Amateur Books

If you are wanting to learn about digital video, get this book. The book is written lightly and personably--as if you are sitting there talking to the author. The most valuable part of the book is the section on creating DVDs. The author takes you through every aspect of creating a professional DVD with a menu, background music, and advanced authoring.
The author also has provided information on video editing and shooting techniques. I love his approach and the layout of the book. The book is appropriately written for the audience it addresses (beginner to intermediate videographer).
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the CD that is included only has trial versions of commercial software on it. I would have liked for him to discuss and provide some free software for video capture and editing. No disappointments though. This is a good book and has been quite valuable to me.

Having already struggled with a little bit of filming and editing, I found many of my prior frustrations described and clarified in this wonderful book.

Jan Ozer, the author, is blessed with an ability to explain technical concepts clearly. (Where was he when I was studying physics in high school?)

The chief virtues of this book are:
1) superb graphics -- of equipment, of software screenshots, and of Mr Ozer's beautiful models (his small daughters)
2) explanations written clearly and concisely, and with a fine dry wit, as if Mr Ozer were at your home talking us through the process.

At this writing (early 2007), this book may appear a bit dated. However, the concepts Mr Ozer explains so well will be with us for years to come. I can't imagine there's a better introduction to amateur video than this book.

This book is a must-read for anyone trying to create DVDs from analog videotape! His chapters on cameras, capturing video, working with audio, choosing software, and creating DVDs are indispensable!

My impressions of the book:

(1) It was better than I expected. A lot of beginner material but he does cover some key concepts. I agree that his tone is not too novice-targetted, nor is it too technical. He uses Microsoft Movie Maker 2, Pinnacle Studio 8 and Ulead VideoStudio 7 for most of his illustrations. Unfortunately, although the book came out this year, as is common with software, Pinnacle is up to Version 9 and Ulead up to version 8. He does cover other prosumer editors like Vegas, Liquid Edition, and Premier, but the book is primarily focused on users of consumer editors and equipment, not the professionals. That was Ok with me.
His advise on equipment and technique was interesting to read although, in my opinion, he did not spend enough time on accessories. This is not the best book for advice on accessories. Most of his time is spent on video editing software. As is also unfortunately common, he did not talk about set-top stand-alone DVD recorders, which some people use for archiving. I found his advise on "The Basics of Shooting" to be quite helpful.

(2) The book can be a bit wordy and he overuses the adjective "lovely" to describe software features, effects, pictures, etc. It sounds a little odd sometimes.

(3) For equipment and software, his focus on Sony camcorders sound unnecessarily. Similarly, he sometimes sound like a salesman for Pinnacle Studio. Now, I happen to like Sony camcorders (I am on my third) and Pinnacle Studio (warts and all) but I would have preferred more balanced descriptions. So, if you do not have Pinnacle or Ulead VideoStudio (both of which I have) you may feel a little put out.

Overall, a useful book. It could be better, but for $20.39 on Amazon, I think anyone relatively new to digital video would find the book helpful and worth the money.

This is a field that spans both hardware and software. Unlike, for example, Photoshop, which is a pure software construct. If you're going into digital video, the hardware issues alone can be daunting. Important things like choosing an internal analog capture card. Who are the main vendors? What are the salient features to compare? Ozer gives you these data.

In software, you have to pick some video editor. These run the gamut from the entry level Microsoft Movie Maker 2 to more powerful and expensive alternatives like Pinnacle Edition, Sonic Foundry Vegas or Adobe Premiere Pro.

Many other issues are shown in the book. Along with simple editing techniques. Enough to get you started. Ozer's writing style should be clear enough to many. And he gives you a lot of material to digest. Including various utility programs on the accompanying CD.

Covers all the areas I needed. Soft & rotten cores, broken fiberglass, chipping, etc. I liked it so much I just ordered his book on refinishing.

Style wise, this is the opposite of The Sailmaker's Apprentice by Marino. This is not a book to pick up while sitting by the fire sipping tea. It is a great reference book with concise "how to" information. I have a friend who told me that there is nothing beyand repair on a fiberglass boat. After reading this book, I'm beginning to belive him. Good explanations of both materials and techniques - including safety.

A sweet book that gave me the confidence to 'go for it' and tackle some ugly holes in my dinghy hull. What's more it was not that bad after all! It's all here, from finishing the gelcoat scrapes/cracks to repairing gaping holes- you may want to buy in conjunction with 'sailboat refinishing' to help with that final effort. Fully recommended!

This book covers the basic as well as some advanced topics about repairing all types of fiberglass hulls, decks, through hull fittings, teak wood, and other related topics. I recommend the book for the beginner who needs basic information about fiberglass repair.

While I actually like "Fiberglass Repair: Polyester or Epoxy" by David and Zora Aiken a touch better than this book, they are both strong. They both have lots of clear ILLUSTRATIONS, which to my mind are preferable to photos at depicting this sort of information.

Blister repair (not addressed at all in older books on fiberglass repeair), wet deck cores, gelcoat cosmetics are all covered, as well as a good discussion of when to use Epoxy resins versus the cheaper Polyesters. I recommend this book for owners of ALL fiberglass boats, as the construction and repairs are quite universal.

The relatively large format of this book helps the clarity of the drawings, and makes it possible to imagine using it like a cookbook, propped open on the workbench as you step through the steps.

This book was very good at explaining how to get back to the basics with simple hand tools. He describes how to sharpen blades to a razor sharp finish. He explains how to use your basic tools properly so as to use them as effieciently as possible. I really like this book.

The 7 essential of woodworking are 1) Wood, Glue surface & joint making, 2) Measuring and marking wood, 3) Sawing to a line, 4) Sharpening tools, 5) Using Hand Planes, 6) Making Mortise and Tenons, 7) Wood Finishing.

Through out the book he advocates the use of wood tools to a point that on some occasions it is an obsession and therefore quite opinionated, such as using the bow saw ("... only 2% of woodworkers can use one..."). Some of his methods, such as how to find the center of a board by over measuring a greater distance then the know half amount, from each side and then splitting the distance between the two marks by eye and adjusting the amount and after 3 or more times you will be exact. That is tedious and there are far more easier and exact ways to determine the exact middle of the board quicker then this trial and error method. Being an teacher and he not using or mentioning these methods, made me a little skeptical to accept his suggestions at face value.

In the section labeled "Marking techniques for end planning", his instructions were very confusing and required a little analyzation.

On the section about sharpening chisels, the author points out that he has settled on Japanese water stones, but since they can be confusing to use, he explains how to use diamond stones and a leather strop. Not bad to know, but would have liked to know the best way too.

I found the book to be instructive, informative, because in areas it deviated from what the majority of other books I have read, advocating for using hand tools and methods in woodworking. I think some of his view points are more for an intermediate woodworker who has some experience to evaluate his point of view, than a novice or a beginner. Yet a novice or beginner can find value in the book.\

From a Novice point of view I rate it a 3 and from an intermediate point of view, I rate it a 4.

After trying to learn woodworking "the right way" over the past several months from the current crop of woodworking periodicals, best sellers, Web sites and older woodworking texts, I felt like I knew the lingo but still had no idea about some of the basics. My last shop class in school was 30 years ago, and making a gun rack back then was not the definitive education for quality woodworking. Reading The Seven Essentials has given me a good grasp of the fundamentals of woodworking and how they fit together. Thank you, Mr. Guidice.

This book is not a treatise; I read it (and reread parts) in an evening and was in the workshop practicing cutting to straight lines with my limited arsenal of hand tools the next day. Over 3 weeks I've read it maybe 3 or 4 times. Its brevity is key to its appeal--one man's methods for what works and how to develop the skills to get there. Oh yeah, he talked me into getting a bow saw in the process, too!

Unlike the Magazines and the Web, Guidice cuts to the chase and says this is what I do, this is what I teach, and this works. Sure, he's opinionated but he isn't afraid to let the reader know it. He wants his readers to be working with wood ASAP and not caught up in high tech machinery and debates on methodology; he wisely wants his readers to learn to walk before learning to run. We've probably all made things with butt joints and no glue, struggled with basics of marking, cutting, planing, and finishing, and wondered in bewilderment why it looks so easy in the magazines and with Norm and the NYW.

If you want a place to start your serious woodworking, a straightforward approach to know what to do and why, and some exercises to build your skills and confidence then this is the book. It's actually made all the other stuff (Web, magazines, etc) more relevant given the frame of reference Guidice teaches. Machines are great fun, but realizing that I didn't have to buy a planer and jointer to flatten and square a board was a relief.

What kept me from giving this a 5-star rating was Guidice's insistence on expensive planes (Lie-Nielsen, but in my dreams). The experience I've gained from resurrecting old Stanley wood planes was worth it, and I'll take issue with his position that it can't be done. My 90-year-old jack plane can take tissue paper thin shavings, my 40-year-old fore plane will hold its own as a poor man's scrub plane, and my grandfather's block planes from the '20's and '30's work like a charm when unpacked after 50 years. Tuning a plane is as fundamental as sharpening a saw or chisel, and these old planes provide big bangs for few bucks.

I'm finishing my workbench and organizing my basement workshop right now. I'd like to build a table as my first "real" furniture, and Guidice's book on building tables has climbed to the top of my list!

I really enjoyed reading this book .It breaks down the basics of woodworking in to essential steps, that one can use to build up their woodworking skills. I wish I had read this book 26 years ago, when I went to maple ridge vocational school in B.C. Our teacher taught us to do most of the work with power tools,There was very little instruction on using hand tools properly. The focus was on power everything . When I taught woodworking classes in adult education. The focus again was on power tools. This book is a great introduction on the use of quality hand tools to start your woodworking carrer or hobby.

One of my recommended books for woodworking. The others being Ian Kirby's Dovetail book and Tage Frid's set of three woodworking books. All of these authors have opinions and are not afraid of stating them. All of them tell you how to get the job done with hand tools, practice, and perseverence. And that is the key with most things. Get the right tool, get a technique that works, and practice until you persevere. You don't need to argue about the subtleties of a dozen different methods, you don't have to collect old tools and restore them, you just have to cut and plane wood to get good at cutting and planing wood.

My biggest complaint is the book is not long enough. I wish Guidice had written similar chapters on a few other important aspects of woodworking. I also wish there was a bit more technique in the planing chapter and mortise and tenon section. I would have liked to have seen shoulder planes demonstrated. And spokeshaves. And maybe the use of a few other planes besides the scrub and jack and smoother. And the chopping of mortises with mortise chisels instead of drilling with a brace and paring the sides.

The truth of this book came to me as I was practicing my rip cuts with my new bow saw. It was the Putsch saw mentioned by Guidice, now sold by Woodcraft. The set on the blade is awful now so Guidice will have to rewrite that portion of his book. I followed the directions to pound the set out of the blade and reset it. Did it several times until I was no longer mystified by saw sharpening. If you do something enough you get good at it and comfortable with it. Finally made the blade follow a line and ripped some oak with it. I also tried ripping with a Stanley Shark tooth saw. The bow saw put the western style saw to shame. I have a super slow cutting Japanese saw too.

Guidice also says to get a good plane (Lie-Nielsen is his recommendation) and plane wood with it. He says you will learn more about planing wood with a quality plane for a year than reading 10,000 magazine articles. Or engaging in 10,000 internet discussions I might add. Hard to argue with that fundamental advice.

If you really want to learn how to be a competent woodworker, follow the instructions in this book. Buy a few good tools and use them to work wood. Practice the fundamentals. Planing and sawing.

If your woodworking goal is to collect tools, argue about tools, polish, file and sand old tools, and argue about which technique to use to accomplish a task, then this book is not for you.

I just finished reading and enjoyed tremendously. I felt his introspections were right on.
My husband & I have been building and remodeling a house for over twenty years. We've enjoyed ourselves and raised seven great kids.
My father told me before he died that he use to worry we would never get the house finished, but that he came to see that the planing & the doing were what made life worthwhile.
This book should be published as an audiobook.
LM

Definitely worth a read for anyone interested in home improvement. I might suggest buying a used copy or hitting up your local library instead of buying it new, though, as this is more of an informative memoir than a reference book.

I have to admit that I've had a crush on Norm Abrams since I first saw him on an episode of "This Old House" years ago. My heart a-flutter, tuning in to his show, "The New Yankee Workshop," was a guilty pleasure. It wasn't too much of a surprise to my husband, therefore, to see that my summer reading included "Sheetrock & Shellac." I told him it was because I wanted to sound like I knew what I was talking about if I ever got the chance to meet my home improvement idol. This book did not disappoint. David Owen does a fine job of explaining some of the brass tacks of do-it-yourself projects familiar to any owner of an older home. He digresses a bit in the area of plumbing, but his approach, self-deprecating and often laugh-out-loud funny, was inspiring. Have I taken a sledgehammer to a wall yet? No, but now I think I could.

I was given this book as a gift and when I read the front and back covers, I thought: this is the book for me - this is my story. I began DIY home improving six years ago and was a novice when I started. Over the years, I have learned a tremendous amount and now I can do most anything. I was excited about reading Owen's tale as it seemed to closely parallel mine. However, as I read, I became very disappointed. Instead of, "As his skill grows, so does his confidence," I would say, "As his bank account grows, so does his ability to hire more contractors."

The back cover suggests the writing is witty and "hilarious." I chuckled once. That does not equal hilarious in my estimation, but that's just me.

Where are the details about learning? About using tools (not just buying them)? About how to overcome all the difficulties with home improvement of an old house? Anyone who has ever worked on an old house knows it is usually an adventure with all sorts of stories to be told.

The back cover uses the examples of progressing from replacing a broken light switch to wiring an entire room, and from making bookcases to building an office. Certainly sounds substantial. But let's see ... the story of wiring an entire room is taken care of in a single sentence (p. 45) and mentions adding two circuits. So, where is the discussion of adding those circuits to the main service panel? That's not exactly trivial for a budding DIYer. And the office building story is described in slightly more than two pages (pp. 43-45). I guess the author didn't want to waste space so that he could instead wax on about concrete for sixteen thrilling pages. And the big teaser, that the author makes the leap from renovation to building a new house from the ground up (a dream of my own), is completely disingenuous. It turns out to be just another exercise in the author hiring others to build a "vacation" house for him - six miles away. What's wrong with this picture?

And as far as the theme of "what the space we live in says about us," the author fails to deliver on that with any substance as well.

If you are someone who says, "We remodeled our kitchen," but in translation, you had your kitchen remodeled (by someone else), then this book might be for you. If you are someone who actually did the remodeling of your kitchen, then your reaction to this book might be like mine - frustration.

This is an unusual book for the do-it-yourself-er who is perhaps a little bit interested in the competing technologies embodied in the modern home, their origins, and their trade-offs. Owen, a frank materialist, is sublimely taken with things, especially things that go wrong with homes. Obsessed with the beauty of wood, while gamely observing its heaves with changes in humidity, tales of his struggles approach the transcendent. His bouts of fighting the ravages of water and mildew, approach the heroics seen in New Orleans. He is a real scholar of war.

I was surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. Perhaps it is because I hate the mundane chores of maintaining a house, and that the vicarious thrills I can get from reading about his struggles is as old as the Odyssey. Sort of like watching a cop reality show on TV.

The book actually has a lot of interesting stuff in it. I particularly enjoyed learning about the invention of these things and a little sometimes about the actual inventor. Linoleum in 1863 by Frederick Walton, the invention of Portland cement by Joseph Aspdin in 1824, and the stick house in 1832, etc. demonstrate that much of what we encounter in houses today actually had its roots in the industrial revolution. Owen tells these stories well, but his first hand encounters with them and his personal observations make it all come alive. The story of shellac, emphasized in the title, is a rare find.

The book, sadly, has few illustrations, and no index.

This book might actually motivate one to take a little more time and energy to do the stuff that has to be done. Gotta get those gutters cleaned out right now!

Jude and Carole are back as the amateur sleuths of Feathering, and this time they find themselves involved in deadly horseplay when Jude finds a body at Long Bamber Stables. The police figure it's the mysterious "Horse Ripper," someone who's been mutilating mares across the county, but Jude and Carol suspect the killer might be someone closer to home.

Sonia Dalrymple's has hired Jude to heal her horse's bad knee. Jude's never tried to heal a horse before but she's willing to give it a go. But, since she's supposed to meet her client at Long Bamber Stables after dark, she gets her friend Carole Seddon to give her a ride. The stables are dark and no one is around. When Jude checks inside just in case she got the meeting place confused, she finds a body. Then the night is filled with people as the police arrive just after Sonia and before Lucinda Fleet - the new widow, but one who doesn't appear that upset about her husband's demise.

Once again Jude and Carole are outsiders in a murder investigation. For once, these amateur sleuths are believable. They're totally aware they have no information and that they are cut off from the real investigation. So, they try to gather clues from others who are peripheral to the case: Imogen Potton, a young girl who exercises the horses and mucks out the stable; Lucinda Fleet, wife of the murder victim; Sonia, who boards two horses at the stables and seems to know more than she's saying; Donal, a horse-wise Irishman whom the police questioned; Hilary Potton, Imogen's mother who seems a bit of a drama queen; and Ted Crisp, who runs the local pub and hears lots of interesting gossip.

While Jude would like to find the killer, she's not overly enthused about it. Carole on the other hand is worried about her son Stephen's marriage to Gabe. She's throwing herself into the investigation to stop herself from thinking about her son and daughter-in-law.

There are twists and turns and lots of the usual. The mystery itself is multi-layered with clues from unrelated incidents to throw the reader off as well as Jude and Carole. It's not a challenging mystery for the reader, but the characters are so interesting and the inter-relationships so intriguing that as long as the story is strong and engaging it's a nice chance to see and learn new things about the world of Feathering as well as of Jude and Carole -- it seems opposites do make the best friends after all.

Simon Brett is an accomplished writer and has several mystery series. The Feathering series features two middle-aged, but otherwise completely different, amateur detectives, Carole and Jude. Carole is a highly-controlled, reserved, retired former civil servant. Her neighbor and accomplice, Jude, is a free-wheeling, new-age "healer".

Part of the humor and fun of this series is in the interactions between these two and watching the gradual "loosening" of Carole. (Egads, she is now drinking wine in the kitchen!)

I always enjoy this series, but this book was particularly engaging. Carole and Jude come upon a murder victim only minutes after the murder at a stable where Jude was going to attempt the healing of a horse. The cast of characters drawn into the book was interesting and engaging: an angry, sullen adolecent, a gorgeous but troubled society matron, a central casting drunken Irishman who's a little more than what he seems.

Lots of fun and totally engrossing. Read it and enjoy.

I look forward to reading everything by Simon Brett. He is a recent discovery for me and I like all three of his series. Stabbing in the Stables is a Fethering mystery, featuring Jude (an alternative therapist) and Carole Seddon (an uptight Home Office retiree). This interesting duo becomes involved in a murder at a stable after Jude has been called upon to look at, and possibly heal, a horse.

I love the relationship between the two women. Jude is a very accepting Earth mother sort with healing hands and Carole is a very rigid type who is learning to unwind as she spends time with Jude. And she, like the rest of us unbelievers, is skeptical of Jude's abilities (a good move on Brett's part as this built-in skeptic keeps the reader from balking and moves the story along). And both Carole and Jude have a need to find out answers and can't resist the lure of a mystery.

Brett populates this entire book with interesting characters. They all have depth because they all have needs, desires, and conflicts (with the possible exception of the villain of the piece, who is obvious fairly early on). The character of Donal is fantastic and is slowly revealed like a peeled onion, changing the way he is regarded by both the other characters and the reader.

This is not a book for the extremely squeamish. While not explained in gory detail, it does have violence against both humans and animals in it. But if you can handle a dose of reality in your mystery, the writing makes this one quite worthwhile.

Did I guess it? Sort of. Any more detail would ruin it for you. Will I read more? Absolutely.

"The Stabbing in the Stables," the latest of Simon Brett's forays into the lives of Jude and Carole in the fictional Sussex town of Fethering, is as fresh and clever as the first in the series. As others have mentioned, usually series begin to become tired (witness the once-great Agatha Raisin series) or parodies of themselves (e.g., the "Cat Who" mysteries). But Simon Brett seems immune to any of that.

The sign of a truly great series is when you can't wait for the next one. That's certainly the case here! I hope Mr. Brett hurries up with the next mystery.

Simon Brett's expertise is exceptional. Yes, I know he's written a lot, but not every prolific author improves with successive books. Brett, however, is one who does. In this series, he takes a fairly unlikable character (Carole)and compels us to follow her no matter how unlikely we would if we knew her in real life. Cleverly, Brett adds a more likable character (Jude) but keeps much of her life hidden. Add a compelling tale and you've got a great read!

Eleanor Sullivan, author of Assumed Dead

With the advances in High Definition and HDV, staying ahead of the learning curve might seem a daunting task. "Working with HDV" is a god-send. Seven chapters of technical wizardry, yet it's incredibly approachable; allowing even the most novice of film makers to grasp it. This is a MUST HAVE for any one considering whether or not to shoot on HDV for your next project!

Chuck Gloman has definitely helped me,a non-technical person, understand the basics of working with HDV. I have begun my project with a new confidence, and he has showed me this can be real simple.

I am just starting to explore using HDV and purchasing some equipment. The book "Working with HDV" was a great introduction to HDV but the overal quality of the book was very mixed. The author did seem very knowledgeable about the subject matter and parts of the writing were excellent. The first few chapters which provide a historical perspective and overview of HDV was really excellent with the right balance of technical detail. the middle portion on HDV production techniques was marginally useful as it did not go into enough detail to be really helpful. The last portion on post production and delivery was awful. It seemed like the deadline was approaching and the last few chapters were just thrown together. It was just a bunch of disjointed information on various options without any flow to it whatsoever. Some sections seemed incomplete and without any clear purpose in the text (e.g. some of the case studies). Maybe it was because there are so many software and hardware products on the market it was not possible to go into any detail. One of the problems was several terms were used which were not defined unlike the first chapters which explained everything thoroughly. There were also a fair number of editing mistakes which I found a bit annyoing (example: page 59 second paragraph last sentence should read "384-Kbps").

Overall I found the book useful and the first few chapters alone were worth the cost...but barely.

This is an excellent book. It covers the topic of High Definition very thoroughly.
It is copyright 2007. At the time of this review (July, 2007) it seems very much up to date.
It reviews ALL the high definition cameras on the market today. It covers the best video editing programs (Sopny Vegas, Adobe Premiere Pro2, Avid Xpress ProHD, Apple Final Cut Pro HD 5, Ulead Media Studio Pro 8).
Dr. Pescatore does a masterful job of describing the various Digital Video formats. (Did you know that you can have digital video without it being High Definition)?
Chapter 5 deals with shooting with HDV, and could have used a few more rewrites. It seems to lack coherence.
HDV is the wave of the future, and you need this book to prepare you for this technology

I am a computer professional, and bought this book to learn how to get started in HDV. To my dismay I found numerous errors when the authors referred to computing. e.g. in one place they call RAID, Random Access Internal Drives, yet in the glossary they correctly call it Redundant Array of Independent Disks. They claim that USB 2 is faster than Firewire (not true, although the theoretical maximum speed in USB is higher, in actual use Firewire is much faster for sustained data transfer, such as one sees with digital video.) They also say that Mac files cannot be accessed from Windows. This is also not, strictly speaking, true (although it is not easy).

As I am the son of the author,and also the stonemason who's work is featured in some of the pictures in the book ,I have to give the book the highest rating possible.I know my father spent at least 10 years drafting , planning and trying to find a publisher, and now that the book is out of print it is astounding to see how much its value has increased.I have the original drawings my father made (all framed of course) and also the original draft and photos that are featured in the book. I am very proud to have been a small part in what was a very succesful publication.Maybe one day I'll write a sequel !! might call it "the craft of the stonemason",but thats something I'll have to sit down and think about.

This is an excellent book, a stonemason myself, it really does give a true insight of the art or skill involved in stonemasonary. The illustration are excellent, with several cross sections to show the reader how stone walls are built.

Another good book on traditional stone masonry. I wish there was some some colour photos in it. It does have some information that is not found in other stone mason books. Add it to your Stone Masonry library.

The author provides hard and fast do's and don'ts derived from his experience of many years. If you want to learn how to build a traditional mortared stone wall this is the best book around. With or without the color photos, buy it.

I became interested in the art of stone masonry a couple of years ago. This book is by far the most excellent one I have seen, and I have researched back as far as the 1870's. Mr. Cramb is definitely an artisan beyond compare.

If for aesthetic value alone, this book would be worth every penny.

I can't believe this book! I have learned more about tiling in the 3-4 hours it took me to read the book, than in the previous tile projects I have done. Mr. Bridge covers it all. I found the section on laying out a project worth the entire price of the book. By following his layout method, I have saved considerable time. Mr. Bridge uses humor, simple explanations, and a great knowledge of tiling to make a do-it-yourselfer feel comfortable about taking on a large project.

I am a Maintenance Superintendent for the largest publicly owned utility in the Nation. I have read way more manuals than I care to think about. Very seldom do I actually learn anything. This book covers not only the very basics, but also some of the more complex projects of tiling. It not only tells you what to do; it also explains why you want to do it. An excellent book I highly recommend to anyone. Just don't ask to borrow my book, BUY your own!

I've never done any tile work and wanted to find out more about it. After reading this book, I feel like I can get started without a lot of confusion. For anyone wanting to learn more about tilework, even if your going to hire it done, this book is a must.

I am planning a mud-set ceramic tile project and it was suggested that I buy this book. I did and it is a GREAT book; sure wish I had known about it several years ago when I did my first tile project! I recommend it to anyone starting a tile project. It's written in a way that most anyone can understand and the small cost is worth the time and potential mistakes that will be saved.

I purchased this book hoping to get valueable information on the understanding of tile work.In addition to aquire ideas that would benefit me in achieving such goals.This book I found to be poorly written, the examples (pictures)provided were outdated and poorly presented to say the least.
Save your hard earned money, this to me was Not worth the price !!

If you are just starting out, or are wanting to learn more about the tiling do's and don'ts, then this book is for you.

As a DIY person, I found the book covered all those little details that other books didn't. And when it comes to tiling, it is all about detail.

It is written in a fun informative manner, and is easy to read and follow. If you buy one book only on tiling, this is the one to get.

I found this book refereshing. While she makes a few brief comments in the book that are a bit unexpected, I believe they were to cause the reader to think. I liked Kirk's honest evaluation of what caused her to 'lose' her faith and how she then came to a personal relationship with Christ. This book made me think abot my own faith and how we, as sinners, are all alike - save by God's grace.

Some people dive into Christianity with a big splash. Others step into the river of faith one toe at a time. Patty Kirk would probably classify herself as the latter --- a kind of reluctant believer who found herself undeniably saturated with the reality of God.

In CONFESSIONS OF AN AMATEUR BELIEVER, she recounts her journey of faith --- one that highlights the pain and struggles of her past. Despite growing up around the church, Patty became a self-proclaimed atheist. She felt that the God of her childhood had abandoned her and she was in charge of her own life.

To compound matters, during Kirk's first year of college, her mother developed a brain tumor. A surgery to repair the damage left her mom almost blind and unable to regulate her own appetite. In the midst of so much suffering, Kirk describes:

"When I went home to see her, I would find her at my sister's kitchen table with a Bible in her lap. She couldn't read it, couldn't recognize me from my voice except, hesitantly, as 'my Patty,' a teenage version of myself if I no longer remembered. She couldn't even hold onto any one thought except to say over and over, as confiding and joyful as a child, 'Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.' It was the most pathetic sight I had ever seen, this wreck of my mom, sitting cock-eyed and broken and patting her Bible, claiming this obvious lie to be true. I was always glad to get back on the plane and leave that part of my life behind me."

Kirk didn't just run hard and fast --- she ran as far as she could, living overseas for years. But Kirk couldn't shake the sense that God was present in her life. Present in her grief, anger, loneliness and pain. Ever present.

She writes:

"I became a Christian in my thirties. I wish I could say that I welcomed Jesus as my Savior from the moment I heard his name as a child and that I submitted to him eagerly and dedicated my life to glorifying him, but in truth I would have to admit that I have always struggled to remain my own boss. I had to fight him off for an entire lifetime before I finally recognized my own ridiculous inadequacy to save myself and gave up the struggle. What a joy it is to exchange fighting for rest!"

CONFESSIONS OF AN AMATEUR BELIEVER chronicles this faith journey. The book itself is divided into four sections: Meeting God, Struggling, Progress, and Rest. While the majority of chapters tells Kirk's story, there are interludes of brief chapters that reflect on God and life. One of the best compares leaving everyday phone messages to communicating with God.

This book is well-written and teaches valuable faith lessons without a hint of being preachy. The raw, honest and vulnerable stories are relatable yet enjoyable to read. At times it seems a little bit jumpy --- adding pieces that are clever within themselves but don't necessarily fit within the overall flow of the book. But the journey is one worth taking for the reader --- one littered with rich nuggets of wisdom and wit.

CONFESSIONS OF AN AMATEUR BELIEVER would make a great rainy-day read. Many will be able to relate to the ups and downs of the author's life and find themselves within the story.

--- Reviewed by Margaret Oines.

I loved Patty Kirk's Confessions! I started with the idea that one chapter at a time would make a nice bedtime reading before falling asleep. Instead I found myself drawn to the next chapter, and the next... and the next...

The use of everyday life and everyday events of a daughter, sister, wife, and mother made the book seem very personal. Other accounts of places and experiences I've never dreamed of made the reading intriguing. The questions and doubts the author admitted to were often those I have secretly harbored though often kept to myself. The 'theology' reflects that of a genuine new believer (passionate, questioning, searching, sometimes immature), but with frequent insight and inspiration that would be expected of a much deeper understanding of God and Truth. I loved the frankness, openness, and startling honesty she shows as she tells her story.

I eagerly look forward to more Patty Kirk books!

This book is a spiritual memoir of someone brave enough to admit she doesn't have all the answers and never will.

Although Patty Kirk grew up going to Catholic church, she fell away from her early faith and became an atheist for over a decade. Two tragic events occurred in her personal life that cut to the very core of her being, and she didn't see how God could let these things happen.

She became a drifter, wandering from country to country overseas, longing for what she lost, yet not knowing how to get back home. She rediscovered her faith in her 30s through the witness of her husband, who prays daily in his walk-in closet.

Now a professor at a Christian college, Kirk's lyrical essays are fresh and edgy, offering a peek into her current role as mother, wife, and amateur believer. Fans of C.S. Lewis' nonfiction will find delight in Kirk's writing.

--Christian Women Online Book Buzz

The title is what caught my eye, and I must say the cover was catchy as well, but what's inside is worth every piece of paper on which Mrs. Kirk's faith journey is printed. Although I'm usually only a page-turner with very good fiction, I had a hard time putting down this honest and very real account of seeking and finding God.

i'm in the process of building a second home for our family. at first, i was very afraid that going to an architect, an "expert" was going to be expensive and potentially frustrating - how could they know what i wanted, how could i know to trust that they were "that" good and wouldn't charge me an arm and a leg for some design-y house? this book provided the education - the vocabulary, the concepts, the rationale - that any non-architect needs. after reading its chapters, i feel more confident both in my own ability to find the right architect and building professionals, and that i really do want to work with an architect.

even if you aren't building a house, this book will help you understand the one you currently have. it gives you enough context so that, the next time you see a funny stain on the floor, you'll be able to better guess if its water or a present from the dog.

As a residential designer and builder I read a lot of how-to books and this is the first and only one of its kind - informative as well as entertaining. I picked it up after dinner one evening and when I next looked up it was four in the morning! Homing Instinct seems to have it all - stick building, timber framing, log homes, straw bales....even geodesic domes. It covers the foundation work, the energy systems, plumbing, electrical and , best of all, gives loads of alternatives in every area. Connell writes in a very humorous way which is refreshingly different from so many techno-texts. And the illustrations by themselves are worth the price. I know it's just one guy's opinion, but I think this book is worth half a dozen of those others.

The book presents a good high-level approach of the design/building process. Mr. Connell does a great job of presenting various alternatives of all aspects of designing and building your home, all the while taking great care in never restricting creativity. For those who are in need of an overall discussion the book aquits itself splendidly. If your purpose, however, is to dig deep in technical matters, then look elsewhere. Even Mr.Connell acknowledges the lack of micro-content, when in the final chapter (and I am paraphrasing) he writes that we cannot be done (the book that is), that there are many questions unanswered, like how to build stairs, and floors, and windows, and doors ... (you get the idea). Well, these questions remain unanswered, meaning you have to buy another book. In all fairness to Mr.Connell, I fully understand that a technical discussion of every house building aspect is beyond the scope of his book, but I just wish I could get more information on let us say, windows, other than design issues. Great starting book.

Y2K might be topical, but "Homing Instinct"(McGraw Hill) is evergreen. Connell, founder of the Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, Vermont recently updated the original book published by Time Warner in 1993 (see author's review). Yestermorrow students learn skills and philosophies necessary for designing or building a home. "Homing Instinct" is the next best thing to a month at building camp. Anyone planning to bypass architectural services can benefit from this conversational text with clear illustrations and imaginative chapter titles like: "A Window for Your Spririt, A Door for the Dance" or "Walls and Wallness". And don't skip the glossary. Someday a "Jeopardy!" title might hinge on mortise, kerf or zonohedra!

Designing and building your own home is an exciting, albeit stressful undertaking. Designing and building a home in sync with a natural lifestyle makes the undertaking overwhelming. HOMING INSTINCT provides a detailed overview of the home planning, design, and construction process, but has several distinct advantages over the typical building book. It begins by detailing homebuilders' needs according to their values and lifestyles. Then, throughout the book, homebuilders are offered design and construction choices based on those needs. HOMING INSTINCT presents sustainable building and construction methods as well as conventional choices so homebuilders can make chocies each step of the way. The book is not only educational and comprehensive, more importantly, it makes the decisions associated with building a home effortless and deeply personal