Energy Efficiency Manual: for everyone who uses energy, pays for utilities, designs and builds, is interested in energy conservation and the environment (Energy Efficiency Manual)

Book Description

This is the primary reference, how-to guide, and sourcebook for energy conservation. It lets you improve efficiency and save money in all types of buildings and plants, ranging from individual houses to commercial buildings to large institutions and industrial plants. It is organized around 400 logically grouped energy conservation actions, presented in language that everyone understands.

It's for everyone who uses energy, pays for utilities, manages property, operates energy systems, designs, builds, and values conservation and the environment. It's loaded with features that help you quickly find the right information for each application. "Ratings" and "Selection Scorecards" identify your best conservation opportunities. "Traps & Tricks" ensure success. "Economics" estimate savings and costs. It has been acclaimed by professional and non-technical users. Publishers Weekly says it "answers just about any question [from] homeowner, plant manager, energy policy guru ... as practically useful as it is informative." 830 photographs and drawings illustrate the methods. Hundreds of examples give you a feel for real applications. A complete index makes it easy to find every topic and term.

Customer Reviews:

Useful and interesting - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.......2005-02-08

Despite the intimidating name and size of this tome, I found it fascinating to read. It covers everything from light bulb selection to rooftop chiller maintenance. The depth and breath of coverage is amazing.

This is not a hippie guide to backwoods eco-conservation. It is a practical manual, firmly grounded in science and economics that explains different strategies for maximizing comfort while minimizing energy use. In every case, the author examines both the pros and cons of the measure, and calculates the expected payback term. It is so helpful to have a book that is realistic in its treatment of energy conservation. Lots of books outline promising energy saving techniques, none I've read before talk so frankly about the problems you will encounter when you implement them.

Quite technical in many places, the text excels at explaining important concepts that are often ignored in other texts. I have a background in physics, but not until reading this book did I have a good grasp of the operation of absorption coolers or how the spectrum of a light bulb affects the visual comfort of the scene it illuminates. The concise overview of heat transfer mechanisms is more thorough than any thermodynamics textbook I've ever read.

Most important of all is the practical advice that is clearly based on a huge body of real experience. As the book so frequently points out, energy saving measures are useless if they break or are defeated by building occupants. Hundreds of (non-obvious) examples of these failures are given, with pictures.

This book would be great for anyone with responsibility for designing or maintaining buildings of any size. If you are hesitant to pay the high price, find it at a local library. I don't write many Amazon reviews, but after reading this book I felt compelled to strongly recommend it.

Superlative! A must have!.......2003-12-08

Superlative! The ENERGY EFFICIENCY MANUAL by Donald Wulfinghoff is a "must have" for professionals, libraries, facility managers, policy makers, homeowners, and anyone else who is serious about saving energy and cashing in on lower energy bills. It is the ultimate energy saving resource for businesses, industry, and government. PLUS, it will save money and reduce pollution, satisfying corporate bottom lines, policy makers, and environmentalists all at the same time. This book is unique. Highly informative, illustration-rich, and user-friendly, it is treasure trove of everything you need to know about energy efficiency from A to Z. Don't bother looking elsewhere -- the ENERGY EFFICIENCY MANUAL simply has it all. This book will pay for itself almost as fast as you can spot a hot air leak or install an energy-efficient light bulb!

-- Amy Vickers

A secret weapon for the energy auditor.......2003-07-01

As an energy auditor I'd almost call the Energy Efficiency Manual a secret weapon, except it has so many good ideas that I can't help but show it to many of the customers and prospective customers I meet. The diagrams are very useful, as is the self contained but well cross-referenced way in which each improvement measure has been written. For example, talking to the maintenance manager of a hospital, we looked at the diagrams of hot/cold deck multi-zone systems while discussing the pros and cons of upgrading a constant volume air conditioning system to a variable volume system. It is by far the most useful book on energy management that I have ever read (well, in the case of the Energy Efficiency Manual, that I have partially read - its an enormously large book!), and the ratings of each of the measures are particularly useful, along with the practical, no-nonsense approach. The book is extremely well cross referenced and Wulfinghoff has covered an enormous body of knowledge in writing the book. As someone fairly new to the field I'm grateful that he went to the effort of documenting and making available his knowledge and 30 odd years experience in the Energy Efficiency Manual.

Everything you always wanted to know, in plain English.......2001-04-25

I nodded my head in agreement while reading Wulfinghoff's philosophy about energy savings in commercial and light industrial facilities. He distills 20+ years of experience in this field with practical, no-nonsense how-tos to gain energy and dollar savings in a wide variety of facilities and end-uses: lighting, water use, steam systems, space heating, water heating, air conditioning, scheduling, pumps, energy management controls: its all here in a well-written, well-illustrated book.

Perhaps best of all, the author goes beyond theoretical considerations of high-tech efficiency products, with precautions of what works and what might fall short. He also reminds facility managers to be mindful of the human factors that can foil our best efforts. He offers suggestions on how to plan and manage efficiency upgrades complete with information for building operators and occupants, so that the savings persist.

Highly recommended for anyone managing energy use in facilities, ranging from individual buildings to college campuses to government facilities. [I am a local government energy manager myself.]

Provides practical advice for avoiding pitfalls.......2001-02-04

Donald Wulfinghoff's Energy Efficiency Manual is a massive, 1,536-page reference work that is organized to guide the reader quickly to the right information for their particular energy project, problem, or inquiry. The first part of this "user friend" manual has 400 logically grouped activities for improving energy efficiency. each activity begins with Ratings and a Selection Scorecard to help the reader judge the merits and difficulties of that particular activity. "Economics" sidebars estimates the savings, cost, and payback period. The "Traps & Tricks" sidebars provides practical advice for avoiding pitfalls plaguing energy conservation efforts. Energy Efficiency Manual will earn back its cover price over and over again and is an essential, core reference for personal, professional, and community library energy conservation and energy efficiency reference book collections.

Students' Guide to Colleges: The Definitive Guide to America's Top 100 SchoolsWritten by the Real Experts--the Students Who Attend Them

Average customer rating:

This is a great book
Great secondary source of information
Mixed!
Very helpful review for parents
Very helpful! The best!

Students' Guide to Colleges: The Definitive Guide to America's Top 100 SchoolsWritten by the Real Experts--the Students Who Attend Them
Jordan Goldman , and Colleen Buyers
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

College Guides | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

Research | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

Directories | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Accessories:

ASIN: 0143035584
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Book Description

College guides are a must for any teenager trying to choose the right school. Unfortunately, most guidebooks are vague, boring tomes written by administrators and journalists, instead of the real expertsÂ-the college students that actually go there. StudentsÂ' Guide to Colleges is different. Entirely student-written and edited, this invaluable resource cuts through the cant with comprehensive listings of the vital statistics and requirements for AmericaÂ's top 100 schools accompanied by three totally honest, fresh, fun-to-read descriptions penned by attending undergrads from different walks of life. Want to know how big classes really are? How rigorous the academics get? Or how greek or granola, chill or up-tight, homogenous or diverse, gay or straight, a campus really is? Lively, irreverent, and insightful, the StudentsÂ' Guide to Colleges is the only guidebook that offers multiple perspectives on each school and tells it like it is so that college applicants can make the best choice when deciding where they want to spend their college years.

Customer Reviews:

This is a great book.......2007-10-16

This book is so amazing (and I can justifiably say that because I am a prospective college student). This book includes 100 schools, and each school has 3 students that filled out a questionare about their college. This book is so great because it offers 3 different points of view, and not from people who are just telling you canned stuff about the college like admissions officers. It even has a question that asks what an admissions counselor might not mention on a tour. As a prospective college student, this gave me such a great view on the colleges I am looking at. The 3 reviews allows you to distinguish between those students that are exaggerating and those who are censoring. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the top schools- not just Ivy League (because believe me, I am not Ivy material and this book was still amazing) but any colleges. I read so much of this book, and I was able to throw out certain colleges and add other colleges to my list that had not been on my radar. Since I read all those reviews, I have a much better understanding of college life in general, and each college's student's life specifically.
I could rant and rave about this book forever, but I recommend you see for yourself. Look and make sure you are interested in at least one of the schools in the book, and, heck, you might be surprised to find a school you never would have thought of before--I know I did.

Great secondary source of information.......2007-08-16

If you are going to get more than one college guide, I highly recommend this volume. For each of the top 100 colleges, it contains three long essays by students who attend. You should get a great feel for what its like to attend these colleges. One of the coauthors, by the way, was a prospective student being tracked in "The Gatekeepers"--an insightful book abut the whole college admissions process.

Mixed!.......2007-03-13

My biggest problem is that most of the students were from the same state that the school is located it. Therefore, not very helpful for people out of state which we are. There was one section that was helpful--things that the administration probably wouldn't want you to know but overall disappointed.

Very helpful review for parents.......2007-02-07

I found a lot of information in this book, which is not found in some of the other college review books. Even though it is not realistic to get a complete picture about a college/university based on the opinion of 2-3 students, it is very informative to hear the students perspective. For some institutions the reviews were very uniform among the 3 students, and for some were completely contradictory.....but still quite useful!

Very helpful! The best!.......2007-01-29

This book is very helpful for getting the feel of a college, especially when said college is too far away for a visit. Each college is reviewed extensively by 3 different current students, who answer open-ended questions such as "What is the college's reputation? Is this accurate?" and "what would a prospective student not see on the college tour?" Reading the book feels much like chatting with the students in person. The size is more manageable than most guides (about 8 inches square by 1 inch deep) which means that one can carry it around in a bag and read it anywhere. I only wish that this book included more than 100 colleges; a few of the less-prestigious colleges I'm really interested in aren't included. All in all, just about the best college guide I've seen.

How to Deal With Parents Who Are Angry, Troubled, Afraid, or Just Plain Crazy Second Edition

Average customer rating:

Parents should be insulted
Great resource for principals and teachers
Good information, some new some old, ridiculous price for the book
Wonderful Resource!
A great resource for new and future teachers

How to Deal With Parents Who Are Angry, Troubled, Afraid, or Just Plain Crazy Second Edition
Elaine K. McEwan
Manufacturer: Corwin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Parent Participation | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 1412904447

Book Description

Updated Edition of Bestseller!

How do you deal with high-maintenance parents who never seem happy with the job you are doing?

Emotionally charged, often disgruntled, and occasionally abusive parents--sound familiar? The newly revised, second edition of Elaine McEwanâ€™s bestselling classic will help you manage your most difficult audience, adding several new features and examples that will give you the confidence and skills you need to handle such situations, including:

Over two dozen strategies-enhanced and updated-to defuse emotionally charged parents
An updated, easy-to-administer Healthy School Checklist to determine if your schoolâ€™s culture encourages parents or pushes them over the edge
Fifty Ways to build parental support for your school
Ten Goals-at-a-Glance to help keep your school-community relations on target
A built-in facilitator guide--ideal for book groups and staff development, including energizers, suggestions for role-playing, think-alouds, and questions for reflection and discussion

Every educator will find invaluable strategies for handling angry and unresponsive parents and the critical issues that cause misunderstandings. Following McEwanâ€™s seven steps of effective problem-solving will help with quick solutions while creating a nurturing, healthy school environment. And in todayâ€™s schools and a NCLB environment, developing a supportive parent-community relationship is essential to everyoneâ€™s success.

Customer Reviews:

Parents should be insulted.......2007-08-03

I find the term "helicopter parent" insulting. As a doctor, and the father of a son with dyslexia and LD, I am sure that I have been called a "helicopter parent" in teachers' lounges and administration offices, but for all the teachers out there, try to imagine what YOU would do if your child was falling more and more behind and the school seemed unable or unwilling to address their needs.

What would you do if your child had dyslexia, couldn't spell, and then was told the solution was to make him or her "spelling exempt" rather than place your child in an Orton-Gillingham based instructional curriculum that would help them. What would you do if you were told year after year "oh, just give it time, they will grow out of it."

If this happened to you, YOU would become the "helicopter parent" or the "crazy parent" which just means that you were a fierce advocate for your child and wouldn't take no for an answer. If I wrote a book about "helicopter patients" I ought to be drummed out of the medical profession.

Oh, and by the way, in my school district in Sackets Harbor, NY, they spend $14,217 per pupil and 45% of 8th graders FAIL to show basic proficiency on the NY State ELA exams. If more parents knew that, there would be "helicopter parents" landing on our superintendents front yard.

David Smith, MD
Sackets Harbor, NY
Founder, READ (Reading Experts and Advocates for Dyslexia)
Member, United New Yorkers for Choice in Education
"A Union of Parents"

Great resource for principals and teachers.......2007-05-28

I enjoyed the book thoroughly. The author has a great sense of humor, which makes the book an easy read. I liked how the author pointed out the frustrations parents have with schools and teachers, as well as pointed out the different types of parents teachers and principals have to communicate with. There are tips on how to deal with angry, troubled, afraid, or just plain crazy parents, as well as tips on how to make your school more open to parents. Communication is the key in this book, and the more communication parents have about what is going on, on campus, the better the culture at the school will be. I also liked the back of the book that has a section for staff development. I think the reason many teachers avoid talking to parents is because they don't always know the right way to approach parents. The reason I could not give the book a perfect "5" is because I would of preferred a chapter specifically on examples of the "situations" and the different things that could be said in these situations. Listing the ways to handle a parent is great, but I also need several examples to help me practice.

Good information, some new some old, ridiculous price for the book.......2007-05-05

The book haas some great advice and insight as do other books I have read on the subject. When I received the book I was a bit shocked as the price tag being $61.95 and the book itself is abut 7 inches in length and five inches wide with 169 pages total. I read this book during my lunch. While the author included some nice tools to measure your school's climate or
overall health, I felt the book was seriously over priced. I can't get past the dollars I paid for this book. I would loan it out but not recommend anyone purchasing the books for such a price.

Wonderful Resource!.......2004-02-22

This book is fantastic! It breaks the issues down as to why parents are angry, troubled, afraid or just plain crazy, what staff does to cause it, and solutions for each. I would highly recommend this book to all school staff that work with parents on a regular basis!

A great resource for new and future teachers.......2002-11-13

This book contains so many helpful ideas that it ought to be required reading in teacher education courses. One of the biggest problems new teachers have is learning how to deal with parents of all stripes. New teachers ought to have a book like this at home or at school for ready reference.

In my own courses for teachers, I cover information that McEwan describes so effectively in her book. She's been there, done that, and new teachers can benefit from her experiences. It is well written, practical, and to the point with many wonderful examples. A worthwhile investment by any account.

Share The Care: How to Organize a Group to Care for Someone Who Is Seriously Ill, (Revised and Updated)

Average customer rating:

If someone you love is seriously ill
What a help when the chips are down!
Share the Care
an absolute must have
This book will get you on the right path!

Share The Care: How to Organize a Group to Care for Someone Who Is Seriously Ill, (Revised and Updated)
Cappy Capossela , Sheila Warnock , and Sukie Miller
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Caregiving | Physician & Patient | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Home Care | Physician & Patient | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0743262689

Book Description

You Don't Have to Do It Alone
Whether you're prepared for it or not, chances are you'll take on the role of caregiver when a family member or friend is affected by a serious illness or injury, or when you find your elderly parent needs help. As you'll soon discover, the range of tasks and responsibilities involved are overwhelming. Share The Care offers a sensible and loving solution: a unique group approach that can turn a circle of ordinary people into a powerful caregiving team. Share The Care shows you how to:

Create a caregiver "family" from friends, real family members, neighbors, coworkers, and acquaintances.
Hold a meeting to organize your group, and introduce members to the Share The Care systems that guarantee every job will be done and no one person will have to do too much.

Discover the hidden talents within the group, make the most of their resources, cope with group issues, and stay together in the face of adversity.

Included here are valuable guidelines, compassionate suggestions, and a simple-to-use workbook section that together offer support to free the patient from worry and the caregivers from burnout. Share The Care offers friends and family the best answer ever to the frequently asked question "What can I do?"

Customer Reviews:

If someone you love is seriously ill.......2007-01-12

This book is an excellent guide for establishing a support system for someone who is unable to meet their own daily living needs - for a short or long period of time, temporarily or until their death. Addressing both the emotional and logistical aspects of caring for someone, it provides a step-by-step path that can easily be modified to meet your specific needs. And all of the forms you'd ever need to stay organized and communicate with the rest of the team. My good friend has terminal cancer, and we are using it to coordinate local and long distance support for her and her husband. It really means that no one has to do it alone and that everyone who participates does so in a way that works for them and sustains the group over the long haul. I highly recommend this guide.

What a help when the chips are down!.......2005-10-11

This book and the system it so beautifully outlines is a must for anyone who is dealing with either a degenerating disease, a transplant, a major crisis (even if not one of health).

Share the Care.......2005-07-19

This is an easy to read, step-by-step "how to" book complete with all the necessary forms and online forms and assistance as well. Reading this book will help a group of friends know the best way to care for an ill or injured friend, both long and short-term.

an absolute must have.......2005-01-02

As part of a newly forming group that will be caring for a dear friend with ALS, this book is a godsend. It outlines everything from how to conduct the first meeting to getting all the day to day tasks done without the patient having to continually ask for help and without anyone getting burned out. No one over commits and no one is assigned tasks for which he or she is unsuited.

This book will get you on the right path!.......2003-05-06

This book was truly a blessing to our family. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) a year ago. Her brother found this book and passed it on to us. Using this book as a guide, we created a "Share the Care" group to help meet all of her needs - both physical and emotional. Our group now has over 40 members - some people take regular shifts during the week, others just help in ways that they can, like bringing over dinner once in while.

Often times, friends and family of the ill want to help, but they don't know how - this book helps to organize a group that can "share the care" so that everything doesn't fall on one or two people. It prevents the "burn out" that can occur with care giving.

When you read this book, it's important to remember that it is a guide. Stay flexible enough to use what works and mold a group that will work for your specific situation instead of gettting frustrated if you find that certain aspects of the program are not working for your group.

The bottom line is that this book will get you on the right path to making a difficult time much more manageable. Good luck!

Average customer rating:

Silly and superficial

Hundreds of Tips on Moving That Just Might Work

The best moving-related book I've ever read!

A great gift

Excellent & Hilarious

How to Survive A Move: by Hundreds of Happy People Who Did and Some Things to Avoid, From a Few Who Haven't Unpacked Yet (Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides)
Kazz Regelman
Manufacturer: Hundreds of Heads Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Moving Survival Guide: All You Need to Know to Make Your Move Go Smoothly

Smart Moves: Your Guide Through the Emotional Maze of Relocation

The Essential Moving Planning Kit

Steiner's Complete How-To-Move Handbook

The Moving Book: A Kids' Survival Guide

ASIN: 0974629251

Book Description

If you are one of the forty million Americans who will move this year, you know the task can seem overwhelming. Now, there's help. How to Survive A Move offers hundreds of helpful and entertaining stories on moving from the real “pros”— everyday people who have moved (many of them over a dozen times!) and survived to tell their stories.

Unlike other moving books that give the opinion of one or two experts, How to Survive a Move includes words of wisdom from hundreds of people — both singles and families, nationwide — who have “been there, done that.” Millions of people have survived moving, and so can you!

Customer Reviews:

Silly and superficial.......2007-04-06

Yes, it was fun to read about other people's experiences. But I didn't find this book helpful at all in regards to organization and planning. It's basicially just a lot of tidbits from all sorts of people.

Hundreds of Tips on Moving That Just Might Work.......2006-08-08

Did you know, an estimated 42 million American's move each year? Jamie Allen and Kazz Regelman have done an amazing job of cataloging and categorizing hundreds of ideas from hundreds of people, some who have moved as many as thirty times.

From moving kids to moving cats and gold fish, it's all included in this incredible olio of tips and suggestions topically organized for easy reference.

There are tips like, "Put all boxes into one room so you don't have to run around the house like a madman on the big day." Understated information is provided by the U-Haul Company, "Moving is one of the most stressful times in a person's life."

Horror stories abound. "My bicycle was mangled, my mattress torn, glass shattered, and wood was coming off my table in shreds. I sued the movers, but only received $ 200 from which I had to pay the lawyers' fees."

Pros and cons of using friends to help you move and hiring professionals create some questions to consider and some solutions for you in making the decision easier. Suggestions for moving day, from packing the truck, and saying good bye to friends, to unpacking at the new site and settling into your spanking new home, meet with a divergence of opinions.

Hundred's of people have shared entertaining personal stories and suggestions from their moving experiences. Sometime these experts will share conflicting advice. It will be up to you to choose the method that will work best for you.

The publishers have subtlety provided you with the best tool you will need for your next move. That is a sense of humor so that in the madness of moving day you can enjoy the camaraderie of family and friends and revel in the knowledge that there are hundreds of other movers out there to share your misery.

The best moving-related book I've ever read!.......2005-04-26

This is seriously an EXCELLENT book! I love the concept of soliciting stories/advice from people all across the nation because it practically guarantees you will find something (or, in my case, a LOT of somethings!) within these pages that you can relate to. The stories are funny, insightful and best of all, easy to read. Even if you're not moving, I'd recommend buying this book and reading it for future reference. Of course, if you know someone who is moving, this book would make an excellent gift!

A great gift.......2005-04-09

Three of our good friends are moving this summer. Luckily, two are staying relatively close by but they still have to go through the whole drill - packing, moving houses, new schools, etc. I wanted to give them something but the last thing they needed was more stuff to move. I saw this book and bought three copies. Everyone loved it!
It turns out that everyone moves at some point in their life and everyone hates it (unless of course you're moving out of your parents' house). My friends thought the book was really funny and I think anything that makes people laugh when you're going through a very stressful period is great. They told me they actually got some really good tips from it as well - especially regarding how to make it easier on their kids.

Excellent & Hilarious.......2005-04-06

Picked up this book for a friend who was moving, and ended up reading the whole thing. Not only did we get some good advice for the pending move, but we also had a good laugh at some of the stories inside, including one about the aerodynamics of moving a mattress that is strapped to the roof of your car. A fun book, and a great gift for any friend that's moving.

Culinary Biographies: A Dictionary of the World's Great Historic Chefs, Cookbook Authors and Collectors, Farmers, Gourmets, Home Economists, Nutritionists, Restaurateurs, Philosophers, Physicians, Scientists, Writers, and Others Who Influenced the Way We Eat Today

Average customer rating:

Packed with insights
A Beautiful Book -- Of Food History

Culinary Biographies: A Dictionary of the World's Great Historic Chefs, Cookbook Authors and Collectors, Farmers, Gourmets, Home Economists, Nutritionists, Restaurateurs, Philosophers, Physicians, Scientists, Writers, and Others Who Influenced the Way We Eat Today
Alice Arndt (Editor)
Manufacturer: Yes Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Biographies & Memoirs | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0971832218

Product Description

Illustrated biographical dictionary of historic culinarians, from all places and periods except the immediate present.

Customer Reviews:

Packed with insights.......2006-12-12

Plenty of books cover culinary history and within these usually are scattered references to cooks who have influenced the genre over the decades - but nowhere else will you find a collection devoted entirely to culinary biographies, and nowhere else will the combined scholarship of over eighty culinary scholars achieve this result. Here are all the pro names you'd expect to read about, from Betty Crocker to Fannie Farmer, plus those from other countries lesser known (but no less important) such as Erna Horn or Kenneth Lo. From cookbook authors to farmers, restauranteurs, scientists and food writers, CULINARY BIOGRAPHIES is packed with insights, with each biography including not just a survey of the culinary figure's life, but an overview of contributions and influences, providing a good bit of period history in the process.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A Beautiful Book -- Of Food History.......2006-06-06

If you get a look at it in person, you can easily see why editor Alice Arndt wanted to self-publish. The book is beautiful: cover, paper, illustrations, typesetting. Of course, you'd also get it for the contents.

Culinary Biographies is an encyclopedia of hundreds of people who had a major influence on the history of food. Mostly chefs and cookbook writers, but also some major patrons, nutritionist and doctors.

Why I was thrilled to get the book -- and why I corresponded with Alice before it was published -- is that it contains the most material I've ever seen on the influential people of Asian cuisine. This is information I've been unable to find elsewhere (see some earlier posts on this board).

So, if you are into food history, you need this book. Better, if you have a friend who's into food and history, it would make a great gift.

The Girl Who Walked Home Alone: Bette Davis, A Personal Biography

Average customer rating:

Her life in quotes...
A centerfold of black and white photos completes a wonderful coverage
Been Done Before and Better!!
Listening to Bette Davis in person
A little redundant

The Girl Who Walked Home Alone: Bette Davis, A Personal Biography
Charlotte Chandler
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Actors & Actresses | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0743262085

Book Description

Even a short list of Bette Davis's most famous films -- Of Human Bondage; Jezebel; Dark Victory; The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex; Now, Voyager; All About Eve; What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? -- reveals instantly what a major force she was in Hollywood. Her distinctive voice, her remarkable eyes, her astonishing range and depth of characterization -- all these qualities combined to make Bette Davis one of the finest performers in film history.

Drawing on extensive conversations with Bette Davis during the last decade of her life, Charlotte Chandler gives us a biography in which the great actress speaks for herself. (It was she who suggested that Chandler write this book.) Chandler also spoke with directors, actors, and others who knew and worked with Davis. As a result Davis comes to life in these pages -- a dynamic, forceful presence once again, just as she was on the screen.

Though she owed everything to her mother, Ruthie, Bette Davis remained fascinated all her life by her hard-to-please father, who walked out on his family. She remembered the disappointment -- which never left -- over her father's lack of interest in her, and she believed that her resentment of him was probably a major factor in her four failed marriages: she kept putting her men in a position where they would eventually disappoint her. She spoke happily of her love affairs with Howard Hughes and William Wyler; she recalled her leading men, favorite co-stars, and unloved rivals; and she took great care to refute the persistent Hollywood legend that she was difficult to work with. Alone and ill, she faced her last days with bravery and dignity.

The Girl Who Walked Home Alone is a brilliant portrait of an enduring icon from Hollywood's golden age and an unforgettable biography of the real woman behind the star.

Download Description

"Even a short list of Bette Davis's most famous films -- Of Human Bondage; Jezebel; Dark Victory; The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex; Now, Voyager; All About Eve; What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? -- reveals instantly what a major force she was in Hollywood. Her distinctive voice, her remarkable eyes, her astonishing range and depth of characterization -- all these qualities combined to make Bette Davis one of the finest performers in film history. Drawing on extensive conversations with Bette Davis during the last decade of her life, Charlotte Chandler gives us a biography in which the great actress speaks for herself. (It was she who suggested that Chandler write this book.) Chandler also spoke with directors, actors, and others who knew and worked with Davis. As a result Davis comes to life in these pages -- a dynamic, forceful presence once again, just as she was on the screen. The Girl Who Walked Home Alone is a brilliant portrait of an enduring icon from Hollywood's golden age and an unforgettable biography of the real woman behind the star.

Customer Reviews:

Her life in quotes..........2007-07-17

I ran across this book in the library when I was doing some research on old Hollywood and the title "The Girl Who Walked Home Alone" really struck me. Being as this was the first I've ever read about Bette Davis, I can't really say how true to form or redundant it may be in relation to previous biographies or accounts of her life. What I liked most about this book was the perspective it gave, the fact that it encompassed not just Miss Davis's take on things but those around her as well. She really had a larger-than-life life, which you really can't help but admire her for living through. I found myself with great sympathy and respect for her after reading this book. Many may be turned off by the fact that the entire biography is a mere compiling of quotes with little narrative by the author herself, but I rather liked it that way. No false second-hand impressions here. I've never been a fan of biographers who try to get into the heads of their subjects and recount from their own imagination as if they themselves were the authority in the matter, all knowing and telling. Here, all concerned spoke for themselves (assuming they were accurately quoted) and the interpretation is left to the reader basically. I thought Miss Davis herself came across rather intelligent and forthright in looking into her own life, though of course not entirely unbiased in her own way. But it gave her a very human quality that I found quite endearing. And with age comes insight it seems, as she detailed the events in her life. However, the amount of typos and grammatical errors in the book was distracting. I mean, it wasn't riddled with them but definitely made me think were there no editors around or did they all just snooze on the job? But overall, a pretty engrossing read about a thoroughly interesting person of substance.

A centerfold of black and white photos completes a wonderful coverage.......2007-06-09

The Girl Who Walked Home Alone: Bette Davis, A Personal Biography is a recommended pick for any collection strong in movie star biographies, especially those which aren't overstocked on Bette Davis coverage's already. Film biographer Charlotte Chandler interviewed Davis extensively in the last decade of her life, so this biography includes many of Davis' own words and insights, rather than the usual third-party analysis from those who just have had her films and reference materials to work from. A centerfold of black and white photos completes a wonderful coverage, highly recommended for any library strong in film biography.

Been Done Before and Better!!.......2007-05-08

I agree with the reviewer below who said there is nothing new here. The author breezes through Davis' life with Davis interjecting here and there. Its been done before and a lot better (notably Whitney Stine's book 'Mother Goddam'). The author writes very poorly as well and the book is labyrinthical and very confusing. One doesn't know when Davis is talking, when the author is talking, or when one of the people whom the author interviewed is talking. Skip this one. Davis deserves better.

Listening to Bette Davis in person.......2007-01-05

I casually opened this book, thinking it would be just like every other biography, and didn't put it down until I finished it the next day. It was just as if Bette Davis was talking in person. It gives a real insight into her life, which wasn't as glamorous as we probably all imagined. Very very interesting!!

A little redundant.......2006-12-10

The book was good, yet a little redundant. I found myself having to force my way through to get the book finished in the beginning. Honestly, going back and forth from quote to quote to narration was a little confusing. A lot of time it was not stated who was speaking, so you'd have to backtrack to find out who was the speaker at that moment. But once I got into the book, it got better. If you're interested in Bette Davis, I would definitely recommend the book, but keep in mind that it can get a little boring, at least in my opinion.

Classic Irises And the Men And Women Who Created Them

Average customer rating:

A must have book!
Sheer Beauty

Classic Irises And the Men And Women Who Created Them
Clarence E. Mahan
Manufacturer: Krieger Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1575242818
Release Date: 2006-11-06

Product Description

Irises are one of the world's most popular garden plants. That was not always so. The story of how several men and women transformed relatively unimpressive iris species into the plants with flowers of diverse forms and colors so beloved by today's gardeners has never been told until now. This book, the first ever written on the history of garden irises, represents years of research in French, British and American primary and secondary sources. It challenges taxonomists' designation of Iris germanica as the type species for genus Iris and the generally accepted status of Iris albicans. It is also the first book containing extensive information on the native iris species of Florida and the deplorable state of taxonomy of these species. This scholarly work was written to appeal to the lay reader as well as to the specialist. Many beautiful and original pictures of irises are included along with pictures of some of those whose stories are told.

Customer Reviews:

A must have book!.......2007-01-29

If you have not gotten a copy of C E Mahan's book "Classic Irises and the Men and Women Who Created Them" Do so. Especially those of us who live in California. If you want to know about the movers and shakers of the
California iris world you get to learn about them here. Phil Edinger, Ben Hager, William Mohr, Sydney Mitchell, and Jennett Dean are all there. (I personally met Ben Hager, actually talked him into speaking at a Fresno Iris Society meeting years ago.) What an honor that was.

There are wonderful photos and prints of flowers gone by. Well written and a joy to read. As the Preface states: "The book is a history of garden irises. It tells the stories of the men and women who transformed iris species into the flowers of myriad forms and color that grow in our gardens today." It actually does more than that. It helps us understand
how this little flower has been kept in gardens all around the world for centuries. It shows the passions of the men and women who loved them and their hard work of ensuring that generations to come would be able to love them as well.

The last chapter, which is dear to the author's heart, is about the "Ghost Irises" of Florida. In this particular case, time is fleeting for these irises, and the knowledge to be gained shall be lost forever.
What am I talking about? Obtain a copy for yourself and see!

"Classic Irises and the Men and Women Who Created Them" is well written by a very knowledgeable gentleman. "Clarence E. Mahan is an internationally recognized authority on Irises" He was president of the AIS Society and still very active in giving programs and lectures. There is no doubt in my mind that this book shall be around for a long time. Thank you CE Mahan for taking the time to save this information and share it with those of us who love Irises.

Sheer Beauty.......2007-01-27

When I slid this book from its packaging, I gasped at its external beauty. One cannot, they say, judge a book by its cover. But it is also said that there is an exception to every rule. Believe me, this is a book that you can judge by its cover. It is, literally, a work of art from beginning to end -- simply magnificent. If you are a lover of irises, I guarantee that the beauty of the illustrations will tear at your heart -- the paintings of Ethel Anson S. Peckham, the outstanding color photographs by Mike Lowe, as well as a variety of artistic renderings selected by the author from his own collection and from other sources. I forgot supper as I scanned the pages and, serendipitously, read passages here and there, but I soon saw that this was a book whose delights, like rich food, should be savored slowly and over time. It is a series of cleverly titled stories intertwining the development of great garden irises with the lives of their developers, all told in the author's uncomplicated but richly informative style. Whether relating the fortunes of French nurserymen during the Terror or a future irisarian's experiences as a boy on the American prairie, Clarence Mahan's narrative is never dull. Quite the contrary; in the remarkable depth and extent of its scholarship, it often reads like a detective story, its findings occasionally spiced by the sly humor for which the author is known among his associates in the iris world. Nor is this a book only for iris lovers. Since the early hybridizers of irises were often collectors, cultivators and purveyors of a wide variety of flowers, the reader is also treated to equally interesting sidelights on the development of roses, peonies, chrysanthemums and other garden favorites. But it is, above all, a tribute to the men and women whose lives resulted in the irises that grace our gardens today.

In the preface, Mr. Mahan says of the persons of whom he writes, " . . . they were not just gardeners. They were also artists. They created beauty by breeding irises." This is a book worthy of its subjects and their work, by an author who is of the same breed.

How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts Who Do It Every Day

Average customer rating:

I may be a novice, but...
How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts Who Do It Every Day
How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts who Do it Every Day
Makes the process easy for anyone to understand.
Read this Book Before You Buy Property

How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts Who Do It Every Day
Susan Smith Alvis
Manufacturer: Atlantic Publishing Company (FL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Buying & Selling Homes | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Investments | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0910627673

Customer Reviews:

I may be a novice, but... .......2007-03-21

Unlike the previous reviewer, I gleened a lot of useful info from this book. Susan Smith Alvis nails down the ins and outs of purchasing real estate for first time (or second, or fifth time) home buyers. With detailed instructions on how to get your finances together, what you can afford, and how to look for loans, she makes the complicated world of the real estate transaction seem simple.

The book is sectioned into subjects such as "Looking At Your Finances", "Creative Financing" and "Foreclosures", explaining each step in the process of home ownership. Interspersed with real life examples from realtors, the chapters build on each other, culminating in the sale of the home and its aftermath. Ms. Alvis even gives a list of things to do after purchase, such as changing the locks, keeping a home journal, and advertising rental property.

This is a must read for anyone buying their first home, or anyone who is purchasing property for financial gain (such as rental homes).

How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts Who Do It Every Day .......2007-01-03

Thank you Susan. I feel that I should say that to you after reading your book "How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts Who Do It Every Day". This book is a great asset to someone who is going to be purchasing property. I have bought 2 houses and found the entire process to be mind boggling trying to understand everything. Thanks to Susan's book I feel I am now prepared to continue purchasing more property, but I am going to do it feeling a whole lot more at ease.

How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts who Do it Every Day .......2006-12-28

How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market: Insider Secrets from the Experts who Do it Every Day by Susan Smith Alvis is a practical guide to buying homes or other real estate with no money down. The book is perfect for first-time homebuyers as well as seasoned real estate investors seeking to perfect their investment skills. A 75 page glossary is included which provides essential help with the argon used throughout the text. With an easy-to-follow format, and crisp, concise writing, the book receives a 4 out of 5 stars.

Makes the process easy for anyone to understand........2006-12-12

It is said that real estate is the biggest and most profitable business in the world, but I didn't think I could ever afford to buy any more property until I read "How to Buy Real Estate Without a Down Payment in Any Market." I can not believe how much information is packed in this book. The writing is easy to understand, making it possible for anyone to benefit from purchasing property.
A retired real estate agent wrote this book to assist people who want to profit from buying real estate. The author advises that it is in the buyer's best interest to work with a realtor, but she also states that it is possible to successfully complete the process on your own.
The book lays out an easy to follow step-by-step process to aid investors in buying property with no money down and possible leaving the closing table with a sizable check plus your new property. The author also includes a complete glossary and a section of tips, hints, and reminders for real estate transactions that makes it an excellent resource for beginners and experts alike.
I would recommend this book to both people contemplating their first real estate purchase and as a reference book for seasoned professionals who make a living buying and selling real estate.

Read this Book Before You Buy Property.......2006-10-17

If you are interested in buying real estate with no money down, buy this book. Whether you want to make a purchase for your primary residence or want to begin investing in real estate, this book has a lot to offer. The author gives you most of the valuable information contained in the expensive programs sold on infomercials for a lot less money.

This book will help you calculate what you can afford and organize your finances prior to the purchase. There are charts for determining your assets and debts as well as important information for improving your credit score. The author covers all the financial aspects that should be considered when investing in real estate. All financial options for financing the purchase are discussed in detail.

The author has interviewed people who have made a significant amount of money in buying real estate with no money down. The book contains valuable tips and hints from people who have successfully purchased real estate using these methods. The book will take you step by step through the process of buying real estate without cash. You may even walk away from the closing table with cash in your hand.

Feeling at Home: Defining Who You Are and How You Want to Live

Average customer rating:

Living with Pleasure at Home - Practical suggestions lovingly offered
Thoughtful
Page after page of dumb questions
unrealistic at times
Ahhh says my soul. . .

Feeling at Home: Defining Who You Are and How You Want to Live
Alexandra Stoddard
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Happiness | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Personal Transformation | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

Mysticism | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0688159052

Book Description

Most decorating books omit the most important element of the home: you. Does your home reflect who you really are? Feeling at Home focuses on this most essential aspect of decorating: creating a home that is truly your emotional center. Every room and object should answer your needs and make you feel more human and whole. Alexandra Stoddard gently leads us through a process of self-attunement and self-expression in which we discover not only our practical needs, but also our yearnings--perhaps a sunny spot for reading; a colorful nook for ironing; an inviting place for paperwork. She urges us to question the rules and to never "pre-compromise" by talking ourselves out of our true desires. With imaginative and practical examples from her personal and professional life, she helps us discover countless ways to express ourselves at home and instantly feel comfort, pleasure, and ease.

Why settle for merely being "in" our homes when we can be "at home?" Feeling at Home puts us on the path to home as we've always dreamed it could be.

Customer Reviews:

Living with Pleasure at Home - Practical suggestions lovingly offered.......2006-06-23

Feeling at Home, Defining Who You are And How You want to Live, Morrow, 1999.
Tags: Conduct of Life, Identify (Psychology), Home-Psychological Aspects

Something has happened to the magazine racks at US drug stores and grocery stores, and even bookstores, such as Walden and Barnes and Nobel. Public affairs magazines are missing. Life Magazine is gone, even Playboy is relegated to the highest shelf in a plastic wrapper. I have been remodeling my home and discovered that I could find several dozen magazines devoted to decorating and remodeling. There were specialized issues that focused only on baths, kitchens, "country" homes, apartments and even magazines that offered a focused on "outdoor" living.

However, with all of these selections when I examined the floor plans closely there were few choices. Bathrooms may now include bidets, unusual for an American home, if not urinals, but in the end there is a simple choice: toilet, tub and shower, sink and medicine cabinet. Kitchens only offer stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, possibly a disposal and microwave. When I think of my grandmother's Thor, purchased early in the century, appliances that enabled the user to swap out parts and use as either a dishwasher or clothes washer, I wonder to what extent we have changed.

Amid all of these choices I have recently found one book that speaks to my own needs
Feeling at Home, Defining Who You are and How You Want to Live by Alexandra Stoddard, published by William Morrow, 1999. Chapter 2 is a delightful dialogue called "Shaping Your Home" in which a husband and wife are interviewed by a decorator the questions deal with how the couple actually lives. The decorator commands the couple
"Site on your side of the bed. Now sit on John's side. How does it feel?" The discussion is almost like couples therapy.

The author emphasizes the role of light on the house. She explains that reflection, that can mean more light, can come from many places, including mirrors and shiny surfaces. She also frees the reader to embrace color, the colors that the person occupying the house really likes. If you like purple, red, and bright yellow use them. She includes items not usually thought have as part of the decorating task as essential: telephones, the multiple roles of the kitchen table, windows in relationship to the views they display.

The ultimate goal of the book is to make the individual or the family looks at their own needs, which may be unconventional and design living spaces according to these needs, not some preconceived plan.

So, back to the home I am renovating. It is a house I have owned for 47 years sand lived in with a husband and two children, with a teenager and adult daughter with ideas of her own, a strange period when I shared it with a brother, ex-husband, daughter and a daughter who returned home after a divorce. I have rented the house to strangers while helping a daughter with grandchildren, while I was in the Peace Corps, while living in a downtown condo. I will be returning home now, planning yet another use of space, sharing with short-term renters.

I plan to reread the Stoddard book with a notebook, examining as she suggests what "feeling at home" means to me, using the house as a focus for "designing my life". I look forward to purchasing my notebook, to including a history of my earlier lives at the home, including information about the street, the neighborhood, and hope that when I return to this subject in a year I will be living in my home happily, more happily than every before.

Thoughtful.......2005-08-10

I really enjoy the way that the author writes & how she encourages you to be thoughtful about your surroundings. It's a book that you pick up periodically ( not read through like a novel.) I enjoyed it enough, that after reading it years ago, I replaced it on Amazon after the original book got water damage.

Page after page of dumb questions.......2004-08-25

I was terribly dissapointed with this book. My brain went numb as I read page after page of dumb questions about what you might do in each room. The author writes as though she is the wize, all-knowing mother and we are poor, imbecilic children in need of enlightenment. When I buy a book that is supposed to improve my home, then I expect some tips, some examples, SOME PHOTOS. Nothing like that here.

unrealistic at times.......2002-05-14

I have to say that I was both happy with and dissapointed by this book. My overall impression was that the methodology for trying to really understand how to create a home that reflects the person you are is sound. However, I was dissapointed with much of Stoddard's descriptions of how she applies her theories in her own life. Frankly, it sounds as if she has all the time in the world to take the day at her own pace, and I was left wondering: "Who lives like this?" I don't know ANYone with this kind of life! At one point, she mentions that she likes to sit in her pj's and write 'till lunchtime. Me, too! But PLEEZE - who has the time for this? These kinds of 'insights' into how to live your life left me feeling frustrated.

Ahhh says my soul. . ........2002-05-01

I always enjoy reading Alexandra Stoddard's books. When I need to calm my soul and nourish the feminine, there's nothing better than Alexandra Stoddard's writing style. Feeling at Home was no exception. Really enjoyed the tips, the dialog with clients, and the overall content.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books