Ceramic Extruding: Inspiration & Technique by professional studio artists Tom and Jean Latka, is a thoroughly "user friendly" guide ideal for both aspiring ceramics workers and dedicated hobbyists to the use of a ceramic extruder or pugmill in new and wondrous ways to craft memorable and adventurous artworks in this challenging medium. More than 200 color photographs illustrate the easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, as well as display possibilities for the finished product. Ceramic Extruding is a highly enjoyable how-to artbook and a strongly recommended addition to any personal, professional, or art school reference collection.

If you have been waiting for the best book on ceramic extrusion, it is
available now Ceramic Extruding by Jean and Tom Latka successfully answers the question of, "Why are all of those clay extruders rusting on potter's walls?" Their answer is thus: Ceramists, like everyone else, have to be inspired to create beautiful work. This book acts as a magical muse for artists by showing over 300 quality photos of beautiful work by some of the finest international contemporary artists working in the medium today. This book's focus is on the recent emergence of extruded ceramic art as dynamic and surprisingly varied form of creative expression.

"Though the words extrude and extrusion are not ones most people encounter in everyday conversation, we live in a world where we are surrounded by extruded objects. Our brick houses and their tile roofs are made from extruded clay. We shower on extruded tiles, send our smoke and fumes up extruded chimneys and our waste down extruded sewers. From the round O's in your breakfast cereal to the pasta on your dinner plate, extruded objects occupy every conceivable nook and cranny of our lives". Beginning with bricks, Ceramic Extruding details the history of the extruder then demonstrates the ease, as well as the necessity, of using an extruder in one's pottery. The book is organized in a logical manner in order to guide the reader by employing numerous step-by-step instructional methods.
Essentially, Ceramic Extruding is a how-to book and the projects gradually become more advanced. Apart from the photos, another subject that distinguishes this book from other books on the market is its comprehensive theory of extrusion and was the only chapter I had to read twice. It is a difficult subject. The authors give detailed information on why extruders act in the manner in which they do. For instance, I didn't know that clay moves faster down the center of the barrel than clay closer to the walls. This information is useful for artists who want to design their own dies.

Educators take note: As a teacher, I know how it feels to give students a
blank canvas and ask them to be creative. In contrast Ceramic Extruding
shows how to create a limitless supply of foundation material from the
extruder for the student.

The book truly has an international cast of artists, photos of ceramics
spanning from Australia to Inge Pedersen in Norway. I became aware of
several renowned European ceramicists. Antonio Cumella, Alessio Tasca, Elina
Brandt-Hanson, Jim Robison. Other artist's work that impressed me was Ken Williams, Jutta Golas, and Jack Sures. Jean and Tom Latka have an excellent body of work apart from each other, but their collaborative work shines superior.

Everyone has been waiting for the next thing in clay. Well Latka's Flying
Hybrid Extruder and Michael Sherrill's novel extruder/wheel could lead to
the new revolution in clay. The quick release system makes these extruders user friendly. The expansion box is larger than most other machines, and in the case of Flying Hybrid, it out performs slab machines by making slabs faster and more superior. Oddly enough, slab machines compress the clay from the center of the roller to the edges. This creates an unstable molecular structure and cracks result. The clay is evenly compressed in the Vertical Flying Hybrid. An 18"x24" slab is the result when an 8" cylindrical shape 18" long is extruded and sliced lengthwise.

I would like to sum up with a quote from Michael Cohen. "It is important to find a well-made extruder that is adaptable to your needs. As for the
wheel, once you learn how to use it, one question ultimately remains: What are you going to make? After mastering centrifugal force and friction, perhaps it's now time to use gravity and inertia to make a personal statement. Like throwing, it only looks easy."

"Extruding clay takes on a wonderful new meaning when you use the extruder as you would any tool---as one step in the making process, not as an end in itself. The extruder's contribution to the studio can be as profound and influential as the potters wheel --- a slab for the imagination to leap off from". Jean Latka

Two thumbs up! Burn the other extruder books; this is the only one you will ever need.
I am an college art teacher at U.S.C. and find it the best book for my introduction course on the Extruder.
...

The book has an international cast of artists, photos of ceramics
spanning from Australia to Inge Pedersen in Norway. I became aware of
several renowned European ceramicists. Antonio Cumella, Alessio Tasca, Elina
Brandt-Hanson, Jim Robison. Other artist's work that impressed me was Ken Williams, Jutta Golas, and Jack Sures. Jean and Tom Latka have an excellent body of work apart from each other, but their collaborative work shines superior.
Peter Helm

This book is a classic for all of us who are looking for a change of pace and a better way of life. With the Virtual Office a reality, we can work virtually anywhere, so why not choose the pastoral life? We refer our readers who harbor such dreams to this book again and again. Sarah Edwards, author The Practical Dreamer's Handbook.

This is the best book of it's kind that I have read - out of about 5 or so. Written in 1997, the authors considered the Internet and telecommuting as well. And it is nearly as relevant to Australia (where I find myself) as to the USA. Easy to read, it contains many useful hints, tables, and resources. Valuable questionaires and lists. What you should and what you shouldn't. What you need, and what you don't. Even so, we also had a "First Try". But nothing ventured is nothing learned.

Your book is well informed and plenty of resource that gave me more confidence. Reread it few times. I really enjoy reading it very much. Thanks

This book is fascinating. What most do not know is that Mose Richards wrote this entire book, while Cousteau supplied the inspiration and pictures. This book has excellent writing and fabulous photography. An excellent read. Props to the author, Mose Richards!

A very informative book about the great white. The photos are amazing. This Shark is one of the most interesting animals alive. A real predator.

For surviving for 400 million years. For refusing to submit yourself to mankind's aquariums and corporate SeaWorlds. For never allowing your secrets of mating or birth to become known to the prying eyes of man. For not even leaving a skeleton for science to attempt to examine. For being the Master of the Seas, without even using mechanical aids to assist you, like we, the Humans, the Wimps, the Know-Nothings, the Arrogant Pestilence of the World must resort to to even attempt to conquer you. Keep fighting, Terrible, Beautiful Lordly Ones. We offer you humble, unworthy obeisance in the form of this book, under the aegis of your most dutiful admirer, Jacques Cousteau, Poseidon rest his soul. Never has your grace nor your fearful symmetry appeared to such great advantage. Keep cruising. May your fins glide through the oceans long after the peasants have ceased to crawl upon the earth--or dared to trawl upon the waters!

I first read this series when I was about 9 years old, and to this day they remain amongst my favourite. This, the second in the series, focuses on Drina's struggle to be noticed at the Dominick - of course she manages it, although not in the way you might expect. If you have ever dreamed of being a dancer these stories are one way you can take yourself back to your childhood and relive those dreams....

Drina starts at the Dominick school, and her life as a ballerina seems to be on it's proper path. She also is offered a role in a play, and life is good. This is the first book of the Drina series I read, and it hooked me almost from the start. I love all 11 books. If you ever liked dance, or dreamed of becoming a dancer, or you just want a wonderful book to read, I highly recommend this one.

This book, this series, is the most satisfying set of books I have ever read. I am 23 and I still pick them up regularly

Although he was considered during his lifetime to be a profoundly radical thinker, Emerson, the Transcendentalist chief, after his death, was soon reinterpreted as a bland Bostonian Brahmin, a mystic anarchist who was only brave on paper. It cannot be denied that his philosophy of a joyful and affirmationist acceptance of life, and of nature, his anti-slavery activities, his attacks on the state and on the sensualism of bourgeois society, could have easily provided the formula for a complete overthrow of the moral order of his time. His libertarian thrust, his serene integrity, his indefatiguable optimism and common sense, however, will continue to find admirers, notwithstanding the fact that political identifications have changed and emphases have shifted, or otherwise one can simply enjoy the polished beauty of his prose style. Though by no means a deep thinker, Emerson's brilliantly epigrammatic, allusive, declamatory, pithy style provides instances where the reader may extrapolate a number of meanings from even the shortest utterances, and it is due to this quality, perhaps, that the Emerson enigma came into being, enabling him to appeal to such numerous and diverse temperaments. His best essays include "The Over-Soul", "Compensation", "Self-Reliance" and "Manners", in which he preaches, in the rhetorical manner reminiscent of his background as a Unitarian minister, his ideals of contenment, joy, independence and self-confidence -- tonics of the soul.

If I could create my ideal afterlife or heaven, I would wish to be forever cradled in the gentle arms and soothing prose of Emerson. Who needs prozac or any psychiatry for that matter when we have access to such beautiful writing?

If ever there was a man fit to work a suicide hotline, it is Ralph Waldo Emerson. If ever an author is to have a positive effect on one's life, this man is certainly the foremost candidate. Emerson's essays radiate optimism and preach self-confidence; his works contain some of the best lessons one could ever hope to learn and, at the same time, are some of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. Like Tombstone's Doc Holiday, every sentence Emerson offers is quotable. Make no mistake, though, Emerson's words are of a completely different brand than those echoing quotes that decorate hollow speeches; an Emerson quote has meat. In every sentence one can find his complete philosophy, much like, as he writes in The Over-Soul, "One blood rolls uninterruptedly, an endless circulation through all." One's memory of Emerson's entire teachings can be refreshed in a single phrase, but one can never see the genius in his writing without having grasped it in the first place. That is precisely why I would consider offering a Cliff's Notes-type summary of any of Emerson's works one of the gravest literary crimes. Apart from the impossibility of the task, any so-called shortcut would rob the reader of those self-revelations - which are the essence of the Emerson experience - that can only be reached by trudging alone through the depths of the material. The reading is challenging. Each sentence takes on a different meaning upon re-examinations, be they consecutive or periodic. In the first reading, one may be struck by a certain passage's theme or imagery. Upon reading over it seconds later, one may discover a subtle metaphor, and a third reading my suggest another, even-deeper meaning, all of which may be replaced by the impressions of a fourth glance some two or three weeks later. The material is timeless, accommodating the evolving individual as well as the ever-changing human race. We must be careful, though, not to be lulled into the cult-mentality of using Emerson's writings as an instruction manual for our own lives. To do so would be to undermine his entire message. The fruit of the Emerson experience is gaining the self-trust, or Self-Reliance, necessary to follow our own hearts, make our own decisions, and say, with confidence, "Hey, I know what I'm doing."

I purchased this book several years ago when I started counting carbohydrates. A nutritionist recommened it as being the most comprehensive resource of its kind. I have found it invaluable. The fact that is not only contains prepackaged food, but fresh foods, meats, homemade items and even some common restaurants (along with many many other catagories), makes it THE perfect resource.

This book is for those of us on special diets that do not want 'special' books telling us what to eat, but neglecting to tell us what not to eat, or for those of us who just want to judge for ourselves what is good (or bad) for us. This book contains very complete information, including canned foods by brand, candy, gum, alcohol beverages, foods prepared in many ways, virtually any foods, even poi. The values listed include alcohol, calories, water, protein, carbohydrates, sugar, dietary fiber, fat, saturated fatty acids, monosaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, vitamins A(RE), A(IU), C, B-1, B-2, B-4, B-12, D, E, E (as alpha-tocopherol), K, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid. Also sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper. Amino acids, caffeine, gluten, iodine, pectin, phytosterol, purines, salicylates, selenium, theobromine. What more could the dietary conscious want?

I have been a diabetic for many years. My new doctor advised me to get this book so that I could count carbohydrates more accurately. It is a great book for diabetics. My new doctor can now treat me more efficiently. Thanks.

This book is a follow-up to Jean Antonello's first book on this subject, "How to Become Naturally Thin by Eating More". Although this book is good, I would definitely recommend that "Naturally Thin" be read first in order to get the most out of "Food Jail". Without the benefit of reading the first book, this volume may seem a bit boring and confusing to readers. It contains great information on how the body responds to the self-starvation that dieters well-meaningly put it thru by simply slowing down and holding on that much more stubbornly to excess fat. It explains how to get off the roller-coaster of yo-yo dieting by eating good, real food whenever you are hungry. But, unlike the original book on this subject, the author gives no personal information about herself or her own struggles and eventual triumph with over-weight. Because of this, "Food Jail" seems disjointed and even a bit repetetive in the presentation of it's information. In my opinion, it is important to read "Food Jail" as a companion to "Naturally Thin" and not on it's own to get the most out of Antonello's theories.

A reviewer stated that the author shared none of her own history. I say read the book again.
This book can stand alone from the first book. She repeats what she wrote in the first book and then some. And she repeats the same principles and then some in many different ways ...in order for us brainwashed in the diet mentality to GET IT.
The two times I lost weight effortlessly is when I ate good food when I was hungry and stopped when I was full. Of course when I noticed I panicked and thought I could help it along, and began dieting. Duh!
If the wait to allow your body to become thin naturally seems too long/hard, consider the shape you still won't be in in the next year, two or three by continuing to diet (starve, overeat). Three weeks so far. Watch for my updates.

If everyone followed the advice in this book, it would put a lot of eating disorders therapists, as well as diet gurus out of business. The author's theory is that eating disorders are biological in origin rather than emotional, and that the artificial food restriction of dieting causes a rebound effect in the body. If you stop the artifical restriction, and eat according to your hunger signals, your normal eating patterns will return and your weight will normalize. Unlike some books that advocate a similar philosophy, the author does not advocate eating poor quality foods. She explicitly states that you should eat high quality real foods whenever you are hungry. Thus, this book DOES NOT ignore good nutrition which some of these books do. She states that if your appetite always satisified, you'll soon lose interest in poor quality foods. I cured my own binge eating problem by following this advice, and don't eat much in the way of junk type foods anymore. I don't understand why more obesity researchers don't advocate this approach, and why Ms. Antonello seems to be a lone voice of sanity crying out in the wilderness.

My aunt bought me this book for Christmas when I was about three or four, back in the late 70's when it was new. I loved it. It was my favorite book. My mom used to read it to me over and over again. I still have it, even though saddly the original cover is no longer with it. And I will never get rid of it. To this day I still every once in a while pull it off the shelf and read it, remembering those nights long ago when my mom was reading it to me. This is a great book, and if you can find a copy of it somewhere, I would highly recomend picking it up.

This was my favorite book when I was little. My father read it to me over and over again until I had it memorized! The repetition is wonderful for young readers; even if your children can't read, Jeffers' illustrations are enough to make anyone a little sleepier. I still dream of ending up in the treehouse at the end of the book. It's a pity Close Your Eyes is no longer in print.

Over the years of reading books to my children, Close Your Eyes became both my favorite and my daughter's. The lyrical story is told on two levels, perfectly complimented by the illustrations. As a father, I identify with the dad in the story. My daughter is in college now, but we occasionally recite the story to eachother in our correspondence, and still treasure the countless bedtimes that we read this book together. It is, indeed, the perfect gift for new parents.

As those who have read Hot Groups already know, Lipman-Blumen is one of the most innovative thinkers now commenting on the contemporary business world. With this book, she makes a substantial and truly significant contribution to our understanding of several separate but interdependent issues: leadership, connectivity, human development, intellectual capital, strategic alliances (both internal and external), and organizational transformation. Yes, yes, I know. There are hundreds of other books already published which discuss several of the same subjects and many of them are first-rate, as Lipman-Blumen would be the first to acknowledge. All of them are listed in her superb "References" section and key ideas from several are woven into her crisp narrative. One of the several reasons why this book is different is the provision and explanation of what she calls "The Connective Leadership Model" which is the focus of Part II. Typical of Lipman-Blumen, she does not suggest that hers is the only model to consider; in fact, she strongly urges her reader to correlate her or his organizations needs and interests with the structure of the model, selecting whatever is most important. However, I presume to offer a caveat: Although by now an overworked buzz word, "integration" of any combination of components is absolutely essential. Whatever the model, its components must be cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective as are those which comprise "The Connective Leadership Model."

Wisely, following a precise and eloquent Preface, Lipman-Blumen focuses in Part One on "The Changing Dynamics of Leadership" which, inevitably, have changed at least to some extent since she wrote this book, first published in 1996. Nonetheless, her rationale remains rock-solid. Then and now, organizations need (and will continue to need) leadership which is "more politically savvy and instrumental, yet more ethical, authentic, accountable, and particularly, more ennobling." She calls this new approach "connective leadership" and suggests that it can "potentially transform the destructive tensions of diversity and interdependence into constructive leadership action." I hasten to add that, in most organizations where leaders tend to be identified by title, political and economic leverage, degree of authority, the "connective leadership" to which she refers can -- and should -- include everyone involved in a given organization. Stated another way, what she seems to be advocating is what I call "collaborative initiative" which can (and should) function at all levels. Those organizations which achieve and then sustain such initiatives (e.g. Southwest Airliners) have a "connective edge" over their competition. Lipman- Blumen provides an excellent discussion of this point in Chapter 10 and Noel Tichy also has much of value to say about this in his own book, The Leadership Engine.

Lipman-Blumen organizes her material within three Parts: The Changing Dynamics of Leadership (a review and examination of "the origins and evolution of the human need for leadership"), The Connective Leadership Model (more about that in a moment), and Bridging to the Stage 3 World (an exploration of the "empirical organizational results and the philosophical implications of the Connective Leadership Model"). The nature of leadership which she advocates is "both provocative and savvy, yet pragmatic and honorable." I wish it were possible to reproduce in this brief commentary the model she presents in Part Two. Essentially, it consists of three separate but interdependent components:

DIRECT : The intrinsic, competitive, and power styles of leadership

RELATIONAL: The collaborative, contributory, and vicarious styles of leadership

INSTRUMENTAL: The personal, social, and entrusting styles of leadership

Lipman-Blumen correctly points out that the most effective leaders are those who possess an appropriate combination of all three. As I read Part Two, I thought about the striking differences between the leadership styles of Gandhi and Patton. Relying entirely on active (not passive) strategies and tactics of non-violence, Gandhi helped India to achieve independence. Patton was required to use entirely different strategies and tactics to rescue the American troops at Bastogne. For me, one of this book's most insightful chapters is Chapter 11, "Women Leaders: An Oxymoron? Or Does Gender Make a Difference?" Lipman-Blumen poses and then addresses a number of gender-specific issues. Once again, as I read this chapter, I thought about leaders such as Joan of Arc, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Elizabeth I, and Catherine the Great...each of whom possessed a combination of direct, relational, and instrumental leadership styles in appropriate balance. That was their "connective edge."

Within the context of explaining the need for what she calls "connective" leadership, Lipman-Blumen examines the theme of the contradictory pulls of two global tensions, interdependence and diversity. The former demands collaboration and mutuality while often seeming to threaten the independence and individualism required by the latter. "Connective" leadership is needed to integrate or at least coordinate these two sometimes adversarial forces. The leader with a "connective eye" can help groups or parties who must work or live interdependently (through geography, industry, etc.) with those who often have quite different agendas and goals, to focus together on problems that the enlightened leader recognizes they share even when, especially when others don't "get it." Lipman-Blumen believes that these two global tensions will be with us for some time to come. Leaders who don't develop the understanding and skills to deal with them effectively are almost certain to fail. I am reminded of what Edison once said about innovation: It is the ability to make connections. That is as true of the Gaza Strip as it is of an incandescent light.

I highly recommend this book to senior-level executives, of course, who seek that "edge" for themselves as well as for their organizations. But I also highly recommend this book to others whom Lipman-Blumen may not have had primarily in mind when she wrote the book: Clergy, teachers, coaches, and (especially) parents. Youth ages (let's say) 6-16 also have a great need for the "connective" leadership which Lipman-Blumen advocates. The impact of their leadership on young people may well have much greater impact than that of anyone else, especially now when the world is more interdependent than at any prior time in human history.

The Connective Edge is a remarkable book, one of my very favorites. In it, Jean Lipman-Blumen presents the the Connective Leadership model, consisting of nine "Achieving Styles." She advocates developing all of the styles and merging them into a balanced leadership approach that can address any challenge in our increasingly complex world.

This book has enabled me to better understand myself, my colleagues, and the organizations with which I interact. The Achieving Styles are presented in a way that allows the reader to understand the components of leadership and to identify his or her preferred styles. Dr. Lipman-Blumen also shows how to strengthen one's less preferred styles and how to apply the concepts of Connective Leadership to effective relationships with people, organizations, and society.

The Connective Edge, nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, works on every level. The model it presents is balanced, flexible, and practical. Professionals or students in any field will learn a great deal from it.
A brief review can't do this book justice -- a rating of 5 stars is not high enough! I have given or recommended it to friends, family, and colleagues, and the feedback has been 100% positive. This is a winner!

There is no shortage of books out there that try to categorize leaders into different leadership styles. Often, the leadership styles delineated seem arbitrary. That is the difference between Lipman's book and other books: Lipman has outlined some really useful categories for leaders. These styles are: instrumental, relational, and direct. These styles are further divided into three categories each. Lipman also makes it clear that the most successful leaders use a range of these styles and do not overuse the one style they are best at. Lipman uses dozens of examples to make her ideas easily understood. And many of the leaders (like the Brazilian activist Chico Mendes) she mentions are ones I haven't found in other leadership books.
The chief prediction of the book (that leaders who do not foresee the consequences of a connective world will not succeed in tomorrow's world) is brilliant and far-reaching...

We bought this book when our daughter was a newborn and she's always loved it! Now that she's two, she still gets a kick out of reading it! However, I recommend that you not buy this item online because there's a mirror on the last page and some copies of the book have a blurry mirror! You're better off buying it in a store to make sure that the book isn't defective!

This is my baby's favorite book. We started reading this to her when she was just a few weeks old and the text has a great rhythm, which she loves. At 10 months now, she picks that book out and loves to flip through it. It's a durable book, has been with us everywhere, and is a good size and light weight that it's perfect for little hands.

The illustrations are great - not the blinding primary colors you often see in some baby books.

Excellent! I got this as a recommendation from another mom who's baby liked this book best out of all his books. My baby developed an interest in this book before all others.