This book and Late Perennials (vol. 2) are two of the best gardening books I've ever bought. Other perennial guides give you maybe one, perhaps two photographs of each plant, but these give you photos of nearly every variety and species. Some pictures are of plants in their native habitat, some are set up as specimen sheets, but even these give you a good idea of what the plant looks like. There is also good information about soil, climate, and hardiness. I thought the authors went a bit overboard on the irises, but otherwise they've done a wonderful job. I can't believe there haven't been new editions yet!

Lush and enticing photography. Highly useful growing information: hardiness, bloom season, size, etc. A virtual wish list for every gardener covering the very best of hardy perennials, including new cultivars. I strongly recommend that this book be purchased as a set with the companion Volume II: Late Perennials. The index will direct you to the correct volume and page for each entry. Volume one includes many glorious pictures of peonies, iris, primroses, hellebores and other spring blooming plants. I operate an 8 acre perennial nursery, and read lots of these books, and see this two volume set as a Best Buy. I use it as often as professional reference sets costing hundreds of dollars! You'll love it, too

This books certainly defines a revolution in Luke-Acts studies. THERE ARE few scholars in the field who write with such alacrity and insight as Thomas E. Phillips SBFM. Also, his perspective as a professional exotic dancer (as is all too clearly portrayed in the picture on the book's back cover) brings to the text sensitivities which are rare in the field of ultra-conservative biblical studies. All and all, I would say the book is the pre-eminent example of mid-acts dispensationalism being combined modern critical theory - truly, a photogenic masterpiece to be treasured through the ages.

Great to read a scholarly biblical work that also make sense from a financial point of view.

This work by Walter Pater, published in 1873, as
a volume of collected (previously published) essays
along with an essay on "Winckelmann", a Preface, and
a Conclusion was [and perhaps still is] an extremely
influential work of aesthetic criticism. The volume
helped shape [influence] the perceptions, the
attitudes, and the approaches of many youthful readers
in the late 1880's and 1890's. It is very interesting
to read, immensely engaging to consider and muse about,
but also offers cautions to the overenthusiastic,
easily influenced [or persuaded] disciple.
This volume consists of an Introduction [by the
editor, Adam Philips], a Preface [by Pater], 9 chapters,
and a Conclusion (in this particular edition
by Oxford Classics there is also a chronology, a
Selective Bibliography, an Appendix titled "Diaphaneite,"
and Explanatory Notes in the back. The chapter titles
(after Pater's Preface) are: Two Early French Stories;
Pico Della Mirandola; Sandro Botticelli; Luca Della
Robbia; The Poetry of Michelangelo; Leonardo da Vinci;
The School of Giorgione, Joachim Du Bellay; Winckelmann;
and Conclusion.
* * * * * * * * * *
What's the problem here? Well, unfortunately, Pater
is not completely reliable as an objective perceiver
or critic. He tends to be a bit eccentric in his
individualistic perceptions and interpretations of
the art works, but he goes ahead and defends this
approach in a very "modern" sounding fashion --
which seems to include a bit of "situational perceptions,"
subjective impressions of perception and response,
and subjective criticism. Which makes for extremely
engaging [sometimes irritating] reading, but leaves
something to be desired as far as objective and
judicious thoughtfulness and truthfulness. Pater
seems to believe that it is acceptable to "bend"
or even create facts to further his own it-pleases-
me-to-think-that-this-is-or-should-be-so desires.
We know that we are on a slippery critical slope
[though it will sound all too familiar to modern
ears and modern apologetics] when the editor Phillips
informs us: "In Pater's first published writing, his
essay on Coleridge of 1866, he had suggested that --
'Modern thought is distinguished from ancient by its
cultivation of the "relative" spirit in place of the
"absolute" ... To the modern spirit nothing is, or
can be rightly known, except relatively and under
conditions." It doesn't take much time to realize
that such a critical position is going to lead to
an end-position of aesthetic, critical, and moral
relativism ("You can't tell me I'm wrong, because
there is no one set way of seeing, analyzing,
believing, or evaluating."-- the spoiled, indulged child's
self-justification for the validity of its own
ego supremacy and authority against that of any
parental or adult restrictions. Such a position usually
means a lack of any meaningful in-depth self questioning
or objective evaluating of personal motives, and a
welcoming of lack of restraints in the pursuit of
pleasure and non-self discipline. And this, of course,
is the critical negative refrain that often comes
against the decadent followers of Pater's credo.]
The second fall-out effect of Pater's evaluations
and pronouncements is that some of his disciples
[self-styled] went farther than even he was willing
to approve with their hedonism and purposefully
shocking lifestyles and "decadent" behaviors and
aesthetic appetites.
But it came from statements like this, which Pater
may have meant one way, but which their subjective,
individualistic perceptions took another way: "The
aesthetic critic, then, regards all the objects with
which he has to do, all works of art, and the fairer
forms of nature and human life, as powers or forces
producing PLEASURABLE SENSATIONS [caps are mine], each
of a more or less peculiar or unique kind. [We value
them --he says] for the property each has of affecting
one with a special, a unique, impression of pleasure.
Our education becomes complete in proportion as our
SUSCEPTIBILITY to these impressions increases -- in
depth and VARIETY."
Let the perceiver and the critic -- and the
experiencer -- proceed with extreme caution and good
judgment.
* * * * * * * * *

This book has changed many lives in a very
peculiar way: although its evaluations are
quite wrong at times, particularly the chapter
on the School of Giorgione(if you care, check
out the edition with an introduction by
Kenneth Clark), Pater's Renaissance still
shines with the very same light that made it a
cult among Victorian youngmen.

The "gemstone flame", the pervasive feelings
of which Pater invited us to share have not
vanished (in spite of the attempts of the
so-called modern art), and the book's
invaluable lesson is that you simply
do not need a fancy objet d'art to see
what true beauty is all about.

So basically this is what I have to say: if
you have ever derived aesthetic pleasure from
anything at all in life, you should read this
little book tomorrow. If you never felt any
such pleasure, you must read The Renaissance
right now, or you'll simply let the good
things pass you by. I mean it.

A picture is worth 1000 words and this book uses color pictures well. The book is fairly short, but covers the subject with concise grace. I am a rank beginner. My first climb was 3 days ago, my second was yesterday (both indoors). I took my 3 year old and 10 year old yesterday and they loved it! In the past 2 days I've read 5 books on climbing, and so far this has been the best.

I read a 250 page "textbook" on climbing, and only saw about 10% that I cared about right now. At this point I really don't want to know 75 different ways to wrap a rope around my body to rappel. (you know what I mean?) Teach me something fast, show me some good graphics. Get me started on the right foot! That's what this book does in spades.

The author's best use of pictures are to show both the right way and the wrong way to do something (like run rope through a 'biner). Also, I have done alot of equipment pricing over the past few days, and this book is DEAD ON when it comes to costs of climbing equipment and accessories.

This book is everything the beginner needs to start crawling up walls, just make sure you have a belay partner so you don't kill yourself. :-)

Rock Climbing is an excellent resource for beginning courses offered through high school and university programs. The text is full color and includes many exciting photographs by noted climbing photographers and very nice artist renderings of gear and techniques. All the basics for getting started are covered. The text describes techniques and methods for Traditional and Sport Leading as well as for Top-roping routes. Information on specific training for climbing is provided and one chapter even presents a mini-guide to some of the best areas around the world. Of course, I am a bit biased since I wrote the book

I loved these books! The story of Anna and Sergei and Katrina fascinated me till the end, and then some. The setting interested me, as did the time period. He made the characters real and believable. One of my favorites of his.

This book is so interesting you can't put it down. All people will love it for its structure, wording and story

Philip Pearson is actually my lecturer and just like him, his is book is fantastic. It is written in a way that everyone understands. (there is no jargon)It has helped me a great deal in which exercises to do and not to do and, also in my training when I am stretching before and after workouts. It has done wonders for my muscles and I recommend any sports person to buy one

Since reading this book and following some of the exercises, I have come away from doing out dated stretching techniques and exercises that in the past may have been the cause of some of my injuries, to being injury free for the past year. The illustration helped to put me in the correct positions, and the explanation of why we do the exercise in such a manner made sense. Thank you Mr Pearson

This is such a great book filled with exciting adventures!! The setting is so descriptive. I saw their new site www.dabpublishing.com which is very neat. I know that you can buy any of Phillip E. Hauck's books including: The Saga of Peter Huston, Peter Huston U.S. Marshal, Plum Full of Prunes and A Timeless Journey.Bookstores and Businesses can by books at wholesale Price. I Also found out that Peter Huston U.S. Marshal is not out of print. Everyone should go to their site and look at it. This is such a wondorful offer. Please take this outstanding opportunity and use it to your advantage.

This story has it all. Action. History. Indian attacks. Cavalry. A little romance. What was really cool was the actual historical notes in the text boxes. And the artwork was beautiful. Very much a story to read if you like action and history. Good for students of American West history as well.

Ben Callahan readily accepted the offer from Emma Montgomery. As a private investigator, he is more accustomed to clients who tried to weasel their way around expenses and final pay, rather than Emma's generous offer. He not only needs to cover his own bills, but also the cost of the independent living community where he has placed his mother. Emma's job is also intriguing. Emma believes her granddaughter is "in the process of finding herself and she needs a keeper."

The first moment Ben sees the picture of Emma's granddaughter, he's hooked. Just looking at Grace Montgomery's picture is enough to rev up his libido. So Ben travels to New York City, taking the apartment across the hall from Grace. When he sees Grace in person, his reaction is equally instant and intensive.

The sight of Ben in her hall sends Grace's adrenaline pumping. She has escaped to New York to experience life and discover her self-identity. A treat like Ben is just one of the perks of living away from home, even if she mostly watches from a distance. Ben adds spark and zing simply with his presence. Grace has had enough of men who wine and dine her for her connections and family money. She believes Ben to be different. He seems to let her know up front just who he is and what he wants. Little does Grace suspect Ben's connection to her grandmother.

Carly Phillips presents a highly seductive novel in SIMPLY SENSUAL. Her heroine lends the novel a marvelous sparkle with her spirit and spunk. Phillips also lends comic relief with Emma Montgomery, who is charming, refreshing, and addictive. I would love to see her matchmaking skills reoccur in another of Phillips' delightful romances! Highly recommended.

Wealthy senior citizen Emma Montgomery paid the airfare and expenses from New York to Hampshire, Massachusetts to offer the job of "keeper" to private investigator Ben Callahan. The pay is excellent and the job seems easy. However, Ben has doubts about "sitting" for an adult. Still the fee would allow him to provide assisted care to his mother, whose eyesight is beginning to fail. Further rationalizing that Emma would hire a less scrupulous detective, Ben reluctantly agrees to keep an eye on Emma's beautiful granddaughter Grace as the latter seeks to find herself in New York.

From just a picture of Grace, Ben's libido explodes. When he meets the "Golden Princess," he realizes that he is more worried about protecting her from himself than from some thug. What he failed to count on is that a finally free Grace amazingly decides she wants to be Ben's woman and recklessly goes about insuring that happens.

SIMPLY SENSUAL is a fun to read contemporary romance. Ben and Grace make a sexy duo, while the upper class Emma provides humor as she performs matchmaking duties between the sleuth and her beloved granddaughter. Simply speaking, Carly Phillips makes reading a delight.

Harriet Klausner

I grew up liking Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. I found Western Stars I had not heard of or had not heard of in years in this delightful and useful book. The Cd takes us from Back in the Saddle to Happy Trails, framing the lesser knowns with Gene and Roy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have

Author Phillips certainly knows his subject. His material is well researched. No studio hype here. The photos are so crisp and clear, they seem to jump off the page and sit in your lap. For those who grew up during the 30's, 40's and 50's this book is like stepping back to those days. For everyone else, you can see and hear, what you missed. America still needs these kind of heroes. The biographical information on the 25 western stars is brief and accurate. Excellent reference book.

I know the author--he let me read the manuscript and galley. I couldn't believe how good the story was! I sat down one night and read it from beginning to end and I had shivers running down my spine. Most of the actual story is set in a confessional and told in retrospect. The plot development was solid and the way the characters developed gave me chills. This is a twisting story about love lost and the main character's (Alec) inability to let go. In the process, he stumbles onto a way of travelling through time and tries to bury his loss by remaking his life from a certain point on. I'm not going to give any more away but I really loved this book and I can't wait until he publishes the second book in the series.

Breathtaking! I literally couldn't put the book down until I finished it! I hope Blacke comes out with a sequel soon.