California Books

I stumbled upon this book by accident and am SO glad I did. The book is a stunner. Eye candy for mid-century architect lovers. Like the taste of a dark chocolate bar, but a coffee table book! Sure to to be a hit, and a great conversation starter for even non-architectural peeps, sitting in your living room, as you entertain. Page after page shouts forth with unrepentant glee. The history of the Westlake neighborhood is enthralling as well as the many old, astounding photos. Something to look at over and over and drool. A must for any library!

A friend bought the book for me and gave it to me as I arrived for our 40th high school reunion from Westmoor High School. It is a great recounting of how Westlake developed and makes a great gift for any family who has lived in the area.

my parents bought it new for $13,000. it was close enough to the city to get to the haight after westmoor high school let out. when my parents sold it in 1968 i thought my world had ended and now, looking back at it again, i think i may have been right. i'd give anything to be back there again, but i don't have three-quarters of a mill.

I'm an avid collector of midcentury dishware, glassware and kitchenware, and an enthusiast of midcentury architecture. I always pictured myself living in a northern California Eichler someday and am a charter subscriber to "Atomic Ranch". Yet, when my partner and I decided to move back to his home town in California from Washington, DC, last year, I knew next to nothing about Daly City or Westlake. I knew only that we'd be living in the home in which Jeff had lived as a boy, and I hoped that I'd at least like the place.

A short article in Atomic Ranch about Westlake first whetted my appetite, and my first time seeing the house--while interviewing out here, just a month before the move--I fell in love with it and Westlake's bright colors, quirky architecture, and midcentury aesthetics (e.g., our yellow-tiled kitchen and pink-tiled bathroom, both with chrome accents; the original metal kitchen cabinets; and the gorgeous flagcrete fireplace that dominates one wall of our living room).

The author of "Little Boxes," Rob Keil, saw a posting on Jeff's blog about the house and wrote to us before the move, and a few months after we arrived we went to hear him speak at the Doelger Senior Center about the history of Westlake. Rob really is passionate about these homes and this suburb, and infectiously so. I've become a huge fan of and evangelist for the neighborhood, and for the book, and in the bargain have made some wonderful new friends out here, including Rob and his fiancee. The book was clearly a labor of love, but the product was well worth the labor pains.

It really is a gorgeous book--the era-appropriate color scheme and typefaces, the incredible photography (most of it Rob's, and showing that we're not always fogged in here and just how wonderful it is when the sun shines), and the art design are spot-on. We bought a copy not just for our own coffee table, but another for Jeff's mom--since this is the house in which she brought him up--and one for my own mom back in Virginia, so she can get a sense of where I am now, and Jeff even bought a copy for his torus-shaped Mario Ciampi-designed elementary school, also featured in the book.

Oh, and that Eichler I pictured myself living in someday? I still think those homes are pretty cool, too, but I honestly can't see leaving Westlake, our friends here, or one of these charming little boxes.

More than a half century since its inception,American suburbia regularly takes its knocks, so it's nice to hear the other side once in a while. Keil's book is less a general rebuttal than a spirited defense for a specific case: in this case, the huge Westlake subdivision built south of San Francisco in the post-war years. It's an affectionate, well-researched book that, while of particular interest to those who grew up in the Bay Area, should be read by anyone with any interest in mid-century architecture and culture. The story's well told, beautifully laid out and, though it's a valentine, it doesn't stray from exposing warts (like the neighborhood association's long-standing ban on African Americans). Great design, Space Age googie style and '50s/'60s American optimism shine through its pages.

Now he has got his new company surly a movie about mad women chasing the movie producer to save an artist makes a great movie for the failing Hollywood blcobuster? The Weinstein Company should look at this book now and make it into a UK movie.

Thelma and Loise meet The Player?

This book really made me laugh but I have to say I was shocked that Harvey Weinstein did not help them save thier artist, he must be short of money because these women could sell snow to Eskimos. Excellent read and the perfect holiday companion.

This book is hilarious buy it if you love to laugh at the reality of life.

I got hold of a copy of this book from someone important in Hollywood, flying first class, Virgin Airways. He was laughing so much I asked him the title of the book he was reading. Was he laughing at the story or was he laughing at himself. It turned out he was a producer and knew Harvey Weinstein very well. The book is a true account of what happens when normal women get inside the Hollywood system and expose not only themselves but the people who run it. Fantastic story.

This is just amazing, what a tale. I wish I had seen this side of Hollywood. The book is a sales manual and a diary for drunks, drug addicts and those who tell the truth.

This is my favorite storyteller and her short stories are wonderful. They transport you to another time and place. The thing I love best about this book is the little life lessons she puts in it not preachy just real things you can relate to and learn from.

I have heard for years what a great writer J. California Cooper is and how people love just about anything she produces. Despite hearing all of the accolades and praises for this author, life happened and I never got around to reading one of her works. I could slap myself for all of the years I missed out on the tales from this adroit storyteller. Her dialogue brings Hurston to mind, and her characters in THE MATTER IS LIFE are just as strong as any of the greats. In fact, I am adding Cooper to my list of greats after reading this collection of beautifully human stories about how people can get in their own ways and how life is life.

My favorite story in this collection happened to be the longest. Could it be that I was able to savor even more of Cooper's wisdom in "The Doras?" It's possible, but more than that, this was a story that had me hanging on to every word about a woman with a dream for her daughters. The narrators in all the stories seem to be sages of sorts; the narrator isn't always a central character in the piece, but she seems to know all the goings on of the people of whom she speaks. This was refreshing and different, and I felt as though she and I were having an all-out gossip session. Don't get me wrong; the stories in this compilation are deep and to the point. There is a lesson to be learned within each tale's contributory pages.

I just can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this reading journey. My only complaint is that it was over too soon. Luckily for me, there are numerous other Cooper releases for me to enjoy.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

J. California Cooper has a way of crafting a story that makes you feel as if you are sitting in the room with the characters as they go about their daily lives.

These stories make you actually FEEL what the characters are going through, and when the stories end, you feel like a friend has walked away.

I definitely recommend this book and any others by this author.

I need more stars.

J. California Cooper is one of the best authors of our time who doesn't receive the praise due to her. Her short stories are filled with colorful characters that keep you turning the pages. I'll read anything she releases. Ms. Cooper is in a class by herself. Much love and support to you. I can't wait for your next release.

This book is a wonderful mosaic of characters, perspectives, and lifestyles. I've always seen Cooper's books in the store, but didn't pick one up until "The Matter is Life." I haven't been able to put the book down and am looking forward to picking up more of her short story collections.

very well written and detailed - I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Third Reich

Dr. Bruno Manz has written an honest, searing story of his experiences growing up in the Third Reich with a father who he loved but who was an enthusiastic Nazi. First person accounts of this quality are rare and valuable, giving those of us who are curious as to how a civilized nation like Germany could turn itself into the soulless, mechanistic killing machine it became under Hitler a look at how ordinary people contributed, by omission or commission, to the coming horror. Dr. Manz has more than atoned for his own omissions by writing this excellent, gripping book, which I recommend to anyone interested in this perplexing episode of history.

This book was interesting, earnest, candid and filled with the author's personal angst for having been duped, first by his Nazi father and then by Hitler. I disagree with some of the other reviews in that I didn't find it penetrating or searing. Bruno Manz stabs but fails at soul-searching.

In some ways it is repetitive. The author explains again and again how he was brainwashed into Nazism from youth to young adulthood. He digresses into various life experiences with teachers, schools, childhood friends, military experiences and lesser details of life. All of which he thinly connects to his primary purpose for the memoir, exorcising his personal demons over blindly serving Hitler. Many of those digressions would be unremarkable without that connection. Bruno uses those vignettes to underscore that he was misguided but they fail to reveal, illuminate or prove how any particular incident, mentor or authority figure contributed to his blind devotion to Hitler. In fact, he frequently recounts how he internally rebelled against school authorities, military authorities, rules and procedures that didn't make common sense or rubbed him the wrong way. If that is so, then he should have self analyzed further to determine how and why he dismissed his conscience when it called about Hitler, the concentration camps and the Jews. He continued to follow the grand lie and served as essentially a political officer in youth organizations and later in the military. He recounts that he was never very enthusiastic and harbored doubts, yet he continuously pressed on. Example on pg 69, he describes a school director quoting Hitler's credo, "He who wants to live, let him fight. And he who does not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle does not deserve to live." Bruno expresses misgivings when the school director says that is more religion than a person would ever find in the Bible. He admits agreeing with the anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism of the director but boycotts his classes from then on. Methinks he doth protest too much.

Don't get me wrong, Bruno Manz clearly, genuinely, honestly apologizes for his personal role in Germany's evil shame. He denounces all that he was and embraces all that he has become since the war and particularly while living in America. But in the end about all that Bruno confirms is that, at least between 1915 and 1946, Germans were weak for rhetoric, easily swayed by romantic and heroic figures, and followed the crowd. He doesn't dig deep enough to reveal how that was possible. Were they greedy, mad, angry, vulnerable, ambitious, fearful, bombastic, maniacal, weak, bloodthirsty, gullible? Personally, he was swayed by Dad while impressionable and later by Hitler via Goebbels propaganda machine. OK, we already know that about every German during WWII. Bruno, why and how were you vulnerable to that when the rest of the world was not? Why do some Germans today continue to deny the Holocaust? Why is there an element that still deifies Hitler and anti-Semitism?

I suspect that Bruno cannot to this day accept his own cowardice. He never dared to disagree or question his father, although he credits his mother and older brother with being able to avoid anti-Semitic hatred and Hitler worship. He wouldn't dare question his Nazism or the Fuhrer because he very likely knew it would mean his death or imprisonment. Hmmm, that may be the self evident truth every German citizen who willingly participated in Nazism has to face. They didn't take any contrary action because it was someone else who was being victimized and they were cowards. So, while he may have achieved some catharsis, I doubt that he completely exorcised the regret and shame he aimed for. Still, the book has some value derived from its basic honesty and first person account.

A Mind in Prison is a powerful and moving personal account of life as a committed Nazi, a soldier on the Eastern Front, and the difficult and painful realization that everything the author once stood for was evil and destructive. The candor of this book is both startling and refreshing because it gives the reader tremendous insight into the corrosive power of Nazi propaganda and ideology. For the author to admit thinking and acting like he did must have been a painful experience, but it gives this account a sharp edge of credibility that might otherwise be lacking. In fact, it is that candor that makes this story so heartrendering. The world would be a much better place if more people would break their silence about the tragedy of Nazi Germany and share their experiences and feelings as openly and sincerely as Dr. Manz has.

This book is basically the author's way of exorcising his personal demons. Manz grew up idolizing a man named Adolf Hitler, whom most Germans believed to be a sort of messiah sent to save them from the devastating poverty and national humiliation following the Treaty of Versailles. The book chronicles how Manz (and many other pro-Nazi Germans then) got to believe in the things he did, and his eventual disillusionment with the Third Reich.

Did the German civilians know about the atrocities of the concentration and extermination camps? Over the recent years, this question has loomed large in works concerning WWII in the European theater. Manz can't answer for every German during that period, but he gives us HIS story as an offering to further understanding in this matter.

This book struck a very personal chord with me. Although I was born decades after WWII, I grew up in a country where the press (in fact, every type of media - books, TV, movies, etc.) was heavily censored by the national government. The government told people what to think, what to say, when to assemble, and throws those who defy their orders in jail under the holy name of "national security". As a result, I totally understand how mind-numbing propoganda can be. A population, after all, is merely a collection of individuals living in a state. An individual's morals and personal biases are largely dependent on what information they have available to them. Hitler understood this very well, and with the help of his propoganda minister, Goebbels, managed to shape the thinking of an amazingly large portion of the German population, including the author's.

Manz is all the more convincing because he doesn't get overly apologetic, but does admit that he's not in any way proud of all that he has done (he was a Hitler Youth, and later a soldier in the German army). He feels very strongly for the victims of the Third Reich (the book is dedicated to them), and although he was never in direct contact with any official programs dealing with the "Jewish problem", regrets that he couldn't have done more.

It is very touching to read books by those who were on the "wrong" side of the war, especially those with a sense of morality (however late it surfaced) like Manz. This book is an important reminder to us of how dangerous bigotry can be, especially when it is led by an eloquent and convincing tyrant.

I love the design and graphical, artistic qualities of this book. I have 3 copies - 1 to remain shrink-wrapped, 1 to build the models and 1 to read as a whole.
The approach to each domain in the book is unique, entertaining and informative. I love the tidbits of information and the exercises. As a paper model builder, I enjoy the quality of the models also.

What do you think of when you hear the word museum? Do you see glass encased exhibits with little tags of text beside various artifacts? Can you hear someone complaining about the loud whispers that can be heard? Can you feel the boredom setting in?

The Museum of Lost Wonder is an example of a completely different kind of museum. The pages of this book lead the reader on a journey of exploration and freedom of thought. Instead of stuffy scientific displays, this museum encourages the visitor to wonder and ask all of those questions that they always wanted to ask but thought they'd sound foolish or be glared at for even coming up with the idea.

This book is divided into eight alchemy themed exhibit halls: Calinatio (technology), Solutio (aquaria), Coagulatio (zoological), Sublimatio (observatory), Mortificatio (history), Separatio (science and faith), Conjunctio (arts), and Circulatio (the entrance and exit). Within each of these sections readers explore scientific, mythological, spiritual, and fantastic renditions that explain our world. Many of the exercises encourage visitors to use their creativity to come up with alternative explanations, to explore their own questions, to try various experiments, and to construct models of the various exhibit halls.

I have waded in and out of "Museum of Lost Wonder" several times and am stunned by its density of interesting and amusing ideas. This book flits about from one idea/tone/literary genre to another with almost unbearable frequency, and is thus very hard to pin down. Within the parody of the museum guidebook, there are highly-detailed but bizarre diagrams, visual and verbal puns, clever symmetries and other gems to reward the careful reader. Destined to be a cult classic on par with the Dr. Bronner's Magical Soap label... I'm getting copies for EVERYONE I know.

The Museum of Lost Wonder is a pop-up book for adults, a Maurice Sendak cartoon narrative for grown-ups. The text contains an eclectic blend of philosophical tidbits, scientific factoids, history, alchemy, New Age musings on dream states, visions and hypnosis, Tibetan Buddhism, and quantum physics, all presented in the form of enchanting illustrations and gorgeous artwork.

Author Jeff Hoke, senior exhibit designer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, CA, and an award-winning creator of museum exhibits, was inspired by the eclectic museums and curiosity cabinets of the 1600s. As such, The Museum of Lost Wonder is constructed as a storehouse for arcane bits of knowledge. Despite the grandiose claims of self-discovery, going through the book is like wandering through a funhouse. The seven "exhibit halls" (i.e., chapters) begin with "The Hall of Technology," whose ambitious exhibit is entitled, "The Beginning of Everything." The other exhibit halls have similarly provocative "exhibits," with titles such as "Who Are You?" and "What Is Reality?"

Each hall includes a fold-out, do-it-yourself model that is reminiscent of an Escher painting or a Rube Goldberg creation, with such titles as "Path of Destiny Peep Show" or the "Carousel of Life." The reader is instructed to cut the paper to build the models, but I was reluctant to do so because it would destroy the integrity of this gorgeous book.

At nearly $50, this book may out-price itself for what it delivers in terms of mystical wisdom or esoteric knowledge. But it is a marvelously beautiful piece of work, the top of the line in the tradition of the coffee table book. The Museum of Lost Wonder is well worth the time spent browsing through it--and its expensive cover price.
Mysteries Magazine

I'm not sure what this book set out to do, but it certainly fires up the imagination of anyone who looks at it. The drawings and constructions are masterful, the little experiments and mental expeditions are thought provoking and the organization is absolutely indecipherable. If you have a brain and it could use a little exercise, get this book.

'Our School' is an inspiring read, especially for those teachers who are working with students in less-than-ideal environments.
Although 'Our School' talks a lot about the American school system, the ideas and discussions on pedegogy are universal.

Diminutive Selena gripped two sides of a basketball with uncertainty before finally giving in to the shouting principal/coach on the sideline, begging her to shoot.

She shot-putted the ball forward ... and watched it sail wide of the backboard by two feet.

Selena was one of the key players on the most unlikely girls basketball team ever to win a high school game -- a team that "Our School" author Joanne Jacobs hilariously describes as "the shortest basketball team in America."

"Our School" is not about sports, but this team -- eight girls hovering around five feet tall, among the few at their school who could muster the C average required to play -- is the perfect metaphor for the academically undermanned students that San Jose's Downtown College Prep charter school promises to someday send to college.

The Lady Lobos are mostly Mexican immigrants who know little about the game they've decided to play and are short of skills needed to succeed. But with enough "ganas" -- Spanish for desire -- perhaps they can somehow pull out a victory.

Likewise, "DCP students enter the school academic losers," Jacobs writes. "They don't know how to play the game. By the standards of middle-class high schools, DCP students aren't really in the game. But they keep working, they get better. If they stick with it, they'll win a college education."

Jacobs is the education reporter and former columnist for the San Jose Mercury News now nationally known for her popular education blog, [...]."Our School" is her book chronicling the years she spent observing as two idealistic teachers attempted to write their own rules and build a high expectations high school for low performing kids in an impoverished, gang-ridden inner city.

The book is both a pleasingly written, novel-like tale of kids who struggle â" and mostly win -- against tough odds and something of a guide for would-be school charter school developers, complete with a "how to start a charter school" chapter as an appendix.

For the motivated teacher, or otherwise inspired individual, who has thought of breaking out on their own to start their own charter school, Jacobs' book is really a must read. The "Lessons Learned" chapter alone is filled with telling stories and sage advice from DCP's founders.

For instance, they sorely underestimated how much catching up their entering ninth graders would need on very basic skills after years of neglect in the school system. It wasn't enough to set high expectations and seek to inspire them. The kids, plain and simple, needed to know how the speak English and multiply. As a result, DCP ended up much more structured and regimented than anyone ever expected because that's what the kids needed.

The school leaders also had to come to terms with the necessity of tossing kids out, especially for misbehavior. DCP throws out a lot of kids, a detail likely to catch the eye of charter critics, who complain that other public schools would love to have that nuclear bomb in the war to maintain discipline and order. "Our School" makes the point many times that discipline is a key. The leaders believe rules must be enforced consistently and unwaveringly, and they don't hesitate to expel even kids they like who fail to get with the program.

DCP's success is undeniable by the book's end. Just as the short kids on the girls basketball team work hard, get better, begin to compete and finally actually taste real victory, so their classmates, too, are reborn in academic success. All that stick with DCP to the end go to college and the school's test scores ultimately rank among the best around.

Still, the future of the school is far from certain. Teacher turnover is heavy. By its very nature, Jacobs tells us, the school tends to attract young dreamers to its teaching staff â" not the types to work at one school and retire 30 years later. By the book's end, one of the founders is even working on getting out.

Sustainability is a big question for charter schools, even excellent ones like DCP.

I also wonder if "Our School" won't someday be viewed as a period piece, unique to the early days of the charter movement when the romantic vision was that pioneering teachers would break free from bureaucracy and reinvent education.

In fact, the "mom-and-pop" charter schools â" truly independent and run by local folks â" may be a dying breed. An ever increasing share of charters are run by national management companies, such as Edison Schools and Heritage Academies, and more recently, non-profits and school districts themselves.

Even so, as the charter movement continues to grow, Jacobs has done a nice job encapsulating what these new public schools are supposed to be about and how they are different from traditional public schools. It's a good primer for the average parent â" those who've heard of charters but not really sure what they are exactly. And the story is an enjoyable ride right to the end.

"Pulled by my mother's dreams, I walked barefoot across the border from Mexico," Selena's begins her college essay. "I was six years old."

But with wild basketball misses behind her, on track for a diploma and a college scholarship awaiting, Selena will cross the commencement stage ready to chase her own dreams.

[...].

First, let me say, WOW! In my local area, there are several charter schools, two even run by the previous public school district Superintendent -- yep, there is a good story there. While the charter schools here are doing some good things, it seems to me that there really isn't as much difference between them and their nearby district schools when it comes to test scores. They have the same achievement gaps and high percentages of kids not making grade level proficiency as their counterparts in the local district. With this perspective, I haven't really seen charter schools as the answer to public educations' problems. Part of the answer maybe, but not the solution.

After reading Joanne's book and my recent appreciation for certain charter schools, such as American Indian Public Charter in Oakland, I think with the right leadership, charter schools offer the opportunity for educators to try new approaches. When these approaches work, the students are successful and the charter school is successful. When they don't, both fail.

In the case of Downtown College Prep, the school explored in Joanne's book, I think this is a success. While their test scores are good, not great, the fact that their students almost all failed in their previous traditional public school experiences really makes their test scores outstanding. The simple fact that they can turn around many of these students and get them to college is extraordinary.

One of my major complaints of public education is that too often, teaching practices exist simply because "we've always done it that way" or because the administrators or teachers like a specific program or strategy, without any regard to whether it really is successful. Charter schools provide opportunities to explore new school configurations and strategies without the bureaucratic inertia of a district administration or in many cases a teacher's union. I really think this is a good thing. While there are both good and bad charter schools, just like traditional public schools, I think it is important that charters exist to be the proving ground for new strategies and to help identify best practices that can be implemented by other schools.

In my job, I read a lot of really boring books. I read books on education and education policy as well as nerdy computer books. Our School satisfied my need for education policy while at the same time being a great story, which was well written.

I discovered Joanne's blog a couple years ago and since then I have become a huge fan. I don't always agree with her, but I find her articles well written and thoughful. She makes me consider my point of view on many topics. Of course, in the end I realize I'm right or that we agree, but she does make me think.

I strongly encourage everyone to buy a copy of Our School, whether you are involved in the field of education, a parent concerned about your child's schools, starting a charter school or simply are looking for a great, uplifting story. It also makes a great gift for that educator on your Christmas list.

On my blog, Why Homeschool, I posted back in December about attending Joanne Jacobs' kickoff event for her book I bought the book back in December and had Joanne sign it. But I've been distracted, partly by blogging, and only recently got around to reading Our School.

Our School is basically a biography of Downtown College Prep, DCP. This is a charter high school in San Jose. Joanne leads us through the birth of the school, founded in 2000. We are introduced to Greg Lippman and Jennifer Andaluz who started the push for DCP. We read of the struggles to get funding, to get a location, and to get students.

Most of the book is about incidents that happened at DCP, or in connection to DCP. It like reading a story. Along the way Joanne slips in information about charter schools and education in general. The book is well written, very engaging, and hard to put down.

Many charter schools are very selective about who they let into the school. Often they only want students who are motivated and doing well in school. There are two elementary charter schools in my neighborhood. There is great competition to get in, so the schools are able to pick the better students.

DCP was created with the intention to help those who were fluking to get back on track for college. Greg and Jennifer were going after those who were no longer in the game. They set themselves a daunting task. In some ways DCP trying to help their students catch up is a Don Quixote mission; it is an almost impossible task. Most of the freshman class was functioning around the fifth grade level. Most of them don't know how to take notes. Most of them don't want to be in school. Most of have trouble reading. A Don Quixote mission might even be easier.

Our School recounts the efforts of the teachers at DCP. One of the nice things about a charter school is they are not bound up with so much bureaucracy. The teachers at DCP would try something, and if it didn't work, they would change quickly. Over time they found ways to help the students dramatically improve their reading. They taught the students how to study. And over time most of the students became engaged and were on track for college. They accomplished these Herculean tasks.

This is a very inspiring and moving book. We get exposed to some of the problems with public education, and we see how a couple people were able to make a great difference. This is a good book to read.

As a school psychologist, I saw many students who struggled and sometimes gave up. I enjoyed reading "Our School," which is about a charter high school that recruits freshmen who've earned D's and F's and graduates them with the skills and motivation they'll need to earn a four-year college degree. At Downtown College Prep, students and faculty experience many "glorious failures," learn from their mistakes and go on to do better the next time. As a charter school, DCP has the flexibility to try new ideas to find out what works best for its students, most of whom come from low-income, non-English-speaking families. The book is a well-told eyewitness account infused with humor. I really liked the chapter about Ride the Carrot Salad. "Our School" is a great resource for teachers and other educators, and I think anyone who cares about our schools will find this book a rewarding read.

This is an excellent A-Z book on everything you would want to know about carousels. It's very well presented and very informative and makes a great coffee table book. Highly recommended if you're interested in the subject.

This book is a must have for any carousel enthusiast or anyone interested in the art of wood carving. All major carvers/manufacturers of the golden age of carousel building are covered. The photography is wonderful and there is a census of operating carousels in the back of the book. Since the book is written in 1986, many of the carousels that are listed have dissappeared. Check National Carousel Association for an updated list.

OK I gotta give the book a great review as one of the authors is a very dear friend. (Marianne Stevens) I love the photos of the carousel that she purchased from my cousins!

Seriously though this book is an absolute must have for anybody not only interested in Carousels but also in amusement park history. It's a wonderful coffe table book with to die for color photographs and fascinating information.

Even children will love this book! It's beautifully done with glossy photos. Absolutely super.

Warren Crandall

Awesome book! An absolute must for anyone interested in American Carousel Art! Loaded with close up photos of all the love of labor that went into these beautiful animals! Brings back many memories of the Great Danbury Fair in Danbury, CT which now unfortunately is a shopping mall.

This an excellent book giving a good insight into the history of carousels from their early beginnings. Crammed with beautiful photographs of the various animals and some rare photographs of the carvers and their workshops. A must reference book if you are into carousels.

No big review here . . . just a note that I thought this was an especially sweet book about things people do that bring them pleasures in life. Many are familiar, and some are new, and I'll give a few of them a try. A nice little read, and I'll pass it around the family for them to read.

"Just think how much different our lives would be-calmer, happier, healthier-if we spent more time nurturing ourselves and less time on the endless string of tasks we assign ourselves every day." - From the book

Author Carol Wiseman sent out a letter to everyone she knew, past and present, asking, "What comforts you the most?" and "How do you relive your stress?" The broad cross section of replies offered a window into what brings people relief when the details of life get them down. One thing proved certain to the author: we all share the need to be nurtured in some way.

A Patchwork of Comforts - Small Pleasures for Peace of Mind shares the brief personal comforts, but the author adds her own inspired voice by creating two perspectives from which to view each comfort. The first, culled from Wiseman's imagination and written from a first-person point of view, pulls the reader gently into each experience. In the second perspective, the author offers her thoughts on what makes each subject a source of such pleasure.

Why, exactly, do we need to be comforted? The author actually lists in the Appendix, verbatim, dozens of personal stresses for those who contributed to the book. Here are but a few:

* Adapting to life as a widow
* Not being "first" on anyone's list
* Isolation
* Marital difficulties
* Not being in control
* A husband that works all the time
* Wishing my wife would stop smoking
* Poor international relations and risk of world wars
* TMJ and arthritis in my jaw
* Having a stack of unpaid bills and only $5 in the bank
* Kids!!! (a two year old screamer and a teenager)

For example, Bobbie from Grants Pass, Oregon finds comfort by listening to his favorite music-very loud-when he wants to break stress:

"I'm bored, bored, bored. Life has fallen back into a rut lately, and I need some sort of an uplift. When I'm in a funk like this, music always does the trick, flowing over my body like fairy dust, getting my life back on track. Enter Elton. My own body shocks me. It's moving, and I'm powerless to stop the growing urge to sway. Some CDs just defy grumpy, and he's done it again, good old Dr. John..."

Organized alphabetically, A Patchwork of Comforts offers 70 comforts for the body, mind, and spirit and includes entertaining bits of trivia, recipes, and black-and-white photos throughout. A few of the comforts include:


* Bath: Ahhh, alone at last
* Daydreams: Going to the movies for free
* Eating Out: No decisions, no cleanup
* Golf: Challenge in paradise
* Lists: Let you know where you stand
* Orion and Family: Sky glitter starts a part in your heart
* Peaceful People: Calm is contagious
* Wheelchair Accessible: Getting in-and out-of everyday places
* Yard Work: A chance to nurture

Reflecting on her own life, the author muses how fears irrational, irrelevant, and debilitating has kept her from living life to the fullest. Often, we don't stop to examine the autopilot nature of our lives and the tension that's underneath the surface. Nurturing ourselves is not only kind, but also essential for balance and harmony. A Patchwork of Comforts indirectly reveals the nature of everyday stress and fatigue that sends us off-kilter and offers uplifting, practical solutions to life's pressures. If you're feeling overwhelmed by daily tasks, outside pressures, and conditions beyond your control, this book provides a calming, centering voice of comfort.

This is the little self-help book that actually helps. You'll remember some of the things you used to enjoy, but have been forgetting to do for a while. You'll get some great new ideas that reward you for taking just a few moments out of your day for yourself. In fact the beauty of this little book is that although it seems to have been written just for me, the busy professional who needs some ideas on how to manage stress but who doesn't have the time to read a self-help book, the advice provided is collected from such a diverse group of people that it seems likely that it will speak to you as well.

It's strange but somehow just reading about the things others find comforting is in itself comforting! This wonderful little book had the effect of bringing me back to me, over and over. I keep giving away my copies becaue I find that I want my friends to have the same experience. It's not a book you want returned. It's one you want to go on and on.
I hope there is a sequel!

This book kept me warm and smiling recently during a bus ride home from visiting my daughter and her husband. I like the refreshing mix of familiar comforts, new ideas and entertaining tidbits of information - all shared in a conversational manner, which encourages periodic revisiting to savor one page at a time. This, along with the size, format and price has earned it a place on my list for holiday giving!

If you are interested to learn more about Pearls, this is a must read book. It provides you a complete understanding on how to distinguish a quality pearl versus others.

If you love pearls--or just want to learn more about them--this is the #1 book to buy. I have Matlins 'Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide' which is very well worn from use, so I decided to start learning more about pearls with this book.

Wow! Talk about bursting with information! Matlins covers everything from history and lore to famous pieces, moves on to explaining the differences/types of pearls, how to evaluate them, *and* what to look out for... she provides estimated value lists, gives advice on how to buy, wear and care for pearl jewelry. Whew!

Did you know a drop of salad dressing can ruin a pearl? I didn't!

The author also interviewed many pearl industry professionals and their thoughts are informative as well as (at times) entertaining. In fact, the entire book could be described as "conversational". It's not textbook in style, yet provides so much information it could be used as one!!

Do you sell pearls? The information Matlins provides can help you better understand and describe the charecteristics (and value!) of the pearls you sell. Are you looking to invest in pearls or start a collection? Add this book to your shopping cart--you might save hundreds or thousands in the long run.

But if you simply have a passion for pearls and want to learn all you can about them, this book is a "must have" for your library. It's comprehensive, loaded with tips, and easy to read. There aren't pages & pages of photos. It does have some good compare/contrast photos, as well as others of important or famous pieces. You may find yourself wishing there were more of the "educational" sorts of pictures, but overall that's a small nick in an otherwise glowing treasure. No doubt the binding will become worn from frequent use.
IN SUMMARY:I highly recommend 'The Pearl Book'. It's truly worth every penny. You'll know what to look for if you get this gem.

This book covers everything anyone needs to know about pearls. It's filled with information that helped me finally realize what's important in selecting nice pearls, and why some are so much more expensive than others. I was so confused about them after talking to different jewelers that I wasn't sure what to buy (and they are too expensive to make a mistake). This book was a godsend. And I love the pearls I finally bought...and know they will stay beautiful! Also, I never knew there were CULTURED abalone pearls, but I plan to look for them for my next treat to myself!

As the title states, "The Pearl Book" is the definitive book on pearls. This 198 page book tells you everything you need to know about pearls, starting with a history of pearls and then moving on to descriptions of the different types of pearls, and advice on the selection and care of pearls. Of particular interest to me was Section 5, in which famous jewellers speak about pearls. The only drawbacks of this book are that the photos (with the exception of some colour plates in the centre) are in black and white, and being published in 2002, it is now slightly dated (the pricing guidelines are now irrelevant and the reference list does not include any web addresses). Nevertheless, this is an interesting read and a valuable addition to a jewellery library.

I bought this book for our store reference. My staff became hooked, the information is solid and written in a way that reads like a book built for leisure. One critique; There could be more pictures in her book, although a cliche - a picture is worth a thousand (descriptive) words. I will buy more books from Ms Matlins, she has established herself as THE DEFINITIVE WRITER for gems and pearls. Thanks for the great reading material. Veronica, Ali'i Jewelry - Hawaii

When I first read this book more than 25 years ago, I had no idea that this type of material (dirty jokes, to be precise) constituted folklore or any other basis for serious study. I merely thought that it was a guilty entertainment. You might imagine my delight to find that in addition to some very funny, albeit very crude and crass, stories, there was a thoughtful, intellectual critical introduction and a series of short annotations after each nasty excerpt, including thematic code numbers under the Stith Thompson indexing system. I simply can't recommend this book too highly for anyone with earthy tastes, but an aspiration toward the higher and more thoughtful aspects of the vulgar. Also, it's very reasonably priced, compared to the other works in the genre. When you've finished it, you will want to explore similar materials by Roger Abrahams, Darrell Cumber Dance and Gershon Legman.

I took a strange but ultimately interesting course in American Folklore back at good old MWC. Our Professor made us read this book, and I can never thank him enough. I am still not sure what the purpose of us reading this book was, but the stories were hilarious. I laughed so much reading these stories. Many of which were simply extended dirty jokes. This was by far the best book I read at college. I don't know much about Folklore, but at the very least if you want to read a funny book, get pissing in the snow.

I have a copy of this book that has been with me for a number of years now and every now and again, I find myself leafing through it. It never ever fails to bring a chuckle or a down right laugh. This is a collection, for lack of a better word, of Dirty Jokes, dating back to the 1800's. The jokes and stories range from the cute to the absolute raunchy. They, for the most part are presented in the dialect of the teller. The author has gone to great pains to research their origins and has given credit to the individual teller when ever possible. Being well in to my dotage now, these jokes are the ones I grew up with here in the Ozarks (in fact, I personally know some of the individuals mentioned in the book), and they never fail to bring back fond memories. Most of the jokes, like most of the people in this area at that era, are very earthy and to the point. I suppose there may be those who might be offended, but they are, the jokes and stories, apart of our heritage and I am grateful to the author for having preserved them. For those that are offended, and I rather pity them, well they certainly need not read past the first page. Many of these stories would be lost now for not for his research and his recordings. Recommend this one highly and recommend this one be one you buy and keep as you will no doubt want to give it a reread and it is certainly something that future generations should have.

After the kids were snug in their sleeping bags and tents, their parents would pop the corks on their favorite brews and this collection of dirty, one-pager, country stories was passed from person to person around the campfire and read aloud. People would literally fall over, roaring with laughter, gasping for breadth. And often,the reader was paralized with laughter and couldnt continue. The stories are red neck filthy and funny beyond words. I didnt get the cultural relevance, I was too busy laughing. Not for the politically correct.

When I fetched this book from a friend I knew it was a-going to be a good'un. Filled to the brim with rural anecdotes, for womenfolk and fellas alike, "Pissing in the Snow" is sure to get any reader plumb excited.

All regionalisms aside, I truly did enjoy this book. It starts a bit slow, but once the old-fashioned nature is understood and appreciated, the country boy jokes about bodily functions and not-so-veiled references to intercourse keep the laughs coming. Replete with colloquialisms such as "twitchet" for female sexual anatomy and "tallywhacker" for the male organ, the stories should elicit a sense of nostalgia from anyone who's heard a good campfire joke told by someone from The Great Generation.

Most of the time the stories revolve around a preacher, a traveling salesman, clever country folks tricking dumb city folks, or the ubiquitous farmer with a young naïve daughter about to be deflowered. The language used throughout is interesting to say the least, with improper verb conjugation and pronoun usage sentences like, "That's just what Bobby Ray done, too!" are not uncommon.

My favorite part of each story was the ending. Each ending is supposed to confirm the veracity of the story, but only adds doubt. It's like hearing someone end every story with, "For real!" They come across like a story from your Grandpa, creating a positive, enjoyable vibe that amplifies the innocence past. Without what would be considered vulgarity by today's standards, "Pissing in the Snow" proves there is more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to humor. There may be times when readers from the big city will dismiss this as boring or unintelligent, but I reckon if you-uns read this here collection of stories you'll think differently, because Amazon readers is smarter than that, anyhow.