Jewelry & Gems the Buying Guide: How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence And Knowledge (Jewelry and Gems the Buying Guide)

Jewelry & Gems the Buying Guide: How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence And Knowledge (Jewelry and Gems the Buying Guide)
Average customer rating:

This is an excellent book for the beginning gemstone buyer

Great book for beginners

Great Book!

No More Mistakes

This Book Makes A Difference

Jewelry & Gems the Buying Guide: How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence And Knowledge (Jewelry and Gems the Buying Guide)
Antoinette L. Matlins , and Antonio C. Bonanno
Manufacturer: Gemstone Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Jewelry | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Jewelry | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Consumer Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling

Colored Gemstones, 2nd Edition: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide: How to Select, Buy, Care for & Enjoy Sapphires, Emeralds, Rubies and Other Colored Gemstones

Gemstone Buying Guide, Second Edition: How to Evaluate, Identify, Select & Care for Colored Gems

Gemstones (Smithsonian Handbooks)

The Jeweler's Directory of Gemstones: A Complete Guide to Appraising and Using Precious Stones From Cut and Color to Shape and Settings

ASIN: 0943763444

Book Description

Know What You Want, Know What You're Buying, Learn the Secrets to Get the Most for Your Money

Easy to Read • Easy to Understand Practical • Complete Instant Answers ... to All Your Questions Completely Updated & Expanded 6th Edition!

Purchasing gems and jewelry can be a magical experience, filled with excitement and anticipation. But lack of information, error, or misrepresentation can make the thrill of buying a gem or piece of jewelry confusing, intimidating, overwhelming, and costly.

To help you avoid the pitfalls and keep the magic, two internationally respected experts on buying gems and jewelry put their inside knowledge to work for you in this easy-to-read, easy-to-use guide. It is filled with practical advice and is designed to make it easy for you to have all the information you need to buy gems and jewelry with confidence.

Recommended by consumer and jewelry trade reviewers around the world, it is already in use in over 100 countries and has been translated into Spanish, Arabic, Greek, Hungarian, and Russian. Over 300,000 copies are now in print and this revised, updated, expanded edition covers even more: buying and selling on the internet, dazzling new diamond cuts, recently discovered gems … and new treatments and trickery to look out for. There are fascinating mythical and magical tidbits, and practical tips that could only come from an insider.

In simple, straightforward terms you'll learn about the four Cs and how to juggle them to get what you want, at the price you want to pay; what to look for, and look out for; all about gold and platinum, jewelry design, and some of the country's leading designers. You'll learn what questions to ask and what to get in writing, and even how to select the jeweler, appraiser, and insurer. The authors leave no stone unturned to give you everything you need to know—whether you are a novice or a connoisseur. With Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, you'll find the experience can be a joy, and the gems and jewelry you select a source of lasting pleasure!

Praise for Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide

"Restores the magic! [Will] entertain and enlighten all its readers and save some from heart-break. Recommended reading." — Paul Harvey, Paul Harvey News

"Includes all kinds of fun facts to know and tell ... an essential resource for the gem buyer." — Art & Antiques

"Takes the guesswork out of this important decision ... obtain the best value for your money." — Modern Bride

"A book designed to build trust between jewelry retailers and consumers." — National Jeweler

"An appropriate book for the uninformed public, but more than that, it is a good reference book for jewelers and their staffs, gem collectors, students of gemology, travelers, teachers, and even those who know gemology but want a state-of-the-art review." — Lapidary Journal

"We have seen no work more practical and accurate than [this book] ... the investor, or engagement ring buyer, who follows the dictates ... which are well explained and illustrated, will surely avoid being burned ... the best of its kind and likely to be of enormous value to anyone." — Frederick H. Pough, PhD Former Curator of Gems and Minerals, American Museum of Natural History, N.Y.C.

"Most certainly achieves its aim of helping consumers buy gems and jewelry with confidence and knowledge ... highly recommended." — Asian Jewelry

"Especially useful to service members shopping overseas." — Financial Planning Guide Supplement to Army, Navy and Air Force Times

Customer Reviews:

This is an excellent book for the beginning gemstone buyer.......2007-08-13

Excellent! This is hands down the best book on the market for the beginning gemstone buyer.

Great book for beginners.......2006-12-08

If you are buying jewelry/gems for any occasion and don't exactly know what you are doing, this book is a great start. The section on colored gemstones was particularly helpful, as it is harder to find good information on them. The book is definitely a keeper as it can be used for many different purchases.

Great Book!.......2006-09-20

A friend recommended this book and I'm so glad she did! So informative and easy to understand--even for a novice like me! I now have more confidence when I buy jewelry and know what questions to ask a jeweler before I decide to buy. Great book!

No More Mistakes.......2006-09-03

With the help, guidelines and information from this incredible book I finally felt I could shop for jewelry with confidence and a "sense of experience".

This Book Makes A Difference.......2006-09-02

I am not a geologist or gemologist but I am very interested in gems and jewelry. After purchasing and reading several other books on the subject of gems and jewelry, this was the most informative! I could not put it down. I buy jewelry of all sorts for re-sale, and this book is the only book that tells me all my choices whether buying diamonds, colored gemstones, or pearls. It is also the only book that describes the many clever ways that one can be deceived. I especially like their price charts for diamonds and colored gem stones because they are organized in a way that focuses attention on the impact of quality factors on value. The colored gem stone charts are organized so that it is easy to compare numerous stones of the same color. For example if my customer wants a green stone this book lists all of the stones available, and how they compare to each other in terms of price, durabilty, and availabilty in different sizes. No other book does this. I could go on and on, but I will sum it up in three words: It's the BEST!

Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide--How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence and Knowledge (5th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Wealth of Knowledge
Perfect Starter Guide
Book pays for itself many times over
Jewelry & Gems The Buying Guide
ALL THE TITLE

Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide--How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence and Knowledge (5th Edition)
Antoinette Matlins , and A. C. Bonanno
Manufacturer: Gemstone Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Jewelry | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Reference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Consumer Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books
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Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling
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Gem & Jewelry Pocket Guide: A Traveler's Guide to Buying Diamonds, Colored Gems, Pearls, Gold and Platinum Jewelry (Gem & Jewelry Pocket Guide)

ASIN: 0943763312

Book Description

Completely Updated, Expanded, Revised.New edition of the "unofficial bible" for jewelry and gem buyers. Explains how to buy diamonds, pearls, precious, and other popular colored gems, gold, and jewelry with confidence and knowledge.This authoritative book includes new sections on design and style, pearls, gold, and platinum, as well as full coverage of recently discovered new gems to look for...and new treatments and trickery to look out for. Easy to read and understand, Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide covers every aspect of purchasing and enjoying jewelry and gems.Selected contents:Retail Price Guides for Diamonds, Colored Gems, and Pearls.Getting to Know Gems.Diamonds: How to Determine the Value of a Diamond.The Four C's - Treatments - New shapes & old - How flaws affect diamonds - How to read diamond grading reports - How to spot fraud & misrepresentationColored Gemstones: New Stones Add Exciting Choices.Mystery & Magic - Determining value - New treatments - Synthetics - Fraud & misrepresentation - Misleading names - Gem alternatives by colorPearls: Types - Factors that affect quality and value.Gold & Platinum.Choosing the Setting.Important Advice Before You Buy; Questions to Ask.Selecting a Reputable Jeweler, Appraiser, & insurer.Gemstone Investment.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Wealth of Knowledge.......2006-08-22

This book is a must have for anyone, novice or expert! I was looking for something that would educate me in my new "hobby" of gem collecting and ran across this valuable book. It contains sections from how to purchase great diamonds to colored gemstones (my favorites!). The first part of the book deals with examining stones, how to hold the stone when examining it, using a loupe (those round magnifying glass-type things that are used by jewlers), identifying the parts of a gem (yes, there are parts of gem such as a table, a girdle, a crown, a pavilion and a cutlet) , and the different cuts of stones (round, trilliant, pear, Marquise, oval, emerald, etc.). The second part of the book deals exclusively about diamonds, the importance of the cut and proportion, body color and grades, faulty cuts, girdle faults, popular and nonpopular shapes, desirable colors, diamond flaws, clarity and how it's determined, V, VV, S, I explained, weight, spotting frauds, and comparing diamond prices. Section 3 is about colored gemstones, determing value, gemstone treatment, fraud, purchasing colored gems, and pearls. Part 4 is about Design and Style and offers important advice before buying. Part 6, the final chapter, offers important advice after you purchase a gemstone. There's even a section that gives retail prices, by carat, on each type of gemstone! Lots of important diagrams too! My next book to purchase that will compliment this book is Gem Identificatin Made Easy by Antoinette Matlins and A.C. Bonanno. This book will explain how to use pocket, portable and laboratory instruments to identify diamonds and colored gems! Yeah, baby! No more guessing!

Perfect Starter Guide.......2005-07-28

This book is exactly what I needed to substantially increase my knowledge of colored gemstones. It contains several 4 to 5 page sections of colored gemstone pictures with identification and a very informative section that gives general price per carat ranges for a large variety of gems. I've just added loose gemstones to my retail stock and I've referred to this guide so often that I know many of the page numbers by heart.

Book pays for itself many times over.......2003-06-02

One thing that retail jewelers count on is that the public is unwilling to do its homework.

And if you've got tens of thousands of dollars to spend and don't much care where it goes, don't buy this book (but feel free to send me some of that money).

On the other hand, if you're like most of us, you want to get the best value for your money, and this book will definitely help by giving great tips when buying diamonds and other gems.

Not only that, this book can give you some creative ideas. Looking for something beyond the cheap "frozen spit" diamonds that are being sold all over these days? For the same money, you can buy a colored stone or cultured pearl that will look better and be a better value. Want a nice, bright green stone but haven't got $10k for an emerald? This book can give some affordable alternatives, like maybe a tsavorite.

This is a tremendous resource, written in an easy-to-understand style, and organized in a way that makes referring to it inviting.

Jewelry & Gems The Buying Guide.......2003-03-18

I have been buying jewelry for many years, and my biggest regret is that I have not taken the time to learn about the different types and quality of gems available. This book has certainly taught me a lot of things that jewelry store sales people never told me. I am sure that the information that I learned from this book will be of great help in my future purchases.

ALL THE TITLE.......2001-08-28

MY NAME IS ZARIS119 .I HAVE MANY COLLECTIONS OFF GEMS STONE, SOME OF THEM ARE POWERFULL AND SPIRITUAL THIS BOOK I THING TO MUCH GUIDING LINE.

The Basics of Bead Stringing (Beadwork Books)
Average customer rating:

The Basics & Beyond

Great Things Come In Small Packages

A little too basic

Great Beginner's Book!

The Basics of Bead Stringing (Beadwork Books)
Debbie Kanan , and Kanan
Manufacturer: Borjay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Beadwork | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Getting Started Stringing Beads (Getting Started series)

Step-By-Step Bead Stringing: A Complete Illustrated Professional Approach (Beadwork Books)

The New! Beader's Companion (Companion series, The)

Get Started Beading (Best of Bead & Button Magazine)

Findings & Finishings: A Beadwork How-To Book (Beadwork How-To series)

ASIN: 0961535318

Book Description

The Basics of Bead Stringing, a long time best selling book on the art of creating professional-looking jewelry, has just undergone a complete revision. The new edition includes the latest tips and materials affecting the bead stringing craft. Traditional and contemporary techniques on multi-strand projects, knotted strands and wire wrapping are just a few of the highlighted features.

Easy to understand instructions and complementary illustrations assure bead stringing success with the very first project. Learn how to select tools, beads and bead stringing materials. Master the basic techniques to create masterpieces. This book is suited for the beginner and professional jewelry crafter. Makes a great gift!

Better than ever, new features include information on design and layout, updated instructions and drawings, and four new color photographs.

Customer Reviews:

The Basics & Beyond.......2005-08-18

After I took a 2 hour jewelry workshop at a bead show, I was hooked, and looking for a little more information for reference at home. That's when I picked up Kanan's book. "The Basics of Bead Stringing" now sits permanently on my work desk, easily in reach.

The book's pictures and descriptions of design and technique are clear and instructional. After reading the "Beading Basics" section, you can easily shop for materials, and with no previous experience, create a necklace and bracelet. Kanan goes on and covers wire techniques, using leather or satin cord, and finally stitches & patterns for seed beads. The book is highlighted by color jewelry photos that utilize inspiring close-ups.

"The Basics" includes a *very* useful section on tools and materials with pictures and explanations of each. The books ends with two appendixes, one on necklace lengths, and one on bead sizes; I use the size scale constantly when I'm shopping for beads online.

The Basics of Bead Stringing packs good information in its 82 pages and is well worth the $9.00.

Great Things Come In Small Packages.......2004-10-01

Short, sweet and to the point, this little book does not overwhelm or intimidate the beginner. Tools, materials and findings and their applications are explained as well as types of beads and design fundamentals. Technique is explained and illustrated clearly. The author explains which materials to use and more importantly, why each is appropriate.

Wire wrapping is also covered, and I was surprised to find that Debbie's instructional technique and end result are better than Mark Lareau's ("All Wired Up"). Lareau's book is what inspired me to work with wire and in every other area, it's been my "bible." Debbie's technique is much simpler and more practical, and she offers one tip that to me, creates the difference between a nice piece and an exquisite one.

As a hands-on learner, I particularly like the way that Debbie starts the reader off on a project in the first few pages. After you've mastered the techniques, the beautiful photography of a multitude of completed pieces will continue to inspire you.

A little too basic.......2003-12-16

Even though I am new to bead stringing, I found this book to be a little too basic. The projects are very easy, but I had already figured out how to make similar things on my own. I would recommend this only if you feel like you know nothing about bead stringing.

Great Beginner's Book!.......2002-06-12

This is a wonderful Beginners book! It is also a good one to keep in your beading book library! It's step by step instructions will help you will all sorts of basic stringing projects. Also has a lot of tips on what type of clasps and findings to use! Overall is really Good!

Average customer rating:

Basics Of Bead Stringing
Debbie Kanan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OZAVMI

Average customer rating:

A great beginners' resource.
An excellent beginners book!
Good information, but not enough of it
excellent quick reference

The Basics of Bead Stringing
David Champion
Manufacturer: Bourget Bros
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Beadwork | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Jewelry | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Getting Started Stringing Beads (Getting Started series)
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Findings & Finishings: A Beadwork How-To Book (Beadwork How-To series)

ASIN: 096153530X

Customer Reviews:

A great beginners' resource........2002-03-06

I'm very new to jewelrymaking and recently picked this up as a first guide. I'm very happy to say that it has fulfilled my expectations. Extensive greyscale illustrations show step-by-step how to perform the steps described in the text. Basic concepts are discussed with an eye toward explaining them in detail for the total beginner.

This is very much a homemade sort of book -- saddle-stapled and not very long, about 60 pages. If there's ever a second edition, I'd like to see better editing to get the grammar errors out, and I'd love to see some useful color photos -- the ones included are there more for showing possibilities than for illustrating concepts. It is also true that some of the things discussed don't fall under my personal definition of "basics", like making daisy chains (f.e., I'd never even *seen* a daisy chain before seeing them here). But as my first guidebook, it's worth the extremely low cost. The style of writing is accessible and friendly and the step-by-step illustrations are invaluable to understanding.

An excellent beginners book!.......2001-04-01

This is a really great book for a beginner. The illustrations are really clear and easy to follow. There are lessons on basic stringing, knotting, wire wrapping, and finishing. A very handy book, well worth the money. Following the directions I was able to string a necklace in no time flat! I highly recommend this book.

Good information, but not enough of it.......2000-04-08

I am brand new to beading, so I found the information in this book extremely helpful: starting and finishing a necklace, the importance of gluing your knots, knotting in between beads, the usefulness of wire-wrapped loops. All of this (an a lot more) was new to me, and I found it quite valuable as I did my first two beading projects.

Now, the reasons why I only gave it 3 stars. I took away one star because the production and editing aspects of the book are quite poor, making it difficult to read at times. For example, the color photos (samples of completed jewelry) are not sharp, making it very difficult and sometimes impossible to decipher what kinds of techniques and beads were used. There was also poor page formatting and layout. The editing is just as bad, with poor sentence construction, incorrect punctuation usage, and poor grammar and word usage throughout.

I took away another star because there was just not enough information. The authors were very selective about what they included as "basic information" for the beginner. As a beginner, I would have liked to have seen several more topics: the names and descriptions of the basic kinds of beads, more information about bead sizes.

Overall, a good source for the beginner, but needing better editing and production, and more content.

excellent quick reference.......1999-02-15

This book is not necessarily the best beading book for a novice but for anyone who has done any kind of beading or jewelery making at all, it is an valuable resource. It provides quick access to what really are the fundamentals of beading, it's a good reminder for the person who hasn't made anything with, for example, the brick stitch in a couple of years and just needs a brief guide to get her started again or for the person who needs to remember how to attach a beadtip and clasp.

The first section explains how to begin and finish a necklace (or bracelet) including information on beadtips, jump rings and clasps; using crimp beads and clam shells; knotting beads; and the double needle method. This is followed by a section on using wire and pins for earrings and pendants and includes instructions on how to make wrapped wire loops, how to attach cones, how to use memory wire and how to wrap cabs and beads. Next is a brief section on knotting and finishing leather and satin cords. This is followed by instructions on weaving, stitching and finishing designs that incorporate the daisy chain, brick and peyote stitches. The remainder of the book includes descriptions of available jewelery-making materials including types of bead cord, wire, findings, clasps and chains with examples of each as well as a section on tools including descriptions of the various kinds of pliers, cutters, glues, bead boards, vises and reamers.

The only problems I had with the book were minor: the author clearly favors one type of beading wire over the others, there is no mention of the usefulness of split rings plus the section on how to attach a crimp bead doesn't explain that this is a two-step process (hence the two separate sections of a crimping plier). It also would have been a better book had the author included a list of major suppliers. Still, as a quick reference, it's a solid, dependable book.

THE BASICS OF BEAD STRINGING
Average customer rating:
THE BASICS OF BEAD STRINGING
MEL ANDERSON
Manufacturer: BORJAY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VCYKOO

Basics Of Bead Stringing - Complete Illustrated Approach For Beginner And Advanced Designers
Average customer rating:
Basics Of Bead Stringing - Complete Illustrated Approach For Beginner And Advanced Designers
Debbie Kanan
Manufacturer: Borjay Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UKJQLO

Basics of Bead Stringing, Compelte illustrated approach for Beginner & Advanced Designers
Average customer rating:
Basics of Bead Stringing, Compelte illustrated approach for Beginner & Advanced Designers
Genevieve et. Al. Bourget
Manufacturer: Borjay Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NDLECC

Basics of Bead Stringing, new 8 pages in color
Average customer rating:
Basics of Bead Stringing, new 8 pages in color
Dave Champion
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QEASCA

Book Description

Do you need places to keep the things that make outdoor living so enjoyable? Complete instructions cover the basics of small shed building that are common to all the projects, along with tips on planning, selecting materials, and choosing a style and color that looks good, as well as technical aspects of selecting a site, dealing with grade levels, and water runoff. Construction techniques come with hundreds of photos that show exactly how to lay foundations, set up framing, put on roofing, install siding, and finish doors and windows.

Customer Reviews:

Looks pretty, but this is NOT a very useful book.......2003-06-03

[Just over 1.5 stars]

"Building Backyard Structures" is a deceptively good-looking book. Alas, nice color pictures won't help you design and build the shed or other small building you need in your backyard. A more accurate title would be "Plans for Seven Backyard Structures". If you want ANYTHING other than these exact seven plans you'll need to look elsewhere.

The deception starts right at the beginning. The chapters are:
1. Building Materials
2. Planning Your Project
3. Foundations
4. Framing
5. Roofing
6. Siding
7. Doors and Windows
8. Utility Shed
9. Pole Barn
10. Woodshed
11. Garbage House
12. Pool or Patio Shed
13. Gazebo
14. Children's Playhouse/Outdoor Toy Storage Shed
and you'd reasonably expect that the first seven chapters would provide a useful framework for creating your own small backyard project. You would be wrong, however.

In Chapter 3 the book illustrates five types of foundations. Unfortunately, the text then only discusses how to work with two of them; if you've got a wooden post or concrete slab project in mind, for instance, you're out of luck.

Chapter 4 is even more disappointing. Rather than tell you what you need to know to frame a shed wall, it merely states that "Local codes and the structure's design will dictate the stud spacing". The chapter goes through the steps of framing in numbered order, but again doesn't tell you enough to know what you're doing. Another quote: "Step 12: Add the Bracing. Walls with plywood sheathing or siding generally do not require additional bracing." There's no further explanation about when this "generally" applies, or why. Moving on to roof framing, the authors once again fall back to "Local building codes and the structure's design are going to dictate the size and spacing of the rafters" -- again, without telling you enough to create or even modify an existing design. Finally, they tell you how to create only bird's-mouth rafters, but then later in the book the plans for two smaller projects use straight rafters and mitered studs, instead.

Chapter 5 talks about five types of roofing materials, but then only discusses how to use two of them -- neither of which are suitable for shallow-pitched roofs -- but then the book doesn't tell you about THAT pitfall, either.

Moving into the specific projects doesn't provide much greater clarity. Each project has a "Materials List", but in the Quantity column the information is often labeled "as required", meaning multiple trips to the building supply store for you. And don't forget that in addition to the "Materials List", there's also "Miscellaneous Materials"; you need all the materials on both lists, plus the materials they've forgotten to put on EITHER list. Completely missing is any list of tools required; you'll have to read the complete chapter for that.

I won't go into all the projects. I'll just mention a few problems, and hope that provides enough insight into this book's suitability for your purposes. Do note, though, that NONE of the seven projects tell you how or why the structure's design will dictate foundation choice, stud spacing, rafter configuration, or roofing material selection. They just present each plan as if all these questions had already been answered.

In the Pole Barn project the illustration shows a door made with 2x4 battens without diagonal bracing, and the text then says "Refer to Chapter 7 for information on making and hanging a board-and-batten door." But Chapter 7 only shows how to make a door with 1x4 battens with diagonal bracing, and only how to install a pre-hung door.

In the Garbage House project, you'll need a router and four different router bits. No other part of the book mentions a router, how to use it, or why it might be required for a backyard structure. This project also requires you to assemble lattice from scratch, conveniently failing to mention that you can buy the stuff, pre-made, at any home center.

Finally, the Pool Shed project includes a tile top, and just has three paragraphs that literally say "install the tile" and very little else. There's no information about what tools are required other than a tile cutter. Nor do the components (tiles, cement backer board, thinset mortar) show up on either the "Materials List" or "Miscellaneous Materials" for this project. (The cement backer board and thinset mortar are my additions; the text doesn't mention them at all.)

Color me VERY disappointed.

Very informative!.......1999-01-19

This is the best book of this type I have seen. Separate chapters cover all the basics, such as foundations, roofing, siding, doors & windows, etc. Good hand-drawn plans and drawings and lots of pictures make it easy to visualize how to proceed. The book includes step-by-step plans on how to build 7 different structures, but it's the background "how-to" stuff that I found really helpful.

Gazebos And Other Garden Structure Designs

Average customer rating:

Gazebos and Other Garden Structures by Janet Strombeck
Book needs to be updated
Great ideas, ordered plans but post office said undeliverabl

Gazebos And Other Garden Structure Designs
Janet Strombeck , and Richard Strombeck
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Outdoor & Recreational Areas | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

House Plans | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Gazebos & Other Outdoor Structures
Start-to-Finish Sheds & Gazebos (Ortho Books)
Yard and Garden Structures: 74 Easy-To-Build Designs for Gazebos, Sheds, Pool Houses, Playsets, Bridges and More
Sheds & Gazebos (Better Homes & Gardens)
Trellises, Arbors & Pergolas: Ideas and Plans for Garden Structures (Better Homes & Gardens)

ASIN: 091235500X

Book Description

“Dozens of ideas for enhancing your home or yard. The classically and Victorian-styled outdoor structures shown are suitable as old-fashioned summer houses, garden tool sheds, hot tub enclosures, cabanas, focus points, picnic spots, and more...a great variety of shapes, sizes and styles.”—Victorian Homes. “A how-to book...with measurements, blueprints, complete ordering information.”—American Reference.

Customer Reviews:

Gazebos and Other Garden Structures by Janet Strombeck.......2001-08-07

Just beautiful. I almost didn't buy this book because of a review that had stated that the plans weren't available any more, however they are! I had no trouble at all if fact I called a 1 800 and wrote to thank them for their quick delivery. The plans are very detailed, easy to follow and weren't very expensive like I thought they would be. If you love details and beautiful garden structures buy this Book and you won't be disappointed! Beautiful!

Book needs to be updated.......2000-02-13

I reviewed this book recently, and found two things bothersome. First of all, the drawings are of structures with outdated decor and "gingerbread" design. Second and possibly related, this book has not been updated since 1983. If it is also true that the publishing company or author is not responding to "plan requests" as stated by the last poster, it would seem best to move on to a current publication.

Great ideas, ordered plans but post office said undeliverabl.......1997-05-12

The inside back cover gives the address to order plans as Sun Designs, PO Box 206, Delafield, WI 53018. My envelope was stamped Retruned to Sender, Undeliverable as Address Forwarding order Expired. How one to get the plans listed in the Book? Good Book, but what good is it when you can not get their plans? Terry A. Robb

Gazebos and Other Garden Structure Designs: Ninety-Three New Ideas for Leisure Time Enjoyment

Average customer rating:

Gazebos and Other Garden Structure Designs: Ninety-Three New Ideas for Leisure Time Enjoyment
Janet A.; Strombeck, Richard H. Strombeck
Manufacturer: Sterling Pub Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HQ35OU

Gazebos and Other Garden Structure Designs, 55 Gazebos, 13 Strombrellas, 7 Arbors, 18 Birdfeeders & Houses

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Gazebos and Other Garden Structure Designs, 55 Gazebos, 13 Strombrellas, 7 Arbors, 18 Birdfeeders & Houses
Various
Manufacturer: Sun Designs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NDMFH0

Book Description

This is an autobiographical account of high- functioning autism, by someone who was quite late in discovering that about himself. The author spent the better part of his life looking for the right size round hole for himself. Since that discovery, he has been digging his own square hole.

Customer Reviews:

An important representation of a particular subgroup.......2006-05-11

Edgar's book is written in small digestible chunks although this is more a book of essays than a flowing narrative. His essays, from a social philosophical stance are interesting, often punctuated with a wry if not cynical wit and his intelligence is clearly quite piercing. I most certainly agree with his comparison of people on the spectrum to cats and, myself, write of 'cat people' in our majority 'dog-person' world and its 'dog-person' social structures.

I'd have preferred, however, to read this as Edgar writing about his own perceptions and experiences without his presumption that his experiences and perceptions define all people's autism (referring to 'all autistics').

The autism field is an evolving field and authors on the spectrum don't need to all be psychologists (it'd be boring and one color if we all were) but do need to have extensive and broad experience of people across the entire spectrum when making generalisations. When they make these presumptions it can detract from the very interesting and valid points they have to make about their own system of functioning and perhaps the applicability this has to those in their particular but significant subgroup.

Having worked with around 600 people on the spectrum over 8 years in the capacity of a qualified teacher diagnosed with autism working as a consultant, I found that Edgar's experiences and perceptions held well for a percentage of those people but not any majority. In this respect his book will certainly inform anyone looking to understand children who fit the 'Mr Spock' mold in which they rely primarily on intellect not sensing and navigate their social world without emotion.

However, even given that stereotype, it can be misapplied to a range of people who actually don't fit it. For example, those with face blindness may consistent react in an emotionally flat manner because even familiar people appear as strangers. Those with severe Scotopic Sensitivity can have such fragmented visual perception they are unable to cohesively process facial expression or body language and so may also fail to respond emotionally yet this is no actual reflection on their capacity to feel emotionally for others. Those with Central Auditory Processing Disorder may fail to get enough consistent meaning from speech to be moved by what others say or only have good enough receptive processing to grasp language on a purely literal level and again this does not equate with being socially emotionless. Those who lack a multi-track capacity to simultaneously process a sense of self and a sense of other may also struggle severely to adapt empathically to the actions and utterances of others and again this is no reflection on their capacity to feel emotions on a social level even though, in the moment, these may fail consistently to be expressed. And there are certain dyspraxias that can limit some people's capacity to connect emotion to their own facial expression or body language and these people, if non-verbal and unable to type are constantly wrongly assumed to be socially emotionless. Those with acute OCD or Tourette's tics may be so harried by their impulse control disorders they have little time to do social-emotional processing and their compulsive disorders can easily be mistaken for lack of empathy. The same can be said of those with depression unable to care about their impact on others any more than they are able to care about themselves or those with bipolar who in manic states lack such a degree of impulse control they may be seen as unempathic. None of these is the same as social emotionlessness and all can and do occur in significant percentages of people on the autistic spectrum with these things labelled part of their 'autism'.

So we have to very very careful when assuming all of these people fit the social emotionlessness of the 'Mr Spock' mold. Just because someone diagnosed with HFA or Asperger's assumes these people are all 'like them' doesn't mean that they, like any onlooker, isn't failing to go beyond the surface behaviors and surface appearances and dare to find that there's a far greater diversity in there than they imagined.

In my experience, however, the Mr Spock stereotype may be more representative of those at the Asperger's and HFA end of the spectrum as many other people with autism are reactionary and physical more than logical, relying on the mapping of pattern, theme and feel and and struggle to hold complex mental ideas and juggle them in their heads yet can be of equal (but usually unrecognised) intelligence to those who fit the Mr Spock mould Edgar (and Temple Grandin) represent well.

Many of the artworks, eloquent poetry and writings of non-verbal people with autism (who have proven the independence of their typing) express a reality far different to this, often one of not of the purely intellectual connection Edgar writes of, but deep emotional connection to others that has, until typing, been unable to be expressed so Edgar's work has to be understood in that context. Given a significant number of people with autism are now being found to have co-morbid bipolar as part of their autism, it is equally hard to imagine Edgar's model strongly applies to these people.

When Edgar casts those with the solitary personality trait (the extreme of which is Schizoid Personality Disorder, which is associated with Social Phobia and fear of emotion and intimacy)out of the autistic circle as he sees it, he also overlooks the fact that this is a natural personality trait that may well be more common in people on the spectrum than he envisions or is comfortable with. Just because he doesn't fit that group, doesn't instantly mean those in that group are not as 'purely autistic' as him. Under extreme chronic stress, as is such with severe processing disorders, it isn't surprising a percentage of people with autism who do have the solitary or avoidant personality traits actually will be socially phobic, have acute social anxiety disorders and fit the Schizoid or Avoidant Personality Disorder criteria and yet be just as autistic as those, like Edgar and Temple Grandin (as he liberally quotes her as being 'like him'), who do not.

I'd have like him to compare this 'social emotionlessness' by which he defines autism with this same widely studied deficit in psychopaths. Whilst a given percentage of brain scans (and certainly not a majority) of those with autism have been found to show damage or atrophy in the areas associated with processing emotion, the majority of psychopaths who underwent the same types of brain scans showed this too. This is not in any way to say people on the autistic spectrum are psychopaths, but this social emotionlessness does add up to one having a choice to intellectually choose to care, or not and the motivation to choose one way or the other may have much to do with which personality traits someone inherits.

Someone with the social emotionlessness Edgar writes of could inherit traits that drive extreme morality (and Edgar clearly highly values his strongly developed and unquestionable morality) in which case they will likely never behave like psychopaths. But others may inherit the self-confident/narcissistic and adventurous/antisocial traits in which case they may well be at far greater risk of psychopathy even if they are on the autistic spectrum. The cases of mass murderers Martin Bryant and Thomas Hamilton come to mind, both of whom have been considered to be 'on the spectrum'. This is not to say someone like Edgar could EVER be 'like that' but this may come down to which collection of personality traits differed as the social emotionlessness seems unavoidably comparable. Similar could be said of the work of Jeanette Purkis (Aspie author of Finding A Different Kind of Normal) who faced this same issue of social emotionlessness without Edgar's natural morality. After years of imprisonment, she came to an awareness of making a choice based on logically not wanting to be on the receiving end of her own types of behaviors.

Psychopathy is not unheard of in individuals on the spectrum, as the work of Dennis Debault informs us. This is where the purist stance of 'all people with autism are X, Y, or Z' falls down because whilst the autisms of all people on the spectrum are
like 'fruit salads', the ingredients of those fruit salads can be simple or complex and can differ so dramatically under the label. A significant percentage of people on the spectrum will NOT have Edgar's social emotionlessness.

Nevertheless, what Edgar writes is quite representative of a significant number of adult men on the autistic spectrum who may go on to live independently and marry. In this regard I would certainly recommend this book to those in this group and their partners as an excellent resource in understanding expectations and the limitations of counseling based on non-autistic assumptions of the person with autism needing to 'work on their emotions'.

... Donna Williams
autistic author of 9 books in the field of autism.

Quest For Treasure - A Real Find!.......2006-01-19

This is one of the best autobiographies in re the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum I have ever read. Schneider, who is plainly a gifted man shatters the myth that people with autism are unable to think abstractly. A scholar in the humanities and in his own condition, Schneider draws upon a myriad of resources to support his findings. His background in mathematics and extensive knowledge and research of matters scientific is on a scholarly plane.

Still, Schneider is very inclusive in his writings. He compliments his readers' intelligence by sharing his knowledge; at no time does he deviate from plain speech.

Schneider discusses the paradoxical aspects of autism. One tired myth is that people with autism lack emotion. That is just not true. Autism is a sensori-neurobiological condition that affects sensory processing and communication to varying degrees. It is a chiefly sensory condition and for many people on the spectrum, emotions can be frightening and overwhelming. Many people compensate by displaying a "poker face" rather than give rise to the intensity of their own emotions and responses to stimuli. That is very common among the a/A population.

Show me a person on the a/A spectrum who doesn't hate surprises and having to cope with having things sprung on them and I'll show you a bulldog that flies. For many people with autism, surprises can be very threatening and not knowing what the desired response to same is can make for some tricky social navigation.

However, not all autistics have a limited display of emotion, just as not all autistics think in pictures. Broad generalizations can be very misleading, but I don't get the sense of that with this book.

Autism IS a continuum - its spectrum partner, Asperger's Syndrome is also considered by some to be a form of high functioning autism (HFA). Whether or not Asperger's is HFA, the fact remains that Asperger's IS a form of autism and for any individual on the a/A spectrum, there will be overlapping behaviors and sensory reactions.

Schneider probes into the neurotypical (NT) world with brilliance and logic. He is also very funny and many of his trenchant observations are quite witty. While some may find his risque humor offensive, it can be interpreted as being all in fun and not meant to be taken seriously.

This is a book for everyone, especially people on the a/A spectrum. Many people with Asperger's, will feel a bond with Schneider. He is the voice of reason and explanation; he is the professor with the a/A curriculum. This book is moving; funny; serious; intense; gritty; strong and brilliant. Parts of it might even make you cry. Many parts are uproariously funny. It is a book that will be loved, treasured and savored. Readers will find themselves thinking about this book and author long after they have turned the last page.

Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE.......2002-12-22

I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a parent and a adult married to a AS spouse.

Edgar makes me think and pause and yet think again. He is articulate with superior communication skills. His analogy to having AS or being married to someone that is blind is food for thought for all of us living in a non spectrum world. He has a quick wit and cuts to the chase. If you want to know, "HOW" AS can affect someone that has it or is involved in a in a mixed marriage, relationship or friendship without knowing it, this books is a "must" read.

Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE.......2002-12-22

I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a parent and a adult married to a AS spouse.

Linda Newland/parent and spouse of a ASPIE.......2002-12-22

I am a mother of a 15 year old ASPIE married to a AS spouse. This is probably one of the 'best" books I have read coming from a adult married to a AS spouse.

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