The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set (Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, ... Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside)

Amazon.com

When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, send for a boy orphan to help them out at the farm, they are in no way prepared for the error that will change their lives. The mistake takes the shape of Anne Shirley, a redheaded 11-year-old girl who can talk anyone under the table. Fortunately, her sunny nature and quirky imagination quickly win over her reluctant foster parents. Anne's feisty spirit soon draws many friends--and much trouble--her way. Not a day goes by without some melodramatic new episode in the tragicomedy of her life. Early on, Anne declares her eternal antipathy for Gilbert Blythe, a classmate who commits the ultimate sin of mocking her hair color. Later, she accidentally dyes that same cursed hair green. Another time, in her haste to impress a new neighbor, she bakes a cake with liniment instead of vanilla. Lucy Maud Montgomery's series of books about Anne have remained classics since the early 20th century. Her portrayal of this feminine yet independent spirit has given generations of girls a strong female role model, while offering a taste of another, milder time in history. This lovely boxed gift collection comprises Anne of Green Gables, Anne of the Island, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, and Rilla of Ingleside. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Favorites for nearly 100 years, these classic novels follow the adventures of the spirited redhead Anne Shirley, who comes to stay at Green Gables and wins the hearts of everyone she meets.

Customer Reviews:

The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set.......2007-09-02

I was very pleased my books came very quickly. They were new so they were in perfect condition. The whole set of books were very reasonably priced, and I'm enjoying reading them.

Just love Anne Shirley!!.......2007-07-17

This series is the most wonderful and entertaining of books!
I got the first book from the library and fell in love with it, and so bought the series from Amazon. These are my favorite books, and I am on my second time through them.

The series starts off about Anne, an orphan girl, who gets sent from the Asylum and goes to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert of Green Gables.
Her life is filled with hilarious predicaments! Dyeing her hair, falling off the Barry roof, daydreaming and imagining to much, and plus, her rivaly with handsome Gilbert Blythe.

I highly recommend this series! I loved the rest of the books as much as I loved the first! Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote a masterpice! You will definitely fall in love with imaginative Anne Shirley!

Just like I remembered.......2007-07-17

This series is really great. I started from the first book and couldn't put them down. The story is just as intruiging and wonderful as when I read it the first time when I was younger. VERY VERY VERY enjoyable!

Light Reading.......2007-06-08

Read these books when I was younger and I loved them. Bought them for my sister who is 12 and she is really enjoying reading them. Actually don't mind reading them again myself.

Anne with an e.......2007-06-04

When my Grandfather was a boy he speant time on PEI on a farm located very near where Green Gables would have been. He bought this set for me long before i was able to read and they sat on my shelf until my high school years when i finaly picked them up. I had watched the movies with my Grandfather as far back as i could remeber and assumed the books would be worth reading. They quickly surpassed all other books and became my favorite.
Now, having just graduated college and looking for a litte direction and inspiration (like Anne I'm looking for work as a teacher) I picked them back up and have been rereading them. I feel like these books such life lessons that anyone with any beliefs can read them and learn good values.
These books and movies have always been like a comfert food for me these are the books and movies i read and watch when things are going bad.
I highly reccamend these books to people of al ages, they are well worth the time, and are a nice and easy read.

Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion

Average customer rating:

The INDISPENSIBLE history of building a business from one store with zero sales to a $100 BILLION company.
Home Depot provides a horrible experience
I'm rich. I started a company. I wrote a book.
Full of Lies
A great story...

Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion
Bernie Marcus , Arthur Blank , and Bob Andelman
Manufacturer: Crown Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Strategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Inside Home Depot
Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win
Kmart's Ten Deadly Sins: How Incompetence Tainted an American Icon
The Making of a Blockbuster: How Wayne Huizenga Built a Sports and Entertainment Empire from Trash, Grit, and Videotape
Sam Walton: Made In America

ASIN: 0812930584
Release Date: 1999-04-27

Amazon.com

Built from Scratch is about two businessmen who achieve the American Dream by fundamentally changing the realm of home-improvement retailing. Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, cofounders of the Home Depot, explain how they established the first national chain in the industry by concentrating on low prices, customer service, and strong leadership values.

Ultimately, this is a book about grit and determination. "Building the Home Depot was a tough, uphill battle from the day we started," they write. "No one believed we could do it and very few people trusted our judgment." The two cofounders launched the company only after they were fired by a California hardware retailer because of politics. The Home Depot lost $1 million in its first year of operation in Atlanta. Today it's one of the great successes on Wall Street, with more than 700 stores across the country and 160,000 employees.

One reason the book is so engaging is that it includes corporate anecdotes. A favorite: the company banned wild parties after several employees were demoted and a couple were fired in the wake of a drunken annual managers' meeting. Another yarn involves Sears, which made one of the worst financial mistakes in retailing history when it passed on a deal to purchase Home Depot in the early 1980s. The authors are self-serving at times; for example, they whine too much about paying $104.5 million to dispose of a sex-discrimination lawsuit. But there's no denying the smashing performance of Big Orange. Marcus and Blank paint a story with some sparkling advice for practically anyone in business. --Dan Ring

Book Description

One of the greatest entrepreneurial success stories of the past twenty years

When a friend told Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank that "you've just been hit in the ass by a golden horseshoe," they thought he was crazy. After all, both had just been fired. What the friend, Ken Langone, meant was that they now had the opportunity to create the kind of wide-open warehouse store that would help spark a consumer revolution through low prices, excellent customer service, and wide availability of products.

Built from Scratch is the story of how two incredibly determined and creative people--and their associates--built a business from nothing to 761 stores and $30 billion in sales in a mere twenty years.

Built from Scratch tells many colorful stories associated with The Home Depot's founding and meteoric rise; shows that a company can be a tough, growth-oriented competitor and still maintain a high sense of responsibility to the community; and provides great lessons useful to people in any business, from start-ups to the Fortune 500.

Great Stories

  "Ming the Merciless": The inside account of the man who fired Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus
  "My people don't drive Cadillacs!" How Ross Perot almost got involved with The Home Depot
  "Take this job and shove it!" The banker who put his career on the line to get The Home Depot the loan that enabled it to survive
  "Folks, I tell ya, if these Atlanta stores were any bigger, we'd be paying Alabama sales tax." Home Depot's first good ol' southern advertising campaign

A Company with a Conscience

  When disasters like the Oklahoma City bombing or Hurricane Andrew happen, Home Depot associates don't ask for permission to respond. They react from their hearts--whether that means keeping their store open all night or being on the scene with volunteers and relief supplies.
  The Home Depot doesn't just contribute money to organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Christmas in April, but also provides its people to help lead and grow these community efforts.

Great Lessons

  Know your customer: In The Home Depot's case, customers don't pay for wider aisles and a pretty store, but for a wide assortment and low prices
  Why everyday low prices mean more sales overall: The marketing philosophy The Home Depot learned from talking with Sam Walton
  Market leadership: Why The Home Depot never goes to a major new market with plans to open just a few stores
  The strategy for profitable growth: How The Home Depot redefined its U.S. market from its $135  billion traditional "do-it-yourself" base to a much larger pond of $365 billion
  How to change the rules of the game: How The Home Depot bypassed almost all middlemen, allowing it to pass on huge savings to customers

Built from Scratch is the firsthand account of how two regular guys created one of the greatest entrepreneurial successes of the last twenty years.

Opening the First Store

"What the hell happened? Who screwed up the store? . . . Whatever time remained before the doors were scheduled to open for the first time, we sped around in forklifts, stomping on the brakes, scuffing up the flooring so it would once more look like a warehouse."

Customer Service

"If ever I saw an associate point a customer toward what they needed three aisles over, I would threaten to bite their finger. I would say, 'Don't ever let me see you point. You take the customer by the hand, and you bring them right where they need to be and you help them.'"

Giving Back

"When The Home Depot went public we realized that we had the financial capacity and wherewithal to give back to the communities where we did business. There is a concept in Judaism called tzedaka, which means 'to give back.' It is considered a mitzvah, a good deed, to give to someone who doesn't have, and we believe strongly in giving back to the community."

Selling the Vision

"We had to be psychologists, lovers, romancers, and con artists to get vendors aboard. Our ability to paint a picture of how that would take place--lowest prices, widest selection, and great customer service--was what convinced skeptical manufacturers to sell merchandise to us during the early years."

The Importance of Values

"I have never had anybody work for me in retailing who didn't work for me out of love, as opposed to fear. We carried this approach into building The Home Depot. We care about each other and we care about the customer. The things that we do for customers inside and outside the stores demonstrate our commitment to them. And then when something happens within the company, we circle the wagons. We help each other."

Customer Reviews:

The INDISPENSIBLE history of building a business from one store with zero sales to a $100 BILLION company. .......2007-01-18

It never ceases to amaze me in what it takes to satisfy a reader. When I read a book like this, I am basically asking myself several questions. How on earth did these guys do it? How did they come through the funnel and get it done. What was at stake? What were the major premises of the concept? Could it have failed, if so how? How close did it come to failing? Could some one else have done this, or replicated it, or perhaps have done it better.

A lot of life is pure fantasy. You have your own template of how things works, and you look at the world and you see that template everywhere. If you go out and try to apply this system and superimpose it onto the real world, it either fails or it succeeds. Sometimes the template is a good one, but the execution gets screwed up.

When I look at Home Depot, a story that I have an intimacy with, I found this particular book to be fabulous. There is nothing boring about it; in fact I found every page worthwhile. Having spent 35 years in Wall Street running money, and figuring out how does a company make a buck, I found this book even more worthwhile. If you are involved in the investment business, this becomes a particularly worthwhile read.

If you run a company or have aspirations towards a career in management, you better read this book, because there is something in it for everyone. For most of us, there is more than one thing in it. Peter Drucker the ultimate management mind of the 20th century probably said it best when he talked about the corporation as a living, breathing organism that required nourishment on a daily basis. You just can't assume that corporations will continue to exist simply because they exist now.

Every day a company fights for its corporate life, for its right to continue to exist. Those corporate entities that assume that they will always be around - NEVER LAST. Other entities out there either eat them up, or they suffer the slow final death of arrogance, and go out of business without even knowing why they went out.

Home Depot is the story of two guys that got up in the morning every morning, fighting for the right to keep doing it a better way. They lived by the credo that you have to keep moving or they will throw dirt on you. Some of the lessons and ideas you will learn from this book include the following:

· CUSTOMER SERVICE - You have to take care of good people, and constantly be on the lookout for them. If necessary hire them, even when you don't have the jobs for them because you may not get a second shot at them.

· DOING THE RIGHT THING ALL THE TIME - It can cost you money doing the right thing, but it comes back in spades. Something else happens when you do the right thing. People realize your efforts, and some will take advantage of you, but that will be more than offset by the multitude of others who will become loyal customers for life.

· NOBODY LOVES A COMPANY- They may love what you do, and what you do for them as customers, but there is no real loyalty to companies, at least in this generation. Home Depot always tried to make as many of their employees stockholders as possible, so that they could align the employee (associates at HD) goals with the corporate goals.

· THIS IS A TOUGH PLACE TO WORK IF YOU ARE INFLEXIBLE - This lesson was lost on the current Chairman, CEO Nardelli who was fired by the Board for his IMPERIAL management style. He also possessed no understanding of the Home Depot culture as he tried to superimpose his General Electric template on the company. He failed miserably but that's another book.

· IF YOU CAN SAVE THE CUSTOMER MONEY, DO IT - Always do the right thing by the customer, and you will have a customer for life. Go the extra mile for the customer. CULTIVATE the customer.

· THE FOUNDERS WERE LIVING ON THE FUMES OF DREAMS - I loved these stories. These guys Marcus and Blank were honest about what they faced, and several times this company was touching or facing bankruptcy. This is an important lesson. The way around it is to have twice as much capital as you think you need. This by itself was worth reading the entire book. This is priceless knowledge.

· IT'S ABOUT PRICE, SELECTION, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE - Never lose sight of this statement and act on it in your own business goals. Give people the best price you can, and the finest selection of merchandise. If you back it up with the industry's best customer service you have found for yourself a business model for success. It may sound simple, but try executing on it.

So let me let you in on a secret. I spent years with Bear Stearns well over 20 years ago as a limited partner. When I read the early financial stories of Home Depot on Wall Street, I knew that what the founders in this book were saying was the complete unvarnished truth.

The story of how Ross Perot, one of America's wealthiest men in the early 1980's blew having dominant control of this company is now the stuff of myths. Nevertheless it's a true story. The founders ultimately turned down Ross Perot as a shareholder. They believe Perot to be a control freak. Yes, Perot didn't want the founders driving around in a Cadillac. Perot was a Chevy man. Well, the Chevy man blew a $60 billion dollar fortune by not investing a couple of million in Home Depot.

Then there's Ken Langone, the financial guy behind this phenomenal story. Langone may be the only guy in America to be the IPO maven behind two all time American success stories. He successfully brought public both Ross Perot's EDS, and the Home Depot. Who else can say that? He also made a billion dollars in the process. Langone is a unique, fabulous, walk to the well with you kind of guy. Among Wall Street types, he is unique, and the Street needs many more like him.

There is a story in the book where Langone is involved in a stock sale to a very nasty executive who is very prominent in his own right. Every time the executive refuses to give in to Langone's price, Langone just keeps upping the ante on him. This goes on for pages. It is uproariously funny, and is deserving of retelling over and over again. You will love this book, and learn an enormous amount about business in the process. It should probably be required reading for all MBA programs in management.

If you have any desire to understand what it takes to dedicate your entire life to building something, especially in the business world than this book is a read for you. There's one more thing that I must get across that is compelling. Having spent my life involved with companies like Home Depot, and high-powered successful people, I have come to the conclusion that it does not have to work out successfully.

There is no such thing as one must succeed, or it was ordained that this must happen. As an example Home Depot could have gone out of business a half dozen times before becoming so financially solvent that the business model had to work.

Steve Jobs at Apple could have decided 20 years ago, to license that Apple operating system to the PC industry, and Gates and Microsoft would never have happened. GM could have decided to build quality cars 25 years ago, instead of building [...]for decades while the Japanese took the market away.

Al Gore could have concentrated just a little bit more on Florida in 2000, and George W. Bush would have never been. John Kerry could have fought off the challenge of the Swift Boat accusations, and Ohio would have gone his way, and with it the election.

In the end, it's really a question of who comes through the funnel, and that is not always predictable. As I read this wonderful book, I came to the conclusion once again, that yes, you have to go for it, and dedicate all to getting there, but there is no certitude that you are going to make it. Just make sure you follow YOUR PASSION, because no matter where you wind up, a PASSION FILLED LIFE is a life WORTH LIVING. Good luck.

Richard Stoyeck

Home Depot provides a horrible experience.......2006-12-29

If you like wandering around with no service, ringing yourself out at the register, and watching a bunch of orange outfits ignore you, try Home Depot. The bigger the company gets, the more horrible the experience. Try True Hardware.

I'm rich. I started a company. I wrote a book........2004-08-24

What a laugh. Yes you!!! The average American with your wealthy silent investor in your pocket. You too can open a store.

Home Depot has spent a good deal of money trying to improve its image; including writing these books. HD has serious problems with women suing them.If you tell the customer that you are serving them well, and beat them over the head that they are receiving top notch lip service, then eventually some will believe it.

HD has spent millions improving their stores by widening ailses and better lighting. They claim to be industry leaders yet can't seem to shake Lowes from opening stores all around HD stores and even in HD's home Atlanta market.

They are very aggressive and drive their employees to bring shareholder value. They do offer products for less and have had great financial backing.

They also control costs by "Rifting" which means they fire people that start earning enough money that it becomes cheaper to train someone else.

Its one thing to write a book to laud yourself. Why not write about all the dirty tricks you pulled to get there.

Full of Lies.......2003-10-03

Let's face facts: home depot is known for abysmal service and really, really shoddy haphazard installations. They probably spend more on defending lawsuits than on store development. This book makes them look like such wizards, such brilliant and benevelont businessmen, when in fact they have done studies to see what the minimum level of customer service they can get away with is - and then tried to stretch that envelope.

I am sure Ken Lay could write books full of accolades to Enron. It would be just as true, and just as much a waste of time and money to read.

A great story..........2003-09-07

and very well told, which really makes this book a fast read (I had a hard time putting it down).

Provides, IMO, valuable information that will be useful for any business owner. I am glad these guys took the time to share their story, and I hope I get to meet them one day.

Book Description

A feat of historical detection--the most significant, andcertainly the most enthralling, book on American prehistory to appear indecades.The greatest "unsolved mystery" of the American Southwest relates to theAnasazi, the native peoples who by the 11th century converged on ChacoCanyon (now New Mexico) and built a flourishing cultural center thatattracted pilgrims from far and wide, a vital crossroads of the prehistoricworld. The Anasazis' accomplishments--in agriculture, in art, in commerce,in architecture and engineering--were astounding, rivaling those of theMayans in distant Central America. By the 13th century, however, the Anasazi were gone from Chaco. Vanished.What was it--drought? pestilence? war? forced migration? mass murder orsuicide? Craig Childs draws on scholarly research and a lifetime ofadventure and exploration in the American Southwest to pursue the mysteryof their disappearance. Considering many possibilities, he points the wayto a new understanding of how a vibrant civilization collapsed.

Customer Reviews:

Childs has done it with this book..........2007-09-11

It's been a long time since I was thoroughly captivated by a book but House Of Rain has managed to do just that. Craig Childs is arguably one of the finest non-fiction writers today. For those of us who live and breathe the Great Southwest, Child's descriptions will bring back vivid memories of Sleeping Ute mountain in the distance and standing where the Ancients stood at Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, and Chaco. For those reviewers who felt like they needed maps and an answer, you can get maps at the visitor centers all bound up in glossy little books with equally glossy descriptions of people and places. This is not one of those books - it's so much deeper. This book is not a souvenier, it's a vehicle that takes you to places that a relative few will ever see and even less will understand. Sometimes, there is no final answer - there's just the lingering questions. That's part of what makes it so interesting.

Excellent Read With Interesting Personal Point of Views.......2007-09-06

This is the first book by Craig Childs that I've read. I will say it is an excellent book on the Anasazi. Craig has spent his whole life in the desert Southwest and appears to be quite knowledgeable about his subject. If you are the least bit interested in knowing a bit more about the Anasazi but don't want to read a "dry" scientific book about the subject, this is "the book" for you. Craig has travelled, worked and talked with many southwest Archaeologists who study the Anasazi. His discussions on the Anasazi are not boring and dry and his writing style is superb. I have a passing interest in the subject matter and this is one of the newest books on the subject and based on reviews of his other books, bought this one. I'm glad I did. Craig covers some controversial areas in regards to the Anasazi and where they went. They didn't disappear, their ancestors are still here, spread out over the southwest. He hits on a few quite creditabal possibilities and presents material to support them. I not being an expert on the subject but none the less interested and with some of my own ideas, I think Craig is on to something in regards to some of the reasons for the abandonment of the ancient sites across the entire southwest not just the Four Corners area commonly attributed to the Anasazi. Craig's descriptions of his backcountry travels are excellent and gives the sense that you are there with him which makes it even more enjoyable to read. This one is a keeper which I know I will read over and over again.

House of Rain, A Great Read.......2007-08-16

If you'd like to take a journey into the SW United States looking for the "missing" Anasazi, you should crack open this book, and delve into Craig Child's riveting journey. Child's style of writing puts you there with him, and he's very skilled at creating images that draw you into the adventure.

House of Rain .......2007-07-07

Craig Childs and "House of Rain" took me to places I've been and most importantly, to places I've been unable to experience. As I was reading this descriptive narrative of the Southwest that I love so much, I felt I was walking right beside him...excellent!

Exception read for the non-archeologist interested in the Anasazi.......2007-07-06

I already own several of Craig Childs books which I enjoy reading so that I can vicariously explore the canyons with him. This book is Exceptional. I bought it just last week at the Anasazi Heritage Center near Mesa Verde and Canyons of the Ancients while vacationing there with my wife and granddaughter. Living in Utah, we make yearly trips to the Moab area and southeastern canyons of Utah always hopeing to find a ruin to explore and photograph. This book is great for the non-scientist but those interested in the cultures of the Southwest like me!

Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions

Average customer rating:

Non Fiction
Great Book
Dad's fathers day gift
Fiction
I get it

Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions
Ben Mezrich
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Busting Vegas: The MIT Whiz Kid Who Brought the Casinos to Their Knees
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Ugly Americans : The True Story of the Ivy League Cowboys Who Raided the Asian Markets for Millions
Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One
Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street

ASIN: 0743249992

Book Description

#1 National Bestseller!

The amazing inside story about a gambling ring of M.I.T.

students who beat the system in Vegas -- and lived to tell how.

Robin Hood meets the Rat Pack when the best and the brightest of M.I.T.'s math students and engineers take up blackjack under the guidance of an eccentric mastermind. Their small blackjack club develops from an experiment in counting cards on M.I.T.'s campus into a ring of card savants with a system for playing large and winning big. In less than two years they take some of the world's most sophisticated casinos for more than three million dollars. But their success also brings with it the formidable ire of casino owners and launches them into the seedy underworld of corporate Vegas with its private investigators and other violent heavies.

Filled with tense action, high stakes, and incredibly close calls, Bringing Down the House is a nail-biting read that chronicles a real-life Ocean's Eleven. It's one story that Vegas does not want you to read.

Download Description

"It's Friday night and you're on a red-eye to the city of sin. Strapped to your chest is half a million dollars; in your overnight bag is another twenty-five thousand in blackjack chips; and your wallet holds ten fake IDs. As soon as you land in Las Vegas, you are positive you are being investigated and followed. To top it all off, the IRS is auditing you, someone has been going through your mail -- and you have a multivariable calculus exam on Monday morning. Welcome to the world of an exclusive group of audacious MIT math geniuses who legally took the casinos for over three million dollars -- while still finding time for college keg parties, football games, and final exams. In the midst of the go-go eighties and nineties, a group of overachieving, anarchistic MIT students joined a decades-old underground blackjack club dedicated to counting cards and beating the system at major casinos around the world. While their classmates were working long hours in labs and libraries, the blackjack team traveled weekly to Las Vegas and other glamorous gambling locales, with hundreds of thousands of dollars duct-taped to their bodies. Underwritten by shady investors they would never meet, these kids bet fifty thousand dollars a hand, enjoyed VIP suites and other upscale treats, and partied with showgirls and celebrities. Handpicked by an eccentric mastermind -- a former MIT professor and an obsessive player who had developed a unique system of verbal cues, body signals, and role-playing -- this one ring of card savants earned more than three million dollars from corporate Vegas, making them the object of the casinos' wrath and eventually targets of revenge. Here is their inside story, revealing their secrets for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

Non Fiction.......2007-09-03

A look at the ever growing sophistication of the duel between casinos and the professional card counters who realise that they do, indeed, have an edge at blackjack.

Technology and increased surveillance is slowly and surely bringing this to an end. Where it doesn't, there is still the good old beat up the winners technique if you fancy try it in Uzbekistan or somewhere.

Great Book.......2007-08-04

If you like Vegas, Money, and an awesome time, read this book. I read it in 2 days, and I hardly read.

Dad's fathers day gift.......2007-07-22

Amazon website wouldn't let me type in a zip code; website defaulted the zip based on city name and the zip was incorrect. As a result, package couldn't be delivered. I was issued a full refund (I think).

Fiction.......2007-07-19

A reviewer below who gave this book 5 stars noted that it is a dramatization based on real events. There is a label for those types of books--fiction. It bothers me tremendously that this book is billed as non-fiction and was listed on non-fiction bestseller lists. As soon as it became obvious to me that the book was fiction (which should happen very quickly if you approach the book with any sort of a critical perspective), it became difficult for me to enjoy the book. If you can suspend disbelief and are interested in a story based on events the general framework of which I'm sure are true, then you will probably find this to be a quick, entertaining read.

I get it.......2007-07-08

This is an interesting story, but it would have been better as a feature article in a magazine, not a 257 page book. It was a ballsy thing for these geeks to do, but we didn't need to hear about every trip, and every close call. And where were the serious consequences besides getting banned from casinos, and audited by the IRS? I kept waiting for some real trouble for Kevin.

The Owner-Builder Book: How You Can Save More Than $100,000 in the Construction of Your Custom Home, 4th Edition

Average customer rating:

Good book! Could do without the "optimistic fluff..."
motivational garbage
Wow...this puts it into perspective
Big on promises, but mostly self-serving
The Owner-Builder Book: How You Can Save More Than $100,000 in the Construction of Your Custom Home, 4th Ed.

The Owner-Builder Book: How You Can Save More Than $100,000 in the Construction of Your Custom Home, 4th Edition
Mark A. Smith , and Elaine M. Smith
Manufacturer: Consensus Group; 4th edition (January 15, 2007)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

The Complete Guide to Contracting Your Home
Build Your Dream Home for Less
Building Your Own Home For Dummies
Building An Affordable House: A Smart Guide to High-Value, Low-Cost Construction
Tips & Traps When Building Your Home

ASIN: 1932272046

Book Description

The best available guide to saving money on a home construction project, The Owner-Builder Book shows you how to contract your new home, remodel, or addition at phenomenal savings. Contains a step-by-step description of the process, including how to find and hire good subcontractors, how to get a construction loan, and how to estimate costs and choose features for your project. Includes 85 planning steps and 100 new construction bargain strategies to save you thousands. Includes contracts, agreements, budget and schedule forms and worksheets. Super-index provides 1,500 search terms for total utility. Winner of the National Association of Home and Workshop Writers Silver Hammer Award for Books.

"...16 easy to read chapters with lots of charts, lists and examples...More practical advice..." Nancy Cook-Senn, The Shawnee News-Star

"...this is the book which will tell you how to design and build your own home just the way you want it. It also tells you how to save thousands of dollars in the process...You can also save up to 50% of the cost of a house by becoming an owner-builder...goes through the stages of how to plan, planning, how to buy, developing a network for purchasing your materials, how to get bids, what to look for in bids on different areas, how to supervise your sub contractors, etc...seems to leave very few, if any, stones unturned." Curtis Rivers, Vero Beach Press Journal

"Assuming you have the same costs that a general contractor will have, you will save the profit (more than 10 percent average) and the overhead (two to three times the profit) paid to a general...The Owner-Builder Book discusses just how this can be done." Ask the Experts, Country's Best Log Homes

"If you don't want to sorry, follow the process outlined by Mark Smith in his book, The Owner-Builder Book." Builders Showcase, Northwest Herald

"...covers every aspect of the building process, including planning, scheduling, working with subcontractors, financing, building permits, etc....has, perhaps for the first time, demystified the home-building process for the layman. Consider this to be a textbook." Prince William Region Home Focus

"...highlights techniques for materials shopping (what he calls "commando shopping") and planning your home room-by-room to maximize savings." Home & Real Estate Weekly, Daily Times-Call

"This new book gives a step-by-step approach to building your own home and saving up to 50 percent on construction costs. Chapters show how to beat contractor pricing tactics, how to deal with paperwork (contracts, permits, and legal and insurance protection), how to manage home building project on a daily basis, and how to avoid common owner-builder mistakes." The Henry Herald

"Great practical little book filled with tips to save money when building a home. If you want to take on the project yourself, it's good to know the tricks of the trade first. You'll learn to manage bureaucratic paperwork, how to get subs on your side, and even become privy to "commando" shopping techniques. The Smiths explain how to benefit from new tax laws and how to prepare yourself to get loan approval." Simple Living Quarterly

"If you ever have thought of building your own home, The Owner-Builder Book is for you because it is a step-by-step guide for the amateur and covers all aspects of building a home." Robb Northrup, Kitchener-Waterloo Record

"When it comes to building your dream home, sweat equity a.k.a. doing it yourself, can help economize. But you don't need to swing a hammer to nail substantial savings. In The Owner-Builder Book Mark Smith leads home-owners through a step-by-step guide of planning, scheduling and financing a custom built house." Michelle Mahfouri, American Press

"The 16-chapter book takes [you] from putting a materials list together and putting out bids to subcontractors to shopping for bargains and close-outs on framing lumber, fixtures, concrete and appliances. It also discusses how to avoid first-time mistakes." Kansas City Star

"...guides you through...building...and saving considerable dollars that will build [your] wealth without the [typical] risk..." Rocky Mountain News

"What are the secrets to...save money on the construction of your home? This book tells all." Kansas City Daily News-Press

Customer Reviews:

Good book! Could do without the "optimistic fluff...".......2007-08-21

I've just started in on this book, so my review may change after I've read the rest; but my initial opinion of this book is that while it contains a lot of useful information, it also contains information that is based on favorable chance events and optimism; these should be toned down or at least balanced with conservative planning. One instance shows how to "trade up" or "flip" houses to use the equity of the flipped house to get better properties at lower mortgage payments. This is an optimistic assumption, as is apparent in todays real estate market as of this review, there are a lot of home buyers who thought they could do this and are now stuck in expensive properties they don't want. Information presented like this reminds me of those "get rich" books. Many of the other reviewers have said the same thing: Too much junk information thrown in trying to make you feel good about the book and what you are doing. This space could have been eliminated, shrinking the book, or filled with more useful information.

Optimisim and "can do" spirit is definitley necessary to build your own home, by all accounts it is a very trying process. When using this book as an element in your DIY homebuilding planning, I'd follow the author's suggestions, plan like crazy, plan for the worst and hope for the best. The information in the book is very good. I'd still recommend it.

motivational garbage.......2007-06-18

This book is garbage. Nothing more than motivational fluff and a complete misrepresentation of the homebuilding business and process. The Author convinces readers that they can't control or trust an individual contractor to build a house for them but can easily control dozens of individual subs and suppliers without being cheated. Yeah right. The book is chock full of statistics and statements that have no support or reference. It is not surprising that the book is self-published because no reputable publisher would publish a book with so many unsupported facts and figures. If you need motivation and someone to tell you you can do it and you are the king of the world and contractors are the skum of the earth, buy the book. If you want real guidance and grounded advice on how to build your own home, look elsewhere.

Wow...this puts it into perspective.......2007-06-01

I always wondered what the profit margin is for a builder and also how much waste they have. Now I know when you compare it to what can be achieved following the items in this book.

Big on promises, but mostly self-serving.......2007-05-15

This was the first book I read when I decided to retire and in some way become very involved in building our retirement home. I ended up reading about 4 others - all of which were more substantive and helpful. The most obvious problem from my point of view is the exaggerated claim on the amount you can save. You would have to substitute a great deal of your own time plus a few other person's in place of the building tradespeople to even approach the author's claims. The other problem is since the time since I read it (2003), the book has become a platform for the author to expand his marketing. Finally, the pictures of the home the author built on his own were very unimpressive to me. I thought it looked really dull.

There was one thing I took from the book - that you needed 1,000 hours to do the job. I did that and a bit more since I had the time. I had a fantastic experience on my house, although I had to pass through ideas of being my own GC or getting someone experienced to act as a mentor. Dispensed with the first as unrealistic and ran into significant problems with after starting down the second path. I ended up using a builder who simply let me participate extensively in the process since I had done so much preparation. I ended up designing, planning, and participating extensively with all the subs. It ended up being done on time, on budget, and with a quality level that exceeded my expectations.

The Owner-Builder Book: How You Can Save More Than $100,000 in the Construction of Your Custom Home, 4th Ed........2007-04-11

This book is an amazing resource. Of all the books I've purchased, this is the one that will help me the most!

Average customer rating:

The newest X-men alternative history
Graphic SF Reader
"Marvel Event of the Decade?"
A great story that justifies all the hype
I Dug It!

House of M (X-Men, New Avengers)
Brian Michael Bendis
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785117210

Book Description

The Marvel event of the decade is here! The Avengers and the X-Men are faced with a common foe that becomes their greatest threat: Wanda Maximoff! The Scarlet Witch is out of control, and the fate of the entire world is in her hands. Will Magneto help his daughter or use her powers to his own benefit? Starring the Astonishing X-Men and the New Avengers! You know how sometimes you hear the phrase: and nothing will ever be the same again? Well, this time believe it, buster! Nothing will ever be the same again! Collects House of M #1-8, and Pulse House of M Special Edition Newspaper.

Customer Reviews:

The newest X-men alternative history.......2007-10-02

In the beggining I bought this book for curiosity because I read de review and I didn't like the story, but when I read this book I changed my mind totally because it was written with a dramatic point of view, I mean, the history is about what happen when the skarlet wich loose her mind and Pietro (quicksilver) manipulate her and she changed the world, now the mutantkind command the entire world, and she gives to all her friends the ability to have the life they always wanted, for example Spiderman is married to Gwen Stacy his uncle ben is alive, Cyclops and the White Queen are married and live together, Magneto is the ruler of the world is his catle in genosha (House Of M) but the only problerm is that Wolverine always wanted to remember everything, and of course he remembers what happened eith the Skarlet Wich, and he recruit all the avengers and the x-men (with the help of a mutant child) and the fight begins, and the final is amazing. This book is relly good, and I now want to read DECIMATION X-MEN: THE DAY AFTER, because I want to know much more. And I almost forget the drawing of Oliver Coipel is excellent.

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Coming out of the events of Avengers Disassembled, the Scarlet Witch has clearly gone completely round the bend. Her bend is a bit of a Mobius strip type doozy, as she recreates the whole world in a manner that her warped mind sees fit.

Everything is now different, and only a few realise it, or begin to realise. Those that do have to work out what to do about it. Save her, or annihilate her.

Generally pretty average.

"Marvel Event of the Decade?".......2007-07-11

This book was hyped as the "Marvel event of the decade" in 2005. Since then, we've been hit with the Civil War, World War Hulk, X-Men: Endangered Species, and (soon) the Skrull War. That's some stiff competition for the best Marvel book of the decade, but "House of M" still stacks up pretty well.

The infamous "no more mutants" decree by Wanda Maximoff led to plenty of great spin-offs after the event, such as "198" and "Son of M". (The cross-overs that occurred during the "House of M" event, however, aren't necessary to the main storyline here and are mostly just of the "What If...?" variety.)

If you haven't read Marvel comics for a while, this is the book to start with.

A great story that justifies all the hype.......2007-05-28

HOUSE OF M is easily one of the most hyped and talked about comic series in recent years. This is the series that took the Marvel universe and turned it upside down and inside out. Following this almost everything you thought you knew about the world of Marvel had to be reevaluated and the fallout still affects a whole range of comic heroes. Even for comics relatively outside all these events, like my favs The Runaways, they take place with the events in this story as background (for instance, Molly Hayes, the group's lone mutant, is one of the world's few remaining mutants).

I won't rehearse the events in the story because so many have already done so. I'll merely state that the story is better than a mere recap can do justice to. I find sometimes in the Marvel world that many stories are conceived better than they are executed. But this is one time when the story exceeds any expectations. One of the things that constantly recurred in BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER was the idea that breaking the rules of magic had consequences. That principle is definitely present here. The Scarlet Witch twice reimagines all reality, each time with massive consequences for everyone, hero and nonhero alike. One is impressed by the pathos that drives her two fantasies: first, a mutant utopia in which mutants and heroes reign as lords of the world, second, a world in which she has managed to eliminated all but a couple of hundred mutants. Marvel has sometimes been a somewhat conservative organization, creating a host of characters, but nearly all a variation on a theme. Characters have died and there have been some shocks and surprises, but rarely have they truly shaken things up. But here they did something truly gutsy: the changed all the rules. HOUSE OF M fed directly into the CIVIL WAR stories, which I find pretty exhilarating. Not all agree. Many comics fans are conservative creatures, who would not agree that change is good. Personally, I love for creative artists to take risks.

The hero of the story, to the degree that there is one, is Wolverine, the one Marvel hero you figured would be impervious to manipulation. He says in the story that he had been memory wiped so many times that he had grown immune to it, but you figure that such a prickly soul would have gotten past it anyway. If the Marvel universe has an ultimate survivor, Wolverine would be that.

The cover, interestingly, does not really feature the central characters in the story. A number of characters who play little or no role are featured, like McCoy, Colossus, and Captain America, while some who play major roles, like Cloak, Dr. Strange, and Xavier are not depicted at all. Not really complaint; more of an observation.

If you like comics or graphic novels at all, this is one you should own. It's as good as its reputation would suggest.

I Dug It!.......2007-04-29

Brian Michael Bendis is hands down the best and most prolific writers in comics today. I'll read anything he does (although I may not be able to buy all of them). Another great Marvel Universe bending story from Bendis. I follow the writer in comics more than the title. With following a writer like Bendis you'll enjoy more comics more often. This is a great book and it's got great art.

Spotlight Synthetic Aperture Radar: Signal Processing Algorithms (Artech House Remote Sensing Library)

Average customer rating:

Ever hear of 'last name' reference books?

Spotlight Synthetic Aperture Radar: Signal Processing Algorithms (Artech House Remote Sensing Library)
Walter G. Carrara , Ronald M. Majewski , and Ron S. Goodman
Manufacturer: Artech House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0890067287

Customer Reviews:

Ever hear of 'last name' reference books?.......2002-11-05

Ever hear of 'last name' reference books?
(as in: "Got a problem? Look it up in (author's last name)!")

Customer Reviews:

An excellent reference.......2004-04-14

This is perhaps one of the best CD book sets that I
have ever seen. IEEE-MTT Society used a similar approach
by digitizing and recording all the transactions into
searchable CDs. Artech House seems to did a very good
job by providing this legendry series in CDs too.

Classic series documenting one of man'sgreatest achievements.......2000-05-02

My only negative comment is: too bad its broken into two CD's and not one continuous DVD. I would have bought this set even if I owned the entire library of books. The ability to search keywords provides excellent organization and is necessary since the subjects often overlap. Even non-technical folks should appreciate the historical significance of this work since it was created by a few very talented individuals who dedicated their lives to win a terrible war.

Charles Faudree's French Country Signatu

Average customer rating:

Freast for the Eyes...
Pleased with this purchase
Good Coffee Table Travel
WOW! Love It !!!!
My New Bible

Charles Faudree's French Country Signatu
Charles Faudree , and M.J. Van Deventer
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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

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

Charles Faudree's Country French Living
New French Country: A Style and Source Book
Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America
French by Design
Secrets of French Design

ASIN: 1586852884

Book Description

Charles Faudree has elevated French Country style to a fine art. With an exuberant decorating attitude based around his favorite principle that "too much is never enough", Faudree has achieved an international reputation for creating settings that have all the elegant accoutrements of a French Country estate, lacking pretension but never charm. With a discerning taste for the eclectic, Faudree is a master at one of the main tenets of this style-combining traditional prints, patterns, colors, and textures with just the right furnishings. Faudree has always been drawn, almost charismatically, to the charm of Country French. He comments, "There is simplicity, a gentle softness to the furnishings I find very calming and soothing. I love the mix of fabrics, blending plaids with florals and old tapestries. Country French is a truly working-class style." Faudree is delighted to finally share his extensive knowledge with the public, in this long-overdue book that focuses on how to make any home into an elegant, inviting, and comfortable French Country retreat. Charles Faudree graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, with a degree in art. His client list is international, and he is regarded as a master of Country French style. This is his first book. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Customer Reviews:

Freast for the Eyes..........2007-06-11

If you have enjoyed Charles Faudree's beautiful rooms in Traditional Home Magazine over the years, as I have, you will love this book. It is absolutely loaded with wonderful rich-colored pictures/photos. It is divided into sections by the room (kitchen, bedroom, etc...) and each section begins with the author's commentary about these rooms and how he chose the design/pieces. Next follows the gorgeous pictures/photos with wonderfully descriptive captions that give the origin of the piece, fabric or wallpaper. This is one of those books you will pick up again and again...and you will most likely see something great you missed the time before. After pouring through this book, I immediately ordered Faudree's other book, "Country French Living". After just one time through this beautiful book, I came away with three or four ideas that I was able to immediately implement in my own home. One suggestion: when you sit down to enjoy this book, do so with paper and pen close by. The pictures are so detailed that I was able to read the titles of many of the wonderful books Faudree has displayed throughout his home. I recognized some I have collected but jotted down 6 or 7 titles that I had never seen or had seen but wasn't sure if I should buy. Also, if you love animals (dogs and cats) this book will definitely make you smile. Almost every page has a snoozing, pampered pet curled up for an afternoon nap. This book contains a wealth of information, but putting that aside...it is a feast for the eyes!

Pleased with this purchase.......2007-03-09

I like this book, and keep it on my coffee table for others to enjoy. The only reason that I haven't given it 5 stars is because the kitchens section wasn't anything particularly inspiring.

Good Coffee Table Travel.......2007-02-08

Profusely illustrated with dreamy, close focus photographs, this book seems to sweep the reader right into each French Country room. This style of interior design is a little too fussy for my taste, but I enjoyed the authors' ability to take me on a tour of these homes as if I were on a mini-vacation.

WOW! Love It !!!!.......2006-05-09

It's Charles Faudree!! What more needs to be said. I've been a fan of his for years. Noticed his rooms in some of my favorite magazines. Especially Traditional Home. He NEVER fails to delight and inspire. Tons of ideas on every page. Wish he would publish a book every year !!

My New Bible.......2005-12-22

Charles Faudree is my ultimate favorite designer and this book is not a dissapointment. It is something I can study over and over again. Being close enough to Tulsa, I recently got to experience Mr. Faudree's personal decorating first hand. This book is testament to his impeccable taste.

Average customer rating:

Loved it.
Strong Five Star Book
Fantastic!
French Country Elegance Defined
C'est Magnifique!

Charles Faudree's Country French Living
Charles Faudree , and M.J. Van Deventer
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

Charles Faudree's French Country Signatu
Winter House
New French Country: A Style and Source Book
An Affair with a House
French Connection, The

ASIN: 1586857150

Book Description

One of America's top 100 designers, Charles Faudree has worldwide appeal with his interpretation of Country French. Charles Faudree's Country French Living features his newest room designs. From the entryway to the dressing room to walls, dining rooms, and outdoor spaces, Charles teaches principles of design that make a house a Country French home:

Customer Reviews:

Loved it........2007-08-29

Loved the book. Had beautiful pictures and great display of the French country style.

Strong Five Star Book.......2006-06-30

Charles Faudree's style is "Comfortable French" Anyone could live in his rooms. They have a touch of elegance without being stiff or too formal. They are like that favorite outfit that you have had for years and years and still love to wear. This book is full of great pictures so you can see exactly what he means when he talks about French Country Style.

Fantastic! .......2006-03-13

If you love Country French that is not pretentious, but still elegant, this is the book for you. This is the second of Charles Faudree's design books that I have purchased. The pictures are incredible, and his attention to detail is amazing. He certainly has a gift and I wish that I could afford for him to help me with my house. Especially if that involved traveling with him to the French Market or to the Portobello Market in Notting Hill. Instead, I will use his pictures as a guide. I hope that this book is not his last!

French Country Elegance Defined.......2006-02-25

Mr. Faudree has knocked another one out of the park with his follow-up book to Country French Design. His high style seems to have calmed down somewhat and isn't quite as "over the top" as it was in his first book. I could literally step through the pages and take residence in any of the rooms featured.

If I had a complaint, it would be that the captions didn't maintain much of a narrative regarding the rooms depicted, but basically listed material resources.

C'est Magnifique!.......2006-02-19

He does it again! And I hope he keeps putting out these gorgeous books! Charles Faudree is a true master of his art. Thank goodness the rest of us can see his work published and keep being inspired and moved by his work. I love his philosophy of "it's in the mix, not the match". I don't believe you have to be a Francophile to appreciate and enjoy this book....it is for anyone who enjoys great beauty!

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