The models are still very fresh even for the origamist of today. There is a very good range from traditional models, simple models to the intermediate stage. An excellent first introduction to origami.

It contains works of experts who are not around today. Among my favourites are those by Ligia Montoya. Simple but extremely effective.

Nowadays origami experts tend to concentrate on details making folding the models extremely difficult for a beginner. I prefer to concentrate on representing the subject just right with just the sufficient details to differentiate the model and avoiding the complexity of folding it.

There are also models with sufficient difficulty to challenge the slightly more experienced.

A must for all enthusiasts.

The abstract quilts combine color, pattern & shape so beautifully it takes your breath away. Surface techniques such as dyeing, painting, applique & embroidery make these quilts remarkable works of art.

Some of my favorite quilts include a nude pregnant woman & two quilts depicting Noah & his ark. I enjoyed a few scenes with vases & another made as a memorial to the artist's parents. I also fell in love with the many landscape quilts.

The text is fascinating, discussing the history behind quiltmaking & the techniques used to make these beautiful quilts. The captions are great, explaining the methods used to make the quilt as well as the artist inspiration.

Not for the beginner, though. Most folds in here are as challenging as they are cool.

Fair enough. How would you reconstitute our security structure? He gets down to specifics in chapter 15, where he gives 26 rules for "the new craft of intelligence." These include an emphasis on translation of foreign sources, an emphasis on cultural intelligence (knowing your enemy), and gearing intelligence toward needs and customers vs. just following old habits and using the most ready capabilities.

This book rewards the reader with many interesting ideas to consider. But Steele badly needs a filter--I feel that there are way too many bad ideas in this book relative to the few nuggets. For example, his view of the causes of terrorism owes much to Noam Chomsky--a poor source for cultural intelligence. Furthermore, some (most?) of his proposals, such as instituting a draconian military draft, are not well thought out.

I think that there is reason to be concerned that we have not adjusted out thinking on military and intelligence matters to line up with current threats. But if this book is the best alternative, then we should be even more concerned.

The reviewer who attributes my views on the roots of terrorism is surely a well-meaning person, but was much too quick to apply a personal bias on Chomsky to my own work. For the record, I was one of the first CIA Clandestine Service case officers assigned terrorism as a full-time target, hence have something of an operational understanding not available to the general public including Chomsky and the reviewer in question; 2) my educational work includes an undergraduate thesis on multinational corporate operations in the Third World; a first graduate thesis on the causes of revolution; and a second graduate thesis on strategic and tactical information management for national security (what can we and what do we know about the real world in order to make effective policy); 3) my life includes thirty years of residence overseas from which my direct observations on poverty, disease, and other conditions including corruption are applicable.

The comment about needing a filter and Chomsky should therefore be regarded as inaccurate. The book includes a 135 page annotated bibliography and a 25 page guide to web sites about corruption, cyber-advocacy, disease, education, environment, genocide, homeland defense, instability, intelligence, proliferation, slavery and human trafficking, starvation, terrorism, and transnational crime. In my view as the author, the previous review misrepresents the depth and breadth of the book in a grevious manner that requires my respectful response.

The parallels are ominous. The British entered Kenya with the intent of 'civilizing' the savages. They imposed thier way of life on the natives of Kenya. However, the new values made no sense to the Kenyans. They did not understand the value of the white mans ways.

Similarly, todays intellectuals and social elitists are imposing a new value system on America's children. One that has no absolutes, no heroes of substance, no morality or ethics. The children don't know if they are good or bad. They have become value-less because of the lack of value. Nothing more than wondering generalities.

When you read this book with this perspective in mind, the reason for a lot of the problems that are occurring today become obvious, American society has become an amorphous blob of do what feels good whenever you feel like it and let someone else take care of you.

"Something of Value" is as revealing today as it was back in the '50s. If you read it with an open mind and are willing to draw parallels to today.

It is history being repeated.

Indispensable to even experienced seamstresses; I've been sewing on and off for thirty years, and this book had tips I didn't know, such as that some fabrics have incremental shrinkage, and must be washed and dried twice before you cut them out.

I have always had a difficult time with certain fabrics, they would snag, the stiches would bunch up or the fabric would stretch and slip.

With the help of this book, I have been guided to use the right needle, foot, stitch and finishing touches. Now, sewing difficult fabrics have become a breeze. An example is sewing on Tissue Lame, with this guide I was able to use the correct needle, the perfect stitch length and finish the seams, with no problems!

Thank you Sandra for this helpful guide!