Collectibles Books

This book was good for a short read. It was not as good as the original little women. The book was about 4 sisters Joe, Meg, Beth, and Amy and what their life was like. If you are looking for a good short read this is one I would sugest.

This edition of LITTLE WOMEN is great! First of all, there's the wonderful story of the March family in the years during and after the Civil War, as the 4 daughters -- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy -- grow to womanhood, experiencing joy and overcoming obstacles and tragedy. This edition stays true to the language and grammar used in the original. I have read versions of the novel in which the girls' grammar is cleaned up for them!

In addition, the introduction by Susan Cheever is first-rate; it is neither too long or too short, and she beautifully ties it to her own experience without being cloying.

Another reason why I so highly recommend this edition is because there is a glossary at the back to explain some of the obscure (to modern readers) terms and obsolete slang. Also, there's a nice essay/review by G.K. Chesterson, who warmly praises Alcott's book.

Read the tale of four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, & Amy as they grow up together. Learn about their hardships as they face each problem thrown at them side by side. This is a wonderfull book and is beautifully writen. I teches someone a lot about the value of family, friends, and true love. This book is more than what others amount to and would reccomend this author to anyone.

Louisa May Alcott wrote many books, but "Little Women" retains a special place in the heart of American literature. Her warmly realistic stories, sense of comedy and tragedy, and insights into human nature make the romance, humor and sweet stories of "Little Women" come alive.

The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.

The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.

There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.

Sure, usually classics are hard to read. But "Little Women" is mainly daunting because of its length; the actual stories flow nicely and smoothly. Don't think it's just a book for teenage girls, either -- adults and boys can appreciate it as well. There's something for everyone: drama, romance, humor, sad and happy endings alike.

Alcott's writing itself is nicely detailed. While certain items are no longer in common use (what IS a charabanc anyway?), Alcott's stories themselves seem very fresh and could easily be seen in a modern home. And as nauseating as "heartwarming" stories sometimes are, these definitely qualify. Sometimes, especially in the beginning, Alcott is a bit too preachy and hamhanded. But her touch becomes defter as she writes on.

Jo is the quintessential tomboy, and the best character in the book: rough, gawky, fun-loving, impulsive, with a love of literature and a mouth that is slightly too big. Meg's love of luxury adds a flaw to the "perfect little homemaker" image, and Beth just avoids being shown as too saintly. Amy is an annoying little brat throughout much of the first half of the book, but by her teens she's almost as good as Jo.

"Little Women" is one of those rare classic novels that is still relevant, funny, fresh and heartbreaking today. Louisa May Alcott's best-known novel is a magnificent achievement.

For those of us who travel to London to buy anitiques--or who daydream about doing that, this book is priceless. It offers so many good tips about where to shop for what, and it is written in an accessible, light-hearted style. What beautiful photographs accompany the text!

In addition to sharing an insiders knowledge of the London antique scene (with good, clear maps), this is also an attractive book with numerous beautiful photographs and interesting commentary. It is a worthwhile find even if you aren't going antiquing in London. If you are, it is essential.

I love this book,it's brilliant! What I love best about it is: 1) it identifies areas in London that have antiques areas
that I didn't know about and 2) it has web sites and URLs of dealers that aren't easy to find with an internet search engine. I'm no stranger to London having grown up there and a regular visitor, but this book covers the antiques world in greater depth than I knew existed; and when I can't be in London, I'm a constant internet shopper and having all these website addresses
is wonderful!

I found this book very helpful and informing. A veteran antique dealer who has been shopping london for 15 years, I discovered places I had never visited before. It was easy to read and to use. A must for antique shopping in London!

This book holds all the information any collector will need. I found it to be very useful.

I was hesitant to purchase Luckey's 12th Edition Price Guide because I have always relied on Robert L. Miller's No. 1 Price Guide in the past. However, curiosity got the better of me and I'm glad it did. It's a great reference, and a very good companion to Miller's guide. The main advantage Miller's 10th Edition No. 1 Price Guide has is all figurines are now shown in color... but the images are smaller than in previous editions. Since Luckey's guide (updated by Dean Genth) is presented in a larger format, it has larger images and text, which makes it easier to read. It also displays more images of the older trademark figurines to show the differences between the older figurines and their current production versions a bit better. This was important to me because I generally prefer to collect the older, more rare figurines.

Figurine pricing is now essentially the same between the two guides, which isn't surprising considering Dean Genth owns Miller's Hallmark in Eaton, OH, the home of Robert Miller.

For the average collector, or one that usually tends to purchase the newer released items, Robert Miller's guide is now more up to date. However, for the truly serious collector, Luckey's guide has more or different information on some of the more rare figurines such as those made in white overglaze and sold only in Belgium in the early days. Since I own several of these figurines, I found the information contained in Lucky's guide very useful.

Highly recommended for both the novice or serious collector... but don't forget to purchase Miller's book too.

I have quiet a few Hummel books, but Luckey's Hummel Figurines and Plates, 11nd Edition is my favorite. The book did educate me in the different Trade Marks on the bottom of the Figurines, The Authors explanation is simple and clear. I purchased many Hummel figurines at Internet Auctions and found that the "Current Value" prices of Mr. Luckey's book are very conservative and very closed to the final Auction prices! I do recommend this book, it is the "real" thing!

A absolute must have resource - well organized, descriptive, and easy to use. It has served me exceptionally well each time I have had to use it!

Matt Dudney is not only the son of legendary entertainer Barbara Mandrell, but also a well-trained gourmet chef. This is a great addition to any cookbook collection, with great recipes and insightful behind-the-scenes tales of the Mandrell family. I highly recommend this cookbook!!!

Matthew Dudney did an excellent job with this book. It has lots of great recipes that are easy to follow. It is also a great read. Matthew has included many family stories and pictures about his famous Mandrell family. It has a little bit of everything. I highly recommend this book to everyone whether you are a Mandrell fan or not. Try out some great recipes as well as learn some things about the family and see some great pictures!

MR. DUDNEY HAS COMPILED DELICIOUS RECIPES ALONG WITH HEARTWARMING AND HUMOROUS STORIES ABOUT HIS FAMOUS FAMILY. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN READING ABOUT THE MANDRELL FAMILY, BECAUSE OF THE WHOLESOME REPUTATION THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD. THIS BOOK PORTRAYS THE CLOSENESS OF THE FAMILY THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN APPARENT TO ALL THEIR MANY FANS.THE AUTHOR OBVIOUSLY PUT MUCH THOUGHT, TIME, AND EFFORT INTO PRODUCING SUCH A FINE COOKBOOK. IT WILL MAKE A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING OR SHOWER GIFT. I CONSIDER THIS AN OUTSTANDING AND MOST UNIQUE COOKBOOK.

I have enjoyed reading the book as well as all the terrific recipes. I think it was a great idea to put a story in with the recipes. It seems more personable than just a regular cookbook.

"Delicious", sumptuous... full of beauty! This book is for anyone who loves to look at jewelry at its best!!

It may seem an era long gone by but the art work is as vital and enthralling today. The photos are numerous and magnificent and it is a valuable addition to anyones library.

The book offers insight into the most important jewelry designs and the artistic talents of their creators. It gives an overview and biographies of the most important jewelry artists of the recent history and how their businesses got started: Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef and Arpels, Lalique, Verdura, Bulgari, Boucheron etc. The photos are wonderful; I only wish there were more of them. A great book for anyone wanting to learn more about the most important jewelry creators and jewelry pieces. It is also a great way to start your own favorite jeweler/jewelry book collection and get more specific books.

I really enjoyed my first scan of this book and look forward to many more in-depth visits. The jewelry is absolutely breathtaking. The color photos are extremely well done.

This terrific book is the museum show catalog for an amazing Tiffany exhibit organized by Alastair Duncan the world's top authority on Tiffany glass and the most prolific author on the subject.To address the review regarding his conviction for selling a stolen window it MUST be noted that he was set up by a crooked Tiffany dealer who was working for a politically ambitious and corrupt federal prosecutor.

Mr. Duncan is currently being charged in connection with selling at least one stolen Tiffany window. He bought it for 30K andsold it to a party in Japan for 220K. The theft was not discovered until he tried to do it again 6 yrs later.

As a stained glass artist, I am impressed with the excellent writing and photography in this book. Mr. Duncan is an author whose name I associate with superb photography and interesting information.

Hardback, 160 pps, 125 illustrations/72 full-color
Shows Tiffany's wide range of versatility: enamels, jewelry, bronzes,ceramics, mosaics and paintings. A very good overview.

I'm writing this review because I believe this book deserves another good review. My personal interest is working all sorts of metals. I have searched these sorts of sites extensively looking for books that give a clear explanation of the skills required to do this sort of work and this book by Herbert Maryon is one of the best.
In the first 20 chapters, at 166 pages, Maryon concentrates on metalworking. The subjects include Soldering, Setting of stones, Filigree work, Raising and Shaping, Spinning, Repoussé work, Twisted Wires, Metal Inlaying and Overlaying to name just a few.
I found the photos of twisted wires particularly good and have not found this sort of information in other books to date. The last chapter in this section on Japanese Alloys and Stratified Fabrics was excellent also as I have not encountered this information either.
Chapters 21-27, at 31 pages, deal with Enamelling and once again we have good descriptions on the different topics of Cloisonné enamels, Plique-à-jour enamels, Encrusted enamels and Painted enamels to name a few.
His next major section is Metal Casting at 33 pages, Chapters 28-31, and we again get good descriptions and techniques. Following on from this we have an assortment of chapters dealing with Construction, Design, The Making of Tools and Polishing and Colouring.
Maryon rounds the book out with some tables and conversion charts dealing with areas, gauges, measurments, weights and temperatures.
Overall I believe Maryon has done a very good job of explaining the skills and techniques required to do metalwork and enamelling at this level.
One criticism that could be leveled at this book is that compared to other books on the same subject there are possibly too few photos and drawings which could have given an added dimension to the otherwise clear descriptions.
When learning like myself from scratch it pays to draw on multiple sources. Other books I have consulted are; "A Silversmith's Manual" by Bernard Cuzner; "Silversmithing" by Finegold and Seitz; "Metal Techniques for Craftsmen" by Oppi Untracht. These books including Maryon's are the best out there and are all worth purchasing. Reasoning being that they all have invaluable infomation which often overlaps but have tips and tricks unique to each book. Which are invaluable to becoming proficient in this art.
The book therefore gets 4.5 stars from me as it gives good advice which is most, and has been, helpful.
Finally just to say another great book by Dover.

I have owned this book for 15 years and I think it is an excellent reference book for jewellers and metal smiths. It covers all types of metal work including gold and silversmithing, jewellery, stone setting and enamelling using traditional techniques. Written by Herbert Maryon O.B.E., who was one of London's best gold and silversmiths.

For the professional, amateur or hobbyist, Herbert Maryon's book remains one of the most important books in its field. Originally published in 1912, this book was written at an important time in our history. It is a text of twentieth century knowledge and understanding encompassing over 3000 years of metalworking processes. It picks up where the master Italian goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini leaves off in his Treatises, and yet it is the last thorough publication that predates the advent of the modern electric power tool.
The importance of this is multifold. First it brings every process down to the directness of basic hand tools. It is the jeweler making every mark and every cut through the simplicity of the basic tools that have been used for centuries. Processes are not obscured through expensive specialized equipment that are limited in their application.
The same is true of the materials themselves. Sheet and wire that are readily made by the jeweler are the basis for all forms of fabrication. Hinges for example start with sheet metal and do not rely on the limitations of commercially produced products, thus freeing one financially and aesthetically.Thirdly, the use of basic hand tools expands the realm of the small studio. A simple burin, scraper and burnisher can accomplish many of the same tasks that match hundreds of dollars worth of specialized tools while performing a greater range of uses. Many of these tools can also be made by the jeweler or adapted to their own personal applications.
Herbert Maryon was a master metalsmith himself. His expertise is evident throughout the book. While no one book can cover everything, this book provides a foundation to develop any number of approaches. His sample of seventy-two kinds of twisted wire is one example of taking a basic technique and turning it into a full scope of possibilities of the highest caliber. From fabrication to casting, stone setting to enamel this book provides a wealth of information and insight.
(Review by Robert Jackson, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia USA)

The first two reviews are dead on target. However,there is another aspect to Marion's book. It gives a fine perspective for judging newer texts and would-be teachers. During a novice's jewelry class, students were offered a chance to take an advanced course, given by one of the instructor's friends. It would show us a "special method" of soldering fine gold grain work. An excellent method is plainly laid out on pages ten and eleven of Metalwork & Enamelling. These two pages saved me over four hundred dollars; a nice return on the book's price.

This is a great book to have. Wonderful pictures. Great detail. A must have for anyone interested in miniatures.

If you've ever visited the Art Institute and wished that you could spend more time enjoying the Thorne Rooms, this book is a way for you to visit them as often as you would like.

"Miniature Rooms" begins with a brief history of Mrs. Thorne and how the rooms came to be. The rest of the book is a complete catalog of the Rooms, divided into two sections - the European rooms and the American rooms. Every room is beautifully photographed from at least two angles, using the existing lighting in the rooms so that each has the same realistic quality enjoyed in the Institute. Along with each photograph is a description of the room and its furnishings. I would recommend "Miniature Rooms" to anyone who enjoys the Art of Miniatures.

I had not heard anything about the Thorne rooms before, so when I received this book as a gift, I became completely enthralled with the images that were captured. As an avid lover of historic preservation and the decorative arts, I really appreciate how Mrs. Thorne captured the different historical eras in the fashion and furnishings of each room. It is truly amazing how detailed each room is. If you love historic preservation and/or miniatures, then this book is a must see and read!

This is certainly the definitive book on the sixty-eight miniature rooms in the Chicago Art Institute. Each room is given two photographs along with a description of the room pictured. The book also contains information on Mrs. Thorne and how the rooms came into being. Her artistry in creating miniature rooms which seem more like full sized interiors was amazing and her sense of taste and style impeccable.
I have visited The Thorne Rooms many times over the years and they never fail to enchant me. This book allows me to call them to mind easily and aids me in my own building of miniature rooms. The one thing that the book cannot show is the great attention to detail Mrs. Thorne gave to the rooms off the main rooms and the outside scenery created for each room. However, the book does give an excellent idea of the nature of the rooms and the reason why they are so famous and loved.

I work full-time and have two small children and a European husband who expects something more than pasta with jarred sauce. I recently rediscovered this book and its companion, 60-minute Gourmet, in my cookbook library and they've been wonderful. Straightforward recipes, which taste great, and are made in a short time are exactly what I need. It's not all fancy French stuff and includes suggestions for side dishes. My copies were injured in a counter flood and it's time to get new ones.

'60 Minute Gourmet' and `More 60 Minute Gourmet' are collections of New York Times columns written by the prominent French born and trained chef Pierre Franey, who attained celebrity by being the executive chef at La Pavilion, considered by Craig Claiborne at the beginning of his New York Times career as the only truly worthy `haute cuisine' venue in New York City.

On the surface, it may seem that these volumes are simply precursors to Mark Bittman's `The Minimalist' columns in the same New York Times or to Rachael Ray's very successful 30 Minute Meal genre. While there are strong family resemblences between these three writers, there are also significant differences. Most of these differences arise from the fact that While Bittman and Ray are journalist / educator / writers, Franey was a classically trained chef.

This distinction is crystal clear in the way Franey describes his audience and how they live their lives. With the greatest of respect, I sense that Franey sees his audience as just stepping out of a `New Yorker' cartoon of upper West side coop dwellers who shop at Zabars and who may expect the likes of R. W. Appel or Ruth Reichl to drop in for a quick bite on any given Thursday evening. One may be tempted to say `this is not me', but give yourself a chance to believe that you can put yourself into this picture. Franey is saying that you can be prepared to entertain elegantly with even a minimal amount of time.

Franey is crystal clear from the introduction of the first of these two books that he is not simplifying gourmet dishes, he is picking and choosing those classic French dishes which can be made in the home within 60 minutes. His message is that contrary to expectations, a lot of French cooking, even `haute cuisine' can be made very simply. And, I have no argument with this. After browsing Escoffier's big book of recipes, I find about 50 different recipes for sautéing chicken, every one of which can easily be done in 30 minutes or less.

The most valuable lessons in these books are things that a professional chef does to expedite his own work. One of the hidden tricks behind Miss Rachael's speed is that she spends no time whatsoever looking for her ingredients. Franey reveals the technique that makes this all possible. He exhorts us to always have a place for everything and keep everything in its place. The easiest way to experience the value of this lesson is to try cooking in someone else's kitchen. His second big lesson is cleanliness, as much for efficiency as for hygiene. He says clutter and debris distract from efficiency.

It is important to note that these two volumes have virtually identical tables of contents, so the `More 60-Minute Meals' is literally more of the same. It's only additional topics are on appetizers and desserts. And, unlike his La Pavilion colleague, Jacques Pepin, I suspect Pierre is not as skillful with the pastry as is Jacques. Like Rachael Ray, a very large number of the recipes in these books are for grilled, sautéed, or fried chicken, with an enormous variety of sauces. In fact, Miss Rachael just did a version of chicken Veronique that was remarkably similar to the recipe on page 22 of `60-Minute Gourmet'. I honestly prefer Franey's version, as it uses white grapes while Rachael used red, and, Franey's instructions are written in plain English while Rachael uses her Rayspeak culinary dialect for a lot of basic terms. I would suspect that Miss Rachael had cribbed this recipe from Franey except that she made a major point of stating that the recipe was acquired from her future mother-in-law.

What Rachael lacks in sophisticated technique, plain speech, and deep knowledge of French cuisine, she makes up by addressing the two of the three major issues I have with Franey. First, even 60 minutes may be a bit more than a tired Manhattenite may be able to manage, especially after a subway ride and a 5 block walk from the local supermarket. Second, Franey makes much of planning and prepping ahead of time. The fallacy of this and practically every other `quick cooking' advice is that the problem is not only that there is little time at the end of the day, there is little time throughout the week. A third potential objection to Franey's books is that if there is so many `haute cuisine' recipes which are really pretty easy, why not simply go to the mother lode and get a copy of Escoffier or Pellaprat for their 39 ways to poach eggs and 52 recipes for sautéed chicken. The problem with this solution is that the search for the good recipes takes more time and investment in studying the techniques needed to prepare the short recipe description in these texts.

Like Wolfgang Puck in a very recent book, Franey cuts down on the time required to prepare a recipe by combining into a single narrative all the steps and techniques you need so you don't have to seek out and learn a lot of ancillary recipes. Also, the classic French texts don't have the entertaining headnotes you can recite to impress your dinner guest(s).

Thus, I really think Franey's books are best used as a resource for recipes for entertaining where the plan and prep ahead time will garner big rewards with your guests. I would therefore strongly recommend Franey's books for young professional ladies or gentlemen who are out to impress a potential partner over a home-cooked dinner. I would not use these books to replace my copy of `Mastering the Art of French Cooking', as there are great realms of French cooking technique which simply lie outside Franey's 60 minutes, the most important being braising and roasting techniques.

These books are excellent introductions to how French cooking can be easy. Recommended.

I was surprised to see this classic cookbook so far down the popularity list. Checking our kitchen bookcase, where I keep the dozen or so cookbooks I use most often, I found that the copyright date on my hardback was 1981. Well, twenty-two years later, I no longer refer to it weekly because I have learned so much of it by heart, but I certainly use it monthly, and still find it invaluable.

More 60-Minute Gourmet, like its companion volume 60-Minute Gourmet, is a collection of weekly "60-Minute Gourmet" columns published in the New York Times during the 1970s and early 1980s. The recipes comprise a wide variety of cuisines and are uniformly quick and uniformly light (a handful of recipes call for heavy cream, but it can almost always be dispensed with). The ingredients and techniques still work well today - perhaps not the "cutting edge" dishes and presentations one might expect from, say, a Roy Yamaguchi, but mastering the 60-Minute Gourmet recipes will make you capable of cooking almost anything. Consider these as high-quality building blocks for creating your own brand of gourmet cuisine at home.

Keep an eye peeled for the late M. Franey's out-of-print volumes as well. They, too, remain fresh and tasty.

I obtained this book by a fortunate accident - I use it constantly as a reference and, sometimes when I just need to read an interesting anecdote written by somebody who loves not only food, but all that surrounds it.

Pierre Franey does not talk down to his reader, but he does teach.

One of my favorite passages from his book is: "When I have been asked over the years the most basic thing an aspiring cook could be taught, the answer is almost invariable. If you learn a few baic techniques of cookery, the rest is applied logic. If you can make a basic mayonnaise, for example, you can make a sauce remoulade or a sauce tartare with the simple additions of a few ingredients such as choped anchovy, capers, pickles and so on."

I depend on Pierre, not only for his skill as a teacher, but just as much so for his ability to inspire.

I highly recommend this book for the busy professional who desires to make their house a home.

The first time I read Feifer's book, I was 14 years old. I read it again this summer, after I had returned from Russia, a trip that "Moscow Farewell" helped inspire. The book is so brilliant, so accurate, so timeless that some 30+ years later, the paralells between his life in Moscow and mine in St. Petersburg are eerie. It is a story that lives in your imagination and your heart, and I often find myself wondering about George and his life after the book ends...

Fantastic, I have been in moscow for 5 years and been working, meeting people and got the street-pulse. George Feifer's book is showing the russian's mentality with happiness and large respect. The russian people is a proud people who has been through some hard times and Mr Feifer lets you know how they got by. Today Soviet is Russia, but a lot is still the same, still true...The book is very up lifting, I lift my hat off to you George...

I think this book is great. Plus, George Feifer is awesome. He's a friend of the family and he's definitely one of the coolest guys I know. And coming from a teenager, that's a lot. Well, anyways, everyone should definitely read this book. You won't regret it.

This fantastic book offers a wonderful view of a young man experiencing life to its fullest--in Soviet Moscow. Extremely well-written, funny, and insightful, it shares its best qualities with those in Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye," Roth's "Portnoy's Complaint," and Kerouac's "On the Road." Reading this book will make you feel good. It is a book for everyone.