Titles Books

This is the historically true account of the execution of the Templars and the political circumstances surrounding it. If you have read books about the Salem Witch Trials then you will like this one too, but be warned Barber is a historian and so you will get the full blow by blow account of what went on.

Basically in the year 1307 King Philip 4th arrested the Knights of the Templars and a pseudo-trial followed in order to smash the Templars. Much like the Salem Witch Trials many where falsely executed while others survived the ordeal to tell the tale. Basically this book is all about the destruction of the Templars.

Again if you like books about "Witch Trials" then this is a must for the bookshelf and certainly Barber gives us the best historical rendition of any "Witch Trial" to date although the Templars where not treated as Witches but as anti-christian (when is fact they where a "White Order").

Good historical depth to this one and highly recommended.

I own many books on the Templars, but very few deal primarily on their downfall on the Friday 13th, and the gruelling, protracted trials afterwards. The Templars have always fascinated me, an order founded on a vow of poverty that rose to become one of the richest and most powerful organisations of their time, a religious order, yet it was politics and money that sealed their fate and brought about their destruction.

Very well written, it is rich in detail, but in a witty narrative that keeps the reader enthralled and forgetting they are reading history, which is usually dry and stale. High Recommended. Anyone interested in the Templars needs to add this one to their collection.

Barber's 'The Trial of the Templars' is the best and perhaps only serious academic study of the political machinations of French King Philip IV, "the Fair," which resulted in the trial and suppression of one of the most noble and powerful of the Medieval crusading orders.

The wealth of source material in the book makes it indispensible.

One would hope that Barber's work would go a long way towards debunking the myths of the Templars as neo-New Age adepts possessing secret occult wisdom, since, as Barber demonstrates, many of the Templars at the time of the suppression were uneducated, illiterate old men from preceptories in Europe, most of whom who had never even set foot in the Holy Land and were thus incapable of the occult practices ascribed to them. Of 115 Templar depositions resulting from the hearings in Paris, sixty-nine brethren stated that they were forty years old or older. The average age of these 115 men was 41.6 years. Most of the accused Templars were serving brothers and seargeants (41); seventeen were priests and only fifteen were actually knights. The average length of service of deposed Templars was 14.2 years. Hardly the stuff of which powerful occult magicians are made.

Definitely add this one to your library.

Malcom Barber looked at the entire organization an came to the following:
1. The orginal purpose of the group was to protect pilgrims however the
intent soon changed - the outside population of the European nations so
saw a chance to gain "power" for themselves.
2. The rulers became jealous of the "carte blanche" given by the Pope -
thus the Templars had to answer to no one and became very wealthy.
3. Soon those same rulers previously mentioned had to come to the Templars, and others as well, inorder to obtain money.
4. As a result the banking system was established. When Phillip V realizd he was in debt to the Templars, he "manufactured" charges inorder to seize their money and their land holdings. Phillip soon became aware of how mch his seizing had accomplished for him - death.

Barber has accomplished a very difficult task. He has compiled scattered accurate information regarding the Templars and laid it down in an easy to read fashion.
Despite the title of the book, this book covers more than just the trials surrounding the Templars. It is a concise timeline of the time period including political powers, church rulers, allies and enemies, detractors and benefactors.
Barber has given a balanced view of the Templars, their rise, fall, trial and destruction. He offers a plethora of footnotes and references and a daunting bibliography which would be the envy of any medieval history, Templar history, catholic history, french history or crusades history lover.
Also offered by Barber is another book covering the Templars ( The New Knighthood : A History of the Order of the Temple )which goes even further in depth regarding the actual successes and failures of the Order, again offering a huge list of historical references.
Barber, it appears, is the foremost historical expert that is publishing works regarding the secretive but ever-popular Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.

The Underdog is a delightful read especially for all of us who find our special dogs of mysterious ancestry and take them into our homes and our hearts!

This book is a must for dog lovers. It's full of information about adoption (the ethical choice for bringing a dog into your life as opposed to puppy mill dogs from the pet shop) and tells you exactly how to do it, where to go, what you need, and how to handle the new dog once he is brought home. It really is THE step by step book on the shelter adoption process.

The celebration of mutts in this book is infectious. The pictures are hilarious and one can't help but laugh while learning all kinds of interesting trivia about these lovable mutts.

The author does a terrific job of helping you figure out what kind of mutt is sharing your life. Extremely well researched, this book is a great read because you can pick it up anywhere and enjoy.

A wonderful gift book for dog lovers and for people who are thinking of sharing their life with the greatest friends on the planet! Timeless.

What a fun book! Szabo does a great job organizing her book into fun-to-read segments interspersed with news articles, editorials, and pictures of cutie-pie pups. I thought I knew almost everything about mutts after adopting them (through a shelter and off the street) and after spending significant time at our local humane society. Nope -- Szabo taught me the cons of "no-kill" shelters and changed my personal definition of what constitutes a "Mutt." Furthermore, she brings to light several little-known, important facts about the "designer" dogs (such as the doodles).

This book is also a wonderful guide for anyone considering adopting a mutt, pure breed, or "designer" dog.

Remember: Spay and Neuter your pets! There is no reason you should have an intact animal unless you are a certified breeder.

What a wonderful book on dogs who have mixed lineage. I have a wonderful mutt and what the book says about having the good qualities of the breeds is very right. At times, though the qualities that aren't so great come up. The book is very well written and is a must for anyone who has ever had a loveable mutt. Those who have never had a "mixed breed" should think about it. There are many at the local shelters to be adopted.
You who are thinking of getting a dog this is a must read.
Those of you who are buying the book.....Enjoy!!!

Finally mutts get the respect that they deserve! A wonderful book packed with both useful and fun information. Be sure to check out the "Mutt Family Tree" section. I have three mutts and always enjoy trying to figure out "the mystery of the mix".

I have always been interested in astronomy and just recently picked it up as a hobby. Terence Dickenson does a wonderful job conveying concepts to the average person. He has made it so easy to understand and so interesting it is difficult to put the book down. The pictures are perfect for those of us with little imagination. My ten year old is even reading it with me. Excellent!

A friend and I are taking an intro to astonomy course and this is one of the recommended texts. I can certainly see why. It's a very clearly written work with a heavy emphasis on planetary and solar astronomy and a lucid discussion of stellar objects visible with personal telescopes, subjects that the noviate astronomer is most likely to find of interest. The author also dedicates two chapters to the subject of theoretical astrophysics at the very basic level of cosmology, ie) the theory of the origin, the possible ultimate destiny of the universe, and the liklihood of the existance of coevil universes parallel to our own. Dickinson also throws his lot in with those who would believe in UFOs, to the extent that while he doesn't believe in the sightings people report--however well meaningly--he does believe that intelligent life is out there and may well already know of our existance. He gives a thorough and lucid outline of why he believes this to be the case. He also summarizes the SETI project and the ultimate change in position on this topic of high visibility astronomers like the late Carl Sagan, Iosif Shklovskii, and Ben Zuckerman. A very interesting book, and one that whets the appetite for further information.

I have never, and I mean never, had my mind blown as much as when I read (still reading, will never stop reading) this book. I can't believe the pictures in this book. You think you've seen everything insane and out of this world there is to see and then you open this up. Ever seen one galaxy side-swipe another galaxy? The images in this book will change you, you will never be the same. I feel so small yet I feel like I'm part of this insane monster of a grand scheme. The descriptions are fantastic, you need no prior astronomy/science education to totally immerse yourself in the cosmos. Starting from earth and reaching out to as far as we have gone this book reads as if you are the explorer aboard your space craft taking it all in for yourself. There isn't a dull second during this read. Every paragraph will make your mouth drop. Realize the creature around you that is your Universe.

Well laid-out book with awesome pics and logical flow. Definitely a professional work. It does not get very deep in explanations but there is enough material for a novice to get started. Overall: VERY GOOD!

For the layman who is often intimidated by the scope of astronomy and science in general, this book is the ideal place to get started. I've been fascinated by the universe and outer space for as long as I can remember. There is nothing that is quite as majestic and beautiful in the physical world we observe as the unimaginable grandeur of the universe.

The book starts out with a good general overview and then starts out from home (Earth) and then gradually moves out towards other objects in the Solar System, the nearby starts, our Milky Way galaxy, and ultimately out to the farthest reaches of the universe (quasars, galaxies out in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field), examining the deepest cosmological questions.

The writing is non-technical and is easy for the uninitiated to understand. There are plenty of the latest breathtaking photos from the Hubble Telescope as well as clear illustrations. I bought a copy for my mother who has never delved into astronomy and she advised me that the book has been most enjoyable and that it opened her eyes to the wonders of space that she had never known about.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in astronomy but never had the chance to really dig in for whatever reasons. I also recommend this book to the experts who want to encourage their loved ones and friends to appreciate the universe as well. It makes a great gift to high school students, parents, and friends as well. It's one of those books that people will refer to over and over again and contemplate our place in this amazing structure we know of as the universe.

this is the best book ive ever read. If you like fiction you should really read this book. this book is really great try reading it and youl love it trust me i loved it so you probobly will to.

This delightful book was - and yet is - the best piece of children's fantasy I have ever read. And I have read A LOT of children's fantasy (Cooper, McKillip, McKinley, Hunter, Jacques, Lewis, Rowling, White, Banks, O'Brien, Weis and Hickman, Pullamn, Paolini, etc., and many of these authors I would NOT recommend.) But I cannot say enough to recommend this outstanding author and her work.

First, unlike others who could not put this book down, I was so captivated by Rebecca Rupp's colorful, miniature world and its sensitive, hilarious characters that I read the story as sloooooowwwwly as possible, often relishing favorite passages multiple times before moving on.

Inspired by an imaginary nature God (named Pondleweed) that the author's son created as a child, this is the tale of a young Fisher boy (a pixie-ish and frog-like tribe of tiny people) who discovers a wonderful gift, and embraces the responsibility that gift entails to recover the Waterstone from the evil Nixies (water sprites.) The nature of the hopes, dreams, fears, frustrations, and challenges of Tad, Birdie and the others they meet and journey with will prove entirely recognizable to any child, as well as any adult who remembers struggling through childhood. Especially wonderful are Rupp's detailed portraits of the Fisher/Hunter/Digger Tribes and their cultures. Her interpretations of various forest animals, in particular the hawk with his hunting song and the weasels with their "earth-soft minds" provide some of the best moments in the story, effectively counteracting the otherwise heart-wrenching features.

With its rich language and vivid imgery, the text is intelligent enough to capture any adult reader's imagination without threatening a young reader's confidence. The plot is easy to follow, yet complex enough to keep the reader guessing until the end, and the climax is enough to touch any but the most hardened souls (yes, I cried and cried and cried, but how noble the sacrifice. That is all I can say.)

Though I did not want this story to end, it left me with a tidy conclusion and a necessary (although bittersweet) sense of security, which is essential to any child's world. Alas, all will be well with the Fishers, Hunters, and Diggers from now on (unless there is a sequal....) But, for now, how privileged we are to have such upstanding, quality writing at our fingertips. With originality and style so perfectly complete, Rupp's work is completely perfect.

There are a few books and serieses -- Harry Potter; Narnia; The Dark Is Rising; Inheritance Trilogy; Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher; Beyond the Valley of Thorns; Lord of the Rings -- that really touch me and keep me on the edge of my seat. The Waterstone has now been added to that list of greats.
I stayed up all night to finish this book. I loved the end, it was so dramatic and heartwrenching -- both when Pondleweed dies and Tad is calling all the creatures, I don't know why. It was practically flawless, I thought, and I'm almost afraid to look for the author's other book, because this one was just so GOOD.

The WaterStone

Tad, a boy of a fisher tribe is really worried about his village and his family. After he had almost drowned in the lake he has been hearing strange voices. And if that's not enough to keep him worried the lake is drying up any way. So his father, Pondleweed and his sister Birdie (RedBird) go out into the world to see why the lake drying up when it shouldn't. When the 3 of them go out into then world they meet some troubles but they can get through it. One of the troubles was, they met another tribe and they wanted to capture Tad as a prisoner they put him in a dungeon, but later he escaped. I would recommend this book for people that like adventure and for people who like to fit clues together.

When I read this book several years ago, I remember it being the first book in a long, long time to keep me up past midnight. It was the first book in a very long time to perfectly capture in a few words all the emotions that I was feeling and put it into the main character. It was the first book I read in a while that could do what all great books do -- make your heart swell and break and heal -- all in a few pages. Some of the scenes and dialogue ring in your mind long after you put the book away, and finally you just have to read it again, to re-experience it all.

When Tad's spear flies to the bottom of a pond and Tad goes after it, the last thing he expects is to meet a water-spirit there, Azabel. But this meeting is but the first of strange things, because slowly but surely the water supply of the Fisher tribe is drying up. When Tad, his father Pondleweed and his sister Birdie go to investigate the cause, they find something terrible has happened to the lake that was once their water-source: it is black and dammed up. Pondleweed is drawn into the water by a strange song, and doesn't return. Tad and Birdie are left alone.

Fighting back the memories-that-aren't that are growing ever stranger and more disturbing, Tad has to discover what has happened to the water. He must make allies with everyone from weasels (Not slaves!) to the different Tribes of Diggers and Hunters, and unite them all for the dangers to come. Tad must discover his own identity and destiny as the Sagamore of legend. Most importantly, they must retrieve the Waterstone in order to save the tribes -- and the world -- from certain destruction.

But nothing ever comes without a price...and sometimes the price is too painful to imagine.


Rating: Masterpiece

This is a funny book that is great for parents to read. Young children will most likely not understand the humor, but sometimes it's okay for the parent to get a kick out of a children's book, too. The pictures are very cute. I'm glad I got it.

My 21 month old loves this book. I dont know how much she really understands but the pictures are colorful and engaging and she knows a lot of the words - BOY, EAT, Dinner etc and she chimes in as the pages turn. It's kind of quirky, but a big hit.

This twist on the fable, The Boy who Cried Wolf, is great fun to share with kids. The young wolf does not appreciate his mom's cooking. He is tired of sloppy does, three-pig-salad and lamburgers. He really wants some "boy" for dinner but his dad tells him they are hard to find in the woods these days. Over the next two days, little wolf cries "Boy!" in an attempt to get his parents to comb the forest for the non-existent meal and therefore delay dinner. Later, when an entire boy scout troop comes marching through the forest, the little wolf cannot get his parents to look, even as one creeps into their cave and sits on their sofa.

Writing is excellent and witty - one simply can't resist falling in love with a book that includes menu items such as "lamburgers" and "Granny Smith pie" - and the illustrations support it well. Better done than the run of the mill fairy tale parody, and thus far superior to the average fairy tale presentation.

The humor is invaluable when trying to stuff a moral down kids' throats - they respond relatively well to being reminded that they are crying "Boy!" (especially when presented comically) - and it also helps them relax and back away from the precipitating issue.

AND - it's a lot of fun to read aloud, especially if one hams up the voices. Highly recommended for (parents of) bright, lively kids, ages 3 and up.

This is a cute story about a small wolf who hates his mother's cooking: lamb burgers, sloppy does, and chocolate moose. What the wolf really wants to eat is a boy. To avoid his mother's cooking one night, he tries the ploy of shouting "boy". It works- -his parents run out of the den in search of the boy and dinner is ruined. Of course, when a real boy actually appears in the neighborhood, the small wolf can't get a rise out of his parents, so he has to learn to eat lamb burgers after all. Some kids might find the book a bit scary, but for those who can handle the tension, it's a fun story. The book has about 1200 words.

As an ESL teacher, my students are always telling me how they need to build their vocabulary. Sure, someone can do this by reading more. But, non-native English speakers are often confused by many common English words.

This book has 504 vocabulary words that native speakers use often, but which can be confusing to non-native English speakers.

With clear but simple definitions, examples and exercises, people who read this book can easily build their useful English vocabulary.

This is the book i highly recommend for middle school students to increase their vocabulary. It has words that are higher level, but not outrageously so. It just concentrates on vocabulary words, not words a student needs for multiple subjects...just high-use words. The activities are good reinforcement and practice. Try this book first and don't waste your money on others for this this age group.

2 of the reviewers used the word "learnt"!!! Think they should learn that's not a word... apparently not covered in the book :)

I homeschool my son and this book has been very helpfull, would recomend it to anyone who needs assistance with spelling.

My ESL teacher uses this book. It is a good one. You must like it.

This book is great reading for someone who is or will be a first-time APBT puppy owner. It explains the special needs of these great dogs and why they've developed a bad reputation. If you are looking for more extensive info on training and activities for you and your dog, i recommend another book.

The book is excellent and provides a usefull information for raise and American Pitbull Terrier

This book was helpful when I first got my APT a few years back. Besides teaching you the basics of taking care of him/her, it also goes into how the breed has been abused and misinterpreted. American Pitbull Terriers can be the most loyal and friendliest of dogs, if taken care of properly. (I can attest to that, being a former owner).

This book gives a truthful picture of APBT's. It also has exclent information on caring for this breed through it's life. I purchased it for my mother, who was nervous about the breed, before I adopted my dog. After reading the book she was looking forward to having the adition to the family come and was sharing her new found info with friends and family who had negitive reactions when hearing I was getting an APBT. An exclent book to have on hand and share with those intrested in the breed, who own the breed, and who don't know the breed.

Even though I knew that this dog wasn't as "mean and aggressive" as people made it seem, this book was extremely interesting and i learned many new facts. Besides being a great care-guide, it explains the breed's character and history.Everything that you would ever want to know about the American Pit Bull Terrier can be found in this book, accuratly portrayed.The book is clear on how to prevent accidental fights and that this great dog should only be owned by responsible people. Hopefully the APBT will one day gain the respect they deserve and people will know the truth about them.

My first book by this author and I've already gone back for more. I loved this story.

I knew nothing of this author before getting this book as a book club choice. I was completely taken in by every aspect of the book. A great read, a perfect choice for a book club or individual reading. She uses wording that paints wonderful pictures in the mind...yet leaves just enough for you to finish the picutre yourself.
I really loved it because it did show how children carry things that happen to them or involving them into adulthood. And how things could have been different had adults realized these things and dealt with them at the time. Yes, things are hard for children to understand, but that is where parents and adults really need to take the time to see things through the childs eyes.

A wonderful book.. I highly encourage you to read it.

This was a wonderful book. Patti Callahan Henry writes beautifully. Kept me spellbound...as have all her books.
Mary Pichette

This was the first of Henry's novels that I've picked up, but now I can't wait to try her others!

I loved every aspect of this book- from the well-developed characters, to the vivid descriptions of the inner turmoil in dealing with the past and present. Spectacular imagery really made it easy for me to feel that I was right there watching the whole thing.

*slight spoiler below*

Although I did see the "secret" coming for quite awhile, and I thought the explanation for the revelation (eye color, blood type) was a little fantastical, I still very much enjoyed this novel.

It is perhaps the quickest read of this year. I read this in two and half hours. I've read her other books and this one is not as good as her others, but it still provides a delightful read. This book will definitely appeal to the booklover in you, filled with lots of quotes and titles of books that the main character's dad had talked about. It is just perfect to kick off summer vacation with!

This book focuses on Catherine "Cappy" Leary, whose life changed drastically in her twelfth summer in a tragic accident. After the accident, her family uprooted and moved back to her parents' hometown within a very short period of time. Catherine grieved all those years blaming herself for the family move as well as for the tragic accident. She had given up her "second mother," a warm and vibrant woman named Ellie, who was married and had two boys, Boyd and Sam. Catherine had a loving relationship with her father and a distant one with her mother. She had a best friend named Piper and life was just bursting at the seams. Then tragedy hit and it hit hard.

Now that Catherine is thirty years old and an orphan as her father had died nine months previously. In his will, he stated he wanted his ashes scattered over the river in that little South Carolina town that she had grown up in. Returning to the town that she has never forgotten, Catherine meets her past and learned the dark secrets that were her dad's and others'. Even at the age of thirty, it is never too late to grow up. In the process, she realizes the truth about herself and the truth about her father's protege, Forrest, whom she used to date years before she started dating the college basketball recruiter.

The story is choppy in places and the ending is too rushed, but other than that, it provided a wonderful story for a stormy night. It is definitely a quick read and a delightful one.

6/3/08

im anxious in going off to college in the fall. this book great in explaining how college is different from high school and how to succeed. there were informative and comedical lists such as "books that they expect you to read before you get there" and "how studying is better than sex". just a awesome book in general and recommend it to any high school graduate that is off to college in the fall.

I've looked through several other College Survival guides, but this one is the best. Every tip is a list, and it takes much, much, more information then any other college guide and condenses it all into easy to read lists. In here it has the basics and much more supplimental information too. Get The Naked Roommate for a basic college survival guide in a more organized format. Then read College in a Can for all the things not covered in that book, much of it is more irreverent. This book feels more like a magazine and in between the really helpful college survival information are fun lists just to get you into the college mood like "Best College Movies".

You can't use this book for every decision you have in college, such as choosing a major or career (I highly recommend Cool Careers for Dummies), but it will give you an overview of those things so when you later get a book on those subjects and do more though research you can have that feeling of knowing the basics. This will eliminate that feeling of plunging in the middle without a clue.

Because this book isn't as structured as some, you can't buy this book without The Naked Roomate.

This note from my 18 year old grandaughter says it all:

Grandma-
I got your book AND I just finished reading it. It was really funny, I
liked it a lot. I've already loaned it out to a friend! Its definitely
coming with me to college and I can put some of the funny lists on the
walls. Anyway, just wanted to let you know I enjoyed the book! Thanks a
bunch!

My daughter, a college freshman, read this book cover to cover. Lots of straight talk on everything from dealing with roommates and developing good study habits to handling sex and drugs, delivered in user-friendly bite-size chunks, rendered with wit and a real sense of what kids need to know. There's some entertaining fluff in between the no-nonsense tips and techniques for handling the transition to college life. Especially liked the 101-book reading list - a daunting but valuable heads-up on what it takes to achieve cultural literacy in the 21st century. A treasury of useful stuff for the college-bound (and for those aging parents who wish they could wind the clock back 30 years and try it again!).

Got this for my daughter, an entering freshman, because it packs boatloads of info into easy-to-digest lists on every possible topic. Practical, real-world advice on everything from study habits and reading lists to sex and drugs. Straight talk delivered with humor and real understanding of what the college-bound kid is about to face. Some of the lists are just for fun, which makes the rest of the "advice" -- like a daunting list of 101 books she should read by the time she graduates -- easier to swallow.

This lady is brilliant. Anyone who thinks that stenciling isn't an "art" has yet to read this book.

I first decided to buy the book because I had not done stenciling before and was considering doing some of it on projects I have under way with a friend. It appeared to have the "basics" I needed and some clever ideas to boot. Was I surprised when I finally sat down, almost a month later, to actually read the book. I literally read it from cover to cover. I couldn't put it down!!

Not only does Sandra Buckingham present the basic techniques of stenciling, she gives the reader a short course in art and design. She does this without bogging the beginner in too-much-information all at once, but with clear concepts and how they are applied throughout the book
(my favorite tip is that things don't cast shadows on the sky behind them!) Along with the notes on materials, equipment, care of tools, and safety tips was information on color, design and perspective.

While the author states up front that this is not a book of "projects" to produce, in fact many of the illustrations of technique would be workable as projects as they are presented. Her primary intention is to provide a compendium of techniques to equip the reader to do their own projects in novel and creative ways, and she succeeds quite amply. I thought of dozens of ways to apply what I read and have definite plans for using them.

Although many of the techniques the author presents are probably more than a little time consuming and some of them fairly complex, that their results are stunning is immediately apparent from the wonderful photos in the book and obviously worth the time spent on them. I have no doubt that the clients for whom she has produced these miracles are more than pleased with the results.

Especially delightful were the picket fence (p. 190) and children's room designs (p. 151-157). Even something as simple as a saying stenciled on the wall over a child's bed made the room more charming and personal (p. 264). My immediate thought on seeing the latter was that "someone loved sleeps there."

Amazing too were the impasto techniques that create an architectural or embossed look where they were used. The description of the method seemed very straight forward, and I will definitely give it a try, on paper projects if not on a larger scale. The foil and metal embossing also caught my attention as easily learned techniques that I might use in the immediate future for one of the projects on which I'm currently at work .

I found the artist's trompe l'oeil effects were tremendous. The fresco painters of ancient Pompeii would have been proud of her work. The rich looking red and gold drape on wrought iron rod (p. 168) and the delightful checkered gingham swag over headboard (p. 169) were impressive enough, but the shear curtain suspended from rings (p. 171) is utterly breathtaking!

If you're interested in new techniques for multiple types of surface, whether paper, wood, plastic, glass, ceramic, plaster walls, whatever, this is the definitely the book for you.

I picked this up through the "buy used" option from Amazon at a very reasonable price, although its worth the retail price and am very happy with it. I do a lot of crafts/stencils and find this book to add much to my knowledge base for stencilling. It's really complete and quite a substantial book. The pictures and text are thorough as well as inspiring. I will definately utilize the techniques shown. If your beginning or already an experienced stenciler this book is a good resource to have in your library. It seems so good to finally buy a book that delivers what it sells. Alehar

Sandra has done it again - written the ultimate bible of stenciling! Many new and wonderful techniques are shown with clear instructions and wonderful step-by-step full color photographs. The chapters on faux marquetry and imitation textiles was fasinating, showing that anyone can stencil beautiful finishes with the best part being, it doesn't look stencilled! The designs are very up to date, touching on all the hot decorating trends. She also includes classical designs that will be here forever. I have been teaching stenciling for 15 years and I'm going to recommend this book for both my beginners and for seasoned experts. Perfect for all you 'Trading Spaces' followers who want to easily and quickly add a new painted accent to your home. I am going to try a velvet scarf with the amazing devore technique, I think they might just be what everyone on my gift list will be getting this year. I can make lots for a fraction of what it would cost to buy them. Sandra finishes the book with lots of sources for materials and a detailed reading list. If I could give more than 5 stars I would! Can you tell I'm trilled with this book? It's the first and only review I have ever written!

You can't go wrong with any book by Sandra Buckingham, and she has really outdone herself this time. This has to be the most comprehensive book on stenciling ever published.

Stencilers who want a complete handbook to the art, from choosing between materials and tools to understanding paint differences, glazes, and equipment, will find The Complete Stenciling Handbook packed with essential details. The chapters on how to create different stencil effects, from producing raised art to using layered patterns, supplement techniques and discussions with plenty of color photos illustrating finished results. An excellent comprehensive guide.