It is a very detailed, helpful and inspiring vegetable gardening book. I go through the book almost every week. Nice pictures and writing style. I hope Mr. Ed Smith will write more books on vegetable gardening!

As a novice gardener I am constantly on the look-out for advice and information about vegetable gardening. This title kept popping up in all the seed catalogues as THE book to have -- so naturally I had to get it. I haven't been able to put it down! It's informative, calling attention to things you should do (companion planting, etc.) that make so much sense but that you may not have realized before reading this book. I have a feeling my garden will have a tremendous boost just because of what I've learned from the book! It's not a book you'd stick on the shelf and forget about. . . It's a hands-on roll-up-your-sleeves dig-in-the-dirt and have-right-beside-you-at-all-times book. . . a definite can't-live-without garden companion who will keep you from making silly veggie gardening mistakes and assist you with making great veggie gardening decisions.

I started my own garden using the wide, deep, rised
bed technique described in this book and the yields were
really quite stunning. I used planks to rise my beds by
a feet.

Explains every step from designing/planning via building
and planting and taking care of your garden to harvesting
and readying for the winter.

Fabulous gardening book for the beginner and advanced
gardener. Full of wonderful tips and info about everything
vegetable garden.

Rabbit Angstrom exemplifies the human core in ways that aren't shown enough in other popular fiction. He is nice, funny, mean, angry, selfish, well.....you get the picture. John Updike clearly portrays what a man goes through in his life from his petty grievances to his untamed lust and his hatred for people he should love. It's just so damn realistic that a lot of people don't want to believe these are normal characterisitcs of the human condition....but they are. They are! Excellent writing!

Say what you may about Updike, whether you think he overwrites or he's obsessed with sex, the man's power shines through in these novels. The Rabbit tetralogy represents some of the best American Literature of the century. Harry Angstrom is an unlikeable antihero, but his life holds significance for every American. Through him we see America "progress" and perceive what Americans want, need, and don't need. Updike juggles so many balls in this tetralogy it's amazing; one can look at these novels on so many different levels. Sure, Updike sometimes hits you over the head with imagery, but many readers miss much of the subtlety in the novels. The tetralogy deals with the question as to how modern man can live life without spiritual nourishment. Rabbit is questing for Grace. These novels will be resilient because when we read and reflect about Rabbit, we're really just looking in the mirror.

For anyone who has yet to discover these extraordinary, sad. poignant, hilarious novels about the lives of middle class Americans in suburbia, I have this to say: I envy you.

These four novels, each written a different decade (50s, 60s, 70s, 80s) do more than capture the spirit of their era. They mark the changes in our neighborhoods, politics, entertainment and sports.

At the center is Harry Angstrom, a high school basketball star who never finds his niche in life. Harry is selfish, insensitive, yet also heart-breakingly sincere and a kind of protypical American romantic.

These books also are quite [nice] and have some of the best descriptions of sex I have read. And people have this picture of Updike as some boring WASP writer. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Annie Hollerman is a has-been star newspaper reporter banished into oblivion for unknown reasons to the reader as the story opens. Jack DePaul is the features editor at the Baltimore Star-News. Both Jack and Annie are divorced and both are in denial about much of their personal life.

An arranged blind date by a mutual friend of the two, Laura Goodbread, leads the pair into a wonderful and continuing encounter of exploration and mutual respect...leading toward love.

The mystery of Annie's fall from her reporters job hovers in the background, lending an interesting air of mystery during their courtship. As their infatuation deepens, author Jaffe creates a real and caring sense for the characters by the reader.

As readers wend their way through this tale, they will be moved to laugh, cry, hope and believe in the genuineness of Jack and Annie. They will be caught up and immersed in the reality of the settings and events of those two lives.

This is a really wonderful love story that transcends the usual in this genre and becomes compelling and mustn't-put-the-book-down reading. It's a love story that transcends the genre and is involving, moving and believable. Here's a true to life Romeo and Juliet story based on an actual series of events.

The authors state John Jaffe is "a pseudonym for us: John Muncie and Jody Jaffe. We wrote the book together. In fact, our novel, Thief of Words, is based on our meeting and our romance. It's the prequel to our current lives. Now we're married and work together writing books."

Dazzlingly poetic, "A Thief of Words" has stolen my heart and has captured my literary attention. Penned by a new, soulful author, this book will deceive first-time readers with its cover's description of courting and romance; This book is a tool for healing. We all have painful memories which are seemingly impossible to forget, but Jaffe's exploration of healing allows readers to identify with characters who have not only "moved on" from their past struggles but have taken used their experiences as a sprinboard into a hopeful future and a refreshed past. The writing is captivating and descriptive, allowing readers to feel and visualize transformations along with the lovingly imperfect characters. Getting lost in this nurturing tale of reconnection with life's love and loss gives us a window not only into Jaffe's world, but allows us a glimpse into our lives as well. This is not the average romance novel- It is a soul-searching, thought-provoking, carefully crafted tale of rediscovering oneself through vulnerability, a lesson which we can all most certainly benefit from.

John Jaffe's "Thief of Words" is a damned good book. It details the blossoming love of two, world-weary, divorced baby boomers. In a culture filled with stories of romances between young, well-chiseled model types, it was wonderful to read about a love between two people who had lived in the real world, two people with all of life's wrinkles and warts and wisdom.

And what a couple! Jack DePaul is a curmudgeonly journalist, bitingly honest and witty. Of course, beneath the crusty exterior Jack is a die-hard romantic, still searching for true love" in a world that seems to have little but heartbreak.

However, it was Annie Hollerman who stole my heart. Despite a titanic mistake in her past and a rocky romantic history, Annie still manages to woo the readers with her self-effacing humor and passion. Annie Hollerman's beauty flows from inside as well as out. She has dazzling red hair but it's her wisdom and wit that makes her appealing.

By the end of the book, I felt a real connection to the destiny of these wonderful people. They, like so many of us, must conquer a past filled with mistakes and pain, in order to create a present filled with love and joy. Although it would ruin the book if I spelled out just how they triumph over their histories, know that it made me see email in a completely fresh way.

Mr. Jaffe's writing is humorous, rich, and filled with life. He is an alchemist of words, yet never did I feel that the writing was showy. But even more important than the charm of his words was the power they had - the power to convince me that maybe love doesn't die at 40, that it is possible to right our pasts.

I could rave about the wonders of Thief of Words for days, but they are yours to discover.

Let it conquer your cynicism like it did mine.

For me, a recreational sailor of over twenty years, this book has been like the bible. I've used it for voyage preparation, to teach new sailors and, when I wrote my sailing mystery novel, Inner Passages, this book was my first and primary resource!

Sometimes, late at night, nostalgic for the sensation of a sailboat deck underfoot once more, I pull it off the shelf and just dip inside. It evokes memories, reminds me of trips gone by, and I cam almost smell the sea air. This latest edition, replete with fine illustrations, should be a primary addition to any sailor's library.

John Rousmaniere has created a comprehensive text on the sport of sailing and seamanship which is enjoyable to read and very authoritative. By their nature, sailors have strongly held opinions on most subjects, but virtually every sailor I know of who has read John's book holds it in very high regard. The illustrations are clear and not too busy to get in the way of showing the frequently complicated topics which are inherent in the sport. I also find that Seamanship is not just a repeat of tired old sailing methods of 30 years ago, but rather integrates the classic techniques (storm tactics, navigation) with the modern (Crew Overboard Recovery, modern anchors and electronics).

I highly recommend this book, and encourage anyone to buy it if they want to improve their sailing skills.

This updated (1999) version of The Annapolis Book of Seamanship is a wonderful volume for both the new and more experienced sailor. With clear, lucid text and wonderful illustrations, Mr. Rousmaniere and Mr. Smith have created a truly useful guide. In particular, I found the section dealing with the "physics" of the boat to be very enlightening. I also was pleased with the strong emphasis on safety throughout the book. All around, one of the best books available on the topic, and highly recommended.

John Annerino portrays the Apache Puberty Ceremony, known as Na ih es, with a pictoral essay in a way that shows the sacredness of this rite. In "Dreams and Journeys", the first third of the book, the author tells of the experiences that brought him to the Apache. In "Images"(the reason I would recommend adding Sacred Path to Womanhood to your library), he takes you through "the Sunrise Ceremony" from the time they dress the girl to the point where she is filled with power and becomes White Painted Woman and blesses her people. Included are glossary terms and an extensive bibliography. In Annerino, I see respect for the Apache(Ndee). I recommend this book particularly for girls approaching and who have recently come into puberty, of any cultural background.

When we hear the word Apache we often think of "savage" because that's how these Native Americans were callously portrayed by Hollywood in movies of the Wild West. So I was especially attracted the book entitled, APACHE: The Sacred Path to Womanhood by John Annerino. It's a beautiful book. When you turn each page, you can see and feel the magic in Annerino's beautiful color photographs - how Annerino manages to capture the magic of the ceremony of a young Apache girl who becomes "the mother of the Apache." You can also read about the Apache's life and history in Annerino's book, including the legendary Geronimo, and Annerino's own poignant experience among the Apache today. Annerino does not hide behind the mask of the New Age and writes openly, "I'm not Native American. I do not claim to have quarter-Cherokee blood ancestors." Yet, there is a profound spirituality in Annerino's writing I found extraordinary. Annerino also explains how difficult it is for Native Americans to maintain their traditions: "Few Native Americans were as fortunate as the Apache to survive the holocaust [of Native America] with their spiritual traditions intact...passed on from one generation to the next." Take a journey, and experience the magic of the Apache's coming of age ceremony, in this wonderful new book.

APACHE: The Sacred Path to Womanhood is a lovely book - such fine photographs which work so well with the text. The book is an appreciative and caring tribute to the Apache people and recognition of their point of view concerning history and their rich cultural existence.

I must admit that this has been probably one of the hardest texts that I have ever read ( well in league with Thomas Paine's Common sense). However, it, i.e., Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained by John Milton, Christopher B. Ricks(Editor) also is one of the most beautifully written and well written pieces of literature ever produced. Milton, has a sense for language that can only be compared with the great writers of the literary tradition, e.g., Dante, Shakespeare, and Thoreau. Writers of today lack these skills and cannot write with the same complexity as the great authors of the past. A good example of this when one reads Dante's Inferno or Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.; these stories are both good examples of a lost art that Milton was a master at. The art of writing a story in the form of a poem without the story in question sounding phony or having lines that do not make sense. The story itself, i.e., Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained by John Milton, Christopher B. Ricks(Editor) is very hard to follow if one is not a biblical scholar and most of the angels are new to me ( which does not disturb me a bit, since most people nowadays, do not study the Bible as they did during the life time of Milton and his contemporaries). Overall, I would have to say that this story, Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained by John Milton, Christopher B. Ricks (Editor) is easily one of the most thought provoking stories that I have ever read and I will definitely recommend it to anyone remotely interested in well written literature.

A few days ago I finished Paradise Lost for a book club I'm in. It took me the whole first chapter to get adjusted, but then the book really swept me away. The language is beautiful and the concepts very deep and thoughtful. I can't always agree with Milton's thoedicy, but it definitely provides rich and spicy food for thought. The book requires a lot from the reader, but it's well worth every moment. We also read all 3 books of Dante's Divine Comedy for the book club. I was frequently lost, especially while reading Purgatorio and Paradisio, but Milton is different. You can understand - and enjoy - most of what he says even without the footnotes (though you'll miss 90% of the allusions without them). The poetry is sublime. Like a really great novel, this work hangs over you for days after you finish it, tugging at your heart.

Mr. Milton is without a doubt, a liteary genius! I got intrested in the book from a quote, which I read in John London's The Sea Wolf. Even though, I am only 17, the views presented in Paradise Lost, as well as Paradise Regained could still be used today. I highly reccomend this book to ones who want to know where it all started.

I read this book 14 years ago and loaned it out to someone because it was so good that in parts I laughed out loud and at parts felt my heart in my throat nearly ready to cry. Although todays Turkey has changed considerably, the books description of the Turkish people remains valid. The short stories are ones anyone can relate to that has visited a foreign country for any extended time period. Read the book, go to Turkey or vice versa. Unless you are narrow minded and demand other countries to be as 'enlightened' as the US you'll appreciate all of what Turkey has to offer.

My husband and I first moved to Izmir, Turkey in 1996 and we both read "Scotch and Holy Water". We were still living in a hotel and had not yet experienced the country and very little of the people. I laughed through the whole thing and couldn't wait to see the places he wrote about. I read it again about two years later, we were still there, and it was even better. I couldn't believe how true the book was. It was like he was writing our story. Even forty years later not much was different. We did not live on a military compound and ended up moving to a very small village outside the city. We are very adventurous people with little fear of what kind of trouble we may get into getting lost. And we were lost MANY times!!! Learning the language was very important to really enjoy it. The people are wounderful and warm. Everyday there was something new that would crack us up. They have a very different type of logic. We will go back again one day.

I highly recomend Scotch and Holy Water even if you have no interest in Turkey. It is a great Read. He did a great job of bring out the realness of the country and the everyday living of the people as Turks and foriegners.

When I met John D. (as his friends called him) at the Karamursel Air Force Base in 1964, he had already been in Turkey for 6 years and was quite familiar with Turkish way of life. Having studied Latin, French and German and taught speech at the University of Notre Dame, he learned Turkish quickly. His passion for archeology motivated him to travel extensively in Turkey and visit the many ancient Greek and Roman sites there. As a bachelor he engaged himself in night life where he met interesting people, experienced local customs and became an expert (Saki) in drinking RAKI. An empathetic character, John D. had the innate talent to get along with people. He was a perfect diplomat with a charming smile, intelligence, humility (rare in those days for an American in Turkey) and a scholarly knowledge about practically everything. As an expert bridge player with capacity to drink anyone under the table, he was very popular in social circles. My brief friendship with him ended in 1965 when I left Turkey for an assignment in Canada. As a Turk I loved the book. It was a joy to read it. Thanks to "Scotch and Holy Water" I learned more about ancient history, Greek and Roman mythology and places I have not yet visited in Turkey. My Scottish wife who has been to Turkey several times and is very knowledgeable about Turkish culture also loved it. John D's humor, wit and description of Turks and American alike were just hilarious. When I read about my former colleagues Yuksel Enginsu, Bertram Crane, Kemal Simsek and John Hicks, it evoked so many fond memories of my days in Turkey. More than anything else in this book, as in life, John D. illustrates his deep understanding and respect for Turks and their culture. Anyone who has any interest in or connection to Turkey should read his insightful book. I was deeply saddened to learn that John David Tumpane, a truly Renaissance Man, died in October 1997. Muharrem Sev (Istanbul native), still residing in Ottawa, Canada (Sep 3, 1999)

Talk about scary! This book freaked me out! I loved it! Feathers is one of the most original books i have ever read. Each chapter is told in the point of view by a different character. It works nicely and i compare it to the style of the movie Momento. The story goes forward then back a little then forward then back a little. The killer is nasty and evil, reading his chapters from his point of view makes the reading in the position of doing the killing. It twisted my mind and rattled my brain. The only reason why i wouldnt give this a perfect rating is because i found the main characters rather dumb. "except for the killer" It was also cool how each character in the book perceives the killer with a different identity. It was disturbing, but a good one!

This is a book I would not normally read, but it was a selection for a book club that I participate in, so therefore I read. It was a very good book, but very scary. It is written by two people, Dr Philpin that is a forensic psychologist and Patricia Sierra who held a brief career as a private investigator. This book is written in first person, so you know what the killer is feeling and doing. Also, all the characters are written in first person, so you know how they feel as well or their perception of what is going on. This involves a small cast of characters broken down into three books. It is a story about a serial killer and the chase that ensues so that he cannot kill again. Each chapter is about one person's thoughts and perceptions. It is a very interesting way to write a book and it worked for these two authors. I would probably read more by this author just not one right after the other.

I am not a reader of this genre. My daughter pressed the book on me. I do not write reviews (this is my first). I was so overwhelmed by this book I could not believe it and felt I must write something. Other reviewers have noted the terror, tension, suspense, the mind of the killer, but I do not believe anyone has mentioned the power of the authors' writing. The use of language and the topical references are more like Ken Kesey or Tom Robbins. The Prettiest Feathers is literature and music and poetry and painting, and all of these frame the depiction of a mind that is too easily dismissed as savage. I do not know if it was intentional (I think so), but I am convinced that John Wolf and Lucas Frank are two sides of the same person! In chapter two, when Sarah cannot find her shadow, the reader knows she is heading for something terrible. Even the minor characters (Fuzzy Lannehan comes to mind) are so well drawn, just a few words or sentences but they are so real. This is a difficult book and a wonderful book at the same time.

If you talk to ANY Russian in the world, and mention "The Twelve Chairs" from their cultural heritage, or the "Rogei e kapuuta" phony business in the book, ALL Russians will spontaneously and uncontrollably smile. Normally glum Russians are unable to resist a smile at remembering the hilarious antics and insights in "The Twelve Chairs." It is set in the 'crazy time' when Russian society was in upheaval and some men just wanted to make their fortune. What do the Russians know that you are MISSING out on? They get the joke. You should get it, too! This English translation is a MUST read.

I've read the novel together with its sequel, The Golden Calf, in Russian about a dozen times. Now I simply have to get an English copy to share it with my non-Russian speaking friends! It is true: the speech of an average Russian contains quite a few quotations from the novel (also due to a number of film versions). Twelve Chairs is something definitely worth having in your home library: you can open it at any time and start reading on any page. In minutes, you're guaranteed, if not to laugh, then to smile.

This is a farcical tale of three men in search of treasure buried in one of 12 identical armchairs. The story is very much a buddy tale of adventures and misadventures as the characters do almost anything to get their hands on the chairs in the Soviet Union of the 1920's. However, the story of the treasure hunt and the Marx Brothers like characters is really only the backdrop to a much deeper purpose, as The Twelve Chairs effectively describes the period of transition from czarist to Soviet rule. In between the tribulations of the heroes are many details of the food that was being served, student accomodations, railway and public construction projects, housing sooperatives and less than honest public servants. It is also very interesting to see how helpless the former upper class - the nobility - had become and how the Soviet Union, at least in its early days, could be exploited by the street smart like Ostap Bender. This is a very funny book that is also informative and is well worth reading. Inevitably, Bulgakov comes to mind as a complementary read; though he is somewhat more direct in his accusations of the regime.

I finally discovered why I am not making more sales. I have been plateaued for 5 years. this book opened my eyes and showed me that if I understand where my buyer is in their process, I can then time my sales thoughts. Every sales person should read this book.

This book gave me a good over view of the sales process and specifics on how to relate to the buyer. I have read many sales books, but this one hits the mark. I would recommend anyone who is either a professional sales person or striving to be one read this book. It goes way beyond basic sales training and gets into the mind of the buyer and the seller. Great Job.

This is an incredible book with great insights for CPA's and attorneys. This author brings new understanding to the buyer's process and helped me see why I was losing client opprotunities. I think any professional - whether in direct sales or not should read this. Great Book.