Wood Books

This book is a really good one to use for teaching sculpture. The mouse in the story creates a tiny sculpture and is rewarded for it. I usually read this book to my students and discuss sculptures and its characteristics. Then we create a sculpture out of wires and various items. (can also use pipe cleaners) Cute story!

This book is a visual and literary play on the ever-inspiring animal name of dormouse. These are a kind of rodent that in some ways resemble a squirrel. Every humor writer who has ever seen that name has wanted to have fun with it. The wonderful Don Freeman (of Corduroy fame) takes that artistic license one step further by building a Horatio Alger story around his door mouse and doing his own renditions of paintings and sculptures in this beautiful volume. Puns and fun abound, so keep an eye out for them!

Norman is clearly a door mouse, he even has a door mouse's uniform (just like those you see on Park Avenue in New York). His door is around the back of the Majestic Museum of Art. It is well hidden, and he brings in small creatures that way for tours of the art works in the museum's basement. In addition to his docent duties, he has established a studio in the helmet of some old armor, using the visor as a skylight. From there, he paints and sculpts. Life does present challenges though, because the sharp-eyed upstairs guard is always setting traps with cheese. Norman is able to disable them, and brings the spare parts to his home.

The story develops when one day Norman notices that there is a sculpture competition going on. Using mouse trap parts, he makes his own sculpture and names it punnily trapeese (trap and cheese being the sources) because it appears to be a mouse doing acrobatics holding onto a high wire.

Norman drags his sculpture into the room where the competition is being held, without being seen. Then the fun begins!

The story ends with one final pun. "Good Knight."

The plot is a very rewarding one, creating the sort of inspiration that books about "little engines that could" do. I have always been impressed with friends who could make a lot out of a little. It's a gift I do not have. This book is a worthy example of that principle. You can extend the lesson by discussing with your child how she or he might create something wonderful out of something else, including "junk."

Art lovers will find the illustrations to be a great treat. Mr. Freeman has created wonderful reproductions of works by many major artists, which he sneaks into scenes of Norman in the museum. I was particularly impressed by one Miro, where even the signature is faithfully reproduced in pastels.

You can also use this story to suggest going to an art museum. You can even go around the base of the building to see if you can find any door mice, or holes where they might be hiding. This can help you find arts wherever you go!

However you decide to use this book, I encourage you to renew your artistic license so you can explore the world of created beauty with your children and grandchildren in museums!

Norman the door-mouse welcomes discriminating rodents to view the paintings and sculptures stored in the basement of the Majestic museum. In his spare time, Norman has his own studio in a knight's helmet, which is also a good hiding place from the security guard! He cleverly uses an old mousetrap to create his own wire sculpture of a mouse swinging on a mousetrap, and enters it into a museum competition. There's a lot of visual humor, and Freeman makes the whole tuxedo-ed affair look fun and interesting, and there's a suspenseful subplot involving the guard trying to find Norman. (No animals were injured in the writing of the book.) There's a nice warm simplicity to Freeman's soft but colorful pastel illustrations; they're drawn with such ease that both they and the story may stimulate your own creative energy. Another excellent book from Freeman!

As a children's librarian, I highly recommend this classic tale of kindness by Don Freeman. I purchased this book to send to a very kind and polite student at Brown University! Our world needs to be reminded that random acts of kindness and politeness, like holding a door make life more enjoyable for all. Hooray for all of the door holders throughout the world!

A story of art appreciation and how it's possible for even a little mouse to be an artist. Norman has an important job as the doorman to the Majestic Art Museum where he lets mice in and tours them around the basement of the Art museum where there are many treasures. He acts as security guard, curator and tour guide for his portion of the museum and he takes great care and pride in each artifact. The only thing that causes a stir in the basement is when the sharp-eyed guard from the main museum comes down to set traps for the mice. Norman is clever and he has figured a way to take the cheese from the traps and set them off without hurting a whisker. His home is in the knight's helmet where he has a very comfortable setup and he spends his free time creating artwork. One day he decides to make a sculpture from the old traps and picture hanging wire. When he has finished his creation he is delighted and proud. Early the next morning he see a sign announcing a sculpture contest. Norman is very excited. He runs back in and titles his sculpture "Trapeese". Then he painstakingly carries it up the steps, through the main floor of the museum and puts his sculpture with the others. Norman was proud of his efforts. Once he got back home he sewed some buttons on his jacket and went about the business of being a doorman. Upstairs in the main hall everyone is talking about his sculpture and who had entered it. The judges questioned the guards about who had brought in the sculpture but none of them knew. When the sharp-eyed guard looked closer he figured that one of his mousetraps had been used for the sculpture. Downstairs he went into the basement, where he found Norman's home. Norman was waiting at the door cold and hungry for a party of country mice who were due to arrive at any time. The guard spots Norman who dashes off but is enticed out by a piece of cheese. The guard catches and questions Norman about using his mousetraps for artistic purposes, Norman's response is that "It's just a hobby, just my hobby!". Norman was sure he was being taken to jail. He was very surprised to hear the crowds shouting "Hooray for Trapeese!" The guard too was amazed and rushed to the judges' platform so that Norman could receive his award. When asked what he wanted, Norman indicated seeing the upstairs part of the museum without getting caught would be a good reward. So he was taken on a grand tour of the entire art museum. When Norman returned to the basement, he found the country mice waiting for him and he shared the large piece of cheddar cheese that the kind-hearted guard had given to him. The story ends with Norman warm and snug in his helmet. I just loved this book!

With so many new sf books being published every year, it's all too easy to lose sight of the classics of the past. This collection of 8 first-rate stories by SFWA Grand Master Clifford D. Simak brings back into print such milestones in the genre as the Hugo Award-winning "The Big Front Yard," the rather nastily unSimakian "Good Night, Mr. James," and the Nebula Award-winning "Grotto of the Dancing Deer," as well as the poignant title story, which I hadn't come across previously in book form. A terrific read and a wonderful introduction -- or re-introduction -- to one of the shapers of modern science fiction.

Clifford D. Simak won virtually every major award from the science fiction community and, in 1977, was given the Grand Master Award by the Science Fiction Writers of America for lifetime achievement. His stories and novels are exceptional due to his poetic style of writing and his deeply-felt beliefs about humanity. He wrote about interplanetary civilizations but without space travel, about aliens with human traits and about time travel through gateways instead of machines. There is little violence in his works and his main characters are decent persons who through fate encounter something extraordinary. His settings are very often the land of his birth, rural Wisconsin, and his favorite theme is the superiority of rural life over urban life. Unfortunately, Simak's books are mostly out of print today. Visits to two large chain bookstores, Borders and Barnes & Noble, reveal extensive sf sections but nothing by Simak.

Simak, a journalist most of his life, started writing sf stories in the early 1930s but stopped after a couple of years due in part to the medicrity of his first efforts. Later in the decade, he resumed writing with better results. During the 1940s, he received acclaim for his stories which introduced emotionalism into a field often dominated by technology. There is a touch of optimism in his stories which pleased readers who were tired of the pessimism of too many futuristic stories. In 1944, he wrote "City," which would be followed by several sequels that were eventually combined into novel form. The complete novel tells the story of how earth is gradually deserted by humans and eventually inherited by robots and dogs. "City" received the International Fantasy Award for Best SF Novel of 1953. In the 1950s and 1960s, Simak reached his artistic peak with stories, novellas and novels that expanded the horizons of the genre.

In 1996, Tachyon Publications issued "Over the River & Through the Woods," which contains some of the best of these stories. These include "A Death in the House," about an emotional relationship between a simple farmer and an alien, and "The Big Front Yard," which tells the story of a handyman who discovers that his house has become an access to other worlds. This story won the Hugo Award for Best SF Novelette of 1958. The book includes six stories from the 1950s, one from the 1970s and one from the 1980s. The latter is "The Grotto of the Dancing Bear," about an eternal caveman, which won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards in 1982. "Construction Shack" should be just as well-known as Clarke's "The Sentinel" and is just as haunting. And "Good Night, Mr. James" is a terrifing yet humane story about cloning.

There is a delightful allure to all of these stories and this is perhaps why Simak is not embraced today by sf fans who crave violent, action packed stories and who believe that only harsh interpretations of mankind and its future are inevitable. Regrettably, the book is too short. Simak deserves the kind of massive anthologies given to two other giants in the field. "The Stories of Ray Bradbury" contains 100 stories and "The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke" contains more than a hundred stories. But Tachyon is a small publisher and deserves praise for this undertaking.

Worth seeking out in old or specialized bookstores are various collections of Simak's stories that were published in the 1950s and 1960s. Of his many novels, at least two that stand out are "Ring Around the Sun" from 1963, a fascinating tale about parallel earths, and "A Heritage of Stars" from 1978, about the breakdown of human civilization due to technological advances and the loss of the author's beloved pastoral society. In 2004, Old Earth Books, another small publisher, issued hardcover copies of "City" and "Way Station." The latter novel, about a lonely farmer who is granted immortality by aliens in return for his services as a galactic custodian, won the Hugo Award for Best SF Novel of 1963. These two books also were never available in major boostores.

Measured by the yardstick of the quality of its contents, this book is first rate. I can find no fault with the selection of stories included: they definitely belong to the upper echelon of Simak's work in the short forms. I'd single out for especial consideration the stories "The Grotto of the Dancing Deer," "Good Night, Mr. James," and "A Death in the House." "The Big Front Yard" is a good story (it won a Hugo award), just not one of my personal favorites. To each his own.

This book might thus serve as a good one volume introduction to Simak for those readers not familiar with his work.The only thing I can find to lament is that such a short volume cannot do Simak justice. Simak wrote at a consistently high level for many years. From the 50's through the '70's, he produced an enormous number of stories and novels. The novels go into and out of print with a certain regularity that makes it possible at least to find them.

With the stories, it's not so easy.

By searching through "best of year" anthologies from 1950-1980, I have noticed a large number of stories that deserve to be available, but alas, are not. A sample from the 50's: "Shadow Show"; another from the early 70's: "The Thing in the Stone." There are more

(The stories in the book _City_ should be read together, as a unit, not piecemeal.)

Tachyon Press is to be lauded for having brought out the volume they did. Admirers of the best of Simak's work can only wish that someone (maybe NESFA) will someday bring out a "Collected Stories." There is a need. Meanwhile, this book is what we've got, for which, our gratitude.

I think of this as the last book of the master- even though it was composed of stories that had been previously published elsewhere, and well after his death. Maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part, since I used to look forward so much for the next Simak book to come out for so much of my life. In any case, this volume is a fitting tribute and memorial. It keeps his spirit alive.
I couldn't have selected a better cross section of stories. They truly reflect the flavor of his life's work. "A death in the House" echoes his immortal _Waystation_. "The Big Front Yard" reminds one of themes that would be expanded in _Mastodonia_ and _All Flesh is Grass_. As for "Neighbor", it can stand on it's own as just about the best short story that I've personally ever read.
...

If you enjoy short stories, then don't pass up a chance to get this book, or any book containing short stories by Clifford D. Simak. Whereas some authors try to wow you with style, or overwhelm your senses with action, Simak's stories often are more like a pleasant walk in the woods. There is time for thought and reflection, and before you know it, in Simak's subtle way, both you (and the characters in the stories) will be pondering the big questions that life has to offer.

Lot's of time could be spent analyzing what makes an author, or the stories they write, successful, but I will leave that analysis to others more worthy than myself. All I know is that I have been reading and enjoying Simak for over 30 years. His stories (and novels, too) seem to capture the essence of what life is (or should be) about. You will find yourself rereading them every few years. They will become like good friends.

Compulsion pulls you through the powerful woodcuts in a few minutes. Each successive reading takes longer as you discover and savor character, plot and craft. Masereel lived by the nitroglycerin theory of rhetoric--the fewer the words, the leaner the lines, the more powerful the message.

"Passionate Journey" and "The City".
Both books of woodcuts are produced by Dover Books. The presentation of both is simple but the reproduction of the woodcuts is very good. These woodcuts are as fresh today as they must have been radical when first published in 1919 and 1925 respectively. These 'books without words' are fascinating in their portrayal of the human condition. "Passionate Journey" I believe to be a true work of art. One criticism of the editions is that they lack detailed information on Frans Masereel's life and times. I would liked to have much more on the impact of his work at the time and the context with regard to German Expressionism and the Weimar Republic. These books will hopefully introduce the work of Masereel to a much wider audience. They also represent reasonable value for money.

Like the Tarot, the images here are universal and transformative. They have the additional benefit of a wry sense of humor and subtle undercurrents of a humanist sensibility.

A must have for any searcher or thinker.

When my sister gave me this book for my birthday, it was one of the greatest presents I ever received. I was inspired, comforted, and emboldened by Masereel's wordless tale of a questing spirit. Despite the fact that I've read it literally hundreds of times (almost every night when I was working in Calcutta), I always see something new in the subtle, highly expressive woodcuts. Besides the brilliance of his technique, the story Maserel tells is exciting, complex, hilarious and moving. A treaure I wouldn't trade for practically anything.

-- or is it? Masereel's remarkable little book declines to explain itself.

These 165 expressive woodcuts present snapshots from the life of one man, or so we assume. He's not all that special - he's not a great hero, leader, or lover, though he's each at one point or another. He doesn't rise above or sink below anyone else, except in the usual ways. As with Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man," this book celebrates the ordinary. And, when seen in such detail, the ordinary becomes quite extraordinary.

The book opens with the un-named man's arrival by train. The crowd and surroundings excite him, as does the mechanism of the train itself. Then, he's off to his new life in the city. We see that life in an uneven, even surreal pace. Masereel's vivid, expressive images hopscotch through the years of his life. Sequences of unrelated images seem to compress years into just a few pages. Other times, long sequences examine individual stories in detail - the adoption of a daughter, his happiness in her, and her final illness and death may be the most moving. It's a life-changing event, and sets the anonymous man off on a lengthy voyage, perhaps to lose himself or to find himself again. He returns to the city life, and eventually retires. The imagery changes radically at this point. It suggests Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" and "Starry Night," and also hints at Van Gogh's death.

Or maybe not. The imagery speaks volumes, but speaks a different volume to each viewer - and will probably speak differently to me when I read it again. Although it's an illustrated story, it's not for children. It is for anyone who wants to see the grandparents of today's illustrated fiction, or who appreciates woodcut in itself. This Dover edition is a beautiful reproduction, with richly saturated blacks but paper opaque enough to keep each page from bleeding through. It's easy to enjoy - so go ahead, enjoy it.

//wiredweird

This is a must have book! I had bought The PreRaphaelites: Inspiration From the Past but this book is much better! The first book did not have the breadth of illustrations and seemed to focus a lot on the sex lives of the artists. Many of them were promiscuous, but their artwork is still awesome. The illustrations in this book are very inclusive and none of the large illustrations is split between two pages, which is true of the other book I got. The illustrations are gorgeous here and plentiful and the text is intelligent and informative without being too "heavy." I can't recommend this book highly enough for someone who enjoys the PreRaphaelites (and perhaps like me, wishes artists today had the same color sense, high ideals and delight in nature).

This is a stunningly beautiful book filled with incredibly beautiful art. The narrative text is well written.

This book is the most amazing introduction to the Pre-Raphaelites! The pictures are absolutely amazing, especially since this is an over-sized book and therefore the details in the photos are amazing!

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the Pre-Raphaeilite Artists (in general) and also to anyone that loves the Pre-Raphaelite works of Art & needs a good introduction!

First, let me say what I like about this book. It is profusely illustrated with full-page images, nearly all pictures mentioned in the text are reproduced in good quality, so one immediately sees what is described by the author. The text is free of jargon, lucid and highly entertaining (check the story of John Ruskin's unhappy marriage). Basic facts are rendered, short biographies of major painters are here, as well as some historical background (for example, the Aesthetic Movement and Oscar Wilde).
But this book has its weaker points. Mr. Christopher Wood does not specify what he means by "Pre-Rafaelite style"; sometimes it appears as he only means close adherence to nature and precise detailing. But what would he say then about German Biedermeier or French Neo-Grecs? The text overall is too smooth, it does not take into consideration newer approaches to art history (Norman Bryson's studies of pictures as sign systems, for example). So if you want a problem book, a challenging essay, you better look to Elizabeth Prettejohn's study. This one is just an introductory survey aimed at a general reader -- but a pretty good introduction, I might add.

I am a learning hobbyist artist interested mostly in portraits. An artist friend told me that I might be interested in the pictures of the Pre-Raphaelites. "Pre-Ra...What?"

When I bought this book I had not intended to read much of the text. I was primarily attracted to the beautiful pictures in the book, which I hope to learn from. It turns out that Christopher Wood's rendition of the biographies of these remarkable group of mid- to late 19th century English artists was exceptionally well weaved and readable. I got a very good education on the history of the Pre-Rephaelite art with fascinating details of the lives of the key players and, of course, beautiful, large-format reproduction of their best work.

I came across a number of books on this subject. Some have better and more detail prose, but none comes close to this one in terms selection and the quality of reproduction of the pictures.

It is a great book. I used it for building a covered porch and found it indispensable.

Well when i got the book i was amazed on the amount of diffrent Roof Framing situations that are in it . Stuff in this book not to many people know how to do. Even if i just use the book once to refer to the 20 i spent on it was worth it ... If you are Into cutting rafters and find the Common Gables and Hips fun to do then you would love this ....

This is the best book currently available on roof cutting. It is enhanced through the authors extensive experience and inspirational passion for his craft. It is written for those who already have an understanding of framing and would like to grow in their knowledge. The layout makes it an easy to use quick reference guide for the particular aspects one might wish to inform themselves about on any given day.
I was impressed and encouraged by Will Holladay after purchasing his book. He showed me the joy, the satisfaction, and the excellence that can be achieved by doing what one was created to do.

Very detailed with corresponding illustrations. My favorite construction book out of 10. Covers all variations of complex rafter roofs. Also check out Roof Framer's bible for tables and corresponding math if u hate those construction calculators.

This book really helped me work through some issues I was having with cutting
a complex roof. I don't know if I could have done it otherwise. Beginning framers would also benefit from the book as it offers some advice in that area as well. Be sure you get the Journal of Light Construction edition NOT the edition published by Craftsman Book Company. I don't think there is a better book for advanced roof cutters.

My 11-year old daughter loves this kit. She loved it so much last year when she got it for Christmas that I ordered it again! She makes cards for everyone!

My daughter had great fun designing and putting together these cards but was disappointed she had to stop at 6. I can't seem to find any place that sells more of the "sticky" paper. They include tons of stickers and paper but only enough sticky paper for 6 cards. I guess we could use glue with a paintbrush but that kind of defeats the purpose of a "kit".

If you've ever wanted to make your own greeting cards, the Sparkle Card Kit is for you. It comes with everything you need to get started - nice color paper, envelopes, ribbon, glitter, even rhinestones! What I liked best was that after making a few cards with what the kit came with, I started realizing what else I could use to make greeting cards - fabric, yarn, tissue paper, the possibilities will become endless once you start!

This kit was not only fun for me, but everyone I've sent a card to has loved it as well!

Review by Tiffany Ann

This card kit was perfect. We used it to make thank you notes. My daughter is 9 but still needed a little bit of help (she can be a little glue happy). She could have done them 100% on her own but I wanted them to come out a bit neater. We both had so much fun. The glitter is very fine, so it looks so pretty on the card. The book that comes w/ it is cool too. We got a lot of ideas for making cards and it made us think of other things we could use. I am buying a 2nd kit so we can always make our own cards. I hope they make a Christmas one.

I'm a mom and even I had LOADS of fun with this. This is great for any girl of any age (Use caution and supervision with small children as there are little bits, pieces, glitter etc..)I bought 2 of these as I wanted to spend qualtiy time with my 11 year old daughter doing crafts.
We made all sorts of cards and gave them away as gifts, even boys can have fun with this,with supervision, my little boy made me a "Mommy's card" It was too cute! Some young children might not know what they are doing but the important thing is for them to have fun and with guidance they will know what this, that or the other is for (As in the case with my 4 year old)
Long after you are done using up all of the product, you still got a fab book to get ideas from and you can also use the little spares you had left over for other projects.
I really don't have any complaints, some of you might complain about not having enough of this or that, but in reality this craft kit has everything to make 20 cards, and that itself is worth the money and most importantly it's something very fun and creative for the young ones.
Everyone who received a card of course was quite happy and surprised at the creativity involved, the cards made for grandma and grandpa, mom and dad etc were very much appreciated and adored.
In this kit you will get 20 different colored paper (you fold them in half to make cards) 20 different colored envelopes.Glitter,a sheet of velum, a length of silver ribbon, punch out pictures,adhesive squares for the pictures (you fix them on the back and place them on the card to make the pictures come out at you like 3-D)There are some other things that you get, but I will let that be a surprise!
Of course the only thing you do not get but might have already in the home are the glue (You can get most anywhere for less than a dollar-Elmers school non toxic glue)and a pair of scissors for any cutting you might want to do.
Overall this was a really nice craft kit.A perfect gift for any child.

I have read this book with an open spirit, and then read it again with a critical eye, then just read it again in bits and pieces. Each time it has touched me in a different way. Most times with tears involved. There is truly something for every heart! I have had loss and joy in my life and also have a great doggie companion who is at the last stages of his life. This book resonates in my heart and gives me hope. I know that it will be a KEEPER in my library.

This is an enjoyable read with lots of easily understood references to our interactions with and relationship to God. Analogies from daily living with her dog are very thoughtful and often paralleled my walk with the Lord. Whether or not you are a pet owner, you will be able to relate to Fran's direct confronation with her trials and find comfort in God's love for us. It was refreshingly frank. I loved it!

As I read this book, my heart was filled with joy and with love, and my eyes at times with tears. Thank you, Fran, for sharing much of your life with us, and for sharing how much God has loved you and taught you through Bandit. May God bless you as He has blessed me and others through the memories of your journey through life and your life now with Bandit.

This is one of the best and most helpful books I have read in a long time.
Fran wrote from the heart.
I have purchased 4 already and will probably buy a few more. One for me and 3 for family.
You don't have to be a "pet" lover to enjoy this book.. I laughed, cried and felt so good while reading it.. In fact I read it all one evening and night. I could not put it down until I finished it..
Thanks Fran can't wait till your next book comes out.

What a great read!! I ran the gammit of emotions - I laughed and shed some tears and relished going down my own memory lanes re-living sweet and bitter memories of my own. Thanks, Fran for the journey!! I love the picture of Bandit and have fallen in love with him!!

Great overview of all African masks, with intelligent background and supportive material. Not just a picture book or rehash of oft-repeated images. Really a book to be used and absorbed.. It will be a great help.

First-rate, high quality throughout, this volume does what a book of this type should do: packs in plenty of color plates of the masks, and shows them being worn (in black-and-white in situ photos) on the accompanying left-hand pages of the spreads. The collection is far-ranging and, though it cannot include every type of mask, it does manage to convey the incredible variety, richness and paradoxical sophistication of this art form. Highly recommended.

This is the best book I have found on the psychology and understanding of African masks. Just fantastic, worth the money. 80% color plates, brief outline of basic African mask types and their interpretation, grouped by region and by style.

This is the best book I have found on the psychology and understanding of African masks. Just fantastic, worth the money. 80% color plates, brief outline of basic African mask types and their interpretation, grouped by region and by style.

I bought the hardcover version of this & it is well worth the additional expense because the photos are excellent in quality & number. The printing of the photos is of a very high quality. The book is well organized by region & tribes; since many tribes do not adhere to modern borders. I also bought THE TRIBAL ARTS OF AFRICA it is very good but the organization is poor (by region & country) and the descriptions for the smaller photos are not in the same order as the photos, so one has to really search to find out what one is looking at. Whereas the variety and great quality of the photos in AFRICAN MASKS enabled me to definitively identify a mask I acquired 30 years ago. If you collect or love viewing West African carvings I recommend investing in the hardcover version.

I, like many others, read this book when I was about 15 years old. I am now 33 and I still think of this book often. My cousin and best friend, Nicole, passed this book on to me to read. She passed away when we were 19 and this book remains in my life as a reminder of our friendship and kinship. This book grips you from the beginning and refuses to let you go even when you have finished reading it. I truly love this book and am glad to know that it has been a wonderful read for others like me.

I must have read this book back when I was about 12 or 13 also, I am 20 now. I discovered it in my mom's bookshelf. I've read it 3times already and I want to read it again. It's an easy read but it's very compelling with a lot of imagery. The story about this little girl will touch your heart. You will wish that you could jump in the book and save her. Highly Recommended.

This book was great!!! I would love to get my hands on it again. I never got to finish reading it. I would recomend this book to anyone who loves great books.

I got this book from some friends of my parents whop where cleaning out their libary, and they gave me some books... I am normaly a fan of thrillers/action books (I'm a 14-years old boy) but I started reading it, I liked it so much that I raced trough it so fast, that it was out the morning of the next day... The rest of the day I had problems concentrating me on things, beacouse the book touched me in a way, only few books did before... I really recomend it to everyone, it's a really nice book, only the end is too sad for me :-( SO GO GET IT!

A girls mom dies than she somehow kills her dad than she inherits her grandmas house and.... Read to find out wat happens and what happens to her
AND I AM 13 YRS OLD BY THE WAY

A definitive work on the phenomenon of petrified wood. Ancient Forrests focuses on the science of petrified wood. It has an amazing wealth of photographs. Many focus on the grain patterns and the amazing detail that can be found in the many different species of petrified wood. There are also many whole specimens and overviews of famous wood collections such as the Murphy collection at the Rice Museum in Portland Oregon. If you are at all interested in Petrified wood, this is a must-have book, Beautiful!

This is a magnificently produced book with splendid photography of petrified wood. It is like the earlier book, but more so (it has a narrower focus, on wood only, and is a lot bigger). Essentially this is a coffee table book on a grand scale.

It does include information on wood identification, but of present day wood only.

This is a great book for information on petrified wood. We found it very valuable in identifying several of our specimens.

This is a wonderful book. A photographic and scientific masterpiece. The print quality is excellent.

American Forests and his earlier book Petrified Wood are amazingly beautiful books. I have seen a few of the petrified wood samples in museums which are shown in these books, and the photoimages correspond to the authentic samples. I have two other petrified wood photo books that I have loaned out but I don't remember their titles (mostly chapters by German authors). Daniels two books are the very best. Howard McPherson