I wish that more things in life came with a nice, compact, informative manual. :-) I recommend this book to those just beginning their adventure into green teas and also for those who enjoy green tea but don't really know much about finer greens. It starts out by covering the absolute basics like what tea is, how to appreciate it, potential health benefits, brewing basics, etc. I really liked her descriptions of how to brew in a cup/mug, teapot and guywan. Also, she's spot on with infusion baskets. Tea balls or clamp spoons are terrible and she doesn't mind saying so! She then moves on to explore some of the world's most enjoyed green teas from "Gen Mai Cha" to "Yin Hao". She does an excellent job of explaining what to look for in each tea, how to brew them and infuses her personal experiences to further broaden understanding. And, not one to leave it at that, she also talks about tea bags, what to do with spent leaves and liquor, using tea as dye and tosses in some green tea recipes that sound fantastic. I put this book on the shelf right alongside the classic "Tea Companion" by Pettigrew and "The Book of Green Tea" by Rosen. Happy tea drinking!

Good, practical advice. Helen even lists green tea by brand name and tells you how to brew each one differently so that each tea's finest qualities are brought out. Read this book and you will be a "green tea expert" in no time.

Part encyclopedic, part anecdotal, The Green Tea User's Manual has something for everyone. The author writes from personal experience at both ends of the spectrum, which makes for a fascinating way to read a wealth of information. Anyone who enjoys green tea (or black, for that matter) will thoroughly enjoy this little gem.

This book is just great fun to read and highly educational. In addition to being a biography of Alfred Barr, it is a documentary of a moment in which New York replaced Paris as the center of the Art World. Invaluable for understanding the arts and personalities in the art world who still affect us today.

This lovely book illustrates common flowers and herbs with anecdotes from pilgrim's diaries. The combination of historical perspective and herbal uses brings our heritage to life. The flowers and herbs are depicted with delicate line drawings. Highly recommended!

The Elements of John Updike is the best study of John Updike's fiction that I have yet read. It is profound and very different from other studies in the depth and attention it pays the author and his writing. I have yet to read another book that so perfectly integrates all the diverse elements of his nature, the poetry, the fiction, the nonfiction, the studious nature and development of his fierce intelligence.

It is a shame that the book is now out-of-print. I hope that it will one day be updated and expanded, or at least reprinted, as it is still very much relevant, despite the fact that it covers only his origin through Couples. Still irreplaceable in its comprehension of the man who is quite possibly America's greatest living author.

By the way, this book is written by Alice and Kenneth Hamilton (Amazon seems to have forgotten one of them).

This text is a valuable reference for industrial chemicals.

This book is an easy to follow guide to many civil war sites. Some of the places are the well known sites and some are not so well known. But, you will enjoy tracking these sites state by state. I've used the book sysytematically and when I've visited a site, I highlight in the book the place I've been on the state maps provided. Buy it! Try it! Take lots of pictures, too! Start a scrapbook of civil war sites you've visited. It makes for a great conversation piece.