Clubs Books

This is the Bible for Tiffany collectors but it also has a history of the purpose of each piece of flatware.

This book is a superb work. The authors have filled a major void in the literature concerning the history of American decorative arts. The quality of the research and textual insights make this book essential reading for anyone interested in Tiffany silverware or the latter 19th century of American craftsmanship. The photography is so magnificent that I repeatedly find myself leafing through this book to admire the beauty of this flatware of a bygone era. A great read...a beautiful coffee table book...a classic in every respect.

For all silver lovers, not just Tiffany lovers. Beautiful book, beautifully produced. Pictures could not be better.

This is a terrific book! It covers the complete spectrum of Tiffany silver flatware from 1845 to 1905. It's lavishly illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and original pattern drawings. It covers the full-line patterns, the not-full-line patterns, and the custom patterns made for the likes of the Vanderbilts and the Hearsts.

The book breaks the patterns down by designer: early pieces by retailers Polhamus, Hebbard, Gorham, Moore and others; the major designers Edward Moore, Charles Grosjean, and Paulding Parnham. It shows the various place pieces in standard patterns, as well as covering the extensive amount of fabulous and rare serving and other odd pieces (how many of you own a scallop serving fork?) There are also several useful appendices, including: Flatware Terminology; Glossary of Technical Terms; Tiffany Flatware Markings; and a Tiffany Chronology. As well, a thorough index makes it easy to find patterns or pieces you are looking for.

All in all this is the perfect book for the collector of this wonderful silver. It does not contain pricing information, which is a good thing in this day and age of online auctions, as such pricing info is often outdated by the time the book reaches the press. The only problem I had after reading it was that I wanted to own everything in the book! Don't hesitate, buy it!

I thought when Stevie did that prank on Chad was funny. I wasn't surprised that Stevie got grounded. I could tell that when Chad and his stinky friend put whipped-cream in Stevie's brand-new boots she was firery mad. And when Carole and Lisa rubbed garden dirt on Belle's coat I thought Chad wouldn't fall for the colic prank! But he did. My favorite part was when Carole and Lisa fed Belle human foods and drinks! I recommend this book to you if you like horses- that's why I gave this book 5 stars.

This book is great! It kept me on the edge of my seat laughing. The pranks are unbelievable and hilarious. My favorite part was when Judy (the vet) gave Belle a tranquilizer and she got all whoozy and out of control. Chad came over and saw Belle acting weird and got worried. I totally recommend this book. It's great!

It's such an amusing book. Fans of the Saddle Club will get a kick out of Stevie Lake's pranks on her brother. When she gets grounded, you'll love the way Lisa Atwood aand Carole Hanson think like Stevie, and come up with a prank to get her ungrounded.

Steivie Lake gets grounded once again and Carole and Lisa have to try and get Stevie ungrounded so that she can go to summer camp. Lisa and Carole decide that the best way to get Stevie ungrounded is to scare Chad. But does this method work? This is an exciting adventure and an excellent read. I recommend it to any horse lovers.

What a wonderful humorous book! The book takes you along the road with a few show dogs that are making their way to Westminster 2001. As you read you get to know the trials and worries of the dogs and mostly their owners and handlers. I was actually cheering for a few dogs especially Shower, Fanny and J.R.!

Besides the wonderful stories of the dogs you also get a scoop on the crazy world of dog shows in general. I even learned a few tidbits along the way i.e. the Westminster Kennel Club is only for men who are generally wealthy and white.

If you want an interesting read about dogs and dog shows then this is the book for you.

Interesting, well-paced examination of the dog show world, spotlighting the best-known show in the US. I liked the author's focus on several "top dogs" from the 2001 show -- I really got involved in their stories, and appreciated the updates at the end (love Henry the Field Spaniel!).

The book is basic enough to explain the intricacies of showing to novices, yet manages to still be interesting to those involved in showing. I recommend this book highly -- hope this author writes more on the subject!

This book leads you from start to finish on the road to Westminster. Along the way you learn what it takes in time, money and fortitude to even be invited to enter you precious 'furkid'. Deborah writes with a wonderful sense of humor and knowledge of the show dog world.

We are waiting with liver 'baited breath' for her next doggie book!

Deborah Wood's *Top Dogs* is a great read for anyone who has ever been intrigued by the mystique of Westminster...experienced dog person or interested channel surfer...I came to love the dogs, owners and handlers whose journey to Westminster Wood chronicles, because she deftly captures the soul of each one.

Wood obviously LOVES and knows dogs and respects the tradition of Westminster...but her keen, and often iconoclastic, humor also gives us a knowing and warm wink at the eccentric, passionate world of dog shows.

She's the one you want to go to the Garden with...she's funny, wise and generous.

I have been in the fitness industry for decades and this book covers all aspects from A to Z. To anyone comtemplating a future in the Fitness Business-this book is a must. Existing operators can use this as a guide. It's a hands on operators manual for the Fitness Industry. Mr. Main's track record speaks for itself!

This is the Health Club version of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. This will change your whole perception on the Health Club Industry and teach you how to maximize your profit in your market. I manage a Health Club and this has given me strategies that I now use on a daily basis. Great Book, Mr. Main.

What a great book! I own and operate health clubs and I can honestly say that this book is an absolute must for anyone in the health club business or anyone thinking about getting into the health club business. It's packed with information pertaining to all facets of health club operations. It's laid out in a way that's straightforward and easy to understand. This book is now a "must read" for all of my employees.

Talk about hitting the nail on the head!! This book should be mandatory reading for everyone in the health club industry. Very easy to read and understand, the information and techniques described here are amazing! I've personally put this book to the test, and the results I'm experiencing in my club are already showing to be profitable. Excellent!!

Are you thinking about backpacking in grizzly country? Well, then you need to learn a bit about the biology and behavior of the bear. While on a trip to Alaska this year, I did some reading and learned that grizzlies are largely nocturnal, feeding mostly at night and denning up during the day. Craighead's book confirms this, and provides a lot of other useful information. He and his brother did research on the Yellowstone grizzly population for around a decade, but park management rejected their expert advice when grizzly management became a hot political issue after two tourists were killed by bears in 1967. This aspect of the book is of course dated, and there is no update on the current state of the Yellowstone grizzlies, but nevertheless this is an excellent book for anyone planning a wilderness trip. "Learning to Talk Bear" by Roland Cheek is a good companion book to this one.

A very readable, enjoyable book. It was published in 1979 so I'm sure there's more and newer information on the bears, but this is a great starting place. It's author (and his brother) are famous for their early grizzly studies.

A shortened and less scientific version of the Craighead's classic study of the Yellowstone grizzlies. For any one who wants to know more about grizzlies, this book is a must!!!!

A very well written and entertaining book about the Criaghead's multi year study of the Grizzly Bears of the Yellowstone Eco system. The book while written by a Biologist, is very entertaining and an easy (light) read....not a scientific paper.

If you want to understand what Grizzly Bears are REALLY like,and want to understand this interesting animal- this is your book.

It's a great book to read if you visit the Yellowstone area and are somewhat "Bear-a-phobic" as a result of the sensational bear attack books. I was reading this book in Yellowstone this summer when I had my 1st bear incident in the 15 years I have been coming to the park. Armed with good information the "incident" became an interesting encounter with another one of YNP's great animals.

This is a book worth buying and keeping in your library.

This is a unique and highly interesting account of the many facets of travel in the ancient world. The author covers types of travel, reasons for travel, accomodations, major historical attractions, the mail delivery system in ancient times, and many other topics. In general, the book is highly informative, readable, and entertaining. Descriptions of holiday travel, inns and restaurants, the Roman road system, the trade routes of ancient times are quite fascinating. In a very few places the book seems to bog down in perhaps too much detail, but overall, the book is quite good. The author's perspective is also primarily on the Western world and the Near East, including Egypt. Thus, other ancient cultures (e.g., China) are mentioned only briefly. The book is a very unique contribution to the study of the ancient world. Highly recommended.

Another excellent title by Lionel Casson, professor emeritus of classics at NY University. Originally published in the 1970s it is in a 1994 softbound edition with very few changes. The book has chapters on inns and restaurants, ancient tourism, travel by sea, travel by land, and ancient postal systems. Although this may sound like it's pretty dry, it should prove to be very interesting to anyone who likes history of any kind, and is quite amusing in spots.

For example, when pork, a popular meat, was unavailable or too expensive, unethical restauranteurs would sometimes substitute human flesh which apparently is indistinguishable (I wouldn't know) and generally quite cheap and available (this was in Roman times, so that shouldn't be too surprising I guess). Okay, that's a little more gruesome than it is amusing, but trust me, there are amusing things in the book and it is so interesting that you should fly through it and wind up wanting more. Of the book, not the pork.

Other books by this author include "The Ancient Mariners" which just came out in a new and greatly revised edition. I recommend the older edition having read it, and recommend the new edition because Casson is a qualified expert and very good writer. It's sometimes hard for me to believe a writer on ancient history could be so entertaining, and I love ancient history.

One stop shopping for anything that you need to know about travel and anything associated with it in the ancient world. A good deal of the focus is on Greek and Roman times however there are great pieces on Egypt and Christian Rome.
Absolutely no complaints. It is intended for the scholar so there isn't background info for historical people/places other than in terms of what it meant for travel. Though intended for the scholar, the writing style is concise and accessible for even just the merely interested.

This *is* your one-stop volume on travellers in the ancient world. The author, a professor in classics, wrote it in 1974 then updated it in 1994. Complacently, in the forward he announces that it needed almost no changes.
This statement made me leery. In these 20 years, archaeology has had revolutions of information and theory. Casson knew that he knew everything, so he did not bother to research all the areas where he was under-informed and way out of date, even in 1974.
What is out of Greek and Roman writing is cooked down for you with greater depth and breadth than you will find anywhere else. He is especially strong in the late Roman period. However, classicists are oriented to writing and civilizations. Like most of them, Casson is very weak in his first, pre classical chapters, having no knowledge of human travel outside of the major civilizations. He still has astonishing holes in his classical chapters.
For example, time does not excuse his saying about Roman war galleys: "little more than oversize racing shells, they necessarily followed the coasts and put into harbour every night." Exert a little logic. These were designed for ramming warfare: not fragile, not low-sided. Get particulars out of Rodger's 'Greek and Roman Naval Warfare' (1937) Also, you cannot surprise an enemy place if you coast-crawl up to it; nor can you chase an enemy fleet at sea if you can't sail out of sight of land. If the galley puts into shore each night, it is because the official on board requires it, not because they can't sail open waters at night.
Casson does pass on the evidence against the wide-spread myth of cemented Roman roads, pg168. Thank him for that. Then he treats as fact the 1930s theory of Lefebre des Noettes, whose shoddy observation and distinctly biased study declared that horses were harnessed by *all* the ancients with the same choking "ancient traction system" that never existed, and that saddles, stirrups, and horseshoes were not used until the Middle Ages.
LdN's theories, long thought suspect by people with a better eye for ancient artwork, were thoroughly exploded by Spruytte (see 'Early Harness Systems' 1974) which reconstructed three major systems, none of which discomforted the horses he used. All three were used through the 1800s in slightly different forms. Evidence exists for nailed horseshoes in Rome, not hipposandals, from the 1st C CE (impressed in brick), for saddles from 5th C BC (Pazyryk), and for stirrups from a similar period. Archaeologists who keep excusing early horseshoe finds as "special cases" have not freed themselves from LdN's dishonesty.
In any case, Casson's contention that these last three items are necessary for comfortable riding over long distances is not borne out by long distance riders. Modern 100-mile eventers from desert, semi-desert, or Mediterranean climates may never shoe their horses (Hyland) despite high mileage training. Choose a horse by ancient rules of conformation (Xenophon), with a well-padded rather than high-spined back, and it should be comfortable, especially to people who do not know saddles "ought" to exist. Bareback is *more* comfortable for long overland rides, esp. as stirrups strain and cramp the ankles and knees. One avoids all the problems of getting a saddle that fits the horse that fits the rider, and doesn't injure either. At the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, for the first few years new riders train with no stirrups to develop a good seat. Stirrups are only necessary for warfare and stock work. Over-dependence on them makes a poorer rider.
Casson also subscribes to Victorian social Darwinism: first humans were wandering hunters, then nomadic herdsmen, then finally farmers.
The modern knowledge is that humans were wandering hunters, then settled farmers. Only around 3500 BC, as the last of the Ice-Age glaciers shrank and the world got drier, did they invent nomadic herding. Horses were domesticated about 4500 BC (Sredni Stog excavations) by farmers with no vehicles. Since the teeth of excavated skulls show bit wear, the horses were ridden. The idea (passed on by Casson) that horses were only driven until the classical period is an out-of-date theory due to urbano-centrism and wide spread ignorance of horse-handling.
As well, Casson seems unaware of the use of sledges before wagons in Mesopotamia (Piggot, 'Wagon, Chariot, and Carriage') or of the traveling done by Neolithic traders. All part of his early period weakness, but he apparently doesn't *care* about that period. It's just a lead-in to what he considers the good stuff, the classical period.
If you keep these holes in mind, it can be a fascinating book, opening a door on ancient tourism and traveller's lodging that I was very glad to have read. His writing style is light and easy, despite his heavy scholastic background, his translations are modern, and his enthusiasm unflagging. I'm finding room for it on my very crowded shelves, so despite its flaws it is still worth acquiring for the many good parts.

I'll start this off by saying that romance novels are not my genre of choice. In fact, this is the first romance novel I've ever read. But once I started it, I couldn't put it down! Kristin Hardy is adept at bringing the characters in this book to life, and it didn't take long for me to develop a strong attachment to Stef and Sabrina. Their story really pulled me in and I couldn't wait to find out how it would end. I look forward to reading many more of Kristin Hardy's novels.

Kristin Hardy's Turn Me On starts a series of hot and sexy reads.

Sabrina Pantolini has put her partying ways behind her and has gotten serious about being a producer. She has a great idea to cover all things sex in her TV pilot, True Sex. Sabrina has a set back when she needs a new director. The man that comes to her rescue is a flash from the past.

Stef Costas steps in as the director as a favor to Sabrina's uncle. He is sure he can handle being around Sabrina again. Even though their affair from years ago ended badly. As Stef and Sabrina work on the provocative series their passions ignite. They both realize they are not the same people from their first fling. But can they get past their misconceptions to forge a future.

Turn Me On is a very steamy, emotional read. It is so hot it scorches. Kristin Hardy really delivers the goods. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Let me tell you this: Kristin Hardy knows how to tell a good story. Her characters are likeable and identifiable, and she captures dialogue so well. (Not to mention the steamy love scenes - wowza!) I was absorbed with the plotline, particularly Stef and Sabrina and their volleying feelings for one another. After all, they *are* working on a documentary called True Sex. (By the way, Hardy handles these scenes tactfully.) Without giving too much away, I must say that the concluding chapter is one of the best endings to a novel I've read in a long time.

The secondary characters are fun but don't detract too much from the main story. And Sabrina's girlfriends (Sex & Supper Club) are the kind we all want: Funny, open-minded, and non-judgmental.

It's the perfect end-of-summer read.

P.S. Her website gives you the scoop on upcoming novels - can't wait to read more! www.kristinhardy.com

Highly regarded documentary filmmaker Stef Costas finds he lacks proper funding for the one project he always wanted to direct. A friend offers funding if Stef agrees to direct his niece's pilot "True Sex"; Stef agrees until he finds out that the niece is Sabrina Pantolini, who broke his heart years ago.

When Sabrina learns that Stef is the director, she has doubts about working with the man who broke her heart years ago. Still he is her only hope so she accepts the situation. However, the college attraction between Stef and Sabrina remains strong although both blame it on the documentary. As they fall in love again, each has doubts that the other will be there once the filming ends and neither wants to lay their heart out in the open for fear of cardiac arrest caused by anticipated rejection.

Fans of hot contemporary romances will be turned on by this enjoyable tale. Readers will feel their fingers burning from the passion generated by the lead couple even when they fear a déjà vu involvement with one another. The weekly meetings of the Sex and the Supper Club introduce the next lead stars, but they will have quite a temperature to scale to meet the Venusians levels of Stef and Sabrina.

Harriet Klausner

The Petsiters Vacation Special
By: Tessa Krailing

Sam and Matthew are friends. They are trying to agree on a vacation to a farm. Mrs. Parkin is Matthew's mom. Sam and Matthew like cowboys and are adventurous.
The plot of this story is Matthew's parents are trying to figure out a vacation for the summer. They wanted to go to Disneyland but it was too expensive. The kids decided to go to Marsh farm for their vacation. It turned out to be a big adventure, they had lots of fun learning how to care and feed the animals.
The setting is at a farm durring a hot summer day the time is around the end of July.
The theme of the story shows you that going to a farm can be just as much fun as going to a theme park, because you can learn a lot about animals on a farm and it would be less expensive then going to a theme park.
I like this story because being at a farm is a lot of fun especially if you are with your best friends, also you can learn a lot about different kinds of animals on a farm. Like what they eat or how they live. I would recommend this book because it is a very fun book to read.

my son started reading this series last year when he was in forth grade... he is a good reader but can easily be *turned off* when the book appears too hard (ie words too small...too many pages...picture on the cover too seriious) he really enjoyed this book from cover to cover and actually did a report on it in school... i like that the series is in paper back (it saves money)...i like that some are *special* titles and are a bit longer (it encourges him to read longer books than normally he would) he likes that they are about children solving problems/mysteries.. and that they have animals in them... this book, and the others have been something to look foward to for him

I really liked this book alot! I think it is better than all the Petsitters Club books I have read!

The petsitters provide an enjoyable adventure to share with your children. Every chapter gives you clues to the "monkey puzzle" until the mystery is finally caught. A true delight to read.

Readers can read and enjoy this beautiful book with confidence that they are hearing from a true source of knowledge. Sheldon Barr is a widely recognized expert in this and several other fields of fine art, and his opinions are sought by the world's great museums. Fortunately for readers, he combines this knowledge with a felicitous pen, so that the beauty of this art can be even better appreciated. This is a bargain.

Venetian Glass: The Magnificent Mosaics 1860-1917

Anyone who is interested in antique Venetian glass needs this book. Sheldon Barr has researched the subject thoroughly and provides information in a concise, direct manner. It has taken years of work to put together this reference book, and it could only be accomplished by someone who truly loves and appreciates the subject matter, and it shows. I look forward to Mr. Barr's next book.

Sheldon Barr is increasingly skilled in both writing and visual presentation in this addition to his impressive shelf of books and articles. He expands from his previous book on Venetian blown glass to the glass mosaic productions emanating from that city. He has told his story in parallel tracks of the technique and artistry of the medium, and the maneuvering and machinations of the people involved. The combination is lively, entertaining, and informative. As a relative newcomer to this field, I now feel significantly better educated for having read this book.

This is a lovely book. The pictures are superb and it covers very clearly the history of glass-making in Venice during the late 19th and early 20th century. Major names and companies (Salviati, Seguso, Barovier, Toso, but not Venini) and the main styles of glass are discussed. A must for anyone wanting to know more about the Italian glass of this period. I would have liked to see in index, though. It has the feel of a much more expensive book.

this holiday i decided to make the recipe for monkey (pull apart) cake from this cookbook. it's been a hit everywhere! (so far i've made 4 cakes for 4 different functions).

the best thing, is that it's super easy to make. i don't cook, so i appreciate easy to understand recipes.

that's the good thing about all of these recipes. they're simple and straight forward. with all the recipes i've tasted from the JWC cookbook, i haven't been disapointed yet. yum!

The Virginia Hostess is a fabulous guide for anyone! Whether you are an experienced chef or a novice, this cookbook is more than the average collection of recipes. It features themed chapters with beautiful historic sketches from Virginia. Each chapter has complete menus for different occasions, including showers, children's parties, formal dinners, picnics, holiday occasions and more! An educational and comprehensive wine selection section is included. I highly recommend this beautiful and resourceful cookbook and entertaining guide!

The menus ideas are terrific! I enjoyed all the recipes and was glad to have a cookbook that covers most any occasion. The layout is superb and makes a great bridal or hostess gift. This book has really made my life a lot simpler when I am called to entertain. I own a lot of cookbooks but this one is well worn and used often.

I've owned this book for a couple of years now, and have reallyused it alot! It has great recipes in it, but in addition, it hasmenu and entertaining suggestions, a list of Virginia wineries, and even ideas for kids' parties. (Who knew how to make face paint?) I also like the fact that it comes from a community service organization, so I know part of my purchase price went to a good cause.