Hair Books

Wow, what a big laugh hair stylists must get when they get the people in their salons fixing these do it at home haircuts! Spend the $8 and go to supercuts...

Basic hair cuts for kids, men and women. Awesome step by step photography which is invaluable for the visual learner like myself. I bought this book to cut my family's, my sister's and her kids hair and it it really delivers. If you want to learn trendy fashion cuts then you should probably consider going to college. This book demonstrates classic cuts and is great for no-college home use. Good Value.

As a cosmetologist, honestly I should thank the author of this book for sending us so much business. Every single day we get clients in for for a fix-it from an at-home job. I'm not joking.
This book teaches many of the techniques we're warned against in beauty school. The haircuts shown are dated and not attractive. The tools it recommends are NOT what a real hairstylist would be caught using, but cheap Walmart alternatives. (Example: my shears cost $200, and I pay about $100/year to have them maintained.)
There's a lot they teach you in beauty school, in my state, the learning process is 12 months long, full time. A good hairstylist is an artisan, they have mastered a skill. They understand different hair types and can anticipate what that type of hair will do when it's cut in a certain way. And ask any hairstylist, they will tell you that it's what you learn *after* beauty school and on the salon floor that really counts. I've done 6,000 haircuts in the past 3 years. The skill I have doesn't come from a book, it comes from the experience I have as a stylist.
Also, in beauty school we learn safety and sanitation techniques that cannot be learned from a simple book.

Do your family a real favor, save your money from buying this book and take them to a salon. When your kids are grown and see their old elementary school pictures they'll thank you.

Talk about pictures; it has lots of it in every page. For every style, it shows you 2 -3 full pages of pictures.
It gives you recipes for do-it-yourself shampoos and conditioners. Might be interesting at first to try it. (Will you do it if a bottle of shampoo in stores cost only a few bucks? With all the hustle and mess of making it and still not sure how will it smell or feel on your hair?).
The book discussed some of the basics, like what things you need, scissors, combs, etc. How to hold the scissors,...then it stopped short. It continued with the styles picture book like assuming you already know how to cut hairs. It seems something it the middle of the tutorial is missing.
Not a lot of discussion about how to use a shaver which what I imagine I would need to use most of the time.

But then with some of the positive reviews. It might just be me. So, check it out first at your local book store before buying it.

I was looking for a book with some pictures to help my wife give me haircuts. The only methods used were funky, didn't have the standard male haircut in it

I am an adult and I simply and quite frankly thoroughly enjoy this series for a young adult audience...it's just plain fun to read. Golden is not my first encounter with this series (at this point I've read nearly all of them...only four more to go) and while it's not the worst in the lot (Water Song, IMHO), it's not the best either (Before Midnight, Scarlet Moon, and The Storyteller's Daughter are my personal favorites). I also have to admit that Dokey is one of my favorite authors writing for this series, two of her books are listed as my personal favorites. Golden is an adaptation of Rapunzel with a few new twists which add to the fun. I found it interesting that Dokey chose to omit, from the very beginning of the story, the golden hair element of the story (or at least it seemed so), but went with it hoping that a clear reason for this would come later in the story...and sure enough it did, in spades.

The remaining elements of the story are fairly traditional...though Dokey does make the witch more of a sorceress and give her a "good guy" part in this particular version. Here there is no "ultimate bad guy" (a la wicked step-mother)...rather the "bad guys" are more subtle, much less `in your face' than us usual for a fairytale. Here Rapunzel (for what else could she be named?) comes by her circumstances in almost exactly the traditional way (mother craves rapunzel, a kind of parsley; husband gets parsley; husband gets caught and a bargain is struck)...but here is where one of the twists occurs. The sorceress doesn't demand the child, she strikes a bargain whereby if the mother cannot love the child "as is" when it is born, she will take the child away. The father is mortified and doesn't want to agree, but ultimately an agreement is reached...and of course, Rapunzel winds up with the sorceress -- the mother being entirely too vain and selfish to accept her newborn (because she is bald as an egg). The mother hands the child over quite readily, much to her husbands dismay and sadness, and away the child is whisked.

This particular version goes much more in depth with regards to Rapunzel's childhood and her time with the sorceress (Melisande) and allowing us to get to know Melisande as well. Usually, we learn nothing of the sorceress or the reasoning behind wanting the child in the first place. Dokey does a fine job, giving us a plausible and emotionally satisfying reason for it, which made me quite happy. Unfortunately, the author spends so much of the book on this element that the twist with the hair and the tower comes almost too late and is somewhat awkwardly shoved into the storyline. Don't get me wrong I adore the idea and think it highly clever, but the timing is unfortunate. It is near the three-quarter mark that Melisande's real daughter is introduced into the story and this, quite naturally, creates hurt feelings for Rapunzel who has only just found out Melisande is not her real mother. Additionally, the time-frame for the two girls to work out a solution to the second girl's imprisonment makes the ending a bit hard to swallow. I did love the trick with the hair and how it worked as the conveyance into the tower...quite a nice take on the traditional "throw down your hair" method.

Overall, it's a fine addition to the Once Upon a Time series and an enjoyable adaptation of the classic fairytale, Rapunzel. I give it 4 stars though because the ending was a bit too rushed and I felt like Rue was not given adequate time for the reader to get to know her (or even really care about her) and that the interaction between her and Rapunzel (and the Prince) suffered simply by being too rushed. I would have liked to see this part of the story given a bit more time and space to develop more fully. I feel that would have made the ending all the more enjoyable. While I didn't completely enjoy the ending, I would still recommend Golden for any reader who loves fairytale adaptations, you could do a lot worse!

I love retelling, my love of them was started by Robin Mckinly's Beauty. This book is horrible! I couldn't follow the dialog, and half the time the characters were interrupting each other with pointed stuff that didn't have anything to do with the story. It was such a short story that I expected it to be simple and straight to the point, but no! It kept taking all these pointless tours through territory that was boring, time consuming, and hard to follow. I will never read another book by this author again. Please don't waste your time.

I love reading retelling of fairytales...but this was all 'tell' and very little 'show'. It was a cute story, if you don't have anything better to read. I kept waiting for some sort of climax or real conflict, but the climax was more of a molehill rather than a mountain.

Sweet but with enough tension between the characters to avoid being gooy. Interesting twist on the fairy tale.

After not being able to belong in her mothers heart, Rapunzel is taken in by Melisande, a sorceress that Rapunzel's dad took rapunzel from. Having no hair, Rapunzel must always wear a kerchief to hide herself from everyone so they do not make fun of her. The town starts to believe that there is a bad omen and want to run Melisande and Rapunzel from the town. There do we start to find out the secrets that Melisande holds in her heart and to see if Rapunzel's is as strong as Melisande believes it is... for Rapunzel's sake.

This is a beautiful retelling of Rapunzel. It doesn't show Melisande as the evil sorceress but as a caring one. The one that we "hear about" in books is actually a wizard, not a witch. Nice twist there. There are several twists and turns that I enjoy in this book.

I must disagree with the first reviewer. The ending isn't all that predictable for in other stories in this series you think one thing will happen (When it comes to relationships) and something else happens (Before Midnight anyone?) So I was going to throw the book across the room if what I thought was going to happen happened.. But it did not. This is another fine work by Dokey.

This book is a must read for any black woman who is wanting to have regain healthy black hair. This is a simple book to follow and tips that I continue to use on a regular basis.

I started a hair club with family, friends, and co-workers, using this book as the instructional manual. It provides excellent information for maintaining and growing relaxed hair.

The pretty packaging and the promise of reliable information for improving my hair's health got me to buy the book. While the book is well organized and an easy read, there is only a small amount of reliable information that was repeated many times. The author is well-intentioned but is not a hair professional and shallow research does not make up for lack of expertise. There were little mistakes such as "there is no need to sacrifice your length by getting your hair trimmed after every perm" when in fact how often you should get your hair trimmed depends on both the condition of your hair and on what type (fine versus coarse, for instance). While she states what experts say about what temperature to wash your hair in, her opinion is "honestly, it doesn't matter because the effects are barely noticeable." What does she base this opinion on? Please, wash your hair in warm, not hot, hot water. Hot water for too long is drying to skin and hair. Overall, there is some good information for women with relaxed hair only which is almost completely contained on her Do's and Don't's Lists (4 pages).

I really enjoyed this book. I lot of what the author says is common sense (stop using heat, wash the hair twice weekly, protect with satin scarf at night) at least to me but it just took someone to organize the info and write it down. I lot of folks (who have natural hair) have given this book a bad review but I don't understand why. She clearly states in the forward/introduction that this book is for those that chemically relax their hair and for those that would like to continue to do so!
She doesn't go on any unnecessary rants about professional stylist trying to sabotoge your hair growth efforts nor is the book a vehicle to sell a specific line of haircare products.
The chapters are organized in a clear and consise manner. There is a chapter on scalp problems and a chapter on determining the status of your hair whether its healthy, stressed, or damaged. She also gives precise instructions on how to maintain you hair at home while getting major stuff such as relaxers and color in the salon. She also talks about taking care of your hair form the inside out thru the use of vitamins and exercise. And if you have hair problems due to thyroid disease, that is talked about as well. The only thing that I find lacking in the book is the fact that there are no pictures of the no-heat hairstyles she describes. Other than that, this book is very cool and infomative! I recommend it highly!

if you have relaxed hair! Its a must read for you. I purchased this book after deciding that I was tired of wearing my short 'Halle Berry style'. I'd worn it for over 10 years and was sick to death of it. I'd never really allowed my hair to grow past my chin. However, it was around last year when I decided to really get my hair in order. I'd been relaxing it at home and that is a NO NO for me! I was relaxing too often and that was causing breakage. Overall I have pretty healthy hair. I left the coloring alone years ago and I've always used high quality products on my hair, however, I was not using those products correctly or effectively. For instance, I didn't know the difference between a protein shampoo or moisturizing shampoo. So sometimes I'd use a protein shampoo and conditioner together and end up with very dry hair...NO WONDER!
Now, I know that our hair needs MOISTURE, MOISTURE, MOISTURE.
I started getting my hair healthy by getting a weave put in for a year! Yes, I had one put in last July and vowed to keep it in for a year (Of course, My hair was cornrowed beneath and it was taken down and redone every 6-8 weeks and I washed between and I also kept my cornrows moisturized). When I started my hair was ear length. I found a great stylist that cares about hair and listened to me. Each time I went and she took my hair down it was just longer and longer. I had a huge, huge, huge afro. I was amazed by the growth in such a short period. My hair just needed a break! Now I am happy to report that my hair is below shoulder length! I kept it natural the entire time I wore the weave. I just let the relaxer grow out and had the ends snipped each time I had it taken down. So my relaxer was a virgin one and it looks beautiful. It's as long as the weave was!
This book has helped me to keep my hair healthy. I read the book in one day and find it very simple to follow. I think the author did a great job with this book. I am using Mizani Products. I am also using Emergencee by Nexxus (Protein treatment). The greatest advice she gave was to get the protein treatment the week after getting your relaxer. It's so easy to follow. Also, I don't use ANY heat now. I will use for special occassions only. I wear protective styles updos 3-4 days per week to protect my ends and I keep my ends oiled day and night (I use Mizanis H20 night treatment for this). My hair is beautiful. I can't tell you how many compliments I receive on it. People can't believe the length and it's growing each day. I also plan to take the recommended breaks twice a year with weaves. Get this book. You don't have to follow it to a 'T' but do follow the general steps in this book and see what works for you.

When I first ordered this book, I had no idea of the treat I was in for. Reading the author's own experiences (not unlike those of many of us; I was one of the ones whose own hair was loosely curled or "good"), we get a glimpse into just how much we've been taught to despise our own standards of beauty and accept another standard of beauty. As another one of my favorite authors (and hair naturalists) Lonnice Brittenum Bonner brought out in her book "Good Hair: For Colored Girls Who've Considered Weaves When the Chemicals Became Too Ruff", children are not born hair outlaws; they were created. Fortunately for us, it is not too late to educate ourselves and our children on the beauty of our own natural hair. For any parent or guardian (I have my niece with me) with children with a head full of beautiful, springy curls, this is a must-read.

I am a caucasian parent of twin girls of African American heritage. I was hoping for some solid information about hair care do's and don'ts. The girls' hair is not of the same texture that is discussed throughout the book and treatment of different textures is not addressed. The sections on infant care and shampooing were good, although I'm not sure they're applicable to us. I was able to take away some useful tidbits of information but I would feel more confident if my girls' hair matched that of the models in the book.

As for the styles, I think if I tried to do any of them that I would have a problem. The photos get you started but some additional photos could fill in the details.

This book is awesome. I have had many chemicals placed in my hair. Now that I am trying to go natural, and making sure my daughter does not make the same mistake, I find the book provides good information even for myself. The author knows her stuff.

I've read the good reviews so I was excited to get the book. I was dissapointed because I feel that it's more for black children or I guess children with "kinki" hair hence the title of the book.
It's basic hair care that alot of us who are familiar with black hair already know. If you aren't familiar with black hair then this is the book for you. If you have a biracial child and their texture is on the curly side then this is not the book for you! People who are not familiar with the different textures of black hair assume that curly and kinki are the same, it's not!
Now the search goes on for another book...

I was searching for a book on hair care for black children. I used the prior reviews to make my decision to buy this book and hoped that it was as good as stated. I love the book! It provides an education on how to care for black children's hair. These same techniques can also be applied on adult hair. I wear long locks, my oldest daughter wears small locks and youngest daughter wears her hair in various natural styles. I especially appreciated the references to natural hair products such as jojoba and essential oils to style and condition hair. The book provided techniques on how to relax children prior to hair care and emphasized making sure chilren are occupied while actually doing the hair (braiding, locking etc). The book touches on our various hair textures and educates on the types of tools (combs, brushes, hair pins etc) one should use on these various hair types. It also provides a small section on hair accessories such as beading. The book is written in simple language and also provides pictures of various hair styles for children. I highly recommend this book for all and especially new parent of African American children or rather all children of African descent. In countries where European type straight hair is the majority (tv,movies, magazines), it is especially important to keep magazines, and books that show natural hair styles. Show these to the children often so that they understand how to take care of, style, appreciated natural hair and see beautifully styled natural hair.
I also recommend the following:
-Dreads
-Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey
-Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter
-Carol's Daughter Tui Leave-In Conditioner

Good book. Very helpful. The book is not what you think it is, but I won't blow it's cover. Insightful, smart and funny. Worth it.

As a rule, I am very skeptical of the many hairloss resources our there that at the end of it all have one agenda, to sell me something. This book is one of the few honest places I've been to and really got something out of it. I whole heartedly reccomend a read.

I was disapointed with the book, its more like a counsiling book than a hair loss book. If i wanted counsiling i would have bought a counsiling book. I read the book in an hour.

What a rip off! Was not amused at all. Extremely misleading and deceptive. I have a very good sense of humor and appreciate this guys story but I would have appreciated some honesty in the advertising of this book, rather than a play on words. I would be more apt to laugh and see the point of his story if he would refund me back the price of the book and keep the shipping and handling as a "tip". The irony of this all is that this joker will probably make a sizeable amount of money from this book and then go visit some world renowned hair transplant surgeon for "the works". He will then release a sequel to his book and entitle it, "How I duped thousands and raised money for my hair transplant, and then some". What sucks more than losing your hair is losing money to jokers like this in the process.

I don't get some of the negative reviews as the book never claims to cure or solve hairloss. Its clearly someone's take and experience on the matter and its a damn good one. You never read the stuff that this book talks about and it should be read by anyone who is looking seriously at this issue. Folks who are looking for desperate, quick fixes are going to end up making some stupid and rash decisions. When weighing your options or just looking to enlighten yourself in healthy ways of dealing with your hairloss, this book should be a must on your list of reading.

Very well written. but if a guy like me, who would be interested of going to check some of the places out. Being that I am in military, I am going to planning to take a vacation and go check this out.

As the other reviewers point out, this is another shameless attempt by Henry Hill to profit from the hard work of others, namely Martin Scorsese, Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, and Joe Pesci. Any one with a minimal knowledge of organized crime could have written this book. Henry Hill makes the following insightful comments, "New York has four seasons and five crime families." "The worst trip to NYC is if you don't come back (alive)." "If you mispronounce Houston Street, you'll get whacked." Oh yes, Mr. Hill, the SoHo and Village residents will definitely kill when a tourist thrusts such a heinous indignity upon them. Complementing stories that aren't even up to New York Post standards are quite possibly the worst photographs I have ever seen. Photographs include the following: nightclubs at 10am with the shutters closed, an abandoned factor that could be anywhere in the US, a chain link fence at the end of a road, and surveillance shots of fatuously inflated lowlifes hanging around a junkyard. The unfortunate thing about this book is that it could be good. A serious book about the mob by one of its members could very possibly give insight to the rest of us. This is not that book. In Hill speak, other mobsters should have him `whacked' for embarrassing them since readers may assume the average mob mind is as weak as his.

I reccommend all tourist to NY have this book so not to miss all the great historical sites clearly provided in the book!

I didn't read this book until i was in new york, and i spend the whole morning druising around manhattan with it in hand.

it's funnier than other stuff henry has done- much lighter, but a great read nonetheless.

I loved this book.

It's really easy to read, nicely researched and great fun.

Recommended...

I'm fascinated by your review of Ray Oldenburg's book _The Great Good Place_ without have read it. That's rather like a child saying he doesn't like spinach without having tried it.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Ray when I was editor of _The World of Beer_ out of Milan, Italy, when Alan Eames ("The Beer King"), who damned well lived in a small town - 300 - in New Hampshire, recommend the book to me. After reading a copy I made a point to meet Ray upon my next trip back to the United States.

Ray is indeed from small town America. He began his teaching career in Round Rock, Texas, back when the population was about 2,500. Today he makes his home near Pensacola, Florida. And has lived in a succession of small towns.

Ray's premise is that CITIES in America have lost their third places and we're the worse off for it.

Fabulous book, interesting man.....

Joel Jacobs
Commerce, Texas
US Navy, retired

I discovered this book after reading Willaim Raspberry (Washington Post Writers Group) commenting on his retirement. He found the newsroom served as the Great Good Place for him and rued that Americans don't have "informal gathering spots where one finds not just escape but camaraderie, conversation, friendly argument and pleasant conversation with regulars."
The civic solidarity and building of community that such a place fosters is sorely needed in America. I think that is one of the reasons for the dedication Rotarians give to their service organization. The weekly lunch meetings are structured, rather than informal, but otherwise fill the need for a Great Good Place.
I'd also suggest to those seeking a such a place, to check out their public library. Particularly in a small town, it can be the place where regulars run into each other and fall into discussion. Finding a spot where one can sit and chat without bothering students and readers depends on each library's layout.

This book is a heartfelt and nostalgic lament at the loss of vibrant local communities and the disappearance and exclusion of the various shops and places that facilitate the spontaneous, daily neighborhood interactions that are essential for viable communities. As the author notes, American society has undergone tremendous changes since WWII: sprawling suburbanization, an automobile culture, and reliance on home entertainment, mainly television. The isolating tendency of these developments is reinforced by planners and zoning commissions that do not permit neighborhood hangouts like taverns, cafes, and the like to be located near developments of "dream" homes with their sculpted lawns.

He calls community enhancing places "third" places because they fall just behind the home and workplaces in terms of time spent, though in his estimation are no less important. They are a necessary complement to domestic and work lives. He discusses the general nature of "third" places, as well as specific examples, including European pubs, sidewalk cafes, and coffee houses. Several characteristics are generally found in "third" places. The places are inclusive; titles and status are checked at the door. They are usually unpretentious buildings without a lot of distractions that detract from conversation and camaraderie. The same-sex nature of most such places eliminates self-conscious formalities of dress and behavior. According to the author, one could hardly exaggerate the benefits that both individuals and communities derive from gathering in "third" places. The enhancements to a viable democracy are especially noted.

Virtually all "third" places have disappeared from the American scene; they have not been a part of new development since WWII. The German beer gardens and vibrant small town streets long ago vanished. Now taverns, coffee shops, and the like, often located in strip malls, are populated with strangers having arrived via automobile, not to mention the prevalence of loud music and other diversions that further inhibit conversation. A larger social tendency is to simply remain encapsulated at home surrounded by technical gadgetry like HDTVs, DVD players, computers, iPods, CD players, etc. This circumscribed, isolated world must bring smiles of joy to the automotive, oil, real estate, finance, and construction industries as well as the huge consumer goods suppliers. It's difficult to see how broader democratic views necessary for our society will be developed in these restricted, lonely environments with only the simplistic, if not misinforming, patter of the corporate media available.

The notion of close communities is hardly an unequivocal good. The author scarcely acknowledges that communities can be highly coercive, requiring strict adherence to prevailing community practice, and exclusionary to those who differ in some manner. It is doubtful that the open-minded, gregarious men of the author's communities are as ubiquitous as he implies. However, there is no doubt of the severe ramifications to both individuals and the larger society in the near total absence of active communities. Furthermore, the author's forays into the psychology of the sexes and the desirability of separation in relation to his third places seem flawed.

There will be no return to main streets in small towns and urban neighborhoods associated with manufacturing where the residents worked and associated with each other on and off the job. Today's reality is the complete divorce of place of residence from workplace locales, not to mention the 24/7 nature of work with extended hours. Workplaces can and do take on some of the characteristics of the author's "third" places, though his caution concerning power differentials in workplaces is not to be taken lightly. Likewise, voluntary associations, including churches, and the vast array of activities associated with raising children afford opportunities for socialization, though generally falling well short of the open ideal that the author postulates.

The residents of the communities of the past were not wiser than we are today. They did not plan their communities. The communities were a result of population size, and the co-location of homes and work. They had no political power to define their communities, but it was not particularly needed. But that lack of or eschewing of political power is entirely inadequate in this era of vast trans-national corporations dominating nearly every facet of our lives, including those aspects that define communities or the lack thereof. It is a fallacious claim that we do not have a "planned" economy, as though that happens only under socialism - the fact is, we do. The suburbanization of America, the vast highway network, the rise of the gasoline-powered automobile, and dominance of vast media empires supported by gadget manufacturers are due to the private planning of huge corporations. But these private acts have profound public and social consequences, yet citizen input is never requested or in some cases is suppressed by various means. Community enhancing measures will never again just happen. The exercise of political power will be required. But of course that assumes that a sizeable percentage of the citizenry understands what community requires, actually wants community, understands the obstacles, and is willing to back candidates in sufficient numbers and locations to effect change. In today's propagandistic and free-market capitalistic world that is a very high hurdle indeed. More likely, pseudo-communities will continue to be built, drawing upon the language but not the substance of community.

The book is thought-provoking. The author captures well that we are encapsulated in our private worlds with only marginal means to connect with others, unlike the easy sociability that once existed in some places. However, his emphasis on looking longingly at communities of the past will help little without accompanying suggestions about how to turn around our social structure. The author really does little of this. In a democracy, it is through political power that social change driven by citizens can occur. We can all see how change occurs that is dictated by huge private entities; that is the principal reason that "great good places" have essentially disappeared. It is even possible, though again most unlikely, that empowered citizens could create better and broader communities than those described by the author.

The project of The Great Good Place is to demonstrate why public spaces-- particularly gathering spaces-- are essential to the health of the community. It is an interesting and attractive thesis-- one that will speak clearly to most of his intended audience. Who does not harbor a nostalgia (even if an inherited nostalgia) for the town pub or the "place where everybody knows your name"?

Oldenburg does a good job building his case. He looks at characteristics and benefits of third places and then chooses examples from history and other cultures to illustrate the ideas.

A friend of mine remarked that The Great Good Place was one good idea repeated over and over again for 300 page. Not entirely fair, but there is some truth to it. The book also suffers from being oversold. For instance, the publisher's subtitle implies that hair salons are part of the topics that are covered. In fact, they are barely even mentioned. I suppose that the publicity that this relatively academic text made it nearly irrestistible for the publishing house to try to spice things up for the average reader.

Honestly, three stars might be the most fair rating for the book. In addition to what feels like some occasionally thin material, I feel that the author elides or ignores the potential negatives of his third places. All the same, I ended up rating it four stars because I generally agreed with his ideas. That agreement made me predisposed to enjoy it. So for me, the fourth star is because I found it pleasant to read.

Recommended for people with an interest in the social value of public spaces.

Drawn by the concept of a "third place" as described by this book and referenced elsewhere, I thought I'd read to find out what this was about. In the end, this was a fascinating and thought provoking book. Mr. Oldenburg posits that much of our societal ills today are resultant from a lack of free association. That is, the places where people congregate / hang-out are disappearing because of urbanization, industrialization, etc. One example, the German beer garden (and its descendant in the US with early German immigrants) as a family affair - as, economically, there didn't seem to be any reason for such an institution in an "American" community, this venue slowly disappeared or devolved into the bars we know today - focused on serving alcohol to the subservient and willing. In fact, Oldenburg points out, the beer served in the beer garden was weaker than what we know today because the point was not the beer - the point was the association and conversation within the community, among families.

As we move towards a "private property society" and focus on "property rights" as we seem to understand them, the ability to be social, without prior planning, is slowly eroding. Simultaneously, the places to "hang out" are disappearing as a consumer driven market seems desirous of generating the most profit for the fewest people (corporations). Because of a desire for inexpensive goods, a local business, owned and operated by nearby residents, is next to impossible - especially in the face of the mass market competition from large corporations.

I think Oldenburg hits the nail squarely on the head. As I drive around (in a car-based economy), it's increasingly difficult to find a place to "hang out" and/or become a regular. (1) Restaurants are driven towards specific time limit for customers in hopes of turning a larger profit by serving more customers; (2) American bars are not conducive because service deteriorates if you choose not to imbibe and those that also serve food follow (1); and (3) the notion of coffee shops not driven by 1 or 2 are few and far between. Even assuming that there are such places of the "third place" variety, it more often than not requires a car to get there (not to mention paying to simply park near a place).

Anyone interested in property rights, humans as a social animal, and the notion of a "community," should read this book.

I think the book was good but it could have been better. I agree with another review which said that techniques on palm rolling and flat twists were scant. It would have just been better to leave these two styles out, than to have step-by-step instructions on other styles and nothing on these two. I am guessing Mrs. Bailey and her associates do not want to give away too many tips and secrets and it left me a little disappointed. Overall the good was very good but I agree the instructional portion should have had bigger, clearer pictures. I liked "Let's Talk Hair" better also.

This is the definitive book on styling and caring for natural hair. The book is large and has loads of information.
It had everything from sanitation,consultations, essential oils to the how tos of braiding, locking and styling an afro. I have had this book a while and I still have not finished reading it. I have already tried a couple of styles on my daughter and the book was really helpful. As I get deeper into the natural care business I will use this book more and more. I have not gotten into essential oils and herbs yet but it is good to know that there is a whole chapter on that.
The only thing that is missing is there isn't anything written about Sisterlocks (tm). This system has been around since 1994 but is relatively new in some areas. Sisterlocks (tm) are showcased in No Lye and Let's Talk Hair, my other favorites.

I had to get this book for an african hair braiding class. We didn't even use the book. It doesn't teach you techniques, but there are good hair care recipes in the book. If you want to learn braiding techniques your better off looking in a search engine for braiding videos.

I am truly glad someone has came out with a book about natural hair because not everyone likes perms and things in their hair. It truly does makes a different when you want to be one hundred percent real.

This book was great! when or if you decide to be natural , Or if you already are, you will learn something new.Great info about SEVERAL natural hair styles, braids, with or with out extensions,afros,twists,Locs/Dreadlocks.The pics were Great!,Fabulous info on essential oils,great recipes,this book is great for someone who is going to school for natural hair or someone who just wants to learn. It is a TEACHING book, healthy hair begins from the inside out.What I liked about the Loc section is that it is straight up and to the point,REAL locs will NOT happen over night. Page 245 sums it ALL up, I like how she saved the best for last!I'm partial though cause I have locs:)This book will teach you how to be natural and stay natural.

Nothing too special here. The author wanted to select 999 of the best horror movies, then curiously squanders a lot of those slots on mainstream films that in no way qualify as horror. He also covers a lot of sequels, most of which he despises, so it's not clear why he listed them at all.

For better or worse (and I prefer a little idiosyncracy in my reference books), he has his biases. The output from Universal Studios from the '30s and '40s is favored (along with anything else involving Karloff, Lugosi, and the younger Chaney), as are a lot of Hammer's early works. (And every single Stephen King movie to that time seems to be listed, too.) Slasher films are typically dismissed as formulaic dreck. The output of most of the Italian directors is given short shrift. And Mayo has a mortal fear of seeing children in jeopardy, so any film that suggests anything along that lines is seriously downgraded.

It could've stood one more editing pass to dial back on the repeated references to "Grand Guignol", "dead teenagers", and his inistence that approximately 717 movies influenced or ripped off "The X-Files".

As with other Videohound guides, it has massive indices and a sturdy bibliography. It's a handsome-looking book, although the page count is a bit bloated by overly generous margins. It's only ten years old, but as a pre-DVD work it's a bit dated.

It's certainly worth skimming through and keeping around as a general reference guide, but the selections are a bit odd, and sometimes his judgment is just a bit odd. I mean, when you're dissing the John Carpenter version of "The Thing", I just can't take you seriously.

This book covers films from the silents through the 90's. It includes a wide variety of horror movies, from early suspense films and classic monsters to slashers and a few films that only peripherally link to horror. The reviews are good reading, and include references to other viewing in a number of places. There are several good indexes also.

The only down side is that the book is a bit dated, not in content (any movie guide is dated as soon as it is released) but by being written before DVD's and widescreen TV's became the norm. This is a minor flaw, but I would love to see a new version of the book (hint, hint!)

This is an excellent listing of horror movies to rekindle memories or to suggest what to hire from your video store. Most horror films are here but not all. Critters is one of my favourites that is not in this book. There is a short summary of each film along with a rating and opinion. Obviously you are not going to agree with all the opinions and ratings. There are also summaries of different directors who have been influential in the horror genre. A listing of alternative titles at the back of the book helps you to quickly locate a film, as all films are in alphabetical order if you can not originally find it. There is also a list of all the actors who have been in horror films and information on what other horror movies they have been in. Photographs from various horror films are also included making this not a bad reference book.

I bought this book right when it came out oh so many years ago. Since that time I've thumbed through it on countless occasions when I thought I'd seen everything there was to see...or had at least heard about it. This book invariably brought some film to my attention that I had some how missed before. In that regard this book it wonderful.

There are some flaws, though. The first is the authors rather lax definition of the horror genre. This leads to the Wizard of Oz being included along side the Wizard of Gore. Somehow that doesn't quite jive and it makes me wonder sometimes what honest to goodness horror movies got excluded to make room for these selections. Second, the author tends to keep things very mainstream. This gripe was answered some when I looked through the Videohound cult movie guide and saw that many of the more fringe titles I hoped to find in the horror guide were included there. Finally, the author's tastes skew very Anglo-American to the point where I don't think that European productions that aren't from the UK get a raw deal in his reviews. However, this is more of a difference of opinion with the author than an actual problem with the book.

On the whole this is very good pickup for someone new to the genre and a find that will reward even the most seasoned horror enthusiast.

I was given "Videohound's Horror Show" as a Christmas present the past year, and just finished working my through it the other day. I have to say I was really disappointed overall. As other reviewers point out so well, why are "Alice in Wonderland", "Platoon" and "Wizard of Oz" included here? There are so many movies that may have horrific elements in them, but they are still not horror films. Even if you take those films out of the mix, the biggest issue I have with Mike Mayo's work, is that he is approaching and reviewing these films with a main-stream sensability. Mayo's approach to most of the films presented in this book are written as if for a non-horror fan audience. Most horror fans know what to expect with a "Halloween" sequel, we aren't looking for quality film making like "Shakespeare in Love". We just need to know if Michael is creepy, what's the body count, and are the special effects worth the ticket price? I was hoping to find some "new" titles here, but to be honest even a casual fan of the genre, will be pretty familiar with the movies listed here.
The one aspect of this book that I did like, was that Mayo was not into giving away spoilers. Rarely does Mayo spill the beans about any twists or shocks pertaining to any of the films he reviews, and that was a breath of fresh air.
As a horror fan I would recommend you check out "Legacy of Blood: a Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies" by Jim Harper instead of VideoHound's offering. "Legacy" doesn't cover nearly as many films, and sticks just to the Slasher genre, but it is well written, and features reviews written for horror fans by a horror fan. Jim Harper "gets" horror, and knows what a horror fan wants.

I was discouraged to learn that this book was no longer in print, but after doing a little research found that it can be purchased at www.cornrowsandco.com for $19.95 plus shipping. I hopes this is helpful to someone!

As a natural hair care provider, of un-processed/chemically free African-American hair textures, I purchased this book to offer my little clients some styling options for their natural hair. I love showing my little clients and their parents this book. It gives some great brief articles on proper management of our youth's hair. And OHHHH the young girls and boys in the book are adorable. Now if you are looking for step by step instructions of how to achieve the hairstyles showcased then this book is not for you. However there are a few step by step or diagram instructions on a few of the styles. I feel that this book is a must have for parents/guardians etc. of African-American children. Even if one is creatively or dexterity challenged in hairstyling this book has something to offer.

This book offered great pictures of many hairstyles that can be recreated on a varity of textures and lengths of hair. This book also offered great advice on how to properly care for childrens hair. If you want to learn how to braid hair, this book does offer some instruction. But in order to learn to braid, twist, part, etc. hair, you will have to practice. This book will provide many hairstyles for you to use for practice and/or so your child will look cute.

Fun format and plenty of beautiful high quality photos. This is a great book for non-nappy haired parents of nappy-haired kids. It is well written with fun style ideas your children will love. Makes hair styling funner and more POSITIVE! Good book to have in your collection.

I received this book as a gift from my cousin. This was a well thought out gift. The photographs are soooooooooo cute. My daughter enjoys looking at the photograps of the children's natural hair styles. It is a good book to use to enforce positive hair images in African American children. I enjoyed reading outloud the positive words that described each style to my daughter. This book includes instructions on how to do each hair style. A good book to have in your hair library.