Perspectives Arts of the Pacific Islands (Perspectives)

Book Description

Critical interest in Robert Louis Stevenson has never been greater. New editions of the author's works—from the poems to the travel writing, from the Scottish novels to the South Seas tales—are appearing. During the year 2000, the sesquicentennial of RLS's birth, three conferences were held in honor of the occasion and each entertained an international audience.

This collection of essays reflects the scope of Robert Louis Stevenson's achievement and the range of current critical response. The first section contains four critical overviews that include an analysis of the Stevensonian imagination, an assessment of the author's literary theory, an examination of the coded significance of burial and reanimation in Stevenson's Wrong Box and other works, and an examination of the use of both Scottish and South Seas islands in his fiction.

The second section contains three essays that examine the many-faceted Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Other works—An Inland Voyage, A Child's Garden of Verses, The Dynamiter, The Master of Ballantrae, and Prayers Written at Vailima—are the subjects of the six essays in the third section. Three essays on biography, popular culture, and personal response are in the fourth section.

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Approaches to Art Key Stage 1 Group Discussion Book (Approaches to Art)

Manufacturer: Heinemann Educational Books - Primary Division
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0602253799

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Approaches to Art Key Stage 1 Starter Pack: Approaches to Art Key Stage 1 Group Discussion Book / Approaches to Art Key Stage 1 Teachers' Resource Book (Approaches to Art)

Manufacturer: Heinemann Educational Books - Primary Division
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0602254280

Customer Reviews:

David Muench's Arizona.......2001-05-07

This a delightful book. David Muench's ability to use light and contrast to capture the varied landscapes of Arizona is unsurpassed. He truly has a gift.

Beautiful photos, wide variey of landscapes.......2000-07-17

This is a wonderful coffee table book packed with a wide variety of spectacular photos of Arizona. It is a stunning display of the tremendous variety found in Arizona's natural habitat. Muench focuses on different aspects of the landscape including light, form, life and ecology. Captions tell where the photograph was taken with some brief commentary. A short essay by the photographer leads off each section with some of his personal thoughts and insights.

You will find an awesome view looking up through the trees to the sky, and the beautiful azure color of the Colorado River contrasting against white and rust colored rocks. Views of waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, autumn leaves and desert sands will take your breath away. Natural rock formations and cactus plants are seen in a new light as they become elegant sculptures. Endless, brilliant blue skies are captured against fields, mountains and red rock formations. Close-up of photos vibrant pink cactus flowers and sunny yellow poppies will brighten your day. You also get an occasional glimpse of lush green trees and plants.

As with all of Muench's books this one is printed on quality glossy paper with the highest of production values doing justice to the photography. As a Muench fan this is a treasured addition to my library.

BEAUTIFUL Photographs of Arizona.......2000-02-23

David Muench's photographs show the incredible beauty and variety of Arizona's scenery. The book is a wonderful gift for anyone who loves Arizona or color photography. We received it as a gift and have purchased two more copies since then to give to others.

Average customer rating:

Standard book with too much text

Arizona: The Beauty of It All
Sam Negri
Manufacturer: Arizona Highways Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0916179583

Book Description

If you had to choose just one affordably-priced book to be representative of Arizona's natural beauty, in all its variety and splendor, this would be it.

First, there are the photographs: more than 65 of them, by the most respected professionals in the field. Arizona Highways contributors from around the state supplied full-color images that vividly display the harmony of color and form, rich textures and vast spaces of Arizona's deserts, mountains, plateaus, grasslands and riparian niches. The immense, sculpted layers of the Grand Canyon, cool pools of water in the midst of searing desert, green "sky island" mountains thrusting upward from basin floors and monumental rock formations - all contribute to the sometimes subtle and sometimes overwhelming beauty of Arizona.

Then there's the descriptive text. Journalist and veteran outdoorsman Sam Negri draws from a deep well of experience to characterize the landscape, relating it to the state's history and folklore. In six chapters, he explores the deep forests and sculpted plateaus of the Arizona Strip, the color and texture of Indian Country, the vast ribbon of trees and water that make up the mountains, the unexpected exotic appeal of Western Arizona, the diversity of life and forms of the Southwestern Desert and the Southeastern Desert's land of contrast.

First published in 1996 and now available in its third printing, the book's impressive cover and the quality of its design assure that it will remain a literary ambassador welcomed by those wanting to stay in touch with this interesting corner of the world.

Customer Reviews:

Standard book with too much text.......2007-07-03

This book was somewhat disappointing. There is a ton of text and not many pictures. As an Arizona native I would expect our beauty to be captured much better! Also, Arizona Highways is becoming too commercialized.

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Arizona; The Beauty of It All
Sam NEGRI
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MYPXOM

Average customer rating:

Beauty of Arizona
Paul M. Lewis , and Robert D. Shangle
Manufacturer: Lta Pub.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Short Stories

The Grand Canyon
Donald Davis
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0000544XB

Customer Reviews:

Short Stories.......2000-12-14

Okay. First off, I have to confess I bought this book by mistake. I was expecting to get a sort of audio guide to the Grand Canyon, so I was pretty disappointed when this turned out not to be the case.

The audiobook instead turned out to be two short stories: the first is, of course, 'The Grand Canyon', and the other is 'At Grandmother's House' (or something like that). 'The Grand Canyon' was a lot more enjoyable and funnier. It was a narrative about the writer's trip to the eponymous canyon and his self-deprecating humour got quite a few chuckles out of me.

'At Grandmother's House' recounts the author's trips to his grandmother's house in the woods when he was young, and concentrates on two incidents in particular, one involving imaginery bogeymen he was afraid of as a boy, and another involving a real bogeyman (well, actually an escaped criminal) hiding out near the house. Not terribly interesting a listen.

As an audiobook, it was pretty good. The reader has a wonderful gravelly voice, and a good sense of deadpan nuance which worked well, especially with the first story's self-deprecating humour.

So, a pretty average couple of stories, one somewhat better than the other, that were fairly entertaining and reasonably competent, but nothing to write home about. Three stars.

My Personal Rating Scale:
5 stars: Engaging, well-written, highly entertaining or informative, thought provoking, pushes the envelope in one or more ways, a classic.
4 stars: Engaging, well-written, highly entertaining or informative. Book that delivers well in terms of its specific genre or type, but does not do more than that.
3 stars: Competent. Does what it sets out to do competently, either on its own terms on within the genre, but is nothing special. May be clichéd but is still entertaining.
2 stars: Fails to deliver in various respects. Significantly clichéd. Writing is poor or pedestrian. Failed to hold my attention.
1 star: Abysmal. Fails in all respects.

Average customer rating:
Arizona Highways Color Album Volume III [3] : A treasury of 286 color photographs revealing the beauty of Arizona and the Southwest
Raymond, editor; Arizona Highways Carlson
Manufacturer: Phoenix, Arizona Highways
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K0QRE8

Average customer rating:
Enjoy the beauty of the Sonoran desert along with secrets of Arizona's Cave Creek, Carefree
Fred Singletary
Manufacturer: Sunset Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006P2XGI

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Go in beauty: Friends and family remember Dugald for his kindness
Rose Houk
Manufacturer: Mountain Living Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006QOUMM

Average customer rating:
Plan and plant for beauty: Unit 1 : growing annual flowers (4-H manual / Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arizona)
Harvey F Tate
Manufacturer: Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arizona
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007FQJNK

Average customer rating:
The southwest: Its splendid natural; resources, agricultural wealth and scenic beauty (National Geographic Magazine)
N. H Darton
Manufacturer: National Geographic Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | New Mexico | States | United States | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008ATPD0

Book Description

Everyone wants to rule the world, but only a precious few have the skills to create an ironclad plan of attack. Simple, direct, and delightfully unprincipled, this guide contains tales of global power mongering from every age and endeavors to show dilettante dictators and tyrants-to-be just how it's done. Tips are provided on creating a personal flag, what type of puppet government to establish, how to squelch free speech, and, most important, how to handle enemies. Also included are humorous full-color illustrations, sidebars on admirable despots, and self-quizzes that allow readers to see if they have what it takes to conquer the world.

Customer Reviews:

To dictate or not to dictate.......2007-05-11

How to Rule the World... sounds simple enough, and with this guide, it makes it all the easier. You'll learn the tell tale signs of whether you should rule the world, set yourself in position so as to takeover and what to do once you are there. You'll learn how to dress extravagantly, where to hide your money, what earthly objects you will need to show off your wealth, and even what to do when you are ready to retire and put the next person of your choosing into power.

All this and snappy little history lessons based on past world rulers and their mistakes and proper procedures. While most book along this line tend to throw in alot of humor, this one cuts back on it, providing just enough tongue-in-cheek to make it a light-hearted affair while getting a history lesson on world rulers. It's not Machiavelli but if you wanted that then you should read that.

Overall, it's imaginative, light hearted, and informative. Well worth buying, Only down part is the artwork really put me off to begin with as it is seemingly done by a child, however, it grows on you and then I think it becomes more appropriate with these caricatures rather than more realistic portraits.

How To Rule The World.......2006-10-27

How to rule the world is about well how to rule the world and different people who have tryed to rule the world. They talk about people who tryed to rule the world so that you can see where they went wrong and what you can do to improve it.

My favorite part of the book was the chapter that told you how to run a country. I like this chapter because it tell you how to make a flag, how to change a countries name,and how to dress like a ruler. I thought that these were very important concepts to ruling the world because I want to run a country some day and I need to know how to name it.

I would recomened this book to anyone who wants to rule the world, to someone who wants a quick read, and to anyone who can under stand big words like qualification. I would recemened this book to anyoneone who wants to rule the world because this book has some pretty good ideas to do this. it is not a long book so if anyone wants to read something raelly fast this is the book for you. they use alot of really big words in the book that half the time you can't even understand what they mean. But the big words don't really matter that much if you really want to rule the world.

Must Have for Dictators in Training.......2005-12-20

Though this book offers little practical advice you couldn't figure out yourself, it's an interesting read. I enjoyed the profiles of famous Dictators and rulers and witty humor of Guillaume. He offers advice on how to get your own political coup and which advisors you should eliminate to avoid conspiracies. This is a neat book to have, if not simply for the novelty of it.

Dangerous Information For Anyone But Me To Know.......2005-10-03

Cute. Good for laughs. When The Great Revolution comes, Mr. Guillaume will either become People's Minister of Truth or be among the first they'll stand against the wall.

Lame.......2005-08-30

Not funny and not interesting. Don't bother with it! Your better off watching the history chanel.

How To Rule The World - The Essential Handbook For Aspiring Dictators

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How To Rule The World - The Essential Handbook For Aspiring Dictators
Andre De Guillaume
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1741147069

How to Rule the World: a Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator

Average customer rating:

How to Rule the World: a Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator
Andre De Guillaume
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin Pty., Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1865089885

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HOW TO RULE THE WORLD: A HANDBOOK FOR THE ASPIRING DICTATOR
ANDRE DE GUILLAUME
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NVD1ES

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How to Rule the World: a handbook for the Aspiring Dictator
Hardcover with dust Jacket
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OHC18I

Amazon.com

Born in 1935, Allen Stewart Konigsberg (better known as Woody Allen) is today one of the most influential figures in cinema. He has written and directed such memorable films as Annie Hall and Manhattan, and has acted in over 40 films. He is also the author of three books--Getting Even (1971), Without Feathers (1975), and Side Effects (1980). The Complete Prose of Woody Allen brings these memorable titles together for one bumper collection--a must-have for Allen addicts.

Getting Even is a collection of 17 of Allen's magazine pieces from the late 1960s discussing such bizarre topics as the invention of the sandwich, laundry lists, death, obesity, and, of course, rabbis.

Without Feathers delivers more of Allen's New Yorker-style humor. Worthy stand-outs include "If the Impressionists Had Been Dentists," a genius piece that puts oral surgery in a whole new, much more exciting, light.

Finally, Side Effects compiles Allen's best New Yorker essays from the late 1970s. Although not as outrageously funny as his previous books, this is still a classic piece of comedy. --Naomi Gesinger

Customer Reviews:

Great Fun.......2007-08-14

Three great books all in one fun filled volume of sheer funny. Including:

Getting Even is the comedic genious at his ludicrous best. The reparte between the two chess playing opponents, via e-mail, is worth the price of the book alone. Very funny.

Side Effects was released in 1980. It is a very funny collection of Allen's work, much of which first appeared in the New Yorker and other publication. The books is pretty even, and rather funny. The high point here is The Kugelmass Episode which features a professor named Sidney Kugelmass who is, via a magician, tranpsorted into the novel Madame Bovary.

Without Feathers is a witty humorous book with 15 or so short essays/stories on a variety of topics. The humor here is very funny and not dated at all. You most pay close attention as the one-liners fly off the pages. Simply hilarious stuff. Hard to believe this was released in 1975.

A 5 star book, well worth the price... enjoy!

Note: This collection is also available in paperback and titled The Insanity Defense: The Complete Prose

brilliant.......2006-11-06

Brilliant Woody. Not the best of this type, but still fasciniating. I heartily recommend.

Belly-laughs a minute.......2006-09-10

I read the three volumes this book is comprised of years ago and, to this day, I've been hard pressed to find other books,
on a line to line basis, funnier than Woody Allen's works. It's
too bad he hasn't written any more since these books. It is our
loss. If you like to laugh until your brains dribble out your
ears, read this book. Highly recommended.

The Ultimate in Intellectual Humour.......2004-08-28

This is genuinely hilarious and intelligent prose. My favourites are "Mr Big", "Viva Vargas!" and "Reminiscences, People and Places". Prepare to convulse. People will stare at you while you gasp for oxygen. Pure genius. The only mystery is why Allen isn't as well recognised for his writing as his movies. If you read this you will also wonder.

Allen sometimes seems to step over the line separating sharp satire from outright cynicism, especially in the later writing - but who cares? It's still a class apart. Highly recommendable.

Hysterical. The Woodman cometh........2001-06-13

Disillusioned by, "Interiors" or "Hannah And Her Sisters"? Think Woody is just not funny? Man, are you wrong. This book (which contains pretty much everything Woody wrote in book form) just kills you from the beginning & never stops. As goofball and irreverent as you'd expect from a comedic genius(Think, "Bananas" or "Take the Money and Run"- era Allen), don't be frightened off by the fact that Allen's later movies quit being side-splittingly funny. This book recaptures all the great, classic humor that made the Woodman famous to begin with!

Average customer rating:

Nonsense & nonetheless hilarious
The original Funny

The Complete Prose (Picador Thirty)
Woody Allen
Manufacturer: Pan Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

Nonsense & nonetheless hilarious.......2006-06-23

I am no critique, so I will just say I enjoyed the book.
The humor is rather chaotic at first, and yet brilliant. Woody develops his style gradually and toward the end of the collection manages to produce a few more organized and longer short stories. These are really a delight to read, unfortunately that is when the collection end.

The original Funny.......2003-07-23

Contains the books: Getting Even, Without Feathers, Side Effects and more. Allen is absurd, satirical, brilliantly incisive although sometimes quite corny and sophomoric. (One must try to use big, academic, intellectual-sounding words when criticising Woody Allen.) Someone once suggested I read Dave Barry. I did and threw the magazine down in disgust at the pale, attempted imitation of prime Woody Allen.

The Insanity Defense: The Complete Prose

Average customer rating:

Don't buy this book, obtain the originals instead
No Defense for the Instany Defense... Guilty of being hilarious
Woody Redux
Absolutely Brilliant
please ignore previous review

The Insanity Defense: The Complete Prose
Woody Allen
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812978110
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Book Description

Comprising the classic bestsellers Getting Even, Without Feathers, and Side Effects, this definitive collection of comic writings is from a man who needs no Introduction. Really–this book has no Introduction.

The Insanity Defense reveals many sides of Woody Allen as he holds forth on the most human of urges (“Why does man kill? He kills for food. And not only for food: frequently there must be a beverage”); reflects on death (“I don’t believe in an afterlife, although I am bringing a change of underwear”); and notes the effect on history wrought by trick chewing gum, the dribble glass, and other novelties. There is also an inspiring story of the futile race to beat Dr. Heimlich to the punch: “The food went down the wrong pipe, and choking occurred. Grasping the mouse firmly by the tail, I snapped it like a small whip, and the morsel of cheese came loose. If we can transfer the procedure to humans, we may have something. Too early to tell.”

All Woody Allen fans will cherish this uproarious treasury–and those who don’t enjoy The Insanity Defense are just plain crazy.

“If you don’t care if you break into helpless whoops of laughter on buses, trains, or wherever you happen to be reading it.”
–Chicago Tribune, on Without Feathers

“Brilliant flights of fancy whose comic detail and inspired silliness are at once dramatic and controlled.”
–The New York Times, on Side Effects

Customer Reviews:

Don't buy this book, obtain the originals instead.......2007-09-18

I had already read Woody Allen's three previous books of essays ("Getting Even", "Without Feathers", and "Side Effects") and found them hilarious. But there is a serious problem in the subtitle of this book "The Complete Prose", even if the implication is meant to be that it is complete IF TAKEN TOGETHER WITH Woody's other 2007 publication, "Mere Anarchy". Despite its subtitle, "Insanity Defense" is NOT A COMPLETE COMPILATION OF THE FIRST THREE BOOKS, including only 46 of the 51 essays. The missing five (which are also not in "Mere Anarchy") are worthwhile and funny. Don't get me wrong--the 46 essays that are included are very good, but it does rankle me that they misleadingly claimed completeness. I recommend skipping "Insanity Defense" and obtaining the three original volumes via used-book sources, to go along with "Mere Anarchy".

No Defense for the Instany Defense... Guilty of being hilarious.......2007-08-14

Woody Redux.......2007-07-25

I had read much of this material in other venues. There was no intro or any other information so I don't know if they were presented sequentially, but it really seemed like it. The early going was often silly and inane, while the later stuff was really clever and funny.

Absolutely Brilliant.......2007-07-17

I first read the three collections compiled herein about 20 years ago. Then, as now, I found myself sputtering with convulsive laughter as I made my way through. I literally was afraid to read it around other people because I could not control my reaction. I've read a number of works of humor. Nothing has made me laugh out loud like this. The elegance of his language and the beautiful and profound absurdity is unparalleled. Pure gold.

please ignore previous review.......2007-07-15

Didn't want to do this, but I read the only other review shown here and am compelled to. The three books-- Without Feathers, Getting Even, and Side Effects-- in this compilation are without a doubt a high mark in comic writing. These stories can be reread again and again. The focus should be on the stories and essays, not the one-act plays. Any fan of comic writing needs this collection. Try "A Guide to some of the Lesser Ballets," "Lovborg's Women Considered" or "Fabulous Tales and Mythical Beasts," where one may learn of the great roe, a "mythological beast with the head of a lion and the body of a lion, though not the same lion."

Average customer rating:

The Complete prose of Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Manufacturer: Wings Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VA1YAY

Average customer rating:

The Complete Prose of Woody Allen.
Woody. Allen
Manufacturer: Wings Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NI34O8

COMPLETE PROSE OF WOODY ALLEN, THE, Without Feathers, Getting Even, Side Effects

Average customer rating:

COMPLETE PROSE OF WOODY ALLEN, THE, Without Feathers, Getting Even, Side Effects
Woody Allen
Manufacturer: Wings Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VBDX8O

Book Description

A collection of today's top hits and yesterday's favorites arranged for instrumental soloists. Each title can be played alone, or as duets or trios in any instrumental combination. Titles are: How Do I Live * Tell Him * Foolish Games * Time to Say Goodbye * The Pink Panther * Over the Rainbow * The Wind Beneath My Wings * Kiss from a Rose * Valentine * Linus and Lucy * Star Wars * Karen's Theme * I'm Your Angel * My One True Friend * I Don't Want to Miss a Thing.

Average customer rating:

Great Book

like the variety

Highly Recommended Book

Excellent Introduction to Serious Hobbyist. A few minor blemishes.

Good book, hoping for more illustrations

The Candlemaker's Companion: A Complete Guide to Rolling, Pouring, Dipping, and Decorating Your Own Candles
Betty Oppenheimer
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Home & Garden Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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Candlemaking for Fun & Profit (For Fun & Profit)

Basic Candle Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started (Basic Books Series)

The Everything Candlemaking Book: Create Homemade Candles in House-Warming Colors, Interesting Shapes, and Appealing Scents (Everything Series)

Soapmaker's Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How (Natural Body Series - The Natural Way to Enhance Your Life)

Candle Making (Step-by-Step Crafts)

ASIN: 1580173667

Amazon.com

"Please, please, please, burn candles!" pleads Betty Oppenheimer. "Too many people save them, keep them wrapped up in a drawer or forever in the same centerpiece holder, never to be burned." If that isn't enough incentive to use candles, the rest of this thorough guide certainly provides it in the form of step-by-step instructions covering virtually all aspects of making rolled, poured, molded, dipped, and decorated candles--even candleholders. Though there are no photos, the line drawings are quite helpful, as are the crafting tips that--along with well-chosen candle-related quotes--fill the book's margins.

Book Description

With illustrated step-by-step instructions and complete source lists, The Candlemaker's Companion shows you how to create rolled, poured, molded, and dipped candles; scent, color, and decorate candles - naturally; make innovative containers, holders, and gift packaging; create luminaria, lanterns, and floating candles; and use specialty techniques like overdipping, painting, layering, and sculpting.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-03-28

I have made candles since I was in the 5th grade and always made them from kits or just dabbling in the kitchen with some left over wax. I often found many problems with my results and never could find solid instructions about the details of candle making. This books chapter on wicks explained so much to me and has since made my candles not only more successful but I know why they are successful. No more smoking wicks and sputtering wax. If you want to make beautiful gifts for yourself and friends and are tired of just buying a kit. This book should be your next step. It dymistifies the mystery.

like the variety.......2007-01-24

This is a walk through of the whole gamut of candlemaking. Our family has used this guide to roll, dip and pour candles and my wife used Oppenheimer's processes in her summer school classes. Dipping was a big hit and required no artistic skills and the results were very professional. They made great gifts at Christmas time.

For beginners it is a must have primer and for range of ideas, can't be beat. Jen also ordered the Candlemaker's Companion but the instructions inside weren't as good as in this book.

Highly Recommended Book.......2006-04-14

This is a highly recommended book. It is rare that an author's love for the subject is so obvious and couples with so much practical advice. Loved it.

Excellent Introduction to Serious Hobbyist. A few minor blemishes........2005-09-17

`The Candlemaker's Companion' by Betty Oppenheimer is a the very first book I have read on home candlemaking, and I got it primarily as a source for techniques for decorating commercially made candles, but I am happy to report that it lives up to its subtitle of `A Complete Guide to Rolling, Pouring, Dipping, and Decorating Your Own Candles'

The author states and I agree wholeheartedly that there are a lot of similarities between candlemaking and cooking, as long as you don't push the analogy too hard. Both skills use chemistry, heat, and measuring in roughly the same amounts, somewhere between a teaspoon (5 ml) and five pounds. And, if Ms. Oppenheimer's book were to be compared to a cookbook, it would not be to the Betty Crocker / Better Homes and Gardens / `Joy of Cooking' genre of lots of recipes with little why and wherefores or to the `Gourmet Magazine' / Martha Steward school of emphasis on elegance and entertaining or to the Eric Rippert / Thomas Keller / Daniel Boulud school of cuisine as high art. It can be most closely compared to Alton Brown of `Good Eats' and Shirley Corriher of `Cookwise' where the why of things is given just as much importance as the how and how much.

As someone totally new to the candlemaking craft, I am really impressed by how many variables go into making a successful candle. A matter so humble as the wick requires a whole chapter, and the first long chapter to boot. Dismiss any notions that any length of cotton string can serve as a wick. After reading this book, I am convinced that your conventional kitchen twine will fail miserably as a wick, regardless of the thickness of the candle or any other variable entering the picture. The best wicks are braided from many, many strands of cotton in such a way that as they burn, they bend so their tip reaches out to the outer layer of flame and becomes oxidized (turned to ash) without smoking as a result of partial burning.

As a former chemist, the varieties of waxes are a bit more familiar to me, but the variety and techniques of additives to the wax involves a second major section, albeit not even as long as the chapter on wicks. Heating wax is one place where the parallels to cooking are significant, as the range of temperatures are similar to deep frying, and safety measures are similar.

The variety of techniques for making candles is also familiar; as I have dealt with all sorts of candles, including poured, dipped, rolled, and sculpted. What is unfamiliar is the amount of care one needs in the selection of the best combination of wicks and waxes for each technique. Buying your 11 pound block of paraffin and some coloring at your local craft store, throwing it all into a heating pot, and pouring the result into a mold with wick will probably lead to a less than perfect result.

This brings up the fact that like baking and unlike savory cooking, candlemaking measurements must really be pretty precise, which, among other things, means you really do need a pretty accurate scale for measuring weight. The author makes no suggestions, but I will chime in and say that the type which are best for cooking, the digital, dual unit electronic models are really the best. And, largely agreeing with the author, I will say that this is the ONLY tool that you can share between your kitchen and your candlemaking bench. The author, from long experience, I am sure, says that any tool you use for candlemaking will acquire traces of wax that you will invariably be unable to clean from the tool. This includes all other types of measuring devices.

This brings me to the fact that the author has some serious weaknesses in her discussion of measurements. At the top of the list is her mistaking a gallon for 3.76 milliliters (ml) rather than 3.76 Liters. This means she is off by a factor of 1000! While this may not cause any problems for anyone ignoring the metric measurements, it can cause serious headscratching for someone not thoroughly familiar with the metric system, is valiantly trying to work with it for all its obvious examples. My more general issue with Ms. Oppenheimer's measurements is that she interchangeably uses volumes, weights, and relative size (parts). My suggestion would be to stick primarily to metric weights and do conversions to volume only when really necessary, as when you are figuring out how much wax you need to fill a particular vessel to a particular level.

My only other major issue I could find with the book is in the fact that Ms. Oppenheimer makes a reference to the color wheel as if this device typically taught in the seventh grade were a working part of all her reader's everyday knowledge. While I have a vague notion of what the color wheel looks like and how its used, I have no certainty that I know where to find one which will work with pigments (one of the things I do remember is that there are different color wheels for combining pigments and beams of light.)

Regarding my original purpose for buying this book, I can state that it gives many sound looking techniques for decorating the outside of commercially purchased candles, although I did find a few slips in lists of materials which I would consider a major flaw in a cooking recipe.

I recommend this book for the `sophisticated' beginner who is willing, as the author wisely suggests, to do a little experimentation in pursuit of the hobby. If you just want to knock off a few votive candles, buy a ready-made kit for the purpose.

Recommended, with warning to keep your brain fully engaged as your read.

Good book, hoping for more illustrations.......2005-07-28

Great book when it comes to content, but lacking in illustrations.

The Candlemaker's Companion: A Complete Guide to Rolling, Pouring, Dipping, and Decorating Your Own Candles

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The Candlemaker's Companion: A Complete Guide to Rolling, Pouring, Dipping, and Decorating Your Own Candles

Manufacturer: Storey Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HEEYMO

Book Description

This study examines the growth of fictional television in five major European countries. Focusing on drama and comedy, the survey analyzes the degree to which an increase in the production of fictional television and the extension of fictional television's presence into prime time has led to higher production costs and an emphasis on family-oriented programming. The implications of fictional television's increase in popularity on the television market as a whole and the competition for audiences and resources are explored.

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