Earthquake in the Early Morning (Magic Tree House #24) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

Amazon.com

The year is 1906, the place is San Francisco. Annie and her brother, Jack, have just traveled here in their magic tree house, on a mission from Morgan le Fay, the mysterious magical librarian from King Arthur's time. In an effort to save Camelot, the children have already found three special kinds of writing for Morgan's library: something to follow (Civil War on Sunday), something to send (Revolutionary War on Wednesday), and something to learn (Twister on Tuesday). Now it's time to find "something to lend." It's a quiet, peaceful morning in San Francisco, and Annie is eager to start exploring. So eager, in fact, that she pulls Jack away from his research just before he would have learned a very important piece of information... All too soon, the siblings figure it out for themselves: they have arrived in this lovely city a moment before one of the biggest earthquakes the U.S. has ever known shakes the Bay Area to pieces! Stunned, Jack and Annie wander the streets, but quickly find a purpose. Lots of people need help transporting goods to safety, and many more are left without any idea where to go or what to do. But what about their mission? Will the kids find something to lend before the entire city goes up in flames?

Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series offers young readers a chance to immerse themselves in spellbinding adventures even as they learn about history. The terrible San Francisco earthquake is described with great historical accuracy, but with admirable age-appropriateness. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Jack and Annie travel back to the morning of the great San Francisco earthquake. While they are there, they meet a reporter and help get some kids to safety.

Customer Reviews:

Books.......2007-05-09

My children love these books I didn't know if they would like them because they don't have alot of pictures. They just can't get enough

took over a month to receive it.......2007-05-07

waited for a month to receive the book.

Earthquake in the Early Morning.......2007-04-27

This book is fabulous.
One of the reasons I like it is because it talked about fires, earthquake and natural disaster. Another reason is because it was near our city! The last reason I liked it is because they lost their city but still had hope. I learned some exellent facts. I learned the fire burned 28,000 buildings! They had half a millon people there. The earthquake was called "The Great Shake". It was one of the biggest earthquakes ever! I would recommend this book for three reasons. The characters are fun. Jack likes the realistic and Annie likes the magic. The second reason is the excitement and learning wonderful facts.
Earthquake in the Early Morning is a excellent book.

MY BOY LOVES READING IT.......2007-01-07

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

Earthquake in the early morning.......2005-12-20

I like this book because it is interesting.
It keeps you wondering whats going to happen next.
It is also very funny.
So you might want to read this book.

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Bay Area Houses

Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0879053062

The Cliff House Strangler (Sarah Woolson Mysteries)

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BEST BOOK IN THE SERIES YET!!
Irresistible
Stunning writing and story telling
A Real Page Turner
excellent historical tale

The Cliff House Strangler (Sarah Woolson Mysteries)
Shirley Tallman
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312357567
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Book Description

Nineteenth-century attorney Sarah Woolson is still trying to get her life together. Against her family’s wishes, she opens her own San Francisco law firm, only to find that clients---paying clients, that is---are wary of allowing a woman to manage their legal affairs. Just when her patience, as well as her money, are about to run out, Sarah and her friend and former colleague, Robert Campbell, attend a séance at San Francisco’s Cliff House. Making their way through the worst storm of the season, they arrive at their destination to find themselves in for much more than, in Robert’s words, “silly parlor tricks.” After a dramatic display of spirit apparitions, flying trumpets, and phantom music, Madame Olga Karpova---a renowned Russian clairvoyant---and her guests make a grisly discovery: One of the twelve people seated at the table has been brutally strangled.
Later, when two more séance participants are found slain, Sarah is pressed into defending the accused murderer. Working on her client’s case, she quickly finds herself at the center of a complicated murder plot involving ghosts, gypsies, and City Hall, all the while facing off with Robert in a volatile legal battle and investigating her brother Frederick’s shady political dealings. Hardly proper behavior for a nineteenth-century woman, but Sarah wouldn’t have it any other way.
Feisty and determined, Sarah continues to flout the notions of “proper” femininity in this series that is a turn-of-the-century answer to Legally Blonde.

Customer Reviews:

BEST BOOK IN THE SERIES YET!!.......2007-09-07

I thought the first two books in the Sarah Woolson series were great, but THE CLIFF HOUSE STRANGLER is even better! Not only is it beautifully written (a real cut above most of the books in this genre in stores now). I just couldn't put it down -- it's a real page-turner!! And the ending took me completely by surprise, yet when I looked back at all the clues, it made perfect sense.

I was born and raised in San Francisco, and believe me Tallman really brings the city to life in vivid detail. I can just feel what it must have been like to have lived here in the 1880s.

Best of all, I love her characters (especially Robert Campbell and young Eddie Cooper). I'm so glad she brought them back in book three. (BTW, is Pierce Godfrey coming back into Sarah's life? Now there's a real hunk!) I also admire Sarah Woolson so much for daring to practice law at a time when most women hardly left their homes. And she does it HER way, refusing to give in to all the men who demand that she stay home and tend to her knitting.

A warning, though. Make sure you have some time to spare when you start reading CLIFF HOUSE, because you're not going to want to put it down!! The many twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very last page! This book is truly an excellent example of an historical murder mystery done right!! Congratulations, Shirley, and many thanks for giving your readers a book that's so much fun to read. I hope you write many, many more!!

Irresistible.......2007-09-04

"As a matter of fact, despite your obstinacy, your infernal prying, and the fact that you invariably blurt out whatever comes into your head, regardless of the consequences, I admit that there are times when I find you irresistible, too." These words, spoken by irritable Scotsman, Robert Campbell, describe our plucky young heroine, Sarah Woolson, as she makes a name for herself as one of the few female attorneys of her time, late nineteenth century San Francisco.

The third installment of the Sarah Woolson series starts with a bang. In a brougham driven by Eddie Cooper (one of Sarah's latest good deeds), Sarah and her "colleague" Robert venture out in the middle of a thunderstorm to The Cliff House at Lands End to observe a visiting Russian clairvoyant. Sarah's brother, Samuel, has sent his sister on this mission to gather information for an article about the mysterious, Madame Karpova. Mayhem ensues, murders occur, and Sarah finds herself in the middle it all.

While all this is unraveling, Sarah is visited by a perspective client, Alexandra Sechrest, who is seeking custody of her two sons and a divorce from her abusive husband. This case puts Sarah at odds with Robert and at the same time renews Sarah's commitment to help the women of San Francisco get a fair shake in the legal system. There's also the concern that her brother, Senator Frederick Woolson, might have become involved in some nefarious doings that could ruin his career and send him to jail and the worry that Sarah might not survive long enough to defend any of her clients. Through it all, Sarah manages to keep a cool head, help the less fortunate, teach the illiterate, pay social calls, and make time for tea and cakes, provided by good neighbor, Fanny Goodman.

As always, Sarah's friends and family are either cheering her on or giving her grief for her efforts. We also see a little romantic tension between Robert and Sarah, although Sarah's ineptitude in this area can be irritating at times. There's mention of super suitor, Pierce Godfrey, who's busy building an empire abroad and only corresponds with Sarah through letters. Family friend and policeman, George Lewis, interacts only briefly and not at all romantically with Sarah as she investigates various crimes. That leaves Robert Campbell as romantic prospect numero uno, as I think most readers have always wanted.

While I liked this book, I felt The Russian Hill Murders was slightly better in terms of pacing and interaction between characters. I look forward to another installment of the series and am left with the following questions:

Will Robert get a clue and offer a situation that is appealing to our independent heroine? Will Sarah accept anything less than an equal partnership in business and in love? Who will change nappies if the team of Woolson and Campbell combine forces to serve the citizens of San Francisco? Could other characters, like Eddie Cooper, Yelena Karpova, or Samuel Woolson, carry their own book? Hopefully Ms. Tallman has the answers.

Stunning writing and story telling.......2007-08-29

It is a refreshing to read a story that is set in a season in which the characters are spending time trying to keep warm, especially when the modern-day thermometer reads in the triple digits. It is even more refreshing when the story provides what good fiction should: an escape from the ordinary.

The Cliff House Strangler, written by Shirley Tallman, is such a story. It is third in a series of Sarah Woolson mysteries. Set in the nineteenth-century, Sarah Woolson could be mistaken for today's contemporary women. Sarah's character is established as a lawyer, back in a time when a professional working woman was quite uncommon. Independent, assertive, and just this side of compassionate, Sarah provides the spine to a great historical, if fictional, tale.

The story is sparked by a séance that Sarah and her husband, Robert, attend at the historic Cliff House in San Francisco. A reporter is murdered at the séance, and Sarah is determined to get to the bottom of the matter. Sarah's character explores the issues that arise from such a dastardly event with a dry, intellectual wit and diligent, snappy sleuthing.

Written with a wonderful class of humor, sense of place, and depth of character, Tallman has a great time unraveling the personalities and motives of the main characters. Tallman provides a glimpse into the lives of those that existed the nineteenth century. She has grasped the mindset of many walks of women. From the professional woman to the flighty gypsy, Tallman gives what a lover of historical fiction/mystery thrives on: an accurate period piece with twists and turns that whet and fulfill the appetite for sharp fiction. A terrific late summertime read, this book is to be enjoyed in any season!

Armchair Interview says: Historical mystery that seems so real and is worth your time reading.

A Real Page Turner.......2007-08-28

This author stories keep getting better and better. Her series is a breath of fresh air: A step back in time mystery that is a real page turner. The book is a mixture of subtle clues mixed with historical period details and well developed characters. The story moves right along keeping you interested in what will happen next. Eagerly awaiting her next book about Sarah.

excellent historical tale .......2007-07-19

In the 1880s in San Francisco, attorney Sarah Woolson has left the prestigious firm of Shepard, Shepard, McNaughton, and Hall to begin her own practice over the objection of her lawyer boyfriend Robert Campbell. He objects even louder when she persuades him to accompany her to Cliff House for a séance hosted by Russian psychic Madame Karpova on a stormy night. Eleven guests in all including Senator Gaylord and his wife attend.

Madame Karpova sets the mood and seems to be talking with those from beyond as she performs a dazzling array of parlor tricks. However, uninvited gate crasher columnist Darien Moss whose scorn causes Dmitry Serkov to leave in disgust decides to expose her as a fraud when the lights go out; when they return he is dead strangled by a balalaika string. Sarah investigates with Robert at her side trying to keep her out of trouble while her brother and father abet her efforts even when more séance attendees die.

The third Woolson historical tale is more of a whodunit than a legal thriller though a subplot involving an abused spouse with a child fleeing from an alcoholic husband is stunning. The excitement and sense of time and place remains strong (see MURDER ON NOB HILL and THE RUSSIAN HILL MURDERS). The story line is fast-paced as Sarah seems to be battling ghosts, gypsies, gulls, and government in her effort to uncover the culprit. With homage to Christie's And Then There Was One, readers will wonder who did it and why

Harriet Klausner

Eyes of a Child (Random House Large Print)

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A Disturbing yet Brilliant Tale...
Powerful eye-opener with realistic, flawed characters
Good, but lacks hoped for suspense
Eyes of a Child -- a great read!
Eyes Of A Child

Eyes of a Child (Random House Large Print)
Richard North Patterson
Manufacturer: Random House Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679760318
Release Date: 1995-01-15

Book Description

Richard North Patterson's thrilling new novel tells a multifaceted story that pierces the public drama of a sensational murder trial to probe the inner lives of the men and women at its heart.

In San Francisco, Ricardo Arias is found dead in his apartment. The evidence might confirm suicide, but it also strongly suggests murder. The police investigation quickly uncovers a maze of conflict that surrounded Arias: an estranged wife, Terri Peralta; an ugly custody fight over their six-year-old daughter, Elena; and sexual abuse of the child. But then the police uncover a murder suspect -- Terri's new lover, Christopher Paget, a high-profile attorney.

Now defense attorney becomes defendant, and we begin to see that what comes to light in the courtroom may be fatefully intertwined with what threatens to remain hidden: by Paget's refusal to testify, by Elena's tangled loyalties, and by Terri's inability -- or unwillingness -- to recall her own childhood trauma.

Customer Reviews:

A Disturbing yet Brilliant Tale..........2007-04-06

Thought to writing a review of this book... something which brought a lump to my throat after a long, long time...

The story is about an estranged child, called Elena, the love child of Teresa and Richie, whose parents don't love each other any more. For adults it is easy to say and accept, but for a child to comprehend that her parents can be separated is almost unfathomable. And it is this very delicate and most intricate feeling that Richard North Patterson sought to capture in this book. It is ostensibly a legal thriller, a murder mystery, a whodunit, a courtroom drama... but above all, it is the story of Elena, who is torn between her parents, both of whom tell her that they love her, but not enough to be able to settle their own differences and live together... even for her sake... imagine Elena's sense of being betrayed when her Mom tells has that her Dad is the cause of their divorce proceedings, and her Dad insists that her Mom's extra-marital affair with her boss, Chris, is the cause of this estrangement...

The book is kind of long, but the length is almost an asset, used well by RNP to make the reader bond with the characters. You end up taking sides, and almost willing for things to happen and fall right... more than once while reading did I realize that I was clenching my teeth, and surprised, I let go... actually, was more than just a little surprised... not since the time I read "Les Miserables" did I experience such plight and pain in a character made solely out of paper and ink and one man's imagination...

Though similar to Grisham in topics and characters, this book certainly qualifies to be way up and beyond the caliber of Grisham's best (with perhaps the sole exception of "The Chamber")! The mystery and whodunit aspect is kind of tolerable and in the end things fall into place so that everything somehow makes sense (or does it?). Though the author has tried to intertwine the story into knots, starting with the murder, and then going a couple of weeks in the past to build a background into the characters, then carrying on with the past, and then finally a jump right into the middle of the fiery courtroom battle. Rarely does one get to see such delicious courtroom scenes... each argument has a counter-argument, and another one there... and just when you think one side comes up with their strongest witness, the other simply breaks through and gets back! It was a treat to follow the proceedings of the court.

A few things I found lacking in the story... at times, the characters are too single-sided... some are too white while others too black. Acceptable, but at times it makes the story that much less plausible. Still, just a nick in the armor... Another point worth making out is that the characters suffer so very much as part of the story, and as a result they take very long to reconcile and come to terms with their lives, but once they are around the bend, they bounce back almost too easily and are able to diagnose their feelings and psychologies a little too easily and objectively... Again, not something that takes too much out of the story or its effect, but I felt the author had just gone overboard a few times in trying to conceive his characters in depth.

Overall, I would rate this book a neat 4 out of 5, primarily for the delicate yet plausible handling of the sensitive topics that are covered in the book, and the way the plot comes together, with everything - every small detail that at times felt nagging and inconsequential - falling into place, while maintaining the acceptability of the characters and situations, at all times.

I have two more of Patterson's books lined up in my bookshelf, and will tell you more once I am through them too!

Powerful eye-opener with realistic, flawed characters.......2006-03-23

I've recently become a big fan of Richard North Patterson's work. My favorite books of his are the ones involving Kerry Kilcannon. I feel Patterson is at his best when he combines politics with law. It is also when I feel his work is the most interesting and most compelling.

However, after reading Eyes of a Child, I've discovered that he also writes a pretty darn good legal thriller. Child abuse is a very difficult and touchy subject to address. I tend to admire Patterson for his research capabilities to ensure that he's putting credible information behind his plots and characters.

The story surrounds the 6-year-old daughter of lawyer, Teresa Peralta. There is a vicious custody battle between Teresa and her extremely manipulative husband, Ricardo "Richie" Arias. Beginning on the outer fringes of the story is the man whom Teresa has come to love and rely upon, Christopher Paget, himself a lawyer and Teresa's boss. Christopher is a single parent raising his 16-year-old son, Carlo.

First of all, Teresa loves her little girl, Elena, more than anything. Christopher Paget also loves his son at the same level.

So, what happens when Carlo is accused of molesting Elena? What happens when Christopher Paget himself is accused of murdering Richie? While these are intriguing questions for the movement of the story, the heart of it lies in this: how does this impact and affect the relationships between parent and child?

Patterson succeeds in creating one of the most unlikeable, diabolical character I've seen in Richie. The man is not above using anyone or anything for his own personal gain, and disguising this behind impressions of compassion and love, two concepts that are totally alien to him.

The story opens with Richie's death. I question whether it would have been more effective to do this later in the story. I almost felt disapppointed to find out from the start that Richie is dead. He is such a despicable character, that I wonder if it would have had more impact had his death been written later in chronological order.

Patterson creates realistic parents in Teresa and Chris who do their best to protect and love their children without compromising them. They are both flawed characters. They aren't perfect parents. They simply do what they feel is best. They will soon learn that, for children, it is not so much what a parent "does" but who a parent "is," that really counts. Sometimes not saying something as a parent can do more harm than good. Besides, as adults, we forget that children aren't stupid and are often much brighter than we ever give them credit for.

One of the most difficult things for a writer to do is to give a little child a realistic voice. It's hard to remember what a 6-year-old sounds like. How do they express themselves and what kind of words do they use. Patterson struggles with this early on with Elena. I work with kids all the time, and I just couldn't see Elena speaking the way she does in this story. As the story progresses, Patterson finally seems to find that voice, thus making Elena much more realistic and believable.

While I still feel that author, Sheldon Siegel writes the best courtroom scenes of any author on the market, Patterson does a great job in this story. The trial is tense and intriguing, and you simply can't put the book down once it gets going. At least he finally put in a judge who isn't cranky and snapping at everything. The judge during the custody hearing is like this which forced me to question: Christ, are all judges like this? Not by my experience, so I was relieved when the trial judge escaped this type of characterization.

This book is very well written. You won't be disappointed. You won't be cheering for Richie. You may start to cheer for Teresa and Chris, but in the end, you find yourself truly cheering for Elena and Carlo because you do begin to see through the eyes of a child.

Good, but lacks hoped for suspense.......2005-06-02

Eyes of a Child is an excellent novel, but it lacked the suspense and thrill I hoped for when I picked it up. It more based on the trial of a murder than the actual murder itself, which I thought it was about. The book does have many twists though they are not resolved until the last few chapters. This book is very good, but do not expect a typical murder mystery novel.

Eyes of a Child -- a great read!.......2005-05-29

This was the first RN Patterson book, and I found it to be very suspenseful. I simply could not put the book down! Like another reviewer, however, I must say Patterson was a bit too heavy-handed in his development of the characters. Richie Arias, the victim of murder or suicide, comes off as too evil, just as Terri Peraltas and Chris Paget are portrayed as angelic parents/people. In addition, they go through a series of dramatic events, after which they are still able to reconcile their relationship -- something that could ONLY happen in this fictional work. However, if you are like me and like books with enough mystery to keep you reading, and a happy ending to satisfy you at the end, Eyes of a Child is perfect for you!!

Eyes Of A Child.......2005-04-21

The story Eyes of a Child by Richard North Patterson is a intence murder mystery. The main characters are Terri Peralta, Richie Arias, Elena, and Christoper Paget. Terri is Elena's mother who is a divorced to her late husband Richie, who was murdered in his apartment by an unknown killer. Christoper is Terri's new boyfriend who helps her out with the case since they both work together as lawyers. The genre for this story is both horror and mystery because of the unknown killer. A major quotation in the story is when Terri yells, "'I didn't do it, why does everyone blame me? '" This affects the story because it is a turning part close to the end. On a scale of one to ten I would give an eight because it keeps you interested but you have to remember what happened or else you will get lost since the length of the book is a little to long by being over five hundred pages. You also have to have a pretty good reading ability since there is a lot of descriptive words. I would highly recommend this book.

Capital Intentions: Female Proprietors in San Francisco, 1850-1920 (The Luther H. Hodges Jr. and Luther H. Hodges Sr. Series on Business, Society, and the State)

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Capital Intentions: Female Proprietors in San Francisco, 1850-1920 (The Luther H. Hodges Jr. and Luther H. Hodges Sr. Series on Business, Society, and the State)
Edith Sparks
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807857750
Release Date: 2006-11-08

Book Description

Late nineteenth-century San Francisco was an ethnically diverse but male-dominated society bustling from a rowdy gold rush, recovery from the earthquake, and explosive economic growth. Within this booming marketplace, some women stepped beyond their roles as wives, caregivers, and homemakers to start businesses that combined family concerns with money-making activities. Edith Sparks traces the experiences of these women entrepreneurs, exploring who they were, why they started businesses, how they attracted customers and managed finances, and how they dealt with failure.

Using a unique sample of bankruptcy records, credit reports, advertisements, city directories, census reports, and other sources, Sparks argues that women were competitive, economic actors, strategizing how best to capitalize on their skills in the marketplace. Their boardinghouses, restaurants, saloons, beauty shops, laundries, and clothing stores dotted the city's landscape. By the early twentieth century, however, technological advances, new preferences for name-brand goods, and competition from large-scale retailers constricted opportunities for women entrepreneurs at the same time that new opportunities for women with families drew them into other occupations. Sparks's analysis demonstrates that these businesswomen were intimately tied to the fortunes of the city over its first seventy years.

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In the Victorian Style
Randolph Delehanty
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Queen Anne House: America's Victorian Vernacular

Victorian Style: Classic Homes of North America

Victorian Kitchens & Baths

America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians

The Victorian Home in America: With Over 250 Illustrations

ASIN: 0811853608

Book Description

San Francisco is famous for its distinctive and well-preserved Victorian architecture. Victorian architectural historian and longtime SF resident Randolph Delehanty and photographer Richard Sexton provide a pictorial and historical overview of this timeless look. In the Victorian Style traces the development of Victorian architecture—influenced by both aesthetic trends and new advances in building technology—as well as the history of the city's street plan development, building trends, and parks. The book also offers a rare tour of the traditional Victorian interior, room by room, including not only grand halls, parlours, and dining rooms, but also rarely seen details such as kitchens, pantries, and bathrooms. With over 150 color photographs, this informative historical guide is a must for tourists and Victorian lovers, as well as architects, designers, and decorators.

Average customer rating:

Less is more in this small book about small homes...
An extremely boring little book
The classic book on San Francisco Bay Area cottages
A mini-vacation between two hard covers.

The Cottage Book

Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 081182232X

Amazon.com

Robin Williams and Sally Field lived the dream of many in the movie Mrs. Doubtfire--residing in a Queen Anne cottage in San Francisco. Richard Sexton, who himself lives in a small hillside cottage overlooking the city by the bay, has translated his passion for these quaint, rustic, and informal dwellings into a volume of captivating color images. You can live the cottage life vicariously through Sexton; his photographs have an almost three-dimensional feel that gives you the sense of being there. Picturing yourself having lunch on the deck of a houseboat shown in these pages is a breeze, for he is a master of lighting and mood.

Book Description

Small space? No problem - big style on a small scale awaits at every turn in The Cottage Book. Islands of pastoral bliss nestled in the urban landscape, the cottages of the San Francisco Bay Area have an aesthetic all their own, but one that works well just about anywhere. Richard Sexton's classic book in these irrestible hideaways is now back in stock featuring a new cover. In these colorful pages we visit timeless rustic retreats by Bernard Maybeck, chic city homes on a small scale, flower-strewn cottages tucked into sunny nooks, house-boat cottages, and a number of "shacks" turned upscale simple. A successful case for small is beautiful, here is ample inspiration for creating comfort and style when spaces is a a premium - including lots of great ideas for apartment dwellers.

Customer Reviews:

Less is more in this small book about small homes..........2002-07-18

I liked the book. Its not a builder's treatise nor a decorator's reference, but it contains elements of both, with a little landscape design thrown in for good measure. Its an abbreviated look at the essence of cottage living, what makes the cottage lifestyle unique and (for some) worthwhile. And it's illustrated with a cross-section of styles from the San Francisco Bay area, from Maybeck to Modern, Victorian to Houseboat.

I find the photos relaxing, informative, and inspiring. The text is thought-provoking without being pseudo-intellectual, enthusiastic without being preachy. The book seeks to examine the pro's and con's of cottage living in less than 1000 sq. ft., and to portray the beauty in these San Francisco gems.

The book, like the cottage lifestyle it espouses, is neither large nor showy, but will be appreciated by those who would trade size and complexity for style with an open air of honest simplicity, who prefer herb tea over canned soda pop, who understand the essence of the artist's dictum "less is more".

An extremely boring little book.......2000-12-06

I read about this book in an amazon customer review that was attached to another book, so I got this. Mistake! Iwas hoping to get some ideas and inspiration, but all I found here was a lineup of depressing little homes. And mostly in beiges and brown. I couldn't wait to escape from the pages of this book. Also, the book's title suggests that this will be about cottages, in general, but it's about San Francisco area cottages.If you want cottage-style decorating, this is not the book for you. It won't help you much if you want to build a new cottage either. it's more like a little term paper on one region's homes.

The classic book on San Francisco Bay Area cottages.......1998-09-03

I am a native San Franciscan living in a middle-of-the-block cottage in what the author calls "that quirky San Francisco tradition of a back yard house." With the assistance of Sally B. Woodbridge's excellent historical introduction, Richard Sexton describes our San Francisco Bay Area cottages perfectly. The superb photographs complement quotes from some of the owners regarding what they think about their cottages: "Living in a cottage is somewhat like living on a ship. One learns to be very selective about possessions. The trade-off is the uniqueness of the living experience." And "Finding your cottage is like Goldilocks finding the chair that is just right. It wraps around you in cozy fashion and all seems right with the world." I've given copies of this book to friends who live elsewhere because it captures not only the joy of living in one of these cottages but helps all of us, no matter where we live, gain a better sense of home.

A mini-vacation between two hard covers........1998-04-14

An informative, enjoyable, aesthetically pleasing book about the cottages and cottage styles of San Francisco. The first chapter tells the story of how San Francisco cottages developed, and then specific cottages are showcased. Many views are of the exteriors, but some include interior photos with the homeowners' stories and quotes. Many individual cottages and styles are shown, providing variety and a feast for the eye. This book is a great "get-away" when you can't actually get away, and leads to very pleasant daydreaming.

Bay Area by Design: An Insider's Guide to a San Francisco Decorator's Secret Sources

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Bay Area by Design: An Insider's Guide to a San Francisco Decorator's Secret Sources

Bay Area by Design: An Insider's Guide to a San Francisco Decorator's Secret Sources
Kay Evans
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580087469

Book Description

After 30 years in the business, Bay Area interior designer Kay Evans shares her tried-and-true contacts so that everyone can be an insider when tackling home projects. Instead of the frustrating hit-or-miss phone book approach, BAY AREA BY DESIGN offers direct access to qualified experts with whom the author has had firsthand working relationships.

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Bay Area by Design: An Insider's Guide to a San Francisco Decorator's Secret Sources.......2006-05-07

Kay Evans has really done her homework with this book. New comers and long time residents will find this an invaluable resource guide. This book covers alot of ground and it's great to have a personal reference when looking for services.

Shirley Anderson
MinnaStreetCreations.Com

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Floor plans, histories, and influences
This is a great book!

San Francisco Houses (Designpocket)
Ana Cristina Canizares
Manufacturer: Te Neues Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3823845268

Book Description

San Francisco has long been one of America's landmark cities, a gleaming jewel of the West Coast surrounded on three sides by water, well known for its hilly streets, Victorian residences, and a free spiritness that made it the home of the Beat Generation, flower power, and gay pride. But over time, this "storybook city of spires and minarets" has also made a name for itself in the world of architecture and design. Victorian architecture gradually gave way to Art Deco and was followed by a modern movement that today favors a mixture of both minimalist and more decorative styles. This elegant, lavishly illustrated book takes the reader on an exciting tour through the latest in San Francisco's residential design and uncovers yet another dynamic facit of this unique North American city.

Customer Reviews:

Floor plans, histories, and influences.......2004-04-03

Libraries specializing in architecture and interior design will want to include San Francisco Houses in their collection: there are over four hundred pages packed with color photos and discussions of the latest architectural trends of the city. Floor plans, histories, and influences are included in discussions presented in English, French, German and Spanish. The range of styles is impressive and will intrigue any student of contemporary architecture.

This is a great book!.......2003-09-18

San Francisco Houses features four project by Levy Art & Architecture: www.10d.com.
Full disclosure, I work for this company. Having said that, I am a perfectionist and highly critical and I think this book is wonderful. We are featured on pages 44-75 of this book. Since I was a child I have always enjoyed looking at photographs of homes and of this wonderful city. Now, as an adult and a homeowner and the Office Manager for Levy Art & Architecture, I feel privileged to work with such talented co-workers and wonderful people. I think this book represents the diversity of our projects and our range of talent. Please get a copy for your house!

Bay Area Style: San Francisco Bay Region Houses 1893-2004

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An excellent inspirational guide for homeowner/builders as well

Bay Area Style: San Francisco Bay Region Houses 1893-2004
David Weingarten
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0847826406
Release Date: 2004-11-27

Book Description

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most beautiful and romantic spots in America, and for over a hundred years some of the country's greatest architects have graced the region with their work. Bay Area Style houses exhibit a distinct and frequently dramatic relationship to the out-of-doors while suggesting a feeling of informality. Emerging from the California Craftsman Style, these houses use natural materials, including wood and river stone.
Bay Area Style showcases a variety of the most extraordinary homes from this remarkable region and spans more than a century, revealing the development of a rich tradition. These houses capture the spirit of the place and embody the region's unique style. Featured are houses by architectural luminaries Ernest Coxhead, Bernard Maybeck, Julia Morgan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Raphael Soriano, and Charles Moore, among others.

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An excellent inspirational guide for homeowner/builders as well.......2005-08-11

In Bay Area Style, designated houses of the San Francisco Bay area are profiled in a stunning photo display and collection which could just as easily been featured in our Art column, but deserves profile here as an excellent inspirational guide for homeowner/builders as well. San Francisco enjoys a host of exceptional architects drawn to the region's diversity, and their works are represented in a selection of homes emerging from California's Craftsman Style. Works by Frank Lloyd Wright, Julia Morgan and more are captured by architectural photographer Alan Weintraub while accompanying comments provide identification and background briefs. Interiors and exteriors alike are profiled, making for a gorgeous coverage.

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