Models Books

I read this book for the 2nd time, will most likely read it a 3rd time, and use it for reference from that point forward. Every woman who has the spirit of an entrepreneur should have this book on her bookshelf. It is REAL informational and uplifting, it is REAL inspirational and most of all REAL life.

It was wonderful to read the stories of the amazing women who had visions and dreams and turned them into realities. This book will inspire women everywhere who are looking for direction, encouragement and real life success stories.

Kaira speaks from the heart and is not afraid to talk about her own challenges and trials and it is a quality that I admire.

What I enjoy most about Real You Incorporated is that it is a book I will continually refer to as I develop and grow my part-time business. I appreciate Kaira's perspective on "keeping it real". I am right now working on developing my brand, thanks to RYI. I had never thought about trying to picture what my business would look like walking down the street. This is helping me to better clarify the look, feel and attitude I want my business to project. Real You Incorporated has been and will continue to be a valuable resources for me as I define the "real me"

A truly inspiring book! What a wonderful concept - to achieve your goals in business, you have to be true to yourself! Kaira's message is empowering to women entrepreneurs but also to men and to women in any walk of life. A step by step process to help discover the real you. This is a book you will want to read over and over!

While Kaira's book is given as advice to women entrepreneurs it is equally relevant to men or any group. Her emphasis is to first, identify who you are and then implement the "you" in your business and yourself and then your brand. Truly a great read which shows how we flourish when being ourselves and are surrounded by others who share the vision of the group. Terrific ideas on how to be all you can or want to be - both in business and in the rest of "you". This book is for real.

I'm not part of the target market for this book but I found the information on corporate branding to be practical and inspirational. Having started two software companies, I can tell you from Real Experience that the author's advice is sound: tell your company story, figure out the problem you are going to solve and position your company from day one. The author's personal story about positioning and branding her company in the Real Estate market is quite compelling. The environmental branding advice alone is worth the price of the book, for both male and female entrepreneurs.

I wish I had these two books Square rigging and fore and aft rigging fifty years ago when I got involved in building and rigging all types of sailing ships from cat boats to clipper ships and other multi masted sailing ships.The detail makes a lot of thing easier to duplicate and enhance ship model building highly recommended and essential to the novice and intermediate model, may even help some of us older folks

Lennarth Petersson's "Rigging Period Ship Models" is pure gold for the modeller.
Even an unfortunate illiterate can follow along to produce accurate rigging.

The only text in the volume is a Table of Contents, a one page Introduction by the author (explaining why he chose the late 18th century British frigate 'Melampus' for his illustrations) and an Index in the rear of the book. The remainder of the volume consists solely of three dimensional illustrations annotated with call-outs.

Unlike other books on rigging, each page illustrates with clear line drawings one part of the ships rigging. As there is no text, there is no need to page hop between text and illustration. These illustrations make it easy for the reader to understand how each part of the rigging was to function and how it was rigged.

I would recommend the modeller use a copier on the particular page showing the rigging he is trying to model. In such fashion, he would have the illustration always handy on or near his workbench.

This book represents money well spent by the modeller. I highly recommend it.

Fred Weinzweig,
New York

Well here we go again, another book putting me closer and closer to discarding the instructions that came with my kit. For a model builder, life would be difficult without this book. Every rigging line is right there in front of your eyes. Just for clarification, there are no step by step instructions just complete drawings of rigging sequences. All lines are labeled for you on there perspective drawings and there is a set of excellent belaying plans for you near the end of the book. No reading is necessary, just looking. I wondered about its price tag for a book with only drawings but soon realized that all this info in one source was available no where else. Well designed and an informative resource.
Michael

What I REALLY liked about this book, to get right to it, is that I understood every direction immediately. Now, you need to know that there are hardly any words in this book!!! That's right, it's basically just a picture book of one specific line or line set. The drawings show you where the line runs, where it's tied off, how it's tied off, and that's all!! It's great! No complicated wordy instructions to translate, just the lines, clear and easy.

The ship that Mr. Petersson uses for his example is the HMS Melampus, an English frigate (36 guns, 18 pounder). By using his drawings, you'll get to know the finer points for that period, but take care here. If you are building a "Mayflower" (as I am now) or a "Victory", "Wasa", or "San Felipe" you'll need to make a few adjustments in your building from the drawings. Just don't copy the picture, match the lines purpose to your particular vessel, if that vessel even had that line.

Great reference, and you should have one. Thanks Mr. Petersson, who by the way lives in Sweden!!

Boy, I wish I'd got this first, instead of some other books - this is just brilliant.
This book does just what its title says, teaches you in oh-so-easy steps how to rig a period ship. It makes no pretence at describing the different sizes of rigging and blocks (other books provide that info), but it does tell you exactly where each line is attached, which blocks it runs through, and, most importantly, where it is belayed ... in full-page, easy-to-understand line drawings, with all extraneous detail removed, and call-outs showing which is what. As one browses through, it all becomes clear ... rigging is not arbitrary, there are rules, and they make real sense when presented in this accessible manner.
The body of the book has ONE page of text - the rest is ALL graphics - brilliant!
In another review, I complained about that book's lack of clarity on belaying-points; this book tackles that problem in spades!
Anyone requiring a book on accurate routing of running and standing rigging need look no further - gets my 5 stars!

David Dole has accurately researched the prewar era of Lionel Trains in detail with descriptions and great photos. If you are collector or just interested in old toy trains young or old you will enjoy this book. The pictures of the actual trains and copies of pages from the old catalogs are worth buying the book for. My grandchildren love looking at David Doyle's book on Lionel Trains.

This is definitely required if your are intrested in these trains or thinking about purchasing one. It is a total and complete refrence for every item released in those 42 years. It has ratings, and excellent photos. It is like have an encyclopedia for my trains, as I use it to find a particular engine or engine or car #. Hats off to David Doyle

David Doyle's new Standard Catalog Of Lionel Trains 1900-1942 is the most complete guide available for Lionel products: collectors won't want to be without it. From the turn of the century until World war II, Lionel turned out toy trains for kids of all ages: over a thousand color photos blends with pricing guidelines for different conditions to accompany a history of Lionel products. Organized by type of product, from passenger cars and ballast cars to box cars, collectors will find this quite an easy reference to use.

David Doyle's new Standard Catalog Of Lionel Trains 1900-1942 is the most complete guide available for Lionel products: collectors won't want to be without it. From the turn of the century until World war II, Lionel turned out toy trains for kids of all ages: over a thousand color photos blends with pricing guidelines for different conditions to accompany a history of Lionel products. Organized by type of product, from passenger cars and ballast cars to box cars, collectors will find this quite an easy reference to use.

Very help in determining age and type of Lionel items,and value before purchasing or selling.

This is by far the best book on vintage Star Wars action figures that I've ever read (and I've read just about all of them)! Covers all VINTAGE Star Wars figures (and most vehicles and playsets) released by Kenner between 1977 and 1985 (perhaps the author will consider including a section on the Ewoks and Droids figures in the next edition?). Tons of full-color PHOTOS, and tons of details and information you will not find anywhere else. Here are some of the highlights: (1) great photos of every loose and carded Star Wars figure every released - including important variations, (2) a complete description of every version of every cardback ever released, (3) a nice section on vehicles, playsets, creatures, and cases, and (4) thorough sections on promo and mailer items, POTF coins, multi-packs, pre-production items, and store displays. I even found the price guide to be more credible and helpful than most. All in a high-quality book with nice, thick, semi-gloss pages. Great for the new or intermediate collector; but, even serious, long time collectors and professionals will likely learn a lot from this book.

Beautifully photographed and exhaustively researched! Nothing like it exists out there. Could we persaude the author to do a volume for the 1995 and beyond material?

I happened upon this book while browsing through some other Star Wars titles and let me tell you, I'm glad I did! I have been collecting vintage carded Star Wars figures for about 3 years now and I have been dreaming for a book like this. I am by no means trying to collect every cardback and figure variation created by Kenner, but any one can with the help of this book. (And alot of $$$ of course!) Mr. Kellerman covers every aspect of vintage collecting, from sequence(release)numbers, to figure/card variations, vehicles, playsets, pricing/value and even store displays. It is all in very easy to understand text and charts showcasing the entire history of the vintage Kenner line from the first release double telescoping Luke Skywalker SW 12 back to the POTF Imperial Dignitary 92 back. A MUST have book for any vintage fan/collector. Weather you've been collecting for 2 years or 20, this book is a valuable addition to our hobby.

This book is great for Star Wars action figure collectors. It was very helpful as a resource to fully understanding my collection. Excellent photos throughout book. Written clearly. This seems to be the only book in the market to cover the entire vintage Star Wars action figure in such detail.

I REALLY, REALLY liked the book. Hopefully the previous reviewer will eventually understand how to like the original bubbled carded action figures too.

John Kellerman has stepped up to the plate and hit a home run! This book is without a doubt the best on the market. I've been collecting vintage Star Wars figures for 26 years and can honestly say that any collector who doesn't have a copy of this book should have their memory erased!

From the pictures to the rarely seen prototypes, this book has it all. It is warm and inviting to the reader, not like some rigid price guides, and has clear, crisp photos. The compilation of this book alone is a triumph in itself! A book that the collecting community has been waiting for.

This book contains stunningly beautiful pictures of japanese chogokin (=die cast metal) toys from the 1970's and 80's. Many of the toys are quite rare and hard to find pictures of (like toys made by Takatoku, Nomura, Marushin and Nakajima), even in Internet times. Highly recommended!

In addition to Tim Brisko's incredible photography, Matt Alt and Robert Duban provide a brief history of Japanese toys that explains how these toys fit into the grand scheme of things. Recommended!

I bought this book for my husband because he's obsessed with transforming robots. He squealed when he read it. The photography is wonderful and it is like a history book for the ultimate transforming robot fan.

Hi, this is hubby James writing this review...

I just got SUPER #1 ROBOT and it totally rocks. As much as I thought I knew about J-bots, this really showed how much I didn't know. Even if you are well-versed in "super robots" and anime mecha, expect to be surprised by some really far-out machines you've never seen, from shows you've never heard of (but wish you had)!

The photos are wonderful, shot from a proper low perspective, giving these tiny giants their respect. They look like huge works of art here, which in some ways, they truly are. Great work! I am looking forward to Alt's next book very eagerly.

It's about time an American book in english came out on this subject, authored by people who know what they're talking about and thankfully NOT including tin and wind-up robots from the 60s and earlier. This little paperback is what chogokin collectors would humorously refer to as "robot porn." It's a glossy, high-quality picture book that causes salivation and drooling with the turn of every page. Unfortunately it is by no means a complete encyclopedic manual for all toys diecast during the 70s and 80s, but that can't be expected, considering such an undertaking would produce a book (or morelike a series of books) far heftier than this little paperback. Since that expectation is unreasonable, it is entirely forgivable since this little tome covers quite a chunk of the chogokin, vinyl and plastic market, and a nice variety, as well.

First off the book construction is sweet - small and easily handled, it's like a mini coffeetable book with a glossy softcover. I wasn't expecting such a nicely made little book. There is minimal chitchat and all the talent is poured into the photography of the most mint-looking chogokin robots I have ever seen. I think the thing that I was most tickled about was there was a picture of a mint Tetsujin 28 in the front of the book, and a beat up, played-with, broken and paintchipped version of the same robot in the back of the book. The wear on the used robot shows more as a sign of how much that toy was loved, not abused, and anyone who loves collecting chogokin, I think, would get the same tingly warm feeling looking at that beat Tetsujin 28 as the shiny minty one.

There are a few vinyl robots included in the line-up, and I could think of quite a few chogokin that were left out that could've taken up the pages of the vinyls, as I'm not much of a vinyl collector myself; vinyls are a whole other collector market and I can see why they were included in the book, but then again, I would've preferred that they weren't. Vinyls were usually monsters, but the ones that depict robots were the ones focussed on. All in all they don't take up a lot of space. Also the book is an almost even mix between the comical/humorous chogokin like Robocon and Robodachi and the more serious robot gladiators and team robots like the Godaikins; again these are (more or less) two different collector markets and not everyone collects both. As well, there are some Giant Machinders included, which is not even a scratch on the surface for them since there are quite literally hundreds if not more to collect in that category, but this book is really not meant to be a catalogued record of every robot ever made. Even though one will be able to think of some robots that were left out, all the major ones were included. The only complaint I have is that a lot of them are shown not holding a weapon, when many of them are known for their specific or characteristic weapon(s). Some are shown with a weapon, like Garbin, but too many are just robots standing weaponless. Again, though, this book isn't meant to be an official catalogue, so don't expect accessories to be featured.

If you want lists and cataloging of every robot ever made during the 70s and 80s, there are plenty of online sites that attempt to accomplish such a massive undertaking. But if you want to flip through a nice hefty little book just to get the tingly warm feeling of joy gazing upon the robots of your childhood, this book is totally worth it. It's a little window peephole into the past, but man is it worth peeping.

I remember choosing this book in the Scholastic reading program my elementary school conducted way back when . . . and upon receiving the book, for some reason I thought I'd made such an embarrassing choice that I hid it from my classmates as soon as it arrived, only reluctantly revealing it when requested to do so by my friends. Subsequently, it took me a good 4 or so years to actually get around to reading it, but upon completion of the first chapter I had realized the err in my literary delay. This book catapulted to my rather short list of favorite books (formerly occupied solely by the 1st 3 Harry Potter novels), easily overtaking the monumental Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone.
Annette & Gina Cascone crafted a successfully spooky tale of toys that talk and then some . . . while several stories of animated playthings choose to entertain by maintaining a sense of mystery concerning the intentions of the toys, this story was a breath of fresh air in its vivid description of the intricate inner workings of Tiny Town. Well-crafted characterization was dutifully combined with an engaging story line, shifting focus between the secret ongoings in the basement and Willy & Zack's investigation of them. Throw in a spine-tingling climax and a jaw-dropping twist ending that no one could've predicted in a million billion years, and you have yourself a classic book aimed at the Nickolodeon demographic but can honestly be enjoyed by anyone. I love this book and doubt any other will ever be my favorite over it!

The characters in this book are very believable. They are pretty intresting. The characters are Willy and Hobo Hurley. The setting is believable. But its just Willy's house.The plot is believable. It's not everyday toys try to take over your house. The theme is sort of believable. The theme is don't treat your toys bad. But overall it was a good book.

I really liked this book because the authors are so creative. They have so many ideas and they can fit it all in one book. My favorite was Hurley, he reminds me of Chucky, but he's not as bad.

This book was awesome. I have read some of his other books and they are cool too. This one was cool because A. G. Cascone makes it feel like you are in the book with Zack and Willy.

With the addition of a Chucky look-alike miniature toy named Hurley the Hobo, weird things have started happening with Willy Tyler's train set called Tiny Town. The train runs all by itself in the middle of the night, there are unexplained messes in the house, and his toys are either missing or misplaced. But how did his toys move? Are they really alive? It's up to Willy and his best friend, Zack Miller, to find out--and stop these toys from uniting and trying to overtake his house.

"Terror in Tiny Town" is a fun and creepy book (particularly the ending), written by two sisters: Annette and Gina Cascone (thus creating the name A. G. Cascone). If this book is any indication of what the others are like, then Deadtime Stories is a promising series for preteens who like scary stories along the lines of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps books.

Eric Sansom has been entertaining readers for years with his comic strip, Toy Trunk Railroad. An excellent stylist and writer, he creates an imaginary world that's a pleasure to stop and visit time and again. A "must read" for true comic strip enthusiasts.

Give me some good, old timey comics and I'm happy. Erik Sansom has done one better: a new strip full of fun adventures of Casey, Jeb and a whole cast of goofy, well-drawn, well-meaning folks. It's the kind of fun comics work that isn't being done anymore. Well worth reading by a fellow who genuinely loves cartooning.

There are two amazing things about TTR: the art is modern, while giving the impression that it was drawn by a master of years past. And when the final panel pulls into the station, the punchline equals the art.

Actually, there are three amazing things about TTR and this first collection: I have zero interest in the paraphrenalia of trains -- the consequence of being friends with a railfan -- but a complete fascination with surefooted humor. TTR may get about on a rail, but its feet are firmly planted on the ground; smartly dressed in clown shoes.

I'd mention that the main characters are sharply penned and entirely convincing, but I've already surpassed my list of two amazements; I'll leave the rest of the wonders to your discovery.

I'm very impressed by the shifts in alternate realities that take place within the strip, as the inhabitants of a model train layout come to life. It's reminiscent of "Calvin & Hobbes."

If you like fun cartoons with an imaginative flair look no further, your train has arrived. Hop aboard Toy Trunk Railroad for a ride of laughs and chuckles. This book contains all the best aspects of cartooning: stylish artwork, well written jokes and imaginative storytelling. I would recommend it to anyone; in fact I am. Buy this book today and experience the ride you have been waiting for.

I loved this book. I was inspired by the ideas of the author and her guest artists. Wow! A beautiful book, great photography, fabulous ideas! Creativity and imagination and just plain American know-how. A must read book for miniaturists (is that a word?) Wish I could have given it ten stars. Yes I loved this book.

Even reading this book purely for inspiration and enjoyment, it's wonderful and fun. The ideas are imaginative and often breathtaking. I have given this book to many friends from all walks of life who are delighted with its spetacular prose and astonishing miniature worlds. Even for those who are "all thumbs," it's thumbs up, way up!

This is a wonderful book. There are lots of ideas for making beautiful rooms, the pictures are beautiful and clear enough to see each item, plus how to's and shopping lists. Many talented artists are pictured not just the author. I am enjoying this book very much.

This is a book any beginner in miniature art should read. Its inspirational, informative and very interesting. There are many pictures in the book which also serves as a visual treat to stimulate and evoke the artist in anybody. The author, Jane Freeman of this book has not only elevated making miniatures as a pure art form but sanctified its stature with her amazing creations. While reading this book, I noticed one thing very special about this book, the author has a talent which lures us to look at everything in life with the creative eye.

...and this is the true strength of the book. Jane Freeman's work reflects her classically trained background and does not sit well with the often twee world of miniature 'craft'. If anyone can bring miniatures out of its association with children's toys, Freeman can! This book showcases the work of Freeman and other artists who work in miniature form in brilliant photographic colour and quality on every page- not a single, irritating and pointless black and white among them. I turn to this book when I feel the need to be 'freed' from the conventions of miniatures, namely expense, scale, and realism in the traditional sense of the term. Freeman's talent for producing the essence of what is most important in life is second to none in the miniatures world, and her flair for finding alternative uses for rubbish is ingenious. My work took quite a different turn after the influence of Freeman, from heirloom creations of the Australian past, to scenes of my own life which actively engages the onlooker by requiring their interpretation. This was my most expensive miniatures book purchase, and one of the most valuable. Highly recommended.

As one who has read a number of books (both academic and popular)about custody, divorce and family courts, I found Andrew Schepard's book to be a unique and important contribution. It is both a comprehensive, well researched scholarly work and a clearly written and accessible primer for those new to the topic.
Anyone who works in the field of family dispute resolution or is experiencing a divorce or custody dispute in their own life should read this book. Indeed, this book is for anyone who cares about children. It gives the reader an understanding of where we have been, where we are now and where we should be going to develop a humane and sensible system for resolving family disputes involving children.

Schepard does what many professionals before him have only endeavored to do; he integrates the fields of law and psychology in one comprehensive resource written at a level accessible to the masses.

Schepard's prose is lucid and poignant, providing concrete examples to drive home abstract concepts. This book would be an excellent introduction for anyone interested in the process of divorce from a child centered perspective. I highly recommend it.

Professor Schephard writes a nuanced analysis of how the traditional legal paradigm enflames the conflict for children and their families embroiled in custody conlicts and offers an insightful vision about how to remedy the problem.
This is a must read for all those judges, attorneys, psychologists, mediators and professionals who appreciate that custody conflicts are more than just a legal claim and are committed to helping the family courts be more responsive to the multi-dimensions of custody conflicts.

This book does a great job of pulling together, in a very clear way, all of the important issues facing families and the courts that must address their problems. It is concise and accessible but also contains a wealth of cited resources for additional information. It provides the model for what a child focused Famliy Court should look like.

Professor Schepard's book provides a scholarly, comprehensive, and compassionate perspective on one of the most powerful factors shaping family life over the past century. His incisive review highlights the emotional and economic costs associated with adversarial legal procedures and the toll that protracted conflict takes on quality of life and children's mental health. A renowned authority on family law, Professor Schepard effectively integrates state-of-the-art research in the social sciences and the law as the foundation for his visionary recommendations for more humane and effective practices within courts. Most refreshing are the proposed 10 goals for custody courts, which include suggestions for proactive policy and preventive measures that can have a profoundly positive influence on the lives of millions of children and families. As a psychologist working for 20 years with children affected by divorce, I regard this book as essential for anyone who cares deeply about children and families.

Varrichio's book is unique in showcasing doll fashions from the 70's beyond the usual suspects from Mattel. Many long-time collectors, including myself, might not have seen many of these fashion lines. Some are rare yet inexpensive Mattel clones, while others (ie, Mego, Kenner, Ideal) are major lines that are hard to find today. The book is replete with a variety of hidden treasures for the serious doll collector to pursue, thus distinguishing it from every other compendium of doll fashions that this reviewer has read. The quality of the photos and creativity of the narratives are excellent. This book is a must-have for traditional Barbie collectors as well as those who want to expand their repertoire beyond Mattel.

This book blew me away! I've been collecting dolls all my life practically and I knew of several clone style outfits but this book has so many items that I hadn't seen before. And it gave me so much needed information on Tuesday Taylor, Tiffany Taylor, Dawn Doll Clone Outfits and a ton more. I love a book that covers the obscure and this books does a great job with a wealth of information. It shows doll lines that no one else has covered at all! I refer to this book all the time because of my line of work. So it's a definate keeper in my collection! And the one thing that really stands out in my opinion, is the quality of the pictures. They are bright and clear. You're not left guessing what the colors or hues are really like in person. So I'm very impressed! (And I'm a picky person) And it's a fun read too! I would really love to see a volume 2 on this book!! I'd be the first in line to buy it! THIS IS A MUST HAVE!!

I just love this book! The pictures are wonderful, clear and colorful, but it's the descriptions that make it oh so fun. The descriptions are very straightforward and concise, and many are funny enough to make me chuckle to myself. You just know exactly what Carmen means. I remember the 70's.

This book is a great addition to any fashion doll collectors reference as it covers many of the other dolls that were around during the Mod/Best Buy era of Barbie. Lot's of new and interesting information.

I have enjoyed this book over and over again. It is an excellent resource, clear pictures and a wide range of information on Doll Fashions. Well worth purchsaing. The author is knowledgeable and goes beyond the typical barbie fashions to sharing about a wide range of doll fashions from the 1970's. Can't wait for Volume 2!

I just purchased this wonderful book. I really cannot put it down. The pictures are crisp and clear. The descriptions are perfect and the commentary is priceless. This is one book every doll collector needs to own. This took a lot of work to do, and it is well worth the money. Great job Carmen Varricchio!!