Themes Books

This book is very interesting, we took it on our last vacation and will probably take it with us again. Playing in the sand is fun for everyone. We learned a lot, but a weeks vacation is not enough to learn everything, so we'll be using it for years to come :)

I finded this book very usefull to persons (like me) who really want to start in a seriously way the construction of sandcastles: ggod and usefull tips, instructions that take you step by step in to this hobby.

Try "Beach Lover's Guide to the Perfect Sandwich" This book would go great with Sandcastles Made Simple. After all you'll be working up quite an appetite making all those sandcastles.

This is a great book if you are a budding sand castle enthusiast. It tells you what kind of sands are best, even for a backyard sand box. Detailed and well photographed so you really grasp what they are telling you. Even includes sand creations you can make with children.

This book is so fun I can't stop reading it. The descriptions of techniques are excellent, and the illustrative photos are even better. I'd say it's the next best thing to taking a live lesson in sand sculpture! It's really going to enrich my weekends this summer. I recommend this book to anyone who is going to be spending any amount of time on any beach in the near future.

As usual the photos in this calendar are spectacular. I like the info on holidays and cycles of the moon. I have used this form of calendar for years - keeping all personal and social info in one place. I go through and add birthdays, anniversaries, engagements to the calendar for the entire year. It helps meet deadlines for sending gifts or cards to friends and family. I also record the tasks I do in my job every day. This is very helpful in writing reviews, reports and in keeping my resume up to date. I also tape in invites, programs, tickets, etc. - resulting in a great journal. It's fun to go back over the years to 1974 when I started working and enjoy the year all over again.

I use this as my appointment book and I keep it by the phone. I get one every year and have never been disappointed with the photographs. It is a nice size to keep on my counter by the phone and it has plenty of room to write. When I am talking on the phone I enjoy looking at the beautiful photography that I can really get lost in. I think it is a good price for such a practical and beautiful item with so many amazing photographs.

Every year I purchase a new Sierra Club Engagement Calendar. One year I purchased an Audubon Society Engagement Calendar because I could not find the Sierra Club one, and although it was nice, it didn't begin to compare to the Sierra Club images. The weekly format is easy to navigate with plenty of room to write your day's scheduled activities, plus small enough to tote around with you if you please, all the while getting a great new picture to look at every week. I sometimes cut out the pictures and frame them to put on my desk.

This is just the perfect calendar for a person with just a few appointments per day. The photos are fantastic. I would give it full marks but some of the extra pages at the back have been eliminated. Those included pages for addresses and phone numbers. Now that information has to be put in under "Notes" which means not enough room for one's notes.

Once you become accustomed to an egagement calendar that starts very logically with Monday and finishes with the weekend, you will never go back!

'Smitten' is absolutely adorable but the two JPEGS that have been` uploaded beneath the book in the upper left-hand corner are not the professional work of Ms. Hale's. I know because I own the book. Amazon should taken them down.

An absolute fabulous book. The pictures are amazing and the words are uplifting. A must for every cat lover!

I got this book for myself and my daughter immediately fell in love with it and walked off with that copy but I like it so much that I bought another copy for myself that I will hide. This is a wonderful book; the pictures and the captions are incredible. A must-have for anyone that loves cats or even remotely likes kittens or cats.

This book is one that you can flip through again and again. Not only are the kittens absolutely adorable to look at, but the photographs are so well done that it's impossible NOT acknowledge how talented Rachael Hale is. It is sure to make a great gift for anyone and everyone, no matter what the occasion is. With those precious little kitties captured in the cutest of moments, paired along with fantastic quotes leading you towards a happier life, how can you go wrong?

-- Absolutely irresistible.

I bought this on a whim through a book club offer and am so happy I did. It is soooo wonderful. The photos aren't just *cute* but also well-shot. They have an artistic bent -- not just another cute kitties book -- and are very uplifting. The author pairs heart-melting photographs of kittens (mostly 6 weeks old) with day-brightening quotes from various authors and philosophers.

For some reason, looking at their happy little furry faces never gets old, and never fails to put a smile on my face. This is a wonderful book to get and to share with the other animal lovers in your life. :-)

The book is displayed proudly in my home. I read the book and enjoyed the narratives on each chapter and the comments of each artist. I was very pleased to see the different "twists" and "spins" of each artists work. Looking at the pictures, you can almost touch the colors, textures and the spirit of the work. I've been to several art shows in which some of the featured artists work were on display. I had the opportunity to attend a quilt show in Huntsville AL to hear Yvonne Wells talk about her work and I was extremely pleased that the works of quilt artists are being highlighted in one woman/man shows. The book was long overdue!!!!! Thank you to the artist C. Mazloomi!!!

I received this wonderful book from my son,(via an Amazon gift certificate) for Mother's Day. It is very meaningful because I've had the pleasure of meeting and viewing the works of several of the featured artists including the author. The women are as warm and vibrant as their creations and willing to share their God-given talent with emerging quilters like myself. The colors in this book leap off the pages and wrap themselves around you , just as the original quilts were meant to do. I agree with another reviewer; even if I didn't know which end of the needle to thread this will be a most cherished gift. I am extremely & excitedly inspired.

My daughter bought this book for me and I will be forever in her debt for doing so. I am a fairly new quilter, and have been looking a long time for quilts that would reflect the african diaspora. This one does it in spades. The colors and artistic expression of the quilts is unparalled. Kudos to those who submitted quilts. It has been an inspiration to me.

If you're looking for inspiration for your quilt making, this is the book. It's like taking a walk through a museum of history and culture. Filled with color photos.

Having the pleasure of seeing the traveling exhibit of "Spirits of the Cloth" before it became a book was the first thrill! Having met one of the quilters through an African American Quilting group on Prodigy, it is now a pleasure and privilege to see not only the work of Kyra Hicks in full color, but also those of the many talented artists in this art form. It is a book that makes it possible to take quilting beond its borders and add new dimensions to the concept of quilting! Way to go, artists in this book!

I designed shopping carts for 5 years. After I left that company, I saw this book. I bought it as a gift for my former boss who was the owner of the company that made shopping carts. I thought that he would get a kick out of it. Before I gave it to him, I decided to glance at a few pages and ended up reading through the whole book before I gave it to him. I sort of felt bad since the book is now officially used. He loved it anyway. It was interesting and it has inspired me to do something similar.

When I first heard mention of this book (in The Believer magazine), I laughed out loud at the concept...

I laughed out loud when it showed up on my doorstep, too. The effort and thought put into the development of this silly book is tremendous. The result is an excellent play on the concept of field identification guides.

Whenever people see this book on my coffee table, it becomes a conversation piece. Funny, funny stuff.

Received the book last week- funny read and the pictures are amusing for a while...then the "field guide" aspect of the book may be a bit too complicated for a "fun read". It's quite a complicated work-up that the author had contrived, and while impressive- I was using too much brain power while reading something that should be entertaining. I don't think I have enough room left in my brain to store field guide info on shopping carts- even just to make it til the end of this book! But maybe YOU do! :)

As a certified straycartologist I applaud the effort to publicize this issue. I only hope we can convince those crumb bums in Washington that expanding our coverage to the rest of North America can only be achieved with copious federal spending.

Like the question burning in the loins of Lewis and Clark before us, what will the West reveal? My crotch is afire with this question: what will the West reveal about...ourselves? [For full effect, deliver that last word in a fervent whisper]

This book is easily one of the top four reference guides for shopping carts available on the market today. It does an excellent job of covering the following topics:

* Shopping carts

Overall, I heartily endorse this product.

I love this book, I havnt been able to put it down, It brings me back to the days when I surfed, and is filled with the way surfers use to be.

I don't often read through surfing related books, although I buy them if written by guys like this whom I watched as a kid from a great distance. They typically sit on my coffee table and serve as boredom busters during commercial breaks. But this book was different, fun, and easy to read. Some good life lesson insights from a guy who admits he is nobody's guru. He admits most of his mistakes and passes on some sage advice for young Groms who are just trying to figure it all out. My favorite rant he gave was in the chapter "I will paddle back out". Very good and inspiring. Good job Shaun.

I certainly enjoyed the philosophy and thought provoking points Shaun made throughout his book, Surfer's Code. I only wish all surfers were able read it, especially the young ones that just don't know anything of the history of surfing, its etiquette, and the principles of right of way on the wave. Having surfed since 1956 @ the age of 14, I have litterly grown in the sport and am still very actively surfing today, and I was still able to enjoy and learn from the many of the excellent points Shaun made.

"This zone where waves give up their energy and where systematic water motions give way to violent turbulence is the surf. It is the most exciting part of the ocean." ~ Williard Bascom, Waves and Beaches

Surfer's Code is a beautifully designed book with a sturdy cover and high-quality pages with stunning photographs of surfing. World-Champion Surfer Shaun Tomson presents his wisdom from the surfing community and translates what he has learned into lessons you can apply to life on land.

The book begins with stories of his father and the beginning of his surfing career. Shaun Tomson reveals the challenges and rewards of surfing all while he focuses on the wisdom gained from his experience: "I learned to trust in all the steps that have gotten me where I am. The result is that I feel better about myself, and I have a lot of fun pushing myself into more challenging situations." He also explains his ideas about why:

I Will Catch a Wave Every Day
I Will Watch Out for Other Surfers
There Will Always Be Another Wave
All Surfers are Joined by One Ocean

If you love surfing than this is an essential read showing the behind-the-scenes reality of a famous surfer. The creative writing, quotes, exciting experiences and lessons learned make this a fascinating mosaic of experience. Throughout his life, Shaun Tomson has faced many challenges and he shares his thoughts on life on land and in the ocean and creates lessons you can take with you while facing your own challenges in life.

"I was flying along in almost complete darkness with the wave breaking around me in slow motion. Suddenly the board dropped back down onto the surface of the water, and I came flying out of the barrel into daylight." ~ pg. 154

~The Rebecca Review

This was one of those books that are impossible to put down until you have reached the unexpected emotional end. I found Shaun's elite level surf descriptions immensely enjoyable. I don't surf, but my beloved husband lives the surfer's code, (both in and out of the water), and now I share an inner understanding.

You don't need to be a surfer to enjoy "Surfer's Code". Shaun's 12 lessons don't only apply in the ocean, they can and should be used in all our lives. The world would be a much nicer place! Thanks Shaun. x Cinnamon Stephens

This book has a nice variety of vintage signs. It is great to see the original color of the neon since I am restoring an old Pegasus that came off a Mobil gas station.

The author appears knowledgeable and it is difficult to find books on this subject. It is fun to read the short discriptions of the histories of the signs and anecdotes from other collectors.

Anyone who grew up with neon signs would enjoy this book.

I just recieved this book as a gift and I love it. The book is filled with color photos of neon from around the country, and includes a fair amount of info on each sign. I was unaware this book exsisted until i recieved it, but it was a pleasant surprise. This book is a must have for vintage enthusiests, and fans of neon in general.

Properly titled VINTAGE NEON (as shown on the cover) this book contains incredible photos and narrative of these beautiful works of art. Fans of "Americana" will especially enjoy this fading slice of American Roadside Life.

Mr. Davidson's expertise in both the technical and artistic creation of neon is more spectacular than the lights themselves. Although expensive, this book is by far the most authoritative glimpse the craft and its appreciation than any other volume ever written. In the vernacular of the modern generation, it is 'tubular'. Almost every conceivable manner of neon is included; businesses include car showrooms, shoe stores, butcher shops, bakeries, motels, drive-ins (both theatrical and eatery), and in abundance, restaurants. Locations include many havens of neon distribution, such as the author's beloved Philadelphia, Route 66, California, and a much overlooked plethora of vivid glamour, Vancouver British Columbia (Canada). This volume is absolutely enchanting for anyone who has ever spent a night in a lodging illuminated on the exterior by a tint of pink, green, yellow, or blue. Of the 200 books in my personal 'Roadside Library', this is my favorite. Anyone who treasures illumination will consider "VINTAGE NEON" enlightening.

A tribute to the forgotten signmakers of the 1920's through the present. Lots of color pictures contributed by neon sign enthusiasts from around the country. Expensive, but if you like old signs, this book will make you happy.

The Way We Live: An Ultimate Treasury for Global Design Inspiration

Houses, castles, rooms, gardens, people, colours, moods of every description. Beautifully photographed. As the title indicates the way we live with the following description 'an ultimate treasury for global design inspiration'. It is certainly that. Just wonderful.

Have you ever walked or driven past someone's home and wanted to look inside? Looking through this book is a bit like that on an international scale. The book is a beautiful work of art in itself, the presentation top class, the paper quality excellent, the binding great. It is packed with marvellous photographs of interiors, accompanied by descriptive text. What it isn't is another of those boring interior design books, filled with rooms that are painted offwhite, with large mirrors, potted palms and overstuffed sofas. This book is interior design getting real!

brilliant pictures of landscapes from around the world and homes. I particularly enjoy the pictures of various stairwells together or doorways for example.

Stafford Cliff has collected images from all around the world and with the help of superb photographer Gilles de Chabaneix has done what few other innovators in design have done - created a book that is, yes, about design, but is equally about how climate, place, ethnicity, tradition, cultural philosophies, and history inform the decisions people make about their living environments.

Not just viewing the gracious homes of the wealthy of the planet (though there are plenty of gorgeous 'palaces' of design to please the most art hungry eye), Cliff views the differences geography makes in dwellings, from spectacular vistas of the sea to the mountains and to the deserts, and how the climates influence the manner in which 'design' is used. As interested in discussing and sharing the most humble abodes with the most lavish mansions, Cliff doesn't miss a beat as he and de Chabaneix journey to places obscure and places of notoriety. The emphasis is always on the manner in which the people of these dwellings adapt and incorporate their living spaces to their environment.

A book that is both sumptuous in design itself and tender in its approach, THE WAY WE LIVE will appeal to both students of design and to those who long to understand the essence of living, wherever they travel. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

I thought this book was exceptional.
This book deals with design in all parts of the world, but much more than this it gives you the feeling of the cultural richness of people who live in these spaces. It is visually beautiful and evocative.
I think the photography is outstanding. The photograper has a real knowledge about light and composition. It is rare, I think, to have so many excellent photos in a single volume. Along with this, the narrative is direct and insightful.
For those interested in design, the book offers many ideas for all types of settings. None of the ones presented are stereotypical or stiff.
The most winning aspect in this book is the realism and beauty that we are able to see around the world. The colorful, serene, and eclectic nature of many settings make this book a delight to read over and over again.

This book is full of fascinating stories and discussions of the dioramas and their impact on animal drawing and animal conservation movement.
The pictures are excellent. Good for children just becoming interested in the field as well as adults. Highly recommended. mj

My father introduced me to the wonders of the American Museum of Natural History at the age of five.The Hall of African Mammals was the highlight of my first interest in the 1930`s.The dinosaur exhibit and ocean life can capture the imagination and fascination of any child.
Windows on Nature is a must have in the library of any one with an interest in Natural History.

This was a gift for my mother who visited this museum years ago. It brought back great memories we had when we went. The book was very well done.

Stephen Christopher Quinn, Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History (Abrams, 2006)

Dioramas are amazing things. Looking at them may not make it seem so, but that, more than anything, is testament to the artistry practiced by the men and women who construct them. Windows on Nature goes behind the scenes of the construction of the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History in New York City.

This is a coffee-table book, so there are a large number of excellent pictures of the dioramas themselves accompanying the text on how they were created. Both are as fantastic as they are fascinating. If you're a fan, this is a must-have. ****

There is nowhere beneath a roof, anywhere on earth, that means more to me than the great diorama halls of The American Museum of Natural History. It is stunning (and, really, rather sad) that it has taken this long for a popular book to be written about these magnificent works of art and science, but at least it has been done well. (It is also gratifying to see the book getting such good--and well deserved--reviews here.)

For many millions of people habitat dioramas have been their first taste of the beauty, calm, and nobility of wild creatures and wild places. More people are familiar with nature documentaries these days, and since I love good documentaries too I can't really complain about that. Nonetheless there are some things that habitat dioramas, when done well, can convey that the flickering image, even on an IMAX screen, just can't. No medium portrays the spacious calm of wild country, and the simple dignity of wild animals, better than dioramas. It's also important to remember the valuable record dioramas can provide: many of the dioramas in this book are of places no longer wild.

Stephen Quinn's credentials for writing this book are probably as good as anyone alive. He started as an artist for the museum and has been an important force in helping keep the medium alive through the dark years of the 60s to 80s, when across the U.S. it was frequently neglected, if not despised, by curators though not, blessedly, by the general public. Things are at least somewhat better now, and Mr. Quinn is now project manager for exhibitions at the museum. He has done a fine job with this book. The text is engaging and informative and the photos are big and beautiful.

I do have a few quibbles. He sometimes uses the word "captured" for animals collected (read killed) for the dioramas. I'm sympathetic with why he felt he had to do that, given what he's trying to do with the book and given the cultural forces with which he must contend. The moral issues behind hunting and museum collection are complex and beyond what a book like this could be expected to cover. Nonetheless, animals are never "captured" for taxidermy.

I should hasten to add that animals do not need to be killed specifically for taxidermy. Many if not most animals mounted for museums in the last few decades died in zoos, were hit by automobile traffic, etc. That generally was not a realistic option at the time these dioramas were created.

My other reservation is deeper, but harder to articulate, and I don't have a real solution to it. I also know that a lot of readers will be unsympathetic with it. I'm not completely comfortable with "behind the scenes" stuff in anything other than technical manuals, trade magazines, etc. The people who made these dioramas were of course just people but had high ideals (ideals that Mr. Quinn without question shares) and they wanted the dioramas to be about their _subjects_. His behind the scenes writing will engage people more with the medium and is interesting in itself, no argument. But how much does it really help to have people thinking "I wonder if that rock in Diorama Z is the one that employees used to go to make out behind on their lunch hour."?

I don't know the answer, and so I can't really fault the author. I also recognize that many of the reviewers here loved that aspect of the book. My hope, and I'm sure it's the author's as well, is that it will all stay in perspective. Let's hope that's right. It would be very sad to see dioramas become the subject of the kind of psychologizing and trivializing that permeates the world of "fine" art.

That said, this is a beautiful and well-written book about a noble, if often neglected, realm of art and natural history. If you've read through a long review like this one about a book on this subject, I promise you won't regret owning it.

This is a really cute book with beautiful pictures. I like the quotes that have been included as well.

This book is filled with beautiful pictures that any one would enjoy. I bought it for myself, but my mother ended up with it. The photographs are amazing.

I bought this book and 101 Salivations for my mom for Christmas. She loves both of them and looks through them regularly.

Beautiful photography of gorgeous cats and kittens. In the back of the book it tells a little about each cat and how picture was taken.

If you love cats as much as I, you will NOT be disappointed. This book is full of wonderful photos of cats and kittens. Rachael Hale has a real gift. This makes a great coffee table book that you'll page through again and again.
Enjoy! Kathi Brunelle