Amateur Books

If you are looking for information about how built an amateur observatory, here you have all you need to know.

This is a great basic introductory book. If you're looking for ideas and don't want to re-invent the wheel, and make the same mistakes that others have made when THEY made their observatory, buy this book. I highly recommend it; easy reading, with good author support! 5 of 5 stars.

The following reviews have been received by Medallion Books:

"This book kept me on the edge of my seat! There's mystery, suspense and to make things a bit more interesting, some romance thrown in. You don't know who the killer is or why he/she is doing it until the very end. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery."

~Rhapsody Magazine

"Readers will love guessing who's killing the residents of Valley Retirement Village in this delightfully funny and cleverly plotted mystery. A must read for Sherlock fans, but Holmes himself would be no match for sassy senior sleuths Dora and Shirl."

~Sue Owens Wright
Author (Howling Bloody Murder)

I found this to be a suspensful read. It involves two widows in a retirement village where their members are being murdered alphabetically. Due to an inexperienced shariff the two women decide to try to solve the murders themselves. The characters are charming! In addition to the suspense is a slight hint of humor. But you will not be laughing long as the suspense builds up to a breathtaking pace as the story progresses to a surprising climax. This is a keeper!

After making every conceivable mistake in our quest to find something fun to do with our retired racing greyhound, we found this book. What a great resource! The author walks you through all the steps to get started in amateur performance events. It's also been a wonderful reference work as we've continued to participate and learn.

I have been enchanted with sighthounds since I was a young girl. I'm still in awe at how they've survived since ancient times virtually the same. This book covers sighthound breeds commonly seen at AKC dog shows: Afghan Hound; Borzoi; Irish Wolfhound; Saluki; Scottish Deerhound; ect.... But there are also fascinating histories of breeds virtually unknown in the USA, or even outside of their homelands. There is also information given on a few breeds believed to be extinct. Photos are not provided for every breed due to the breed's obscurity. The photos & line drawings are all in black & white; some are quite old so the quality isn't the best. I must add that this book is the only one I know of to date that includes information on the Silken Windhound! If you are infatuated by sighthounds as I am, I definately recommend this book to you! It's not for the casual dog person though.

That book is full load with prctical information for any ham beginner who wants to learn by doing wire antennas. It is really helpfull, and well oriented

It seems that today's amateur radio operator more often than not has a station consisting of manufactured equipment. At the heart of these stations are transceivers so complex that the average ham has neither the equipment nor the ability to fix or modify them. Antennas are, however, something that still attract homebrewers.

If you're going to put up an antenna, why not do it right and get the best performance for the time spent? For a low key yet effective introduction to wire antennas this is a wonderful little book. Nowhere near as long, or complex, as the ARRL Antenna Handbook, this concise volume presents some elementary theory and a number of practical designs for wire antennas. I've lent my copy to new hams several times and from all reports it's been a big help.

This book is highly recommended as a basic reference and a good stepping stone to the next level.

Although you would think the format for this book is somewhat for the very young, it is actually informative and entertaining for any age. I would highly recommend it for those interested in rudimentary celestial information.

Stargazing with Jack Horkheimer Cosmic Comics is a great introduction to the night sky for children. I gave a copy to my grandson for Christmas. I also gave a copy to my neighbors son, who has expressed an interest in astronomy. It makes the kids want to "Keep looking up!"

One common thread in all my artistic endeavors has been the idea of transformation. I feel it is a wonderful magic to see something transformed from plain,possibly ugly, into something giving a sense of the beauty of design and color. This author, Lyn Le Grice,a trained designer with highly refined drawing skills, has become an authority in the field of stencilling and its use in interior design. She tells how early in her career she hit on this simple technique of using auto spray paint sprayed through linseed oil soaked manila card stencils to achieve beautiful rooms. In this book, she takes this ramshackle old house in Cornwall, and stencilling walls,floors, furniture, and fabrics, she transforms the place into the most delightful palace. She shows pictures of the Befores and the Afters are astonishing. It seems difficult to believe that just simple stencilling could achieve such a change. The photography of the house is top notch and the book is beautifully printed. It is a delight for decor aficionados like myself to leaf through the book and dream about what we too might do to transform our own rooms.

A true artist and teacher, Le grice inspires and instructs in this supurbly illustrated work. Her original stencils, from simple motifs to full scale murals, and her unusual spray paint method transform a home into a work of art.

This large paperback book may only be 96 pages but it is incredibly detailed and the color photos and illustrations are excellent. For each project the author covers types of materials, site preparation, design, estimating quantities, measuring, as well as step by step instructions on building the project. Projects covered: Garden Walls, Arches, Patios, Paths, Steps, Planters, Rock Gardens, Seats and Tables, and Ponds. A section on "Small Weekend Projects" shows how to make a mounting for a sundial, paving around trees, laying stepping stones, and building a patio planter out of rocks.

A "Reference" section in the back of the book includes detailed information on tools, natural stone, man-made wall blocks, paving slabs and blocks, mortar and concrete, dry mixed materials, mortar mixes and ready made concrete.

Twenty different projects are presented in color photos and detailed drawings. Lawrence concentrates on patios, paving, steps, garden walls, stone furniture and decorative ponds. These are all projects that homeowners can handle themselves with this concise guide.

This is really a good diagnostic book. I use it whenever there is something going in or around the house. I now have the information necessary to make a decision to fix the problem myself or call a professional. (The only reason I hesitated to give it five stars was because there are some figures in the book, but no verbage or narratives to explain the figures.)

This book has all parts of the house from roofs, exteriors, doors and windows and every other part of the house in here. It also breaks down into sub sections like different types of roofs for example asphalt shingles, wood shingles and so on. It list common problems found in these areas, the cause or signifacance and also provides solutions. It also has some good pictures and diagrams for examples. Granted this book is only 41 pages long and cant possibly cover everything and solutions listed are the most common and general and may not always fix the problem because not all problems are the same fix. Bottom line from me is it is a good book to have for anyone that wants to learn more about houses.

I learned more about house repair and mantenance by reading this book than I had learned by trial and error over the last 10 years. The photos are beautiful, the topics on point. This book is an eyeopener!

This book is just what you would expect from the guys at This Old House. It includes tips and how-to advice on a wide range of common household problems. The emphasis is not only on repair, but on maintenance and prevention of problems. This book serves as advisory tool for those of us who can't afford to call a professional for every small household problem.

This book is perfect for anyone who owns a home--especially and older home. From the first chapter, which describes in detail how to strip a room down to its bare bones, to others which describe how to make repairs to staircases, wallpaper around arches and other obstacles, lay flooring, etc., this book is packed with information and step by step instructions. Each chapter is divided into different tasks (for instance, the chapter on refinishing a hardwood floor separates out the tasks of sanding, repairing cracks, replacing a damaged board, and others), and each task is summarized with an approximate skill level, working time, and tools needed.

Great book.

This book has easy to follow, step by step techniques, illustrated w/full color photography to show you how to improve your home. The pages are filled with inspirational photo's of newly decorated rooms to fire your imagination. Alternative treatments let you customize your decoration to suit your own tastes. It also has numerous practical hints & lists of tools & materials to make sure your home improvements go smoothly.