Clubs Books

If you like CROWNS then this is the book for you! I actually bought the book for a gift & now the book is the talk of the town! Everyone wants to look at it!
Great detailed photos of many Queens, Princesses, & other Crowns. The book is nicely written up.
Also if you are a designer it's a great idea book too!

Tiaras a History of Splendour by my friend Geoffrey C. Munn director of the famed store Wartski is a Must for serious collectors and historians. Through its symbol of Power and Royalty the reader is sure to travel in time and learn so much about the past, present and future. You can even see my personal Comb Tiara which belonged to Princess Pauline Borghese, favorite sister of Napoleon on page 38 plate 23 which was also a hit for the Chinese People when Chaumet presented it at the opening of the Museum in Hongkong last year in December...The buckle and belt were also stolen at my father's estate during World War II not by the Nazis but by french collaborators, jalous of dad's connection with De Gaulle...
Comte Alexandre de Bothuri

What fabulous photographs! Many of them in colour and close up to show the beautiful detail! Anyone who has a interest in royalty or jewels will love this book. I certainly do. Munn writes an informative text as well and makes for an interesting read.

For those who are either royal or Jewelry collectable enthusiast. Geoffrey C. Munn's coffe table book on the history of the tiara is a must have. Rich colour plated illustrations with close ups of the masterpieces created to adorn the heads of royalty and the aristocracy throughout the ages. Resourceful information about the history behind the creation of the jewel,& the owner's family history and heritage as well.

This is a large coffee table book which would grace any table in the world with its magnificent photographs of the tiaras belonging to royalty, the rich and famous and museums. The display of diamonds and precious gemstones is breathtaking, showing the many different styles which came and went in fashion, some delicate and dainty and others, gaudy and cumbersome, but all of them with jewels which are stunning in their beauty. I enjoyed the written descriptions and stories which accompany them as much as the photos, as I hadn't any idea that these magnificent pieces were so often broken up and reassembled to suit a new owner's taste, and the history of the jewels are a lesson in history on their own, with the shape and size of the headpieces reflecting the fashion of the day as well as the prevailing life style of the owner. Even tiaras given by Queen Elizabeth 2 to members of her own family have been altered to suit the taste of the recipient, as one I noticed...the aquamarine and diamond tiara given to Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, has been reduced in size from a full tiara to a more comfortable diadem which sits more easily on the front of the head. This is a book which one could have on a coffee table for years, to browse through and never tire of looking at it.

This is a well written and well illustrated guide for someone new to visiting Joshua Tree National Park. The dozen or so routes we did in this book were all challenging and enjoyable. There are thousands of routes in the Park, but this is a swell introduction for the traditional climber. At this price I don't see why any climber visiting the park wouldn't have a copy. The photographs and maps are the best I have seen in any book.

First of all, this book is written by some really nice people. This book is void of the elitism that usally comes with a guide book to an area like this. My wife and I have been to J-tree many times but this was our first year with this book. It truely enhanced our time there. The full color pictures are great, and they took all the pictures from such logical places that if you are following a road or trail and find yourself needing direction, you look up and see exactly what is in the picture for the climb you are looking for. My wife and I found ourself laughing on one climb when we were looking off in the distance for a rock formation and spotted the tree 6' in front of us that was also about 6' in front of the camera lense in the picture! And there are climbs that real people can do! I notice in other guide books the only highly rated climbs are 5.12 and up! Get this book, you won't be dissapointed. I only wish I could meet the authers and tell them of my appreciation.

Sometimes, as the saying goes, less is more. This book is a classic example of producing a user friendly rock climbing guide to one of the premier cragging areas, by limiting the scope to climbs that most people who go to Joshua Tree actually enjoy. As the title stipulates there are no 5.12 sphincter squeesers here, just interesting traditional climbs (no bolts for the sport freaks).

Each climb is photographed in color with a graphic overlay clearly showing the route. Most of these routes are short, single pitch climbs that encompass a wide variety of problems with the emphasis on classic crack climbs. Approach info and the maximum protection requirement is noted along with a very abreviated strategy for the climb. Information on lodging and camping along with dining options are covered pretty well, though the surrounding areas offer a lot more variety than the book indicates.

If you're a beginner/intermediate climber and aspire to climb in JT, this is the guide to get.

This book is the best non comprehensive climbing guide book I have ever seen. The highlights are:

- Full color photos of the routes
- Both approach photos as well as close up route photos, making it easy to find the rock and specific route
- Full park map with relative camping and route locations listed
- Very good beta on each and every route (includes sun/shade, rack suggestions, etc), usually about a page per route not including another page for photos.

So basically if you're interested in the 5.5 to 5.9 trad routes in Joshua Tree you'll love this book, simple as that.

Wow! Great book, color detailed photos of routes, sun/shade orientation for all routes & basically all the info that one needs to have a memorable trip in Joshua Tree. Also great to have a book that has a focus on climbs under 5.10. All in all this is the most informative climbing book I have ever purchased. Would have been happy paying twice the price I paid for it.

This purchase saved me a lot of money compared to the price in the campus bookstore.

Of the eight books I bought, it was the most expensive (cost per page) for all that I received. Although it was in great condition, so were some of the others.

I was totally pleased with the entire process. The book arrived surprisingly quickly and was in perfect condition.

This book was pleseant to read because Socrates was accused of corrupting of young Greek people's mind. Socrates made mockery of his trial. Eventually, he was convicted and was order to drink poison to die.

This is a must for anyone who is interested in the writings of Plato and what little we know about Socrates. The footnotes provide excellent refrences to phrases, gods and place names that the average reader may not be familiar with.

I am a beginning & intermediate horseback riding instructor in Moscow, ID. I have found the Pony Club Manual for beginners to be a very helpful teaching tool - the illustrations are helpful and well-labeled, and the layout is easy to follow. The information is widely accepted as correct, and the text is well-written for the 10-15 year old ages. I include a manual in the price of all my beginning horse camps for 10-14 year olds.

This is the an excellent introduction for anyone interested in horsemanship. It can be studied prior to joining the United States Pony Club or serve as a usful tool in teaching or improving horsemanship for the young or beginning equestrian.

I couldn't have gotten through Pony Club Quiz Bowl if I didn't have this book. I like the exercises in the book and now I do them on my horse. I learned alot while reading this book, like parts of the tack and how to be safe around horses. I like all the pictures in the book because it helped me to understand what it meant. I would reccommend this book to other pony clubbers and kids who like to ride.

There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Susan Harris is not only a gifted artist ; drawing her explanations of concepts she is relating ; she draws pictures with her words, and for anyone lucky enough to attend one of her clinics , she draws explanations with body language. I am fortunate to have Sue as my friend and mentor for 30+ years & have told her often that "She could read the phone book to you & You'd never lose interest". She is also a gifted horsewoman & teacher. She posseses an ability to locate the crux of a lack of understanding & with empathy for both horse & rider guides them to a solution. If I had to limit my horse library to just a few books, her USPC manuels would be the first chosen. They are a wealth of information on all aspects of horsemanship , for every level of horseman , of any age. Her choice of words combined with her own illustrations gives very clear & interesting information.Sue stresses empathy for your horse & safety issues in every topic -2 basics to have ingrained in anyone who wishes to be around horses. I have recommended these books to all who share the "addiction" to horses with me.

I advise anyone young who is seriously interested in horses to start with this book. I've been riding all my life and think this is a great book to start with and it is very informative.

This was overall a pretty good book, but what bugs me is that in almost evary super special, the girls fall in love. They're a little young to be doing that. But I was really impressed by how good the BSCers were with the kids in the bus accident. They talked to them, comforted them and even agreed to bunk with them. I've always thought Kristy was too competitive and a whiney, snobby brat and the 'winter war' proves it. It seems as though she just has to win EVERYTHING! And, okay, so Dawn was born and raised in California, so of course she'd be bad at the winter sports. The kids were wrong to ridicule her. This is a pretty good book, but it will make youi frustrated in some parts.

Did your school ever take a field trip to Vermont in the winter? Stoneybrook Middle School has. In this book, there are many problems. One of them is that Kristy and Claudia are being really competitive and mean to each other. They get more competitive each day. At the end of the book, they forgive each other. The conflict is best friend vs. best friend.

There are many characters in this book- all girls. And they are trying to help their team win the Winter War. (a field day)
Dawn is having trouble with her skills. She has long, pale blonde hair and blue eyes. Kristy has shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes and is short for her age. She is also the captain of her team for the Winter War. Mary-Anne has really short blonde hair, brown eyes, and is also short for her age. She is also writing a report about the trip. Claudia has long, jet black hair, brown almond shaped eyes, and is Japanese-American. Stacey has curly blonde hair, blue eyes, and has diabetes. When she goes skiing, she has some boy problems.

This book tells how five girls fight, forgive, and have fun. The author's message is to be competitive but, have fun. I rate this book a five star because Ann M. Martin writes chapters from different character's points of view.

I loved this book, and have read it alot, but the only thing I think is that Jessi should get over herself! Its annoying because she thinks Pinky (who is about SIX) is predjuduced, just because she's being mean to her. I mean, come on! I didn't like that bit because it is really annoying how she thinks anyone who does anything that isnt nice is treating her like that because she's black. I don't think that was especially true. But basically it was a good book. Claudia and Stacey both fall head over heals with french skiers, the only thing is- Claudia's "guy" is married! Kristy is captain of the Red team, and gets to competitive. Meanwhile, a whole busload of kids have been stranded in the snow, and the BSC decided to take them on. It was a good book!

This was a really good super special. A good job you're doing,Ms. Martin, and keep up the good work!

The Baby-Sitters Club aregoing on a school field trip. When they arrive on the bus, a terrible thing happens. The bus crashes but luckily no one was hurt.

Meanwhile, the Baby-Sitters are having a blast! What kind of vacation did they exactly have? Read this book and find out!

The Baby Sitters are going to a winter vacation. Dawn is having troubles with skating. Kristy is helping her team win the Winter War. Mary Anne uncovers a ghost in the lodge.

If you want to know first hand the inner-workings of New York's most famous parties and the people who make them happen (along with the clubgoers that help make them famous) go read "Confessions from the Velvet Ropes" now. This raw telling weaves significant and interesting nightlife history, including interviews with the people who lived it, with tales of current scenes and connects them to give readers an untainted view of the underground world of NYC parties, fashion, social change and the fabulously outrageous characters that embody them. Along with colorful personal anecdotes and fun, sarcastic sidebars with topics like "Thomas's Top Ten Tips for Getting Past the Ropes," Glenn Belverio with the help of personal commentary from famed doorman, Thomas Onorato, makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in NYC history, social scenes and celebrity gossip. Whether you're from NYC, just moved there or follow the scene with a curious eye from afar - you will not be able to put down "Confessions from the Velvet Ropes" until you have devoured all the edgy and eccentric pages in their entirety. And you will be thirsty for more...

I was pulled into this book from the very first page. Not only does it paint the real life experience with every word but it is written in such a lively manner that the sizzling times in NYC just pour through you. I especially loved the Heatherette piece. Could not stop laughing. Looking forward to Glenn's next book. Five Stars from Paris.

The author of this book has a keen observational eye for the details of New York nightlife and its denizens. He takes what might first appear as a frivolous or superficial subject and manages to extract some real anthropological significance from it. But you can still read it at the beach.

I love to read NYC celebrity gossip columns mainly because I love to imagine all the excitement going on in the Big Apple. I've heard about nightclub line ups and doormen and the horror of rejection. This book not only made me feel like I was standing next to the doorman getting an insider's view, but by the end of the book, I felt like I really knew Thomas and that I really had been there. I can't think of another book that's been able to make me forget I was reading a book. I laughed out loud - this book made me laugh out loud. It made me see that anyone can feel like a star - the glamor is in the attitude not the pocketbook. Confessions of the Velvet Ropes is like a guidebook to cutting edge NYC nightlife complete with tips on how to pull off a look, to get into the club and how to have a wild time without getting hung up on being an outcast from NJ. It was a thoroughly fun book to read.

I really enjoyed reading about all the amusing people in this book. It's sort of like a better written, funnier, more detailed version of the Warhol Diaries... except the Warhol Diaries is packed with boring old farts like Liza Minnelli and Bob Colacello, whereas this book has mental cases like Courtney Love and that tacky thing who does the Baby Phat clothes -- you know, the former model who thinks she's Tyra Banks but is really just Jocelyne Wildenstein in Beyonce drag. Anyhow, you know that when you've got Kimora and Courtney in the same book, you're gonna laugh (and if you've got them in the same room, bring backup... as you'll see in Confessions.)

I have many excellent cookbooks, and yet when I want to make a new dish and there's no room for a disappointment, this is the one I always pull down. I've made many of the dishes in the book and each one has always been flavorful, broadened my palate and yet never been too difficult or complex for me to master.

As others have said, the wit and stories behind the recipes makes me read through it even when I'm not looking to cook. It also inspired me to start my own cooking club with a groupd of my friends. We've had some wonderful times together, though I must admit, out own cooking prowess has never reached the heights of these ladies. Very highly recommended!

I don't have a cooking club and I've never made all of the recipes in a chapter for a dinner party, but I've picked-and-chosen recipes and haven't come up with a bad dish yet. Their mac & cheese is the one I return to again and again. The recipes are easy to follow, off the beaten path, and sooo yummy.

As an amateur chef with roots in the midwest, I've long relied on little more than good ol' salt and pepper when it comes time to cook for the crew (except for a shake of Italian seasoning on spaghetti night!). But this fantastic book turned me on to a virtual phantasmagoria of new culinary delights! Even my husband, who usually balks at long john silver, is a fan of the italian fish in crazy water. One added bonus for us gals: we get to see what kind of footwear these sophisticated manhattanites are trotting around in these days. Ouch! I think I'll keep my Stride Rites! But I'm a sucker for the Cellophane Noodle Salad.

Witty, charming, well designed, user friendly, and most of all- the recipes are wonderful!

As a seasoned NYC home chef, the hardest thing to do is to come up with a recipe that involves little space, little equipment and little time. These six girls not only engage you with their wonderfully witty writing, but have simplified the difficult task of apartment-sized cooking so that anyone can do it and have excellent results.

Plus the wonderful photos of the food and of the girls cooking, shopping and dining really does make you feel invited. And the graphic design gets great marks for being as chic as they are!

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of little cooking clubs don't start up because of it! [Word has it that they might be doing another book? Cross your fingers on that bit of gossip!]

PS: this would make a great housewarming or hostess gift!

The idea of a cooking club with a group of friends is terrific. Too many times we grow apart from those close to us as marriage, kids, and careers occur. I first saw this book about six months ago. I have a collection of cookbooks but am particular of what I add to it. Before I bought it for myself, I decided to give it as a gift. One of my closest friends from high school recently became a stay at home mom. She was trying to broaden her culinary skills in the kitchen and she doesn't consider herself much of a cook. She loves the cookbook and can't thank me enough. I went out and purchased it so we could share the club even though the miles separate us.

The layout of the book starts with a recap of how the club came into existence. The troubles they face living in NY, tiny kitchens and lugging groceries, was interesting to someone like myself who never is without her car. I particularly enjoyed the emails between the women showing how they came up with the monthly theme. It really shows the personalities of the members. The pictures show off the food deliciously.

We can only hope that they will continue to include the rest of us in their club! I highly recommend you try to gather a group of 6-8 and try this yourself. My favorite recipe is the bread salad. I get lots of compliments every time I make it.

This is an excellent read. I grew up in the small Louisiana town that the author writes about and it was exciting to read about places and people that I knew. The story held my attention from beginning to end.

I was lucky enough to have Mr. Marcum as a 5th grade teacher as well, in 1996. He was a great teacher and a great writer. He would read us this book a lot and gave us valid input with it - he made sure kids were going to like it! It was written for, edited by, and inspired by kids.

I also had Mr. Marcum as a teacher in 2002. I read this book three time while i was in the class, and brought chapters home for my dad to read and he loved it. I think ths could easily be the best book I have ever read. I read the complete version before it was published, so i hope they have not edited out some of the best parts. Go buy this book or order it here, you won't regret it.

Memories of my childhood flooded back as I read this wonderful book. Lance Marcum has written a book that kids of all ages can enjoy. His main character's (Mitch Valentine) first person account of his summertime adventures is pure kid fun from start to finish! Although "The Cottonmouth Club" is a real "page turner", it took me longer than expected to read due to my LOL fits, which erupted with nearly every page! Girls and boys, men and women, this book has something for everyone, and to top it off teaches some valuable life lessons. Read it, you'll love it.

THE BEST BOOK EVER GET IT OR YOU WILL BE SAD YOU DID NOT GET IT SO GET IT BEST AUTHOR EVER NO JOKE

This book was a nice combination of serious and fun. My favorite line was "'Plan your lunch snacks accordingly,' she concluded, giving the cinnamon roll ladies a sharp look."

Imagine my surprise, too, when Maddie and her friends joined the Iron Mountain Mine Tour. My grandmother was born in Iron Mountain in 1891. It's a small world and this book captures many of life's common joys and challenges.

The Dream Catcher Tour is a novel following a group of forty-seven women on an economical, no-frills tour bus excursion around the Great Lakes. As they take in the sights and sounds, they also trade favorite memories with one another. A leisurely delight brimming with female camaraderie, The Dream Catcher Tour glides gently along as it presents moments of interrelated insight, and makes for gentle, fun-loving leisure reading, bit by bit or cover to cover. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Lori Plach for Reader Views (11/07)

Buckle your seatbelts; you are in for an adventure you won't soon forget! Welcome aboard the Northern Experience Tours! You will be traveling with 46 other women on a trip around the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. You are certain to meet some of the most interesting people you have ever met and perhaps you will make some new friends along the way. Emily is our tour guide and she wants to spend some time with each individual tour group member and be certain that they have a good time.

Of course, when you have this many different people from so many different walks of life, you are sure of having many life stories. As the group travels from one location to another, another person is spending time with Emily and sharing their life stories. From one city to another, you are able to enjoy the sites and unique characteristics of each locale. Some of the tourists' attractions are as follows: Mackinac Island, the Soo Locks bordering Canada, Munising, Houghton and Crystal Falls.

Paula Buermele has done an excellent job in providing a great storyline and travel book all in one. Through the pages of the book, you will feel like you are right there on the bus and getting to know these people that you are traveling with. Through descriptive paragraphs you will feel like you are seeing these places with your own eyes. I certainly hope that Paula Buermele writes more books. I loved "The Dream Catcher Tour" and would definitely like to read more of her work.

Paula Buermele's The Dream Catcher Tours provides her readers with a peek into the lives of forty-seven women who together embark on a bus tour of the Great Lakes with Northern Experience Tours.

What ensues is a potent collection of stories reflecting Buermele's affirmation that she is an attentive student in the classroom of life. Buermele moves effortlessly from one voice to another as her characters relate a variety of tidbits about their lives, some painful while others humorous. However, as one of the women remarks, "during the early days of the trip her companions had all seemed much the same, but with each passing day she had come to see the uniqueness of each woman."

These accounts also reaffirm an old adage, that no matter where people find themselves, they can't help reminiscing and revealing some of their family and psychological baggage that echo the past and at times consume the present. The stories range freely, some sounding familiar while others stirring up sad emotions, as is the case with Leslie who is traveling with her late husband's Aunt Helen. Leslie recounts how she lost her college sweetheart and young husband Steve who had suffered a brain aneurysm shortly after they were married. We also learn that she had lost her parents at a very young age and it was her adopted Aunt Helen who took her under her wing and has been her mentor

Then there is the familiar tale of Marianne, a wife and mother, who subjugated her own choices for those of her family and as she states, perhaps this trip will bring out the hidden Marianne. And Donna, the future mother-in-law, who is not exactly overjoyed with her son's choice of a wife. Barb, a divorcee, who after thirty-two years of marriage believed that the trip would mean a step into the world of self-determination and an escape from a controlling ex-husband who had left her for a trophy wife. Ruthie, who had visited her father in the hospital on her eighth birthday, recounts how she was pleasantly surprised when the Catholic nuns wheeled him in into the waiting room to wish her a happy birthday and thus shattering her stereotype of the "mean" nuns.

Buermele can clearly write and her storytelling is extremely perceptive, demanding quick concentration into the lives of her characters. However, at times in truth I did feel cheated, as some of the stories were underdeveloped and I would have liked to be better acquainted with the raconteurs. In the end though, these stories leave us with something to ponder; the uncertainty of life, the meaning of home and family, and what makes us all tick, for in all of us there is a story to be told.

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures

I really enjoyed reading The Dream Catcher Tour. While it is a work of fiction, I appreciate the fact that the characters are based on real stories and accounts. The author does a fantastic job of telling this story in a way that makes the reader identify with the women and their personal journeys. The conversations are so real and honest.

I went on many trips to the U.P. when I was young and while some of the sites are familiar to me, there are many I haven't seen. This book has inspired me to one day go back and visit the places mentioned. I would love to visit Pictured Rocks and photograph as Leslie does in the 'Peace' chapter.

This is a gr8t book! I read it 2 years ago when i was in grade 4..............It is about a German family that moves to Canada in the 1930's and they have a daughter named Anna........(I think she is handicapt)
It is a wonderful book and i sooo recomend it!

I thought that this book was fantastic. Jean Little really brought me into the story. I thought that Jean Little was the perfect author for this book b/c she really got into the mind of each character. I loved this story, and if you're looking for a book, this is the one!

I liked this story when I first read it because I was able to relate to the main character Anna. My family always teased me about me being clumsy and in a way Anna and I had the same thoughts. Its really a good book because Anna makes small miracles in herself.

A wonderful young person's novel by Jean Little, about a family emigrating from pre-Nazi Germany and moving to Canada. The plot involves the efforts of the youngest child, Anna, whose poor vision and clumsiness has made her something of an outcast, to make a place for herself in her new home and new school. A very important part of the story is Anna's struggle to make a special Christmas present. Not just a Christmas story as such, as the plot takes place over the span of half a year or so, but a really nice evocation of Old-World holiday traditions, a Canadian town in the last years of the Depression, and a gimlet-eyed accuracy in describing family dynamics...

When I went to my public library a couple of days ago, I never imagined that I would come across two of the best books ever written by a very talented author. 'From Anna' and 'Listen for the Singing' touched me deeply, in a way that no other book has had the ability to do. Although it's language is simple and the style is nothing too out of the ordinary, Jean Little was able to use easy words in a very good way.

The last time 'From Anna' was borrowed was early 1997. Most of us would most probably never take a second glance at the book -- that is, if we judged a book by it's cover. However, if one takes the time to read deeper and look beyond the cover, they will find that they have stumbled across an extraordinary book.

The story starts off with a young 9-year-old Anna Solden, nicknamed 'Awkward Anna' by her older siblings. Anna is indeed very clumsy and klutzy, hence the nickname. When she hears her family is moving from German to Canada, Anna is devastated. She can't learn German; how will she ever cope with English?! But shortly after her arrival in Canada, Thanks to Dr Franz Schumacher and his discovery that Anna has a severe vision disability, Anna receives a pair of glasses, which bring forth a world she never knew -- a world where words and letters aren't masses of grey blur, a world where numbers stay on the page and where the everything is clear and bright.

Anna is sent to a special sight-saving class in order to repair the damage done to her eyes and salvage as much of the remaining ones. There, she learns things about herself -- she CAN have friends, she IS skilled and most of all, she has confidence. Her friends and teacher, Miss Williams, see a whole new Anna devloping as the year draws to a end. A new Anna very different from the old one. And with their help and support, she finally learns to confront her family with secrets that they never knew.

A truly touching and moving story with a very fitting ending. Get this book, enjoy it and read the second one -- 'Listen for the Singing', which is just as good, if not better! A definite book I would recommend with two thumbs up!