I bought this book 2 years ago and it is still good reading. It gives easy-to-follow instructions on how to clean, card, and spin other animal fur as well as doghar.....And it has made me more comfortable to know that there are others who do this and not that I am just spending too much time in the woods (As I have been accused of by neighbors)

Golden retriever scarves, Grand Pyranees hats, Siamese socks,and Samoyed sweaters! Kendall Crolius and Anne Montgomery force you not only to examine the logic of what materials to use for knitting, but also offer a new yardstick of the knit value of household pets. I have to admit that if I ever seek another dog, I'm going to be looking at the silky haired retrievers instead of short haired varieties that offer little more than dander and love. No more bulldogs or boxers for me--I want a dog that I can brush, spin, and knit big soft golden retriever sweaters. Truly a breakthrough in pragmatic thought!

Everyone in my house thought I was crazy until I brought home Kendall Crolius' book. She goes from start to finish, with suggestions for every step and every breed that you can use, to help you do it yourself. If you want your chore to be only the "colection", then she will point you in the right direction for sources for spinners & knitters. (This is the tack I took.)The book proved most helpful, making it possible for you to have a truly unique & cherished product either for yourself or for loved ones.

Pattern is here considered not only as a formalised repeating motif in embroidery, but also as embrancing structure, design, composition and elaboration. The book is divided into three main sections. The first is concerned with the nature of fabric, the effect of patterned fabrics and their suitability when used in the techniques of applique, patchwork, raised surfaces, hand and machine embroidery. The second section on threads is divided into two parts. The first deals with drawn fabrics and thread, net darning, needleweaving, blackwork, and canvas stitches; the second with embroidery stitches and the combination of embroidery with print. The third section examines the effect that different grounds have on the print and so on the type and style of the embroidery. Illustrated with over a hundred photographs drawn both from historic and modern sources, the book will be valued as a stimulating source of ideas as well as for its technical information.

This is a beautifully produced book of particular interest to the advanced student of embroidery, studying this subject on an intellectual level. But it is a stimulating ideas source for anyone. There is a minimum of text and an abundance of excellent, beautiful photographs.

Embroidery, like crochet, patchwork and rug making, has made an enormous comeback. There is, however, a vast difference between the embroidery of today and some of the rather insipid type of work that was found in so many Victorian households. Because machines can do so much in the way of stitchery these days, hand embroidery has to be completely individual in design and full of character in order to compete. Gratifyingly, a return is evident to many of the stitches used in the Seventeenth century and earlier, and these are sometimes combined most effectively with modernistic designs. Moreover, much of the handwork done nowadays is used for interior decoration, rather than for small items such as traycloths, or on clothes. For those who are skilful with the needle and interested in this kind of work, this book is full of ideas to stimulate the imagination, and the basic kind of instruction which a beginner needs. It contains a collection of pictures of different pieces of work, some ancient, some modern. The chapter on patchwork, an old art now very mod, suggests varying ways of joining pieces of material to achieve variety in the appearance of the work. For instance, attractive pictures can be made merely by using different shaped patches- another idea for interior decorating. The section on raised surface, quilting in particular, is unusual. In case you think quilting is only for making quilts, or possibly skirts, try this: When embroidering a figure, pad the face, hands and feet. the resulting picture looks very different from that with a flat surface. The book contains on applique; the effects achieved by using grainy fabrics on a smooth background; drawn thread and cut fabrics work: net darning; needle and felt weaving (working over the warp threads of a fabric to create a new surface texture) and blackwork, one of the most effective types of embroidery.

I've fallen in love with each and every one of Anne's Code of the West Cowboys! J.D.'s story was just as wonderful! I've decided to start rating Anne's Code of the West books on the tissue scale. This one was two completely drenched and one damp. (And I was holding back so I wouldn't wake up my husband! LOL) Thank you, Anne :-)

What was unexpected about this story was not that it was excellent. It was, in fact, wonderfully written. What was unexpected about J.D.'s story was his secret depending on your perspective and I think that this is why McAllister's story about J.D. and Lydia deserved a five star rating.

What could have been cliched was minimalized in this story.The surprise was drawn out and developed in such a way that it encompassed both characters. The author succeeds in making this story about J.D. and Lydia rather than expanding it into something that has been done and redone in story telling.

I enjoyed the depth of character when it came to J.D. He is someone that it is impossible not to sympathize with. He is a man who has a misguided sense of his own worth and has to hide behind a rough exterior in order to feign his disregard for the opinion of others. The truth is that J.D. truly is worthy but that he needs Lydia, a woman who can overcome her childhood idolization of him and still love the man that is before her rather than the ideal she created as a girl.

Lydia, a smart lawyer and an even smarter woman, has a hard time figuring out what makes J.D. tick. His recalcitrance, rather than frustrating the reader as much as it did the heroine, helped us to sympathize with her instead and realize that even a woman as smart as Lydia Cochrane cannot figure out the secret which J.D. has become an expert at never alluding to or revealing.

I think Anne McAllister has drawn two wonderful characters in A Cowboy's Secret. I loved the depth of the character development, particularly on the part of J.D. as he, and those who love him, come to terms with the secret he kept for so many years.

Anne McAllister is the queen of the cowboy book, and her modern westerns are practically a genre of their own. Each of her hard ridin' heroes is special, but the hero of A COWBOY'S SECRET is vulnerable in an unusual way that will probably take you by surprise. The woman who loves him has a mountain to climb before she can get him to open his heart to her, and the result is a really poignant love story with an extra 'magic' ingredient.

Mom always said to eat your vegetables. But if she failed to convince you, "The Color Code" takes up where Mom left off. This book is a compelling and well-researched argument for the many ways in which vegetables-and fruits-contribute vitally to health.

We should all eat a rainbow of 9-10 brightly-colored fruits and veggies daily, explain co-authors Joseph, Nadeau and Underwood-not just strive for "5 a day" while repeating the same limited repertoire of pale foods. Color matters because many of the most amazing nutrients are in the pigments that color fruits and vegetables.

You may have heard of some of these pigments, without realizing they were actually pigments. Beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps the body manufacture Vitamin A, is the orange pigment in carrots and sweet potatoes. Lycopene, touted in the media with headlines like "tomato sauce prevents prostate cancer," is the red pigment in watermelon and pink grapefruit as well as in tomatoes. Lutein, which studies recently tagged as key to eyesight, is found in greens like spinach, kale and even parsley. Once the authors explain that each pigment color has different health-giving properties, it's easy to understand why "eating the rainbow" is important.

Most of these pigments are antioxidants. If you've heard this term before but have had trouble understanding what antioxidants are and why so many diseases are linked to oxidative stress in our bodies, read "The Color Code." It caps a very understandable section on antioxidants with the following paragraph:

"If you want to see antioxidants at work, one place to look is your own kitchen. If you've ever sliced an apple and watched it turn brown, you've seen the effects of oxidation. But what if you dip the apple slices in lemon juice first, as many recipes recommend? Then you can boldly let the apple slices sit out and dare them to turn brown. The vitamin C in the lemon juice is a potent antioxidant, and it will intercept the oxygen before it can strike the fruit. [p. 12]"

As this example hints, "The Color Code" is well-structured and engagingly written. The three authors-Jim Joseph, a nutrition researcher at Tufts; Dr. Dan Nadeau, a diabetes specialist; and Anne Underwood, a Newsweek health reporter-introduce themselves early on, giving the text an approachable personality. Tight writing and solid scientific references balance the folksy tone, ensuring that "The Color Code" doesn't read like a fad diet-guru book.

After the introductions and overview are chapters on each of the four pigment-color groups: red, orange-yellow, green, and blue-purple. Within each of these chapters are separate entries for 8-14 different fruits or vegetables. Each entry lists the food's pigments, its other phytonutrients, and its vitamins, then proceeds with a sales pitch including everything from scientific research to cooking tips-whatever the authors think will convince you to Eat This Now. Who knew that blueberries could reverse the effects of aging in rats, or that lemon-zest may prevent skin cancer?

While the book recommends a "semi-vegetarian" diet, its authors readily admit that you should eat more than just fruits and vegetables. A general chapter on nutrition advises that whole grains should cover half your plate at mealtime, with vegetables making up another 30-40% and the remaining 10-20% given to healthy proteins (legumes, fish or poultry). Sensible advice on essential fats, portion control and exercise rounds out this chapter, which ends with a sample 7-day meal plan.

Since it's easy for good intentions to slip away from us, "The Color Code" includes a scoring system to help reinforce new "rainbow eating" habits. The goal is to score 100 Color Points every day. You get 10 points for every serving (serving sizes are roughly 1/2 cup). But, since variety is important and some foods are healthier than others, you get 5 bonus points for a) eating something from the authors' Top Ten list b) covering all four color-groups in one day c) drinking two cups of tea or d) eating a fruit or veggie you haven't had in the previous year. It's a catchy system that may appeal to some folks, but others may prefer the simplicity of just remembering to eat lots of different brightly-colored fruits and vegetables.

The book concludes with about 75 recipes and a bibliography detailing the many research studies referred to in the color chapters. My few minor criticisms of The Color Code stem from these two sections. The recipes are simple and easy, reproduced from other sources in most cases (appropriate, since the authors aren't dieticians or cooks). But I'm surprised to see white rice-even high-glycemic sushi rice-included several times despite the authors' earlier exhortations to eat whole grains. The recipes are sometimes a bit hard-core satfat phobic, too, calling for egg substitutes and no-fat salad dressings, where I'd be inclined to use a real egg and a dash of olive oil. As for the bibliography, it's useful but actual footnotes or page references might be even more helpful, allowing those intrigued by the text to more readily research the original study.

I highly recommend "The Color Code." While its authors readily admit that some of the research cited is preliminary-scientists are just beginning to learn about plant pigments and phytonutrients-I'll happily eat more fruits and veggies now, rather than waiting for long-term double-blind studies to be completed.

The authors say it best: "...if greengrocers had the marketing muscle of drug companies, we would all be racing to try this miracle regimen. Patients would demand that their doctors prescribe it. Consumers would flock to the produce aisles to snap up these lifesaving foods....Again and again, the same bottom line emerges: whole foods-colorful foods-deliver protection against a broad range of ailments."

This book is so simple to read and once you start you don't want to put it down. The first few pages make you want to run out to the grocery store and hit the produce isle. It honestly makes you change your entire way of thinking when it comes to eating. You'll want that fruit salad rather than the candy bar. It's just such' a GREAT and easy to read and so easy to absorb book! Everyone is getting one for christmas!

Happy eating-

I see Dr. Nadeau for assistance in my weight loss & I use his book as my guide when he is not available for answering my questions. It is an awesome book. I am losing weight with excersizes he has recommended for me & the diet he has worked out for me personally. You will not be disappointed in purchasing this book.

When I had my first child, I was in bed for 2 weeks hardly able to walk from the pain. It took me a whole year before I did not feel some kind of pain now and then if I walked a lot.

My friend loaned me this fantastic book and after following the childbirth recommendations for herbs, I can say with certainty, that 10 minutes after giving birth, I was up and around without any pain at all- EVER! Not even with an episiotomy!

My daughter was just as large as my son was too.

This book is a very thorough reference book with a LOT of information for women-specific problems.

Each herb has a color photo of it along with in depth descriptions of the herb, history and uses.

I found this book to be fabulous and a very important book to have. The delivery of my daughter was a shock to me- NO AFTER PAIN!

By the way, the birth pains were still strong- just the after pains were not there at all.

This is one of the best herb books I've come across. The pictures and drawings of the herbs are excellent. The information is organized according to the seasons of a woman's life--puberty, motherhood, menopause, etc. There is also a lot of information on herbs for children and a section for general family care. A table at the end summarizing which herbs are useful for which ailments is a huge help when you are in a big hurry to find a remedy. Any woman who uses herbs at all should have this book. It's well worth the money.

This book has saved me hundreds of dollars in medical bills for the past 6 months. I have monthly urinary track infections, which cost money I rather spend somewhere else. This book gave me the remedy I needed to cure myself and save my wallet. I recommend this book to any woman who suffers like I do, it's great!

Mallory is having a hard time at SMS so she goes on the net and search for schools she could enroll in snd she's been accepted. But Jessi's mad that Mallory told Mary Anne first rather than her To tell you the truth this BSC book wasn't really what I expected. I expected Mallory to change her mind like any old book but she''s leaving I'll miss her like the BSC

Poor Mary Anne! Being stuck in the middle isn't what she had in mind! With Mallory going off to Riverbend Hall the BSC is upset. Jessi is heartbroken, after all she's losing her best friend. However Jessi shows her sadnness through anger, especially since Mal concults Mary Anne first about her problems. Will Mal go away? Will Mary Anne solve the feud? You HAVE to read this book!

Mary Anne in the Middle was a very good book. One of the best BSC books written so far. Mallory hates SMS, and wants to go to a boarding school. When she gets accepted, she tells Mary Anne first. Jessi finds out, and now she is furious at Mallory. Mallory is angry at Jessi for not understanding. Poor Mary Anne is stuck in the middle. Besides Jessi, Mallory's siblings are all mad at her as well! And how will the BSC go on with another member too short? Will Mallory and Jessi make up before she leaves? Can the BSC find a replacement for Mal? Will Mary Anne be stuck in the middle forever? You've got to read the book and find out!

This is definitely the book to study to get started on the road to reading books in French. The French history section is an account of successive rulers of France, and is very informative. All the 4 short stories by French authors are very interesting. The sidebar in this section, with the translation of difficult words is particularly useful. The dialog section is fairly easy, not very useful for any serious reading, but serves as a good refresher.

A graded reader for beginners. The vocabulary and (especially) the verb forms are strictly controlled. This makes it a good way to start noticing agreements, prepositions, and so on without running into a lot of unfamiliar grammar. The readings are fairly interesting too!

One of the best NTC lnguage books.

Whether you are studying French in a formal course or learning at home with CDs, this book is a GREAT resource for learning to read French. It is made up of three parts: a clever dialogue section to get you warmed up, then some interesting (really!)readings in French history, finally ending with French literature (slightly simplified & with a few translations in the margins). A person beginning French from ground zero, with no more than basic (subtitled French movie) knowledge, will find him/herself reading and understanding pages and pages of French after a few nights' read. Amazing! I'm ready to move on to France Soir or Le Figaro -- with the help of a decent dictionary bien sur!

"A Rose at MIdnight" is not your basic romance. The story of Nicholas and Ghislaine is a darkly beautiful one that is sure to move you. I enjoyed the secondary characters of Tony and Ellen as well. I had a few complaints about how the end was somewhat thrown together, but all in all this was a great read.

With some authors I just NEED to have every book they've written and Anne Stuart is one of them. If you've read any of her books (historical or modern) you know she goes in for a dark hero who is usually more bad than good (or maybe I should say so bad he's good). At any rate, I stumbled across this earlier book and WOW!!! What a ride. It takes place right after the French Revolution and our French heroine has managed to survive but not without a load of emotional scars. She is living in England when low and behold she is presented with the opportunity to take revenge on the Englishman (our hero) she blames for all the woes she and her family suffered during the reign of terror. And we're off. . . Needless to say things don't go as she plans. Great story line, great characters who are FULLY developed and complex. Wonderful "secondary character" love story. Order this book! It is worth the extra you will have to pay for a used copy. A definite keeper to add to your Anne Stuart collection. It's 394 sexy pages of adventure, tears and pleasure!

The characters in this novel are tortured and somewhat unlovable, but they are so wounded and needy that they complement one another. Anne Stuart is such a clever and skilful writer that she is able to take a storyline that could fail miserably in someone else's hands, and write something delightful and compelling. Think of this book as a reluctant buddy novel where the hero and the heroine go on a road trip.

An inspiring chronicle of conservation endeavors, sometimes against great odds. Learn what it is like to be a conservation heroine - the adventures, the frustrations, the triumphs. Jaguar Totem is not only a compelling story, it is also a clarion call for action on behalf of the natural world. Anne LaBastille believes that anyone, any time, any place, can do something to save the beauty, wildness, and natural resources of our planet. I agree!

Anne LaBastille made her mark by showing the world how life can be simple and rewarding thorugh her Woodswoman Trilogy. Now "Jaguar Totem" has encompassed all of her life's experiences in the cause for conservation in a delightfully frank and clear perspective. With hope and dreams worn on her sleeve, she takes the reader from the beginnings of her travels and accumulation of experience with a thoroughly rewarding update after each chapter. A complex woman in a complex world, Dr LaBastille proves how one person can make a difference. If this is her best; I can't wait for the next.

I have been privileged to participate in Dr. LaBASTILLE'S Writer's Workshops for the past ten years. Her works from Woodswoman to Jaguar Totem have brought our family much reading pleasure. As an Ecologist, Dr. LaBastille takes you on several journeys that enlighten the reader to what it means to spend time alone in her cabin in the wilds of the Adirondacks, where she relates to her enviornment. She is an intellectual with indepth perception about the woods she knows so well and all the ingredients that make up Mother Nature. She travels nationally and internationally and is well known in her field of endeavor. And, in addition possesses much skill in photography and lectures about her works. Jaguar Totem is an excellent read and I was proud to add this book to my collection of Dr. LaBASTILLE'S LITERARY accomplishments. Her work is important to the present generation and generations to come.

Dostoyevsky's GRAND INQUISITOR may be the most profound work of literature penned in any time, place or language.Found at the center of his masterwork, THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV,"The Legend of the Grand Inquistor" is dazzling, dangerous and terrifying exploration(approxiamtely 12 pp!)of deepest needs and fears of mankind. It's unparalled MYTH; and spiritual evisceration of CONSCIENCE--guardian and source of humanity's nature and freedom--wherein the individual soul WARS with God; the Devil;and himself for dignity and personal SALVATION(or existenital sanity).

The Inquisitor is THE ANTI-CHRIST. "The Legend" prophetically illuminates Biblical Mystery of THE THREE TEMPTATIONS with which Satan challenged Christ in the desert...to perpetually threaten, beguile and mock(?)mankind. It's impossible to more than hint the "fear and trembling" evoked by Dostoyevsky's TRIAL of TRUTH in defiance of Truth by Novus Ordo Seclorum "gods" man will worship (in their imagined self-apotheosis). Dostoyevsky is merciless allowing the voice of his arch-cynic,nihilist Ivan Karamazov to scorn humanity's struggle for survival in Goodness; over against would-be UBERMENSCHEN...like himself...agenda to pacify/enslave millions pretending to protect "the masses" from Freedom.To the power-hungry, Man's Freedom is cause of human misery(rather than signum and source of GREATNESS...love & goodness/will in choice)."WE SHALL ALLOW THEM EVEN SIN...THEY WILL ADORE US: Every sin will be expiated if...done with our permission..."

Staggering implications of these words profoundly stir with bitter truth and challenge.In our century we've witnessed CAPTIVE MINDS(so-called by Czeslaw Milosz)willingly slaughter...or consent to slaughter;enslave or inhumanly marginalize...millions. Nazi and Communist Totalitarians of our epoch are easy targets of rebuke. They had SUPREME COURTS proclaiming legal(physical; spiritual; psychological)massacre of millions,"if it is done with our permission." DOSTOYEVSKY is not for everyone. But for thinking men or women, he is a PROPHET as blessed and cursed as any who ever lived or "cried out in the desert."T.S. Eliot observed "men can truly bear only a little truth." Ray Bradbury noted GOODNESS IS A FEARFUL OCCUPATION."The Legend of the Grand Inquisitor"may be literature's greatest, if most painful examination of the Mystery of Man--made in God's Image--in Civilization's death stuggle against criminal intellectuals and power-driven, self-celebrated saviors who barter and betray Humanity for apotheosis in self-praise and others'blood.(10 Stars)

The Grand Inquisitor loves humanity but the question is: Is he misguided? The Grand Inquisitor is by no means a trivial person. According to Dostoyevsky most humans are by nature incapable of handling freedom, of taking care of their basic needs, of accepting the moral responsibility of conscience or of living with differences - we like to be sheep - apparently. "[...] Thee, what is to become of the millions and tens of thousands of millions of creatures who will not have the strength to forego the earthly bread for the sake of the heavenly? Or dost Thou care only for the tens of thousands of the great and strong, while the millions, numerous as the sands of the sea, who are weak but love Thee, must exist only for the sake of the great and strong? No, we care for the weak too. They are sinful and rebellious, but in the end they too will become obedient. They will marvel at us and look on us as gods, because we are ready to endure the freedom which they have found so dreadful and to rule over them- so awful it will seem to them to be free. But we shall tell them that we are Thy servants and rule them in Thy name. We shall deceive them again, for we will not let Thee come to us again. That deception will be our suffering, for we shall be forced to lie" (Dostoyevsky 8-9).

Dostoyevsky, in The Grand Inquisitor, arrives at this conclusion since his observations suggest that this has been the pattern of human behavior from the beginning of human history. Ti interpret the quote above, Dostoyevsky does believe there is a relatively small group (tens of thousands) of people who are different by nature and who can do for themselves, handle responsibility and conscience and not only live with difference, but even create it. Again, he appeals to experience, being able to cite these people in human history. When Jesus lands in Inquisition Spain, he is quickly arrested. He confronts Jesus for giving people inner freedom. Christianity proper was built for the few: only the minority go to Heaven because Christianity has very high standards: 'narrow is the way to Heaven' and 'it is easier for a candle to enter the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter Heaven' Yet, religion in general is catered to the masses, most of whom believe they are going to Heaven. There is a contradiction there, and Dostoyevsky zeroes in on that The Inquisitor proceeds to list three temptations that the Catholic Church has remedied. "From those questions alone, from the miracle of their statements, we can see that we have here to do not with the fleeting human intelligence, but with the absolute and eternal. For in those three questions the whole subsequent history of mankind is, as it were, brought together into one whole, and foretold, and in them are united all the unsolved historical contradictions of human nature" (Dostoyevsky 7).

To summarize the issues from the quote above: [1] First temptation: MIRACLE (Dostoyevsky 7). [2] Second temptation: MYSTERY (Dostoyevsky 10). [3] Third temptation: AUTHORITY (Dostoyevsky 14). According to the Inquisitor, the Church fills the people's need for a sense of unity. The Church has removed all temptations by being the conscience of the people. Do we really need the illusion or can and should we be able to think for ourselves? Where does Dostoyevsky REALLY stand on this issue? Read it and judge for yourself.

Miguel Llora

"The Grand Inquisitor" is a story embeded within THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV. However, the story is "self-contained." Nothing is lost by reading it as a complete short story. In my opinion, "The Grand Inquisitor" is the greatest single story ever written. It's an interesting look at humanity, spirituality, and the church. If you are only going to read one more thing before you die, you must read "The Grand Inquisitor."
*This particular edition, however, seems to have some typos that were not caught by the proof-reader, but they're nothing very serious.