Probably no other book has influenced my techniques and choice of media other than this one; a true masterpeice. The examples and their implementation are very useful and easy to do, the book presumes that u have a sizable knowlege in perspective and other techniques of drawing but helps to improve your skills in COLORED presentations taking various examples from drawing shinning objects to full scale projects. The description of materials in the beginning is short though, but is enough for the intermediate user, and the book heavily uses the PRISMACOLOR markers so if u are not used to these and don't intend to use them look for another manual. In short it is a job well done!

OK, I will be honest. I have the older edition. It's got some campy early 80's scenes in it, but I found it essential in understanding how color hits building materials. If you are an architect or architectural student, you will need this book so that you can put some life into your drawings. If you are just an amateur like me, you still need this book.

Learning how to draw using Doyle's techniques is useful for travel diaries, sketching, and so on. Since you are using color markers and pencils and blending the colors, you get a kind of richness and depth in drawings that don't come from just one medium alone. Also, the media (markers and pencils) are dry and won't spill in your backpack or attache when hauling it around places to do sketches and so on. (I took a mess of pencils and markers to Europe and it was easier to deal with than the trip I took after, where my watercolor paint froze on the travel diary!)

I'm gonna put the latest edition on my wish list and hope Santa is good to me this season :-)

I bought this book in 1991 (hardcover...) and I remeber reading practicing and admiring the author's talent in both drawing and explaining everything he knows about markers+pencils. I have many renderings that were inspired by his style. Later I moved into pure watercolor but I also remember searching for those Designer2 Markers and Eagle pencils, in the streets of Buenos Aires (where I studied architecture). If you like drawing and rendering and like strong colors: this is one of the best choices out there. (amazing renderings inside)

Great gift idea for your brother, son, friend -- any guy you know that's going through the whole engagement thing! Michael Katz has a handle on the experience, and delivers on every page. I keep a stock of these and give them out every time somebody new gets engaged. -- Lori

Finally, finally a book for men on weddings. I've given it to every engaged man I know. I wish I knew more. Thanks for writing it, Michael!

A definite buy for your boyfriend or fiancee

Michael Ball's @the entry level is a compelling, substantive and witty guide for twenty something young professionals on surviving and succeeding in the gritty world of work. Written as an autobiography - narrative - how to guide, Ball's prose is frank and captivating. I have never read another book like this one for professionals just out of college or grad school. It's useful and relevant and should be a graduation present for anyone starting his or her first job!

This is unlike any other career book I've ever read... It's smart, it's hilarious, and its advice about the Fortune 500 workplace is dead-on. But more importantly, the writing is deep and philosophical; it really challenges you to consider your job and your life, and come to terms with your values and priorities. I can honestly say that this book changed my whole outlook on things. I encourage everyone at the entry level--and beyond--to check it out!

I've been in the workforce for almost twenty years, and am only now going back to college, but I felt like this book was written just for me. It talks about direction, and uses words we don't see enough of - like Passion, and Value. After working in customer service for so long, every word he said rang true. It is obvious he has studied many succesful people (from the quotes and anecdotes he sprinkles throughout the book) and is trying to pass on what he has learned from them while emphasizing that most important third dimension of work - satisfaction. (The first and second being Money and a Benefit Package *wink*)

While the theme is a serious one, the book is a great read. Michael's style makes you feel like he's right there in the room telling his jokes in person. The intimacy really worked for me. I'm glad I picked this up - I might even change my major!

Who is Michael de Larrabeiti and why can't we find his books? This man is fantastic. My child and I both have read the Borrible series and love them! Whenever we go into a used book store, we search for copies, in case we lose the ones we have! Search for these books, read them, and hound publishers to request more of these adventures, assuming the author is still living! Why isn't he publishing?

After stumbling across 'The Borribles' while browsing a local book store, I found these adventuresome little people so interesting I read it twice and wished the imaginative author, Michael De Larrabeiti, would write a sequel.

When I happened across 'The Borribles Go For Broke' a few years later, I was again enthralled by these captivating hooligans.

It was not until over a decade later that I discovered 'The Borribles: Across The Dark Metropolis' while prowling the internet. After obtaining an out-of-print copy of this third borrible book, I was soon engrossed in their latest adventure.

Through the soot and grime of a London that tourists never see, the borribles attempt to lead Sam, the horse, to Neasdon where it could live in peace. During the exhausting journey through old buildings and junk yards the compact crew are forced to dodge the likes of Inspector Sussworth, a dapper power monger, and the obnoxious Sgt. Hanks. The determined little people persevere even when they encounter the dregs of society such as the so-called "meffos" who worship alcohol and drugs. Through it all the band of borribles trudge on to their distant destination.

If anyone has any biographical information on Michael De Larrabeiti, I would appreciate it if you would enlighten me. All I know about this British author is that he was born in 1937 and there was some controversy over releasing 'The Borribles: Across The Dark Metropolis' in hard cover.

Michael De Larrabeiti (1937): British author: * the "Borribles" series of elf-like folks in a dark London: * The Borribles [1976] * The Borribles Go For Broke [1981] * The Borribles: Across the Dark Metropolis [1986] * The Provencal Tales [1988] story collection (according to "The Encyclopedia of Fantasy", John Clute & John Grant, St.Martin's, 1997, p.263)

Since he was born in 1937, its unlikely we'll see any more books...

A gorgeous book that's as interesting and informative as it is beautiful. While reading Caribbean Elegance, I found myself transported back in time to an era when sugar was king and great fortunes in the Caribbean facilitated a style both elegant and sensual. This is a fascinating account of a pivotal period in history as reflected through the style of the furniture.

Caribbean Elegance, how the title is only the tip of what lies between the cover as it is such a wonderful book to always have at hands reach for small mind vacations after a long day of work! The author has done a fantastic job of educating one about the Caribbean islands' history as well as the furniture. It is the only book that lives on my coffee table, and every person that visits is sure to pick it up and become mesmerized by the writing and captivated by the photographs! It is impossible to not fall madly in love with this amazing find of a book! It is so easy to read be it that the author is obviously passionate about his work, as he leaves the reader feeling the island warmth from his detailed writings of Caribbean history. The photographs are so well placed, and beautiful! What a tasteful, well written, and charming book! Well done!! One must be careful though, as you will be sure to want your house filled with Caribbean antiques as I am now doing!

As a writer, I was impressed by the quality of the prose, and as a researcher, I appreciated the wealth of information Connors has managed to succinctly convey to give readers a good understanding of the history and other forces shaping this stunning style of furniture. To top off the intellectual feast, we get delicious and evocative photographs which make us feel we are actually there in these beautiful homes on the gorgeous islands of the Caribbean.

Truth is stranger than fiction, for these stories are totally absorbing. The Day I Met God causes the reader to re-evaluate his own life. In my case, it made a profound impression upon me. I hadn't yet finished it, when I realized that it was time for me to follow the examples in this book. It's about time--I am 81 years old.

THE DAY I MET GOD is filled with inspiring and amazing stories of people who had an encounter with God....even the most unlikely of individuals. There's a story for everyone in this book. It will reach anyone and soften the hardest heart! If you have a friend who is need of God's healing power or truth, this is the book for them. These stories will lead them to God! I particularly was moved by the story of the young man was robbing a man who agreed to give him his money, but told the burglar that he needed to give his heart to the Lord. There's is no doubt in mind that this victim must have prayed for the man who robbed him, because he was later led to the Lord. The criminal was really haunted by the man's words until he gave his life to the Lord. I won't spoil the surprise of how he turned his life around! A great evangelical tool, this is a book that Christians can give to their non-Christian friends without fear of offending them. This book''s gentle stories speak loudly of everyone's need for God and also it shows how we are all individuals and how God meets us not just where we are but in such a special way that it validates how well he knows his children.

Bought the book last week and we are passing it around the house-everyone wants to read The Day I Met God, we have nearly worn it out! Theis collection of stories will touch your heart and move you as you see God's faithfulness. Get an extra copy for a friend!

I have to practically sign an affidavit whenever I want to borrow this book from my Mom. We pass The Elementals and the Blackwater Series back and forth every few years.

I would give it 4 and 1/2 stars if possible. It misses out on 5 for me because I was a bit disappointed with the ending. But don't let my comments stop you from reading this great book.

I have never, ever seen The Elementals in a store. My mother found it and the Blackwater series years ago in various used bookstores in California. Good luck finding copies of any of these early McDowell horror novels.

Sometimes I dream about that house filling up with sand...

I read The Elemantals many years ago and enjoyed it very much. McDowell is a horror/suspense writer with his own very distinct style. All of his books are well worth your while if you are a horror reader.Where is Mr. McDowell now??

When I was in high school all I read were horror novels. I read everything that came down the pike and therefore became jaded and hard to impress. Mr. McDowell wrote the scariest, creep-inducing books I've ever read. Yes, even scarier than Mr. King. Thankfully I saved my copies of the Blackwater series. Sadly I did not save my copies of 'The Elementals' or 'The Amulet' which isn't even listed by Amazon. Mr. McDowell wrote Southern Gothic at its absolute best. I urge anyone who can find his books to read them and anyone who has the authority to put them back into print to do so.

Reviewer: A reader from Joshua Tree, California. April 17, 2000.

Changes which serve to alter how we think and act often come upon us slowly. Suddenly we realize we are in a whole new world. Providing a new language for business, an exciting new book, Emotional Value: Creating Strong Bonds With Your Customers, has just been published. Authors Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul do a superb job of articulating ideas, options, and examples which those in business can utilize to bring

emotional value to their business environment.

Emotional Value deserves our serious attention. It offers ideas which are refreshing, new, and practical. Barlow and Maul have developed their book based on years of working within the business community and upon solid research. Using Emotional Value as a guide for judicious use in application, Barlow's book sets the course for the business community to unlock the potential which exists within the millennial market place.

It is amazing to me to think about how much business gets lost, simply because front line staff are insensitive to the emotional states of their customers. This is one of the most fundamental facts about business today. Yet, it is one that has rarely, if ever, been addressed. Why? Apparently, because the emotional realm has just been too elusive for most managers and managemnt theorists. In fact, the leading theorist in this area, Professor Arlie Russell Hochschild, has approached the issue from a quasi-Marxist perspective -- suggesting that the acquisition of emotional competency is actually a form of "labor" that alienates workers and forces them to be inauthentic.

Barlow and Maul go to great lengths to challenge this mainstream attitude, suggesting that emotional competency is a valuable skill that need not be regarded as a betrayal of one's inner being. The ability to engender sensitivity to the inner state of the customer can be viewed, instead, as the cultivation of our fundamental human potential.

Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul bring a refreshing perspective to this topic. Barlow is already known as the co-author of A Complaint is a Gift. Dianna Maul, her colleague, was one of the founding directors of Horizon Airlines. They base their book on a thorough and up-to-date review of the academic literature regarding emotions in the workplace.

One of the most intriguing findings they develop is based upon the work of the Australian scholar, Michael Edwardson (who, incidentally, wrote the forward to this book). Edwardson documents in great detail the fact that customers in different industries have widely differing sets of emotional expectations. A "one size fits all" approach to customer satisfaction, therefore, can never work. But, with the research documenting so clearly the emotional nuances of customers in a wide variety of different situations, the possibility exists for more appropriately informed responsiveness from front line staff.

In fact, Barlow and Maul, disabuse us entirely of the very notion that we should be pleased that our customers are "satisfied." The truth is that satisfied customers are not necessarily loyal customers. The implication here is that new forms of psychological and emotional mastery are required as we enter into the age of the "experience economy." Some businesses may even discover that they need to acquire skills in cultivating states of joy, perhaps even ecstasy, in their customers. Others will have to uncover new depths of meaning in the words "trust" and "gratitude."

Furthermore, it is not enough simply to pay lip service to such concepts. Businesses are already getting into trouble because their advertising campaigns create emotional expectations that are not fulfilled in actual practice. In effect, with this book, Barlow and Maul reveal that the human potential movement of the past three or four decades has solidified to such an extent that the very survival of businesses today depends upon the ability of managers to master the skills of authenticity and self-realization to a degree approaching what we might think of as spiritual enlightenment.

This is no simple matter, nor is it merely another management theory fad. It is bedrock reality in today's marketplace. Barlow and Maul lead us into this new terrain in a manner that is practical, grounded in day-to-day business experience, and informed by the best empirical research available.

This is an important book and one that deserves both thoughtful reading and implementation. Because Barlow and Maul are trainers and consultants, as well as theorists, the book is full of practical steps that can be taken to cultivate greater emotional competency within any business.

Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul go a step beyond most consultants (those who write business books to drum up customers). Instead, they offer a wealth of scholarly research and sources in their in-depth, colorfully written book, which successfully tackles the enormous role that emotions play in business and customer behavior. They explain and document it, and provide practical applications. We at getAbstract recommend this important book to all business people, whether they offer a product or a service, from CEOs through every level of staff.

Taking the best of the best, Hodgman compiles a delectable collection of recipes aimed to please the most discriminating palate. Ok, it's not gourmet or even low-cal, but this is the best of the best and creative...who cares about the waistline!!!

Buy it, cook it and let your friends think you're the most amazing cook who ever walked the planet! Then go out and buy her "Beat That!" cookbook and continue the magic.

I am so, so pleased to find that Beat This! is back in print - and, even better news - that it now has a sibling - Beat That!. Beat This! might be the only cookbook I've ever read purely for pleasure. Ann Hodgman is the honest "voice of mom" you've always wanted to hear, and her sprightly commentary on family traditions ("My new husband actually played a record on Christmas night. A record! When (according to my family's traditions) you're supposed to pretend electricity doesn't exist at Christmastime! And he wanted lights on the tree...."), candy thermometers and all sorts of other things actually make me laugh out loud.

And the recipes are superb. So wonderful, in some cases, that I've found myself passing them off to guests as old family secrets rather than reveal my source. (Of course, I always told myself I was saving my guests the pain of finding out that this book was out of print...) Included are staples such as chocolate cake, fried chicken, and meat loaf, but there are other fun surprises, too. Did you even know you wanted the best Kimchi recepe? Or the best Artichoke and Mushroom Salad? How about the best Presto Torta? But trust me - you do and you will, once you buy this book, wonder how you ever did without them.

I have a "Trillion" cookbooks, and this one and her other cookbook, "Beat That", are my fabulous favorites. The recipes are sooooo good, and I have fun making her recipes to see if my family and friends agree. I had stumbled on, "Beat This", at our local library, and loved it. I wanted my own copy, but they must have been out of print. The library wouldn't let me buy it, so I accidently lost it, OOPS!! Then I got my wish, and bought it. A few months later, it came back in with fabulous new covers. I will be ordering these to give as Christmas gifts . These are alot of fun - buy them - and enjoy!

Here is one of the must unusual and best-written scientific adventure stories I've read. Combining Richard Preston-style reportage with the loopy narrative structure of a Quentin Tarantino screenplay, Michael Ray Taylor writes with passion about a subject most of us expect to encounter only in a college classroom: microbiology. Far from being a textbook, Dark Life explores not only the cutting edge of "nanobacteria" research, but also tells the thrilling story of a journalist who becomes personally involved in the hunt not only for new forms of life under the Earth's surface ... but on other worlds, as well. The book should appeal to the adventurerer/traveler in everyone, as well as to hardcore science readers eager to get a glimpse at the future of microbiological research -- which could well lead us to exploration of the surface of Mars or one of the moons of Jupiter. With this book, Taylor has re-written the rules of science reporting, and put a new kink in the fabric of what we think of as traditional journalism.

For starters I will never look at my mineral collection quite the same again. Dark Life has shown that nanobacteria (only recently confirmed)is the absolute frontier of a new world. Minerals and "life" coexist and the nanobacteria "feed" upon the chemical compositions of minerals. The scientific world will be turned on its' head in the near future as a whole new science emerges. This book is easy to understand for those of us who aren't scientits but who are interested. As one who also has Multiple Sclerosis the possible connection with nanobacteria and mineral plaques in the brain was astounding as I read it.

Fantastic! This book should hit it big. Luckily, I have had the opportunity to meet the author and several of the kooky scientists in this book. These characters are real people and the information provided is scientific, but easy to understand. Mr. Taylor has captured the characters beautifully. This book has inspired me to learn more and explore ways that I can become involved in the study of extreme organisms. If you are interested in life science or are just a Trekkie, you will enjoy this book. We are not alone!