Perfection may not be attainable, but as a beautiful book and a model study of a landmark work of architecture and landscape architecture this volume sets a high standard indeed. The photography is superb, the book design elegant, the production sumptuous. The subject in fact might be somewhat overwhelmed by the presentation, were the subject merely the "Big House" at Kykuit itself. The building was somewhat of a compromise design, remodeled once, involving two architects and an interior designer (all first class, of course). It is not the architecture of the main building, if tasteful, that alone warrants this lavish production, but rather it is the ensemble--the magnificent gardens featuring an important collection of sculpture, the interior enriched by a collection of art and sensitive decor, the varied ancillary structures, including Japanese structures, and the intimate view of Rockefeller family life at Kykuit. The text is unpretentious but well crafted. One suspects that every detail has been carefully researched and considered for relevance to the general reader. The tone is apt. A very talented and skilled team has produced a well-neigh perfect work of art about an important work of art.

As early as the 17th century, Dutch New Yorkers built family compounds in the Hudson River Valley north of Manhattan. Completed in 1913 for Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller, Kykuit (the names comes from the Dutch, "lookout")has been home to four generations of Rockefeller family members. Now owned by the National Trust for Historic Sites, Kykuit has only recently been open to the public.

The Beaux Arts estate, built by architects Delano and Aldrich, with formal gardens designed by landscape architect William Welles Bosworth, is a treasure-trove of rare antiques, fine furnishings, and invaluable artworks, most notably, Gov. Nelson Rockefeller's (the last family member to occupy the estate) unparalleled collection of 20th-century sculpture.

Written by Nelson Rockefeller's daughter, Ann Rockefeller Roberts, and photographed by Mary Louise Pierson, his granddaughter, "Kykuit" provides intimate details of family life that breathe live into what might have been just another coffee-table book about the fabulously wealthy.

"Kykuit" is a must-have for anyone interested in exceptional gardens, architecture and fine arts.

Beautiful concept, beautifully done using the Universal Rider Waite and in a lovely large box that contain them. Each card
has a smaller Universal rider waite on it and beside it, an accompanying meditation.
For the tarot lover, a wonderful tool for deepening your connection with the 78 cards. Using the affirmations are a great idea for meditation purposes and to gain emotional clarity
when doing a reading or a one a day card method. Deck comes with an introduction and explanatory information booklet by the author that is included.

This oversized deck will please all who are into self-exploration through the Tarot. The deck is illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and recolored by Mary Hanson-Roberts.

Each of the 78-cards has a small rendition of the images from the Universal Waite Tarot Deck. The larger portion of each card is devoted to appropriate affirmations to go along with the imagery of that particular card. Appropriate, in that the affirmations, mirror quite nicely the popular interpretation of the Tarot. Text writer, Sally Hill does an outstanding job of writing affirmations for each of the 78 cards.

There can be some very difficult images to handle in the Tarot. For example, the Ten of Swords, is traditionally depicted as ten swords through the back of an individual, indicative of treachery of some kind around the querent, or a feeling that all are against an individual. It is hard to see anything positive when looking at that image. But Hill manages to take this image and show the positive chances for growth to occur under these trying circumstances. She assigns the card affirmations, such as, "I am dealing with negative thoughts that pin me down; I am seeking release from inner confusion and conflicts", and, "I am finding ways to recover my energy and rise to new life". Also, the Court Cards are thought by some to be the most difficult cards to interpret in the deck. The affirmations Hill associates with the Court Cards provide greater insights into these cards.

Using Tarot Affirmations promotes a greater understanding of Tarot imagery and will give depth to the traditional meanings behind the cards. This deck is useful for daily self-analysis, meditation, or to delve deeper into the mysteries of the Tarot. Beginners and advanced students alike, will benefit and grow from the positive messages displayed on these Tarot cards.

Words cannot even begin to describe the beauty of the works of art contained in this book. If you only ever buy one book in your life to just look at the pictures let it be this one. I could sit entranced by their embroidery for hours. I agree with another reviewer who stated that you can't conceive of this art being created by human hands. If you need proof simply look at the cover. That is not a photograph folks, it is embroidered.
The photographs are also quite beatiful. Consider as you look at them that the photo's are trying to capture texture...something very elusive in that medium. In many cases you can barely tell the photo from the embroidery and in others the embroidery is an interpretation of the photo.
I cannot state this enough this book is truly, truly extraordinary and I don't think that there is anything else like it out there.

This is, by far, the most beautiful embroidery book I've ever seen anywhere, at any time. It seems impossible that such impressive works of art could have been created. Robert Ketchum's photographs are beautiful, but the embroideries are, indeed, so breathtaking that it's hard to believe real human beings could have worked on them. This is the kind of embroidery I would love to be able to do, but it is so amazing that I know I'll never reach such a high level of expertise (at least not in this lifetime). My thanks to all the people involved in this project for sharing their special gifts with me and anyone else fortunate enough to have purchased this book or, better still, to have seen these works in person.

This book contains lavish photos of breathtaking embroidery from the Suzhou Embroidery Research Institute, representing the pinnacle of Chinese embroidery. Many of the examples are photorealistic interpretations of landscape photographs - an amazing achievement. It makes one understand why embroidery has long been regarded as a fine art in China, often esteemed higher than painting. A must for anyone who loves embroidery or textiles.

This is not light reading. This is a historical overview of the physiology, use and research at a site with evidence of inhabitation in 2000 BC. The authors go out of their way to avoid committing to *who* was building an astronomical calendar out of stone in southern NH 4000 years ago. Instead, they concentrate on weaving different threads together to show where current research is and why they pursue that direction.

If you've been there. this is a good follow-up to what you've seen. It is also excellent background material prior to a visit. If you have any books by Salvatore Trento, Barry Fell or David Hatcher Childress, this is probably one for your library.

Appalachia Inside Out is a collection of some of the finest writing produced by Appalachian writers about Appalachia. The volume is divided into thematic units such as Roots, Exploration, and Settlement, Heroes and Demigods, and Nature and Progress. The reader will find a find collection of essays, short stories, and poems carefully chosen to present the region accurately and honestly. Together volumes 1 and 2 of this work give scholars and general readers alike a full range of readings about Appalachia. As a graduate student, I found this book a fascinating introduction to the study of Appalachian writers and writing, and as a teacher of Southern Appalachian Literature, I consider this book invaluable. I highly recommend Appalachia Inside Out to anyone wishing to read and learn more about Appalachia.

Colonel Ed Mann comes to life in The Colonel's Lady. A. Robert Hill draws on his own experiences in the Korean Conflict to build an exciting novel that kept me glued until the last spellbinding word! Not only is this a good read but it is a thought provoking book. The U.S. Air Force spent money to hone the hero into a flying ace who because of his love for a woman who defected from Communist Russia, quit his vocation so he could live a life with his lover. The question still comes to my mind, did Ed make the right decision? Without his woman could he have made a greater contribution to aviation? Did he have the right to give up his advocation for a life of marriage fulfillment? Then I realize that aviation is rather fickled. The flyer developes into a machine that can be destroyed with one wrong movement of a lever or pedal. Perhaps after a war and a career in aviation industry perhaps Ed deserved to live out his life in marriage bliss. After you read this well constructed story see what you think. This novel is truly a tribute to the men who flew the planes over Korea to return home to civilans who didn't give a damn for the sacrifices the heroes gave.

A great history book filled with wonderful stories arranged in a line by line, depot by depot format with maps, mileage and a photo from each depot. If you're a steam engine buff this book is a must. Many of the photos are from private collections, you probably won't find them anywhere else.

As a 25 year resident of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, I must say this man knows his stuff. His ratings of the restaurants are dead on and his discriptions of the cities is not only factual but also amusing. There are things he found I didn't know about and are dying to check out. This is a must read for anyone who wants to know some little known facts about this great metroplex.

"The First Electric Road" is a short history of the electric tramway which ran between Doncaster and Box Hill between 1889 and 1895. (Doncaster and Box Hill are now part of suburban Melbourne, Australia). This was the first electric tramway in the southern hemisphere. The book is well written and researched. It is liberally illustrated with photograpghs and contains several maps. The book is an essential item for anyone who is interested in the tramways of the greatest tramway city in the English speaking world. The book is available from the author at 730 Hawthorn Road, East Brighton, Victoria, Australia

This is the standard text for the microwave engineer student.The author makes a very comprehensive survey of the field,beginning from basic electromagnetics and circuit theory and analyzing both passive and active devices and circuit.Very good coverage of the microstrip line basic theory which is very hard to find elsewhere.In my opinion professor Collin is a very gifted scientifical writer,both clear and accurate.If you want to be a first rate Microwave engineer then you surely need this book.Very good text!