the down-to-earth way he airs his thoughts, he will be easily grasped, and heartily appreciated, by the simplest readers: "We strut and fret and preen and pose, but only God can make a rose" (86). But his earthy approach might also catch some completely off guard, especially as he uses expletives on occasion. Yet these are never gratuitous, but serve to drive home a valuable, salient point.
   
   Reading "Before I Go" will be a pure pleasure for the thoughtfully reflective, and a valuable gift for many parents to use in passing on wise words to their children before they lose the ability to say those final, important words.



3. I liked the readable format in which to share some universal "words of wisdom" with my children. Perhaps reading them in another person's time & space will reinforce the significance for all.



4. In 162 short letters to his adult children he summarizes what he would like them to be sure of, to realize, to do, and to love. The idea is nice. Kreeft puts all his intensity and devotion in his letters as he does with all his books.
   
   The only minus I would give in this case is that it is too vague, too general in scope. I guess that is the nature of advice, otherwise it would need a full book to explain why this advice is given, why so important. Then this is not the kind of literature that appeals to me most. But for ole time Kreeft readers it won't disappoint.



5. As Peter Kreeft himself says, some of his simplest works are is most favored. This is one of them. Some of the most simple things in life can have the greatest affect on how well our life is. This book provokes thought on things that are often overlooked. I love Peter Kreeft's philiosophy and so far this is my favorite of his books. It deserves careful and thoughtful reading.

5 comments about Urawaza: Secret Everyday Tips and Tricks from Japan.

1. "Urawaza" is a word with a long history in Japan. In martial arts, it means "from the back", an unexpected or tricky move that only experts might know. In the computer gaming world it means programmers' back-doors that let players gain points, levels and advantage by doing something unexpected.
   
   In society in general it represents frugal and clever household techniques. There's been a show on Japanese television for nine years where ordinary people share their tricks with other people. UTube is a great source of videos often taken from this show. The sound is often in Japanese, but the tricks work without sound. I've learned to perfectly fold a tee shirt in a few seconds, for example. An even more amazing video shows how to make babies stop crying by breathing on them after drinking a bit of red or white wine.
   
   This book is an excellent introduction to the genre. The ideas work -- I tried the shallot trick for a stuffy nose and I was cleared up in a few seconds -- and the illustrations are excellent and amusing. Each of these Urawazas comes with a technical explanation of why they may work. The philosophical approach is a commentary on the loss of ingenuity in an era of specialized products, many of which don't work very well.
   
   If you enjoy reading the cooking shortcuts in cooking magazines or the shop hints in "Popular Mechanics", you'll find this a real adventure in human ingenuity.
   
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008



2. This book is like a fun version of Hints from Heloise...little tricks that you're surprised work, that make your every day life a little smoother. I like skimming the book, and I've gotten some good ideas from it already. Another nice thing is the explanation of why each tip works...I picked up some lite science while reading. That said, the book is a little layout heavy, with only one tip per page. If it was more packed, I think I would've given it 5 stars. Even so, it's a fun book to have around when you just wanna thumb through.



3. Everyone knows how to cure the hic-ups, or to get wine stains out of white clothing right? There are all sorts of little household tricks and tips handed down via word of mouth, or from a helpful friend or parent in a time of need. The Japanese term for these is "urawaza", a word with a sly feel to it meaning a little secret that only you know about, something you discovered about a product that the producers didn't intend for you to know. Its main use is with videogames, referring to cheat codes left in by programmers who never intended them to become public knowledge.
   
   This book is full of urawaza's, little "cheat codes" for common household objects like potatoes and old sales receipts, things that would normally never be used for more than their intended purposes. For example, magically clearing up a stuffy nose by shoving the white root section of a scallion in your nostrils, or rubbing a little egg white on your glasses to prevent them from fogging. Each tip is accompanied by a short explanation of why the process works, showing the molecules and process involved that accompany the magic.
   
   The strange thing is, the tips actually work. I haven't tried all of them, but the ones I have given a shot work just as advertised. You might feel a bit strange at first rubbing a cut potato across your bathroom mirrors to make them fog-free, but you can't argue with the results. Want to know how to keep your bathwater from going cold using only orange peels, or how to make your dull hair glossy? "Urawaza" has what you need.
   
   The only disappointment with this book is the lack of any real Japanese connection, aside from the title. There are a few little asides at the start of each chapter talking about the author's personal history or a few cultural notes, but that is about it. There was a good opportunity to include some Japanese vocabulary for each entry, just a few words here and there relating to the subject, and make this a language-learner along with its helpful and fun tips. Unfortunately they didn't go that route, but if you aren't studying Japanese and just want a cool and useful little book, then that isn't really an issue.



4. This book is so neat. We've tried a lot of the little tricks already. Very interesting, and also gave us a laugh on a few of them :)



5. It's certainly about time we had something from Japan that goes beyond the famous "101 Useless Japanese Inventions" (funny, though). Now we have "Very useful Japanese tricks." I really like how Lisa tells us why the tricks work as well. And the vignettes for how the situations might arise are so funny!
   
   I've had this book for several months now, and it only gets more and more useful and fun. It's improved my quality of life in so many areas -- in the margins, but it's these little things that make it so fun. The other day I spilled wine on some white clothing. No problem. I impressed my grandmother and family to no end by cleaning up their coffee and tea-stained cups and coffee-maker with orange peel and salt. My wife dropped an egg on the floor, and it was so easy to clean up the mess. In our household, "what does it say in the Urawaza book?" is now the standard first response to many situations. In the office, warmed-over coffee never tasted so good. I don't need to worry about garlic breath after lunch. And my plant is thanking Urawaza for saving its life, since it stayed home without me but didn't dry out.
   
   I just wish I could hold more of the urawaza in my head so I'd be prepared for all sorts of contingencies on the road too. I've recommended this so many of my friends, who immediately rush to go get their own copy after I've recited some of the great tricks.
   
   Definitely one for every household. This also makes a great gift! (I'm set for this Christmas season - I always have trouble finding something that's fun and useful)

3 comments about Black & Decker Complete Home Repair (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide).

1. My husband loves this book..a friend had one and he too just had to have it.



2. I have had this book for over a year now. It has helped me with small projects like changing a light fixture and unclogging the drain to painting and hanging large pictures and an LCD TV, and to remove and plane down my door that always sticks. I have never been particularly "handy" but the pictures and step by step instructions are actually really good. The only real downside is that sometimes they expect me to follow from one step to the next with minimal instruction, and I cannot based on my lack of experience. This is far and away the exception, and most times I could figure it out anyway. It has inspired me to take on bigger and more complicated projects and I refer to it often.



3. Excellent for reference. Haven't get anything to work on at the moment, but definitely love it.

5 comments about The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, and Advice on First-Year Maintenance.

1. We received this book as a gift. It is great! It combines sarcasm with useful advice for childcare. It reads a bit like an operation manual for an electronic product. I won't say it has all the information you ever needed for caring properly for your infant. What book does? However, this book is very thorough while keeping from being a bore to read. It also provides some very useful charts for feeding, sleep, bowel and bladder function.
   -Kiki



2. A must for all guys. Reads like a car owner's manual - no typical flowery baby stuff.



3. If you like new age, emotional, heart touching baby books that tell you about how you should raise your kid to solve all the worlds problems this isn't the book for you. If you need straight forward, to the point answers when your kid is barfing all over you at 1 am and sleep deprivation is making you function like a deer staring into headlights and don't know what to do, get this book. It's set up like an owners manual for your car, TV, etc.; a basic engineering manual and easy to follow. I got tired of the baby books telling me that if I didn't hold my kid in the proper position while soothing during teething it could lead to a lack of brain development. No guilt tripping or wild opinions here; just needed info when you need it and easy to find. Some reviews say it's boring, but it's not set up for you to read through. It's reference material you quickly look up when you need it. Just like any owners manual, who reads the thing when you get it? You look up what you need when you need it. I get this book for every guy I know who is going to have kids.



4. Between this handbook and the 'Be Prepared' handbook for Dads, my husband really enjoyed reading this book to my belly every evening. It was funny yet useful at the same time. We also loved the different charts and pictures used.



5. The book is really informative, but the whole "baby as a product" gimmick, giving instructions about the baby as if it were a power mower or something, wears thin by the end of the first chapter. It's just too clever for its own good. I like the art and style, but if I had found a different book that didn't rely so heavily on a gimmick, I would have gotten that instead.

5 comments about Kid Cooperation: How to Stop Yelling, Nagging and Pleading and Get Kids to Cooperate.

1. I dont know how to thank the author but she did a great job in this amazing book,she has mentioned almost all of the problems im facing with my 5,3 and 2 year old kids...and she knows exactly how a mother can feel and how she acts and at the same time she gives amazing ( i tried most of them) solutions..its one of the best book i have ever read and i highly recommend it to every parent.



2. I highly recommend this book. Very helpful, especially for those parents that fail to be consistent and "go with the flow", failing to create strong rules and a loving, solid discipline.
   This books acts a self-confidence booster for parents, offers very empathetic advice when it comes to parental anger, and actually gives very practical tips and hints to deal with misbehavior.
   I love the humor and the bright, positive thinking that fills up the book, and I really appreciate the fact that Pantley also addresses other side issues like marriage skills and parental self-esteem.
   Overall a great book.



3. I found this book to be so helpful in raising my grandson. It has been and is a refreshing way of dealing with childhood again.



4. Non-judgmental and very honest style of writing. The tools in the book brought immediate results.



5. This book is wonderful. I have started recommending it to all of my friends. If you can read only one book on parenting, this is the one to read! When you read it you will learn about different parenting styles, their effectiveness or lack there of and a new way to create a happy loving and peaceful family life where you can get your children to cooperate and act as they should.
   
   I am the mother of a 3 and 7 year old. My kids go to bed easily and on time, are polite and well behaved when outside of the house, but at home is another story. Overall my kids are pretty well behaved, but at home we have to ask them/tell them things multiple times until we ending up yelling at them, are plagued by emotional outbursts and temper tantrums, back talk, whining and have a hard time enforcing some key rules. Lately I have taken to watching those nanny shows to get tips on what to do. My kids are not at all like the kids in the shows but I had found a few tips that I have applied at home.
   
   But when I read this book it was if I had an epiphany. This book was clearly written and easy to understand. It unravelled all of the mysteries of why my kids act the way they do and what to do differently to fix it. I learned that I was using at least two ineffective parenting styles and if I just adjusted what I was doing I would be much more effective. It gave tons of useful tips and approaches to use in all situations. The parenting style is kind, effective and helps your children grow and become self reliant to boot. I think it would work for all ages and the book addressed all ages needs and how to modify accordingly.
   
   I have already started to see the effect in my kids behavior and it has even started to improve my marriage (partially thanks to the one chapter on the parental relationship). I can't wait to see where we are in a month or two, but I know the book has profoundly changed the way I parent and I have already seen some results and can't wait to see more!

5 comments about I Love You Rituals.

1. My children just adore the I Love You Rituals that we do. Even if we are at a crowded place and we can't hear each other, the I Love You Rituals come in quite handy!



2. Becky Bailey has done a beautiful job giving creativity and connection where I lack the imagination. Games and activities that really capture your and your children's hearts! Excellent!!!



3. The little rhymes in this book are really engaging. I've been using them with my son who has been feeling neglected even since my 4 month old came home from the hospital. He loves it. I made a little book with the rhymes to help me remember them and he asks me to read them over and over. I enjoyed the book because there's a lot of positive and helpful information on parenting, the importance of these little rituals and suggestions on when to use them which has been really helpful for me.



4. I purchased this book after sitting in on one of my 3yr old daughter's preschool classes. The teacher was singing the book's version of Twinkle Twinkle Little star. I found it so refreshing. "Twinkle, twinkle little star. What a wonderful child you are. With bright eyes and nice round cheeks. Talented person from head to feet. Etc, etc." I wanted to see more. I like this book for all of my kids (1, 2 and 3yrs old). Some of the reviews talk about how this is only for kids who have experienced trauma. Where the book advises on that, it is not the focus. All of our kids have had totally "normal" experiences in life and still respond really well to the book. Who wouldn't? It simply gives ideas on ways to engage with your kids in a fun and loving way. I am addicted to the hearty giggles these nursery rhymes bring out in my kids.
   p.s. for what it is worth, I am a part-time pediatrician and this is a book I would recommend to families as a professional also.



5. I'm a school director. The little ones in my school LOVE these rituals. For parents struggling with their kids, I recommend these to help the heart connections that get lost in the struggle. And for parents and teachers who are sailing along, these little activities may add another playful dimension to your relationships with your children.

5 comments about Measuring, Marking, and Layout: A Builder's Guide.

1. This author is in the dark ages with respect to the use of the metric system. As a country, we've been there / tried that. We can't help it if the rest of the world is backwards using the metric system! Why was at least a whole page WASTED in talking about this? How ridiculous! It is an okay book, but mostly black and white drawings and lots of text. Perhaps if the author, and Taunton, had spent more time with the content of the title and included some color in a book that is the same price as their other titles with LOTS of color, they would have had a good book.



2. This is a well written book, in plain language. It will help any amateur considering building, or constructing brick, or wooden structures, or extensions. John Carroll makes the reader think about accuracy when approaching any building project. He provides many simple easy-to-understand methods on how and what, to measure.
   
   He shows many examples of how simple miscalculations can result in costly errors. Unlike other American DIY books, that pretend the metric system does not exist, Carroll covers imperial for the home market and metric conversions for the rest of the world. This factor, and his humble writing style and experience as a craftsman, will make this book an international best seller for anybody who will pick up a saw, rafter gauge,or masonary hammer. The book is a must for anyone who needs important tips on construction methods. In conclusion this excellent book makes you think and visualize what you want to achieve before you start the job.



3. Learn to layout. Really just a good reference book. If you are a carpenter then you must know how to layout correctly. Different techniques, good practice.



4. Stop reading these reviews and buy this book right now. It is indispensable. Once you get it, read it. Read it again a few years later.
   
   Saying this book is outdated is like saying the Pythagorean theorem is outdated. Some of the techniques in this book are centuries old and some are tricks developed by builders of the 20th century. The point of this book is to understand the fundamentals so you can be effective, efficient and flexible at any project you are a part of. It is geared toward home building and carpentry but anyone in construction would benefit from it, even if you use a laser theodolite.



5. I was a bit dissapointed in this book. Being in the building trades I was hoping to get a couple of good tips or techniques i hadn't come across. Much of the information and processes in the book I would consider outdated or too inaccurate for commercial use. May be fine for the novice home improvement crowd.

5 comments about Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home.

1. This is the most comprehensive, easy to use, guide for eco-friendly living that I have seen in years. I strongly recommend that you consider purchasing this book and using it as a handy reference for everything from personal care products to paint to household items. I have purchased several of these from Amazon after reading it cover to cover from the local library and I will be giving them as Christmas gifts this year. The book will quite simply change your life for the better.



2. EASY GREEN LIVING arrived before expected and brand new as promised. I loved it, it was a real blessing for me and my family as we try to green our lives. Thanks



3. With all the five star ratings previously, I had high expectations for this book. Sadly, it did not live up to those expectations and for one reason only: this book includes way too much information about chemicals and the harm they cause. Don't get me wrong, I want to know 'generally' about these things such as parabens, etc. but I don't need a complete list of every chemical manufactured on the planet and what they do. I did not find that positive or motivating. Having said that, YOU may want to know! And, I would actually buy this book again. It is a great reference book that you could go back to over and over again. And, because it is so detailed, it would really help you find anything you could possible ever need. For example, later today I will be checking a website that she mentioned that sells eco-friendly lightbulbs that can be used with a dimmer switch! And I may take a look at a company that sells reclaimed wood for replacing my floors...It really is a great book, I just felt that I was skipping over the parts which I didn't have such an interest in.



4. This is a great book. Lots of good info on ingredients found in cleaning and beauty items. Have recommended this book to several of my friends. Would definitely buy it again.
   The only drawback to this book is that the pages started comming loose from the binding within a few days of flipping through it. No problem, though. Just took it down to the office supply store and had a spiral binding put on it for a few dollars.



5. I bought Easy Green Living for the recipes (like the air freshener containing vodka and essential oil - very nice) inside because I'd just read another book on being green, so I thought I had enough information. Then I started reading Loux's take on the environment, and I couldn't stop. She detailed reasons from personal health to protecting the earth's resources for becoming environmentally friendly. Loux writes well and breaks the topic down with ease without lecturing. She often injects personal stories as examples. And, she's budget conscious. She is quick to point out which options are budget friendly and which aren't necessarily. Easy Green Living is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to understand the current movement toward being environmentally friendly.