General Books - Page 6

Earth-Sheltered Houses: How to Build an Affordable...

Rob Roy

Amazon Price: $18.45 List Price: $27.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New Society Publishers Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $16.92

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Home Design -> Design & Construction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

An earth-sheltered, earth-roofed home has the least impact upon the land of all housing styles, leaving almost zero footprint on the planet.

Earth-Sheltered Houses is a practical guide for those who want to build their own underground home at moderate cost. It describes the benefits of sheltering a home with earth, including the added comfort and energy efficiency from the moderating influence of the earth on the home's temperature (keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer), along with the benefits of low maintenance and the protection against fire, sound, earthquake, and storm afforded by the earth. Extra benefits from adding an earth or other living roof option include greater longevity of the roof substrate, fine aesthetics, and environmental harmony.

The book covers all of the various construction techniques involved, including details on planning, excavation, footings, floor, walls, framing, roofing, waterproofing, insulation, and drainage. Specific methods appropriate for the inexperienced owner/builder are a particular focus and include:

• Pouring one's own footings and/or floor
• The use of dry-stacked (surface-bonded) concrete block walls
• Post-and-beam framing
• Plank-and-beam roofing
• Drainage methods and self-adhesive waterproofing membranes

The time-tested, easy-to-learn construction techniques described in Earth-Sheltered Houses will enable readers to embark upon their own building projects with confidence, backed up by a comprehensive resources section that lists all the latest products such as waterproofing membranes, types of rigid insulation, and drainage products that will protect the building against water damage and heat loss.

Rob Roy is a former contractor with 27 years of experience and 12 previous books to his credit, including Cordwood Building and Timber Framing for the Rest of Us. An expert on underground building, he founded the Earthwood Building School in 1981 with his wife, Jaki, and is frequently a speaker at events throughout North America.

Organize for Disaster: Prepare Your Family and Your Home for Any Natural Or Unnatural Disaster

Judith Kolberg

Amazon Price: $10.87 List Price: $15.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Squall Press Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $9.62

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent Book But Only Does What Title Says 4 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

First - this is NOT a complete book on disaster preparedness. It is a book on how to organize your belongings and information in case of disaster - period. In that respect it is excellent. It is an essential part of a disaster preparedness library but you will need other books that cover other topics.

Great advice 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

A lot of the information is common sense, but there were many suggestions that I had not thought of before. I would definitely recommend it to everyone, and will likely give this book as gifts this Christmas to my family members.

Editorial Review:

The world is a more dangerous place than it used to be. Organize For Disaster closes the gap between awareness to prepare and actual implementation by providing organizing tools like shopping lists of provisions; storage ideas; sample family communication, evacuation, and escape plans, checklists and tips. It is current with information about terrorism as well as natural disasters. An excellent ready-reference, Organize is also a 'good read' with first-hand accounts of disaster survivors and advice from disaster experts. Perfect for today's busy families.

The Divine Home: Living with Spiritual Objects

Peter Vitale

Amazon Price: $37.80 List Price: $60.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $36.00

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Interior Design -> Decorating

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

For the millions of Americans combining the spiritual and the decorative in their homes—from dramatic crosses in a modern log cabin to handcrafted Native American spirit masks in a sprawling Southwestern ranch—this beautifully rendered book of interior design depicts how the serene touch of religious design elements can be effortlessly incorporated with a modern sensibility.

Whether as a reflection of fervent belief, a secular nod to nostalgia, or a purely aesthetic choice, devotional objects such as religious idols, crosses, and Buddha statues have a profound visual power. Within these pages are thirty homes in which works inspired by religious traditions form a vital and varied part of the sumptuous and serene design of these spaces.

Some of the people featured in this dramatic book collect with a geographic interest, some define their collections stylistically, and still others choose a historical framework. Yet all of the residences share a distinctly personal touch. Personality, in fact, runs rampant through these interiors that tell stories about the owners, the objects, and the houses themselves, such as CeCe Cord’s sunny Texas residence, John Saladino’s calm California villa, Kelly Klein’s soaring Manhattan loft, and Adrienne Vittadini’s richly textured Florida home.

While some of the residents have personal spiritual connections with their pieces—like a Santa Fe psychoanalyst and his varied collections of Outsider art, African works, and Judaica—others merely find in the antiquities a sense of beauty and comfort. An interior designer who updated a rustic Colorado cabin is drawn to decorating with crosses for their geometric appeal as opposed to their religious connotations. In New York and Los Angeles, two different homeowners escape their busy lives in peaceful, calming environments created with Asian art.

While the religious or spiritual elements are quite pronounced, they blend seamlessly into fascinating, eye-catching hybridized environments—from French Provençal to Spanish Colonial to light, airy patrician. Each residence—captured by one of the most sought-after interior photographers—will enchant you with its beauty and originality and perhaps inspire you to begin a spiritual collection of your own. A collection, as these homeowners explain, starts with one artwork, but it is one piece that can lead to a magnificent obsession.

Cath Kidston Recipe Organizer

Cath Kidston

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Chronicle Books Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $12.56

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Love It 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

After I got married, I started cooking and accumulating recipes. I needed a way to get organized! This recipe organizer was just the thing I needed. Since is basically a glorified three ring binder, I am able to print recipes off the internet and just put them under the appropriate tab. Each tab is also a folder for random recipes that you cut out or find. It is a great product that I would definitely recommend. After seeing mine, my mom asked me for one. It would be an excellent wedding gift.

I Love this Organizer. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I shopped long and hard for a recipe organizer that:
1) was a full-size binder,
2) had pockets for clipped recipes, and
3) was beautiful enough to feel like a home for the recipes I want to keep and pass down.

This is the best I found. I made some alterations to optimize it for my purposes--I had a much longer list of substitutions I wanted to be able to reference, so I printed my own on an adhesive page and stuck it into the front with a condensed measure equivalents section. I also used a label-maker to re-name the dividers the way I wanted. Finally, I printed my own label for the front. Now it fits all my needs and I couldn't be happier with it.

Editorial Review:

Creating a custom recipe book has never been easier! This sturdy and stylish three-ring binder is neatly organized course-by-course, with space to write cherished recipes, and store magazine clippings and Internet printouts. Featuring ample pockets for extra storage, as well as handy tear-out shopping lists, and a variety of helpful cooking charts, the Cath Kidston Recipe Organizer is an all-in-one source for kitchen inspiration.

3-D Home Kit: All You Need to Construct a Model of Your Own Home or Addition (with Booklet "Architecture & Math Workshop Notes")

Adventure Publications, Dan Reif

Amazon Price: $26.37 List Price: $39.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Design World - Model: 30820-16 Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $26.11

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

3-D Home Kit (by Daniel K. Reif, author/inventor)

The hardest part of planning a new home, addition or remodeling project is visualizing how the final results will actually look and work. The 3-D Home Kit includes complete poster-board building materials—from brick, stone, siding, roofing and decking to windows, doors, skylights, kitchen cabinets and appliances—to construct a detailed, 1/4-inch scale, three-dimensional model of your own building project. There are also poster-board materials for interior walls, stairs, scale people, a dog and a cat, plus an 18 by 24 inch floor plan grid, and Scale Ruler & Roof Slope Calculator. Each sheet is 12 by 18 inches and has an illustration of a building material on one side and a 1/4-inch grid on the other side; the grid makes it easier to construct your model and the illustrations give the model realistic detail. Step-by-step instructions and a design worksheet are provided. Whether you’re planning a real or dream home, the 3-D Home Kit will help you improve your design and experience first-hand how an architect works.

Duke University’s "Gifted Letter" awarded the 3-D Home Kit (along with the Home Quick Planner, also by Daniel Reif) top honors. The editor wrote, "The planner and kit provide everything needed to design and build a model home…furniture, windows, stairways, and appliances, right down to the ironing board…and bring the user through the architectural process from idea to finished product."

The Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement: Over 1700 Photos, 250 Step-by-Step Projects (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide)

Creative Publishing international

List Price: $34.95 By: Creative Publishing international Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $7.24

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Love the pictures 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

We bought this because we recently purchased our first home. We love how comprehensive the book is and the pictures are so helpful.

Nice book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Nice book, lots of pictures to demonstrate the instructions. I purchased the book as a gift and enjoyed reading it before passing it on. It explained many things that I previously questioned. I think it will be very helpful to the person who wants to learn more in this area.

Home Improvement 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is one of the best all around "do it yourself" books I've seen. If you work on your home, get this book! Great pictures and a wide variety of material!

Bill

limited information 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Out of the selection that were available, this looked like the best to go with, but was disappointed to find nothing about replacing gutters, supposedly simple process.
The pictures are good though, but have not had a chance to make much use out of it.

Editorial Review:

From Black & Decker, take a step-by-step photo guide directions for more than 250 of the most popular, money saving improvement projects. With over 1700 photos, you will be sure to see a wide range of projects, from simple window and door replacement, to extensive demolition and renovation projects.

Understanding Wood: A Craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology

R. Bruce Hoadley

List Price: $34.95 By: Taunton Press Inc Amazon Marketplace: 31 new & used starting at $11.98

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Critical information for the beginning woodworker. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I would consider myself new to woodworking, but not a complete novice. I have read a few books about the principles of woodworking, and all of them contained very little information about the nature of wood. These books left me with many questions about why certain methods are used or when to use one method over another. Understanding Wood answered a lot of my questions. Most importantly I now understand how to take into consideration the nature of wood when I am planning a project. The most important thing that I learned in this book was about the importance of moisture content. Sure I knew that wood expands or contracts with humidity levels, but now I know how to plan for it and work with it and I also know how detrimental it can be if you don't consider the relationship between water and wood.

What I really liked about the book is that the author did not pull any punches in his exposition meaning that this is not written for someone who prefers a "for dummies" book. This is the real deal, it contains some equations, it has many tables and graphs. Don't be too intimidated though, because it is not as dense or dry as a standard textbook. I think for anyone who enjoys woodworking this would be a great read.

My only complaint is that I wish the author could've gone into more detail on a lot of the subjects. He often wrote that a detailed discussion would fill a whole other book or even volumes. The problem is he's right, so the trade off is that some information is left out since the book can't be thousands of pages long.

Editorial Review:

In this essential reference for woodworkers, R. Bruce Hoadley explains everything from how trees grow to how best to cut, season, machine, join, bend, and finish wood. Why do miters open and glue joints loosen? How do you get a really sharp edge? Examples of problems and solutions help woodworkers puzzle through their own projects, while full-color photos and helpful tables illustrate key points.

Drawing for Dummies

Brenda Hoddinott

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 65 new & used starting at $7.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

On a simple piece of paper, a fierce bird of prey can swoop down upon its terrified victim, an adoring father can share laughter with the infant daughter cradled in his arms, raindrops can glisten on the hood of a vintage sports car, a lightening bolt can cut across the night, offering a glimpse of trees ominously silhouetted against the blackness. Drawing can enrich your life in extraordinary and unexpected ways. Drawing your everyday experiences can change how you and others see the world, while drawing from imagination can give rise to fantastic new worlds. And, despite what you may believe, it’s something just about anyone can learn to do.

Drawing For Dummies offers you a fun, easy way to learn drawing basics. Its author, professional illustrator and long-time art educator Brenda Hoddinott, has a simple philosophy—that only you can teach you to draw. With that in mind, she arms you with the tools you need to explore the basics and then coaches you through 30 hands-on drawing projects. You'll quickly

• Conquer the basics of line and shading
• Develop an eye for basic shapes and contours
• Discover how to create the illusion of three dimensions
• Render still-life subjects and landscapes
• Bring animals and people to vivid life on the page

Brenda helps you tune into your right brain and see the world as an artist does. You’ll discover how to break things down into basic lines and shapes and then reassemble them on the page. Other topics covered include:

• Understanding and exercising the basic skills of drawing lines and shapes, adding life and depth with shading, and rendering textures
• Mastering the fundamentals of composition and planning drawings
• Creating lifelike doodles and cartoon characters
• Drawing the natural environment including both plants and animals
• Keeping a sketchbook and drawing from memory
• Drawing people, starting with babies and exploring the human face from childhood to old age

It’s never too late to unleash the artist within. Let Drawing For Dummies put you on the road of discovery and self-expression through drawing.

Modern Cabin

Michelle Kodis

Amazon Price: $26.37 List Price: $39.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Gibbs Smith, Publisher Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $16.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Modern Cabin turns a true icon on its head-radically redefining what a cabin can be. For those who've always wanted a woodsy retreat but want to create a softer environment footprint, Michelle Kodis has gathered twenty-two examples of mountain retreats that push the envelope of cabin architecture and lead the way for the cabin of the future. Architects are creating structures that showcase inspiring and innovative construction methods and materials-including prefab components, environmentally responsible and energy-efficient building techniques, and even "smart" house technology.
Sections include:
Updated Rustic Charm: past meets future
Beyond the Traditional Cabin: fresh architectural solutions
Into the Future: ultra-modern cabins constructed with cutting-edge building methods and materials.
Michelle Kodis has been featured on The Jane Pauley Show as well as in such publications as the Los Angeles Times and Time magazine. She is frequently featured on MSN.com as an expert in homes and architecture.

Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's

Ray Kroc

List Price: $9.95 By: H. Regnery Amazon Marketplace: 15 new & used starting at $1.43

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

How It's done! 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

A very good book, a definite read for anyone looking to learn more about start up business or true entrepreneurship.

Although, I think it's very important to look at the fact that things are much different now of days then when Ray Kroc started up Mcdonalds. It is very inspiring though to find out how old he was when he started this business. Though, it's nice to read of all these young kids starting up business, it's also nice to read about a man in his 50's finally doing a start up that he'd dream t of.

Editorial Review:

Few entrepreneurs can claim to have actually changed the way we live, but Ray Kroc is one of them. His revolutions in food service automation, franchising, shared national training and advertising have earned him a place beside the men who founded not merely businesses but entire new industries.

But even more interesting than Ray Kroc the business legend is Ray Kroc the man. Not your typical self-made tycoon, Kroc was 52 when he met the McDonald brothers and opened his first franchise.

Now meet Ray Kroc, the man behind the business legend, in his own words. Irrepressible enthusiast, perceptive people-watcher, and born storyteller, he will fascinate and inspire you. You'll never forget Ray Kroc.