Beauty Books

WHERE TO WEAR is NOT just for tourists. I've lived in NYC for over 15 years and this is the book I've been searching for. It has every address, phone number and store hour that I could possibly need. It now sits right next to my NYC phone book and Zagat's guide beside my phone! This is a MUST for tourists and New York natives alike!

Without a doubt, the best written, best researched, most informative book of its kind. It includes all the basic information; but contains tons of witty and useful tips. Also terrific breakdowns of where to find what by category and neighborhood. Clearly, Ms. Melhado and Ms. Clason spend too much time shopping...but for our benefit. The best stocking stuffer I found this Christmas. Last-minute updates and website information are very useful. Look forward to each yearly edition!

My girlfriend and I used her copy to shop the after Christmas sales in Manhattan, and this handy little guide was THE BEST! We're just tourists from a few hours south, but I imagine that foreign visitors with even minimal knowledge of English would find "Where to Wear" helpful. Stores are conveniently grouped by district and type/category. We plotted our course through as many designer stores as we could fit into 2 shopping days and thanks to the accuracy in the descriptions, know we saved precious shopping time and shoe leather. I even found a great hair salon for my next trip!

The "Where to Wear" guide is like having your own personal shopper. I appreciate the guide's clever store descriptions, complete with store hours and locations. It's well organized, witty, and comes in a slim, easy-to-shop with, size. The guide's handy catagories, such as "best picks" and "best kept secrets" lead me to some real gems (like a pair of striped Louboutin mules!) This guide is a must for those who want to shop New York.

Heads up you shopping mavens and tourists alike! This is one jewel of a book you all must add to your collection of city guides. It's incredibly user-friendly, chock-a-block full of informational tid-bits and snappy commentary. Not only that but it's like having your own directory of all the stores in NY (addresses, telephone numbers, etc.) and it fits into your hip Fendi baguette, your Sergio Rossi tote or your Matt Nye cross bag! If you ever wonder where to go to find that special little something to fit the bill - this one's for you! It just makes you want to walk around in Melhado's and Clason's mules for a day...

Well done! It's a winner.

I thought that this book was well writen. It is very informative. It gives a lot of ways to relax, enjoy and pamper yourself. I think that the suggestions to heath and beaty are very good considering our society today. I would deffinetly recommend this book to others especially if they need to destress and relax.

At times we all need a little pampering and relaxation. One of the first things Stephanie Tourles book 50 SIMPLE WAYS TO PAMPER YOURSELF points out is the need to realize our bodies can only take so much. Our lives are so stress filled these days, we need to be able to release that stress or our bodies will go haywire. When we even think about taking time for ourselves we feel guilty, well, Ms. Tourles tells us to forget the guilt and relax because it well help to make us calmer, better people if we do.

Did you know that stress restricts blood flow to the skin preventing moisture and nutrients from getting where they need to go? Or that stress promotes the production of the male hormone testosterone, which stimulates oil production that in turn promotes pimple formation and clogged pores? Stephanie Tourles tells us that lowering our stress level will dramatically improve the texture and condition of our skin.

Ms. Tourles doesn't just fill her feminine readers in on all the information they need to know to help them understand why they should take the time to pamper themselves; she also gives us ways to do it.

Such as: Use aromatherapy to relax and recharge in the bath. Get steamed with an herbal facial, which will leave your face clean and toned. She offers a list of 10 top healing foods and ideas on how to nourish your hair.

I chose this one to review because I needed it. It's a fascinating read full of wonderful ideas; I did not find anything that sound ridiculous or extreme. Get the book for the wonderful ways to pamper yourself. Throw away all the guilt and go for it, you will be so glad you did, and you will also have a more productive life.

Pam Stone back to the top

I thought this book was a neat idea and decided to order it. I'm really glad that I did. Each of the 50 ways to pamper yourself is only a few (2-3) pages long, so you can read it in a few minutes.

My favorite is #50. "Words of Wisdom" It is full of little tips you can do for yourself. "Trust yourself." "Stop blaming yourself and others." "Ask for hugs from those you love." It also has a list of 7 self-affirmations like "I can do anything I set my mind to."

This book is just full of little tricks to perk you up after a bad day!

I'm guilty of getting too busy and forgetting to take proper care of myself, but since I read this book, I've been making a greater effort to do little things that make me feel good, and that don't take a lot of time -- like lighting scented candles in my bedroom or rubbing my feet with peppermint lotion. (Mmmmm!) This book would make a great gift for a busy friend or a new mom.

I couldn't believe it. I've been sewing all my life and I picked up Julie Parker's book about wool and discovered a whole new world -- or at least a whole new way of looking at my favorite hobby. How did I ever do without this? I'm ordering the other two -- on cotton and silk -- and can't wait for the fourth. Write faster, Julie Parker!

One could read all day out of a book and still not be able to visualize how to identify different fabrics. Texture is so much more important. I don't sew but I do buy vintage clothes for my prop company. This book was very helpful. The only thing I think would be better if all the fabrics except the tweeds, etc. were the same color.

I bought this book in 1993 because i needed to familiarize myself with the silk fabric. i also bought many other books on the subject. today i was browsing through my bookself and came across my copy of all about silk and i am still amazed by its content. i will now order the other two books which have since been available.

This is an absolutely indispensible book for costume designers and seamstresses alike. It has an incredibly easy format to read loaded with pertinent information about the fabrics as well as the actual fabric samples. I am studying to become a costume designer and realized that my fabric vocabulary was very limited. I was overjoyed to find this book and am loving it.

I know Mr. Hudson personally and was close to him during a very difficult time in his life. His faith, his ability to forgive, his repantant soul gave me courage to go on when I felt I could not. Those who want to discredit this man based on half truths and rumor and some disturbing facts are seeking a glory for themselves that can never be reconciled. This story of ones mans journey through faith - one HUMAN journey - gives all of us who live in the real world a mirror to help guide us on our own stumbling road.

M.S. Barr refers to a review by Mr. Jim Bishop. I could not find the review. Was it removed? It seems to refer to an incident at Fordham University reported on by The National Catholic Reporter (ncronline.org). Was this the same issue that caused the problems at Crisis Magazine for Mr. Hudson? Please clarify.

As a "cradle" Catholic I have read and heard many conversion stories. While many have come to the Church through intellectual journey, aka it makes sense, others have conveyed to the listener that it just felt right, or I knew I was home. Deal Hudson's entering into the fullness of the Faith, while not unique, joins the few souls who have come to Catholicism because it unites thought and beauty with God's creation. Hudson understands that if you deny the aesthetic sense, you really do not have a Church. The approximate 180 pages were a wonderful read, like chatting to a friend. I only have one negative about the book. Did we really need to know what happened between the writer Julian Green and his mother? As the popular jargon goes, "don't go there." Only because this is such a wonderful book it should be read by teens, college students, and adults. The story of Deal Hudson's coming to Catholicism is a wonderful and captivating story.

This is a fine book on an important subject. We all need conversion, not only of mind but also of heart, even no doubt Mr. Jim Bishop. And we must be converted not only once but every day of our lives. For we all sin; we "all fall short of the glory of God", as the apostle John says. I find the previous review by Mr. Jim Bishop appalling. The Catholic Church teaches that there is something called the sin of "detraction", namely the spreading of harmful information about others without grave reason. Perhaps Mr. Bishop felt he had a grave reason, though I cannot imagine what it was. Yes, Deal Hudson did something wrong in 1994. It is well to remember that we do not know the all details. We can presume that he was repentant, and sought and received reconciliation with God through the sacrament of confession, and that he has done and continues to do penance. He certainly also paid a price for his transgression in losing his academic position, and being subjected to the jeers of people like Mr. Bishop. We should also recall that some of the greatest Christians and converts (St. Paul, St. Augustine, Dorothy Day) had committed atrocious sins, but went on to serve God and achieve great sanctity. Nor does conversion put an end to our sinning. St. Peter, even after he had become a follower of Christ, indeed an apostle, committed the terrible sin of publicly denying Christ three times. Yet Christ received him back, and commissioned him to feed his flock. Deal Hudson is a champion of the faith, and not less a champion for the fact that he once fell. Should he have told the story of this fall in his book? Perhaps. But he may have felt that he had an obligation not to do so for the sake of the reputation of the other person involved. Deal Hudson has told the story of how he came to discover "the pearl of great price", as Jesus called it. In effect, Mr. Bishop kicks it away from Hudson with the sneer "you are not worthy of it." I have news for Mr. Bishop. None of us are worthy of it.

Taman Itza has portrayed the dynamics of life and love through the many possibilities that the intamacy of love can bring. The main character Rudi evolves and matures throughout the story. He lives during the second world war in the darkest age of modern Europe. He dwells on the beauty of life and love rather then war. As he travels through life his one love never diminishes. The love he shares with Richard is the love we all yearn for in life. The love for one person can continue through others. The understanding character of Aunt Nora who is seen as a pillar of strength and her unquestioning acceptance of Rudi and Richard depicts them as a family unit. The intimacy between them far extends life here. Love goes on forever through the continuum of time. The setting in the book so well describes a bygone era we all yearn. This book describes the intimate love we have inside us for each other. The story leaves you wondering about your definition of love. This story is a must for those who respect deep and true love. Taman Itza truly has put a new twist on everlasting love.

I really & truly enjoyed this book. I found it tender,& also tense. I found that it had intrigue & put me in a position of not wanting to put it down. It exposed me to the beauty of love no matter in what form, it does not matter, love is love!! I can recommend this book to anyone that can accept life as is & not what others seem to think that it should be. This book is full of love & to me that is all that matters!! Well done Taman Itxa

An intriguing, humanly sensitive true to life epic written by Tarman Itza. The author chronicles the life struggle, commencing during the final stages of World War Two, in Europe to present day times. Young Rudi Vernoff has to find his way just barely surviving in a hostile environment, the loss of his mother and abandonment, only serves to strenghten his will to keep going despite the odds. It is difficult not to identify with his character. His visions, yearning for love, affection, education in works of arts; the finer true essences of life, make this narrative a haunting soul searching saga, beautifully written and expressed. A must read for book lovers and art enthusiasts. A film would make a wonderful viewing for a world wide audience.

As a beautiful tapestry, the book unfolds the story of Rudi Vernoff - both of his life and of his thoughts. Through his remembrances of the past and striving for a better future, we learn a story a young man from a privileged but love-less home who although dispossessed and misplaced by the great war with determination pursues life and the opportunities that life creates in order to regain a position in life he believes is rightfully his.

We relive with Rudi his childhood in the security of his home, then the war - the loss of all he possessed - his home, his father and then mother, and also the country of his birth. We see him struggle alone in life. We witness the many helping hands and not so friendly experiences that accompany his maturing. We see how gradually he lost his innocence and learned to recognize that life presents many great opportunities.

Rudi is a man of striking physical beauty and of inborn intelligence. He feels and analyses the world that surrounds him. With sensitivity and honesty, he tells the story of his life and the loves he encounters. Through the glimpses of past, present and future, we see Rudi as many in one or one of many - a persona with many facets just like the loves, joys and hardships he endures along the way.

What is love? Rudi re-examines the concept anew. Love of a country, love of a man or a woman, or one's children. Regardless of the shade of love, it is love that makes things happen.

The book is beautifully written from the beginning to the end and so captivating from one chapter to another that I could not leave it alone. Set in the span of two continents - it vividly describes both the European and the North American surroundings with such clarity that one can almost smell the fresh air of the West Coast and taste the snow in the deepest of European winters.

It is a visual treat as well s a great book to read and to provoke ones thoughts.

Z. Fitzgerald

I received this book for my birthday recently, and I loved reading it. After I was done, I totally wanted to take a warm, relaxing bath! I love the recipes, both for bath indulgences and also for drinks to sip. I can't wait to try making them. I loved the lavender tub wreath idea. This book would be great for displaying in a bathroom. I'd recommend reading it for anyone who loves taking baths!

This book is like an encyclopedia about bathing. It describes bathing across time and cultures. It also includes recipes for drinks and bathing luxuries.

her book teaches how to relax in the bath and it also has some great recipes.

Many pictures...almost every other page portrays inticing photography that makes you dream about your next visit to the spa. A great coffee-table book, especially in the waiting room of a spa! This book could be useful in decorating as well. The writing covers some history on bathing in different cultures...very interesting!

I received this for Christmas and have read it three times since then, referring to it constantly as I build our new hummingbird/butterfly friendly backyard. Sally Roth has changed the way I garden - her relaxed style, her obvious pleasure in her subject, the wonderful photographs, great descriptions of hummingbirds, butterflies and the plants to sustain them, have made organic gardening accessible and understandable. I have always had a no-spray garden, but always felt some distress when things started getting chewed, as will happen. Now I look eagerly for the first signs of 'munching' on the passiflora I just planted, hoping for some fritillary action. Host plants are now mixed in with the nectar flowers - and I can't wait to see a monarch caterpillar on the milkweed! Thanks, Sally! I have hung up the big giant strawberry feeder with pride!

I borrowed this book from our local library, and I read it from cover to cover! Most gardening books are good for browsing, but are too boring to read. I am an avid gardener and bird/butterfly watcher, and I found this book VERY informative, well illustrated and also well written. I've added this book to my wishlist hoping someone will buy it for me! If you're interested in butterflies or hummingbirds, this is the book for you!

I've read a number of gardening books lately, as I have decided to start gardening. This is one of the best. There are beautiful photographs and illustrations of flowers, butterflies and hummingbirds. The author has an obvious love of the subject. She doesn't make the whole gardening idea into a religion, however. She has a light touch, tells some stories on herself, gives a lot of good advice and makes the whole thing seem like a joy, not a chore.

This is a super resource. It has great info on both the host and nectar plants of butterflies, talks to the different needs of hummingbirds and the plants they like, how to set up the garden to be most inviting. There are full chapters on things like "the lure of water", "the shletering garden", garden designs, butterfly & hummingbird behavior, etc. There's a section on hummingbird feeders as well as butterfly feeders (rotting fruit - they love it!) It's a great into to the lives of butterflies and hummingbirds, explaining the cycles they go through and their needs and has really straightforward info/ideas on how to create the habitat that will be right for them. The photographs of the caterpillars, butterflies and hummingbirds (even one feeding young in a nest) are fantastic. It also tells (a little bit) about how caterpillars overwinter. Really one of the best books I've seen on the topic - glad I bought it - its a lot of fun! I highly recommend it for anyone looking to set up a garden to attract these folks or augment an existing garden. Build it and they will definitely come! We've had great succeses!

This book kept me in suspense from the beginning all the way to the end. It is full of many surprises and plot twists. The story challenges the usual perception of kings, queens, knights, and witches and brings up an interesting perspective. A pleasure to read!

What a good read! The characters were great and by Part II I couldn't put the book down. I had to find out what happened. I really liked the way good and evil are not so black and white. If you like fairy tales but want a more realistic picture, I highly recommend this book.

Allison Ewing does a great job of developing the characters in the story, and also of building up the plot with flashbacks to events in the past. As the story unfolds, it becomes very difficult to put the book down until you have completed it.

Allison Ewing really knows how to create interesting characters. Her story is fast-paced yet runs deep. This book has it all: complex characters, secrets and plot twists, heartbreaking love, and a most satisfying and moving finale. Then there's hope at the end. She lived.

To all who are interested in Ayurvedic medicine and who want to find out where true beauty comes from....read this book. It contains very important information as far as health and how it relates to beauty. A masterpiece!!!!

JFE

An amazing, wonderful book, one of the most informative I have ever read on beauty care or ayurveda, it's packed full of information from cover to cover. Very extensive, talks about all the different aspects of health and beauty care. Lots and lots of recipes to make at home and which do work. Never again will I need to throw away good money on useless, expensive face creams that don't do the job and put me at risk for cancer. Only drawback, perhaps, is that some of the recipes have too many ingredients for modest pocketbooks. Otherwise a great buy and a great book, if you don't like creepy, strange-sounding unreliable chemicals in the products you put on your skin or in your hair, this is the book for you. It's better than just a simple make-your-own-cosmetics type of book because the recipes are tailored precisely to YOUR particular skin type.

As an Ayurvedic esthetician, not only was this the perfect text book, but as a wonderful reference book, too. It is well written, easy to read, informative and the cover is especially telling. The woman balancing the three doshas is the perfect picture of what we try to do with our lives. Sandra

I'm new to Ayurveda and ordered this book. It has a lot of good info in it. I didn't try any of the techniques though... as I realized Ayurveda is not really my style. But some good information here.

The first story "Bad Dog" evokes the recurring theme of the entire collection: Redemption in a world of sorrow. It spans the author's life through more than fifty years in a mere six pages. An essence of humilty is evident as you try and understand the hardness of his father's will. The adage of he did the best he knew how plays a familiar tune to most of us raised by depression era parents. The resentment melts away with Jensen's tender acts of mercy towards his father nearing the end of his life. A tender act few if any of us would be able to muster up...
It's a recommended read for everyone hoping to understand how to see into the darkness and not be afraid.

Lin Jenson has the grace to reflect on profound moments in his life in a non-judgemental way, regardless of the circumstances. It is refreshing to read the work of a person that has the gift of self reflection and can communicate the experience as well as this Zen teacher has been able to do. One can only hope to be able to learn as much from their own life's experiences.

Stark, and beautiful.
Many people, like the author's father, assert that the best response to tough times is to be cold and tough in our actions. But throughout his lifetime, in the shadow of the Great Depression and his cruel father, the author stayed true to his own inner desire for compassion.
And he has lived to tell us about it.

I'm a fan of really good writing as well as Buddhism. I read this book several months ago and always meant to write a review about it. So today I finally got around to it and browsed the reviews written before me to see that all the superlatives had been already taken.

Gut-wrenching, beautiful,powerful.

This book touched me as very few have. It is a must-read regardless of its subject matter because of the quality of the writing alone. I could feel this kid's life. His loneliness, alienation and neediness.

Like many great books it can be read on different levels. As a personal memoir of growing up in a particular time and place with a particular type of upbringing. As a lay Buddhist book; essentially a primer of how to step away from a world of samsara and build for yourself, step by step, act by act, a life of peace, love and compassion.

What a journey he's had. How amazing that he shared it with us.

It's an elegant, lyrical, deceptively "deep" book which really deserves a much wider audience.(Read it and imagine that it's Number One on the N.Y. Times bestseller list and see if you feel just a little more hopeful).