The kazoo is a wonderful antidote to the notion that all music requires either a life-time to learn to play, or the purchase of a CD to enjoy. The kazoo brings us back to what our childhood taught us--and years of music lessons and choir practices tried to make us forget--that music is a shared bit of fun, nearly as important as--and with no requirement that it be much more difficult than--breathing.

Barbara Stewart's small book takes an appropriately light tone to make the point that playing a kazoo is a fun and worthwhile past-time. This is not one of those "heavy-reading" history of an instrument works. This is an intelligent but decidedly light-hearted reintroduction to music-as-fun, instead of music as something played on compact disks.

Although I love the sound of a good piano being played, I wonder if life might not be a little more fun for kids if they had fewer piano lessons and more time with a kazoo. As for adults, this book will help you rediscover that you can be musical, and it only costs a dollar or two to rediscover your lost musicality.

My kids wanted it and they convinced me. Now I think it's great. The book imparts the psuedo-skill of world-class kazoophonics with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Worth it for the illustrations alone.

This is the best of all the kazoo books I have ever read. Seriously, it is a work of delight from someone with the wit and talent to support her interest in music and humor. Timeless.

Iza Trapani remains to be one of my favorite authors and illustrators! She is very talented and knows how to capture children's attention through story and song. My girls own every book she has written and they all remain their favorites as well. I would highly recommend these books to parents of young children. My girls have owned these books since they were very young and still enjoy them as they age. I plan on putting these up for my grandchildren.

...The book has the thick, laminated pages - the kind not easily bent or torn. It has held up well through many, many readings. The book is wonderfully written and illustrated with sing-song verses and questions for little ones...to answer. It's an interactive book...It'll be a favorite... for years to come.

I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT is delightful--another winner by the great Iza Trapani!

Here are the adventures that the children (brother and sister) share with the Little Teapot: 1) flying a dragon kite as they row their boat to China; 2) the kids keep score as the little matadour teapot fights the bull in Mexico; 3) the little teapot is a spaceship and takes the kids to another planet and they are astronauts and meet an alien "eye to eye"; 4) the little teapot takes them to the opera and she plays in the orchestra while the kids are the opera singers; 5) the kids are pirates and the little teapot is the sailing ship on a windy day; 6) the kids and the little teapot go horsebackriding together all on one horse, with lots of hound dogs on a fox hunt; 7) and the final adventure is a game of hide-and-go-seek in the jungle! 8) The ending with a big tea party is perfect!

What I love best about this book, besides Iza's consistently amazing illustrations, are the adventures! I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT ENCOURAGES YOUR CHILD'S CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION and even better still, it ENCOURAGES YOUR CHILD to be like the Little Teapot and SHARE/EXPRESS HIS/HER DREAMS! In my opinion, what makes a book great is if it can succeed in teaching a lesson while being fun at the same time! This book does just that! It doesn't get any better than this-- I highly recommend! You will not be disappointed!

SHARE YOUR DREAMS!

"Making the Impossible Possible" is an easy to read textbook for success. This book is a must for everyone's self help library! Jason's TAB Plan has enabled me to accelerate my business plans and helped me to set goals that I am now able to achieve."

Making the Impossible Possible is truly inspiring! Jason's powerful techniques taught me how to better define my goals in life and how to chart the course to acheiving them. This book has increased my self confidence. With Jason's help, I've taken a giant leap forward in both my personal and professional life.

Reading Making the Impossible Possible was life changing for me. I no longer wish for my dreams to come true, I plan my days so they will. Under Jason's tutelage I've developed a system that is enabling me to truly live my dreams. Thank you to Jason Boreko for changing my life.

This is a wonderful book! Jon has truly captured the spirit of this part of Colorado--we live near the Spanish Peaks in the San Luis Valley, and regularly travel the country he writes about. I drive past old Fort Garland every day. The pictures Jon draws with his words are so accurate, they are like a photograph. Our valley really is that beautiful! The characters are so vivid they feel alive, and the plot and the action move right along. My husband originally bought the book and loved it, then I read and loved it. We loaned it to my mom, who is now buying a copy to keep, plus several copies to give as gifts for Christmas. As a western writer, I can see Jon Chandler as the successor to Louis L'Amour--equally exciting and well-researched material. Highly recommended!!!

I was drawn to read Jon Chandler's first book because I had already been totally intrigued by his CD, Westerns. One of the songs on it, 'The Spanish Peaks' was so beautiful and emotional, I just had to read the book by the same name. It didn't disappoint! This book is full of action, and the characters and plot are fully developed. Anyone who likes a western flavor to their literature will enjoy this book. Don't expect it to read like any cheap western novelette, though--this writer has more talent than that!

Chandler's "Spanish Peaks" may be a western novel, but it kept this city slicker thoroughly entertained and turning the pages! It's a wonderful story played out by characters that represent the best of the west and the worst of the west.

I'll pass it along to my friends... but only if they guarantee they'll bring it back!

The concept rocks: write stories inspired by TV and movie heroes, but don't do it directly.

Much of the writing is equally good: obviously all these authors are excellent writers.

Some of the stories were compelling, some were mildly entertaining. None were awful.

However, this book is uneven. I have a hard time imagining that any one person would love all these stories. Some of the stories suffer from being so short, and others are just not that interesting.

I loved Moon Over Miranda and Mary Jo Putney's reworking of the King Arthur tale.

Five stars for concept and two of the stories. The other stories were all 3-star and 4-star in quality, so I'm averaging it all out to be four stars.

Get a copy of this anthology while you still can. You will NOT be a bit disappointed. Ten novellas from talented authors whose stories are inspired by TV and Movie heroes. What a kick! Regency, Western, Contemporary, Futuristic... They're all very well represented here. Stories and characters that will make you smile for days to come. Don't be put off by the mix of genres. This confirms that when written well, romance stories are timeless.

"In Our Dreams" is a unique collection of stories. While the authors use television/movie heroes as inspiration, they have managed to build on those images and make them uniquely their own. From Mary Jo Putney's twist on Arthurian legend to Courtney Henkes tongue-in-cheek take on mythic fantasy, I found myself eagerly turning the pages. This was a wonderful read with something to feed the romantic cravings of any reader. Whether your tastes run toward rugged Old West types or the cool elegance of the English Regency, there is something here for you.

What an unexpected turn of events. This isn't your average run of the mill thriller. Meg fights to discover who has been sending her threatening letters and ancient pieces of jewlry before the threats made come true. The most likely suspects are not who they seem, but neither are the least likely. A must read!

Barbara Michaels pens two kinds of thrillers -- lackluster and dull with unsympathetic characters, and sparkling, vivid and populated by "real" people. This, thankfully, is one of the latter, a delightfully twisted mystery that sparkles as much as any of the gems.

Meg Venturi becomes the heiress to a jewelry fortune when her grandfather unexpectedly dies; among the conditions of her grandfather's will are that she must take over half of the ownership of his respected gem and jewelry store. The other half is the domain of his partner, a dark, silent, mysterious man named Riley, whom the townspeople suspect of having killed the elder Venturi. Meg is unsure about Riley, but she does know that he is brilliant with jewelry.

But then strange, sinister happenings begin to occur around Meg. As she tries to unravel the dark mysteries that destroyed her grandfather before his time, she becomes the target of a killer with a mission that stems back to a scandal many years before...

"Into the Darkness" has many of the best attributes of a Barbara Michaels novel: the witty dialogue, subtle characterizations, strong heroine, unusual romance, and a wide range of supporting characters who are never what they seem. Readers who enjoyed lessons on roses, maze gardens, and old Gothic novels will enjoy the informative lessons on jewelry and gems. As she always does in her best books, Michaels includes plenty of information that will stick in the mind without being annoying.

Meg Venturi is a standard Michaels heroine: tough, no-nonsence, mildly sarcastic with a bit of trauma in her background to add extra dimension. Riley is more of a dark horse: it's hard to tell what he's thinking or why, from his first scene onward. Supporting characters like the despicable wimp Candy, her boor husband, the seemingly fragile Mrs. Venturi and hearty Uncle George are all well-rounded from the start, but with hidden depths that are revealed as the book goes on. Even the grandfather is a very alive figure, despite the fact that he dies at the beginning of the novel.

This is more of an "Elizabeth Peters" mystery than a Barbara Michaels one, as there is virtually no supernatural influence, no cults or ghosts or werewolves or anything of the sort. But it is an excellent mystery for those of you who like a little sexy pizzazz, past scandal, and a lesson or two with your guilty pleasure.

I've read all of the book by Barbara Michaels that I can find and I love them all. This was the first one I read and it's definitely my favorite (and the only one I've checked out of the library 4 times). The character and plot development are terrific. The ending is unpredictable (as with many of Michaels' other books). I liked the storyline and all of the characters. Overall, this is a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery, romance, or jewelry.

The Last Innocent Hour is intense suspense, an edge-of-the-seat, cliff-hanging nail-biter. A terrific first novel that reads as though it were written by a seasoned pro. I eagerly anticipate Barbara Taylor Sissel's next novel.

I'm not a big reader but a friend of mine sent this to me. I let it sit for a while before picking it up, but once I did, I couldn't stop. I was intrigued by what happens to Beth and the interaction of the family. The writing is excellent especially once I found out this was her first published book. Keep going and get another one out. I'm ready to buy.

I am thoroughly impressed with this book. Fave authors include John Grisham and Jonathan Kellerman. I can't wait for her next book. Great twists!....

I've had Barbara Kafka's "Roasting" cookbook for several years and will never part with it, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that "Microwave Gourmet" is a keeper, too -- but who would have thought that microwave brownies could be so GOOD?! That recipe alone is worth the price of the book. I can make a pan of fudgy raspberry-laced brownies in 20 min. start to finish (I've been known to make them during commercial breaks).

From a classic mac-&-cheese that my five year old loves (good-bye fake cheese packets!), to cakes, cookies, and preserves, from Szechuan green beans to her famous risotto, Kafka covers an amazing amount of culinary territory (did you know you can deep-fry in the microwave?). I still have to remind myself to turn to this book when I'm looking for traditional recipes, the ones I normally wouldn't micro-cook; but whenever I look up a dish or a main ingredient I always find something tasty and fast.

The Dictionary section at the back is full of useful information for the cook, and there are lists and diagrams of the cookware you'll find most suitable for the recipes as well. Kafka clearly explains how to follow any special micro-cooking directions (making a seal with cling wrap, for example). And as always, her great humor shines through.

I've only had the book about 2 months, so I've barely scratched the surface, but so far everything has turned out exactly as described. On my next trip to the states I plan to pick up some glass souffle dishes (I can't seem to find any in Taiwan that don't cost a fortune) so I can try out more of her recipes. Personally, I would never have the patience to experiment with a microwave recipe again and again until it came out right, but thankfully, I don't have to -- Kafka has done all the work, and I get to have all the fun.

This book is beautifully organized and has excellent recipes for everyday cooking in various quantities as well as gourmet meals. I find I refer to it constantly, especially for fish, vegetables and wonderful rice dishes. I've never had one fail me yet, but often need to add a little more liquid to some of the rice pilaf dishes.

Dear Barbara Kafka,

I'd be happy to buy your book if first you could tell me why my microwaved baked potatoes come out with an inedible hard spot somewhere, sometimes 1/3 of the potatoe.

I put the potatoe on a double thick paper towel and time it for about 6 minutes, turning it over halfway. It happens with thin skinned potaotes and the hardier ones like Idaho potatoes.

So, can you tell me? Please. and thank you.

Eve Laing december_1022@iprimus.com.au

I have just finished House of Stairs for the 3rd time. I know little about writing and read mostly commercial fiction. However, the quality of Rendell's writing is at times breath taking. Her device is this book for shifting from the past to the present is simple and elegant. There is really no who done it here, only a why done it. And when you find out why, its so ordinary that you wonder why you read so long to get there. The why is that Rendell writes so good and dribbles the information out is dribs and drabs that you keep reading. You know early on that the narrator may or may not have a dread disease but it isn't identified until about 15% into the book.

One of the drawbacks to this book is the lack of sympathetic characters. Maybe its my age, but there is really no main character is this book who is likeable (although there are a couple which you care about). Elizabeth is the narrator but has an unfathomable weakness when it comes to Belle with whom there cannot be any type of healthy relationship. Belle is a flagrant sociopath who is only interesting because of the degree and outlandishness of her coldness and selfishness. Cossette is the all-time post child for co-dependency. Mark comes closest to being decent but in the end destroys Elizabeth and Cossette's relationship to save his own. There is no one in this group I'd ever want to be friends with.

As Elizabeth Vetch is travelling down the street in a taxi, she suddenly spots a woman whom she used to know many years before. A woman that she thought was still in prison. She calls the vehicle to a stop, and rushes off in pursuit of her old friend. Eventually, Elizabeth looses her amid the bustle of London. Then, here memories triggered by this event, she begins to tell the reader her story...

It's a tale that leads to a time when Elizabeth was staying in a tall boarding house (known by its residents as the House of Stairs) run by her kindly old friend Cosette, when all the varied inhabitants lived in peace and harmony, and when she was in a relationship with the enigmatic Bell, a woman who will soon be arrested for murder. But, then Mark comes into their lives, and the effects of his presence soon mean that none of their lives will ever be the same again. For death is following in his path...

Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell) is quite, quite marvellous. The way she mixes past and present, the current story and the flashbacks to the events which happened at the House of Stairs is masterful, and not nearly as confusing as a lesser writer might make it. Her demonstrations of how the past can hold an inextricable grip on all our future's are brilliantly subtle. The characters she creates are almost unbearably realistic, and few of them are likeable. Even the kindly Cosette's needy dependency may grate on some after a while. She also injects a great subplot concerning the fact that Elizabeth, our narrator, may well have inherited the Huntington's Chorea that runs in her family.

The suspense Rendell creates with the almost unbearably slow (although never, ever boring) teasing out of her plots is immense, and she maintains it right to the end, when the final surprise is revealed. Some longstanding fans of Rendell may be able to guess the main subtle twist that she uses (but not all she has up her sleeve), for she has used a similar one before (but in a rather different way). But then, as another reviewer has said, very aptly, of Rendell, "she pulls back the curtain to reveal, rather than to surprise".

Vine/Rendell is not going to be ideal for anyone who prefers their thrillers to be fast-paced and exciting, with constant surprises, but if you're the sort of reader who admires an intelligent, immaculately written thriller, full of realistic characters, subtle suspense, and with one or two surprises along the way, then there is no one better at providing this that Rendell. The House of Stairs is a prime example

The Book is really good because the reader really has to think and has to find out who the killer is, and who she/he wants to kill. There is also a good version for non-English speakers! (Its for Intermediate -1650 words) The book was written by Barbara Vine, she is one of the most popular crime and mystery writers.

In the story is an old Lady who is really lonely and wants to be younger and to have a husband. Her best friend Elizabeth is always helping her with her problems. Cossette (the old Lady) is really rich so she buys her a new house with 106 stairs, then Bell Sanger, who was in prison because she killed her husband for money, meets Elizabeth on the street. What effect will she have? Later Liz (Elizabeth) falls in love with Bell. Liz is so happy but does Bell feel the same? Later Bell brings her brother Mark to the house of stairs. Cossette falls in love with him and Mark with her. Soon they are together, but is Mark really the right one for Cossette? And why is Bell so strange? Read the book and you will find out.

By Lilly F.

This book is amazing though the photos of Neutra's projects are generally not as large as one would hope. It is amazing how much Neutra created during his career. A brilliant book filled with insightful information and general floor plans of building projects. Best of all, there is even a map as to the location of his buildings.

This luxe volume traces the entire career of the great Richard Neutra (1892 - 1970), whose work symbolizes Modernist splendor in all its glory. Highly acclaimed for his designs of California residences, Neutra is one of the most important architects of the century and well deserving of this stunning tribute.

Originally from Vienna, Neutra came to America early in his career, settling on the West Coast. His influence on post-war architecture is undisputed, the sunny climate and rich landscape of California being a particularly suitable setting for his cool, sleek modern style. Neutra had a keen appreciation of the relationship between people and nature and his trademark plate glass walls and ceilings which turn into deep overhangs effectively connect the indoors with the outdoors. His ability to incorporate technology, aesthetics, science, and nature into his designs brought him to the forefront of Modernist architecture.

For the first time, all of Neutra's works (nearly 300 private homes, schools, and public buildings) are gathered together in one volume, illustrated with over 1,000 photographs, including those of Julius Shulman and other prominent photographers. This is the essential reference book for fans of Neutra's work.

The horizontal 11.5" x 16" format shows the buildings to extraordinarily good advantage. This special volume with a blond wood cover is both an architecture lover's and book collector's dream.

Barbara Lamprecht and Julius Shulman have created one the great architecture books about this leading figure of 20th century modernism. As a fan of Lamprecht's excellent writing, the text in this book is, of course, excellent---full of information, opinion and wit. The depth of information provided, including floor plans, is rare in an architectural photo book. Shulman's photos (and some by the new architectural photo star--John Ellis) are superb. The very large format of this book shows off the beautiful buildings to their best advantage. The real wood cover seems a bit odd for a book on Neutra, but it certainly is handsomely impressive. Though [the price] is a a lot for a book, this one's worth it. Buy it now. The second edition might not be so large and impressive, and certainly won't be made of wood!