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Arts Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Arts
Indie Producers Handbook : Creative Producing From A to Z
Published in Paperback by Lone Eagle (2001-08-01)
Author: Myrl A. Schreibman
List price: $21.95
New price: $12.57
Used price: $7.46

Average review score:

Excellent content and an easy read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-30
I have a book shelf, full of film production books that I have collected over the past twenty years or so. This book reads very easily and teaches some pretty complex concepts from the world of producing. (ie. Day of Days)

I would recommend this to new producers, students and people that would like a primer on the creative and business side of a Hollywood Producer.

MUST READ FOR ALL PRODUCERS
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-27
I just completed a feature length screenplay that will soon become a feature length film. To prepare for production I decided to purchase two books: Creative Producing A to Z, and, A Film Director Prepares, both by Myrl Schreibman. Having just finished reading them, I now know I could not have made two better choices. Buy them both, read them both, then read them both again! I promise, your film career will be well served.

A STAPLE FOR ANY FILMMAKER
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-17
This book is the producer's version of Gray's "Anatomy of the Human Body." Without a doubt, Schreibman's text is the blueprint for any successful indie film and should be read and thoroughly consulted by every creative producer - experienced or otherwise. Furthermore, this book that can be extremely useful to directors and screenwriters because it provides a real understanding of what the producer does and how the other creative entities can best collaborate with the producer for creative and practical synergy. In short, this book is a must for anyone who wants to make movies.

I recommend it
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-05
I bought this book for my cousin who wants to start out in the film business. This book helped me break down the who's who in the industry and the breakdown and samples are easy to understand.

No-nonsense bullet-proof advice
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-17
I recently finished producing my own independent film and found this book right at the beginning of my post-production period.

I wish I had found it earlier. It is full of no-nonsense advice and information that is practically bullet-proof, and I ended up agreeing with about all of it. Schreibman, who apparently has a long history of producing films for t.v. and theatrical market, has paid his dues, done his homework, and knows another "feel-good" you-can-do-it book isn't necessary.

He tells you like it is, doesn't pull any punches, and helps you avoid the most common mistakes, both legally and aesthetically. Writing and directing are generally the more "arty" positions in film production - the Producer is supposed to keep the ship moving forward and avoiding any fatal mistakes. This book directs you in the right direction.

My film was a "micro-budget" film, and this book may ultimately be more useful for "larger" independent features, including ones with SAG deals, distribution in place, and budgets closer to 7 figures. While all the advice here applies to everyone making a movie, it's the attitude Myrl conveys that I really appreciated and believed in, more than some of his nuts-and-bolts info. The contract samples at the end were also very helpful when I went out and began looking for more help finding money to finish my film (which I eventually did).

Now I'm dreaming of using the rest of the info here for my next film!

Arts
Literacy Work Stations: Making Centers Work
Published in Paperback by Stenhouse Publishers (2003-05)
Author: Debbie Diller
List price: $22.00
New price: $19.50
Used price: $19.85

Average review score:

Literacy Work Stations
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-28
This is just the book I was hoping to find! It has many great ideas for setting up literacy centers for kindergarteners. I shared the book with my kindergarten team, and they all want their own copy of the book.

Excellent book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-21
This is an amazing book! I took it with me on the plane and lost it...so I re-ordered it on-line. I am a kindergarten teacher and use a lot of these ideas for literacy centers. Her ideas are great!

LOVE IT
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-04
I actually have two copies of this book. I had misplaced my first copy and had to have another one. I use these ideas throughout my kindergarten classroom. It would be even better for first and second grade classrooms. I use the "I Can" lists and management board ideas. This book really helps make centers work. I plan on giving one as a gift any time I have a student teacher. If you can only buy one book, this is the one to buy!

Amazing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-02
I would recommend Debbie's book to all K-2 teachers! I spent TONS of time making and preparing "centers" during my 1st year of teaching and my students struggled with them. I read Debbie's book and set up my work stations according to her models - not only is it my students' favorite time of the day, but it's mine too! I also spend very little time preparing for work stations as the book explains how to use tasks that are taught during your everyday lessons (this way they easily align with the curriculum)!

I LOVE this book and just can't say enough about it! It has a permanent place on my desk!

Love the Work Stations
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-01
I am a first year teacher learning the ropes. I am finding the work stations very easy to implement and am enjoying the "freedom" to achieve reading level testing at week three of the school year and am looking forward to guided reading group time soon.

Arts
The Liturgy of the Hours: Complete Set
Published in Leather Bound by Catholic Book Publishing Company (1999-07)
Author:
List price: $169.00
New price: $142.94
Used price: $128.66

Average review score:

Liturgy of Hours
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-05
I just purchased the full set of The Liturgy of Hours. If you don't know how "to pray as we aught" this is the answer. To think that you are joining millions of others who are praying the Liturgy at the same time. What a powerful prayer. I read the other reviews prior to purchasing the full set. I am so glad I did. If I hadn't been aware that there was a learning curve to reading the Hours I would have been very frustrated and would probably given it up as too hard. It definately does take some insruction to use it. Because of this I bought several books of instruction in the Hours. The very best is "The Divine Office for Dodos". What an outstanding book! If you are new to Hours you need to get this book also. Don 't mess with any other book.

A Beautiful, Inspiring Set of Volumes
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-09
Just think: with these four volumes, you'll be able to pray ANY of the prescribed hours, at any time and day of the year. Knowing that you're in company with millions of others doing the same thing is awe-inspiring and spiritually enriching. These are very easy to use so there's no excuse not to enter into the prayer life of the Church. Mass for me is made even better when I arrive early and read the Office. I personally find Night Prayer comforting and extremely nourishing-- it helps me get ready for the coming day, and soothes my conscience during the examination. If the set comes with the handy annual Index, helping you to find each day's prayers... all the better! Otherwise you can get that Index at a religious goods store-- it costs about three dollars.

Great Product
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-25
This product is preciecly what I needed. In addition to the four volumes of the Liturgy of the Hours (Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter, Ordinary Time I & II) it included the St. Joseph Guide, the Supplement and inserts. This was just what I was looking for as I was heading off to seminary school.

The Liturgy Of The Hours
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-14
The set was very well priced and the shipping being included definitely helped the sale. Being a new item, it is in excellent shape. I have told others about this and recommended they look to Amazon first if they are interested in purchasing this set.

Liturgy of the Hours
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-10
Excellent edition. Easier to use than the one-volume Liturgy that the Daughters of St Paul put out. Comes with helpful accessories. If you can't afford to buy all four volumes at once, buying them one at a time is a great alternative.

Arts
Marilyn Monroe: The Complete Last Sitting
Published in Hardcover by Schirmer Art Books (2006-07-31)
Author: Bert Stern
List price: $120.00
New price: $75.60
Used price: $68.00

Average review score:

An absolute must-have for any fan...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-19
This enormous volume is a must for any fan of Marilyn's. There are over 400 pages of beautiful, high-quality photographs and photographer notes. Known as 'The Complete Last Sitting' (although it wasn't her last), the photographs are among the most stunning and haunting of the screen legend. Taken by photographer Bert Stern for Vogue, the session was a milestone for Marilyn. After winning her battle with Fox and being rehired for Something's Got to Give, the shoot was in many ways a celebration. At 36, Marilyn is luminous. Prior to the days of plastic surgery, she is as real as it gets. She doesn't try to hide her flaws. Scars, wrinkles, and smile lines are not hidden. The orange 'X's you see are where Marilyn scratched out the negatives, unhappy with anything but perfection from herself. They also serve as a sad reflection; that the most beautiful creature on earth thought she was anything but. These priceless pictures tell countless stories, frozen in the camera lens. The book is worth buying if only to view an actress who was so totally in control that she could convey a thousand different feelings with the arch of an eyebrow, the curve of a lip, or the slightest posture change. She is brilliant.

Lovely Marilyn
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-02
I love Miss Marilyn... This was a very interesting book! Beautiful pictures...as was the woman. I would say my only complaint was the fact that it was very obvious Marilyn did not want to have some of the pictures every published. But all in all the book is beautiful...and amust for MM fans.

A must for any Marilyn Monroe fan
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-31
I am so happy I finally bought this book. I was hesitant to spend the money on something not entirely useful but it's breathtaking and so refreshing compared to all the red lips/platinum hair shots we see of her. The book is thicker and heavier than I imagined and has found it's place on my coffee table, partly because I can't move it around so easily. I am so so happy with this purchase!

Amazing book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-07
The book is very well made with great quality paper. There is a little introduction by Bert Stern at the beginning and then all the pictures of the last sitting in chronological order. You can see big images, the ones that Stern thought were the good ones, and then the little ones which are very interesting and funny too. It's an incredible book, you can see a new Marilyn, more mature and prettier on the inside and on the outside.

il più bel libro di foto in assoluto!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-24
Come ho detto nel titolo, è il migliore libro di foto su Marilyn che c'è in circolazione, lei è assolutamente spendida, in uno stato di grazia che l'obbiettivo del fotografo Bert Stern è riuscito in pieno a mostrare.
Questo grande libro con tantissime pagine e tantissime foto che ci mostrano Marilyn bella come non lo è stata mai è per tutti i grandi fan consigliatissimo avere!
compratelo!!!!!

Arts
On The Road With The Ramones
Published in Paperback by Bobcat Books (2007-09-01)
Author: Monte A. Melnick; Frank Meyer
List price: $24.95
New price: $20.00
Used price: $9.75

Average review score:

On the Road With the Ramones
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-15
A must read for even the most casual fan...is there a casual Ramones fan?

Monte details all of the travails and hard work in an honest fashion, but without a "woe is me" attitude at being the guy out of the spotlight. And in doing so, it gives you a deeper appreciation of what the band was, warts and all.

Lots of photos and memorabilia too.

Worth every penny.

The Musicians Who Couldn't Stand Each Other
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-16
What an entertaining book! I'm half-way through it and enjoying every minute. You get a real sense of the various personalities that made up the Ramones roster, which changed over the years. Johnny - the hard-on; Dee Dee - the Crazy; Joey - the freak; Tommy - the oppressed; and Marky - the over the top alcoholic. I personally love the oral history format. Johnny, Joey, Tommy, Marky, Ritchie and Monte, their tour manager, all contribute their stories. For some reason, Dee Dee doesn't personally contribute but he comes through vibrantly in the stories of his band mates.

I'm not a fanatical fan, but after seeing the Ramones documentary: End of the Century - The Story of the Ramones, I knew I had to read this book. The only down side is realizing that the three core band members - Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee - all failed to see age 50.

Only Ramones Book That Matters
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-01
The Ramones' popularity keeps growing--it's a shame that Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny didn't live to enjoy it. As a result of their popularity, so many--TOO MANY--Ramones books have been written and it seems like a new one comes out every month. If you are a die-hard Ramones fan, this is the ONLY book you need. Monte was with them from the beginning to the end and was partly responsible for making them the best touring band ever. He tells it like it was, and it is a fascinating read. Buy the book!

BEST BOOK ON THE RAMONES!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-05
This is the best book on The Ramones, period. I absolutely loved it!! The pictures are so cool and the stories are even better. I recommend this book to anyone who loves The Ramones. Great purchase.

Interesting and Heartbreaking
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-14
This book is a GREAT read for any Ramones fan, but it was very heartbreaking in the end to see how "the remaining band members" treated Joey at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. I only wish Joey's mom and brother would have stepped up on stage to accept that award for Joey. He indeed was the most kind hearted soul and he deserved more recognition then what he got that night. May he rest in peace.

Arts
One Fine Stooge: Larry Fine's Frizzy Life In Pictures
Published in Hardcover by Cumberland House Publishing (2006-03-15)
Authors: Stephen Cox and Jim Terry
List price: $28.95
New price: $14.11
Used price: $16.95

Average review score:

Enjoyable; enlightening bio.- autobio.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-24
It was said a while back that Larry Fine was the best *actor* of the team. For the casual fan, that statement might bring as big a laugh as any of Curly's antics. But an objective look beyond the thrashing, poking, slamming, and general mania, and into this performers' technique, just might cause one to remark: he was pretty good...too bad he didn't do more...too bad some of the scripts were poor.
This book won't get into the art of low-brow or slapstick as a legitimate genre in movies. It's an over-all appreciation of that Stooge who was dumber than Moe but smarter than Curly or Shemp or Joe or Curly Joe. He truly was the center of gravity for guys who spent alot of time spinning out of control.
It's duly noted that a disproportionate amount of material relates to the '60s/'70s - but we should be sensitive that perhaps alot of detail comes from a man recovering from an illness and in his early 70s.
I would have really appreciated alot more stuff on the Curly era, and not just 1932 to 1947: as I understand it, Larry was the first person to write that a second, post-retirement Curly cameo was filmed (for "Malice In The Palace") but never used. Of course, this book is about Larry, not the most popular Stooge, but such information should be a chapter unto itself! Were there serious plans for "The Four Stooges"?
I guess I'll have to remain mystified that there seems to be zero interest in this footage.
This book has alot of rare photos and behind the scenes memorabilia, but in spots there are too many mixed mediums at work. Also, and it's not a big point, but the cover photo is ludicrous. The book's about Larry Fine and he is positioned beneath two other Stooges. How about a center shot of the "Stooge in the middle" - not below - and have a full set of Stooge images in a halo effect?

One Fine Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-25
I thought this was an excellent book. It was well written and a lot of great pictures in the book. One criticism that I heard was that a lot of the information was recent information with Curly Joe DeRita ... and it is true... there is a lot of information on this and all their speaking engagements in the sixties... but that is OK, that is what the author knew about and what the people the author interviewed knew about .... the Curly and Shemp information has all been said, not much more can come out of them. A lot of the people that knew them are all dead... hence the detailed description of the stooges in 50's thru mid 70's... The book is well worth reading.

The middle Stooge gets his...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-13
It's about time a book was written on Larry Fine. Without a doubt the "glue" of the Three Stooges, and possibly my favorite stooge, he finally gets his story in print. I enjoyed the book and was surprised at facts that I didn't know about the Three Stooges, and I know a lot.

I highly recommend this book.

Engaging melancholy history.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-17
I just finished reading One Fine Stooge and found it to be very interesting. It truly covers the Stooges' entire career with a focus on the Stooge in the middle, Larry Fine. His story is often melancholy, but he seems to have enjoyed his life and success. The book is poorly laid out with sidebars regularly interrupting the flow of the book and often retelling content found in the body of the work, but it covers a lot of ground and seems to be a good history. I found it worth my time and would recommend it to anyone with a particular interest in classic Hollywood comedy and history.

A fine book about a fine man
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-27
This book does an absolutely marvelous job at delving into the life of Larry Fine, finally going beyond old urban myths, stereotypes, and the general perception that he was just the Stooge in the middle, some guy who got lucky but who wasn't as accomplished or funny as his partners. His character truly comes to life in this book, starting in his childhood days in Philadelphia, going to his early days in vaudeville with his future wife Mabel and her sister Loretta, to his 25 years of making shorts at Columbia, to the unexpected revival and mass popularity the Stooges received in the late Fifties and through the Sixties (when unfortunately they had to seriously tone down their trademark violent antics to please the parents of the children they were being almost exclusively marketed to), and finally to Larry's final years in the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital, after he'd had a stroke. Though some sections of the book do read like a standard bio of the Stooges, only with the emphasis on Larry, the majority of the book goes so much deeper. There are so many stories that have never been written about before or which most people don't know about, such as Larry's deep love of his wife Mabel, a woman whom he continued to adore and stick by even through her alcoholism in her later years, his love of his children Phyllis and Johnny, the story of how he met a little blind boy backstage after a show in the Sixties and got really choked up by the encounter, his relationship with his hairdresser and her husband in his final years, how he found out Shemp had passed away, his relationships with the other Stooges, and even the point of view that Ted Healy, the Stooges' founder and original straightman, might not have been murdered at all but died from other causes and only coincidentally happened to die shortly after receiving a brutal beating. There are also lots of great pictures and mementos, some of them very personal and touching, such as Larry's handwritten letters to young fans, get-well cards young fans sent to him, pictures of him with his children, and the hand-written calendar he made for his daughter Phyllis to let her know when he'd be coming home from the road. There are so many sweet things about this lattermost memento, really showing what a nice sweet guy Larry was, and what a devoted family man. It's really touching to read about how in real life the Stooges were quite the opposite of their screen characters.

The only shortcoming I can find with the book is that it does seem to be a bit skewered towards the Stooges in the DeRita era. That chapter is by far longer than either of the chapters on Larry's life as a Stooge when he was working with Curly and Shemp. It might have been their most financially successful and popular period, but how many fans today seriously consider that their best and most memorable work? To put it mildly, I'm not exactly a big fan of the watered-down non-violent child-friendly latter-day Stooges, though I am of course happy that Larry and Moe lived long enough to finally start making serious money and to get the respect they deserved. And while the cover photo is really beautiful, looking as though it were taken yesterday instead of decades ago, I'm not happy that DeRita is the third Stooge on it. I'd bet almost anything that the infamous Comedy III is behind that one. It should have been Curly or Shemp, and everyone else knows that! Still, in spite of how the book does lean a bit more heavily towards the Stooges' latter-day career instead of their classic glory days, and the illogical choice of the third Stooge on the cover, it's a great book, with a lot of great information about a truly underrated comedian and a truly great man.

Arts
The Slate Roof Bible: Understanding, Installing and Restoring the World's Finest Roof (The Slate Roof Bible, 2nd Edition)
Published in Paperback by Jenkins Publishing (PA) (2003-10-01)
Author: Joseph Jenkins
List price: $40.00
New price: $23.89
Used price: $20.41

Average review score:

The Slate Roof Bible
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-09
This is a very informative book. Some of the information is focused on historic preservation, but overall a very good reference book.

This Book Is Awesome!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-01
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in slate roofs. Very comprehensive and detailed. Exceeded my expectations.

The definitive reference
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-09
It's funny how you can drive around your whole life and not notice or appreciate a good roof. I live in Wilson North Carolina, and it is amazing how many beautiful older houses have their original slate roofs (and probably will out-last the house itself?) It is just such a shame that this wonderful material (Slate) is so little understood or cared for?

This is THE book for anyone who is fortunate enough to have an intact slate roof. Caring for and repairing one of these historical treasures is either impossible, or horribly expensive, unless you are willing to learn and do the work yourself. The Slate Roof Bible is clearly written by an expert in the art of slate.

slate roof bible review
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-21
very useful and very usable. Instructive for those with background in roofing, but helpful for most people..good book, worth purchasing

$30 Is A Cheap Price For This Book!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-10
Whether you are and experienced slate roofer or a homeowner who might be considering investing in a slate roof, you'll enjoy this book.

I'll let the other reviewers talk about pictures and text and history and other aspects of the book. But the overwhelming sensation I got from this book is the passion Joseph Jenkins has for slate roofs. This is a man who absolutly loves what he is doing. When reading this book I really received the impression that slate roofs are a part of Joe Jenkins soul and he really, really wants to tell you all he knows about them. It's rare in life to find someone so impassioned about their occupation. I became absorbed not just for my own self interest but because Joe Jenkins knows what he is talking about. I was interested in finding out about slate roofs before I purchased; after reading this book-- I REALLY wanted one.

$30 is cheap tuition to have Joeseph Jenkins experience.

Arts
Smart Soapmaking: The Simple Guide to Making Traditional Handmade Soap Quickly, Safely, and Reliably, or How to Make Luxurious Handcrafted Soaps for Family, Friends, and Yourself
Published in Paperback by Shepard Publications (2007-01-01)
Author: Anne L. Watson
List price: $12.50
New price: $11.25
Used price: $11.20

Average review score:

Too simple, issues with lack of photograpy and visual appeal
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-13
No issue with the content, just with the book's limitations.

As a beginning soap maker I needed lots and lots of pictures so I could know what to expect visually through every step of the process. There are less than 8 nicely drawn illustrations of tools in the book but not a single photograph of soap or steps in the soap making process.

There are about 10 recipes, very nice selection. They are all perfect for beginners. There is hardly anything about soap additives, scents, or colors. I think a beginner's books should have at least a page or 2 about each.

The how to instructions of making soap is excellent as everyone has said, but I found it hard to read because of the page layout. Recipe pages have all the white space in the world, but the how to instructions aren't separated by white space at all - just paragraph after paragraph.
The fact that steps are numbered (but not in bold or double space)doesn't help, because the steps blend in with the other text.

Nice up to date resource section in the back.

Would I recommend this book to a new soap maker? Yes, as long as they also purchased (as the author recommends) The Soapmaker's Companion by Susan Miller Cavitch and Essentially Soap by Dr. Robert McDaniel.






With this book, anyone can make Soap
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-29
Review
Smart Soapmaking
by Anne Watson


If there is only one book you'll get about making soap, it should be Anne Watson's "Smart Soapmaking."
A few years ago I started to make real soap. I've read a lot, did a lot of research, and finally did it. There were so many questions. More, once I really got into making soap. Then I found Anne Watson's book.
She answered all questions, and even the ones I didn't know I had.

A treasure of a book, whether you're thinking about making soap, and even if you're already making soap. No myths, just facts, Anne uses scientific approach, but explains it all, easy to understand. She gives recipes, charts, web links, illustrations to clarify the whole process. It
doesn't end there. Now you're making soap.... want to change your formulation? This book remains a valuable reference.
What's INS? How can you calculate it for different oils? How can you achieve different shapes and looks for your soap? Wrapping ideas needed? Looking for a supplier? It's all there.

Unlike many authors, Anne makes herself available through her website, offering even more information. She is truly one of a kind. That's easy to see also, if you read another book of hers
"Skeeter" - if you love cats, or just love to laugh - or need a laugh, be sure you read this gem.

I'm very much looking forward to her new book about Milk Soaps, which should be available
soon.

Thanks Anne

It is all that is promised and more.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-23
I started making soap back in 2000 and Susan Miller Cavitch's "The Soapmaker's Companion" was my bible. So I was hesitant when people started ranting and raving about this book. After purchasing it I have to say it is all that is promised and more. While I still adore Cavtich's book, there are a couple of reasons I would recommend Watson's book for beginners:

1) It is completely up to date. Not only does she mention using modern stirring methods (stick blender), all of her resources are up to date and impressive. I am a fan of most of the suppliers she lists and was familiar with them.

2) Her recipes are SO accessible! Cavitch's recipes tend to require more "exotic" oils and have a bit of Julia-Child-laundry-list of ingredients. Anne Watson's recipes are bare bones and truly what they claim to be. Her Grocery Store soap ingredients can be bought at any national chain store. Love it! (my only minor complaint is that her recipes make such SMALL batches. I end up having to double most of them.)

3) She provides an excellent guide to making your own recipes. Most soap books (Cavitch's is a little guilty of this) just assume you'll figure it out on your own, or that you'll only make their recipes forever. Watson walks you through creating your own recipes step by step in crystal clear detail.

4) She expresses the correct amount of caution with lye. Some books bog you down with details on how dangerous it is and make you feel as though you should be wearing a hazmat suit while measuring it, while others have a lackadaisical attitude towards it and don't stress safety. Watson communicates that it needs to be treated carefully, but that you don't need to freak out over it.

5) Last, but not least, Watson is contactable. She has her own website and you can contact her with any questions on the book. That, in and of itself, is pretty darn nifty.

Overall I think this is the best soapmaking book for beginners and recommend it to people who are starting out.

Smart Soapmaking
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-21
I liked the author's approach to soapmaking. She keeps it simple, but without discounting the safety measures necessary. I was able to read the book in one sitting and could understand it easily. Great for someone just starting out in soapmaking!

The Absolutely Best Book on Soapmaking
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-08
Smart Soapmaking is far and away the best book on making soap at home. I have several other books on the subject which, for me, are far too complicated and scientific. They make the process seem far too daunting, to the point where you give up before you start. Anne Watson has thoroughly explained everything in simple yet practical terms and has taken away completely the fear factor. Her book makes you anxious to get started where the other books might discourage you. I cannot recommend more highly this book. I will never look at my other books on this subject again, no need to. This book is simply the best, better than all the rest!

Arts
Society's Child: My Autobiography
Published in Hardcover by Tarcher (2008-07-24)
Author: Janis Ian
List price: $26.95
New price: $6.09
Used price: $6.05
Collectible price: $50.00

Average review score:

Strong woman who overcomes
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-04
This book was amazing. Janis Ian was faced with one obsticle after another in her music endeavors and her love life. Listening to her music, after reading her autobiography, adds a tremendous insight into the words of her music. Janis is "a real trooper" and I have the utmost respect for her as an artist and a human being.

An amazing life
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-09
As a long time fan of Janis Ian, I was interested in her professional journey and the influences for her work. This book covers that and so much more. It happens that I knew Janis' father very well having worked with him for several years. The Openness that the author demonstrates is both courages and enlightening. I had no idea of the struggles that she has overcome. The writing is so personal and yet universal that I felt like she was telling her story directly to me. This is a great read.

This Life is a Page Turner!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-04
Wow! What a great autobiography. Janis Ian describes her home life, her development as an artist and her rise to fame at a very, very young age which thrust her into very complicated world filled with expectation. We are witness as Janis endures her family falling apart, a series of abusive relationships, industry and management dysfunction and fraud which, even after toiling for years and producing numerous albums, eventually left her bankrupt. Each period of her life is artfully written with brevity, reflection and humor and she gives a very interesting inside account of American music culture during the 1960's-70's. Janis is frank in addressing what has clearly been tragic, but the thread throughout is her tremendous faith and fighting spirit to preserve herself and her integrity as an artist. What an inspirational book to read in turbulent times. Janis, thanks for sharing.

Janis Ian
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-03
I've followed Janis' work from my teens to the present. All these years and I had no knowledge what cards life had dealt her. She quite openly shares her marriage to a disturbed husband. The abuse she endured brought tears to my eyes, as I recalled my own abuse at the hands of an abusive husband. I believe this book would be helpful to others who have lived with spousal abuse.

People living with the threat of violence tend to believe they are alone. Reading this book will enhance their ability to say even the artists have endured abuse.

Janis discusses the shear horror she faced with the IRS. I could not have endured all that she went through.

I was ever so grateful that Pat entered her life. It is clearly a loving relationship which finally enabled her to have a stable home environment with a loving partner. Janis so deserves this life.

Thank you Janis
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-18
I saw Janis in Winters CA last weekend. She is still an amazing performer. Just to hear her sing her own songs was awesome. I bought this book and had her autograph it for me. It is a superb book. I knew it would be. I could have just listened to her talk at her concert. Her stories in between the songs were funny, sad, and perfect. This book is a must for any Janis Ian fan or anyone interested in folk/pop/jazz music of the 60's - 80's. I am so glad Janis is still performing after five decades. All I can say is THANK YOU JANIS!
Bruce

Arts
Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide (Amazing Spider-Man (DK Publishing))
Published in Hardcover by DK CHILDREN (2007-03-19)
Author: Tom Defalco
List price: $24.99
New price: $13.08
Used price: $11.25

Average review score:

Great reference book!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-25
"Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide" is a must-have book for all the wall-crawler's fan! It has information about lots of characters and a fantastic spidey's time-line! The illustrations are as good as well, and you can even find information on alternative Spider-Man series, like Spider-Girl, and Spidey 2099. Although the book is very nicely done i still missed more detailed profiles, anyway you will sure not regret for buying this one!

Review From a Future Critic
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-10
I never read a Spider-man comic book, but I wanted to know all about Spidey, his allies, and his enemies. This ended my search!

A great resource for any fan of Spidey
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-16
I have been a rabid Spider-Man fan, reader, and collector for the past 13 years. In that time, I've seen some of the best (1980's to 1993) and worst (Clone Saga) this hero has to offer. IN addition, I have collected every issue ever published. So, I'm very knowledgable about SPider-Man and his world. Still, this book is a delight to read. I didn't learn anything new, but it is well written, spectacularly illustrated with original comic art from some of Spidey's most legendary artists (Ditko, Romita Sr., Romita Jr., Frenz, Andru, Sal Buscema, Gil Kane, McFarlane, Bagley, Larsen). New fans will learn a lot from this book, but no matter how long you've been a fan of Spidey, this book is a treasure trove for you!!

Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-21
Tom De Falco's comprehensive SPIDER-MAN guide is one of my favourite spidey books, covering everything from the comic's origins in the 60s to the recent movies. With some great insight into the characters in the world of comics and good layout, this guide tells you all you need to know about Peter Parker, Mary Jane and assotment of villians (Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Venom et all). DeFalco's extensive research has paid off, making this an essential addition to the already bookshelf-breaking collection of comic book guides. This is a must-have book for any SPIDER-MAN enthusiast.

My kids love it!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-21
We bought this book for our five year old who loves Spiderman, but our whole family has enjoyed learning more about the villains and other characters in Spidey's world. It is fun to learn the origin of characters we are familiar with and some we had never heard of before. There are lots and lots of illustrations to keep the kids' attention, and the stories and bios are interesting enough for adults as well. The binding has fallen apart on our book- which may have survived better under normal wear and tear- but that is mostly because my son takes it to bed with him since he loves this book so much. Overall, a great book for kids and adults too.


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