Giverny is located to the north of Paris, and is connected to Paris by the rail line from Gare St. Lazare (which Monet painted several times). The view of nature we get there is a reflection of Monet's very French focus on creating gardens, a lily pond, and walkways that bring natural beauty into our controlled grasp.

I have had the pleasure of visiting Monet's home at Giverny several times since it was restored and highly recommend that you make this journey as well when you are in Paris. Your concept of Monet's work will be changed by seeing his working conditions. The grounds are primarily an extension of his studio, for making observations of nature easier. First time visitors will be shocked to realize that the lily pond was dug and expanded at great effort and expense by Monet. Without his persistence, we would be missing many of our favorite Monet paintings.

Throughout the time that Monet lived in Giverny, his eyesight deteriorated . . . mostly due to cataracts. As an artist friend of mine points out, that eye affliction greatly improved his painting by making it freer and less detailed.

He also pioneered many techniques of al fresco paining, such as creating an artist's studio in a boat for his famous river scenes. This enabled him to capture many unusual perspectives from the water to the river bank. Similarly, one purpose of the Japanese bridge over his lily pond was to give him a similar point of perspective.

The book contains a map of Giverny and Monet's property (purchased in 1890 after he originally rented it), and 81 works that he created in the area.

Missing from these reproductions are the famous water lily paintings that he gave to the French nation which are now housed in the basement of the Orangerie. Be sure you see them when you next visit Paris. Many people go to the Orangerie and never make it to the basement. These are among the greatest jewels of Impressionism.

You will be pleased to see the 25 works from the Musee Marmottan in Paris. These masterworks are also often missed by those who visit Paris because they do not know about this small gem of a museum and its superb Monet collection.

The reproductions are organized around themes: (1) river scenes (from the boat) (2) haystacks [sic] (3) poplars (4) river and fields (5) morning on the Seine (from the boat) (6) the Japanese footbridge (7) the Garden Path (8) early water lilies (9) the late series (my favorites are the rose trellises over the garden path) (10) pond subjects, and (11) late water lilies.

The end of the book also has a chronology of Monet's life and works that will help you integrate this show into his entire work.

You will come away with a new excitement and respect for nature from these images. You will also feel more connected to and with the beauty of nature. Your mood will be lifted, just as Monet intended. What you see will be uniquely yours, also just as intended. Monet pays you the ultimate compliment here of letting you participate in the creative process by arranging the work in your mind to fit your mental needs and perspective.

After you enjoy these images, I suggest that you come away inspired to make what you do more accessible to others. How can you make your life and your work easier for others to participate in?

Live in beauty!

Beyond the absolutely vivid and beautiful quality of the paintings displayed in Monet's Years at Giverny, I greatly appreciate the style of language used throughout the book. Unlike many major art books which often seem to forget about the layman reader, this book reads more like a beautiful story of his life providing great insight into his works.

In college, I was fortunate enough to see a collection of his Water Lilies in Paris. Although at the time I was amazed to see them, through Monet's Years at Giverny I came to fully appreciate them---Not only the paintings, but the man himself.

Excellent addition to any collection!

This is a superb collection of short stories. The Preface is finely and charmingly written by Janis Bellow, which allows us a brief, intimate glimpse of Bellow the writer.

This anthology includes: "The Bellarosa Connection," "Looking for Mr. Green," "Zetland," "Mosby's Memoirs," and "Something to Remember Me By," among others.

Long live the urban Jewish intelligentsia. I also highly recommend Bellow's novels, esp. Augie March, Humboldt's Gift, and Ravelstein.

The photography in this work is excellent. The text is informative. Anyone interested in this area owes it to themselves to read this.

The critical areas they deal with involve devotion to God, to Church, and to family. They show how to love and be faithful to your wife. They show how to love your children, and it's spelled T-I-M-E. They show the necessity of rightly ordering family life so that it aims at more than this family's life.

Having observed both Mr. Wood and Mr. Burnham's families, I can say that they practice what they preach and their children (while giving the struggles to their parents that is ordinary) are happy, healthy, and holy. The happiness of their wives and the marvels that are their childrens are astoundingly powerful testimonies of the truth they speak in this book.

FACT: About 90 percent of single-parent homes are without a father. (U.S. Bureau of the Census, "Poverty in the U.S.: 1992")

FACT: Seventy percent of long-term prison inmates come from homes where the father wasn't present. ("Family Values Gain Control," The Wall Street Journal, December 12, 1995, p. A6)

So go the statistics...Drawing from the Bible and works such as Pope Pius XI's, Christian Marriage (Casti Connubii), Pope Paul VI's, Of Human Life (Humanae Vitae), and John Paul II's, The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World (Familiaris Consortio) and Letter to Families, former Protestant minister turned Catholic, Steve Wood, offers 8 practical commitments that fathers can make to ensure they will leave a positive, lasting mark on their children and their children's children.

Wood takes the "Eight Commitments of the St. Joseph Covenant Keepers" and goes into much greater depth on them than he has in his audiotapes or brochures. Those commitments include: - Affirming Christ's Lordship Over Our Families - Following St. Joseph, the Loving Leader and Head of the Holy Family - Loving Our Wives All Our Lives - Turning Our Heart Toward Our Children - Educating Our Children in the Discipline and Instruction of the Lord - Protecting Our Families - Providing for Our Families - Building Our Marriages and Families on the "Rock"

Wood effectively uses Scripture, secular statistics, and papal encyclicals to provide practical things that fathers can do to build solid marriages and secure families. The book shows how desperately fathers are needed in a world which seems to say that they are not.

Any father wondering how he can raise a faithful family needs to own a copy of this book.

Nash points out the many reasons for fencing, from the practical to the ornamental and how each type may be designed and constructed. He explains the reasoning and functionality of purpose-built fences very clearly.

There is also great technical detail, from how to pick materials to how to layout and set fence posts. There are clear diagrams of common fence joinery and shop tips for making the various components. Do's and don'ts in design are pointed out. Repairs and maintenance are also discussed.

Although there are no measured drawings, the aspect ratio of the "golden rectangle" is presented to aid you in making an attractive, as well as functional, fence. The rich plethora of color photographs and clear diagrams depicting an incredible variety of designs will inspire, or perhaps confound you, with ideas to build your own fence.

The only problem with this book is that there are so many great ideas, it's hard to pick just one!

I wanted to see some examples of privacy fences of various materials, since I am planning one for our back yard.

This book is replete with photographs, drawings and text covering all sorts of fences, with ideas galore for enhancing your home. Most of the fences depicted are wooden, and I have opted for a vinyl model, but nevertheless the book is a splendid effort and worthwhile for anyone who is thinking of putting up a fence, either for decoration, security, or privacy.

Joseph Pierre