2 comments about Traditional American Farming Techniques (Traditional).

1. Comprehensive work detailing many aspects of farming in the early 20th century. Reading it you find many of the same methods and techniques suggested in todays "sustainable agriculture" writings. For either a historical perspective or a practioner's this book is worth the money.



2. This is the most extensive collection of agricultural knowledge over the past 100 years! Although much of the information seems quite dated, it is relevant seeing that many farming procedures today do not differ in techniques of the past. A good reference read as well for all of the "hobby farmers" and "professional farmers" alike

No comments about The Victorian House Book: A Practical Guide to Home Repair and Decoration.

5 comments about Secrets Of Lock Picking.

1. I have 20 years experience as a Locksmith. Hampton has absolutely no clue about picking locks, and his book is a fairy tale. The man does not even know the names of the parts of the locks! He gives instructions for making lockpicks,that will take you hours to make, that can be bought for less than $2.00. If he was a real locksmith, why doesn't he buy them from a locksmith supply house? Why is he so concerned about secretive lockpicking? Locksmiths don't have any reason to be secretive-The customer is standing next to them while they pick the lock.
   The guy is a slick operator who is out to sell books to gullible people;if you pick any lock at all after reading this book, you have been EXTREMELY lucky.



2. Steve Hampton writes with a nice and easy conversational style and leads the reader through the basic tools and locks. And along the way he offers his advice on this or that. For example, Hampton's favorite tool is the diamond pick. He also likes to make tools from everyday items. On page 18 he shows how to pick a five-pin tumbler lock with a modified screw driver and a safety pin. My favorite tools are the Magic Keys which Hampton shows on pages 34 and 35. I sometimes astonish my friends with how fast I can open their warded locks without a key. This little book has a lot of secrets, but if you read it, they won't be secrets anymore



3. Steve Hampton writes with a nice and easy conversational style and leads the reader through the basic tools and locks. And along the way he offers his advice on this or that. For example, Hampton's favorite tool is the diamond pick.He also likes to make tools from everyday items. On page 18 he shows how to pick a five-pin tumbler lock with a modified screw driver and a safety pin. My favorite tools are the Magic Keys which Hampton shows on pages 34 and 35. I sometimes astonish my friends with how fast I can open their warded locks without a key. This little book has a lot of secrets on lockpicking that won't be secrets anymore to anyone who reads it.



4. This book is the very bare bones basics of common lock type overviews and theories on how to open them. After purchasing it I found other websites out there that had published this book on the net. Book can be read in an hour or so, save your money or search it on the web.



5. Excellent book. Easy to understand and accurate. This book will teach you not only how to work with improvised lock picks but also includes instructions and diagrams to build your own. There's no confusing jargon, and the accompanying illustrations are phenominal in their ability to illustrate the point and back the written instructions perfectly. This is a great referance for the aspiring locksmith. Want to get into lock picking but don't know how? BUY THIS BOOK!

5 comments about The Good House Book: A Common-Sense Guide to Alternative Homebuilding Solar * Straw Bale * Cob * Adobe * Earth Plaster * & More (A Natural Home Book).

1. Very comprehensive book which expertly and clearly details the differences between natural/sustainable methods and ideas versus conventional methods. The book makes an incredible cases for natural building and the philosophy of sustainability. After reading this book its hard to understand why you wouldn't want to build a house this way. On a personal note, this book has been inspirational to me as an undergrad student trying to get into an architecture school and train to be a sustainable architect. Also I'm coming from a traditional carpentry background and know that the things Clarke Snell is writing about are right on the money.



2. Superlative well-balanced, insightful, entertaining, stimulative text, superlative graphics/layout with an abundant and marvelous and beautiful and very effective array of color photographs, superlative resource section, superlative physical book quality including stay-open binding.
   If you're thinking of building a house or if you're interested in alternative housing possibilities (solar, etc.) or if you're interested in the topic of housing in general or if you'd like an ideal coffee table book, you will probably find this book a delightful fulfillment.
   (Thank you, Amazon, including reviewers, for helping me to discover this book.)



3. Isn't it nice to dream of being able to build your own home...especially an environmentally "friendly" one!? I am learning so much about houses in general from this book, let alone alternative building. It is well written and has beautiful photography. My husband & I may never get to build our own home (or we may!) but we can sure enjoy the dream in more vivid detail because of this book. I think it should be required reading for politicians, city planners & the like!



4. This is a great book to introduce the topic of building strawbale, cob etc. homes. The wonderful point about it is that it details the pros and cons of each building style and lets you compare each method carefully so that you are able to next select a more detailed book about a particular style.
   It has beautiful colour photos and lots of information. Highly recommended.



5. I swear Clarke Snell wrote this book for me - or at least for people like me!! - non construction folks, but handy with a hammer. You won't be able to build your house with only this book, but he presents a very user-friendly introduction to all the requisite concepts, then offers a wonderful reference section for more great info. A very realistic approach, and a very approachable writing style. Other green writers I've found to have a more textbook cadence, but Clarke Snell sounds as if he'd jump right in and help you. Thanks!!

5 comments about Classic Cottages.

1. Simple picturesque bungalows, quaint thatched stone and stucco huts, or elaborate marble and plaster palaces - all types of homes have been called a cottage. ~pg. 8
   
   Dreaming about a hideaway bungalow or Victorian mansion seems equally appealing. In "Classic Cottages" an entire world of intricately decorated homes await. The interiors are fascinating on their own and could give you many ideas for decorating. The room from a Seattle, WA home is stunning and the remodeled Victorian home has creative gardening ideas.
   
   The houses are divided into specific categories:
   
   Gingerbread Gems
   Bungalettes
   Gnome Sweet Home
   Rolling Bungalows
   Enclaves
   Contemporary Cottages
   
   If you are dreaming of an escape to simpler times or have been dreaming of a rose-covered romantic bungalow, this might be the book for you. I loved the historical information and the following pictures:
   
   Anne Hathaway's Cottage
   Gothic Rose-covered cottage
   1883 Cape May Homes from New Jersey
   The Lyford House, Tiburon, CA
   Queen Anne jewels with gingerbread ornamentation and stained glass
   Mediterranean-style brick bungalows
   Covered Wagons
   Fairy Tale Cottages
   
   While looking through this book my heart just felt like it was melting. These houses are adorable and it is like a fantasy book of dream houses for the true romantic. I want a castle, but maybe I'd settle for a cottage like the one in Spokane Washington with ivy growing all over the walls.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



2. If you love driving or walking through towns with charming cottages, then you'll probably love this book. However, I was disappointed that the book is 90-percent exteriors and very, very few interior photographs. This is NOT a book on how to decorate in the "cottage style" but rather how to identify and possibly re-create the cottage look in the shape, form and garden of the house. Many of the homes featured are more unusual examples, such as the storybook or "gnome" style houses.



3. My favorite part of the book were the pictures. Nice selection of both the interior and exterior elements of a wide range of cottages. Not an idea book, but an inspiring and relaxing read.



4. This book does not contain much cottage background material. I was expecting some photographic history from England...none to be found. Many pictures from subdivisions in the US. A cottage is not just what looks cute.



5. This is a lovely book offering beautiful photographs of various types of cottages that can be found throughout the country. The author organizes the selections into several different types of cottages (see an earlier review for a great break down of the categories)and offers some history on each. Perfect for getting comfy in your favorite chair and passing a pleasant hour or two!

5 comments about Living Aboard Your RV.

1. As a family contemplating full-time RVing, this was a great first RVing book. It covers everything from what to do with your possessions, equipping your RV, traveling with pets, mini-hobbies, maintaining your RV and so much more! It was an easy read packed full of great advice. You will need a highlighter to keep track of important information. This book will definately go with us on our journey.



2. As a family contemplating full-time RVing, this was a great first RVing book. It covers everything from what to do with your possessions, equipping your RV, traveling with pets, mini-hobbies, maintaining your RV and so much more! It was an easy read packed full of great advice. You will need a highlighter to keep track of important information. This book will definately go with us on our journey.



3. I bought several books on full-timing in an RV - and this was the least helpful. While they touch on many topics, none are explored in depth - I learned nothing new from this book. In fact, I felt they kept telling me things that are simply commom sense. For example, in their section about waste water, they don't tell you how to deal w/ frozen waste lines - but they do advise you not flush disposable diapers!

   This book was a disappointment - and will be returned.




4. 90% of what's in this book can be obtained from any of the various first timer websites.
   
   If you never owned a vehicle, went camping (of any form), made or lived on a budget, had to figure out how to get health care while on vacation, cleaned out your closets or bathroom, then you may find this book of use.
   
   So much of the material in this book is very common sense stuff. Out of the 189 pages I did find six sentences that were informative. Unfortunately none of the comments went into details. I had to look elsewhere for details on the comments.
   
   I'd suggest one of the inexpensive used copies if you feel you really need this book.



5. Some new viewpoints and useful information. Doing the laundry in a trash can enroute? You betcha! Hints for freebie overnights and how to deal with medical issues. I found this book very informative, and it covers many aspects of RV travel.

5 comments about How to Survive A Move: by Hundreds of Happy People Who Did and Some Things to Avoid, From a Few Who Haven't Unpacked Yet (Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides).

1. This is seriously an EXCELLENT book! I love the concept of soliciting stories/advice from people all across the nation because it practically guarantees you will find something (or, in my case, a LOT of somethings!) within these pages that you can relate to. The stories are funny, insightful and best of all, easy to read. Even if you're not moving, I'd recommend buying this book and reading it for future reference. Of course, if you know someone who is moving, this book would make an excellent gift!



2. Did you know, an estimated 42 million American's move each year? Jamie Allen and Kazz Regelman have done an amazing job of cataloging and categorizing hundreds of ideas from hundreds of people, some who have moved as many as thirty times.
   
   From moving kids to moving cats and gold fish, it's all included in this incredible olio of tips and suggestions topically organized for easy reference.
   
   There are tips like, "Put all boxes into one room so you don't have to run around the house like a madman on the big day." Understated information is provided by the U-Haul Company, "Moving is one of the most stressful times in a person's life."
   
   Horror stories abound. "My bicycle was mangled, my mattress torn, glass shattered, and wood was coming off my table in shreds. I sued the movers, but only received $ 200 from which I had to pay the lawyers' fees."
   
   Pros and cons of using friends to help you move and hiring professionals create some questions to consider and some solutions for you in making the decision easier. Suggestions for moving day, from packing the truck, and saying good bye to friends, to unpacking at the new site and settling into your spanking new home, meet with a divergence of opinions.
   
   Hundred's of people have shared entertaining personal stories and suggestions from their moving experiences. Sometime these experts will share conflicting advice. It will be up to you to choose the method that will work best for you.
   
   The publishers have subtlety provided you with the best tool you will need for your next move. That is a sense of humor so that in the madness of moving day you can enjoy the camaraderie of family and friends and revel in the knowledge that there are hundreds of other movers out there to share your misery.



3. Yes, it was fun to read about other people's experiences. But I didn't find this book helpful at all in regards to organization and planning. It's basicially just a lot of tidbits from all sorts of people.



4. Fairly impressed. It is a collection of anecdotes that help you avoid mistakes others have made and great ideas that could help



5. This book literally has hundreds of stories and ideas about moving. While some of the advice didn't apply to me, it was fun to read nonetheless. I love the first-person style and the different perspectives. Sometimes a suggestion will be juxtaposed with the exact opposite advice, giving diverse perspectives on how to solve the same problem.
   
   The book is sorted into chapters, with special attention to topics such as moving with pets, moving with kids, and hiring professional movers. Very handy, because I'm about to do all of these things for the first time.
   
   It's a great read if you're busy, scattered, or planning your move as a long, drawn-out process. It's very easy to pick it up, read a couple of pages, and then move on with your day. The tips in the book can also get you thinking, spark conversation with the family members who are stuck moving with you, and help you come up with your own creative solutions for moving problems.
   
   And if everything goes wrong in your move anyway, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud disaster stories to remind you that it could, in fact, be worse.

5 comments about Sheds: The Do-It-Yourself Guide for Backyard Builders.

1. I read all the good reviews and bought this book. I have to say I am disappointed. There are not a lot of content in the book, as you can tell that the author intentionally increase the margin of each page to greatly increase the total page number. The diagrams are sketchy, of low quality.
   I happened to pick up a book "building shed like a pro" at local library, it is a whole lot better. If you go to book store and read both books, you will know what I mean.



2. What an inspiration, and good ideas are exactly what we weekend builders need. I find there are lots and lots of technical books on building and construction techniques - how to size nails and screws, how to mix cement, estimating lumber, etc., but there are very few books which provide inspiration in the form of great ideas and alternatives to the standard box that most people build for a shed. I found the drawings to be very clear and specific and had no problem with planning and constructing my own personal design based on the Stiles' great ideas and instructions.



3. This book is great. I had one copy and lost it and liked it so much that I bought another to replace the lost one. Lots of great sheds from small to large.



4. We don't do sheds like these - what a surprise. These are very nice looking outhouses that most carpenters could build. The plans and dimensions are pretty basic but all the construction notes are within the book so it would cause the average home carpenter no problems. The designs ae really nice and opens up your thinking beyond just another shed - to creating a garden building that enhances the garden rather than creating an eyesore for the future. When I get round to building one of these I might just move out of the house and take up residence in my new 'shed'. The shed would look better than the house!



5. The book was all I expected. Good and easy to understand information for a novice. Plan to have my storage shed up in no time.

5 comments about Code Check: A Field Guide to Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes.

1. If you're a do it yourself remodeler or basement finisher this is a good reference to make sure you meet the building codes. It provides some quick answers to things like nailing requirements, maximum spans for doors, roof frames, and floor joists, and many other quick facts for plumbing, electrical, fire and structural codes. But for many questions/issues it just lists the IRC or UPC reference. For that reason it would be even more valuable if you had a copy of the International Residential Code in case you needed more details since it provides the references. I have a building permit to finish my basement and I want to make sure that I meet the codes and this book has been helpful. I plan to buy the plumbing, building and electrical Code Check too.



2. This is a great cliff note to california building codes. Very helpful in the field and at the drafting table. A must have for those just starting out in the profesion.



3. First I'll preface my comments by saying that I do NOT know any of the authors as one poster here suggest of everyone who left a favorable review.
   
   These books are a great tool for everyone from experienced to novice. Sure it's tough to nail down every code book that 1000 pages and condense that in to a form to use out in the field. But I find in the rare instances as the one poster uses in his example, that it helps to go straight to the source if there are any questions about what is written. The fact that they list exactly what code to reference saves time because you go straight to the actual code.
   
   Even if 80% of the book gives you enough information to check your work and you only have to go review the other 20% directly from the code books themself you have saved a HUGE amount of time.
   
   These are not the "end all to be all" but I certainly recommend these books to handymen, do-it-yourselfers, and subcontractors alike.



4. Excellent knowledge base for the DIY and pro. This series of books will show you everything you need to know to do it right the first time and pass those crucial inspections.



5. This is definitely not the only reference you need but it answers a lot of questions you run into with residential construction, relatively inexpensive tool to keep in the truck under the seat.

5 comments about Good Green Kitchens.

1. This book is not worth much of a review. Far from being "green" it's what I'd call "greenwash". It's for people with a spare $20,000 - $50,000 who want to feel good by what they BUY, but there is precious little to indicate that the kitchens pictured actually lead to living a green life. You can't buy more stuff to become green - that's an oxymoron. The first thing to DO to have a green kitchen is to reduce your ecological footprint by what you do and then build a kitchen around your genuinely green lifestyle. This book is based on the unstated assumption that you first dream of living a green life, then you drool over plans and then you buy lots of stuff and that somehow makes you green. Sorry - this might fool your friends, it might even fool yoursdelf, but it won't fool the planet. Almost anyone can reduce their ecological footprint by a change in behaviour far more than they could by following the examples here. Any book on green design that features pictures of buildings, rooms and kitchens without people in them living a green lifestyle is - by my reckoning - just another example of greenwash. I give it two stars rather than one because there are a few ideas here that you might be able to adapt to support a green life. But you'll need to go elsewhere to learn about ecological footprint, environmental load and living green. There is one-third of a page on "environmental costs" when such a book should feature this at its core and the rest of the book should be about building a life and a kitchen around this principle.



2. Anyone planning a "green" kitchen remodel will find this book very helpful.



3. I found Good Green Kitchens to be an excellent resource. The information is comprehensive, unbiased, and clearly presented. It's also a great read and beautifully put together. The mix of reference information, case studies, and design tips works very well. I think that the quality of content is far better than most other home design books.



4. ... and so is this book. It's packed with beautiful kitchens and guidelines on choosing the greenest items for your reno or build. Green includes considering the manufacture, transport, durability, recyclability and health effects of the materials or appliances.
   There are 5 sections: an overview lays down general principles and considerations for affordability. Ch. 2 considers Flooring, Ch 3.is Storage (cabinets etc.), Ch. 4 is Counters and Walls. For each there is a table summarizing the pros and cons of the options, as well as more detailed text that will explain how it's made, if it can be recycled, whether it presents health concerns, etc. I found this text to be quite comprehensive. The final section considers energy use by major appliances (fridge, freezer, cookers, hood ventilation), water use (dishwashers, sinks, water heating, filtration and gray water), and cleaning (recycling, garbage, compost, and cleaners). There are sources listed in each section.
   The only annoying thing was that a few brands seemed to be "pushed" -- mentioned with great frequency in picture captions and text. Perhaps that reflects the lack of competing green brands, however.
   Bottom line: definitely worth getting if you are doing a kitchen reno or building a new house.



5. Planning a kitchen remodel is overwhelming--there are thousands of choices you have to make about every little detail. And on top of that, you have to worry about whether the products you use will destroy forests, contribute to our fuel dependency, pollute, off-gas, etc.
   
   This book does an excellent job of making the decisions simpler. During a time when every company is marketing themselves as green, this book provides a neutral resource for assessing the environmental impact of each of the items you purchase. It also covers the even greener option of re-using and re-purposing items for your kitchen, saving money and reducing your footprint. The pictures of the kitchens prove that a green kitchen can be beautiful and a joy to work in.
   
   A reviewer claimed that this book is "greenwashing" but that word has clearly been misapplied. This book sticks to the subject at hand and doesn't get off topic telling you how to cook and eat and live your life--that's a plus.