Found this entertaining, fun, and highly informative. If you need encouragement in starting a b & b biz, this is for you! Great anecdotes that are amusing and educational. Good advice all around. Particularly liked the checklists.

Have you ever flirted with the idea of opening a B&B? Many people have, but most don't have any idea where to start. Jan Stankus's book will tell you everything you'll need to know whether you have one spare room or six.

I admit I was thinking about the possibility of buying a larger house than we can afford and putting the unused space to use as a B&B. I needed information, but surfing the Internet was a long and time consuming job.

I did end up with two trade journals, that I'll tell you about later, but there is no web site that has the plethora of information in this book.

This book is very well written. I actually sat down with it and read most of it straight through, like a novel. The index is so good you can easily go back to the topics you'll need if you pursue the B&B route.

Stankus doesn't pull any punches when she tells what's involved in owning and operating a B&B. I found out things like:

* the difference between a B&B and an inn

* safety concerns for yourself and your house

* zoning issues and ordinances

* insurance, fire laws, and other legal requirements

* furnishing and outfitting your home

* how to get in the guide books

* applying to and using an RSA (reservation service agencies)

* ways to market your B&B business

* what's involved in the B&B lifestyle

* your competition - how to find it and use it to your advantage

* how to price your rooms

* determining your start-up costs

* amenities - what are they and do you need them

Included are: some useful web sites; a state-by-state list of the RSA's; U. S. & Canadian tourist offices; and a number of various work sheets.

Stankus also deals with issues such as allowing pets or children as guests, medical concerns, food preferences and allergies.

There is enough information to give a reader a solid background in how a B&B works.

Here are some other sources if you're enamoured of the idea of a B&B:

* look for local or regional classes (many times taught by owners of B&B's)...

As always, Globe Pequot's "How To" series is chock full of useful information, reasonably priced, and delivers more than expected. I've decided B&B (or innkeeping) isn't for me. But, if you want to explore the option for yourself, I can't think of a better book to start with.

After taking a seminar in Opening a Bed and breakfast, I found this book to be very informative and influential in my decision of opening my own Bed and Breakfast soon. Realizing it will take a few years to get it up and running successfully, I know that this will be my goal and I feel I will be very successful in this endeavor with the help of my husband.

From Australia to USA, from Italy to Germany, from East to West, from cost to cost...it's the most exciting, best written novel I ever read. I bow to Jan Neuharth!!!

Whar a brilliant book. I never read anything better. Complimets to the author. It's so exciting and wonderful written that I couldn't stop reading.
People of the world, everybody - you have to get this fabulous novel.

Couldn't put the book down! It held me captive from beginning to end. The town of Middleburg, VA. came alive and I felt familiar with the characters and surroundings. The plot was full of twists and turns and had me up and down until the explosive ending when all was revealed.

How did our parents get hold of this book in Christchurch New Zealand! We grew up reading this book and never thought any thing was weird about it, but man it's twisted! And it was cool how it was kind of based on New Zealand too... Is it supposed to be a kid's book? It's pretty adult! We have lost our copy (never loan anything to your children or their friends) and would love to know how much it would cost to replace it. Can anyone help us!

Fi and Nell

A friend recently passed this book around at an adult party, much to everyone's amazement. The pictures must have been drawn by someone on acid. Everyone's favorite picture was the group of "circus freaks," including a pantsless man with three penises. One page showed a cave with a penis as one of the stalactites. A cloud was in the shape of a nude woman, including nipples. A sequence of tiny pictures in a banner showed a person's life from his graphic birth to his death, including his sexual union that produced his own child. This is one weird children's book.

The only time I have ever seen this book was in the early 80's in Santa Clara, California. A person I met owned it and let me read it. I've been looking for it ever since. I thought I would try Amazon on a whim. Was I surprised to find it was even mentioned. I will buy it first opportunity I get.

Even though I have not made many quilts, I took the plunge and enrolled in a class for the Spiral Lone Star pattern from this book. Incredibly, the quilt truly did turn out to be "much easier than it looks" as promised by the teacher. Krentz has broken the intricate designs into workable sections and simplified the construction techniques for each section. These quilts will challenge you to explore color and movement in every piece, with thrilling and satisfying results.

This is an excellent project for those quilters who are not afraid to step out of the mainstream and challenge themselves with something new and exciting. Well written and illustrated, the ambitious quilter could pick up the book and be successful with any of the projects profiled!

Wow! What a terrific book. Whenever an author chooses a well known pattern, the challenge is having something new to offer. Jan not only shows a way to prevent stretching, the major problem with this star, but presents so many variations and alternative ideas, one hardly knows where to start. The stars range from the appliqué-embellished Tea Time to the swirling, off center Spiral Lone Star. In addition to the six projects with directions, there are 24 more inspiring Lone Stars in the Gallery. The stars are strip pieced and some of the corner designs are paper pieced. Jan also provides a chart to show how you can change the size of any of the projects, ways to split your diamonds for more excitement, design possibilities for the setting squares and quilting ideas. Lots of these ideas would brighten other quilts, making this a great resource book even if you never make a Lone Star.

There is a reason photographers get equal billing! McElroy's photos are breathtaking. The text becomes secondary as the Big Easy springs to life. Whether as a treasured memory of a vacation, business trip, or a visit to the gulf's most famous city, this coffee table book should be front and center on everyone's table or shelf. McElroy has captured the true essence of the City and her people. I purchased six copies for customers and friends. Whether born and bred, adopted, or just plain passing through...New Orleans is hard to forget. A great reminder of a great city!

Laura McElroy's photography is outstanding. I've been to New Orleans on several occasions, and she has captured the city just as I like remembering it. Her splendid photography inspires me to return in the very near future to one of my favorite U.S. city's. If a city can have moods, she has certainly captured them. The light, colors, and facial expressions enhance the experience of thumbing through this wonderful book. I'll be doing it again and again.

Laura McElroy's photographs are beautiful and perfectly capture the feel and essence of New Orleans. You almost forget to read the text because you are so caught up in the pictures. I recommend it highly for anyone who loves New Orleans or just appreciates fine photography.

Being born and reared in NC is the best of all worlds - coast to mtns. This book is a wonderful pictorial glimpse into our State at the holiday season along with good recipes etc. I'm trying to find copies for "all my children". It is a joy at Christmas or anytime to peruse this book.

The best Christmas book I've ever bought. The photos are beautiful, the recipes yummy, and the stories bring back many happy Christmas memories. My family and friends had fun looking at the pictures and saying "I've been there."

With my father as the photographer (David Crosby), I highly suggest this book as a Christmas gift for anyone! I traveled with him on his photography expedition and the sites he captured are as they appear in the book; colorful and very alive! Ms. Kiefer does a wonderful job on books, and this is only one of her three works of art.

Terrific resource for small groups! Helps students to express themselves creatively and honestly. Fosters relationship development.

Ihave seen what the poetry in this book has done to get students to think and write creatively. They are havinf fun anf learning more, it is highly recommended.

I have used this book for three years (I bought an earlier edition). I found it to be most useful, especially in getting students to write who have never written sucessfully before. A great classroom resource! Highly recommend it as a gift for teachers of all age levels.

This book is detailed, well illustrated, well written, and filled with clear instructions for all levels, but even a novice could paint a respectable flower picture in minutes by following the techniques in this book. Intermediate students should be able to paint one that would sell in minutes.

A very straightforward instruction book which helps one achieve a wonderful glow in florals as well as other subject matter.

This is one of those books that you read from cover to cover, cause you just can't get enough! After following Jan's instructions on the 40% rule of shadows, my florals now not only glow, but they have taken on a real three dimensional look!!

Dr. Kowalski opens his book with an introduction to the surprisingly long history of chemical and biological warfare. Thus, he brings the reader to the realization that the recent anthrax bio-attacks in the US (2001) are not a one-time event and that the warnings of future biological and chemical attacks are for real. This literary technique is critical to change people's mindset, in particular to motivate today's architects, engineers, property managers/owners, security and rescue personnel to take the material presented seriously and to heart.

Dr. Kowalski's coverage of chemical/biological agents, risk analysis, and analysis of various detection and protection systems for airborne threats is very timely and relevant. The information is presented in a straightforward manner, providing a blueprint/strategy that can readily be applied to nearly any building. The many references are extremely useful for those interested in pursuing some of the more complicated analysis. The airborne concentration vs. time graphs and databases contained in the Appendices are essential for assessing the requirements of the protection system as well as assessing proper remediation methodology. Dr. Kowalski is on the forefront of these technologies - a must read.

In our time of increased security risks for buildings , this book provides up to date information and gives real life solutions to our complex bioterrorism problems.This book is a must for any person strapped with the job of trying to develop a plan for protecting public and private buildings from bio-attack. Dr. Kowalski has hit the mark on this timely subject.

This text is particularly timely and, because of the quality of information presented, extremely useful to any individual who is responsible for protecting buildings and other establishments against bioterroism and the deliberate (or accidental) release of harmful chemical agents into building systems. Because of the nature of this subject, the author has extended his treatment beyond design and architectural considerations and also focuses a great deal of attention on information that is particularly useful to police, fire fighters, military personnel, and other emergency response personnel. Because of the straight-forward presentation, I believe this book would serve well as either an academic (course material) text and a field manual or guide to those concerned with protection against weapons of mass destruction.

The author has also been particularly sensitive about the level of detail provided. His concern that the information may be used inappropriately by those wishing to cause such problems (instead of prevent them) is well intended. He has taken extreme precaution in his delivery and ensures that nothing provided can be used by those with harmful intentions. The information and guidance is for those who wish to guard against terrorism and not a manual for those wishing to practice it. I found the author's treatment of this subject to be particularly responsible and the information presented quite useful. Specifically, the easy-to-follow explanations of chemical and biological weapon agents and typical methods of dispersion, to the use of practical and effective control measures, to the simulated attack scenarios all provide totally useful guidelines to the protection of buildings against bioterrorist attacks.

With this book of poems you can smack your lips with the tangy sweetness of taste, sound, touch and remember. JELLYFISH touches my memory with clear pictures of a child at the shore. These verses remind me of Jane Yolen's COLOR ME A RHYME, and my own ANIMAL ACADEMY, with its playfulness and spontaneity.

Jan Spivey Gilchrist's impressionistic illustrations capture the imagery of poet Rebecca Kai Dotlich's carefree summer. You'll lick your lips after drinking in LEMONADE, hold your ears as FIREWORKS explodes off the page and you'll feel your toes wiggle as BAREFOOT tickles your feet in the new grass. What a refreshing way to wind down a funfilled summer day!

Lemonade Sun reminded me of my own childhood; I too, grew up in the fifties. It brought back so many memories. I could almost smell the fireflies that we collected in glass jars, and the thrill of being able to do double-dutch longer than the other kids. The lemonade stands, bubbles, dragonflies and jacks are all dear to me. It certainly is a book that children will love, and adults will cherish. My personal favorite is Summer Swinging. The illustrations are incredible! It is truly a fun book for all ages.