The book is a cookbook collection of procedures and methods in molecular biology. It is written in a pragmatic and didactic fashion so that the understanding of the process is clear. There is a comprehensive list of reagents and solutions. It is well worth the buy!

Ortho's Guide to Decks & Patios is, in my opinion, the best all around how to book about the subjects that I have read to date. This book accurately describes decks and patios as "extensions of interior spaces for living, working, and eating." It is full of color pictures, illustrations, guidelines, and instructions to help you design and build an outdoor space that suites your needs.

After a brief overview of decks and patios and the history of outdoor living, the reader is asked to develop a list of group or individual needs to consider while creating a design. Checklists are used to help remind you of the critical items to think about along the way, and there are plenty of color photos of finished work to provide you with ideas for your own projects. The design section explains bubble diagrams, base plans, site plans, and working drawings. The construction sections contain drawings and descriptions of all of the basic tools used to build the projects shown in the book along with material lists and span charts. There are sections explaining the actual construction techniques for building wooden decks, brick, stone, and concrete patios, brick walls, mortared and dry-stacked stone retaining walls, overhead and freestanding garden structures, as well as suggestions for fences, spas, plant containers and outdoor lighting. There are pictures showing different decking pattern options, railing configurations, brick paver patterns, patio edgings, decorative concrete finishes, and methods to control sun and shade. Several complete projects with framing plans, sections, and material lists are also included in case you would rather incorporate an existing design into your plan.

While some of the related subjects are not covered in great depth, one should not expect a single book to address every aspect of such a broad group of topics. However, this book is very thorough in its approach to decks and patios. It should provide anyone who is considering designing and building an outdoor living space with the necessary information to do so. The directions and guidelines used in this book, as well as, the drawings, descriptions, and construction techniques are presented clearly and accurately. And, there are plenty of photos of existing projects to provide you with ideas for your own. I was very impressed with this book and I highly recommend it.

Most people who appreciate the architecture of movie theatres are focused on the fantasy or opulence that the auditorium provides, but here a skilled artist helps us appreciate the facades of some 80 Art Deco styled cinemas across America by means of extraordinarily detailed images in paint. It is always a pleasure to welcome an artistic achievement to the body of work in this subject, and this handsome volume produced in the long format (11 inches long by 9 inches high by one half inch thick) and printed in wonderful color on satin-coated paper stock, with color photos on both film-laminated hard covers, will be a welcome addition to most libraries. Even the end papers and chapter heads are dyed a happy yellow to set the tone of the book. Unlike "Silent Screens" which is in the same format, "Popcorn Palaces ..." is nostalgic without being depressing, even though the writers make clear that many of the subjects have passed away and continue to do so. In that sense, this too is a 'necrology' of sorts. It is completed with a detailed Index and Bibliographies of the artist and his art, as well as theatres.

Within the 144 pages the authors, Messrs. Kinerk and Wilhelm, succeed in giving a good history of the rise of these theatres and also a story of how the talented artist Davis Cone found his subjects and brought them to life. Unlike "Silent Screens" and other efforts, this publisher selected experts in theatre history and architecture (one of them a member of the Theatre Historical Society of America) to create an authoritative and factual text to frame the pages of artwork.

To be sure, the book is really about the artist, Mr. Cone, and his 'photo-realistic' style and achievements; so the book is not primarily about the theatres, yet it does usually list the name, date of construction, address, architect and the date of the painting of most of the theatres. This thoroughness does give the book an historic value, even though most of the theatres are not individually profiled apart from those facts. It is not a 'theatres book,' but a book about paintings, which happen to be of theatres and the remarkable artistry and foresight of one man: Mr. Cone. As the authors bring out, however, the subject was not a whim, but an integral part of the artist's life and sympathies.

Within five chapters the authors cover the artist, the era, the style, the technique, and the "Epilogue - Curtain Call," for the era which created these charming examples of Americana has passed. If we confine ourselves to only examples of the Art Deco style, one could find no better mirror to the past of such cinemas. Perhaps in future Mr. Cone will stretch to also record those non-Art Deco theatres in larger cities. The only criticism an architectural historian might make is that there is no exposition of the interiors of these mostly smaller, neighborhood show houses, but then it must be admitted that few of them had really notable interiors, and getting permission to photograph interiors can be very difficult as the photographers of "The Last Remaining Seats" have disclosed in an article about that book. These paintings are not of the 'palaces' of the big cities, but these fantastically detailed paintings do capture the significance of the facades and their marquees to the smaller urban landscapes.

For those who want more history plus the artistry of architectural interiors, there are other books (all here at Amazon) such as: "The Best Remaining Seats ..."; "American Picture Palaces"; "Great American Movie Theatres"; and "American Theatres of Today" among others. Each of these captures in photos the wonderful era of such fanciful designs, but none of them feature the "Hyperrealistic" stylings of masters such as Mr. Cone. May his paintings inspire the saving and restoration of many of these examples of our theatres heritage, for then I believe that the artist will be truly rewarded for his work.

Photo-realism is an interesting form of art. Some hate it. Some love it. I have always been intrigued by it. To me it takes an incredible eye to know how to replicate light and shadow exactly as one sees it. With that said, photo realistic paintings are worthless for their own sake. Davis Cone has created photo-realistic paintings of movie theatres. And within each picture, you understand the statement being made. Mostly, the theatres remind you of a time that will never be found again. Be warned, you'll spend a lot of time trying to understand that these are paintings, not the photographs they appear to be... Many of these painting appeared in a similar book entitled HOLLYWOOD ON MAIN STREET..This particular one includes a few extra paintings and some nice detailed close-ups. Whether you are a fan of photo-realism or old time movie theatres, give this book a shot...

My husband's home town theater is on the cover! I have already given several books as gifts. The pictures are just beautiful!

Thurgood Marshall was a remarkable man and his contributions are equally remarkable. Although he was handed the baton by other leaders of the NAACP, he ran just as fast as they and achieved much more. I liked reading this book largely because I am a future lawyer and am interested in this sort of thing. This book was also written by lawyers and the quality of writing is a bit dull. However, if you are into reading this sort of book, I do recommend giving it a shot.