Beauty Books

I had the pleasure of meeting the author several years ago at a book convention that introduced the first edition of her book. I got a copy which I have read and re-read and have thoroughly enjoyed. Patricia McLaine has packed this volume with incredibly useful and insightful information about the Tarot. It is one of the few books on the Tarot that I refer to over and over again.

Although this book is an advanced Tarot book, even a beginner can understand and use it.

Pattie McLaine is a leader in the field of self discovery. Each chapter in the Wheel of Destiny takes the reader toward an understanding of why we are here and where we are going.

From the folly and wisdom of The Fool to the nurturinginfluence of The Chariot to the honor and responsibility inherent inThe World, tarot psychic and author Patricia McLaine takes the reader on a memorable and informative spiritual journey through the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot. After a brief introduction to the system each chapter begins with a basic presentation of a key, including Hebrew letter, key words and occupational aptitudes. Then every possible position of this Key within the Master Spread is discussed for a thorough understanding and ease in interpreting the Life Path of our selves and others. The careful and reflective reader will learn his or her own special role on the Earth plane and in worlds beyond space and time as revealed in our own 'Wheel of Destiny.' This book is highly recommended reading for all serious students and practitioners of tarot divination and metaphysical studies.

Without repeating what other reviewers have said about the content and composition of this book, I do want to reiterate that it is an excellent and fascinating study of life in Restoration England. (For newbies, that refers to the reign of Charles II.) While there are some problems with readability that the original author (Charles Melville, in the 1928 edition) did not fully resolve, such as smoothly incorporating all of his quotes into the text--it is nevertheless a greatly enjoyable book. As much of it comes from diaries and correspondence that were contemporary to the time, the reader is treated to the uncensored opinions that people only write privately, or at most, to one or two other people--usually--but we get to "eavesdrop" as it were. Rich, gossipy, full of small details that delight--it's a painless history lesson. You learn about the period, the monarch, and the mistresses (many of them, at any rate) by people who were there. It is not a scholarly book, which I mention as encouragement for the casual reader; but it is a fabulous introduction to the time, and to a great many amazing characters that you will find yourself wanting to know even more about, afterwards. That's what I call history at its best! Many thanks to Victorian Heritage Press for publishing this valuable work.

Reviewed by Joanne Benham for Reader Views (08/06)

Samuel Pepys was born in London, England in 1633. He attended Cambridge University, graduating in 1654 and became a well-known man of business in London, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge as well as an appetite for pleasure. In 1660, Pepys began keeping a diary in which he recorded all of the details of his life in London.

At approximately this same time, Count Grammont of France arrived at the English court after being banished from the French court of King Louis XIV for seducing the King's mistress.

Lewis Melville used the memoirs of Count Grammont and the diaries of Samuel Pepys extensively when he wrote this book in 1928. The book is a fascinating look into the inner workings of the royal court of King Charles II of England woven around a series of pictures commissioned from Sir Peter Lely by Anne, Duchess of York, who wished to have portraits of the most beautiful women in the court. The eleven portraits were called "The Windsor Beauties" because they were originally hung in the Queen's bedchamber at Windsor Castle.

This revised edition, supervised by Victor R. Volkman, retains the original text. To help the reader better understand the political and social issues of the time, Mr. Volkman has added a large glossary as well as extensive footnotes. He has also added a proper bibliography for anyone who wishes to do further reading.

The Windsor Beauties is the first of a series of restorations Mr. Volkman hopes to do, introducing the great literature of the 17th and 18th centuries to a new generation of readers. I spent several wonderful hours reading this book and then many more online as I started reading more and more about the people in this book.

The Windsor Beauties: Ladies of the Court of Charles II is the newly revised edition of the classic 1928 text. An absorbing masterpiece that meticulously and faithfully renders the day-by-day interplay of court life during the reign of Charles II of England, especially focusing upon those women notable enough to be immortalized in a portrait project at the behest of the Duchess of York, The Windsor Beauties is sparsely illustrated with black-and-white copies of the famous portraits. Yet the real draw is the eye-opening, unrepentantly honest written account, now enhanced with a new glossary, bibliography, extended footnotes for lay history readers, and the first-ever translations of French language poems, letters, and epistles. Highly recommended especially for lay historians and writers planning to pen court life period pieces.

As an editor and biographer, Lewis Melville (the pseudonym for Lewis Saul Benjamin) produced numerous works of literary and social history. Though written nearly a century ago, his books on such figures as William Makepeace Thackeray, John Gay, and Lady Mary Wortley Montagu persevere as well-written and insightful studies of their subjects. This book is something different, a collection of chapter-length biographical studies of women who were prominent in the court life of King Charles II. Eleven of them were noblewomen who were the subjects of a series of portraits commissioned from Peter Lely by the Duke of York, to which Melville added studies of the Duchess of York, Nell Gwyn, Louise de Keroualle and the Duchess Mazarin.

First published in 1921, this book has been reissued by Victorian Heritage Press in a revised edition, with explanatory footnotes, translations, and a glossary added. This is obviously a labor of love, one designed to make Melville's enjoyable accounts accessible to a new generation of readers. Though the research could have been more solidly based (I had a problem with the reliance on Wikipedia as a source, especially when the shelves overflow with so many excellent scholarly works on Stuart England), this is a welcome resuscitation of a useful study of the English upper class in the 17th century.

this book is big on graphic presentation and stylish layouts with some helpful skincare and makeup guidelines. Skin types are broken down into just dry, oily, normal and sensitive (most women have skin that falls into more than one of these categories). There are some good suggestions for what color cosmetics to wear depending on your hair coloring, but skin tone is probably more important than hair color when it comes to choosing colors. There are nice basic instructions for makeup application and how to pick the right red/brown/etc. for your coloring, as well as a checklist of makeup and tools.

I have somehow managed to reach 20 without buying anything more in the way of makeup than lipstick, mascara and lip balm. The idea of buying foundation was scary enough, let alone knowing how to apply makeup properly. This book has eliminated the mystery of makeup and skincare. I believe every woman should own this book, it is essential in understanding your skin and enhancing your best assets.

So many times, it's difficult to find make-up advice if you happen to have a unique skin coloring--and especially if you're of a diiferent race! Chic Simple gives easy to follow advice on how to make the best of the features each one of us have--not just the 8 supermodels in the world!!! Not only that, but there are a lot of pictures to show what they mean. I really liked the section that explained what all these toners and cleansers are really for--and what they really do! Also, it tells you how to REALLY figure out what kind of skin you have & how to take care of it. If you don't need to use an astringent, it'll tell you. Believe me, this book will take away confusion from the make-up counter! You'll end up saving money because you'll get what cosmetics and skin care products you need--the first time!

Me. I've never touched makeup...no one in my family wears makeup and most my friends don't, and the one who do wear the minimum...I'm in COLLEGE. This is a great book for beginners. I picked this up and it breaks the subject down to the very basics. Skin care according to skin type, the best of kind eyeshadow color that goes with color of skin. Goes into the equipment you need and has a directory of resources. A good entry-level kind of book...I would definitely recommend this.

A must have for anyone with a collection of pre 1930s shoes; well organized and illustrated; invaluable for analyzing, dating, and describing women's footwear.

This is the book that you want to own if you have a collection of women's shoes to catalog. The front matter of the book includes "Fig 1. Parts of the Shoe" which features 16 illustrations drawn by the author diagramming the terminology for common parts and pieces of shoes, basic types of front-lacing footwear and common heel types. Part Two, Dating Women's Shoes, 1795-1930, offers steps for dating a shoe and five chapters devoted to every aspect of the shoe: upper patterns in shoes, upper patterns in boots, heels and soles, variations in lasts and materials/decorations. Part two alone has over 400 illustrations of individual shoes elegantly drawn by the author with a caption to explain the style/type described. The text of each chapter tells you everything you wanted to know about uppers, heels and decorations in an energetic, meticulous and succinct writing style. Each illustration/shoe is further described in a credit section at the back of the book. Appendixes discuss: "How leather is made" and "How shoes are made", and include a "Partial Listing of Shoe Manufacturers as compiled from Labels and Advertisements," which is particularly valuable when trying to decipher worn labels. The glossary of 15 pages is thoroughly written so that one can feel confident using the correct terminology. Part I, A History of Women's Footwear in America includes the chapters: A Brief Look at the American Shoe Industry, Women's Shoes and Female Stereotypes, a Chronological Overview of Shoe Fashions, The Correct Dress of the Foot, and Shoes Adapted for Sports and Protection. Every aspect of the subject matter is laid out before you so that a beginner can feel confident dating and describing a shoe while those interested in fashion and costume history will treasure the wealth of information and the precision with which the author covers her subject. I can't imagine anyone writing a better book on the subject than this one.

This great book is a very interesting reading and one of the most valuable sources for dating the shoes. If you work with historical shoes or just love shoes you cannot just read it once - you will be always using it! On many occasions this book actually helped to date the shoes correctly.

Since I received my delivery of _Women's Shoes In America, 1795-1930_ from Amazon earlier this week, I have been unable to put down this extraordinary book. Nancy Rexford's work is a magnificent contribution to the field of costume history. I understand that it took Nancy 14 years to research the information for this book. I have no doubt that she will soon be acknowledged as the leading expert on the history of American shoes. Women's Shoes in America is divided into two main sections. The first section is "A History of Women's Footwear...". This section includes chapters on the rise of the American shoe industry (fascinating), cultural stereotyping, sporting shoes, etc. The second section of the book is "Dating Women's Shoes, 1795-1930". This section is a well organized and easy to follow guide on how to date shoes by their various parts; eg. heels, soles, uppers, trimmings, etc. This is a book every museum, dealer and fashion lover will cherish. You will be wowed by the author's breadth of historical knowledge, thorough research, clear organization, easy to follow identification key and her beautiful illustrations. For me, the icing on the cake for this book is that it is also so very literary; simply a delight to read!! I highly recommend it!

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This program really works the thighs. I wish it was available as a video.

I checked this book out of my local library, and used it for the specified time; three times a week for 30 minutes. The exercise directions are clear, and best of all, the exercises themselves do not require much space or equipment; just a chair and a rubber ball. With the help of this program, I was able to fit into my wedding dress!

This program of exercises is definitely not for lazy people.
But if you really follow all the instructions you WILL get perfect results in a couple of weeks. The more you work on it, the more you are inspired by changes in your look.

I'm 26. Now my butts, thighs, legs look better then they looked when I was 15 :) Amazing!
Highly recomended.
(A little secret: You have to be hard on yourself doing the program)
Good luck!

After these exercises my butts, thighs, legs look better then they looked when I was a high school student. Amazing! :)
The more you do the program of exercises the more you are inspired by the changes in your look.

If you want the results you have to follow all the instructions carefully and you have to be hard on yourself. This program does miracles with your legs if you do "work your butts" :)

Good luck!

Sarah Giovinetti has taken the "cloak and daggar" away from the Modeling Business. This book is a clear, concise guide to agencies, photographers, etc internationally to assist you in planning your career. Thank you Mrs Giovinetti!

I found this book to be informative and an all around treasure of facts for the aspiring model. Thank you, Sarah, for compiling all of your research and knowledge of the industry into one source!

I found this book to be informative and an all around treasure of facts for the aspiring model. Thank you, Sarah, for compiling all of your research and knowledge of the industry into one source!

This little book is well worth every penny. The pictures are gorgeous, and the breadth of ideas is incredible. Even if you just need occasional "help" in deciding what to wear or how to spice up an outfit, Chic Simple Accessories will help.

At first glance, this may seem like merely a pretty picture book, but if you take the time to look closer, you will find advice for building a classic, comfortable, versatile wardrobe through the wise use of accessories.

My favorite part of this book is when the authors take one outfit (say, white blouse and black pants) and show it with different accessories. This tactic really illustrates what a difference accessories can make. It also makes me look at my own wardrobe and think how I can achieve different "looks" with accessories rather than buying different clothes.

The other gem of this book is the accessory checklist at the back of the book, divided into categories: basic gear, ornamentation, work, evening, summer, and winter. These two pages are worth the price of the book alone.

I had been wanting for some time to break out of the dowdy Librarian mode. I decided to start my transformation with a book on the basics on accessories and Accessories (Chic Simple) fit the bill perfectly. It has wonderful pictures which enhance the copy making it more understandable and interesting. It also has information about where to purchase every item in the book and how to maintain the items after purchase. It tries to stay with the classics and tells you how to handle the trends. After reading this book, I feel ready to make accessory purchases that will make me look and feel confident

I am a beautiful black woman.

I have read many hair care books and this one is the best for relaxed hair. It is a text book. It has great pictures and step by step instructions. If you want to know how to wrap, fingerwave, make a basic roll, how to apply a relaxer, color etc, this book is for you. Better than a hair care magazine that shows mostly weaved hair. I'm a natural curly girl but I don't have a problem with healthy relaxed hair.

As we all know, these people who write these books are'nt going to share every secret of the industry, but this book will bring you closer to those well hidden secrets. I have never bought a book that was so detailed in every aspect from hygiene, nails, hair braiding, weaving, cutting, and styling. I was very much so satisfied with the photos, illustrations, and information given in this book. Its is in fact all worth every penny.

I've been collecting shells for many years but i never thought of the complexity and perfection of their patterns! This book describes in a simple way the mechanisms that produce the surface decorations of shells. It takes reader in a fascinating trip in a world of algorithmic shapes and colors!

I came across this book at the Rhode Island School of Design library. As an artist I found it surprising that what I had considered to be just a beautiful pattern was actually an imprint of the pressure and movement of the waves upon the seashell. This insight was very thought provoking for me. Perhaps to biologists this is a normal and natural thing - but for an artist this kind of scientific approach with beautifully illustrated pages is a deeply moving experience. This book will definitely make you think twice about the objects that you take for granted - whether it's visually or scientifically. I strongly recommend this book for those who like intellectual challenges and who like to look at the world with fresh new eyes.

This book describes, using a computer, The geometry involved in the building of seashells and in particular the surface features. It shows the how and why of surface decorations found on several species of Mollusks. This is probably the only book to treat this subject and do so extensively expertly and comprahensively.

I've had this book for about six years and I still consult it at least monthly. Fabric vendors love to use hundred-year-old cryptic terms to describe fabric, most terms referring to the manufacturing method. Having never made my own fabric, I am not familiar with these terms. This book closes the gap and explains how the fabric is made, where it originated from, the predominant use of the fabric and its sewing characteristics. If you have a fabric stash, you need this book.

I also have the Silk and Wool books which are equally good (though I don't sew on wool or silk nearly as much as cotton).

The only fabric book comes with real fabric swatches. A great reference for fabric artists. You know how sometimes you want to achieve certain quality but don't know what material to use. The description of each fabric helps me to choose the right material for the right projects and make sure it stays that way forever. I also learn more materials for my fabric sculpture. I finally found this ideal book after so many years.

I love fabric and love to sew, but don't really know much about the fabrics I use. These books are so well-designed and well-written that it is a joy to learn from them. Be sure to buy the versions with the fabric samples included - that's what makes these books so special!